Adebayo Shittu, a former Minister of Communication under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has said his former principal’s administration was full of manipulations and fraudulent approvals.

Recall that presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, had also said many approvals for releasing funds within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Godwin Emefiele did not have Buhari’s signature.

During an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Shittu said many persons close to Buhari manipulated things to their favour, plunging the country’s economy into a downward slide.

Commenting on the reports that the previous administration was printing money to run the economy, Shittu said Buhari was unaware of some things.

The former Minister called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to wade into the matter and ‘probe properly.’

He said, “Let me tell you, there were a lot of manipulations and we even heard that a lot of the so-called approvals did not emanate from President Buhari.

“There were a lot of manipulations and fraudulent approvals which did not emanate from the President.”

“I am telling you confidently that a lot of it did not get his attention. There were a lot of people around the President who exploited their relationship with the President and conspired with the then-CBN governor.

“I hope the EFCC will probe properly as to how these things happen without the President knowing.”

Nigerian comedian, Seyi Law, has called out President Bola Tinubu, over the new cybersecurity levy directive issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Naija News reported that CBN had issued a new directive to all financial institutions, including commercial, merchant, non-interest banks, payment service banks, and mobile money operators, mandating the implementation of a 0.5% cybersecurity levy on all electronic transactions.

This move is in line with the provisions of the recently amended Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2024.

The directive, detailed in a circular, instructs that the levy be applied at the point of electronic transfer origination, with the deducted amount to be reflected in the customer’s account as a “Cybersecurity Levy.”

In a post via his X handle, Seyi Law described the “Cybersecurity Levy” as punishment for Nigerians, stressing that the policy might discourage banking transactions.

The comedian also questioned Tinubu about implementing the minimum wage and when he would change ‘non-performing’ ministers in his cabinet.

He wrote, “I hate when government agencies don’t speak up to the understanding of the citizens and allow wrong narratives to fester before tackling it. Cybersecurity level, according to the act, is 0.005%, and different figures from 0.5% to 3% are being thrown around. A 0.5% charge in the Nigeria of today is in itself too much punishment on Nigerians. Are we trying to discourage banking transactions again and encourage cash keeping? @cenbankshould revisit this abeg.

“Stamp duty is something, and now this. It is unacceptable. @NGRPresident @officialABAT, let the poor breathe. When will the new minimum wage be announced and implemented? Some of your ministers need to look for another job. One year is here and we are counting. Whether it 0.005 or 0.5%, this is not the time to implement it. Simple. I apologise for the misinterpretation.

“Why do some id#ots think that because you support a person, you must therefore accept all his policies? Yes, the cybersecurity level is from ammended act, I presume, but I don’t think this is the time for the implementation. If there is anything that should be paramount to the government, it should be the new minimum wage.

“Some of you are crying, una never see anything. My brother, na your papa and mama dey collect minimum wage. E no reach where I dey. The truth is the supporters of Mr. President are better Nigerians because we criticise when it is needed.”

The CEO of Binance, Richard Teng, has criticized the Nigerian government’s detention of employee Tigran Gambaryan, calling it a “dangerous precedent” for international businesses and unjust.

Teng mentioned that despite Binance’s repeated efforts to engage with Nigerian authorities, Gambaryan remains in detention for no valid reason.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Binance’s CEO expressed alarm over the recent trend of inviting mid-level employees to participate in collaborative policy meetings and then detaining them, calling it a dangerous precedent for companies worldwide.

Teng said, “The message from the Nigerian government is clear: we must detain an innocent, mid-level employee, a former U.S. federal agent, and place him in a dangerous prison to control Binance.

“This regrettable turn of events contradicts the spirit of cooperation and transparency that Binance has consistently demonstrated in its interactions with the regulatory authorities.”

Naija News recalls that Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla were apprehended on February 26 in relation to a criminal inquiry concerning Binance’s operations in Nigeria upon their arrival in the nation.

Anjarwalla escaped from custody, while Gambaryan remains detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

The Nigerian government accused Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, of fixing exchange rates on its platform, which depreciated the naira.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused Binance, Gambaryan, and his fleeing colleague, Anjarwalla, of concealing the source of the $35,400,000 generated as revenue by Binance in Nigeria, knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.

However, according to the Binance CEO, Nigerian authorities were unfairly keeping in custody one of its mid-level employees who does not hold decision-making authority.

The CEO emphasized the urgent need for resolution in the crisis, stressing the importance of allowing Tigran to return home for progress. Binance reiterated its commitment to collaborating with Nigerian law enforcement, highlighting past engagements. 

The company disclosed ongoing efforts to address tax liabilities with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service. Recognizing Nigeria’s influence, the CEO underscored collaboration with authorities for the future of Binance and the crypto industry. 

Binance outlined its vision of partnering with the Nigerian government to foster economic development. 

Additionally, the CEO highlighted organizational restructuring and reiterated support for Gambaryan, emphasizing his non-decision-making role in Nigeria.

The Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Rufai Hanga, has shared 5,000 white pieces of cloth and clay pots to his constituents as constituency projects.

Hanga, who is the Deputy Minority Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, is a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The lawmaker who has been representing Kano Central since 2023, has 15 local government areas under his constituency.

A post shared by a popular Hausa platform @VoiceofHausa said: “This is a constituency project of Sen. Rufa’i Sani Hanga, Senator representing Kano Central.

