Kogi, Kwara, and Ondo are the three states in Nigeria with the highest food prices amid worsening hardship.

This is according to the latest National Bureau of Statistics April’s Consumer Price Index and Inflation report.

The report ranked Kogi State with the highest food inflation rate at 48.62 per cent, followed by Kwara (46.73 per cent) and Ondo (45.87 per cent) on a year-on-year basis.

Meanwhile, Adamawa (33.61 per cent), Bauchi (33.85 per cent) and Nasarawa (34.03 per cent), recorded the slowest rise in food inflation.

However, on a Month-to-Month basis, Lagos, Edo, and Yobe are the states in Nigeria with the highest food prices.

Accordingly, Lagos (4.74 per cent), Edo (4.06 per cent), and Yobe (3.99 per cent) recorded the slowest rise in Food inflation.

This development comes as April’s headline and food inflation surged to 33.69 per cent and 40.53 per cent, respectively.

The World Bank has blacklisted 58 Nigerian companies and individuals for engaging in corrupt practices, a move which comes as part of the institution’s ongoing efforts to uphold integrity and transparency in its projects and operations.

Among those affected are 39 Nigerian companies previously debarred by the African Development Bank (AfDB), along with 19 individuals identified by the World Bank under the cross-debarment policy.

The total number of debarments now stands at 58, rendering the implicated entities ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group.

The list which the World Bank updates every three hours, contains a total of 1,210 companies and individuals globally at the time of this report.

A debarment renders firms/individuals ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group.

According to the World Bank report, the sanctions were imposed following an administrative process conducted by the Bank, which allowed the accused firms and individuals to respond to the allegations. This process adhered to the Bank’s procedures for sanctions proceedings and settlements in bank-financed projects.

“Through July 2007, this process was conducted in accordance with the Sanctions Committee Procedures adopted on August 2, 2001. The process is currently conducted in accordance with Bank Procedure: Sanctions Proceedings and Settlements in Bank Financed Projects. For more information on the two-tier sanctions process go to Sanctions,” it stated in the report.


Cross-debarment, as per the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, was enforced in accordance with the agreement dated 9 April 2010. This agreement has been made effective by several international financial institutions, including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Development Bank, and African Development Bank.

Cross-debarment in accordance with the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions dated 9 April 2010, which, as of July 1, 2011, has been made effective by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Development Bank, and African Development Bank.”

In addition to debarment, the Bank reserves the right to apply other actions to firms and individuals found in violation of its policies, which may not necessarily result in debarment.

The prohibited conduct leading to debarment is defined in the applicable Procurement or Consultant Guidelines, as well as in the World Bank Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing Borrowers. The specific guidelines may vary depending on the nature of the project in question.

The World Bank’s actions underscore its commitment to combating corruption and promoting accountability in development projects, ensuring that funds are used effectively for the benefit of the people.

The threat of legal action against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, by the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, over his plans to sponsor the marriage of over 100 girls in his constituency in Mariga Local Government Area has continued to generate brouhaha across.

Various Islamic groups on Wednesday gave the minister a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw the suit or face legal action.

DAILY POST recalls that the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly had decided to sponsor the marriage of about 100 girls who had lost their parents to banditry in his constituency, as well as those whose parents could not afford to foot their marriage expenses.

But the Minister of Women Affairs, suing the speaker, alleged the girls were being married off against their will.

Arising from its meeting today in Minna, the Niger State Imam Forum and other heads of Islamic organisations, in their resolution, described the minister’s action as blackmail and issued a seven-day ultimatum to her to withdraw her statement and the suit on the issue and apologise or face legal action.

The Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Dr Umar Farouk, who gave the ultimatum, insisted that the minister has overstepped her limits and must withdraw her statement of blackmail against the speaker and religious leaders on the matter.

According to him: “The 24th May 2024 date of the wedding remains sacrosanct, as the Imam Forum, in conjunction with the parents of the brides, will go ahead with the ceremony. The Niger State Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has done his part of the donation to ensure the success of the marriage of the 100 orphan women.”

The forum called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the minister from his cabinet for alleged incompetence as well as an attempt to cause religious disharmony in Niger State and Nigeria.

“The minister should also withdraw her statement of blackmail against the speaker, religious leaders and the entire state for saying the women are underage.

“The planned marriage has the blessing of all the religious and traditional leaders from the area. The sponsor of the marriage consulted widely before accepting the responsibility and we are strongly behind him.

“The girls are not underage and they are not being forced into marriage, as the minister has made the public believe. This is what the minister failed to investigate,” Farouk stated.

