Babafemi Ojudu, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed how he and other allies convinced President Bola Tinubu to reject an offer to serve as Minister of Finance under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Ojudu disclosed this during an appearance on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo, on Monday.

He noted that accepting the role would have posed significant political risks for Tinubu, who was then the leader of the Action Congress.

“Tinubu called me one day and said, ‘Congratulations to me.’ I asked, ‘Congratulations for what?’ He then told me that former President Yar’Adua had called him to join his government of unity as Minister of Finance,” Ojudu recounted.

According to the journalist, he immediately warned Tinubu about the potential fallout of the decision, citing the fate of Bola Ige, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, who was assassinated under controversial circumstances.

“I said, ‘You are in Action Congress. Are you not a student of history? Do you not see what happened to Bola Ige? You are digging your political grave if you accept that type of job,’” he stated.

Rauf Aregbesola, a close ally of Tinubu and former Governor of Osun State, reportedly joined the discussion and supported Ojudu’s stance.

He added, “Rauf walked in and said, ‘Femi is right; that is not a job to take.

“One businessman walked in and said, ‘You guys are too radical. This thing will benefit everyone.’ But I insisted, ‘No, we are not looking for this type of benefit. We are looking for his political survival.

“He is our leader. Our dream for him is bigger than him becoming a minister in Yar’Adua’s government. Nine months down the line, they would arrest him, try him, and finish him off — the way they did to Bola Ige.”

Ojudu also addressed allegations of betrayal during the 2023 presidential election, where he backed former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo instead of Tinubu for the All Progressives Congress ticket.

He dismissed the claims, emphasising that their differing visions at the time were not personal.

He said, “We cannot quarrel. It is about our vision taking different routes. I just came from Bayo Onanuga’s daughter’s wedding. People saw me and said, We never knew you would come around.

“I told them, Do you think we are boxing each other? It is not personal. For me, loyalty to friendship is on a lesser scale than sacrifice for the country.”

Elon Musk starts 2025 as the wealthiest person on the planet, with a groundbreaking fortune exceeding $400 billion, as reported by Forbes on January 1.

The Tesla and SpaceX mogul tops a list of global billionaires whose combined wealth now totals $1.9 trillion, up from $1.8 trillion in December 2024.

These top-tier billionaires, primarily from the tech, retail, and luxury goods sectors, continue to dominate industries and influence global markets significantly.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang makes his debut in the top 10, reflecting the booming semiconductor industry.

Below is the updated list of the world’s richest individuals:

1. Elon Musk

– Net Worth: $421.2 billion
– Source of Wealth: Tesla, SpaceX, X, xAI
– Age: 53
– Citizenship: U.S.

Musk’s fortune saw a $91 billion boost in December due to SpaceX’s valuation hitting $350 billion.

His recent appointment as co-head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Donald Trump further solidified his prominence.

2. Jeff Bezos

– Net Worth: $233.5 billion
– Source of Wealth: Amazon
– Age: 60
– Citizenship: U.S.

Bezos reclaimed the second spot after Amazon’s stock rose 5% in December, increasing his wealth by $10 billion.

3. Larry Ellison

– Net Worth: $209.7 billion
– Source of Wealth: Oracle
– Age: 80
– Citizenship: U.S

Despite Oracle’s stock slump resulting in a $17 billion loss, Ellison remains firmly in third place.

4. Mark Zuckerberg

– Net Worth: $202.5 billion
– Source of Wealth: Meta
– Age: 40
– Citizenship: U.S.

Meta’s stock price increase of 1.9% nudged Zuckerberg’s fortune slightly higher.

5. Bernard Arnault

– Net Worth: $168.8 billion
– Source of Wealth: LVMH
– Age: 75
– Citizenship: France

The luxury goods titan enjoyed an $8.5 billion rise thanks to LVMH’s stock performance.

6. Larry Page

– Net Worth: $157.9 billion
– Source of Wealth: Google (Alphabet)
– Age: 51
– Citizenship: U.S.

