Author: The Gazelle News

A civil society organization, Centre For Socio and Economic Justice, has lodged a complaint with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against First Bank of Nigeria, alleging funds diversion amounting to N550 million. The centre has called on the CBN to revoke First Bank’s license due to unsafe practice. In a letter dated, Wednesday, 29 May, 2024, the Director of the Centre, Barrister U. I. Mohammed, claimed that a customer of the bank, Dr. Agbai Eke Agbai, had his funds illegally diverted, misappropriated, and fraudulently taken by the bank. Dr. Agbai, a dedicated customer, held Fixed Deposit Account numbers 6924010002639…

By Bello Aminu Despite cynical analysis of the power sector by critics, Bello Aminu argues that the president is making steady progress in the complex industry To be sure, Nigeria’s power supply crisis is a multi-decade, multi-faceted challenge, defying even some of the country’s most respected public figures who were picked in the past to oversee the sector. A deputy minister who once headed the ministry said in 2012 that Nigerians must resolve to exorcise the ‘evil spirit’ preventing the country from making headway in its efforts to banish darkness from the government. Ultimately, she left the country in more…

I have received yet another disheartening news of the killing of five soldiers by suspected militants of the proscribed terrorist organization, IPOB. The slain soldiers were on peacekeeping duty in Aba, Abia State on Thursday when they were murdered, just two months after a similar tragic incident happened in Okuama in Delta state. These unwarranted barbaric and evil acts stand condemned and should never be condoned and tolerated in our country. Our soldiers and the police have the onerous duty to protect all of us from aggressors and non state actors. Hundreds of them have paid the ultimate price in…

By Tunde Rahman But for the ministerial presentations on the achievements of the President Bola Tinubu administration in its first year, christened Ministerial Sectoral Update, which began on Tuesday, 21 May, 2024 at the National Press Centre in Abuja, many may not have known or appreciated the quantum of work that has been done by the government within such a short period of one year in office. This piece is not really about the re-engineering work that is being done on the economy, which is now recording a gradual growth. For instance, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, the…

By Bayo Onanuga One year after being in the saddle, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be the first person to admit that the ride has been bumpy. He is also the first to say he is unfazed by the turbulence as he remains focused on the marathon of the next three years. The past year has been months of baby steps, months of laying the foundations for the next three years of canter. As Nigeria’s 16th President, Tinubu, during his campaign for the office, said he would make difficult decisions and that running the country would not be business as…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not give a broadcast to the nation on Wednesday, 29 May, 2024, to celebrate his first anniversary as the leader of Nigeria. Instead, the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly, which has lined up a programme to commemorate 25 years of the nation’s democratic journey at both the executive and legislative levels. President Tinubu’s speech will dwell on the achievements of his administration and Nigeria’s democracy since the military ceded power in 1999. Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and now President Tinubu’s Chief…

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has affirmed the election victory of Gov. Usman Ododo of All the Progressives Congress (APC). The three-member panel, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, 27 May, 2024, held that the petition against the victory was bereft of substance and accordingly dismissed. The tribunal headed by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, further held that the petitioners; the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Murtala Ajaka, failed to prove the allegations of over-voting and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022 in the petition. The panel, in a unanimous, decision ruled that all the witness evidence filed before…

President Bola Tinubu has directed a total and comprehensive review of the recently announced governing boards of tertiary institutions in Nigeria before the inauguration and retreat being planned for the nominees. The Federal Ministry of Education recently released names of nominees for chairmen, Pro-Chancellors, and members of the boards and councils of universities, Polytechnics, and colleges of education. It also announced that the inauguration and retreat for the nominees will take place on Friday, 31 May, 2024. However, public reactions showed that the nominations did not reflect the federal character of the country as some states got just one nomination,…

The Troost Ekong Foundation has announced a partnership to have Propel Sports Africa as its official broadcast streaming partner. In a statement the foundation floated by the Super Eagles captain, William Troost Ekong said, “The Troost Ekong Foundation is pleased to announce a collaborative partnership with Propel Sports Africa, a leading sports media company. This partnership will see Propel Sports Africa, along with its affiliate African Sport Network (ASN), become the official streaming and broadcast partner for the Troost Ekong Foundation activities and event”. Ekong personally expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “I have been incredibly impressed by Propel…

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has lost his father, reports thegazellenews.com. Alhaji Sulaiman Obasa, thegazellenews.com learnt, died early Tuesday, 21 May, 2024. The news of the death was broken by the Secretary of the Orile Agege Local Council Development Area chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Fatai Olagoke Ajibola, via a statement. According to the statement, the late Alhaji Obasa will be buried evening of Tuesday, 21 May, 2024, in accordance with Islamic injunctions. “The venue of the Janazah prayer will be communicated in due course,” Ajibola, also Special Adviser…