Calling on philanthropists, well-to-do individuals and politicians to emulate Niger State Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, Farouk added that the girls are between the ages of 18 and 25, including widows, hence, there is no forced marriage, as six procedures were strictly followed for the selection of the beneficiaries.

Similarly, the Niger State Unit Area of the Muslim Student Society of Nigeria, MSSN, urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend the Minister of Women Affairs over her plan to halt the planned 100 weddings of ophan girls in the state.

MSSN Ameer in the state, Mahmud Lawal Murshid, stated this during a press briefing in Minna.

The society condemned the court action against Niger State Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, adding that Islam accorded much respect to the marriage institution while commending the speaker for sponsoring the mass wedding.

Meanwhile, a source close to the community who spoke on the condition of anonymity told DAILY POST that, so far, about N10 million in cash has been received as donations towards the success of the marriage.

The source said: ” Presently, an individual has donated N100,000 to each of the girls as a way of empowerment for them to start up something after the wedding.”

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, on Wednesday, explained to newsmen why he was with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Meanwhile, he declared that Nigerians were in pains owing to the various policies introduced by President Tinubu.

However, Bishop Kukah expressed the hope that with time such policies would be amended to serve the people’s welfare.

He spoke to state house correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Villa mission

On his mission at the state house, Kukah said: “I came to see President Tinubu with the Director of the Kukah Centre.

“We came to discuss with the President an invitation to have a conference we had earlier extended, which we renewed.

“We would like him to be in attendance. It is addressing the theme of national cohesion. So, that’s really what we came to discuss.”

Assesses Tinubu’s administration

Asked to assess Tinubu’s administration as it prepares to celebrate the first anniversary, Kukah said: “I’m sure many people will tell you that one year is not enough to make a judgment.

“However, from where we all stand, we know that we are all in a very difficult situation. 

“Nigerians are in various levels of pains, and they are pains that are unintended. But they are the results of certain policy decisions that, hopefully, with time, can be amended in order to serve the welfare of the people.

“Because I believe that the essence of government is to guarantee the welfare and security of ordinary citizens. 

“I believe that the times that we are in now are very difficult and nobody should be under any illusion. But they are also times for renewal.

“We just need to commit ourselves to the fact that building a good society takes a lot of time. It’s not something that is done in one lifetime.

“And for me, the most important thing is to continue on the building blocks of the things that we think are being done well. 

“My argument has always been that the government needs to, very quickly, improve the quality of communication so that Nigerians can at least get a sense of how long is it going to be before food is ready.”

… on Rivers’ crisis

Fielding questions on the political crisis in Rivers state, the cleric who was reluctant to comment on it, said: “We ordinary people cry more than the bereaved.

“The important thing is politicians will fix their problems.

“Rivers State is a place that is very dear to me, because I have been associated with them for a very long period of time.

“But look, when politicians fight, don’t get carried away because they have their capacity to fix their quarrel.

“And I hope and pray that Rivers State will sooner rather than later reposition because it is not an insignificant part of Nigeria.”

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has rejected the N48,000 proposed by the Federal Government as the new minimum wage, saying  it does not make any sense.

The TUC President, Festus Osifo berated the FG’s proposal while speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.

Osifo said the federal government was not being serious in the negotiation with the workers.

According to Osifo, the least federal workers are already earning up to N77,000, saying proposing N48,000 at the moment is ‘abysmal.’

He said, “Before President Muhammadu Buhari left office, the last person in the federal ministry was actually earning N42,000.

“If you now factor in the wage award of N35,000 that was given, N42,000 plus N35,000 will give us N77,000, so as of today what the least federal government worker earns is N77,000.

“So, the question that we now ask is that if the least federal government worker is earning N77,000, why are you now coming to present N48,000? It does not just make any sense,” he said.

Osifor challenged the Federal Government to come forward with data backing the N48,000 proposal and convince the union members on how that amount reflect the reality of the average Nigerian worker.

Recall that earlier on Wednesday, the labour unions walked out of the ongoing minimum wage negotiations with the government and the Organised Private Sector following what the union leaders described as a ridiculous offer by the government.

The TUC leader said that at the meeting, the labour unions proposed a N615,000 minimum wage which they gave a breakdown of how it was arrived at. 

He said that the government on its part presented N48,000 with no breakdown of how it can cater for the needs of the Nigerian workers.

According to Osifo, failure to back the N48,000 proposal up with data shows unpreparedness on the part of the government which was why the union leaders walked out of the meeting.

He said that the union members still maintain that all conversations around a new national minimum wage must be concluded by the end of May.

…He was illegal occupant— ACP Dangana

LAGOS—A team of policemen from the Works Department of the Force Headquarters, in Lagos, has stormed the senior police officers’ quarters at the Government Reserved Area, GRA, Ikeja and allegedly looted and vandalised the residence of a retired Commissioner of Police, Chucks Enwonwu.

