Author: Hamza Rufai

NIGERIA’s headline inflation has risen to a 20-year high of 28.2 percent in November, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed. The NBS in its Consumer Price Index of November 2023 published on Friday said the headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.87% points when compared to that of October 2023, which was 27.33%. This newspaper reports that the figure is the highest record from data obtained on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The bank’s data started from 2003. “On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 6.73% points higher compared to the rate…

THE caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s move to end the rift between the state governor, Simi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has broken down as crisis in the state has continued to fester. Recall that Tinubu recently held a meeting with Wike and Fubara at the presidential villa in Abuja, to broker peace between the two politicians in the state. But in the last four days, the crisis assumed a new dimension with the demolition of the state House of Assembly Complex and…

THE Senate has frowned at a N145 billion naira by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the huge liabilities confronting the agency. The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions expressed their dissatisfaction on Wednesday when they met with AMCON Managing Director, Ahmed Kuru, who led top officials of the agency to the Senate to present his 2023 financial records as well as defend the 2024 budget estimates. They lamented the loss of 145 billion naira recorded by the agency within 12 months, a development which members of the committee unanimously described as gravely concerning. A…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sworn in Dr Musa Aliyu as the new Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC). At a brief ceremony that took place before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting commenced in the State House on Wednesday, the President also swore in Prof Tunji Olaopa as the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC). Eleven members of the Federal Civil Service Commission were also sworn in. They are : Dr. Daudu Ibrahim Jalo — Member (Representing Adamawa | Gombe | Taraba) Obong Ededet Eyoma — Member (Representing Akwa Ibom | Cross…

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye and other, Tolulope Akinwale, wanted over alleged fraud. The commission in his verified facebook page urged Nigerians who knows the whereabout of Agunloye to report to the nearest police station or inform the EFCC. The EFCC stated: “Dr. U Agunloye is wanted by the EFCC. You know his whereabout? Please don’t hesitate to inform the EFCC or the nearest Police Station.” The EFCC had invited Agunloye for questioning over his role in the $6 billion Mambila hydropower contract. Former President, Chief Olusegun…

GUNMEN on Saturday night abducted twenty-three residents in Dei-Dei community under Bwari area council in the Federal Capital Territory. The victims, this newspaper, learnt were taken from their apartments within a single compound occupied by tenants, between 8 and 9 pm of the day. Mai Unguwar Dei-Dei Ibrahim Galadima while confirming the incident to our reporter last night said seven of the victims were rescued by the security vigilante from the area who trailed the kidnappers into the bush about an hour later. “It’s like the kidnappers who had left the area with their victims in three batches, have noticed…

THE Federal Government on Monday said the naira redesign policy carried out by the Central Bank of Nigeria from December 15, 2022, to early February this year when the Supreme Court ruled against it, ran farmers bankrupt. In a similar lamentation, federal lawmakers declared that the rate of hunger and famine in the land is resulting in the deaths of the poor in rural areas. Lamentations on the effects of the controversial naira re-design and hunger arising from insecurity came to the fore during the budget defence session the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, had before…

SEVEN students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA) in Nasarawa State, who were abducted four days ago, have been released. Recall that the students were abducted last Wednesday night by gunmen at their off-campus accommodation in Gandu village, close to the campus. After the incident, the students have come out to protest the incessant kidnap in the area, demanding for the release of their peers and for enhanced security measures in the vicinity. This newspaper gathered that the students were released on Sunday evening following collaborative efforts by the military and other security agencies. The President of the Student…

THE Independent National Electoral Commission and the Nigerian Bar Association will commence the prosecution of electoral offenders in January, this newspaper has learnt. Since 1999, there has been hardly any election that has not been characterised by offences in one form or the other. Such electoral offences include culpable homicide and unlawful possession of firearms, snatching and destroying of INEC items, misconduct at polling units and stealing of results, among others. On June 30, 2022, a bill to establish the National Electoral Offences Commission passed a second reading in the House of Representatives. A similar bill was passed by the…

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) says it discovered over 4,800 illegal connections on oil pipelines in the country in what is a grim picture of the country’s major income earner. “We have over 4,800 illegal connections on our pipelines. That means in some lines, within 100 kilometres of pipelines, you have as much as 300 insertions,” the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL Mele Kyari told the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Friday. “Therefore, even when you produce the oil, you cannot deliver them at the required pressure and therefore the volume will also be less.” According to…