Google’s co-founder maintains his position among the elite wealthiest individuals globally.

7. Sergey Brin

– Net Worth: $153.4 billion
– Source of Wealth: Google (Alphabet)
– Age: 50
– Citizenship: U.S.

Brin’s wealth reflects Alphabet’s sustained dominance in the tech industry.

8. Warren Buffett

– Net Worth: $139.6 billion
– Source of Wealth: Berkshire Hathaway
– Age: 94
– Citizenship: U.S.

Buffett’s wealth declined by $8.9 billion due to a 6% drop in Berkshire Hathaway’s stock in December.

9. Steve Ballmer

– Net Worth: $123.5 billion
– Source of Wealth: Microsoft
– Age: 68
– Citizenship: U.S.

The former Microsoft CEO and Los Angeles Clippers owner saw a $500 million decrease in his fortune but remains in the top 10.

10. Jensen Huang

– Net Worth: $118 billion
– Source of Wealth: Nvidia
– Age: 61
– Citizenship: U.S.

Nvidia’s stock surged by 171% in 2024, securing Huang’s place among the world’s wealthiest for the first time.

Key Highlights

– Nine of the top 10 billionaires are American citizens, and all are male.

– Musk’s unparalleled fortune is heavily linked to his stakes in Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures.

– The rankings fluctuate based on market trends, showcasing the dynamic nature of global wealth.

These billionaires’ influence spans technology, luxury goods, and beyond, shaping economies and industries worldwide

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed new details about Nigeria’s refinery woes, recounting failed efforts to privatise the country’s refineries and the subsequent financial losses under government management.

In an exclusive interview with Channels TV on Thursday, Obasanjo discussed the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries during his presidency.

He explained how he sought external help to rehabilitate and manage the facilities but faced resistance.

He recalled, “I asked Shell to come and run it for us and Shell said they wouldn’t I said, Please come and take equity they said no. I said okay, don’t take equity, come and run it, they said no. 

“Later on, I called them. I called the boss of Shell to come and tell me what the problem was and he gave me four or five reasons. He said, first of all, they make a major profit from upstream, not from downstream. He said they run downstream just to keep their head above water.

“Two, our refineries were too small: 60,000 barrels 100,000 barrels and I think 120,000 barrels. He said that at that time, the average refinery was going for 250,000 barrels.

“Three, he said our refineries were not well maintained. Four, he said that there was too much corruption around the activities of our refinery and they would not want to get involved in that.”

Obasanjo shared that after Shell’s refusal, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, assembled a team and paid $750 million to operate the refineries through a public-private partnership.

“Aliko got a team together and they paid $750m to take part in PPP (Public–Private Partnership) in running the refineries. My successor refunded their money and I went to my successor, I told him what transpired, he said NNPC said they wanted the refinery and they could run it and I said but you know they cannot run it,” he stated.

The former president expressed confidence in Dangote’s ability to manage his privately owned refinery effectively, contrasting it with the government’s inefficiency.

“I was told not too long ago that since that time, more than two billion dollars have been squandered on the refinery and they still will not work.

“If a company like Shell tells me what they told me, I will believe them. If anybody tells you now that it is working, why are they now with Aliko? And Aliko will make his own refinery work; not only make it work, he will make it deliver.”

Obasanjo concluded with a Yoruba proverb, comparing inflated claims about the refineries’ performance to planting 100 heaps of yam but falsely claiming to have planted 200.

“They say after he has harvested 100 heaps of Yam, he will also have 100 heaps of lies. You know what that means,” he said.

The presiding officers of the National Assembly—Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu—have been allocated ₦10 billion for rent and furniture in the Federal Capital Territory’s 2024 supplementary budget, a Premium Times investigation has revealed.

This provision, listed under the item “Renting and Furnishing of Presiding Officers of the National Assembly” in the budget, was classified with code 23010309.

The ₦288 billion supplementary budget, which President Bola Tinubu presented to the National Assembly in September, was passed in just five days.

