Author: Abimbola Ogunnaike

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is proud to announce Nigeria’s re-election to the Steering Committee of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network). This significant accomplishment, achieved at the fifth plenary meeting in Beijing, China, solidifies Nigeria’s position as a key player in the global fight against corruption, highlighting the nation’s dedication to combating corruption both domestically and internationally. The GlobE Network, established in 2021, serves as a powerful platform for international cooperation in the fight against corruption, enabling law enforcement agencies worldwide to effectively detect, investigate, and prosecute cross-border corruption…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) have signed an historic agreement to tackle corruption in the public sector with a recognition that needs for increased transparency and accountability to address environmental crime. On Friday, 20 September, 2024, the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN and Justin Gosling, EIA’s Securing Criminal Justice Programme Lead, signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which now opens the door for increased cooperation and information sharing between the respective organisations. Dr. Aliyu recognised the importance of addressing corruption within the field of environmental crime, stating:…

Elder statesmen in Nigeria under the aegis of the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), have called on the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians, including reviewing the price of petrol and electricity. They therefore called for improved security, particularly for farmers in rural areas who are crucial to the nation’s food security. The Chairman of NCEF and former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Dr Samuel Danjuma Dani, made the recommendations in a statement issued after their meeting to deliberate on the current state of the nation. Apart from Gani, other members of NCEF…

Things are gradually looking good for Nigerian economy as the Nigerian Exchange Limited continued its bullish run as investors raked in a N241 billion gain on Wednesday, 25 September, 2024. This comes as NGX market capitalization, which opened at N56.641 trillion, closed at N56.882 trillion. The All-Share Index also gained 0.42 percent to settle at 98,987.42 points on Wednesday against 98,568.59 points reported on Tuesday, 24 September, 2024 Consequently, the Year-To-Date return increased by 32.38 per cent. Market breadth closed positive with 31 gainers and 24 losers on the floor of the Exchange. Further analysis showed that on the gainers’…

As parts of measures to tackle the FX crisis across the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has sold foreign exchange worth $20,000 to eligible Bureau De Change operators at N1590 per dollar foreign exchange rate. The Apex Bank made this disclosure through a circular signed by the Acting Director of Trade and Exchange Department, W. J Kanya, on Wednesday, 25 September, 2024. According to the CBN, the move will help operators meet retail market demand for eligible invisible transactions. “This is to inform the Bureau De Change Operators and the general public that the CBN will…

Nigeria’s Presidency has said the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) plan to begin the collection of fees in Naira rather than in United States dollars or other foreign currencies. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga made this disclosure on Wednesday, 25 September during a briefing at the state house. Onanuga, who that the proposal was part of the Economic Stabilisation Bill sent to the National Assembly, added that the bill is part of an effort from the federal government to prioritize the use of local currencies in…

The House of Representatives has disclosed plan investigate the alleged payment of N15 million bribe to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC by Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky. The House made this decision following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Patrick Umoh on Thursday, 26 September, 2024 during plenary. Recall that the controversial cross-dresser was earlier this year sentenced to six months in prison for currency mutilation. However, on the night of Tuesday,24 September, 2024, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, released a voice recording allegedly of Bobrisky claiming he bribed EFCC officials with N15 million to…

The Nigerian Senate on Thursday, 26 September, 2024 passed into law a Bill establishing the South West Development Commission. The passage was the aftermath of a report presented to the Committee of the Whole by Senator Shehu Lawa Kaka representing Borno Central Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties. Senator Kaka in his presentation of the report for the establishment of the South West Development Commission, said the intentions and purposes of the bill are well structured for socio-economic development of the South West. “If the Commission is established through presidential assent to the bill, it…

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ has disclosed that its troops have eliminated 1,937 terrorists, arrested 2,782 others and rescued 1,854 kidnapped hostages in different operations during the third quarter. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this disclosure while briefing newsmen on the operations of the armed forces, on Thursday, 26 September, 2024 in Abuja, the nation’s seat of pwer. Buba said the military also recovered 1,304 weapons, 43,347 ammunitions comprising 688 AK47 rifles, 32,945 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo and 9,677 rounds of 7.62mm NATO among others during the quarter. According to him, several terrorist kingpins, commanders…

The new Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will swear in 87 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday, 30 September, 2024. The inauguration being her first assignment as the new CJN, will hold at the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court as part of activities lined up to formally herald the 2024/2025 legal year of the Court. The Director of Information and Public Relations of the court, Dr Akande Festus, stated this in a statement issued on Thursday, 26 September, 2024. Festus said in line with the age-long tradition of the court, the CJN will, during the…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has pledged to build an Information and Communication Centre, ICT, for the Baptist High School in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This was announced by the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, when the Commission’s management team, including the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Antai; the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde and other Directors of the Commission visited the school as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The NDDC boss told the students: “We have come and we have seen. On behalf of the…