Eyewitnesses said the team of policemen numbering over 10 came to the retired officer’s residence at Quarter 33, Flat 2, Oba Akinjobi Street, G.R.A., Ikeja and embarked on massive vandalization and looting of the property inside the residence of the retired Commissioner of Police, who was absent at the time the operation was being carried out.

Speaking to reporters on the destruction carried out in the building, the distraught police officer told Vanguard: “It was my official quarters while I was in service. I had yet to move to the property I bought from Police Cooperative at Bank Anthony Way. The place is yet to be linked with electricity. I went several times to access the flat but I was frustrated.
A flat I paid for in tranches since 2019, so, I could not have dragged the GRA flat since it was to be demolished anytime.

“That particular day, they invaded the flat, I got calls from another retired officer saying that a Superintendent of Police, from the Works Department, led Mallams to eject me from the flat in GRA. I told him to hand over the phone to the officer leading the demolition exercise and I appealed to the officer to wait for me to send two SPOs to see him and pack my things to the new house at Bank Anthony.

“Unfortunately, he did not use his initiative and he went ahead to break into the flat and they began massive looting and vandalism of my items.

“In the end, all my valuables—cash, jewellery, clothes, property documents, NYSC and degree certificates were stolen before the two SPOs I sent to the place could pack my things. The modest estimate of my loss is over N15 million.

“When I tried to speak with the man in charge of the Works Department, he did not pick up my calls. However, he later claimed that he was sick and begged that I should forgive the officers who carried out the exercise.

“It is pertinent to point out that before the willful massive looting and vandalization of my property, no one served any notice on me. I don’t live there but have my loads there since I have yet to access the Cooperative Unit of the police because they are yet to connect light there.

“I have served the Police Force in different capacities and many places, including Commissioner of Police, Oyo State; Commissioner of Police, SPU and retired at 60 years after I was denied the exalted rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, by former Inspector General of Police, because of ethnicity.”

He was illegal occupant —ACP Dangana

However, when Vanguard spoke with an officer said to be in charge of the Police Works Department in Lagos, ACP Dangana, he said: “I was the person that signed the eviction notice. Adebisi Adesola, a Superintendent of Police, led our men to the location. The directive came from the police high command to eject illegal occupants. The person in question retired two years ago which makes him an illegal occupant.

“He was supposed to leave the building six months after retirement but did not and moved to the East leaving his property locked up in the building. He told me that his valuable documents and jewellery got misplaced in the process but I was not aware of it because I was not around on the day officers went to the building.”

A District Court in the United States, has sentenced a Nigerian man, Victor Uzor, to four years in prison, for his involvement in a $1.1 million business email compromise scheme.

In the judgment handed down by Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge on Tuesday, the sentence went with three years of supervised release and over $1 million in restitution.

United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero disclosed this in a statement on the Department of Justice website on Tuesday.

Romero said, on January 2, 2024, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

The scheme typically involved another member of the conspiracy disguising as a legitimate vendor and sending a false invoice to the victim organisation.

As reported on the website, Uzor’s involvement in the offence entailed opening a sequence of bank accounts under the identities of innocent individuals unrelated to the crime.

Another accomplice planned for the victims to transfer money to the accounts established by Uzor.

Subsequently, Uzor promptly withdrew these funds and transferred them to other accounts to avoid detection before the scam was detected.

In all, Uzor aided in the theft of approximately $1.1 million from the victimised businesses and individuals.

In the same vein, he made an attempt to steal another $400,000, which became unsuccessful.

One of the victims of the scheme was a nonprofit mental health care provider situated in Doylestown, PA.

“First, Victor Uzor victimised the people whose identities he stole to facilitate this scheme,” said Romero.

“Then he helped prey upon the primary targets of the business email compromise, including a nonprofit organisation in Bucks County dedicated to providing behavioural health care for the underprivileged and underserved — a safety net for those in need of care.

“In stealing from this provider, he shortchanged its employees, patients, and the community. My office is committed to holding accountable anyone involved in such a clear-cut case of fraud,” said the U.S. attorney.

Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, Wayne A. Jacobs, said, “The FBI works each and every day to dismantle fraud schemes that affect our citizens.

“Alongside our partners, we will continue to bring to justice criminals who orchestrate these scams, and protect the hard-earned assets of our citizens.”

Just like before, all nine Commissioners in the Executive Cabinet of Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State believed to be loyal to the ex-governor, Nyesom Wike, were on Wednesday exited the Government.

