Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has suggested that the removal of the customs duties on imported drugs has not reflected in the prices of medical supplies.

Sani said even with the policy, there has not been a drop in prices of drugs at the pharmaceutical shops despite President Bola Tinubu signing an executive order to suspend import duties.

“The removal of the customs duties on imported drugs has not resulted to a drop in prices of drugs at the pharmaceutical shops,” the ex-lawmaker posted on X on Sunday.

DAILY POST reported that Tinubu in June signed an executive order to suspend import duties and value-added tax on essential medical supplies imported into the country.

This was aimed at easing the high cost of locally producing pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices such as needles and syringes, among others.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, who announced the development said: “The order is pivotal to the success of the Initiative for Unlocking the Health Care Value Chain which was approved in October 2023 by the President.

“The order introduces zero tariffs, excise duties and VAT on specified machinery, equipment and raw materials, aiming to reduce production costs and enhance our local manufacturers’ competitiveness.”

Afrobeats sensation, Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, donated N105m to a Christ Embassy church in Benin, Edo State, on Sunday.

The donation was made during a Sunday service, where Rema thanked the church for its support and guidance.

In a now-viral video, he said, “I’m not here to give myself any accolades or glory. I’m here to give God the glory. I feel like it is important to give back because the church has embraced, prayed for me, and has kept me very consistent with my spirit.

“Firstly, I want to give a pledge of N40m to the infrastructure of the church. I want to pledge N20m to Rhapsody of Realities, and being the fact that I came from the teens church, I also want to pledge N25m to the infrastructure of the teens church. 

“I’m pledging N20 million to widows in church today.”

Rema further revealed how the church supported his family during a difficult time after his father’s passing.

He said, “When I was eight year old, when I lost my dad, we felt very lost and abandoned. All that we had was taken from us and we felt very alone and I remember at the time Pastor Joy and Pastor Thomas, the pastors of this church, they opened a shop for my mum and that was what she managed to take care of us.”

PUNCH Online reported that Rema arrived his hometown in Benin on Tuesday ahead of his highly anticipated homecoming concert.

Music producer Collins Michael, aka Don Jazzy, and Mavin crew also arrived in Benin to show support for Rema’s homecoming concert

Rema was said to have entertained the Oba of Benin at his palace who presented a royal plaque to him ahead of the concert.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Head of the Legal Services Department of the apex bank to appear before it with specific documents on Monday, September 2, the new date fixed for the continuation of the trial in the money laundering case brought against Binance Holdings Limited and its executives.

At the previous court sitting, the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, had adjourned the matter to October 11, but the defence counsel had approached the court for a date change, which the court granted by bringing the trial forward a month early.

Binance USA’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Tigan Gambaryan, and the exchange’s British-Kenyan regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, are facing money laundering charges to the tune of $35m brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were initially both detained in the custody of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Anjarwalla, however, fled lawful custody on March 22, 2024, while his counterpart, Gambaryan, was moved from ONSA custody to EFCC custody and afterwards to Kuje Correctional Facility, where he is currently detained.

In the document titled Subpoena Duces Tecum, with charge number: FHC/ABCR/138/2024, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Binance Holdings Limited and Tigran Gambaryan, the court asked the apex bank’s heads to appear before it or delegate someone to do so.

It read, “The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way, Central Business District, Abuja – FCT.

“You or any other officer you may delegate are commanded in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, presided over by the Honourable Justice E. Nwite, on the 2nd day of September 2024 at 9 o’clock in the forenoon, and from day to day until the above cause is tried, to bring with you and produce at the time and place mentioned the following documents.

“Certified True Copy of the excel spreadsheet captioned ‘Export Exchange Rate Results’ published on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website for the period from 1 June 2024 to 16 August 2024.”

In a separate document but with similar wording, the court summons, “The Head, Legal Services Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way, Central Business District, Abuja – FCT.

“You or any other officer you may delegate are commanded in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, presided over by the Honourable Justice E. Nwite, on the 2nd day of September 2024 at the hour of 9 o’clock in the forenoon, and from day to day until the above cause is tried, to bring with you and produce at the time and place mentioned the following documents,” part of the subpoena read.

Former Premier League defender who played across multiple clubs, Sol Bamba, has died at the age of 39 while in charge of a match for a Turkish club.

His death was confirmed on Saturday.

The former defender, known for his stints with Leeds United, Cardiff City, and Leicester City, had been battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma since 2020.

Bamba, who also represented the Ivory Coast national team, was serving as the technical director of Turkish side, Adanaspor, at the time of his death.

The club announced the news in a statement on X, stating, “Our Technical Director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before the Manisa Football Club match played yesterday, was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital and unfortunately lost his battle for life there. Our condolences to his family and our community.”

The former Cardiff City, Leeds, and Leicester defender had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, on Christmas Eve in 2020.

Although he was believed to be in remission, Turkish outlet Hurriyet reported that he “fell ill before the Manisa FK match due to a relapse of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.”

After retiring from professional football in 2022, Bamba transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant manager for Cardiff City before joining Adanaspor in the summer of 2024.

He had been working as the club’s technical director until his untimely passing.

Tributes have poured in from Bamba’s former clubs and teammates.

Cardiff City, where he spent a significant portion of his career, released a heartfelt statement on X: “It is with the deepest sadness that we have learnt this evening about the passing of Club legend, Sol Bamba. As a player and coach, Sol’s impact on our football club was immeasurable. He was a hero to all of us, a leader in every dressing room, and a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with his friends, family, and everyone lucky enough to know and love Sol.”

Middlesbrough, where Bamba played in the 2021-22 season, also paid tribute on X: “We are devastated to learn of the passing of Sol Bamba at the age of 39. Our thoughts are with Sol’s family and friends at this time. RIP Sol.”

Leeds United, where Bamba served as captain in 2016, expressed their sorrow: “Everyone at #LUFC is devastated to learn of the news that former #LUFC captain Sol Bamba has passed away. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time. Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.”

Bamba began his football journey in Paris with Paris Saint-Germain’s youth setup before moving to Scotland, where he played for Dunfermline and Hibernian.

His English football career started in 2011 when he joined Leicester City under Sven-Goran Eriksson, with whom he shared a close bond.

Earlier this week, Bamba paid tribute to his former manager, Eriksson, who also recently passed away.

Bamba later played for Trabzonspor and Palermo before returning to England in 2015 to join Leeds.

His captaincy at Leeds was cut short when he moved to Cardiff City in 2016, where he made 118 appearances.

It was during his time in Cardiff that he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He fought the disease for several months undergoing chemotherapy, and made an emotional return in the final match of the 2020-21 season.

He subsequently signed for Middlesbrough, where he made 28 appearances and famously scored the winning penalty in the FA Cup fourth-round clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Reflecting on his battle with cancer, Bamba once told Mail Sport, “After the first chemo, I was down for four days. I could not get out of bed. I lost weight. After that, I told my missus, ‘I’m not going for the second round.’ The way I was, in that moment, it was awful.”

Despite the challenges, Bamba made a return to the pitch, inspiring many with his resilience.

As the people of Sokoto State, especially those in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, continue to battle insecurity, a group of professionals within the local government, Gobir Development Association, has revealed that the people of the community paid over N160bn in levies and ransom payments to bandits in the area.

According to a press statement signed by the chairman of the group, Idris Alhassan Gatawa, and its secretary, Professor Aliyu Gobir, and made available to newsmen in the state on Saturday, it was said that more than two billion naira was also lost to armed bandits.

The group, while reacting to the recent killing of their District Head, Muhammad Bawa, who was killed by bandits following his abduction along Sabon Birni – Sokoto Road after his official engagement in the state capital, condemned the rising case of insecurity in the area.

The group said, “Over sixty billion naira has been paid as ransom, over a hundred billion naira paid as imposed levies by the bandits, and more than two billion naira lost to armed bandits.

“Likewise, about six hundred thousand heads of cattle and five million sheep and goats were rustled within the last five years.

“About two-thirds of the arable farmlands are inaccessible due to the fear of being killed or kidnapped by bandits, causing severe economic losses, hardship in terms of food and nutrition security, and psychological and social imbalances.”

They, however, appealed to the government at all levels to act swiftly to stop the killings, kidnappings, displacement of people, and livestock rustling to restore peace and stability in all areas affected by banditry.

A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has predicted the political future and relationship between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyewom Wike, and President Bola Tinubu.

According to Lamido, Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will soon become a political orphan to President Tinubu.

Lamido made this remark while speaking on the internal crisis rocking the PDP and Wike’s affiliation with the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration.

He acknowledged that the ongoing PDP crisis resulted from its previous actions and because they, the party’s founding fathers, failed to build on the stability that once existed when the party was in power.