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has continued to set the pace for other banks in the country with strings of inspiring achievements which have made it live up to its Africa’s Global Bank appellate, reports thegazellenews.com. Speaking on Monday, 20 May, 2024, at a World Press Conference to mark the 75th Anniversary of the bank in Lagos, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Oliver Alawuba, stated that the Bank has pioneered several banking innovations in the banking industry which have made the leading bank in Nigeria. According to Alawuba, “UBA was the first commercial…

The Osun State Police Command, have said that they have arrested a manager in one of the branches of First Bank Plc in Osogbo, Mr Adeniyi Talabi, for allegedly stealing the sum of N650 million belonging to 35 customers of the bank. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Yemisi Opalola, claimed that the suspect perpetrated the fraud by obtaining the said amount under false pretenses from the victims and stealing the amount through an illegal transaction called proof of funds. The PPRO who noted that the suspect had been suspended by the bank, added that an investigation into the…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nine alumni of the Faculty of Law of the Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, Lagos have been appointed judges of the Lagos High Court. The nine were part of the 13 judges recently appointed to the Lagos State High Court. The institution disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Monday, 20 May, 2024. According to the statement, the number is the highest ever recorded at a given time by the institution. The statement read, “The alumni are: Hon. Justice Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru, Hon. Justice Alebiosu Olawale Lawal, Hon. Justice Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed, Hon. Justice…

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has solicited the support of the Senate for increase in funding for the ministry to enhance its capacity to carry out detailed exploration of the nation’s vast mineral deposits. Speaking during the opening session of the investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Alake identified the twin issues of poor funding for exploration and insecurity as the main challenges hampering the development of the mining sector whilst limiting its role as the pivot of diversification of the economy. Alake bemoaned the country’s low investment in mining exploration. $ 2.5…

By Temitope Ajayi Since his first trip abroad as President of Nigeria to Paris in June last year, where he joined other world leaders at the New Global Financial Pact Summit convened by President Emmanuel Macron, President Bola Tinubu has undertaken many other important trips where he has drawn global attention to the new realities in Nigeria and indeed Africa. On those trips, he emerged as the chief salesman of Nigeria and Africa. Like his previous travels where he had forcefully spoken, with admiration, on behalf of Nigeria or for West Africa as Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Head of…

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, said his administration has successfully created strong institutions that will stand the test of time and make the state thrive across different sectors. The governor noted that states do not need strong governors or administrators but strong institutions that can make them do well and add value in all ramifications. Governor Makinde stated this on Thursday, 9 May, 2024, when he signed the Oyo State Project Monitoring Agency Bill (2024) into Law, at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. He stated that though his administration met a Bureau of Public Procurement and Governor’s Monitoring Team…

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Jesutega Onokpasa, has revealed that certain appointees of President Bola Tinubu are plotting to succeed him before the end of his tenure and are seriously wishing that the President will not make it to 2027 for their selfish reasons. Onokpasa, a lawyer and former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who lamented the alleged hypocrisy, pull him down mentality and anti-party activities going on in the governing party, laid curses on those he accused of wishing Tinubu dead, saying, “If they don’t repent, Asiwaju will attend their funeral.”…

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Africa’s Global Bank, released its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March, 2024, showing very strong growth across key performance measures. The Group’s results, which were released to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Friday, 3 May, 2024, saw outstanding year-on-year increases: Gross Earnings rose by 110%, from N271.1billion to N570.2 billion; Interest Income grew by 130%, to N440.7 billion. Operating Income increased by 115%, from N175.7 billion in 2023, to N378.59 billion. Further consolidating the record performance delivered in the Group’s 2023 Full Year Audited Financials, UBA again saw Profit Before…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has told Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu is not to blame for the present economic crisis in Nigeria. Kalu made this statement on Sunday, 5 May, 2026 after he feted orphans, widows, PWDs and the aged at his home in Abia State to celebrate his 53rd birthday. The Deputy Speaker responded to questions from reporters, explaining that Tinubu is making a lot of effort to correct the mistakes of the past administrations, which led to the present economic problems. “The hardship we are passing through was not…

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has called on youths across the country to stay away from internet fraud to safeguard their future. This call was made on Wednesday, May 2, 2024 at a leadership training themed: Exploring the Tools of Leadership to Curb the Rising Tide of Social Vices among Nigerian Students. According to him, youths ’involvement in internet fraud is a threat to their future because of the risks of conviction and associated complications. He also said that internet fraud is causing reputational damage to Nigeria in the comity of nations…