African best footballer and Napoli of Italy star striker Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest of England forward Taiwo Awoniyi and the dou of Tyronne Ebuehi and Gabriel Osho have all been ruled out of the Super Eagles’ friendlies against Ghana and Mali.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirm this in a statement signed by its director of communication, Ademola Olajiri and shared with Media Houses on Tuesday, saying the quartet will not be available for the friendlies due to Injuries.

12 players are already at the team’s Adam Park Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco.

The players at the camp in Marrakech are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Jamilu Collins, Bruno Onyemaechi and Benjamin Tanimo, midfielders Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Moses Simon, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman.

Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defender Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho were being expected at the team’s training camp at time of filling in this report on Tuesday. Only Turkey-based defender Bright Osayi-Samuel is being expected on Wednesday.

The 2023 AFCON runners up will square up against the Black Stars of Ghana on Friday before lock horns with the Les Aigles of Mali at the same Grand Stade de Marrakech on Tuesday, 26th March.

Former Nigerian forward Finidi George will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana and Mali in friendlies in Marrakech, Morocco.

The 52-year-old former Ajax and Real Betis winger, who made a scoring debut for Nigeria in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso in 1991, has been appointed by the NFF to hold the reins in the meantime as a group of 22 players take on Ghana and Mali in this month’s international window.

On his debut in 1991, George, who also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe, scored one and made four assists for legendary ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), and also assisted the latter to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994.

Actually, George scored the goal that took Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup finals, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993. The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.

The former Enyimba of Aba gaffer will bellow instructions from the touchline, 21 months after he began to understudy Portuguese José Santos Peseiro, who led the Eagles to runner-up position at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year.

Olympian Elizabeth Anyanacho defeated African number 1, Mohammed Aya of Egypt in 3 rounds to win gold medal at the ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana.

2019 African Games bronze medalist started the day defeating W. Zaboure of Burundi in the Quarter-final to at least get into the medal range.

In the semi-final, Elizabeth Anyanacho maintained her winning spirit to defeat Salih Sofia of Morocco in another 3 rounds on the mat.

Coming into the final, Elizabeth who has already qualified for this year Paris Olympics took her time and studied her opponent Mohammed Aya in the bout losing the first round but came back strong to win the second and third round to claim the gold medal.

With this gold medal, Team Nigeria Taekwondo has won one gold medal and one bronze.

The Senate has expressed its intention to summon former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, concerning the N30 trillion ‘Ways and Means’ advances issued during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

This decision comes in the wake of inadequate explanations from the current CBN leadership regarding the transactions.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on ‘Ways and Means’ from Kogi East, Senator Jibrin Isah, made this known after a session with CBN officials, including the Deputy Governor, at the National Assembly in Abuja.

The Senate’s move is part of a broader inquiry led by Isah’s ad-hoc committee, established to scrutinize the acquisition and utilization of the CBN’s Ways and Means loans under Buhari’s tenure.

The committee is tasked with delving into the intricacies of the financial mechanism known as ‘Ways and Means,’ a facility that allows the CBN to cover government budget deficits.

Additionally, the probe extends to the examination of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, another financial initiative from the same period.

During the engagement with CBN representatives, Senator Isah unveiled that their preliminary findings indicated that Emefiele had autonomously authorized several transactions, an action the committee deems unlawful.

He said, “The CBN made a presentation on the ‘Ways and Means’ and on the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, and we were able to extract so much information from them and that will prepare us for the next line of discussion with them. Basically, we were able to make presentations on the Ways and a means with regards to the beneficiaries of those loans.

“But we had issues, issues of approval. We discovered that the CBN governor unilaterally gave approvals and we feel that is abnormal. We asked them for explanations in that regard, they don’t have immediate explanations and I want to believe that they want to go back home, check their records and at the next meeting, they will be able to provide us with those explanation.

“We believe that every approval must be given by committee of members, the governor and the deputy, that is the standard. Where the governor Aline gives an approval, that also is confusing and that, they will provide answered to us.”

He said if the current leadership of the CBN does not provide the needed answers, the committee would summon Emefiele.

He said, “Where it is absolutely necessary, we will not hesitate to invite the former CBN governor, Emefiele.”

Speaking on the discussion regarding the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, Senator Isah said, “With respect to Anchor Borrowers, the performance today on the average is impressive. About 70 percent of the loans have been settled. The rest 30 percent are loans given to low income farmers and the risk there is that, those low income farmers do not have what it takes to perform to expectations.

