Author: Hamza Rufai

A FORMER Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, arraigned for N33bn fraud, has spent nine days at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. Mamman was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on July 12 and was granted N10bn bail by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. Checks by our correspondent on Sunday showed that nine days after being granted bail, Mamman remained in custody, indicating that he had yet to meet the record N10bn bail imposed on him by the court. The spokesman for the Nigeria Correctional Service in the Federal Capital Territory Adamu Duza,…

THE 15th Fulani Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, attended the annual peace prayer for the nation organised by the Isyaku Rabiu family, on Saturday. The Holy Qur’an is usually recited up to 3000 times within the first Islamic month to pray for peace, prosperity and progress of the country. The 15th Emir witnessed the last day of the prayers for the year. This newspaper reports that the 15th Emir had moved in a procession from the Nassarawa mini palace to the Isyaku Rabiu mosque at Goron Dutse and the same back home. This newspaper gathered that this is…

OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted another batch of seven containers bearing 1, 229, 400 bottles of codeine syrup worth ₦9.8bn at the Onne Ports. This is barely three weeks after seizing 6,125 cartons of the same product containing 1,050,000 bottles worth ₦7.35bn in street value, at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers State. The latest seizure made on Thursday 18th July 2024, is the fourth and last set of such consignments that have been under the watchlist of the agency’s Maritime Special Operations Unit Targeting Team, which worked in partnership with the Port…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the sale of foreign exchange (FX) to eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operators at 1,450 naira to a dollar. The apex bank said the sum of $20,000 is to be sold to each BDC at the rate of N1,450/$ (representing the lower band of the trading rate at NAFEM in the previous trading day). In a statement on Thursday, CBN’s Acting Director in Charge of Trade and Exchange Departments, Aliyu Mahdi, said the apex bank has observed the continued distortions in the retail end of the market, which is feeding into the…

A CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin ‘Little’ has lauded the decision of the party’s governors forum to ensure that the constitution and laid down guidelines on the election of party executives are followed religiously in the forthcoming state, local goveenment and ward congresses.                                    The Kano PDP chieftain explained that the governors position taken at their just-concluded meeting in Enugu, has established  the fact that the party is committed to reclaiming Nigeria come 2027 general election. Alhaji Amin ‘Little’…

FOLLOWING the financial autonomy granted for the existence of the local government in Nigeria, the Senate has moved to establish the Local Government Independent Electoral Commission. The upper house kickstarted the process on Thursday through a Bill seeking to establish a federal agency that will conduct local government elections in the country. The Bill scaled first reading in the Senate on Thursday. The Bill titled, “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024” was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, (APC – Niger East).

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday passed through the first reading a bill, seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to provide for a single term of six years for the Offices of the President, State Governors and Local Government Areas Chairmen to curb wastages occasioned by four years periodic elections. The private member bill was sponsored by the member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere and 50 other lawmakers. The proposed bill seeks to alter Sections 7, 135, 137, 180 and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Clause 2 seeks to amend Section 7…

THE Federal Government has predicted that 94 towns are at risk of a five-day flooding beginning Tuesday, July 16, and ending on July 20, 2024. The Minister of State of Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, disclosed this to The PUNCH on Tuesday. Salako said the identified locations and their environs would likely witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flood within the prediction period. He listed the concerned states as Adamawa State (Gbajili, Ganye); Abia State (Eziama, Arochukwu); Anambra State (Onitsha); Akwa Ibom (Uyo, Upenekang, Oron, Edor, Eket, Obianga, Etinan); Bauchi State (Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi); Bayelsa State (Letugbene); Borno State (Maiduguri);…

A PROMINENT Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Kabir Haruna Gombe, has appealed to the youth to prioritise peace and avoid participating in the planned protest over hunger and insecurity. Sheikh Gombe emphasised the significance of dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution, urging young people to refrain from actions that could incite violence or chaos. “Some individuals are using social media to mobilise Nigerians, especially the youth, for protests against hunger, fuel subsidy removal, electricity tariff hikes and insecurity,” Sheikh Kabiru Gombe said. Highlighting religious teachings, Sheikh Gombe underscored the qur’anic and biblical principles advocating for peaceful responses to challenges. “The Holy Qur’an…

