Author: Farouk Abbas

DOZENS of protesters from Zamfara State have occupied the entrance to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling on the commission to reopen investigations on the former governor of the state, Bello Matawalle. The protesters under the auspices of APC Loyalists Forum is asking the EFCC to investigate all petitions against the former governor, including the alleged contract diversion up to the tune of N70 billion during his tenure as governor of the state. The EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, who received the protest letter on behalf of the chairman, assured the protesters that…

JUSTICE Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned further hearing in the alleged money laundering charges against Ali Bello and three others to May 27, 2024. The Judge, on Thursday, adjourned the trial following the conclusion of evidence in chief by the second witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Olomotane Egoro. The adjournment was to allow counsel to Ali Bello, Abubakar Aliu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, to cross examine the witness in his testimony against the defendants. At Thursday’s proceedings, in the suit marked: ABJ/CR/573/2022 (FRN Vs. Ali Bello and 3…

POLICE authorities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have arrested two suspected traffickers with five children. The suspects were attempting to evade arrest by police operatives in Sokoto, according to the FCT Police Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh. “The operatives of the FCT police command, on April 27, 2024, at about 8:00 p.m., arrested two female suspects, Kulu Dogonyaro and Elizabeth Ojah, in connection to the trafficking of five children,” she said in a Thursday statement. “The suspects who attempted to escape arrest from Sokoto police operatives were intercepted and arrested by FCT police operatives at Kagini junction, Abuja, while suspiciously…

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said it has tracked a total of N219.84bn projects that were poorly executed across 176 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs. The Chairman of the Commission, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, said it achieved the feat through the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative (CEPTI) set up in 2019, as a powerful tool against corruption in government projects as well as to track funds released for constituency projects by public officials. At a press conference held in Lagos, Aliyu noted that the initiative is to ensure government funds…

SCORES of youths from Kogi State trooped out in Abuja, on Wednesday, in a May Day solidarity walk for Nigerian children to press home their disappointment with the handling of the much-publicised allegations of corruption against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The youths decried what they called the systemic violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the former Governor’s children, “who have nothing whatsoever to do with whatever the Commission is investigating their parents for.” President, Kogi Independent Youths Association, Comrade Mohammed Abdulrazak, said, “Let it be on record…

THE Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, while presenting a joint address at the May Day celebration in Abuja, on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to also enthrone service reflective tariff and stoppage of segregation of customers. In the 18-item demands presented by the labour leaders, they said electricity privatisation exercise in the country should be reviewed with the view to a reversal. In addition, they want the government to immediately roll out the CNG buses nationwide as agreed. They also call for a one-year moratorium on all forms of taxes,…

THE Nigerian passport has been ranked among the worst on the globe highlighting significant challenges for Nigerian travelers seeking international mobility. The latest assessment by VisaGuide’s World Passport Index ranked the Nigerian passport at 191 out of 199 countries above countries like North Korea (192), Iraq (193), Libya (194), Sudan (195), Pakistan (196), Afghanistan (197), Syria (198) and Somalia (199). The ranking will raise concerns about the West African country’s recent efforts to improve mobility, including e-visa initiatives. Meanwhile, the Singaporean passport came first on the chart as the strongest in the world, followed by the Italian, Spaniard, French, and…

FRONTLINE Youth Groups in Nigeria staged a combined peaceful protest in Abuja on Tuesday, against what they termed a political colouration to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s allegations against former Governor Yahaya Bello. The youth groups, including the Yoruba Youth Council, Northern Youth Assembly of Nigeria, North Central Youth Council, All Progressives Congress Youth Ambassadors and APC National Students Forum, all called on the National Assembly and Attorney General of the Federation to call the EFCC to order and ensure due process is followed in the matter. According to them, many Nigerians were not aware of the legal bottlenecks…

THE Senate has resumed plenary after six weeks of recess in the newly renovated hallowed chamber opened over two years after the reconstruction began. Shortly after the regular announcements by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, a heated argument ensued between some ranking members over sitting arrangement. Three Senators engaged in heated argument. Senator Danjuma Goje, who is a four-time ranking Senator representing Gombe Central; and Sahabi Yau, Senator representing Zamfara North; expressed displeasure over the back seats assigned to them, and complained to the Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. According to the standing rules of the upper legislative…

THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has threatened to cripple the supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, over non-payment of N200bn bridging claims. The threat comes following current nationwide scarcity which has seen prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, surge to between N610 and N800 at the pump, and between N1000 and N1200 at black market. The association’s Unit Chairman and Spokesperson, Aba Depot, Mazi Oliver Okolo who made the threat, said it was with the backing of the IPMAN’s national leadership. He claimed that the debt is being owed…