“They don’t have the necessary equipment, they don’t have the necessary knowhow. So that is where we are going to have possible problems of loan default.

“And we are talking about N358 billion, spread all over the country. But we have advised them that those loans were processed through commercial banks, the credit risk lies with the commercial banks. And the commercial banks should go after those borrowers to recover their monies. We told them that they should try and go into a round table discussion with those commercial banks that purportedly guaranteed those loans.

“Those loans were guaranteed by the commercial banks and those commercial banks are still in existence. The credit burden lies with the commercial banks and they know what to do because all the accounts of commercial banks are domiciled with the CBN. They may have to go to the extent of evoking the rules that we all know.”

Anti-graft agencies must check govt books —APC

We’re not afraid —PDP

GOVERNOR Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, yesterday, faulted claims by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that his administration spent N18 billion to renovate the Government House, describing their claim as fake news.

He added that the administration did not borrow such for its infrastructure project as claimed by the APC.

The governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, described the APC as a party struggling to cope with the reality of its failure in government.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in which it again repeated his lies about the Osun State Government having taken a loan of N10 billion to implement current infrastructure programmes across the state.

“We equally rejected fake news that the state government spent N18 billion on the renovation of the Government House. It is a figment of the imagination of failed men of yesterday. Rather than sponsoring falsehood, we urge the APC to accept it failed while it governed Osun state and it should be brave enough to commend the present government for succeeding where it recorded mass failure.

“We affirm once again that the current government has not taken any loan since inception to pursue any programme or project. The man, who granted the interview on one innocuous YouTube channel, lied and acted as a purveyor of fake news.

“Governor Adeleke had told the public clearly and on several occasions that he is not borrowing to pursue the infra projects. Rather, the Governor explained that his administration’s strategy was to block leakages, expand earnings and save for projects by opening a project account dedicated to the financing of the projects.

“The project in question is a multi-billion naira expenditure spread over time designed to bridge the huge infra deficit the Governor inherited from the Gboyega Oyetola administration. Yesterday, today or tomorrow, no loan is contemplated as the Governor has a sustainable investment and implementation plan within the confines of state resources.”

Anti-graft agencies must check govt books —APC

Meanwhile, the APC has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, ICPC, to look into the finances of the state to curb ongoing corruption in the state.

The party said: “We want to use this medium to call on the anti-graft agencies, especially the ICPC and EFCC, to immediately move in their men to Osun State to halt the reckless mismanagement of public funds which is now endemic under the government of Senator Ademola Adeleke.”

We’re willing to receive them — PDP

However, the PDP Chairman in the state, Sunday Bisi said the administration is willing to receive the anti-graft agencies should the APC properly invite them to come and probe our books.

Bisi said: “Unlike the APC government, which looted the State Treasury and denied civil servants their rights, we are willing to see the anti-graft agencies and our books are well open to anyone.”

The Federal Government has released a list of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, involved in terrorism financing.

The details of the development were revealed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and made available to Naija News on Tuesday night.

The document, entitled “Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024,” disclosed that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their involvement in terrorism financing.

“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, has thereupon designated the following individuals and entities to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List,” the document read in part.

Among the individuals named on the document is a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.

According to the document, Mamu “participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransome payments over the sum of $200,000 US in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.”

The document also said one of the individuals is “the suspected attacker of the St. Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022 and the Kuje Correctional Center, Abuja on July 5, 2022.”

Another was described as “a member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, the group is associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

“The subject was trained and served under Muktar Belmokhtar, aka One Eyed Out, led Al-Murabtoun Katibat of AQIM in Algeria and Mali.”

The NFIU said the individual “specialises in designing terrorist clandestine communication code and he is also Improvised Explosive Device expert.

“The subject was also a gate keeper to ANSARU leader, Mohammed Usman aka Khalid Al-Bamawi. Equally, he was a courier and travel guide to AQIM Katibat in the desert of Algeria and Mali. He is into carpentry. Subject fled Kuje correctional centre on July 5, 2022. He is currently at large.”

Another was identified as “a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province Okene.”

The agency said the individual “came into limelight in 2012 as North Central wing of Boko Haram.

“The group is suspected of the attacks carried out around Federal Capital Territory and the South West Geographical Zone, including the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.”

Another was described as “a financial courier to ISWAP Okene. She is responsible for the disbursement of funds to the widows/wives of the terrorist fighters of the group.”

According to the document, another of the individuals “in 2015, transferred N60m to terrorism convicts.”

