BILLION

Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on Sunday July 30, in Abuja called for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum as the legitimate Head of State and Government of the Republic of Niger.   In a communique at the end of the Extraordinary Summit on Socio-Political Situation in the Republic of Niger read by the President, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, the leaders also rejected any form of purported resignation by President Bazoum and declared him as the only recognised and elected President by ECOWAS, the African Union and the international community. ‘‘In this regard, only official acts of President Bazoum or his duly-mandated officials will be recognized by ECOWAS,’’ they said. The leaders expressed strong condemnation of the attempted overthrow of constitutional order in Niger, and the illegal detention of President Bazoum, as well as members of his family and government. They demanded full restoration of constitutional order in the...

The University of Nigeria Nsukka released her approved Senate NYSC List for Batch B Stream 2. Students should take note of the memo attached below. download here

Reports suggest that a coup attempt is possibly ongoing at the presidential palace in Niamey, on July 26.   It's been reported that the official residence of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum was sealed off by the elite Presidential Guard. AFP reported that why the action was taken is yet to be disclosed.   Although Bazoum's official presidential complex in Niamey was sealed off, there was no abnormal military deployment or sounds of gunfire in the area, and traffic is normal.   The landlocked West African state has been one of the most coup-prone nations in the world, with four since its independence from France in 1960, not to mention several attempted coups. The last successful one was in February 2010, overthrowing the president at the time, Mamadou Tandja.   Bazoum was democratically elected in 2021 and considered a close ally of France. There was an attempted coup on March 31, 2021, two days before the inauguration. The suspected ring...

A six-months old baby, Chinedu Chukwueke, who was abducted in Minna, Niger state by a fake female apprentice has been found. LIB had earlier reported that the baby was stolen by  the woman posed as an intending apprentice to perpetuate the act,  at the child's mother's salon shop in Kure Ultra Modern Market, on Sunday, July 23, 2023. 

A lawsuit filed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), challenging the registration of the Congress Of University Academics (CONUA) and the Nigeria Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) as trade unions by the Federal Government, has been struck out by President of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, Justice Benedict Kanyip.    Justice Kanyip who delivered judgment on the case on Tuesday, July 25, held that Section 27 of the Trade Union Act allows for more than one trade union in employment. He held that the section does not depict trade monopoly.   The judge noted that ASUU's claim of former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, and the registrar of Trade Union not having the right to register NAMDA and CONUA is baseless.    Kanyip also said that ASUU presented hearsay evidence which did not show the complete registration of CONUA and NAMDA when it filed the suit. He stated that the suit was filed on October 26, 2022, whe...

     The Armed Forces Selection Board (AFSB) Interview for 75 Regular Course (RC) of Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)  took place from 27 May – 14 July, 2023. The List of Successful Candidates whose names appear below and can also be accessed through the NDA Official Website  NDA were successful at the AFSB Interview. The candidates  have been offered admission into NDA for the 75 RC and the successful candidates are to report to NDA Ribadu Campus (old site),  Kaduna on Saturday 26 August 2023. Cadets upon admission into the NDA are full time students and not employees in training.  They shall not claim any form of right or engagement whatsoever as an employee of the institution or Federal Government of Nigeria upon dismissal or withdrawal from the Academy before commission as an officer. Any candidate who fails to report by Monday, 28 August 2023 will forfeit his or her place. Selected and Reserve candidates are to report on the same d...

SEVERAL  markers and official responses in the last week demonstrate the unfolding turmoil in the economy and the uncoordinated response of President Bola Tinubu. While the naira exchange rate rose to N870 to $1, and the pump price of petrol to N617 per litre, inflation rate in June was reported at 22.79 per cent. Food inflation was even higher; and external reserves are headed for another dip on the back of unmet crude production targets. Tinubu then declared an “emergency” in food security, ordered the release of grains, and reviewed his earlier “palliative” plan. Ominous clouds are gathering and the administration may be ‘losing the plot.’ It must change tactics and re-strategise to avoid pushing the economy into an unstoppable tailspin. Signs of chaos are already visible. The divergence between the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official Importers and Exporters Foreign Exchange Window moved close to N100; while the I&E FX window closed at N777.82/$ on Friday, the rat...

Operators in the real estate sector have said the hike in prices of cement and other building materials may trigger a drop in building standards of houses. Industry chiefs in separate interviews with our correspondent noted that the recent price hike of building materials would increase costs of production, reduce the company’s profits and affect the viability of the sector’s value chain. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Fame Oyster & Co. Nigeria, Femi Oyedele, told The PUNCH that the surge in the prices of building materials might force project owners to review contract conditions. He said, “Definitely, contractors who have started building projects will be going back to their clients (project owners) to review the contract terms. The increase in the price of cement will affect the conditions (price and rate of completion) of building projects. It will also affect the demand for building products as the increase in prices of cement will affect price...

