FEATURES
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has warned schools, supermarkets, hotels and others against charging for services in the country in dollar or any other foreign currency.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, in the latest edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine, released on Monday, threatened to jail anyone found dollarising the economy.
The EFCC boss cautioned that anyone caught collecting dollar for services or goods would be treated as a criminal in accordance with relevant Nigerian laws.
He vowed that the commission would go after schools, supermarkets, hotels, estate developers and business operators that used the dollar for transaction instead of naira.
“We have also started securing convictions. Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not, you will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also effected some arrests,” he said.
Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu has noted that it is not a bad idea to own a club side in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
Tony Elumelu who is one of the most famous billionaires in Nigeria is known for a series of charitable gestures but he is not known to be affiliated with any professional football club in the country.
Most of the NPFL clubs are owned by state governments and are hardly able to compete with most clubs in Africa due to poor funding and poor management.
Hence, there have been calls for the private sector to get involved with the league by owning clubs as a form of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme.
Recently, one X user, LawyerDayo took to the social media platform to write: “Can we get the President and Ministry of Sport to weigh in on the big corporations in Nigeria to buy at least one league club as part of CSR? Imagine Dangote buys Kano Pillars, BUA buys Kwara United, Elumelu acquires Rivers United, and Geregu takes over 3SC. Imagine the competition.”
In response to the post, Tony Elumelu wrote on X that the Federal Government, through the Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh, has discussed a similar idea with him. He said the parties involved are currently studying the possibilities of such a move.
The Nigerian billionaire wrote, “This is a nice idea. The Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh @OwanEnoh, is already thinking along this line and has approached me and we are already evaluating viability.”
[NaijaNews]
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, received travel content creator, Pelumi Nubi, at the Government House, following her arrival in Lagos from London by road on Sunday afternoon.
The governor has consequently appointed Pelumi Nubi as Lagos Brand Ambassador with a new car, house, and customised plate number.
Taking to her X handle (formerly Twitter) to announce the development after meeting with the Governor Sanwo-Olu, Pelumi wrote: “Just another great start and a new beginning
Congratulations to me guys as I become a Lagos state ambassador ????????????❤️
Alongside a new car gift from His excellence @jidesanwoolu A new home in Lagos and also a customized plate number
God is Good????❤️❤️”
LEADERSHIP reports that Pelumi Nubi had received heroic welcome as she finally arrived Lagos on Sunday after 68 days of driving solo from London, United Kingdom.
It would be recalled that the content creator had earlier announced that she would be driving from London to Lagos some months ago.
During her journey, she had suffered an accident, which momentarily put a stop to her trip, before she continued.
Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Idris Aregbe, met Pelumi at the Nigerian-Benin Republic border on behalf of the Lagos State Government on Sunday.
Pelumi made her second stop at Badagry before continuing on to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to celebrate her arrival.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Monday morning appointed Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as his deputy.
Naija News reports that this is coming hours after the Edo State House of Assembly impeached the former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
Omobayo Marvellous Godwins hails from Akoko-Edo, Edo North Senatorial District.
The governor will carry at the swearing in of Omobayo today at the Dennis Osadebey Government House.
Shaibu was impeached by the State Assembly after they adopted the report of a seven-man panel that investigated allegations of misconduct against him.
Naija News had earlier reported that the retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa-led panel had its inaugural sitting last Wednesday in Benin, the state capital.
The panel ended its sitting on Friday with Shaibu or his counsel failing to show up to defend the allegations levelled against him.
The panel had adjourned till Thursday for Shaibu to open his defence, and when he didn’t show up, he was given till Friday to come and defend the allegation against him, which he failed to do.
The Edo State House of Assembly, which is the petitioner in the case, had on Wednesday opened and closed its case, paving the way for Shaibu to defend the allegations levelled against him.
Shaibu’s counsel, Oladoyin Awoyale, attended the inaugural sitting but excused himself in the middle of the hearing after the panel refused his prayer to suspend the proceedings pending the outcome of a suit filed in Abuja by Shaibu challenging the impeachment move against him.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has warned his aides and other political office holders against stealing of public funds.
Soludo has since he took office as Anambra governor campaigned for patronage of Nigerian made products and cutting down on cost of governance.
The governor has also been wearing local fabrics, and driving locally manufactured vehicles from Innoson Motors.
Speaking at a thanksgiving service organized by the member representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency, Princess Chinwe Clara Nnabuife, at St Paul’s Church, Umunze, the governor tasked political office holders on judicious use of public funds.