He was also said to have “received a sum of N189m between 2016 and 2018.”

The same person is said to “own entities and business reported in the UAE court judgment as facilitating the transfer of terrorist funds from Dubai to Nigeria.”

Another individual was said to have “received a total of N57m from between 2014 and 2017.”

Another was said to have “had a total inflow of N61.4 bn and a total outflow of N51.7bn from his accounts.”

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has promised to restore peace in the south-East region of Nigeria.

Kanu disclosed this on Tuesday, moments after the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, dismissed his fresh application to be released on bail, pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the FG preferred against him.

The IPOB leader who was first arrested by security agents in Lagos on October 14, 2015, has been in detention since June 29, 2021.

Trial Justice Nyako had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.

Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.

However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.

Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.

Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, where he remained till date.

On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charges that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.

Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.

The appellate court said it was satisfied that FG flagrantly violated all known laws, when it forcefully rendered Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial.

It held that such arbitrary use of power by the Nigerian government, divested the trial court of the jurisdiction to further try the Appellant.

Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.

While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.

Justice Nyako had earlier expressed her displeasure over how the trial had been conducted since 2015.

“This is exactly the way this case has been going since 2015. I am talking to both sides. You always find a way to truncate the proceedings,” the judge fumed.

However, irked with today’s ruling, Kanu opined: “They know me very well. I suspect that people in government are complicit. They are making money with insecurity. If they know Nnamdi Kanu is outside in two minutes this nonsense will stop.

“Who is the idiot?…..that will speak when I am talking. Who is the fool? Who is the idiot I ask? That I will give an order in the east and any idiot will counter it, who is the bastard I am asking you?

“Nobody can, I am Nnamdi Kanu, who is the idiot. Let me come out of this nonsense, this mess, two minutes only. Only two minutes I guarantee you and there will be peace in the east. Everywhere in the south-east if not the entire south”.

Insecurity in the South-east
South-easterners have witnessed insecurity ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, killings, etc since the arrest and detention of Kanu by the Department of State Service, DSS.

More pronounced was the killing of the late Dora Akunyili’s husband Dr. Chike Akunyili in Anambra state.

Late Chike was gruesomely murdered alongside his driver and a police escort around the Nkpor junction in Idemili North, Anambra State by gunmen.

He was said to have been returning from an event where he received a posthumous award of excellence for his late wife when he ran into the hoodlums at Nkpor and was shot and killed.

Another incident was the attack on Senator Ifeanyi Uba’s convoy that killed about 5 persons.

The police in Anambra State said five people were killed, when gunmen attacked the convoy of Nigerian Senator, Ifeanyi Ubah.

These gunmen ambushed the senator’s convoy and opened fire on them, killing some police officers and aides of the senator in the convoy.

The incident happened on Sunday evening in Enugwu-Ukwu, a community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.

The above are not the only despicable thing that has happened to south-east, a lot more has happened due to insecurity in the region.

Abia House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to stop payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state.

It is entitled: “A Bill (H.A.B 11:) for a Law to Revoke The Abia State Governors and Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters connected in addition to that.”

It was sponsored by Mr Uchanna Okoro, the Majority Leader and member Representing Arochukwu State Constituency.

The Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, announced the bill’s passage after its first, and second reading, consideration at the committee of the whole and its 3rd reading during the day’s plenary.

Emeruwa, while congratulating members, said that the bill would reduce the state’s governance expenses and redirect resources towards development.

He said that the bill once assented to by the governor would be referred to as “Abia State Governors and Deputy Governor’s (Repeal) Law 2024.”

The Speaker said that bill would take effect immediately, Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the bill, former governors and their deputies will no longer enjoy pension benefits after their tenures have expired.

NAN further reports that there had been a lot of controversies over the years concerning the outrageous life person and other enviable benefits being paid the governors and their deputies.

While few states had made moves to repeal the law, many states showed nonchalant attitude toward doing so.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, the immediate past Minister for State, Petroleum, and the former Governor of the State, Timipre Sylva, are recently juggling over comments made over the killings of 16 soldiers in the Delta community.

The former governor and All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the November 11, 2024, governorship election, Timipre Sylva, berated politicians and particularly the state government for arming non-state actors with guns and ammunition during the last election.

The State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, took a swipe at the former governor over the statement, noting that Sylva’s statement was akin to the proverbial pot calling the kettle black when the APC governorship candidate’s antecedents as a politician were like an open book known to everyone.