NIGERIA’s inflation figure has reached a new high, hitting 34.19 % for June 2024, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of State Statistics (NBS).  This is an increase of 0.24% points when compared to the inflation figure for May 2024 released by the NBS. “In June 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 34.19% relative to the May 2024 headline inflation rate which was 33.95%. Looking at the movement, the June 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.24% points when compared to the May 2024 headline inflation rate,” the NBS said in its Consumer Price…

THE Federal Executive Council has approved a $21 million project to install metres at all 187 crude oil flow stations in the Niger Delta. The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, announced this at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, saying that the initiative aims to ensure accurate accounting of the country’s crude oil production using digital platforms. Lokpobiri also mentioned that part of this digital strategy includes implementing a system to track all crude oil vessels from their point of origin in the Niger Delta to their final destinations worldwide. “One of the key approvals of the Federal…

THE Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Governor of Kwara State Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq says the Supreme Court verdict on local government financial autonomy is relieving to governors. He spoke at the State House in Abuja on Friday in the company of his Bauchi and Imo State counterparts Bala Mohammed and Hope Uzodimma respectively. “We welcome the ruling of the Supreme Court. Compliance is a given and our attorney generals have applied for the enrollment order which we’ll study carefully. But by and large, governors are happy with the devolution of power with respect to local government autonomy,” the…

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered that a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, be remanded in Kuje prison in Abuja pending the consideration of his bail application. Justice James Omotosho issued the order on Thursday after the court resumed Mamman’s arraignment on money laundering charge which was earlier stepped down by the judge. The former minister pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The EFCC had filed a 12-count money laundering charge against Mamman. He was alleged to have committed money laundering offences to the tune of N33…

TWELVE more state government-owned tertiary institutions have been onboarded to the student loan application pool, increasing the number from 36 to 48. This was revealed by the management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund in a statement signed by its Head, Media and Public Relations, Nasir Ayitogo, on Wednesday. According to him, the onboarding followed the successful submission and verification of data completeness. “With this latest addition, the total number of participating state government-owned tertiary institutions has now increased from the initial 36 announced earlier to 48. Students’ data from 121 institutions is outstanding,” the statement read. The Fund urged…

AS part of efforts to address the food crisis in the country, the Federal Government is sending 60 trucks of fertiliser to each of the states of the federation. Each of the 109 senators will also receive two trucks of fertiliser for distribution to farmers in their constituents, while the 360 members of the House of Representatives will get one truck each to distribute in their constituencies. The Senate, which disclosed the plan on Tuesday while debating on the food crisis at plenary, called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the fertiliser distribution. The call followed a motion…

THE Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Monday sought to take over the trial of Karl Toriola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd; and others. Counsel to the AGF, Aderonke Imana, told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja, upon resumed hearing in the matter. Mrs Imana informed the court that the prosecuting agency, the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, and the police had been notified through a letter to furnish the AGF’s office with a report. “The matter is slated for plea. “However, I have the instruction…

THE Nigerian Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has blamed resurfacing of fuel queues in some parts of the country on the disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorm. A statement by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Monday, said the adverse weather condition has also affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, disrupting station supply logistics. The clarification came following reports of long fuel queues in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country.…

A MAN who gave his name as Shaibu Alhaji Yusuf on Monday caused a stir in Abuja when he climbed a 120-metre-long broadcast mast at the premises of the Abuja Broadcasting Service, owners of Aso Radio and Television. The broadcast station which is owned by the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA is located on Katampe Hill, at a point dubbed the geographic centre of Nigeria, along the Kubwa Expressway. The man who for several minutes refused to come down despite entreaties by emergency responders, said he is an indigene of Borno state. He said he was not happy with the…

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, extends his congratulations to Muslims across the nation and worldwide as they mark the commencement of the New Islamic Year. This auspicious occasion, which signifies the beginning of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a time for reflection, renewal, and a renewed commitment to the values of faith, peace, and unity. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr Ganduje urged Muslims to use this period to pray for the continued peace, prosperity, and development of Nigeria and to support the administration…

VICE President Kashim Shettima has called for a significant shift from dependence on oil to other critical sectors with attractive investment returns in Nigeria. He identified agriculture, manufacturing, renewable energy and digital innovation, among other sectors as potential investment ground to explore, saying they align with the nation’s development priorities outlined in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). During the Existing Foreign Direct Investors Roundtable at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the media aide to Shettima, Stanley Nkwocha, stated that the VP mentioned that the eight-point agenda of the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola…