Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced the implementation of a 0.5% levy on imported goods from Nigeria and other member-states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as they seek to fund a new regional union following their exit from the bloc.

The announcement, made in an official statement on Friday, marks a significant shift in trade relations within West Africa, with the new levy taking effect immediately.

The statement clarified that the levy would apply to all imported goods, except for humanitarian aid, and would be used to finance the activities of the new bloc, although no further details were provided on how the funds would be utilized.

The move effectively ends the free trade agreement that had been in place across West Africa under the ECOWAS umbrella for several decades.

This levy is part of a broader strategy by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to build a new union after their departure from ECOWAS.

The three countries, each currently ruled by military juntas following coups in 2023, had previously established the Alliance of Sahel States as a security pact.

Over time, this alliance has grown into an economic union with aspirations for greater military and financial integration, including plans to introduce biometric passports.

Last year, the three nations left ECOWAS, citing insufficient support from the bloc in combating Islamist insurgencies and addressing ongoing insecurity within their borders.

In response, ECOWAS imposed economic, political, and financial sanctions on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, aiming to pressure them to return to constitutional order. However, these sanctions have had little effect on the three countries, which continue to strengthen their alliance.

Veteran Nigerian journalist cum chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has asserted that Nigeria is witnessing something worse that dictatorship under President Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reports that Momodu made this known while berating Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as anti-democratic.

Recall that Tinubu, on March 18, 2025, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months in addition to the state of emergency owing to the political crisis in the oil-rich state and the move have generated backlash from many political elites.

In an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Dele Momodu pleaded with President Tinubu not to kill democracy in Nigeria.

Momodu claimed that some people are deceiving Tinubu and warned him to watch his back.

He said, “I think it is very unfortunate. I know President Tinubu very, very, very well. Though I’ve not been in the same party [with him] and all that, we were together in exile, and he fought gallantly for this democracy. So a lot of us, co-comrades at that time, are actually very embarrassed that we have a pro-democracy leader in government, and yet what we are witnessing is worse than dictatorship.

“I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘Please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria.’ Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I don’t; I’ve not asked him for anything or anything, but we love him for his contributions to the motivation in the back, which is what is going down the drain.

“I’m saying it now openly to millions of Nigerians that people are deceiving President Tinubu, and he should not allow people to deceive you.

“He should just do his job. The only thing that can guarantee a second time is to do your job well. You do not need to intimidate anybody.”

The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has said he would report former Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili, to the Igbo traditional leadership.

Naija News reported that Senator Onyekachi and the former Minister of Education, Ezekwesili, clashed during the Senate Committee on Ethics sitting constituted to hear sexual harassment allegation brought by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking on Monday with AIT, Onyekachi accused Ezekwesili of describing him as a hooligan. The Ebonyi North Senator stated that he respects women and has championed women’s empowerment and rights.

His words: “As a person, I can’t talk to my wife like that in public. I can’t talk to my driver like that in public. I can’t talk to any woman that way in my life. I’ve never done that in my life. I respect women. I’m one of the people that have been championing the rights and privileges of women.

“As a legal practitioner, I’ve won so many cases in favor of women that were denied the right of inheriting their father’s property because their father had no male child. I’ve won so many cases pro bono. The facts are there. If you go to Ebonyi State, you will see them. I’m one of the leaders from the South East that have a program of building houses for widows, sponsoring their children in school. I have over 300 of them. All these are to show the respect and regard and love I have for women.

“But for a woman to get up in public and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan, a red cap chief in Igbo land that has made my mark, that has made my contribution, has stood for election. I have a vote of over 500 people to be in the Senate and somebody who has never won a ward councilor to come to my office and tell me to shut up my mouth and call me a hooligan. This is unacceptable. And I’m going to take that up within the Igbo traditional leadership because it never happened.”

The political crisis within the Lagos State House of Assembly remains unresolved as Speaker Mudashiru Obasa continues to push forward with his lawsuit against former Speaker Mojisola Meranda and other lawmakers, despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, Naija News has learned.

According to sources familiar with the matter, confusion and concern are growing among APC leaders in Lagos over Obasa’s refusal to withdraw the legal case.

“The truth is that there is uncertainty among the party’s leadership regarding why the Speaker is still in court.

“Honestly, we don’t know why. After President Tinubu’s intervention and their meeting in Abuja, everything about the leadership crisis seemed to have been settled,” a source revealed to SaharaReporters on Monday.

The source further noted that Meranda had already stepped aside in line with the party’s resolution, making Obasa’s persistence puzzling.