The erstwhile Minister of Foreign Affairs noted this during a recent interaction with The Tribune.

When asked what the way forward is for the PDP, having lost serially to the APC in the previous elections, Lamido said: “You are still talking about the mood of the moment. You didn’t reflect on the past. You must look back and ask what is the source of the problem. If you see a raging fire, you must identify the source to be able to control the smoke. You are simply talking about the symptoms; you are not looking at the bigger picture.

“When you say PDP, in 1998, when it was formed, the main focus was to restore unity in Nigeria, to restore people’s confidence, which was undermined by June 12 (1993 presidential election annulment) and a section of the country felt cheated and lost the sense of belonging. After the PDP came to power, the country was stabilised, as against the (previous) feeling of distrust. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from the South West emerged as the president even though they never liked him in his region.

“What is happening now is that we failed to build on that stability. Unfortunately, today, we are only reacting to the consequences of our own actions. Look at this government: all the governors the majority of the lawmakers, are PDP, only a few are from the Lagos axis but the majority of them are PDP. Even the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in Tinubu’s administration – George Akume – was in PDP. (President Bola) Tinubu (Vice President Kashim) Shettima and the SGF are former governors, former senators, and up to the Senate President. Isn’t there a team with more experience solving Nigeria’s problems than this team?”

Who Is Wike? He Will Become Political Orphan To Tinubu – Says Lamido

Speaking further, Lamido faulted the speculations and narratives that the PDP has already conceded the political space in the party to the likes of former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

“If Tinubu is not tolerating him, who is Wike?” Lamido asked.

He stated: “Wike is our creation. We made him. Where was Wike in 1999? Somebody who was your own invention, whom you thought you could develop, groom as a future leader now tells you that he is his own person now; what do you do? To me, Wike is not a factor. If Tinubu does not tolerate him, who is Wike? So, Wike is there today because the environment is there for him to manipulate and exploit. Simple. We are putting political expediency over national interest. Wike is being hyped by Tinubu to destroy the PDP but destroying the PDP also means destroying Tinubu.”

Wike Was Never Planted In PDP

When asked to address the speculations by some Nigerians that Wike was planted to undermine the PDP, Lamido said: “No, Wike wasn’t planted. He is PDP. Are you saying Tinubu made him Special Adviser to (former Rivers State governor) Peter Odili or Chief of Staff to (former Governor Rotimi) Amaechi? Are you saying it was Tinubu who made him governor of Rivers State? No, Wike was never planted. He is PDP, but that is the Nigerian character we have been discussing. But ultimately, he will become a political orphan to Tinubu and both of them are going to lose because the entire arrangement is unholy; it is immoral, it is un-Nigerian. This issue of betrayal and undermining your party isn’t part of our culture. No matter how long he serves Tinubu, ultimately, both of them are going to lose because the country is losing. So, Wike was never planted. He was simply identified as a willing character who lacks the morality and good character, and honour not to disown his own party. He has mortgaged his own party.”

Asked whether the PDP has conceded that Tinubu is unstoppable in 2027, Lamido said: “No. You see, the domestic cat fed on small chickens, but one day, the mother of the chickens stood up to the cat. Tinubu is that cat. What I am saying is that even Pharaoh’s empire collapsed. So, no matter how daring you are, it won’t end well. So, Tinubu today is somebody who has a grip on Nigeria, who owes obeisance to nobody in Nigeria, who believes that God made him and he made himself, and he is now lording it over the Nigerian people, and nobody can challenge him. He was adept at studying the system and manipulating it. He exploited it, and he did it well. I wish he could use his sagacity and talent to help Nigeria’s development. It would have been wonderful. But he is using it negatively. He has everything but not for the development of Nigeria, and it is affecting you; it is affecting me.”

Napoli boss, Antonio Conte has expressed regret over the club’s failure to sell Victor Osimhen this summer.

The Italian also appeared to confirm he has no plans to reintegrate the Nigeria international in the squad.

Conte spoke about the Osimhen situation after he led his side to a 2-1 win over Parma with Osimhen’s replacement, Romelu Lukaku coming off the bench to score one of the goals. 

Osimhen failed to complete his transfer to Chelsea on transfer deadline day on Friday over the Blues failure to meet his salary demand.

With the coming of Lukaku, it means it would be difficult for the Super Eagles striker to find minutes under Conte.