VETERAN journalist, award-winning columnist and public commentator, Azu Ishiekwene has written a book on monetising writings for the media, which is set to hit bookshops across the country soon. The 280-page book, titled, ‘Writing for Media and Monetising It,’ comprises 15 chapters and informative epilogues. It serves as innovative material and a guide for students, professionals, and scholars of the media who increasingly want roadmaps for navigating the maelstrom that media practice has become. ‘Writing for Media and Monetising It’ reveals how Ishiekwene’s close to four decades of media work and public intellection have earned him a prized bird’ s-eye…

A CIVIL Society organisation, Peoples Right Agenda (PRA)has condemned the incessant sponsored attacks on the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and his effort to make a difference in the Nigeria power sector. It described the media assaults as sponsored. In a statement made available to newsmen at the weekend, PRA said the attacks were sponsored by different stakeholders who desire the status quo to continue and political detractors who see nothing good in what the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing to make Nigeria a country that we would be proud of. These sponsored media campaigns have…

KOGI youths who were at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday to protest the alleged political persecution of the immediate past Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, were allegedly attacked by operatives of the Commission There were two protests at the EFCC headquarters on Monday. While the other protest, organised by members of the opposition party in the state, in support of the EFCC was allowed to go peacefully, the other, which demanded that rule of law be respected, was attacked, according to the Pro-Yahaya Bello group. Videos of the protesters struggling to make their…

BANDITS have shot dead a driver, simply identified as Danladi Jobe, and abducted two others along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. A resident of Jere, Yahuza Alhassan, told our correspondent on the phone on Monday, that the incident happened around 9:33 pm at Dogon-Fili, a few kilometers away from Jere town. He said the deceased was returning from a neighbouring village market where when the bandits suddenly emerged from the bush and opened on the car, killing the driver instantly. Alhassan identified one of the victims whisked away as Shuaibu, a farmer, adding that the bandits took away about N1 million cash…

MARKETERS have blamed the fresh scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol on a supply challenge from the major oil supplier in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Billy Gillis-Harry, made this known on Monday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme monitored by News Point Nigeria. The fresh fuel scarcity has grounded many economic activities in states across the Federation as Nigerians queue up at filling stations nationwide. While some motorists were lucky to get fuel at some…

ACCORDING to the most recent National Bureau of Statistics report, Lagos, Ondo, and Taraba recorded the highest Okada (motorcycle) fares in March. The data indicates substantial differences in transportation costs across various Nigerian states. In March 2024, the average fare for Okada rides per trip in Nigeria rose by 2.15% compared to the same period last year, with fares reaching N472.16, up from N462.21 in March 2023. This was contained in the most recent National Bureau of Statistics Transport Fare Watch report for March 2024, published on the agency’s website. However, fares in Lagos, Ondo, and Taraba states were notably…

GUNMEN have killed Alaba Excel. He was one of the coordinators of the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC) in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.  LACO-FSIC in a Sunday statement by its State Information Director Kayode Fasua said Excel was killed in his Supare home on Saturday. “The Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC) on Sunday decried the gruesome murder of one of its ward coordinators in Akoko Southwest Local Government area of Ondo State, Mr. Alaba Abe Excel, with an appeal to the police authorities to protect its members against…

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited over the “failure to account for and explain the whereabouts of the alleged missing USD$2.04 billion and N164 billion oil revenues.” According to SERAP, the suit followed the allegations documented in the recently published 2020 audited report by the Auditor General of the Federation that the NNPC failed to remit the money into the Federation Account, saying that the money may have been diverted. The Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, disclosed this in a statement which was made available to…

CONSTITUTIONAL Lawyer, Ewa Okpo, has described the actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing face-off with the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as “trial by mischief”. In an interview on Arise TV’s morning show on Saturday, the legal practitioner specifically stated that it was wrong, in the first instance, for the EFCC to attempt to arrest the former Governor when it was aware of a subsisting restraining order, which had not been vacated as of the time of its action. He said the whole “drama” was centred around an abuse of court…

THE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, appointed Mr. Michael Nzekwe as his Chief of Staff. He has also appointed Zonal Directors for each of the 14 Zonal Commands of the Commission as part of the restructuring of the EFCC. According to Olukayode, the ongoing restructuring is meant to reposition and strengthen the EFCC so that it can deliver optimally on its assigned mandate. The anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, announced the new appointments and changes in a statement on Saturday. Nzekwe, who he described as a top-notch investigator, lawyer…