For the Chairman of Ojodu Local Government Area, David Olusegun Odunmbaku, Tuesday, 24 September, 2024 was the day to told the whole world about his achievements in the last three years in office. Speaking at a widely attended media parley in Lagos, Odunmbaku said that when he came in as the council boss in July 2021, he was overwhelmed by challenges, which he thought will be a clog in the wheel of progress. “But today, these challenges are now a thing of the past and by the grace and help of God, by the support of the entire staff of…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, 25 September, 2024 commenced the trial of Ex-Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, for an alleged N33.8billion fraud with the presentation of its first witness. Mamman was arraigned on Thursday, 11 July, 2024 on 12-count charges bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering  to the tune of N33.804 billion.  At Wednesday’s proceedings, Prosecution witness One, PW1, Abubakar Kweido, an operative of the EFCC while been led in evidence by Adeyinka Olumide Fusika, SAN, narrated how investigation activities reviewed that multiple monetary transfers were made from the project account meant for Mambilla hydroelectric…

Six years after the bloody bank robbery in the ancient town of Offa, in Kwara State, the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, presided over by Justice Haleema Salman, on Thursday, 26 September, 2024, sentenced five suspects involved in the 2018 bank incident to death. Salman found the five suspects guilty of illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery and culpable homicide. According to the judge, the offences are punishable by death. The judgment, originally scheduled for August 2, 2024, was postponed due to the nationwide protest that took place in August. It was reported that Michael Adikwu, leader of the robbery gang,…

Civil servants under the federal government payroll will start receiving the new minimum wage payment from Thursday, 26 September, 2024 The spokesperson of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa disclosed this in an exclusive interview with an online medium on Thursday, 26 September, 2024. Mokwa, who assured that workers will begin to get alert of their new minimum wage salary payment starting from Thursday,26 September, however, did not state if the minimum wage would be paid alongside its arrears. “Federal Government civil servants will start getting the new minimum wage from today (Thursday) this September 2024. What…

The National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) has disclosed that the average Nigeria’s domestic airfare for a single journey rose by 25.51 percent on a month-on-month basis to N123,700 in August 2024 compared to N98,561 in July. The Bureau made this disclosure in its Transport Fare Watch released on Tuesday, 24 September, 2024. The data showed that on a year-on-year basis airfare cost climbed by 56.56 percent to N123,700 in August 2024 from N79,011.38 in the corresponding month last year. NBS said that Niger state has the highest air transport charges (for specified routes and single journeys) with N129,575.21, followed by Federal…

Key players in the Nigerian business and economic sector have raised alarm over the recent interest rate hike by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee. President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, Dele Oye and the President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Femi Egbesola in separate statements on Tuesday, 24 September, 2024 said the CBN interest rate to 27.25 percent would impact heavily on the growth of businesses and investments in Nigeria. Their concerns come as the CBN MPC in a unanimous decision by members announced a…

The Lagos State Government has sealed the Celestial Church of God, the Redeemed Christian Church of God and seven companies and hotels in Ikeja, Mushin, Gbagada, and Maryland areas of the state. The state Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab made this disclosure in a statement through his X account on Wednesday, 25 September, 2024 Quoting Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency(LASEPA), he stated that the crackdown is aimed at tackling noise and other environmental violations in the state. Among the sealed companies are: Vital Products Limited, A & P Nigeria Limited, Polite Anchorage and Suites, Terrag Inn Apartment,…

A German grandmother and her five-month-old grandson are missing after a flash flood swept through their holiday home near Pisa, Tuscany. It was gathered that the tragedy unfolded when the nearby River Sterza overflowed its banks, inundating the house where the family was staying. The family, on vacation in Italy, called emergency services on the evening of Monday, 23 September, 2024 as floodwaters began pouring under their door. However, a language barrier and difficulties in locating the family delayed rescue efforts. According to the mayor of Montecatini Val di Cecina, Francesco Auriemma, as the family attempted to reach higher floors…

At least five police officers of the Kano State Police Command died and 11 others injured in a ghastly road accident that occurred at Karfi town in Kura Local Government Area of the state. The Kano State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, who confirmed the sad incident on Tuesday, 24 September, 2024, added that said 11 other police officers sustained varying degrees of injuries in the crash. “The accident occurred at Karfi, a few kilometres to Kano and five of the officers died as a result of the accident while 11 others sustained injuries. “It was gathered…