THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Communications is interfacing with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to avert the nationwide protest scheduled February 4, 2025, over the 50 per cent hike in telecom tariff. The Nigerian Communications Commission recently approved a 50 per cent tariff increase for telecommunication companies, citing prevailing operational costs. Miffed by the development, the NLC vowed to embark on a nationwide protest, calling on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to revert to the old tariff in the interim. The union noted that the rally would serve as a warning on the dangers of…
Author: Farouk Abbas
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THE Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Friday revoked the air operator certificates of Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited and Omni-Blu Aviation. In a post on its X handle, the NCAA said the move is part of efforts to “further sanitize the aviation industry”. “The Authority has determined that both Omni-Blu Aviation and Eastwind Aviation are in violation of Part 1.2.1.5 of Nig. CARs on Falsification, Reproduction, or Alteration of Applications, Licences, Certificates, Logbooks, Reports, or Records,” the agency said. Part 1.2.1.5(b) of Nig. CARs provide the sanction for such fraud as revocation of the certificate. “Consequently, their respective Air…
THE National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, on Friday called for urgent action to address the shrinking Lake Chad Basin. Ganduje made call while declaring the week-long meeting of the 5th edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum closed in Maiduguri. The chairman, also former Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), called for a renewed focus on the environmental challenges facing the basin and people living within it. He reminded the meeting of the vision of LCBC’s founders – Davao Baleo of Nigeria, Ahmed Ahijo of Cameroon, Amani Diori of Niger, and Tamba…
REPRESENTING an N20 increase within a day, the Nigerian naira appreciated against the U.S. dollar in the parallel market on Friday, closing at N1,610/$1. The naira closed at N1,630/$1 on Thursday. The British pound weakened slightly against the naira, trading at N2,000/£1 on Friday, down from N2,010/£1 the previous day—a 0.50% decline. The euro also saw a drop, closing at N1,655/€1, marking a 0.91% appreciation of the naira against the European currency. The latest movement in the parallel market comes as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reported an official exchange rate of N1,493/$1 as of Thursday. On Friday, the…
THE Jami’ur Rahman Mosque, formerly Masjid Sahaba, has suspended Sheikh Muhammad Bin Uthman from leading prayer and delivering sermon, following his controversial sermon on January 24. The old site of the mosque, which was headed by Mr Uthman for 24 years, is located a few meters away from the new site, which was officially allocated to a renowned oil marketer, AY Maikifi. The new site was originally a green area where Muslim congregants monitored and performed Friday and during Eid prayers led from the old site. After the allocation of the green area by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Mr Maikifi reportedly…
THE National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Advisor, says at least 5,000 repented Boko Haram fighters have been reunited with their families. It says none of the ex-combatants returned to the battle ground after six months of the deradicalisation programme. Amb. Mairo Musa Abbas, Head of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), stated this at the second-day session of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum. Mairo, who spoke at the Third Penal with the theme, “Managing Boko Haram Exits and Demobilization of Armed Groups,” said harmonised strategy would help the governors of Lake Chad region to address…
THE Nigeria Labour Congress has proposed a five per cent increase in telecom tariff hike rejecting the 50 per cent approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission. The NLC spokesman Benson Upah said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday. “They keep on emasculating us through stupid taxes. It will come to a point when people can pay but they won’t pay. This really is to halt this mindless tariff increase. And if by any chance there has to be an increase at all, 5%, given the fact of our situation that there have been increases across the board. “But…
THE Federal Capital Territory High Court, Kuje, has deferred the arraignment of former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, to Monday, February 3, 2025. Yusuf, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, was brought before Justice Chinyere E. Nwecheonwu on Thursday for his scheduled arraignment on allegations of fraud. However, the court adjourned the case to allow for amendment of charges. An EFCC statement on Thursday revealed this. During the brief session, defense counsel, Isah Dokto Haruna, who held brief for lead counsel O.I. Habeeb, SAN, sought…
THE Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, yesterday clarified the federal government’s decision to terminate the contract awarded to Julius Berger by the previous administration for the rehabilitation of Section One of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway. Tacitly rebutting some insinuations about the revocation of the contract, the minister stated that the action was purely based on the federal government’s principled stance, after Julius Berger’s recalcitrance on cost, as well as its abandonment of the critical project. Similarly, the minister explained how Infiouest International Limited won the contract for the same project, stating that Julius Berger had refused to take advantage…
OPERATIVES of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have raided the Abuja home of a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, picking him up, Daily Trust can confirm. It was learnt that the gun-wielding operatives arrested the professor of haematology-oncology and bone marrow transplantation in his house in the presence of his wife and children at about 4:46pm on Wednesday over a yet-to-be-revealed offence. Sources familiar with the development confided in our correspondent that Yusuf was driven to an unknown location after he was picked up by the operatives. Although details of…