The allocation for the legislative leaders follows recent reports of extravagant spending by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.

In the past 15 months, the FCT ministry has spent generously, including ₦21 billion for a residential mansion for Vice President Kashim Shettima and ₦25 billion for housing 40 judges.

This latest spending comes at a time when Nigeria faces severe economic hardship, with the removal of the petroleum subsidy and devaluation of the naira pushing many into poverty.

Stampedes during food distribution have resulted in dozens of deaths in recent weeks.

Despite these challenges, critics argue that the government continues its trend of lavish expenditures while urging austerity measures for ordinary citizens.

Among the contentious spending are a $100 million presidential jet, failed attempts to procure a presidential yacht, and luxury vehicles for lawmakers.

Observers have accused Mr. Wike of using such financial allocations to subtly influence institutions.

However, the minister has consistently denied these claims. His appointment as FCT minister has been widely interpreted as a reward for his pivotal role in President Tinubu’s 2023 election victory.

According to Section 299 of the 1999 Constitution, the President serves as the de facto governor of the FCT, with the National Assembly acting as its legislative body. Section 302 further empowers the President to appoint an FCT minister as his representative.

In the past, National Assembly leaders were housed in the Apo legislative quarters. However, these buildings were sold under the monetisation policy introduced during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, leaving only the presiding officers’ quarters unsold.

In the 6th Assembly, under the Umar Yar’Adua administration, the buildings were sold to the four presiding officers: Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole, and Deputy Speaker Bayero Nafada.

In 2011, the government opted to build new houses for the presiding officers on the outskirts of the city in Katampe Extension, behind the Lungi Barracks. However, the lawmakers reportedly rejected the offer. Later, the Goodluck Jonathan administration started another project just for the four presiding officers.

The project is located within the Three-Arms Zone, very close to the main gate of the National Assembly. For years, construction on the buildings has stalled despite several deadlines.

Despite this, Premium Times reported that the government has resorted to renting houses for all the presiding officers of the National Assembly since 2011. According to sources, Senate President Godswill Akpabio lives in a rented apartment in Maitama, a highbrow area of Abuja, while the Speaker lives in the Guzape District.

The 2024 supplementary budget

Wike, in a letter dated 11 September, and addressed to President Tinubu, requested additional spending of N288 billion as a supplementary budget for the FCT.

He listed some of the projects the funds are meant for. Under the capital component, the supplementary budget contains a total of 32 projects.

“The purpose of this letter is to seek the approval of Your Excellency for the second Supplementary Budget presentation to the National Assembly, a Supplementary Budget to the 2024 Statutory Appropriation Act of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in the sum of N288,000,000,000.00, necessitated with a view to accommodate additional inflows from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Miscellaneous Revenues in the sums of N8,000,000,000.00 and N280,000,000,000.00 respectively,” Mr Wike said in the letter.

The request by the minister was approved by the president, who subsequently transmitted the supplementary budget to the National Assembly for approval. This request was approved by the lawmakers and passed.

Of the 32 projects, 22 were existing ones that received additional funding, while 10 new projects were introduced into the FCT budget. For instance, the N25 billion earmarked for the construction of houses for judges got an additional N5 billion, increasing the budgetary allocation to N30 billion.

In addition to the legislature, the FCT also allocated N20 billion for the renovation of the State Security Service (SSS) headquarters in Abuja.

The N10 billion budgetary provision for the presiding officers is vague and raises a number of questions: What kind of rent? What kind of furniture? Why is the FCT paying the rent of these officers when the National Assembly has its own budget? Why is the FCT spending N10 billion on rents and furnishing when there are existing housing projects for these same officials?

The National Assembly has its own budget, and to guarantee the independence of the institution, it receives its funds under the statutory transfer instrument. That is, its budget is given in a lump sum and not broken down.

In the past couple of years, the National Assembly’s budget has continued to grow despite fiscal constraints.

