As the debate continues to heat up around the alleged misappropriation of funds by the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, another group has come out to charge the anti-graft agency to do its job by arresting him.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday and signed by Barr Gideon Jato and Bro Sunday Adoka, President and Secretary, respectively, of Northern Christians Accord (NCA), the group reiterated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was long overdue to arrest Mallam El-Rufai.

The group wondered why the EFCC was yet to act, even after a series of petitions were submitted at the national headquarters after the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted El-Rufai and some key officials of his government of embezzling N423bn.

The Kaduna State Assembly ad-hoc committee probing the financial dealings of former Governor El-Rufai‘s eight-year administration in June 2024 indicted him and some key members of his cabinet for alleged corruption in the awards of contracts and management of both domestic and foreign loans obtained by his government.

In the report submitted to the House by the chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Henry Danjuma, it said that there was evidence of several cases of corruption in the running of the affairs of the Government, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in Kaduna State from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023.

After adopting the report, the House recommended, amongst other things, that the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service withdraw the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Account domiciled at Zenith Bank as Security for N20,000,000,000.00 guaranteed in 2023 forthwith and request the bank to refund all monies deducted on account of the purported illegal guarantee together with the accrued interest thereof.

The House also recommended that all the Commissioners of Finance and the Accountants General of the State from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023 be referred to the appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies for thorough investigation.

Subsequently, in July 2024, a group under the auspices of Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance (KCWGG) filed petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Mallam El-Rufai and his men over an alleged N423 billion fraud.

Seven months after the indictment by the Parliament and the attendant petitions to the anti-graft agencies, no action has been taken to arrest or probe the former Governor.

„We perceive this as an affront and total disregard to the rule of law and a great insult to the sensibility of the people of Kaduna State, especially the institution of the State House of Assembly.

„For the EFCC and ICPC to have closed their eyes and shut their ears against the indictments, petitions and cries of Kaduna people only means they support corruption in Nigeria and, as such, shielding El-Rufai.

“It is very glaring that the law in Nigeria is centrifugally positioned to favour some people and witch-hunt others. We remember how the EFCC was battling day and night a few months ago, looking for the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over a petition from a group in the state.

“But the same EFCC has brazenly become blind, deaf and dumb over the El-Rufai issue, despite the indictment by the House of Assembly and having received a series of petitions from various groups. In the case of Kogi State, the Assembly did not indict the former governor, but the EFCC went for him, arrested him, and arraigned him. However, Kaduna is a special case that cannot be handled because El-Rufai is untouchable.

“The man alleged to have stolen N80bn is already standing trial. Why is it taking EFCC and others years to prosecute a man indicted for almost N500bn?

“The Northern Christians Accord is giving the EFCC and other agencies responsible for the arrest, prosecution and recovery of the N423 billion confirmed by the Assembly to have been embezzled by El-Rufai to do the needful and save themselves and the nation of this monumental embarrassment.

“Failure to do so, we shall not hesitate to create awareness about the complacency of the agencies, both within Nigeria and to the international community. We shall also mobilise our members across the 19 northern states to march to the headquarters of EFCC and National Assembly“, the group added.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says its operatives have arrested one Rabiu Aliyu Salisu for allegedly defrauding Deborah Woods, a US national, of $597,000.

Speaking during the parade of suspects on Thursday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said Salisu fraudulently used the identity of an American citizen to carry out the alleged fraud.

Adejobi said operatives of the cybercrime centre also arrested two suspects identified as Saidu Adam Usman and Yusuf Umar for allegedly creating fictitious accounts to commit N400 million fraud.

The force spokesperson said 82 suspects were arrested for internet fraud and other cyber related crimes in January 2025.

“Among these cases is the arrest of two individuals, Saidu Adam Usman ‘m’, and Yusuf Umar ‘m’, in connection with the creation and distribution of compromised financial accounts used to facilitate fraudulent transactions amounting to over four hundred million naira,” Adejobi said.

“The suspects created Moniepoint profiles using pre-registered SIM cards and email addresses and then distributed to local accomplices across different states for KYC verification, fraudulently obtaining bank verification numbers (BVNs) and KYC details from individuals.

“Upon completion of the KYC process, the suspects would change the passwords to secure them for their unknown foreign contractor.

“Another significant arrest is that of one Rabiu Aliyu Salisu AKA Rabo, involved in identity theft, computer-related fraud, and money laundering.

“The suspect had fraudulently assumed the identity of an American citizen, presenting himself as Matthew Ramsey, and defrauded one Deborah Woods, an American national, of $597,000.

“Following a filed petition for criminal defamation, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and falsehood, the force also secured the arrest of one Idowu Smart Emmanuel, who eventually admitted to his crimes and confessed that his allegations were false.”

Federal workers associations in the US have asked a federal high court in Washington to stop the Donald Trump administration from shutting down the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The lawsuit was filed by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

The workers hinge their suit on the argument that USAID is a creation of congress which cannot be dismantled by the executive branch of government.

USAID is the world’s foremost development agency responsible for billions of dollars in US aid projects across the globe. Its scope of operations include healthcare, disaster relief, nutrition, and sex education.

Trump and Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO and head of the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have targeted USAID as part of a wide ranging move to shrink the federal workforce and save taxpayer funds.

On February 5, USAID announced that it was placing all directly-hired staff globally on administrative leave after DOGE staffers forcefully gained access to its headquarters and database.

The agency also said personnel posted overseas would be recalled within 30 days.

On Thursday, the Trump administration presented a plan to dismantle USAID — which would see the agency reduced to 300 staff from 10,000.

Democrats in congress have described the administration’s moves as unconstitutional.

In their suit, the workers are asking the court to compel the Trump administration to reopen USAID buildings, return employees to work and restore funding.

They said government officials “failed to acknowledge the catastrophic consequences of their actions, both as they pertain to American workers, the lives of millions around the world, and to US national interests”.

Trump intends to effectively dismantle USAID and move the organisation’s operations to the State Department.

Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, said USAID must align its programmes with policies of the Trump administration to move forward.

“The United States is not walking away from foreign aid. It’s not,” Rubio said on Wednesday during a visit to Guatemala.

“We’re going to continue to provide foreign aid and to be involved in programmes, but it has to be programmes that we can defend.

“It has to be programmes that we can explain. It has to be programmes that we can justify. Otherwise, we do endanger foreign aid.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arrested Adam Imam Yusuf, a Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Kogi State, over the alleged diversion of more than N3 billion.

Yusuf, who had been at large until now, was taken into custody from his residence in Gwagwalada, Abuja, and is set to face prosecution.

ICPC investigations revealed that the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd.), allegedly orchestrated the fraud through Yusuf and former Brigadier General Ishaya Bauka Gangum (rtd.).

The alleged scheme reportedly involved the diversion of public funds using 92 fictitious companies that were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

An investigation by the ICPC traced these funds to Lahab Integrated, Gate Coast Properties, and other affiliated companies, leading to the acquisition of over 18 properties, including filling stations.

Four of these properties have been forfeited to the government so far, while legal proceedings continue regarding the remaining assets.

The ICPC is also intensifying efforts to apprehend other suspects who remain at large

he Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has announced its readiness to introduce a contactless passport application system in some European countries to ease the burden of passport acquisition and renewal for Nigerians residing in those countries.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Service Public Relations Officer, SPRO, Mr Akinsola Akinlabi, quoted the NIS Comptroller General, Kemi Nandap, as saying that the contactless passport application system would be introduced in Europe on February 7.

Nandap stated that Nigerians in the United Kingdom, UK, and Ireland would be the first beneficiaries in Europe. It would be recalled that the service launched the contactless passport application system in Canada on November 5, 2024.

She added that the rollout in Europe marked the second phase of the service’s initiative for Nigerians in the diaspora.

“For emphasis, the contactless passport application, which is currently available on Google Play Store (NIS Mobile), is designed to allow Nigerians to renew their passports without visiting any passport center for biometric enrolment,” she said.

The NIS Comptroller General reiterated the service’s commitment to innovative and efficient service delivery to Nigerians worldwide

Erstwhile presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, has said that there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase in the 2025 national budget.

The statement comes after President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, increased the appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion.

DAILY POST reported that Tinubu announced the increment in separate letters, which he forwarded to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Reacting to the development, Obi said that Nigerians need to know how the resources generated are being allocated for the sake of transparency and accountability.

This, he said, was to ensure that they were judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people.

In a statement issued on Friday via his X handle, the former Anambra state Governor said Nigerians were still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget passed in December 2023.

Obi further called on the National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget.

He said: “Yesterday, I read about the increase in the Budget of Restoration to N54 trillion due to increased revenue.

“While the sources of this revenue were detailed, there is no corresponding breakdown of expenditures to justify the increase. For transparency and accountability sake Nigerians need to know how the resources generated from them are being allocated to ensure that they are judiciously spent on the country’s development and the well-being of the people.

“Such expenditures should be directed toward critical areas of development; education, healthcare, security, and poverty alleviation.

“Furthermore, Nigerians are still waiting for a detailed account of the execution and expenditures of the Renewed Hope budget passed in December 2023 to ensure that it has been properly utilized for the country’s future development and the well-being of its citizens.

“I call on the National Assembly to seize this opportunity to obtain and make public the full details of the 2024 budget of Renewed Hope budget.

“Transparency in this regard is crucial for ensuring accountability, learning from past budgets, and making informed decisions for the nation’s progress.

