Author: Khadija Abubakar

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has explained the reasons behind scarcity of naira notes in the country. This comes following a series of complaints by some bank customers on the scarcity of naira notes at the counters, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Points of Sale (PoS), and Bureaux de Change (BDCs). In a statement issued by the Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, the apex bank said the seeming currency scarcity was occasioned by large volume withdrawals of cash from various CBN branches by Deposit Money Banks (DMBs). It stated that panic withdrawals by bank customers were also partly responsible…

NO fewer than 9, 000 civil servants who sat the 2022 Federal Civil Service Promotion examinations failed. This is according to a list obtained by this newspaper from the Federal Civil Service Commission. This newspaper reports that no fewer than 13,000 civil servants sat the 2022 examination, which held in about 69 Computer Based Test centres. The candidates were drawn from the core civil service, the Nigeria Police, and other para-military and specialised agencies. The letter containing the list of successful civil servants was dated November 30, 2023 and sent from the Federal Civil Service Commission. The letter, tagged FC.6241/S.35/Vol.xi/…

GUNMEN on Sunday kidnapped two landlords in the Asokoro extension area of the Federal Capital Territory. The gunmen are demanding N20m ransom to release the victims. Our correspondent gathered that armed men pointed a gun at one of the landlords in the area whom they used to gain access to another victim. A resident of the area who simply identified himself as James told our correspondent that the other victim was making his way into his house when he was whisked away by the armed men. He said, “It happened around 11pm on Sunday. Because of the heat, one of…

THE Director Communications, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Mallam Mohammmed Ahmed, confirmed the incident in a statement Saturday night. He said that the fire incident affected the utility rooms on the second to the eighth floors of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja. “Around 2:30 p.m., yesterday (Saturday), there was a fire incident at the Block C of the Federal Secretariat, Phase II, Abuja. The fire was triggered by an explosion from the Electrical Utility Room on the 3rd Floor of Block C being used as a Solar and Inverter Room by the present occupant,…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it will freeze accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identification Number (NIN) from April 2024. This is according to a Friday circular by the apex bank which instructed banks to place a “Post no Debit” restriction – which prevents customers from making withdrawals, transfers, or any other debits “for all existing Tier-1 accounts/wallets without BVN or NIN”. “Effective immediately, any unfunded account/wallet shall be placed on ‘Post No Debit or Credit’ until the new process is satisfied. Effective March 1, 2024, all funded accounts or wallets shall be placed on…

FRESH facts have emerged over allegations of admission racketeering involving the management of Nigerian Law School. Multiple sources told this newspaper that the process of entrance into the Nigerian Law School has been made so rigorous that university authorities pay huge amount of money, which they get through the parents of the students or the students themselves, so the paying university can get a high number of its undergraduates into the Law School. A deputy dean from one of the South-West universities, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, ‘it’s an established fact that universities pay the Nigerian Law School…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has appointed a professional Public Relations practitioner, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, as its Acting Director of Corporate Communications. She replaced Dr. Abdulmumini Isa. Mrs Sidi Ali is a recognised member of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), who served as Deputy Director in the same Department at the apex Bank before her latest appointment. The NIPR has for years sustained the campaign to stop government agencies, individuals and corporate organisations from the illegal practice of appointing non-professionals and quacks as official spokespersons. It was gathered that the new CBN spokesperson is a 1992…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu met with His Majesty, King Charles III, on Thursday, on the sidelines of the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the President said he had a productive engagement with the 75-year-old monarch. “I had a productive meeting with His Majesty, King Charles III of England who is also the Head of the Commonwealth, and a passionate climate advocate,” the President said. “The meeting was a significant step in strengthening the partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and I am optimistic about the positive impact our joint…

TWENTY-FIVE persons lost their lives while about 15 others sustained varying degrees of injury in a fire disaster at Bode Saadu in the Moro Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara State. It was gathered that the fire incident occurred when a petrol tanker with registration number JJN 17 XW, a heavy-duty truck, and an 18-seater bus collided at about 3:18pm on Tuesday at Peke village along Oko-Olowo, Bode Saadu Expressway in the Moro LGA, A spokesman for the state Fire Service, Hakeem Adekunle, who confirmed the incident, said that the petrol tanker, travelling from Niger state, used the wrong side…

THE Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to probe alleged corrupt cases made against some of the Chief Executive Officers of the Federal Health Institutions. A communique of the 96th annual national conference of the PSN, titled, ‘Jewel City 2023,’ also raised alarm over the unregistered two million drug sellers in the country. The communique, signed by the President, PSN, Prof. Cyril Usifoh, and National Secretary, Mr Garfa Madehin, noted that the conference was held between October 30 and November 4 at Gombe International Conference Centre, Bauchi Road, Gombe State, Nigeria. “The conference called for the…