He welcomed Nnabuife, who was formally in Young Progressives Party, YPP, into the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
“I urge public office holders to see their position as one entrusted onto them by God for the good of the people.
“You must account to your constituents every penny that was entrusted to you on their behalf. It is not your money.”
Nnabuife disclosed that she decided to join APGA because of Soludo’s uncommon leadership style.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has frowned at the recent hike in the electricity tariff in the country.
Recall that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) raised electricity tariffs for customers enjoying 20 hours of power supply daily on April 3.
The Commission said customers in this category are said to be under the Band A classification, and the increase will see them pay N225 kilowatts per hour instead of the current N66.
In a statement on Sunday signed by its National President, Adebiyi Adeyeye, the NUEE strongly the recent hike and demanded a reversal of the recent increase in electricity tariff.
The union stated that it would not hesitate to withdraw its members, which would be used by distribution companies to impose the new tariffs if the hike was not reversed.
NUEE said the tariff hike would disproportionately affect those who rely heavily on electricity for their daily needs and added that the shift in pricing dynamics threatens to further expose inequalities among Nigerians by placing undue strain on the less privileged.
Adeyeye argued that there was nothing wrong with the government subsidising electricity, as the leadership of advanced countries also subsidised electricity for people.
The statement partly read, “It’s not out of place to have the government subsidise electricity. In some advanced countries, they still do that till now. Germany, for example, has a long history of supporting renewable energy resources through feed-in tariffs. The subsidy is paid based on the amount of electricity produced, and it helps to offset the initial cost of installing renewable energy systems.
“Also, the United States has various programs that provide subsidies to low-income households to help them afford their electricity bills. These programs are typically administered by state and local governments, and they can take the form of direct bill discounts or assistance with weatherization measures that can help reduce energy consumption.
“The recent electricity tariff hike is a blatant disregard for the economic struggles of Nigerian workers. Not even in a society where minimum wages are ambivalently doubtful.
“If the government fails to address the crippling cost of electricity, NUEE will not hesitate to take strong action, including the swift withdrawal of our members expected to be used by DISCOs to impose the tariff hike on the good people, to protect the livelihood of our members.
“I, however, call upon all Nigerians to join us in raising our voices against this injustice. Together, we can force the government to prioritize the well-being of its citizens over corporate interests. Our unwavering commitment remains to safeguard the interests of our members and ensure equitable access to electricity for all Nigeria.”
Two suspects have been arrested in Nigeria after they were accused of allegedly trying to extort an Australian teenager by threatening to release n3de photos of him online.
Australian police said Monday, April 8, that the boy had killed himself after being threatened by the suspects in the alleged “s3xtortion” scam.
The men, who had been talking with the teenager online, said they would release “personal photos of the boy” if he did not pay them Aus$500 (US$330), Australian police said.
The boy is alleged to have taken his own life in 2023 as a result of the threats.
Working with authorities in South Africa and Nigeria, Australian police said they had tracked the two men to “a slum in Nigeria”.
Under Nigerian law, local authorities “have the power to prosecute for Australian-based offences”, they added.
“The s3xtortion of children is a borderless crime, as these arrests show,” said Australian Federal Police commander Helen Schneider.
Olaniyi Afonja, the well-known Yoruba actor also known as Sanyeri, has addressed the widespread speculation surrounding his matrimonial state with wife Omolara Jimoh, who publicly declared a crisis in their marriage.
Recall that several months ago, the wife of the movie star stunned many fans on social media by revealing that she and the film star are no longer a couple.
She took to her official Instagram page and shared a detailed post explaining that she and the actor have actually been separated for nine years.
In an exclusive and revealing interview on the Oyinmomo podcast with media personality Bolanle Onistory, Sanyeri passionately addressed and rebutted the swirling rumors surrounding his marriage.
Defying his wife’s earlier proclamation of a marital crisis, Sanyeri emphatically stated that his wife is still a vital part of his life, residing harmoniously under their shared roof.
According to Sanyeri, the heart of the issue stemmed from a misunderstanding regarding the demands of his acting career, which often takes him away from his wife and children.
He revealed that this separation caused confusion and tension within their matrimony, as his wife struggled to reconcile the demands of his profession with their family life.
Media
Nigerian renowned comedian cum filmmaker, Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY, has confirmed that his marriage to Mabel Makun has crashed after 15 years.
Naija News reports that there have been rumours that the movie star and his wife have parted ways over alleged infidelity.
In a statement via his Instagram page on Sunday, AY confirmed that his marriage has hit the rock but will not be entertaining the public with personal issues about his family.
The comedian admitted that he has found himself doing some things that he isn’t proud of, and it is sad to watch his marriage slip away.
He wrote:
“Many people believe that staying silent simply means that one is incapable of dealing with issues. Projecting a negative narrative against someone who is not struggling to defend himself doesn’t mean he is weak. Some of us are just logical enough to understand the difference between opinions, values, beliefs, and facts.
“The personality and ability that I possess simply confirm that i have reached that stage in my life where I can not be entertaining the public with deep personal family issues. They just might be too much to handle concerning the individuals involved. Not even when I have a grown-up daughter who has access to social media. Her mental health needs to be protected from seeing things she can not be proud of online.
“Yes! Without compromising my family, I have found myself doing some things that I am not proud of today. It is one thing to watch my friendship/marriage of 20 years slip off my hands, but it’s another thing for the parties involved to understand how to appropriate the blame in a space that is designed for most women to always play the victims and win. I can tell you for free that no one is completely INNOCENT enough to cast stones.
“Presently, I am loving the way that lies about me in all these blogs are traveling faster than the truth. But my painful truth will eventually beat away all the lies.”
Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano, delivered a thought-provoking message during a virtual Ramadan lecture on Sunday, emphasising the importance of spiritual introspection and condemning societal ills such as greed, selfishness, and corruption.
In his address titled “Some Dimensions of the Concept of Ibadah,” Emir Sanusi expressed a profound perspective on morality, suggesting that actions driven by greed, selfishness, and envy are more egregious sins than those traditionally considered taboo, such as unlawful sex, homosexuality, and gambling.
The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) highlighted a prevalent issue in Nigerian society, attributing social disorder to a lack of Islamic values in people’s hearts despite religious observances such as prayers and fasting.
Emir Sanusi went further to denounce corrupt practices within political leadership, alleging the misappropriation of public funds by a governor of a state implementing Sharia law. Though he refrained from naming the governor directly, he cited the example of a governor who purportedly embezzled funds to purchase a hotel in Lagos, condemning such actions as a betrayal of public trust.
Sanusi lamented the state of affairs in the mentioned state, branding it as a “most serious example of backwardness,” implying that corruption and mismanagement hinder progress and development.
The revered economist stressed the importance of accountability among leaders, asserting that a consciousness of answering to a higher power for entrusted responsibilities would deter corruption and promote ethical governance.
His words, “On Social order and Ibadah, you know when our hearts are not good, our deeds will not be good,” he said.
“We say we are Muslims, we go to the mosque and pray and Allah says prayer stops evil deeds and wrong deeds. Why is it that we go to pray all the time, we fast all the time and then we are committing this evil?
“How do you get a Muslim to become a minister or governor and all he is thinking of is how he is going to steal public funds to build a big house for himself or have billions for his children and deny people?
“When you know what the prophet has said about leadership. It is a trust and on the day of judgment, it would be a source of bitterness sadness, and regret, for those who do not keep that trust properly.
“When you sit down and know that you are going to account to Allah for this wealth, you are going to answer for it, how do you get to that office and steal public funds? This is why you have a social disorder.
“We even have had state governors who said they were practising sharia, they were leading the implementation of sharia and they were stealing money and buying hotels.
“There was a governor implementing sharia in a sharia state who stole public funds and bought a hotel in Lagos. And he says Allahu Akbar.
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AS the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC Limited, moves to end petrol scarcity in Lagos and its environs, Dangote Refinery and oil marketers have intensified efforts at taking final decisions on pricing and delivery of petrol to filling stations nationwide.
Dangote Refinery, which can refine 650,000 barrels per day, bpd of crude oil, intends to commence production and distribution of the product, the bulk of which is currently imported from the global market, in May 2024.
A Checks by our currspondent, weekend, indicated that the parties have been meeting and exchanging notes on the pricing, distribution and margins to stakeholders in the value chain, including transporters and insurers.
Recall that depot owners buy the product from NNPC Limited at N556 per litre and sell to independents at N640 per litre.
It was, however learnt that independent markers have proposed N550 per litre to management of Dangote Refinery who is currently in a discussion with them.
The President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Alhaji Abubakar Migandi Garima, who confirmed the development yesterday, said: “We have been discussing with Dangote Refinery. The discussion, centering on pricing, margins and other issues, is still ongoing.
“We have proposed that the lifting price should be N550 per litre in Lagos. The price of the product will differ from one part of Nigeria to another because of distance and cost of delivering petrol to different locations.
