THE Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Musa Aliyu, has said he will be appearing in court to defend anti-corruption cases involving the commission. The anti-graft agency boss who was the Attorney-General of Jigawa State before his appointment as ICPC Chairman, made this known on Wednesday during a media chat with reporters in Abuja. Aliyu said, “I’ll lead by example. By the grace of God, I intend to be appearing in cases of ICPC (in court). I don’t think there was ever a chairman of ICPC who appeared in court, but I’ll be the first.…
Author: Hamza Rufai
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A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the remand of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, in Kuje Correctional Service. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Agunloye over allegations of fraud in the Mambilla Power Project. Agunloye was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges read against him. The judge, however, ordered that the embattled former minister be remanded in pending when bail would be granted. It will be recalled that the EFCC declared Agulonye wanted in connection with a $6 billion power…
THE CEOs of Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks have been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with financial misappropriation and fraud linked to disgraced Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouk. The banking executives, who have been under stealth scrutiny since the public outcry over the unscrupulous diversion of public funds into private accounts, are now in EFCC custody, multiple credible sources within the Presidency told this newspaper on Tuesday. The anti-graft agency is presently probing numerous instances of substantial public funds directed into private accounts, an action…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has summoned the minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to the Presidential Villa. News Point Nigeria gathered that the summon follows the controversy that has hitched the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the award of a consultancy contract to the tune of N438 million, for the National Social Register to New Planet Projects Ltd, a company he is a beneficial owner. The meeting is expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon. This newspaper had earlier reported that Mr. Tunji-Ojo is a Person with Significant Control in the company as at the 14th of November, 2023, and a major…
JUSTICE Olukayode Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja has awarded the sum of 100 million naira against the Federal Government, in favour of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, for the violation of his right to personal liberty. The Court also declared his prolonged detention without trial, as a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights. It also restrained the Federal Government and its agents from re-arresting or detaining Emefiele without an order of court. The judgment was given in a fundamental human rights suit filed by the former CBN governor following…
THE Nigerian Army has approved the posting and redeployment of no fewer than 975 officers. The exercise affects 206 generals, 64 colonels, 302 lieutenant colonels; 139 majors, and 122 captains, among others. A circular signed by Maj. Gen. E.F. Oyinlola and dated January 4, 2024, which was sighted by our correspondent on Sunday, stated that the appointments and redeployment of the officers would take effect from Monday (today). Also, according to the circular, the authorisation for the amendment and deletion of a total of 120 officers was given. The affected officers comprise six colonels, 26 lieutenant colonels, 33 majors, 26…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has cleared the outstanding payment that the Federal Government owed the Super Eagles and other sporting teams of the country. According to a statement on the X handle of Tinubu’s Media Centre, on Sunday, the payment entails the clearing of the senior national team coach salaries running up to 15 months, payments of allowances and promises due to the senior national teams, females, and Under-20 national team. The statement reads, “President @officialABAT has approved the payment of N12 billion outstanding backlog for Nigeria’s National teams of various sports, which includes Super Eagles and others. “The payment entails…
THE Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, has faulted the ‘disbursement’ of N585,189,500.00 into a personal account. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, in a viral document personally signed by her and directed to the Office of the AGF, instructed the payment of the funds to one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola. The document also showed that the payment of the N585.189 million grant, meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states, was made into Oniyelu’s account. But reacting to the leaked document, Rasheed Zubair, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity…
KADUNA State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has confirmed the bandits attack on three communities in Kaura Local Government Area of the state in which seven locals were killed and 58 abducted. But the police in the state denied that such attack occurred in Southern Kaduna. The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, said the command had made several contacts in the said affected communities but there was no confirmation of the incident. “It is not true, there was nothing like that because we have made contacts in the affected communities, there was nothing like that,” he said. This…