“I’m happy with the work the club did on the market,” Conte said via Fabrizio Romano.

“If there had been the sale of Victor Osimhen, we would have completed the situation… but I’m happy”.

Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, has approved the payment of N70,000 minimum wage to civil servants under the employ of the state.

Nwifuru, who made the announcement on Saturday at the grand finale of the Ojiji Izhi New Yam Festival 2024, said he has directed relevant government authorities to draft out modalities for the payment of the new minimum wage commencing in September.

The governor, however, frowned at the lackadaisical manner by which government projects awarded as contract to prominent leaders of the state were handled, especially the housing estates at Izo Autonomous Community in Ishielu Local Government Area.

He gave a marching order to the Commissioner for Housing to ensure the painting of the houses immediately.

He further called on the people of Ebonyi State not to hesitate to report government projects being delayed by contractors.

The Katsina State command of the Nigeria Police Force has confined the arrest and detention of three individuals suspected to be gunrunners.

According to the force, the individuals were arrested while transporting a significant quantity of ammunition intended for terrorists within the region.

During a press briefing at the Katsina police headquarters on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed that on August 29, 2024, at approximately 12:45 PM, law enforcement officials apprehended three individuals known for their involvement in gunrunning and seized a substantial amount of live ammunition.

He indicated that the suspects were captured in Dutsinma town, located in the Dutsinma Local Government Area, while they were in the process of delivering 740 rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition to alleged bandits in the Yauni forest, situated in Ummadau village, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Initial investigations suggest that the suspects had obtained the ammunition from Nasarawa State, intending to deliver it to a certain Harisu, a suspected leader of bandits who is currently evading capture.

Naija News understands that the three individuals have admitted to their roles in the operation and have implicated Harisu as the orchestrator, Aliyu further stated.

In a separate incident, three suspects confessed to the police regarding their method of transferring N6 million from a victim’s bank account by utilizing the victim’s mobile device.

The police spokesman said: “The fact of the case is that on 3rd August 2024, the command received a complaint that on the same date at about 0130 hrs, a three-man gang of suspected armed robbers criminally conspired and attacked the residence of one Ukashatu Isah, of Kofar Arewa quarters, Baure Local Government Area, Katsina State, where they robbed him of his two mobile phones at gunpoint.

“The suspects, using the stolen mobile phones, criminally transferred a total sum of N6 million naira from the victim’s bank account into three different bank accounts.

“Upon receipt of the report, detectives swung into action, and they successfully traced and arrested the trio in connection with the offence.

“During investigations, the suspects confessed to the commission of the offence and they will soon be charged to court.

“The Command is working tirelessly to apprehend more suspects and bring them to justice.

“This achievement demonstrates our commitment to combating banditry and gunrunning in Katsina State and beyond.”

Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, has called on the Federal Government to save Nigeria, expressing concern over what it described as the near collapse of the nation since the administration of President Bola Tinubu took over.

In a communique by its Deputy Leader, Oladipo Olaitan and the Deputy Secretary General, Alade Rotimi-John after a regular quarterly meeting held in Ogun State, Afenifere maintained that the state of the nation has left the people perplexed.

According to the group, the Nigerian people are sorely troubled by the pervasive hardship, crippling hunger, unremitting insecurity in the land, runaway inflation, and massive unemployment all of which have left the people worse off than they were at the beginning.

It also observed the reckless, obstinate and indifferent attitude of the government to the long-term effects of the lack of forethought or purpose regarding the handling of the public revenue.

Afenifere, therefore, rued some of the Tinubu administration’s profligate predilection or inclination to waste resources, stating that $100m or N 240 billion as the purchase price for an Airbus A330 jet for the President and a further $50m to retrofit it was uncalled for.

In addition, Afenifere noted that N950m each as purchase price of a new set of armoured Cadillac Escalade Limousine SUVs as befitting vehicles for the President, N21 billion for renovating a new mansion for the Vice President, N90 billion as subsidy for religious pilgrimage and N10 billion to renovate the Presidential Lodge at Ribadu Road, Lagos, among others, gave an insight of a wasteful nature of the administration.

“Afenifere is scandalised or shamed by the odium and poor international or global image which have attended these profligate or prodigal expenditures.

“We are puzzled that a government can be so masterful at diversionary tactics just to lull the people to sleep and confuse them as they wake amid grave national circumstances and of a strident or sustained debate of its desultory or unmethodical handling of governance,” the group stated.