Amid worsening revenue challenges, state governments’ indebtedness to commercial banks has risen to N2.2tn, findings by The PUNCH have shown. The latest data from the quarterly statistical bulletin of the Central Bank of Nigeria, obtained by our correspondents, showed that states and LGAs owed banks about N2.21tn as of March 2023. CBN data also revealed the states’ indebtedness rose from N1.97tn to the current figure, indicating an increase of about N240bn within the period under review. Reacting to the development, state government workers and pensioners’ unions lambasted governors, saying the rising borrowing by governments had only worsened the finances of the states. The National Union of Local Government Employees and state chapters of the National Union of Pensioners said the bank’s loans did not translate to better infrastructure and improved welfare for workers and pensioners. Meanwhile, The PUNCH further observed the borrowing from banks was about 40.33 per cent of...

The Federal Government has increased the school fees of new students into Federal Government colleges otherwise known as Federal Unity colleges to ₦100,000.   The increment was made known via a circular released from the Office of the Director of Senior Secondary Education Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, dated 25th May, 2023, and addressed to all Principals of Federal Unity Colleges.    According to the circular titled, “Approved fees/ charges for Federal Unity Colleges (1st Term) for new students“ and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, new students are expected to part with ₦100,000 instead of the previous N45,000.   The circular in part reads “The latest fees/charge increment will affect virtually all aspects and activities of the school, including tuition and boarding fees, uniform, text books, deposit, exercise books, prospectus, caution fee, ID card, stationery, clubs and societies, sports, ...

Superstar footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has leapfrogged reality star Kylie Jenner to become Instagram's highest-paid user.   Ronaldo, who has the highest number of followers on the app with 597 million Instagram followers, has made a fortune by promoting several big brands on his account.   The former Manchester United striker now earns £1.87 million more than reality star Kylie Jenner in every sponsored post. The reality star has now fallen to the second position in the recent ranking.   According to reports from the Sun, Kylie Jenner has profited by endorsing designer Jean Paul Gaultier and her own products, like Kylie Cosmetics and Kylie Swim.   The footballer Lionel Messi, who charges £1.38 million for a sponsored post, is third on the Instagram Rich List. He has 479 million fans on the website and is the second most followed celebrity.   Singer Selena Gomez is ranked fourth, followed by actor Dwayne Johnson who is in fifth position.   Crist...

A UK court is now set to rule on the confiscation of over 100 million pounds ($129 million) linked to Nigerian politician and former Governor of Delta state, James Ibori.   Ibori who served as Governor of Delta State between 1999 to 2007 was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of fraud and money laundering in 2013. He ended his jail term in 2016 and returned to Nigeria the following year.   Reuters has now reported that British prosecutors have approached a court to confiscate £101.5 million traced to Ibori. It was gathered that Judge David Tomlinson of Southwark Crown Court has made factual findings regarding the funds.    At a hearing on Thursday, July 20, both sides made competing arguments about how the confiscation figure should be calculated, taking into account the judge's findings. He is expected to finalise and formally issue his order on Friday, July 21, or shortly afterwards.   Lead prosecution counsel Jonathan ...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday, July 21, arraigned former Aviation Minister, Sen. Stella Oduah, and others over alleged N5 billion fraud.    Others arraigned alongside the ex-lawmaker who represented Anambra North Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly were Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore, Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, and Sobora International Ltd.    Oduah and eight others who were arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the charges.   After taking their plea, Justice Ekwo ordered that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) take over the matter, adding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should transfer the case file to the AGF in two weeks.   Before adjourning the case till October 17, 2023, for trial, Justice Ekwo upheld the existing administrativ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission has bowed to pressure and finally recognised the Youth Party as a registered political party in Nigeria. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Thursday, said the commission recognised the Youth Party following an order by the Supreme Court. INEC had moved to deregister some political parties in the build-up of the 2023 general elections, and the YP was among the parties marked for deregistration. Not satisfied with the commission’s decision, the YP, which was registered with INEC on August 18, 2018, approached the Federal High Court and secured an order restraining the electoral umpire from deregistering it. INEC appealed the Federal High Court judgment and the appellate court set aside the order restraining the commission from deregistering the YP. “On further appeal by the party, the Supreme Court set aside the deregistration of the party. “Base...

The National Economic Council comprising 36 state governors and Vice President Kashim Shettima has concluded a plan for state governments to implement cash transfer programmes using state-generated social registers. It said states-generated social registers would better reflect the number of vulnerable Nigerians to be reached with such cash transfer or palliative scheme. This came on the heels of the plan by the government to roll out its intervention measures to cushion the effects of the hardships facing Nigerians, following the removal of the controversial fuel subsidy. At its last meeting, the NEC had set up a sub-committee, which was tasked with coming up with plans to reduce the harsh economic conditions trailing the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rates. “It is states that are better positioned to do that enumeration to ensure the integrity of the social register,” the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, told State House correspondents a...

The Anambra State Government says it has handed over 19-year-old Mmesoma Ejikeme, who forged her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination result, to a psychotherapist for a three-month guidance and counselling The state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, disclosed this at a press briefing in her office in Awka, on Thursday. Chuma-Udeh said Mmesoma would undergo a therapy class for three months as recommended by the state panel, which probed the UTME forgery case. Mmesoma, a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, recently made the headlines after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board called her out for fraudulently manipulating her UTME score from 249 to 362, thereby falsely parading herself as UTME top scorer for 2023. Before admitting the forgery, Mmesoma had engaged JAMB in accusation and counter-accusation, with the exam body slamming a three-year ban on her. On Wednesday, she appeared before a panel of the House of Representatives i...

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and UTM Offshore Limited, on Thursday, signed a Heads of Terms agreement for the construction of Nigeria’s first indigenous 1.5 million tonnes per annum Floating Liquefied Natural Gas project. UTM Offshore, a Nigerian marine and services group, had signed a memorandum of understanding with the African Export-Import Bank in December 2021 to raise $2bn for the development of Nigeria’s first floating liquefied natural gas project. Speaking at the HoT agreement signing in Abuja, on Thursday, NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, who described the project as a ‘must-do’ initiative for Nigeria, said the oil company was ready to secure gas feedstock towards the project. The Group Managing Director, UTM Offshore, Julius Rone, said he was delighted with the partnership with NNPCL. He said the agreement was a milestone achievement that showcased the capability of indigenous companies to collaborate with world-class energy c...

Strong indications have emerged that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress’ National Working Committee may clash with the party’s governors over a plan by the latter to adopt ex-governor Abdullahi Ganduje as the new national chairman of the party. The development followed the sudden exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Iyiola Omisore as the party‘s national chairman and national secretary, respectively. The crisis rocking the ruling party had on Tuesday led Adamu and Omisore to resign from their positions after they were accused of high-handedness and financial mismanagement by some members of the NWC. However, barely 48 hours after the development, Progressives Governors’ Forum, the umbrella body of the party’s governors, met in Abuja and reportedly agreed to back Ganduje as Adamu’s successor. Hours after the news went viral, party chieftains and members of the NWC were divided over the plan to make the 73-year-old ex-Kano State governor the substantive ch...

The Ekiti State Amotekun Corps has paraded 80-year-old Michael and 60-year-old Oladosu for allegedly vandalising equipment of the Ekiti State Water Corporation at Okemesi Ekiti in the Ekiti West Local Government area of the state. The Corps Commandant, Brig.-Gen. Joe Komolafe (retd.), who paraded the suspects on Wednesday, said Michael and Oladosu were arrested by Amotekun operatives at Okemesi Ekiti while allegedly vandalising equipment belonging to the state water corporation. He said the corps operatives also arrested three suspects for allegedly breaking into a residential house in the Tinuola area of Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Komolafe said the suspects, 26-year-old Rufai, 30-year-old Ibrahim and 30-year-old Yahaya, were apprehended with the support of residents of the area.  “Our operatives, in the early hours of Tuesday, received a distress call from a member of the public that some suspected vandals had broken into a residential house in the area and vandalis...

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, granted an application by the Federal Government to protect the identity of the witnesses lined up to testify against an alleged terrorist collaborator, Tukur Mamu. The Kaduna-based cleric and publisher is facing trial in connection with the terror attack on a Kaduna-Abuja train in March last year, leading to the death of at least eight persons with scores abducted for ransom. Mamu, who was arraigned in March this year, is facing 10 counts bordering on terrorism financing, among others. He was accused of receiving ransom payments in the sum of $120, 000 on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages of the train attack. Mamu was also accused of exchanging voice-note communications in relation to acts of terrorism with one Baba Adamu (a Boko Haram spokesperson). Furthermore, he was accused of dealing in terrorist funds in the sum of $300,000, which were allegedly found in his possession. The defendant, however,...

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, granted an application by the Federal Government to protect the identity of the witnesses lined up to testify against an alleged terrorist collaborator, Tukur Mamu. The Kaduna-based cleric and publisher is facing trial in connection with the terror attack on a Kaduna-Abuja train in March last year, leading to the death of at least eight persons with scores abducted for ransom. Mamu, who was arraigned in March this year, is facing 10 counts bordering on terrorism financing, among others. He was accused of receiving ransom payments in the sum of $120, 000 on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages of the train attack. Mamu was also accused of exchanging voice-note communications in relation to acts of terrorism with one Baba Adamu (a Boko Haram spokesperson). Furthermore, he was accused of dealing in terrorist funds in the sum of $300,000, which were allegedly found in his possession. The defendant, however,...