“If you know Meranda very well, you will see that she is an easygoing person, not someone who wants the speakership ‘do or die.’ Since the leaders told her to step down in the interest of the party, she relinquished her ambition and did not pursue it further. This is why we don’t know what Obasa wants from the court again. But everyone is observing the situation,” the source added.

Meanwhile, Obasa’s lawyer, Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), has dismissed any speculation that his client is considering dropping the lawsuit.

A former majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, has revealed how he was approached with ₦5 billion to facilitate the impeachment of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Ehie, who currently serves as the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor Fubara, said he still has the evidence of the offer on his phone.

Speaking on a Channels Television programme, Sunday Politics, he disclosed that he has printed the evidence and shared it in case those who approached him with the bribe want to use it against him in the future.

He said, “I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, when they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone.

“It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, incase in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother.”

Ehie, who was the factional speaker of the Rivers Assembly until January 2024, said the offer to facilitate Fubara’s impeachment was made to him at a time he was still the Majority Leader of the House.

Naija News had earlier reported that Ehie also vehemently denied claims that he played any role in the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex on October 29, 2023.

The allegations, made by former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, accused Ehie and Fubara of masterminding the fire that destroyed the state’s Assembly Complex.

However, Ehie refuted the claims, stating he was not involved in the incident.

Lawal Idris, a former Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has described his former boss administration as a failure.

He lamented that Matawalle tenure was filled with political upheavals, economic stagnation, insecurity and confusion.

According to him, his former principal could not pay the then minimum wage of ₦30,000 but paid ₦7000 to civil servants.

Idris, stated this while reacting to a factional All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary in the State, Yusuf Idris Gusau, who said that the payment of the much awaited ₦70,000.00 minimum wage by Gov Dauda Lawal was a deceit to hoodwink civil servants that he is an action governor who has their welfare at heart

He argued that APC is envious of the achievements of Gov Lawal in barely two years in office, which according to him, surpassed the four years of the immediate past APC-led government of Matawalle.

According to him, the APC is still groaning over its defeat in the 2023 governorship election.

Writing on behalf of Zamfara Rescue Movement, Idris said, “To state that the governor is working hard, particularly in the implementation of the minimum wage to civil servants as a ‘deceit’ to gain their support is a deliberate distortion of [truth].

“To distort facts and try to incite citizens against the government they overwhelmingly voted into office and still support is unpatriotic and counterproductive.

“Partisan politics should be set aside as the government strives to provide dividends of democracy to citizens.

This is what APC failed to understand. Politics of bitterness has no place in Zamfara State, which was why the people voted out the party in the 2023 gubernatorial election and why the party also remains factionalized in the state without direction and future.

“The government of Bello Matawalle of APC could not pay then minimum wage of N30,000.00, instead he paid N7000.00 to civil servants for a month salary.

“Civil servants were demoralised and impoverished which grossly affected their potentials and productivity essential in charting economic growth and prosperity.

“Despite this meagre salary workers and pensioners were equally owed months of their wages and pensions; promotion, human capital development trainings etc, were suspended due to lack of initiatives and strategic management of scarce resources.

“It was this atmosphere of despondency and insecurity that compelled the good people of Zamfara State to vote out a sitting governor, Bello Matawalle of APC.

“For the people of Zamfara, the dark days of political upheavals, economic stagnation, insecurity and confusion in governance is over.

“All benefits to former members of the State House of Assembly were settled, funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state withheld for two years by the Matawalle’s administration were released.”

The Labour Party (LP) has cleared George Muoghalu and John Nwosu for the party primaries slated for April 5, ahead of Anambra state governorship election, in November.

Naija News reports that the Screening Committee led by its chairman and the Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, George Ozodinobi, screened the two aspirants, on Friday.

In his speech, Ozodinobi lauded the two aspirants for being true party members and also commended them for their track records and loyalty to the leadership of the party.

He assured them of the party’s non partisan approach towards its selection process and its commitment in ensuring that the best aspirant emerge.

“We will work according to the laid down rules and we want to assure you of highest level of transparency throughout the process of the selection.

“We will work to ensure that we approach the election as a united house, without rancour. It is going to be a brotherly context where everyone in the party will join our flag-bearer in the onerous task of campaigning and winning the November governorship election for the salvation of Anambra State,” he said.

Muoghalu was the first National Secretary of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), and a former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Similarly, Nwosu was also a Director at the 2023 Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed Presidential Campaign Council.

Three Nigerians based in the United States of America, Olumide Olorunfunmi, Samson Amos and Emmanuel Unuigbe, could be sentenced to a combined jail term of 60 years for alleged money laundering to the tune of $4.5m.