In the current fiscal cycle, the National Assembly has a budget of N344 billion, the highest ever. Ordinarily, one would have expected the federal legislature to use these funds to address all its needs, including the rent for its presiding officers. Why is the National Assembly not paying the rent for its presiding officers despite this record allocation?

Also, there is an abandoned housing project for these same officers that has remained uncompleted for close to a decade.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the buildings, located within the Three-Arms Zone, are intended for the Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Deputy Senate President. However, these four buildings, which have been roofed and plastered, still remain incomplete over a decade after construction began. Why is the FCT not spending the N10 billion to complete these buildings instead of allocating funds for rent and furniture?

To get answers to these questions, this newspaper submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the office of the Minister of the FCT to seek clarification on the planned expenditure, addressing some of the questions raised. However, the ministry ignored the request.

This appears to be a recurring pattern under Mr Wike’s administration, where the budgets of the FCT are not made public, and requests for information are routinely ignored.

Premium Times noted that it has submitted several FOI requests to the ministry in the past, all of which were disregarded.

Putting the expenditure in context
To understand the significance of this N10 billion allocated for the four individuals, it is essential to compare it with other similar expenditures.

For instance, in the proposed 2025 budget, the federal government allocated N11.5 billion for the construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Agenda Housing Scheme. While this project could potentially serve 20,000 households, these four individuals are allocated N10 billion for rent.

Additionally, in the proposed 2025 budget, the federal government’s national housing programme (nationwide) has an allocation of N5.3 billion. This amount is approximately 50 per cent of the N10 billion set aside for the rent and furniture of four individuals.

Just before embarking on the end-of-the-year holiday, lawmakers in the lower chamber pooled half of their salaries into a fund to support the government in addressing economic hardship. The total contribution amounted to N704 million, which the House stated would be presented to President Tinubu for distribution to vulnerable members of society. However, this N704 million is just 7.4 per cent of the N10 billion allocated for the rent of Mr Tajudeen and his three colleagues.

This allocation to the four presiding officers underscores what many describe as insensitivity and a lack of transparency in the use of public funds.

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has stated that President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reform bills is inimical to the unity of the country.

The Governor, insisted that the tax reform bill is not the solution to the country’s economic challenges, adding that the policy negatively affects the welfare of the people.

The Governor declared his stance during the 2025 celebration held at the Filin Mahaha, Kofar Naisa open theatre.

Yusuf, who was represented by his deputy, Aminu Gwarzo, lauded the resilience of Kano residents amidst economic challenges, describing the proposed tax reform as ill-timed, lopsided and inimical to the unity of the country.

“This tax reform bill is not the solution to our economic challenges. Kano State stands firmly against any policy that negatively affects the welfare of our people.

“Nigerians in general, and the North in particular, are groaning under hyperinflation and unprecedented insecurity, therefore the Presidency should rather concentrate its time and attention to tackling extreme poverty and hunger, especially in the northern part of the country,” the deputy governor said.

He highlighted his administration’s notable achievements in healthcare, education, road construction, and foreign scholarship initiatives.

Additionally, he reminded residents of the Supreme Court ruling in January 2024 that confirmed him as the duly elected governor of Kano State.

Udengs Eradiri was the candidate of the Labour Party in the last governorship election in Bayelsa State. In his interview with PUNCH.  Eradiri talks about his experiences, and why he decided to quit the party and look elsewhere to pursue his political ambition