The five Commissioners were Chinedu Mmom; Education Commissioner; Gift Worlu, Commissioner for Housing; Inime Aguma, Commissioner for Social Welfare; Austen Ben-Chioma, Commissioner for Environment; and Jacobson Nbina Commissioner for Transport.

It will be recalled that two Commissioners had earlier resigned in protest of their redeployment by Governor Sim Fubara.

They were Isaac Kamalu, who resigned after he was redeployed as the Commissioner of Finance to Ministry of Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment; as well as Zacchaeus Adangor, a Professor, who resigned as Commissioner after he was redeployed as the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Rivers State to the Ministry of Special Duties (Governor’s Office).

The first two resigned after they were given Federal appointments by President Bola Tinubu; Commissioner of Works, Dax George-Kelly also resigned to take up appointment as the Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA); and Emeka Woke (Wike’s chief of staff) who resigned as Commissioner for Special Projects to take up appointment as the CEO of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority.

The remaining Commissioners are adjudged to be loyal to Governor Fubara.

BusinessDay gathered that new Commissioners are expected to be appointed in the coming days and will be presented to the House of Assembly for confirmation.

Now that all the Wike loyalists have left the Fubara cabinet, and the 27 lawmakers have been pushed into the defensive, observers expect two fiercely opposed camps in the State not spare any arrow in the fight.

The cabinet is expected to act and move faster but the detractors with deep inside knowledge may join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State and begin serious attacks in all fronts.

Meanwhile, coming days and weeks promise to be tense, considering tensed situation of things already being experienced in the State.

The Swedish government has disclosed its resolved to return 39 pieces of Benin Artefacts in its museum to the custody of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II.

Daily Trust reports that the return followed the Federal Republic of Nigeria Gazette No. 57, Volume 110 issued on March 23, 2023, which recognized ownership and vested custody and management of repatriated Benin artefacts in the Oba of Benin.

The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Annika Hahn-Englund, conveyed the Swedish government decision when she paid a courtesy visit to Oba of Benin in his palace.

Ambassador Hahn-Englund informed the monarch that Sweden and Nigeria are trading partners in infrastructure, telecommunication, energy and other businesses that supported the economies significantly.

“Also, I would like to mention that with cooperation we have in culture, education with Nigeria, I would like to mention the decision of why the Swedish government has to return 39 artefacts to Benin Kingdom,” he said.

Responding, Oba Ewuare II expressed his deepest gratitude to the Swedish government for the intervention, saying “Edo people also welcome this decision”.

He disclosed that the federal government-backed Benin Royal Museum project was on course, and commended partners for their support towards the project.

The Oba also commended the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), responsible for the preservation, promotion and development of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

He said the demand for the return of looted Benin artefacts had been on since the reign of Oba Akenzua II,

“And you are here today (Wednesday) telling us that it has been approved. This has been my request long time ago. God’s time is always the best,” he added.

The Ambassador in the accompany of her husband and a member of the diplomatic mission presented a souvenir to
Oba Ewuare II, who in turn, gave a copy of the federal government gazette on all Benin artefacts to the envoy.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu said the pathologist in his submission in court established that the toxicology test carried out on late music star, Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad revealed that the singer’s cause of death cannot be ascertained.

Shittu made this revelation while speaking to newsmen after the Coroner Inquest on Wednesday. 

The senior lawyer said, at the time the test was carried out, the body of the singer had already decomposed.  

“According to him, the cause of death cannot be determined,” Shittu told newsmen outside the court.

“He gave a lot of reasons. He said by the time they conducted the test, the body had decomposed and that it is not possible for them to determine the cause of death.

“So the summary he is saying is that the cause of death cannot be ascertained and when you say the cause of death cannot be ascertained, it means it is suspicious, it is not clear, no particular reason.”

The lawyer also said the pathologist also said the cause of the death could be attributed to reaction to certain drugs administered on him before he died.

“He also went further to say that it may be attributed to reaction to certain drugs administered on him before he died. Again he then qualified that to say he does not know whether it is those drugs that actually led to his death,” he added.

Recall that on March 20, the Director of Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Richard Somiari, said that the toxicology result of Mohbad would be ready in the next three to four weeks.

Somiari, while testifying during a coroner’s inquest into the death of the singer said, “We expected to get the first set of autopsy results in three to four weeks and re-confirm to authenticate the cause of the death. 

“We searched for multiple possibilities, to check if poison was involved in the death of Mohbad since no actual cause was mentioned,” he said.

The forensic expert assured the public of adequate security and monitoring of samples for the autopsy.

“We have a place where items are stored for safety and security of results. There is a procedure for monitoring samples moved abroad,” he said.

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

A former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. 

The Lagos State Police Command had, on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, among others.

The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy.