The University of East Anglia, located in Norwich, UK, has announced scholarships worth £33,150 (N44.3 million) and transportation cost of £4000 (N5.3 million) to Nigerians seeking masters programmes. 

According to the information on the school website, the funding opportunity is the David Sainsbury Scholarships in Global Plant Health, which is fully funded for students planning to travel to the UK for study. 

The offer by the University of East Anglia is hugely available for Nigerians and other foreign students willing to do their masters programmes under scholarships, covering travel expenses. 

The applications from its David Sainsbury Scholarships in Global Plant Health is for candidates wishing to undertake an MSc in Plant Health at the University of East Anglia in the 2024/2025 academic year. 

Among other benefits catered for in the scholarship at the University of East Anglia are tuition fee, living stipends and transportation allowance.  

The scholarship offers funding to the tune of £33,150 (N44.3 million) and transportation costs of £4000 (N5.3 million). 

Interested candidates must first apply and be accepted into the University of East Anglia beforebeing considered for the scholarships, the school website said.

The information on UEA website reads, “Provided you meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be considered for the scholarship, on a competitive basis – no separate application is required. 

“You will be evaluated for the scholarship based on the same criteria used to evaluate your application to enrol on the course.  

“The criteria are: academic achievement and academic awards together with knowledge/experience/potential of molecular biology, genetics, molecular interactions, data science such as bioinformatics and statistics, laboratory skills, and independent study.” 

Addressing interested Nigerian applicants, it says, “All self-funded Nigerian students applying to a Master’s course at UEA starting in September 2024 will automatically be awarded the UEA Nigeria Award scholarship.  

“The scholarship is worth £4,000 – if you meet UEA entry requirements, £5,000 – if your final undergraduate grade is a CGPA 4.1 and above. Amounts will be deducted from your tuition fees, in line with terms and conditions.”

The applications for the scholarship are currently open and expected to close on May 31, 2024. 

The University of East Anglia (UEA) was founded in 1963 and is located in Norwich, a historic city in the east of England.

U.S. prosecutors are seeking an above-guidance sentence of 36 months for the former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance on charges of enabling money laundering, according to a sentencing memorandum out late Tuesday.

The memorandum, which was filed with the court for the western district of Washington, states that Zhao should serve a higher sentence than suggested under advisory guidelines to “reflect the gravity of his crimes.”

Under advisory guidelines, Zhao’s sentencing would come in at a range of 12 to 18 months in prison. 

“A custodial sentence of 36 months — twice the high end of the Guidelines range — would reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for law, afford adequate deterrence, and be sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing,” U.S. prosecutors said.

Zhao is accused of willfully failing to implement an effective anti-money laundering program as required by the Bank Secrecy Act, and of effectively allowing Binance to process transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activity, including transactions between Americans and individuals in sanctions jurisdictions.

Binance has separately been sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over the alleged mishandling of customer assets and the operation of an illegal, unregistered exchange in the U.S.

The U.S., which separately accuses Binance and Zhao of violating the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act and sanctions on Iran, ordered Binance to pay $4.3 billion in fines and forfeiture. Zhao agreed to pay a $50 million fine.

Zhao stepped down as Binance’s CEO in November last year after reaching this plea and was replaced by the former Abu Dhabi markets regulator’s chief, Richard Teng.

Zhao was not immediately available for comment when contacted via social media platform X. Binance has yet to respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Prosecutors say Zhao violated U.S. law on an “unprecedented scale,” and that he had a “deliberate disregard” for Binance’s legal responsibilities.

In the memorandum Tuesday, prosecutors said under Zhao’s control, Binance operated on a “Wild West” model.

“Zhao bet that he would not get caught, and that if he did, the consequences would not be as serious as the crime,” the memorandum stated.

“But Zhao was caught, and now the Court will decide what price Zhao should pay for his crimes.”

Zhao’s official sentencing is expected to take place April 30.

Should the proposed Executive bill be passed, politicians found guilty of tax evasion will be barred from seeking elective offices.

The plan was made known yesterday by chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee Taiwo Oyedele. 

He said an amendment to an existing tax law will be sent to the National Assembly to ensure tax compliance and prevent default by the political class.

Oyedele, who spoke at the 2024 strategic retreat for staff of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) in Abuja, outlined key reforms on tax compliance among politicians and the plan to set up a national tax amnesty programme.

He said a proposed amendment to the existing tax law would disqualify those who fail to meet their tax obligations from running for political office.

Oyedele said: “We’re moving beyond a tax clearance certificate, which can be easily obtained. Effective compliance involves a thorough examination of tax declarations, filings, and payments to determine if a candidate is genuinely fulfilling his tax responsibilities as outlined in the constitution.

“This issue arose during the last election. The argument was that the constitution doesn’t explicitly list tax compliance as a qualification criterion. We’re rectifying this oversight to ensure financial responsibility among those seeking public office.”

Oyedele unfolded plans for a tax amnesty programme later this year titled: the “Voluntary Disclosure or Declaration Program.”

Emphasising the JTB’s role in the initiative, he said: “The term ‘amnesty’ can have negative connotations. However, the core objective is to encourage tax compliance. The JTB, as the leading tax coordination body, is perfectly positioned to spearhead this programme.”

Oyedele reflected on the previously implemented Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) programme, implemented previously, saying that “VAIDS could have achieved greater success if the JTB had been placed at the forefront, rather than acting as one stakeholder among many.”

He added: “I recall a JTB meeting where I asked for a live response to the question of how many members supported VAIDS. To my surprise, over 50% indicated their disapproval. This wasn’t about a lack of desire to collect taxes from evaders; it was about disagreement with the government’s approach.”

“This time around, we’ll adopt a different strategy, ensuring not only the JTB’s involvement but also the collaboration of all stakeholders. We’ll work together to co-create a solution that addresses everyone’s concerns.”

Oyedele also highlighted the proposed reforms that will transform the JTB’s role.

He said: “We all recognise that the JTB’s mandate goes beyond personal income tax. The current reform package includes a draft law to replace the traditional tax return system. This will pave the way for the establishment of a new entity with a broader scope.

“The name will change, but the JTB’s core function will remain: to coordinate and harmonize all taxes and levies, not just personal income tax. It’s vital that you begin preparing for this new operating environment that’s just around the corner.”

JTB Secretary OlusegunAdesokan emphasized the need for adaptation, saying: “Our domestic tax ecosystem is undergoing significant reforms. The JTB, with its critical role in tax administration, needs to be positioned to seize the opportunities that this transformation presents.”

He added: “Achieving this goal requires the JTB Secretariat staff to embrace a culture of collaboration and innovation. By fully comprehending their evolving roles within this new dispensation, they will ensure the JTB’s continued success.”

No fewer than 119 inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state, have escaped, following hours of heavy downpour which destroyed parts of the facility on Wednesday night.

Spokesman of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS, Adamu Duza disclosed this in a statement on Thursday morning.

He said, “A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of 118 inmates of the facility”.

According to him, the Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies has so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while still in a hot chase to recapture the rest.

Duza said the Service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era and that they are old and weak, adding that the Service is making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way to modern ones.

“This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six number of 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“The Service wishes to assure the public that it is on top of the situation and that they should go about their businesses without fear or hindrance.

“The public is further enjoined to look out for the fleeing inmates and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency”, said Duza.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, released 14 properties initially forfeited to the Federal Government to Enugu State Government, following the request by the Governor Peter Mbah administration.

The properties were handed over to the Governor Mbah, by the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, during a brief ceremony at the agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
This was even as Governor Mbah assured that the recovered assets would be used to the optimum benefit of the people of Enugu State.

Speaking at the event, Olukoyede, who disclosed that the road to the forfeiture dated back to 2007, said the event spoke of the mutually beneficial relationship existing between the federal government and states.

Commending Dr. Mbah “for the great work he is doing in Enugu State”, the EFCC Chairman said the President was very much interested in the state-of-the-art hospital that the Mbah administration proposed to build in Enugu State, saying the structures for medical facilities among the released assets would go a long way in helping to realise the Mbah vision for the benefit of not just Enugu State, but the entire country and beyond.

“What we are witnessing today testifies to a symbiotic relationship that should exist between the federal government and the state governments. The essence of our meeting here today is for us to handover properties that were forfeited to the federal government, which of course belong to Enugu State people, back to the people. It shows that governance can work in Nigeria.

“If you look at the history of this particular matter, it takes us back to 2007 when we started the prosecution. So, we are looking at about 17 years since the matter has been on. Eventually some of the properties were forfeited and since then, the EFCC has been managing those properties even though the titles of quite a number of the properties have been revoked by the Enugu State government,” Olukoyede said.

Earlier in his remarks, Governor Mbah, who noted that the properties were forfeited not to his state but to the federal government, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for making it possible for the assets to be returned to the government and people of Enugu State.

“The importance and significance of this event can never be lost on us and we do not also take it for granted. Those assets were forfeited to the federal government. And this brings me to another gratitude that I want to convey here today. So, I want to acknowledge and recognise the important role played by the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Without the proactiveness and speed at which he acted on our request to cede these assets back to the people and government of Enugu State, we wouldn’t have been here today. Therefore, I want to thank him most sincerely for granting our request for these assets that were forfeited to the federal government to be ceded back to Enugu State.

“I want to assure us that those properties would be used for the benefit of the people of Enugu state. All the assets without any exemption, and they would be deployed to optimum use for the benefit of the people of Enugu state.”

He also lauded Olukoyede’s initiatives at making the EFCC a strong institution and the role of the EFCC in the release of the properties to the state.

“I will not end this remark without acknowledging the work the EFCC chairman and his team are doing in strengthening this very important institution. Thank you very much particularly for the effort that you have put in to make today a reality,” the governor stated.

The properties comprise houses, transmission equipment for radio and television stations, a building for medical operations, among others.

The Philippines Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered Apple and Google to remove the Binance app from their respective app stores for users in the Philippines.

According to CoinTelegraph, a press release by the SEC on April 23 said it is working with Apple and Google to remove applications operated by Binance, the biggest crypto exchange in the world. It confirmed that the big tech companies received separate letters to that effect on April 19.

“The SEC has identified [Binance] and concluded that the public’s continued access to these websites/apps poses a threat to the security of the funds of investing Filipinos,” the SEC said.

Chair of the SEC, Emilio Aquino explained that Binance selling or offering unregistered securities to locals and acting as an unregistered broker is against the laws of the country’s securities regulation.

He added that by removing Binance applications from the digital app marketplace the big tech companies would help reduce the spread of illegal activities in the country’s securities sector.

This move by the SEC follows the blocking of access to Binance websites by the SEC and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on March 25.

The Philippines SEC has actively warned its citizens to desist from using Binance for investing since November 2023 citing that the crypto exchange was yet to secure a license to solicit investment from the public or operate an exchange to buy and sell securities.

The Philippines is the latest country to make moves to ban Binance from its shores following compliance concerns and accusations of illegality.

Isaac Kamalu has resigned as River State Commissioner of Finance after he was redeployed to the Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment Ministry by Governor Simi Fubara.

Kamalu, who served as commissioner for Budget and Economics under former Nyesom Wike and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, disclosed this on Tuesday in a letter to Governor Fubura and the Secretary to the Government, Tammy Danagogo.

He accused Fubara of lying about the internally generated revenue of Rivers State.

“In view of the above, I find it difficult to accept the redeployment; I do not accept it. I reject it and convey my immediate resignation as Commissioner and Member of the River State Executive Council with effect from the date of this letter”, the letter reads.

Earlier, DAILY POST reported that Zacchaeus Adangor, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State, had resigned, citing a similar issue.

The developments come months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brokered a peace pact between Fubara and Wike amid an untamed political faceoff between the duo.

Recall that in the build-up to the Fubara and Wike crisis, Kamalu had resigned as commissioner but was reinstated in line with the peace pact.

The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria, ABCON, has blamed peer-to-peer cryptocurrency platforms like Binance for the recent depreciation of the Naira against the Dollar in the foreign exchange market.

The National President of ABCON, Aminu Gwadabe, disclosed this in an interview with NAN on Wednesday.

He stated that as long as Binance and other platforms remain profitable, the Naira’s depreciation will persist.