FORTY eight hours after being summoned by the Senate, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, has now appeared before the joint committee on appropriations. The Senate had issued a 24-hour ultimatum on Wednesday to the NNPCL boss after an observations that he had in previous occasions, shunned summons by the Senate to appear before its ad-committee probing over 11 trillion naira expenditure on turn around maintenance of refineries in the country between 2010 and 2023. Responding to questions by the senate committee on appropriations on the potential drop in pump…

THE Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, on Thursday, insisted that the military airstrikes at Tudun Biri village that killed over 100 villagers was a “regrettable error” that will not reoccur. Lagbaja stated this when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Army to defend the Army’s 2024 budget. He said that the bombing in Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of the state was “accidental” amid criticism that the bombardment was intentional. But the chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Katsina), said a thorough investigation would get to the root of the…

LOYALTY has been described as one of the secrets of any successful Public Relations (PR) practitioner in Nigeria and beyond. This was stated by a public relations guru and publisher of a book: “An introduction to Strategic Communication”, Dr Sule Ya’u Sule, which was presented at a public lecture on Thursday at Nicon Luxury, Abuja. “What I learnt in about three decades of my career as a PR practitioner is to be loyal to your boss. In fact, if there is more than 100 percent loyalty, just be that – it pays”’, Sule stressed. Dr Sule, who was sharing his…

THE Bauchi State Police Command has revealed that the 500-level Geology student of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, who was stabbed and later died in the hospital, was trying to retrieve his girlfriend’s handbag from some assailants when the incident happened. This newspaper had reported that the final year Geology student, Joseph Agabaidu, according to multiple sources on the campus, was stabbed by some assailants while trying to steal his mobile phone. Agabaidu, who hails from Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State but is based in Benue State, was said to be the eldest among four children of his…

THE Federal Government has pledged its commitment to collaborate with the Kaduna State Government in providing compensation for the victims of the recent bombing in Kaduna. In an interview with BBC Hausa, Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, confirmed that investigations into the incident were underway. The minister reiterated the government’s dedication to supporting those undergoing medical treatment and assured that anyone responsible for the attack would face the full consequences of their actions. He said, “We are deeply saddened by the occurrence of this incident. May Allah forgive those who died and grant them Jannah. “Indeed, we have suffered a…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has celebrated elder statesman and founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, OFR, on the occasion of his 98th birthday. The President in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale joined the Yakasai family, friends and associates in celebrating the distinguished figure who has devoted his life to fight for the unheard masses of our country as well as for justice, the rule of law, and the enthronement of good governance and transparency in public service. The President described the elder statesman as a patriot and one of the noblest men in Nigeria’s…

DEFENCE Headquarters (DHQ) has broken its silence over the air strike by the Nigerian Army at Tudun Biri community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, saying it’s because terrorists embedded with civilians. Eighty-five people were killed with several others injured in the bombing, making it one of the country’s deadliest military bombing accidents. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, said the airstrikes were targeted at terrorists. He said the army’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detachment observed the movement of terrorists at Ligarma, an area notorious for being a haven of insurgents. “It should be noted that…

THE Nigerian Air Force has put up the Falcon 900B aircraft for sale, calling on interested persons to submit their bids for the purchase of the aircraft, which is a part of the presidential air fleet. Details about the sale was contained in a flyer shared on the X page of the NAF late Monday. According to the flier, the aircraft was put up for sale following the approval of the Federal Government. The announcement partly read, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the sale of Falcon 900B aircraft owned by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). “In compliance with…

HUGE crowd besieged banking halls on Monday, as customers moved to link their Bank Verification Numbers and National Identity Numbers to their bank accounts. This followed the new directive of the banking regulator to the banks on Friday, to bar customers who were yet to link their BVN and NIN from having access to their accounts. CBN said in its new directive that existing customers must, “Ensure all operated accounts/wallets created through agents, are fully profiled in the NIBSS ICAD and tagged with valid and correct BVN and/or NIN.” It added that, “Effective immediately, any unfunded account/wallet shall be placed…

A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Sokoto has dismissed a suit filed by a former governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, over the ownership of vehicles he took away on leaving office in May 2023. In June, the police went to houses belonging to Matawalle to take possession of the vehicles as ordered by the court. A statement issued on Monday by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson of the current governor of the state, Dauda Lawal, stated that the Federal High Court rejected Matawalle’s claims over the ownership of the vehicles. According to the statement, the immediate past governor of…