“As we work towards passing the Budget of Restoration for 2025, let us uphold openness, accountability, and the welfare of the Nigerian people. We owe it to ourselves, our children, and the future of our great nation. -PO”

A former Governor of Ekiti State, John Fayemi, has apologised to the Nigerian people over the failures of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the years.

Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti state said the APC has not done enough and has not been able to achieve “everything we promised” the nation.

The APC chieftain, who briefly served as a minister under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

According to him, those who see themselves in leadership positions, such as himself, should do better to move the country to a better place.

“Oh, clearly, we all have reasons…we must apologize to the Nigerian people. We have not succeeded in achieving everything we promised to the Nigerian people.

“And that’s not just because we were incompetent, but because there were other structural impediments that have made things more difficult for us.

“But clearly we haven’t done enough to make life abundant for the Nigerian people, and for that, I clearly would not hesitate to apologize for that. We can do a lot more…”

The All Progressives Congress came into power in 2015 with ex-President Buhari defeating the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government led by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Many Nigerians believe that things have changed for the worse for them since the almost 10 years of the APC administration.

Buhari handed over to his party man and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu in May 2023.

Tinubu removed fuel subsidy on the very day of his swearing in, an action that ultimately worsened the situation in the country, throwing millions of Nigerians into abject poverty.

The 15 percent ports tariff increase announced by the Nigerian Ports Authority on Thursday has sparked a fresh price hike nationwide.

DAILY POST reports that on Thursday, the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, at an event in Lagos, announced a 15 percent port tariff increase.

He said, “This belated tariff review, borne out of necessity, constitutes a critical success factor in Nigeria’s quest to win back cargo handling business and its accompanying benefits, including job opportunities it had lost to its maritime neighbours.”

However, stakeholders in the sector said the tariff increase burden would be passed to goods consumed by Nigerians.

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Mr. Ukochukwu Nnadi, said the 15 percent hike in ports tariff would lead to a rise in the cost of doing business nationwide.

“Definitely it will add to the cost of doing business because every kobo added to doing any particular thing, no matter what the thing is, will be passed to the customers, and the customers in this case are the stakeholders,” he stated.

This comes as Nigerians currently battle with high headline and food inflation rates, which stood at 34.80 percent and 39.93 percent, respectively.

Consequently, the latest NPA tariff is expected to trigger a further inflation spike in Africa’s most populous country, already faced with economic hardship.

McDonald Okpara, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Leuven Empire Hotel in the Ejigbo area of Lagos, has confessed to sodomising a 16-year-old secondary school boy.

Okpara was recently arrested by operatives of the Zone 2 police command in Lagos over alleged sodomy with two secondary school boys.

TheCable understands that the mother of one of the boys reported the case to the Isheri-Osun police division.

Speaking in a video released by TVC News, Okpara admitted that he had anal sex with the boy but denied taking him to a shrine or using his picture for diabolical purposes.

“I swear with my life that it is only sex that I had with him, and I never used him for money ritual,” he said.

“I swear in the name of my late parents and children.

“I’m telling the truth. Between me and God, it was only sex. I didn’t take the boy to any shrine or to a ritualist. I didn’t do that; I swear to God.”

When asked where he sodomised the boy, Okpara said it was at his residence and not the hotel.

The video shows that the hotelier was being questioned by a police officer after he was arrested.

The naira, Nigeria’s local currency, appreciated to N1,550 per dollar at the parallel section of the foreign exchange (FX) market on Thursday. 

The latest record marks its strongest performance since July 9, 2024, when it traded at N1,540 to the greenback.

On Thursday, currency traders in Lagos, also known as bureau de change (BDCs) operators, quoted the buying rate of the dollar at N1,580 and the selling price at N1,550 — leaving a profit margin of N30.

TheCable observed that the naira started the month on a positive note, recording marginal appreciation against the dollar.

The FX rate was N1,603/$ on February 3, then fell to N1,593 on February 4, and N1,580 on February 5.

Compared to the N1,627/$ rate on January 30, the latest FX rate represents a 4.73 percent appreciation.

On the contrary, at the official section of the FX market, the local currency depreciated by 0.46 percent to N1,500/$ on Thursday — from N1,493/$ traded on January 30.

According to FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees official FX trading in Nigeria, the greenback exchanged for as high as N1,504 and as low as N1,497 during trading hours.

As a result, the gap between the black market and the official window as of Thursday is now N50.

On December 20, 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed the BDCs to purchase FX from banks from December 19, 2024, to January 30, 2025.

However, CBN had extended the timeframe to May 30.

The financial regulator on February 6, introduced new regulations limiting BDC operators to purchasing a maximum of $25,000 per week from a single bank.

CBN mandated that BDCs must select a bank to procure their weekly FX allocation.