THE Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Wednesday, adjourned trial in the alleged money laundering case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to 3rd, 24th April, and 6th May, 2024. Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the case for continuation of hearing after the first witness, Fabian Nworah, a property developer, was called to testify. When the matter was called for hearing, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that he had five witnesses to call for the day. But Justice Anenih said she could only take one witness as she had other things lined up.…
THE Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated legal action against activist Omoyele Sowore over comments he made on social media, referring to Egbetokun as an “illegal IG.” Sowore is facing three charges related to Cybercrime under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024. According to the charges, filed in a suit marked FCH/ABJ/23/25, Egbetokun accused Sowore of intentionally and knowingly sending messages through his verified Twitter account, where he referred to the IG as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.” The police allege that these publications were false and aimed at causing a breakdown of law…
THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the claim by the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was paying out N50 million to some opposition figures to destabilize opposition political parties in Nigeria. APC, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Mr Felix Morka, particularly described the claim attributed to Atiku at a conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja as simply bogus and laughable. APC argued that Atiku’s political desperation was responsible for what it termed “the PDP’s…
FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken a hard swipe at his party, the All Progressives Congress, accusing it of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership. Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.” El-Rufai, who posted the report on his X handle on Tuesday, lamented the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the APC, saying, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC,…
THOUGH the two countries are 11,472 km apart, the United States’ foreign assistance policy has traditionally raked in significant aid to Nigeria, with the highest sum of $1.16 billion spent in 2022, and $767 million in 2024. Recall that the U.S. government announced a freeze on almost all new funding for foreign assistance programmes, with exceptions for allies Israel and Egypt. The order from the U.S. State Department at the weekend also includes exceptions for emergency food programmes, but not health programmes that supporters say provide vital, life-saving services. Humanitarian organisations have expressed shock at the directive, voicing fears that…
THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has debunked rumoured the arrest of the Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi clarified that he was invited for questioning following a petition against him. The statement reads in parts: “The Nigeria Police Force has taken note of recent claims made by Mr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, the Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, regarding his alleged arrest by police authorities. “We wish to clarify that Mr. Magaji was not arrested; instead, he was invited by…
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is worried that many students’ poor performance on campuses betrays their excellent results gotten from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), and other examination bodies suggesting possible manipulations. In a letter to secondary school teachers, private school owners and parents seen by this newspaper, ASUU asked that students should be helped by ensuring that they write senior certificate examinations themselves, and merit their grades. “We are tired of seeing students with A1 in Mathematics but cannot solve the smallest of fractions in the subject,” ASUU said in the letter. “We’re tired of seeing…
THE Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran yesterday revealed that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is rebasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), noting it is to reflect of the current structure of the country’s economy. He made this known during the Sensitization Workshop on the Rebasing of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Prices Index (CPI) Organised by BudgiT, Abuja. He said the efforts at rebasing the economic indicators are not to please anyone but to ensure accurate measurements. His said: “As we finalize this process of the rebasing of our GDP…
A FORMER presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore has arrived the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honour a police invitation. Sowore arrived at the police headquarters around 9.45 am on Monday with his lawyer and some supporters. The Nigeria Police Force summoned Sowore for questioning last week. The invitation, dated January 23, 2025 was signed by CP Ibitoye Rufus Alajide on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID). The invitation letter reads: “This office is investigating case of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful order, acts intended to cause…
FOUR major banks are on the brink of having their Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services cut off today due to unpaid debts to telecom operators as five others pay up. Despite a January 15, 2025, warning from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which granted operators the green light to disconnect the banks over outstanding payments, these financial giants have yet to meet their obligations, risking widespread disruption to mobile banking services that millions of Nigerians rely on daily. As of the close of work on Friday, January 24, the four banks had yet to make substantial commitments towards repaying…