THE Nigeria Police, on Wednesday, arrested and detained three personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for shooting two students of Senior Secondary School, Life Camp, within the Jabi and Gwarinpa areas of the Federal Capital Territory. This newspaper reports that the two students shot by the NSCDC operatives are currently receiving treatment at the Gwarinpa Hospital. Following the shooting, some irate high school students vandalised three patrol vehicles belonging to the NSCDC in protest against the attack on their injured colleagues. Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred around 11.20am on Wednesday. The NSCDC personnel attached to…

THE Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that the old N200, N500, N1000 notes should continue to co-exist with the new notes till further notice. The apex court ruled that both old and new notes should continue to remain legal tender until the Federal Government put a process in place for its replacement or redesign after due consultation with relevant stakeholders. The seven-man panel led by Justice Inyang Okoro gave the ruling following an application by the Federal Government seeking asking the court to grant an extension of time for old naira notes to remain in circulation as a legal tender.…

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has named Bwari, Kuje and Abaji as the area councils that are worst hit by kidnapping. Director of Administration and Finance, FCTA Security Services Department, Ebele Molokwu, made this known during the end of the year media briefing on the activities of the department. She said major kidnapping incidents in the territory were usually from those councils even though there are some isolated cases in the others area councils. She said the councils share boarder with some states noted for kidnapping, adding that when the bandits came to strike they will run back to…

GOVERNORS elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, are currently meeting in Abuja. The meeting, which is being hosted by the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, was convened to discuss issues affecting the party’s administration among other issues. A source familiar with the development said: “The governors are concerned about recent court decisions, especially in the case of governorship elections in Nassarawa and Plateau States. “They are also likely to discuss a way out of the impasse over the position of National Secretary, following a recent court pronouncement.”

THE Federal Government on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to grant an extension of time for old naira notes to remain in circulation as a legal tender. The government also wants the court to lift its March 3 order that the old naira notes should remain alongside the new notes till December 31. In March, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had said old N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes would remain legal tender till December 31, 2023. It said the extension of time is necessary and it has not been able to print the volume of new notes that would…

NIGERIA’s inflation rate jumped to 27.33% in October 2023 as prices of food stuffs continue to increase in the aftermath of the removal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu administration. This was according to the October 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday. The CPI, which measures the changes in the prices of goods and services, rose from 26.72% to 27.33% showing an increase of 0.61% points. “In October 2023, the headline inflation rate increased to 27.33% relative to the September 2023 headline inflation rate which was…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria has extended the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes indefinitely . The apex bank’s Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin in a statement titled, “CBN To Allow Old Design Naira Banknotes As Legal Tender, Ad Infinitum” on Tuesday, said the decision is line with international best practices and to forestall a repeat of earlier experiences implementing the policy. This newspaper reports that the CBN introduced the redesigned N200, N500 and N1.000 denominations in October 2022 and certain deadlines were set for the old design of these denominations to cease as legal tenders. The…

JUSTICE Yusuf Halilu of an FCT, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday revoked the bail earlier granted a former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and one of the defendants in the trial of over an alleged fraudulent diversion of public fund to the tune of N109.5million. The defendant, Geoffrey Olusegun Akindele’s bail was revoked by the judge following his non-appearance in court for continuation of trial. Mr Akindele, who is the second defendant in the case marked, CR/199/2022, and Idris are standing trial alongside Mohammed Kudu Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited. The Economic and financial crimes commission, EFCC,…

THE Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, has revealed that the police high command will execute President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP security duties, and developing a community policing strategy, amongst others. The minister made the development known on Monday during a two-day management retreat at the Ministry of Police Affairs. While noting that the Nigeria Police Force and the Ministry of Police Affairs were at a critical juncture, and currently struggling with the consequences of decades of neglect that have hindered their ability to fulfil their constitutional mandate, she added that…

FORMER President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the All Progressives Congress governorship candidates in Imo and Kogi states – Senator Hope Uzodimma and Usman Ododo, respectively on their victory at last Saturday’s election. The Independent National Electoral Commission affirmed Uzodimma’s re-election, having won in all the 27 local government areas of the state. The incumbent Governor clinched a second term in office after scoring a total of 540,008 votes, the commission stated. In Kogi, the candidate of the APC, Usman Ododo, was declared the winner of the election by the electoral body with 446,237 votes. In a statement by the spokesperson…