A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, while condemning Chief Sylva’s statement, said his introduction of politics into the highly condemnable killing of men in active service to their country smacks of insensitivity at a time when true patriots were mourning the unfortunate incident.

Sylva, in a statement credited to him and circulating on social media, claimed that “the last Bayelsa governorship election featured lots of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen, which he alluded to as an act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives.”

“I condemn in totality the killing of men of the Joint Task Force in Okuama, Delta State. This again shows why politicians should not arm irresponsible non-state actors.

“The last Bayelsa governorship election featured a lot of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen. And today, we all see the result of that act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives. My heart goes out to the families of those gallant soldiers who lost their lives,” Sylva stated.

But in a swift reaction, the Bayelsa governor wondered why the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources chose to dance on the graves of the slain soldiers in his false allusion to the use of non-state actors in the governorship poll in the state.

Diri said it is just as ridiculous that the same Sylva was whipping up negative sentiments and spreading falsehoods over the presence of soldiers in Igbomotoru, a Bayelsa community, where the military had reportedly extended its investigation into the Okuama incident.

He said, “The military authorities should be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the sordid occurrence in Okuama. Comments should be restrained at this time while efforts are underway to unravel the perpetrators.

“It is therefore very unfortunate and sad that Chief Sylva chose to play politics with the evil act of the killing of Nigerian soldiers at a time when patriots in our country were outraged and mourning.

“Introducing politics into the Okuama killing is insensitive, just as it is condemnable and akin to dancing on their graves. For those who know, this is like the pot calling the kettle black.

“However, Sylva’s unending bellyaching and whining over the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election does not change the fact that it has been won and lost. He and his ilk should embrace this reality and join hands with our government to further the development of our state.”

Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive with effect from June 1, 2024, subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

She takes over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose five-year term expires on May 31, 2024, after a very successful tenure. Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji is the first female GMD/CEO since the inception of the bank, and her appointment is consistent with the bank’s executive transition tradition, succession plan, and strategy of grooming leaders from within.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Umeoji has been the Deputy Managing Director of the bank since October 28, 2016 and has close to thirty (30) years cognate banking experience of which twenty-six (26) years has been with Zenith Bank.

She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a First-Class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also has a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.

She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA. She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.

She is a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Credit Administration, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria among others.

In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria honored Dr. Umeoji with Officer of the Order of the Niger, as a recognition of her contributions to nation building. She is a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).

She has impacted many lives through her philanthropic and humanitarian activities through her NGOs; Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation that educates, caters for Cancer patients and indigent children education especially the Girl-Child. Her contribution to humanity was recognized by the Sun Newspaper which recently bestowed on her the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.

As a result of her passion for promoting professionalism in the banking industry and improving the well-being of the less privileged, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.

She is a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI), and was awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis.

Elder statesman and leader of the Ijaw Nation, Edwin Clark has condemned the recent killing of soldiers in Delta State, stressing that Nigeria has never witnessed such a tragedy before.

According to Clark, the incident was shocking, barbaric, and wicked.

He also advised that the communities and the military should work together to find the murderer(s).

He made this known on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme.

Clark also appealed to soldiers to act with restraint and not take law in their own hands, noting that with modern technology they should be able to fish out very soon those who committed the crime.

“What happened a few days ago is very shocking, very barbaric and wicked. I think what is required really, the military together with the communities, all of us should take that task to look for these people who committed this murder. It is very very important.

“In fact, I was so sad when I heard that Lt Col. Ali was involved because on Thursday, 14 March, I spoke to him. I think about 8:45 about my dead younger brother, Col Bernard Clark (rtd), who died recently and was to be buried on Friday to have a military burial.

“I had to contact him. And he told me he was in a vehicle and that he would speak to me later, only to hear that he was among them. At that time he was speaking to me from Agbor in Delta State.

“There’s another one, Major B. I spoke to him about the same time on Wednesday. So I am indeed very very sad that we should lose such a people at a time, even in the Boko Haram war we have never lost soldiers like that. We all support Mr President when he said the people should be looked for,” he said.

Appealing to the military to act with restraint while going after perpetrators to avoid inflicting more collateral damage Clark said: “Well my appeal to our gallant soldiers is that they should act maturely and not take the law in their own hands. I know they are provoked. We are all provoked. There are innocent children, pregnant women everywhere.

“As far as I am concerned, we should appeal to the military to take it easy. They have all the modern technology. They should be able to fish out very soon those who committed this crime.

“One should not blame the army so much for whatever must have happened. It’s all collateral damages.”