“We are currently waiting on Dangote Refinery to conclude and communicate the price per litre, so we can plan to lift the product when it comes on stream.
‘’We expect that the price of the locally refined petrol would be cheaper than imported petrol, due mainly to local availability of the bulk of its crude oil and removal of transportation cost.”
The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a nine-man gang of suspected ritualists under the name of ‘Neo Black Movement, NBM, with one full jerry can of human blood.
The suspected ritualists were arrested at a Cemetery in Dutsen Abba Ward along the Zaria -Kaduna expressway.
ASP Mansur Hussaini, Public Relations Officer of the Command, confirmed the arrest on Sunday.
Hussaini said their arrest followed a tip-off after a source drew the attention of the service formation that some group of people were sighted at the said cemetery, which in turn Saye Lowcost Division was alerted.
He added that those arrested for alleged involvement in ritual activities are, Samson Ezekiel (32), Samuel Francis (27), Usman Nura (34), Gabriel Sheba (23), Haruna Sa’id (37), Bala Lukman (27) and Jabir Rilwan (37).
The PPRO explained, “A search was conducted on their vehicle, a Lexus sedan, with registration number RSH 712 CW, where two locally made pistols, one Beretta pistol, two jacket knives, two calabashes and a jerrycan, full of human blood were recovered.”
He said the suspected ritualists, comprising the new and old members, were apprehended while initiating the new members, saying the gang confessed to getting the human blood after slaughtering an aged man and disposing of his body along the Jaji military cantonment, in neighbouring Igabi Local Government Area.
The suspects also confessed that the man’s vital body parts were dismembered but were taken away by another gang which came from Kaduna.
Following the arrest of the seven suspected ritualists along the Zaria -Kaduna expressway, he said that two other suspects were apprehended by the locals, at ABU Congo Conference Hotels, along old Jos road, stressing that they are Austin Ifinju from Ondo State, aged 28 and Yoruba by tribe and Aliyu Ali Yahaya, resident of Hadu Nasko road Abuja, aged 24. Agatu by tribe and a student of ABU Samaru.
ASP Mansur Hussaini, Public Relations Officer of the Command confirmed the arrest, explaining that investigations are ongoing.
A convicted kidnap, Hamisu Bala, better known as Wadume, on Sunday, received a heroic welcome at his hometown of Ibbi in Taraba State after serving his jail term for kidnapping.
Naija News gathered that a large crowd of women and children trooped out to welcome the convicted kidnapper back to his hometown after he was released from Kuje Prison in Abuja, on Friday.
Sources told Daily Trust that Wadume had concluded his jail sentence which ran concurrently and was ferried into Ibbi through river Benue, where he was received by thousands of people, including youths and women.
After arriving in the town, Wadumi visited the Chief of Ibbi chiefdom, Alhaji Salihu Danbawuro, at his palace.
Wadume told the chief that he was at the palace to thank him and the entire people of his chiefdom.
He said through out his trial, the chief and his subjects stood firmly with him and prayed for his safety and good health while in prison.
The chief, Saliha Danbawuro, told Wadume that he and his subjects were happy that he is out of prison.
“I and the entire people of Ibbi chiefdom are happy that Hamisu Wadume is now back in Ibbi his home town.” the chief said.
Recall Wadume was arrested by men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police, in 2019, led by the now-suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari,
During the attempt to arrest him in 2019 by the IRT over alleged kidnapping, he had enlisted the help of a Captain of the Nigerian Army, who aided his escape from Police custody when the van of the IRT was stopped at a military checkpoint by gunfire and labelled as kidnappers instead, who had attempted at kidnapping Wadume.
Residents of Ibbi town consequently pounced on the Policemen for daring to kidnap their ‘saviour’, killing about three of the elite Policemen, a development that attracted national attention to the ugly incident.
Wadume then went into hiding there for days before the IRT team smoked him out from his hideout in the Kano metropolis of Kano State.
Adejumoke Aderounmu, a popular actress in the series Jenifer Diary is dead
Tragically, the Nigerian film industry mourns the loss of Aderounmu Adejumoke Oreoluwa, a beloved actress renowned for her portrayal of “Esther” in the popular series “Jenifer Diary.”
On April 6th, 2024, at the age of 40, she departed this world, leaving behind a legacy cherished by many.
The somber news of her passing swiftly spread, accompanied by circulating graphics detailing her impending burial arrangements.
Despite the widespread grief, the cause of Aderounmu Adejumoke’s untimely demise remains undisclosed at the moment