“Instead of building hospitals, he distributed 5,000 pots and white cloths for the burial of the people of his senatorial District.”

See the photos of the items below.

Confirming this development on his Facebook page, an aide to the Senator, Dawuud Auwal also shared a link to a report about the project.

He praised the Senator for his foresight, writing, “Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah A Newspaper Named Newsveo Revealed The Good Things That Senator Rufai Hanga Has Brought To His Region In 2024 After I See You On My Facebook Page I See The Contentment Of What They Did And The Truth Of The Conversation Is Why They Did It.”

A former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has said Nigeria would have been a better country if President Umaru Musa Yar’adua had completed his tenure.

Gowon spoke on Monday during a first President Umaru Musa Yar’adua international leadership conference and awards organised by Global Initiative For Leadership Success in Abuja.

Recall that Yar’adua became president in 2007, but in 2010, he died as a result of ill- health.

Gowon said Yar’adua had achieved significant milestones for Nigeria within his short time in office including granting amnesty to the Niger Delta militants as a way of restoring the economy of the country.

He lamented that though Yar’adua admitted that the process that produced him as president in 2007 was flawed and constituted the Justice Muhammed Uwais Committee for electoral reforms, successive administrations failed to continue with his initiative.

Gowon said, “He was a decent man; a man with absolute integrity. He was an honest man. He did very well and he has to be remembered. He was so honest that he said the process that brought him to power was not right. And he set up a committee. But it was not followed by successive leaders.

"However, I believe that one day, we shall have a solution. He was honey and sincere in dealing with any problem, and he was incorruptible. You can not blame him for corruption; he was clean. His various activities including the amnesty programme that he brought to the Niger Delta ensured our economy was protected.

“His illness and death, I believe if God had allowed him to complete his years in service, I believe Nigeria would have been better. A lot of things would have been better because he meant well for the country. So continue that love for the country and love for one another to make Nigeria great.”

Gowon also decried the spate of insecurity in the country and called on government and security agencies to fish out perpetrators of violent killings, abductions of schoolchildren in the North, and kidnapping for ransom in other parts of the country.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Global Initiative For Leadership Success, Gen A.B Mamman, said, “The blatant refusal to adopt and implement in whole this Uwais Committee report is consequential on the ever-faulty governance leadership recruitment system in Nigeria till date, accounting yet for her to remain in doldrums.

"Most public office holders continue to appear at the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), or the Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) office to answer questions on their tenure and so many reasons.”

Nigerian singer/songwriter, Harrysong has accused a yet-to-be-identifed person of allegedly using witchcraft against him.

This is coming following messy split from his estranged wife, Alexer following series of leaked chat where Harrysong urged his wife to get an ab*rtion for constantly birthing female children.

Taking to his Instastories, Harrysong bemoaned being played by an unidentified person who forced themselves into his peaceful life.

According to him, this individual tore down his world with their charm and witchcraft.

The singer vowed to expose the person because the world deserves the truth.

In his words: “You played me, forced yourself into my peaceful, beautifully blessed world with your juju,charm and witchcrafty,only to tear it Down? Is that how much of a threat I am to your evil devilish kingdom? Jesus Christ. The world deserve to know the truth about you. I’ll expose you.”

See Post Below;

The House of Representatives Joint Committee investigating the arbitrary increase in the price of cement in Nigeria has presented a report which compared the exorbitant cost of the commodity in Nigeria to other countries including its African counterparts.

Naija News recalls that on March 13, 2024, the House made a resolution to investigate the continuous rise in the price of cement.

This decision was prompted by the motion co-sponsored by Gaza Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa) and Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos).

On February 13, the Federal Government and cement manufacturers reached an agreement to set the price of a 50kg bag of cement between ₦7,000 and ₦8,000.

During the public hearing held on Tuesday in Abuja, organized by the House Joint Committee, the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Gaza Gbefwi, emphasized the urgent need to address the price of cement in the country.

He highlighted that in many African countries, the price of cement is significantly lower compared to Nigeria.

The lawmaker said: “Our findings showed that the price of cement is 69 per cent higher in Nigeria than in India, 39 per cent higher in Nigeria than in Zambia and 29 per cent higher than in Kenya given the official exchange rate.”

During his address at the event, the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, reassured the manufacturers that the public hearing was not meant to target them, but rather to provide a platform for finding solutions to the issues impacting the housing sector, specifically the high cost of cement nationwide.

Blessing Agbebaku, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, has disclosed that the three lawmakers that were suspended on Monday were involved in diabolical activities to cause chaos in the house.

The speaker announced the suspension of Donald Okogbe (PDP Akoko-Edo II), Bright Iyamu (PDP Orihonmwon South), and Adeh Isibor (PDP Esan North-east I) on Monday.

Speaking during the plenary, Agbebaku accused the lawmakers of trying to change the leadership of the House through diabolical and other nefarious means.

The speaker alleged that the suspended lawmakers brought a spiritualist into the Assembly complex and dropped fetish items in the middle of the night.

He also claimed that the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on the Assembly premises exposed the spiritualist and the lawmakers who hired him.

He said: “They are being influenced to cause chaos in this house by planning to change the leadership of this house. But to God be the glory, they were exposed.

“They brought in a spiritualist into the Anthony Enahoro complex and dropped fetish items.

“They brought a herbalist into this house of assembly premises to plant some charms in the compound by 1am in the morning without knowing that the CCTV cameras will expose their nocturnal act.”