  I thought that Nigerians truly meant this their so-called cry of bad leadership, that we need good governance and all that. It’s just a farce. Nigerians are not serious. They are just looking for who will give them money. When the chips are down, Nigerians look for money from politicians. They jettison all they’ve gone through. I was fooled, let me put it that way. I thought that our people really needed leadership and that was why when I was growing up any opportunity I had, I made sure that I maintained a certain trajectory without getting my hands stained in all these mess, thinking there have to come a time when in leadership people interrogate you from where you’re coming from to say based on your track record we can entrust public responsibility to you. But, I was fooled. I went to the nooks and crannies of Bayelsa and I saw the sufferings, I saw the nakedness of neglect and poverty in Bayelsa State. I saw the people lamenting, graduates without work. I interacted. On Election Day, they were after money. They were looking for who will bring money. I know what I went through from primaries to winning my election in the party to the demands here and there. But, I didn’t have that kind of money, I couldn’t afford it. And on Election Day, they had already negotiated with the system and collected money; people were even fighting over money they took from selling me. In my village, money was deployed in millions. It was ‘see and buy.’ The election was a disgrace. INEC sending emissaries; they had agents that were around politicians – ‘you bring this, we do it this way.’ I knew I was not going to go anywhere with the build-up to the election. You see security agencies coming to you, telling you ‘you go shake body make we do am like this.’ I possibly can’t play when I’m just a young engineer with the little resources and support from my friends. The things I saw shocked me because I am a man from the struggling background, an activist who had always been on the other side and decided to go into politics. I became a commissioner in the state. I saw the rot and neglect. I started seeing the rot that needed to be connected as a leader. Bayelsa is too rich to be in this quagmire. What are we doing with the resources that we have? That’s why I don’t support resource control. I don’t anymore. If you check, the Ijaw Youth Council presidents, I am one person who didn’t support this resource control thing. I said why are we making resource control about oil and quick money? What about the green vegetation? Is it not part of our resources? Why are we not converting it to wealth? What about the flowing river, the sand? Why are we not converting them to wealth?

You said the Labour Party leadership sold you…

(Cuts in) N100m. They were punching each other. The state said they sent N50m to Abuja. When they went for the sharing, the people said, ‘The money they agreed to give us is N100m, why are you bringing N50m?’ I called the national chairman. He said they were just accusing him and he was going to take action. But, until this minute, he has not taken action. But, when it happened in Rivers State, he was quick to suspend the exco; when it happened in Imo State, he was quick to suspend them while the same thing happened in Bayelsa and they accused you of taking half of the money, and till today, you didn’t take any action. And, of course, the revelation from Abuja over the years has shown that they are as rotten as the same system they claim to be fighting. I paid N25m for my form, the same form that people bought N15m. They said they were going to return the N10m to me. Till today, I’ve not seen the money. I’ve written several letters asking them to return it to me. From day one, the injustice started against me to try to stop me from the process.

Are you saying there was a kind of gang up?

They negotiated from day one, they started from day one. The opposition in Nigeria is not serious, there’s no opposition. In any case, I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re too poor for opposition politics in Bayelsa, only former governors that are rich people in the state can. Where are the businesses? Money is only in the hands of those who have been former governors in Bayelsa. In that kind of society, how are you going to be the opposition? You can’t compare it to the eastern society or the Yoruba society where individuals have money more than the state. So, as a young man, I came up to say I wanted to do this thing, I struggled to get this thing and the entire burden is on my head and then I became a tool for negotiation.

Following the electoral system in Nigeria, the party was supposed to sponsor your campaigns and so on. You mean they left everything to you?

They left every dime to me. A few days to the election (Peter) Obi sent me N20m.

Was it Obi’s personal money or party money?

I suppose it was his personal contribution. Party money? A party that gave me conditions? They went to the government and the entire party said they were supporting the governor. Why? I didn’t have the money to give them.

How much did they demand from you?

The monies were in various amounts and conditions. If they followed me to campaigns, they would roll out how much I would pay them. One time I said I didn’t have the money, and that even if it’s N20,000 each they should manage. It was used against me, that how can I give party exco members N20,000 after following me to campaigns? I’ve not stolen money anywhere before. I know what I went through, so when I hear people saying nonsense, I tell them, ‘go and buy a form, contest election in this town and see what candidates go through in elections.’ I know what I went through to manage two factions in Labour Party and I became the candidate in both factions. This faction gave me INEC form, this faction gave me INEC form. From day one, I was at a disadvantage and then you are seeing the party in Edo State, they have sold it out – fighting over money. It’s a mess, no accountability. You see men, who in old age haven’t seen N50m, so they are going to die if it’s not parted.

