Germany has extolled President Bola Tinubu’s leadership role as Chairman, Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), particularly his disposition against unconstitutional change of government by military coups. German Ambassador to Nigeria Annett Gunther disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. She was speaking against the background of the one year anniversary of Tinubu’s leadership since May 29, 2023 when he assumed office as Nigeria’s president. A coup d’etat was launched in the Republic of Niger on July 26, 2023, coming only a few…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has discovered 122 illegal oil refining sites within the past week across the Niger Delta region, intensifying its fight against oil theft and vandalism. In a recent documentary released by the NNPCL, the company detailed the extensive efforts made to tackle the rampant issue. Among the discoveries were 65 illegal pipeline connections, which were promptly removed in Rivers State and other parts of the oil-rich Niger Delta. One of the major busts involved a filling station in Grey Creek, Akwa Ibom State, which was sealed for selling illegally refined fuel to motorists. The…
In a high-stakes trial, Donald Trump’s attorneys made their final plea to the jury on Tuesday, urging them to disregard key witness Michael Cohen’s testimony. The former president faces 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors argue that Trump orchestrated a scheme to conceal damaging information, while Trump’s defense team claims the payments were legitimate legal expenses. Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass emphasized the “overwhelming” evidence against Trump and urged the jury to “focus on the facts” and hold Trump accountable. He highlighted Trump’s own acknowledgment of reimbursement payments and argued…
The amount of currency outside banks (CoB) in Nigeria experienced a drop of N27.5 billion (0.55%) month-on-month (MoM), falling to N3.6 trillion in April from N3.627 trillion in March 2024. This decline marks the first decrease in CoB this year, following a steady rise since January 2024, as reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Despite this reduction, currency-in-circulation (CIC) increased by 1.5% MoM, reaching N3.92 trillion in April from N3.86 trillion in March. The decline in CoB highlights ongoing issues surrounding the availability of cash in banks, with customers and Point of Sale (PoS) operators lamenting limited cash…
The Federal Government has commenced the free distribution of gas cylinders, aiming to transition at least one million homes to clean cooking gas by 2030. This initiative, part of the ‘Decade of Gas’ program, was inaugurated yesterday in the Apo Resettlement area of Abuja. The launch event saw the distribution of 1,000 gas cylinders, each filled with 3kg of gas, to women from the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory. This marks the beginning of the government’s plan to distribute approximately 250,000 cylinders annually, focusing on rural communities nationwide. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo,…
UNICEF on Wednesday condemned a “distressing” 70 percent rise in grave violence against children in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, countries plagued by jihadists and other armed groups. The three Sahel states are all under military rule after experiencing coups since 2020, with civilians caught in a spiral of clashes between jihadists, community militias, bandits, regular armies and their auxiliaries. Mali is also facing a separatist insurrection. “In the last three months of 2023, grave violations against children in the central Sahel increased by more than 70 percent compared with the previous three months,” said Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director…
Former President Donald Trump’s attorneys have requested that a federal judge reject special counsel Jack Smith’s gag order request and find the prosecutors in contempt. The request was made in response to Smith’s motion for a gag order to limit Trump’s public comments about the FBI’s search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022. The special counsel’s office argued that the gag order is necessary to prevent Trump from making misleading and inflammatory statements that could endanger law enforcement personnel involved in the case. However, Trump’s legal team described the request as “unconstitutional censorship,” aimed at silencing the former president as…
Nigeria leaders gathered at the National Mosque in Abuja on Tuesday to pay their final respects to Ibrahim Lamorde, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Lamorde, who passed away at the age of 61 in Egypt while undergoing medical treatment, was honored with a Jannazah (funeral prayer) attended by a host of dignitaries. Among the attendees were Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, and the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintri, also paid their respects alongside other notable figures. Earlier reports…
The World Igbo Congress (WIC) is calling for May 30 to be designated as Nigeria’s Civil War Memorial Day to honor those who lost their lives in the Nigeria/Biafra war from 1967 to 1970. This marks the declaration of Biafra’s secession by Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, then military Governor of Eastern Nigeria. Pro-Biafra groups have annually observed May 30 as “Biafra Day” since 1999, advocating for the restoration of the defunct Biafra republic. The WIC is planning a memorial service themed “54 Years after the war, what has changed in Nigeria?” on May 30, 2024, to honor the fallen heroes and…
The Cross River State House of Assembly has unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Speaker Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, effectively resolving the recent crisis that had engulfed the Assembly. The vote, which took place during a plenary session on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, was initiated by Hon. Cyril Omini, the member representing Yakurr 1 State Constituency, and seconded by Hon. Kingsley Ntui of Etung State Constituency. Hon. Omini emphasized the importance of restoring order within the Assembly to support Governor Otu’s efforts in advancing the state’s development. He noted that the vote of confidence reflects the lawmakers’…
The Nigerian Senate has pardoned and recalled Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi after 77 days of suspension. The suspension, which began on March 12, 2024, stemmed from allegations of N3.7 trillion padding of the 2024 Budget. Deputy Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro initiated the recall process on Tuesday by moving a motion in which he expressed regret on behalf of Senator Ningi and pledged to assume full responsibility for his actions. Following a brief plea by several lawmakers, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced Ningi’s unconditional recall. Akpabio highlighted Ningi’s resourcefulness and underscored his value to the Senate, noting…
Peru’s Attorney General, Juan Carlos Villena, on Monday, accused President Dina Boluarte of accepting bribes in the form of Rolex watches, in the latest twist of a corruption scandal shaking her unpopular government. Villena said that her receiving the luxury items from a governor amounted to accepting bribes. The AG “presented a constitutional complaint against Dina Boluarte as the suspected author of passive corruption,” his office said on X, formerly Twitter. The scandal erupted in March with the discovery of a trove of undeclared luxury Rolex watches and jewelry in the president’s possession. Boluarte told…