He said that the recent wave of depreciation of the Naira was of concern to the BDC operators.

“I am happy that the authorities, and even the BDCs as operators, have identified the peer-to-peer (P2P) platform.

“The P2P is a platform like Binance, where speculators use the Dollar to buy USDT, a stablecoin that is pegged at one to the Dollar.

“As long as Binance and other platforms remain profitable, the Naira will continue to depreciate.

“There are many of them in the system. Binance has been nipped in the bud, but there are still many. They are online platforms with no registration, no restrictions,” he stated.

Recall that Naira slumped against the Dollar in the foreign exchange market despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s release of an additional $10,000 each to legible BDC operators on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, resumed clamping down on Binance and other cryptocurrency platforms to defend the Naira in the FX market.

The anti-graft agency had arraigned Binance and two of its executives before an Abuja High Court over alleged fraud and currency manipulation.

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, said it arrested a father writing exams for his son during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.

The board warned that it has improved its technology check for those engaging in all forms of examination malpractices.

Speaking in Kaduna on Wednesday, the JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede who inspected the UTME centres in Kaduna, expressed satisfaction over the 2024 examination, which had 1.94 million students this year.

He, however, frowned at few cases of impersonation, adding that some people now have multiple National Identity Number, NIN, which the examination body would take up with the Identification Management body.

“For those who engage in cheating, they should know that it does not pay. The technology is helping us to check that. Across the country, most of the problem we have is impersonation. For instance now, we say we have NIN, we now have cases of people with two NIN and therefore, that has defeated the purpose of identity verification. We are going to take that up with NIMC, that there are people who have two NIN.

“We have a case of a father impersonating his son, writing examination for the son and I wonder, are you not destroying your son’s future? Of course, two of them are now in custody. I can’t understand what the father will now tell his son when they are both locked up in the same cell. This happened definitely not in Kaduna, but I don’t want to disclose the state,” he said.

He said JAMB needs support of highly populated states like Lagos, to build mega CBT centres like that of Kaduna, which accommodates 4,000 candidates per day.

He expressed hope that the authorities in Lagos would provide a suitable land for JAMB to build the Mega CBT centre in the city.

The bullied student of British Lead International School, Miss. Namtira Bwala has threatened to file a lawsuit against the school authorities if her abusers are not punished within 48 hours.

In a letter drafted by her lawyers, Deji Adeyanju and Co, Namtira asked the school authorities to immediately investigate and pronounce the stiffest punishments in the student’s rule book on Ms.Maryam Hassan, Miss Faliya, and nine other students who bullied her.

Namtira said if the school authorities fail to sanction the student bullies within 48 hours of the receipt of the letter, she would seek immediate and severe legal redress against the school.

The letter reads

“We are Solicitors to Miss. Namtira Bwala (acting through her next friend), hereinafter referred to as our client, on whose instruction we act.

Our client and several other parents in Lead British International School have informed us and we verily believe them that this act of bullying is a reoccurring issue in the school, and despite several attempts to draw the school’s attention to it, the issue has persisted, leaving our client traumatised from the emotional and physical effect of the oppressive acts by these dare devil bullies.

Regrettably, our client has once again, been subjected to physical attacks in the hands of these bullies, with the video of the act going viral on social media.

Sadly, rather than address this issue head-on by imposing severe sanctions on the student bullies, the school has issued a timid statement lacking in force or recognition of the severity of the situation at hand.

Our client completely dissociate herself from the statement issued by the school on April 22, 2024 wherein a case of battery was unconscionably referred to as an “incident between minors.

We state that it is this type of statements, coupled with the school’s gross negligence, that has enabled the student bullies, leading to increased incidents of unchecked bullying in the school, an environment that should ordinarily be a safe space for students.

Sequel to the foregoing, we have our client’s instruction to demand for the immediate investigation and the pronouncement of the stiffest possible sanctions in the student’s rule book, on Ms. Maryam Hassan, Miss Faliya and nine other students who have formed a cult of bullies in Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

Please note that if the school fails to sanction the student bullies within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we have our client’s further instruction to seek an immediate and severe legal redress against Lead British International School, Gwarimpa, without further recourse to you.”''