PUNCH Metro learnt in a statement by the US Department of Justice obtained on Sunday that the trio conspired among themselves to launder money which caused losses to about 125 victims in the US.

It added that the laundered money was proceeds from romance scams and business email compromise schemes.

The statement noted that while the duo of Amos and Unuigbe pleaded guilty in 2023, Olorunfunmi admitted guilty while being arraigned before a federal court on Friday.

It read, “Olumide Olorunfunmi, 39, a Nigerian national, appeared in federal court in Charlotte today and pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for laundering millions in criminal proceeds linked to romance scams and business email compromise schemes.

“According to documents filed with the court and today’s plea hearing, the scheme caused more than 125 victims to transfer over $4.5 million of proceeds stemming from illegal activities.”

“Two of Olorunfunmi’s co-conspirators, both Nigerian nationals, have also pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.”

Stressing the individual’s role in the scheme, the statement noted that the victims were directed to deposit money into accounts controlled by Amos and his co-conspirators who then transferred the monies to accounts in Nigeria.

The schemes, which were orchestrated between 2020 and 2023, also saw the defendants keeping a percentage of the monies that were deposited by the victims.

It continued, “As Olorunfunmi admitted in court today, from 2020 through 2023, Olorunfunmi conspired with Amos, Unuigbe, and others to launder the criminal proceeds of various illegal activities, including romance scams that typically targeted elderly victims and business email compromise schemes.

“Court records show that the victims of the schemes were directed to transfer funds into domestic and international bank accounts controlled by Olorunfunmi and his co-conspirators. Upon receiving the fraud proceeds, Olorunfunmi and his co-conspirators transferred the funds to other bank accounts, in the U.S. and overseas.

“They also profited by agreeing to ‘pay’ for the domestic deposits received by others by transferring Nigerian Naira from accounts the co-conspirators controlled in Nigeria to other accounts, based upon a “black market” exchange rate for United States Dollars to Naira.”

The statement concluded that each of the defendants risks 20 20-year jail term for the offence of conspiracy.

“The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set,” it concluded.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State has expressed serious concerns regarding the reported poisoning and theft of cattle belonging to its members by criminal groups in the Agatu Local Government Area.

The Chairman of MACBAN in the state, Risku Muhammed, raised this issue over the weekend, revealing that more than 20 cows owned by Fulani herdsmen were poisoned on Saturday in Ucha village, Agatu.

He further alleged that in addition to the poisoned cattle, over 200 cows were stolen last Thursday by these criminals.

This situation was somewhat mitigated by the swift action of security forces, who managed to apprehend one of the thieves, although others managed to flee.

Muhammed accused a farmer from the Ucha community, whose name has not been disclosed, of poisoning the cows using rice chaff after inviting a herder to feed his cattle with it.

This act, according to him, resulted in the death of 13 cows, while seven others that survived are currently receiving treatment.

“I got a report from my members in Agatu LGA that a criminal who had laced rice chaff with poison invited one of our members to come and graze on the rice chaff. Unfortunately, 13 cows died instantly, while a veterinary doctor is treating seven,” Muhammed noted.

He commended the Local Government Council Chairman, Melvin Ejeh for promptly responding to issues concerning the herders and communities in the area, saying “the Local Government Chairman with some Non Governmental Organizations working in the LGA have several times paid for cows killed by these criminals.”

He revealed that herders have, at various times, lost numerous cows to criminals in Olegodege, Utigologwu, Egwuma, Akele, Okwtanobe, and now Ucha due to rustling and killings.

When reached for comment, Melvin Ejeh, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, confirmed that he had received the complaint from MACBAN. He assured that an investigation was underway, although a farmer had been apprehended in connection with the poisoned cows.

He also mentioned that Agatu has recently experienced a period of relative peace, thanks to the support from the state government and the deployment of security personnel to the region.

“We have received complaints from Miyetti Allah, and an investigation is going on about the incident. Agatu has been enjoying peace, and this is as a result of the Peace Committee that was set up, and on a daily basis, we review the peace process.

“It is unfortunate that some criminal elements are bent on instigating crisis and destroying the peace process but the government will not fold its arms and allow that to happen,” Vanguard quoted the Council Chairman saying.

The Chairman, who lauded the state government for ensuring peace in Agatu, appealed for the deployment of more security operatives to the LGA.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent, CSP, Catherine Anene, who confirmed the development, said: “I have a briefing this morning (Sunday) about dead cows said to have been poisoned, investigation is ongoing and a suspect has been arrested over the matter.”

The Anene also confirmed the existence of a Peace Committee working tirelessly in the area to ensure sustainable peace in the communities of Agatu LGA.