The First Prosecution Witness, PW1, in the ongoing trial of former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, Ogau Onyeka Michael, on Monday, 12 February, 2024 told Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, how the ex-CBN boss approved the payment of $6,230,000 in cash for international election observers in the last 2023 general election. Michael made the revelation while testifying at the ongoing trial of Emefiele. The former CBN boss is standing trial before Justice Muazu on 20-count amended charges bordering on corrupt advantages, conspiracy, and criminal breach of trust, forgery…
Author: Khadijah Olowode
By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Bayero, has called on the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to drum it into the ears of her husband, President Bola Tinubu, to address quickly address the issue of great hunger, starvation, and insecurity confronting the country The Emir made the plea when Tinubu’s wife visited him in Kano on Monday, 12 February, 2024, said: “Although we have several means of communicating to the government on our needs and requests, your way and means is the surest way to tell the President the actual happenings in the country.” The monarch, who spoke through an interpreter,…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike Gunmen suspected to be bandits on the evening of Sunday, 11 February, 2024 killed nine traders along Jibia/Batsari Road on Katsina State. According to residents, the traders were returning to their community from a local market in Jibia when they ran into the roadblock mounted by gunmen around 6pm. It was gathered that the traders were being conveyed in two vehicles which the gunmen also burnt. A local resident, who doesn’t wants his name mentioned, said, “The traders left the market early enough after their trading on Sunday only for them to run into the gunmen between 5pm…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), has joined investigation of the helicopter crash which killed Mr. Herbert Wigwe Group CEO of Access Holdings and five others in the United States, on Friday night, 9 February, 2024. The ill-fated Airbus Helicopter EC130B4 crash occurred on Friday, February 9, 2024, at about 10:08 PM. (Pacific Standard Time) near Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California. Former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, Mr. Wigwe’s wife, Chizoba and son, Chizzy, also died in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike Despite the hardship Nigerians are facing since the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised President Bola Tinubu-led administration to completely phase out electricity subsidy in the country. According to its published ‘Post Financing Assessment (PFA)’ report, the IMF added that the federal government had overwhelmed itself, thus recommending that the total removal of both fuel and electricity subsidies must be implemented. The body made this recommendation as the mechanism for Nigeria to restore macroeconomic stability, coming as corroboration to what the government had said late last year that electricity…
Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Simon Bassey Idio for currency racketeering in Uyo. The 59-year old ‘Naira Trader’ was arrested on Friday February 9, 2024, at the Ibom Tropicana Mall , Udo Udoma way in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. His arrest came on the heels of intelligence and surveillance regarding his illegal cash dealings in local and foreign currencies within the state. He was caught selling N700, 000 new naira notes in two denominations: 12 bundles of N500 notes totaling N600, 000 and a bundle of N1000 notes…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike A Federal Capital Terrritory (FCT),High Court presided over by Justice Yusuf Halilu on Monday, 12 February, 2024, adjourned the trial of 20 former leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) charged with attempted murder. In the suit marked: CR/042/2023, the former union leaders, including a one-time National Chairman, Lucky Osesua, were charged with attempted murder, breach of peace and assault. Also charged are Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmimin Shaibu and John Amajuoyi. Others are Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift…
By Abimbola Ogunnaike A former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye, on Monday, 12 February, 2024, in Abuja told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC), from prosecuting him in the alleged $6 billion fraud. Agunloye, who was put on trial by the anti-corruption agency on the alleged $6bn Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station fraud, is claiming that EFCC lacked the power to proceed with the trial. He predicated his opposition to trial by EFCC on various grounds in his motion on notice for preliminary objections. In the objection…
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji has called on the management of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti and other tertiary institutions in the state to justify recent increment in government subvention to them through tangible outcomes. The State University had its subvention increased from N260 million to N410 million monthly, while other state owned institutions also got different increments, in a move aimed at ameliorating the financial challenges confronting the institutions. Speaking at an event in Abuja, Sunday evening, 11 February, 2024, where he was honored as one of the Distinguished Alumni of Ekiti State University (EKSU), organized by the institution’s…
Former Presidential Aide, Laolu Akande has spoken in support of the legislative proposed idea of having all the national elections in one day, saying, it makes things easier for the electorate and could improve voter turnout. He, however wonders if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies are ready for the challenges. Akande, a veteran journalist spoke when featuring on Channels TV 10pm News Flagship Saturday night, February 10, 2024, where he featured as a news analyst and was asked about the possibility of the proposal and its modalities. He said, “I think that it is going…