TWO policemen have sustained bullet injuries, while seven family members have been abducted as gunmen suspected to be bandits intensify attacks on Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This newspaper gathered that a middle-aged man, simply identified as Alhaji, who led policemen to foil the kidnapping of the seven family members, was shot dead by the bandits. Our reporter had reported that in recent days, gunmen had been been invading villages under Bwari Area Council, abducting and killing residents. A resident of Bwari, Isaiah Samuel, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on Friday, said the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Executive Directors in two (2) agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Thursday. The appointees are as follows: Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA): (A) Ms. Vivian C. Richard Edet — Executive Director, Finance & Administration (NPA) (B) Engr. Olalekan Badmus — Executive Director, Marine & Operations (NPA) (C) Engr. Ibrahim Abba Umar — Executive Director, Engineering & Technical Services (NPA) Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) (D) Mr. Jibril Abba…
THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency has sounded a note of caution to asthma patients and people with respiratory issues as well as airline operators over the impending hazy weather. A report put out on Tuesday by the meteorological agency also predicted sunny and hazy weather for the North and North Central states of the country beginning from Wednesday, January 3, 2024. “Individuals with asthma and other respiratory issues are advised to be cautious of the weather conditions”, the report said. “Airline operators are advised to get updated weather reports from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.” NiMet also warned about…
THE Federal Government has released a list of where Nigerians can avail themselves of a 50 per cent discount on transport fares for return trips during the festive season. This was announced by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, on his X account on Friday. He wrote, “YULETIDE SUBSIDY: The Federal Government has listed more motor parks where Nigerians can enjoy 50% rebate on transport fare for return trips during the festive season. 1. Lagos – Join from Oshodi Terminal 3 2. Abuja – Join from Jabi Park 3. Onitsha – Join from…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the retirement of four directors in the commission. Mr Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission, said this on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement. The development follows the implementation of the eight-year tenure policy for directors by the federal government. “Following the Federal Government Circular HSCF/SPSO/268/T3/2/37 issued on 27 July 2023, the commission has approved the implementation of a policy mandating all Directors with eight years or more of service to retire from the public sector. “As per this directive, four directors of the…
THE Minister Of Defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has sent a condolence message to the Emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Government and people of Kano state and Na’abba family over the death of former number four citizen, former speaker House of Representatives Ghali Umar Na’abba. In a personal condolence message signed by the minister himself, Badaru described the former speaker as, prudent, sincere and moderate politician who stands on the protection of rules of law during his time as the speaker of the House of Reps, whose death is a great loss not only to his family and the…
THE Federal Government has deployed 45 more aircraft, helicopters, and other platforms to the Nigerian Air Force in the last six months. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, disclosed this in Katsina State on Tuesday. Abubakar’s visit to the North-Western was to celebrate Christmas as well as have a lunch with frontline troops of Air Component Operation Hadarin Daji and 213 Forward Operating Base in the state that has been hit by bandits activities. In his message, the air chief identified the military aircraft as four-diamond, 62 multipurpose aircraft, two T129 attack helicopters, and one Beachcraft…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu and the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya have strongly condemned the heinous and brutal attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of Plateau State, which resulted in the tragic loss of many lives. President Tinubu directs security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits. The President also directs immediate mobilization of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded. While condoling with the government and the people of…
A FORMER governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been released from Kuje Correctional Centre after his lawyers perfected his bail conditions. His lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mathew Burkaa, confirmed this to Channels Television. Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High court had granted him bail in sum of N300 million with two sureties in like sum. Emefiele was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Yaro, a staff of CBN, by awarding a contract for the procurement of…
THE Nigerian Army Council has promoted a total of 47 Brigadier Generals to Major Generals. Also, 75 Colonels were elevated to the rank of Brigadier General. Their promotion is coming after the retirement of 113 generals on Wednesday. However, a statement on Friday by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the council approved the promotions of the senior officers on Thursday. He noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, urged them to redouble their efforts to justify their elevation and the confidence reposed in them. According to him, those promoted to the…
THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says the agency is yet to recover from previous transportation fare waivers by the government. The Federal Government had on Wednesday announced a 50 per cent waiver on road transport and a 100 per cent fare slash for rail transportation as part of moves to cushion the impact of the high cost of living in the country, especially during Yuletide. But hours after the move, the Managing Director of the NRC Fidet Okhiria while commending the development expressed concerns over the cost of the intervention scheme and hopes the government can defray the costs. “This…