Now that you’ve resigned from Labour Party, what are you looking at?

I’m recalibrating. I’m looking at the scenario, studying most of the politicians and what’s going on. I became Commissioner for Youth and Commissioner for Environment. I played with the system and got involved and I did my best to change it from the inside. And, that’s why I hear a lot of stories of the things I did when I was in a very brief time Commissioner for Environment. If I wasn’t inside how would I have been able to do that? I found myself inside the same system, but I contributed immensely to changing the way things were done.

When you look at the scenario that has played out, are you sure you’ll be able to change anything from the inside now?

There are exceptions. I was a commissioner here. Did you hear anywhere that Udengs took the money of the ministry? You can see that I contributed. The underlining word is service to the people. Do your job and I will do mine. Anything other than that are pecks of office, but don’t allow the pecks to be your overriding drive, let it be service. Service to the people should be the ultimate and in carrying out that service there shall be benefits attached to it. Why should my own be different? I was a special assistant in the NCDC, the same NCDC that people have been going to the EFCC up and down. But, I was never invited to the EFCC. Obviously, I did my job and I also had a few pecks that I enjoyed, but the job should be number one, that’s it.

The next governorship election will be in two years. Are we seeing you carrying another party’s flag?

In politics, 24 hours is a long time, let alone two years. As time goes on, Bayelsa is a place where we have this unwritten rotational politics and that’s one of the reasons why I was very keen about participating in the last election because it fell within my senatorial district. So, I was counting on part of the benefits. The advantage will be that I’m from central and it’s central’s turn. When it’s passed that time, it will rotate, so, I will be at a disadvantage and in my campaign, I said it. I said if I don’t contest now, it will be 20 years before it gets to our turn again because the political equation also favoured it. The reason why Douye Diri won that election over (Timipre) Sylva and me is the issue of rotation. It played its own role, that if he has done one term, let him just complete it so it can rotate. But some people said Sylva couldn’t distort the rotation because the next one was coming this way. Why not wait till that time? These are factors you consider, and then the candidates. Bayelsa is in a mess and needs people who are prepared, not people who will loot the Government House.

Lastly, your resignation coincided with that of your running mate and the leaders of the party in the local government areas. Are you looking at moving to another platform of your choice en bloc?

There are a lot of people who genuinely worked for a better Bayelsa but were disappointed by the leadership struggles in the state. The state has government appointees as leaders of the Labour Party in Bayelsa. The chairman is an appointee of government. So, from day one, we expected that we were obviously going to fail. We only tried to see; as a candidate who came in, we couldn’t have changed those things, you know. So, it’s very clear that Labour Party in Bayelsa State is an extension of the Government House of Bayelsa State. People are disappointed and that’s why a lot of people who gave their best have decided to move out of the party. Politics in Bayelsa is all about negotiation, ‘Come, let’s go and negotiate and take something.’ But one of the achievements, for me, at the last election is that I was able to stand firm despite every setback, to get to the apex of the struggle. So, people will realise that it is not every politician in Bayelsa that is a pot of porridge politician who you can just pay off and he will leave it. I had all the offers, all the pressures, all the calls, but I said I wanted to see the end of it. I’m not for sale. I’m a man who stands by conviction. If I stand with you, I’ll rather be there with you till you fall. I will not leave you halfway. And, that’s why when Dickson’s government fell and people left, I was part of the men who stood until the court gave it to Douye Diri. Even when I had meetings with the opposition members, I told them that I would stand with this man till the end.

Nine Nigerian banks collectively earned N4.85tn in interest income on loans and advances to customers in the first nine months of 2024, marking a growth of 114.95 per cent compared to N2.26tn recorded in the same period of 2023.

Access Holdings led the industry with N1.13tn in interest income as of September 2024, up from N458.41bn in the corresponding period of 2023. The 146.4 per cent surge reflects the bank’s lending strategy and expansion of its loan portfolio.

Zenith Bank followed closely, reporting an interest income of N1.07tn, more than doubling its N408.66bn figure from the previous year, representing an increase of 161.8 per cent.

FBN Holdings earned N915.35bn in interest income year-to-date in 2024, a 128.1 per cent increase from N401.33bn recorded in the same period of 2023.

Fidelity Bank recorded an interest income of N450.00bn, up from N260.51bn in 2023. The 72.7 per cent growth reflects the bank’s efforts to deepen its presence in the corporate and retail lending markets.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company reported an interest income of N392.33bn, an 84.8 per cent rise from N212.30bn in the prior year.

FCMB Group generated N317.53bn in interest income, up from N183.55bn in 2023. This 73 per cent increase is attributed to its targeted approach to scaling its credit portfolio to meet customer needs.

Stanbic IBTC Holdings recorded N283.95bn in interest income as of September 2024, representing a growth of 81.7 per cent from N156.24bn in the same period of the previous year.

Wema Bank posted an interest income of N149.28bn, an increase of 76.8 per cent from N84.42bn in 2023.

Sterling Bank recorded N139.86bn in interest income, up from N90.45bn in the same period of 2023. This 54.6 per cent growth reflects the bank’s focused efforts to grow its credit portfolio despite economic challenges.

A Catholic Reverend’s Father has allegedly shot a boy dead after the latter set off knockouts within the church premises.

The incident which happened during the New Year Mass held on January 1, 2025, in Amaimo, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, has attracted reactions from social media users.

However, PUNCH Online couldn’t verify the name and parish of the priest and the name of the deceased.

In a Facebook post shared via the handle, ‘For The Love Of Anambra,’ on Wednesday, it quoted eyewitness accounts, reporting that after the deceased set off the knockouts, “the priest, whose identity remains undisclosed, picked up a firearm and fatally shot him.

“The incident has left the community in shock and mourning, with residents expressing outrage and demanding a thorough investigation to uncover the facts behind the unfortunate event.”

When contacted by our correspondent on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye stated that the command is already aware of the incident.

Okoye added that an investigation has been launched into the incident.

“We have launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the remote facts surrounding the incident.

“Further development on the case will be communicated in due course, please,” the police spokesperson stated in a message.

Reacting to the incident, a Facebook user, Malachy Chukwunyereugo, wrote, “He will spend the rest of his life in prison.”

Another Facebook user, Lyn Chy, lamented, “The fact that a Reverend father owns a gun it’s somehow [sic].”

Another user, Peace Ijeoma wrote, “It’s disheartening to see how religious bigots are defending the priest. May we try to be lovers of God and not lovers of the men of God this 2025. Rip to the boy.”

On X, a tweep identified as Bloc Chief, with the username #blochief, shared his amusement.

He tweeted, “I thought this happens in the USA? How can this happen in Imo? Mehn.”

Another tweep, identified as Rise above hat, but tweeting as #asababoi2man, wrote, “Maybe he has [been] abducted before by gunmen… so he felt the men are back.. only God knows what he was thinking.”

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 30-year-old man, Daniel Onyejekwe, for allegedly stabbing his neighbour, identified simply as Christian, to death during a dispute over rice.

The incident reportedly occurred on New Year’s Day in the Ogwanja area of Sapele, Delta State, following an argument that escalated into a fatal altercation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the development on Thursday, saying, “It is confirmed, and the suspect is in custody. The two were fighting and injured themselves badly. Unfortunately, one, Christian, died.”

Eyewitnesses told PUNCH Metro that the altercation started when rice was being shared along Boyo Road in Ogwanja. An argument ensued between Onyejekwe and the deceased, leading to a physical fight.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Christian and Daniel started dragging the rice, and during the fight, Daniel picked a bottle and stabbed Christian multiple times. The vigilante rushed him to the hospital, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.”

The remains of the deceased have been deposited at a mortuary, while the police have launched an investigation into the incident.

SP Edafe assured residents that the suspect would be prosecuted after the investigation was concluded.