As the race for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco heats up, Super Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen has set a clear goal: to secure six points from this month’s double-header against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights in Group D.

Nigeria will host the first game at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday evening. The return leg will take place at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium, 19 kilometers from Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday night.

“We have to be practical about it. Our best and surest route to the finals is to pick up six points from the matches with Libya and be somewhat guaranteed a place in Morocco even before Matchday 5. We don’t want to be in any anxiety in the run-in for this qualifying campaign,” Eguavoen explained.

Despite the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen, Eguavoen remains confident in his team’s ability. “I believe in the other strikers available to get us the goals that will give us the three points in Uyo and the three points in Libya.”

Currently, Nigeria leads the group with four points from two matches, one point ahead of Benin Republic and two ahead of Rwanda. A double win over Libya would push Nigeria to 10 points, putting them in a strong position to qualify for AFCON 2025.

The Super Eagles squad has been gathering in Uyo. 20 of the 23 invited players are already in training, while defender Bright Osayi-Samuel and forwards Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ejuke joined on Wednesday morning.

Eguavoen emphasized the importance of securing the ticket to AFCON before the final round of games. “There are possibilities and opportunities for us to sail through at the end of these two matches, and we will do our best to take our chances.”

Libya’s team arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, landing at Port Harcourt International Airport before making their way to Uyo.

President Bola Tinubu-led government has distanced itself from the recent hike in petrol prices, stating that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) made the decision independently based on prevailing market conditions.

The adjustment has seen pump prices soar to as high as ₦1,075 per litre in some regions.

As of Wednesday, the NNPCL raised the fuel price in Abuja from ₦897 to ₦1,030 per litre, while prices in Lagos jumped from ₦855 to ₦998.

In other regions, the price changes were similarly steep, with the North-East seeing prices at ₦1,070, and the South-West states averaging ₦1,025. The South-East and South-South regions experienced price hikes to ₦1,045 and ₦1,075, respectively.

This surge in fuel prices has sparked widespread outrage among Nigerians, prompting calls for President Bola Tinubu to intervene and reverse the increase.

However, in an interview with Daily Trust, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, clarified that the government should not be held accountable for the price hikes.

Idris explained that the NNPCL’s decision was influenced by various factors affecting the energy industry, including ongoing volatility in the global market, particularly due to crises in the Middle East.

He emphasized that the NNPCL is no longer in a position to absorb the financial losses incurred from previous price settings.

The minister stated, “The differential you’re seeing is a result of different factors.

“One of them is the crisis in the Middle East. There’s volatility in the market. Therefore, the prices of petroleum products are going up, consistent with what is happening with other operators in the industry globally. Secondly, NNPC cannot continue to absorb these losses for Nigeria because, as a limited liability company, it would be operating at a loss.”

Idris urged Nigerians to understand the complexities faced by the NNPCL and the government, assuring that, in the long run, prices would eventually stabilize.

He highlighted that savings from the subsidy removal would be reinvested into critical sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security.

Additionally, the minister mentioned that the government’s initial investments in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) would help mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices as more operators enter the market.

Dismisses reports of Boko Haram attack on his convoy

Former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ndume, yesterday, insisted that the Nigerian military is ill-equipped and lacks the wherewithal to end Boko Haram or banditry.

This came as he dismissed reports circulating on social media that his convoy was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

The Senator representing Southern Borno and Gwoza senatorial district spoke at his Maiduguri residence after returning from a condolence visit to families of those recently killed by terrorists in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other communities in Gwoza local government area.

Ndume said, “On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, my humble self and other concerned stakeholders, with a convoy of military escort, were on our way to Ngoshe to condole with families of those who were killed by terrorists before proceeding to Kirawa. On our way, we received a distress call that some Cameroonian soldiers and motorists were ambushed along the Pulka-Kirawa road.

“After condoling with the people of Ngoshe, we took courage and proceeded to Kirawa despite the fact that there was an attack on the road the same day by terrorists. We reached Kirawa successfully, where we also condoled with the families of those killed by terrorists last week. We encouraged residents to be resilient and not to panic over the renewed Boko Haram attacks.”

According to him, the Kirawa road ambush targeted a Cameroonian Bureau De Change/businessman (Alhaji Kadi), who was killed alongside an unidentified woman, while others sustained injuries.

“As Senator representing Southern Borno and Gwoza inclusive, I had planned earlier to go to Ngoshe and Kirawa for condolence. I could only go to Ngoshe because the road to Kirawa was not accessible then. So, when we left yesterday, as I told you, the Theatre Commander and the GOC 7 Division directed the Brigade Commander in Gwoza, who led the escort team personally.

“It has been a long time since I had such a heavy military escort from Maiduguri to Ngoshe. As we were going to Ngoshe, we got to a village called Wizza, where there is a junction to Kirawa. Unfortunately or fortunately, we received information that the Cameroonian soldiers in Kirawa were ambushed by terrorists, but the target was not me, rather the person they killed, including an unidentified woman. Although I was told that there were other passengers who were victims of the ambush, as Tuesday was a market day in Kirawa.

“I strongly suspect that some individuals are colluding with Boko Haram, passing information to the terrorists. However, the Nigerian Army sent a reinforcement team that cleared the entire area, despite the detonated bombs planted by the terrorists damaging two military patrol vehicles. We took courage and visited Kirawa immediately after the attack to encourage our people to stand up against Boko Haram. I also took advantage of my visit to lay the foundation for two blocks of classrooms in Kirawa, and I am now back in Maiduguri safe and sound.

“Regarding the renewed Boko Haram killings, especially targeting farmers while harvesting their crops, I was reliably informed by the Village Heads of the affected Gwoza communities that almost half of the crops produced by resilient farmers in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other surrounding communities around the Mandara Mountains were looted by terrorists, leaving local farmers frustrated and hungry.

“On a serious note, our military forces and the State Government under the leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum are doing well in tackling issues related to Boko Haram killings, but both have limitations. For instance, the federal government should equip our military forces, and arm and motivate them. I also spoke with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and he assured me that they will reinforce additional forces in Gwoza to enable farmers to harvest their hard-earned crops.

“The military is determined and committed to ending Boko Haram’s madness, but this cannot be possible if they are not fully equipped, armed, trained, and motivated.”

A Turkish Airlines pilot died after collapsing mid-flight, forcing the Turkish national carrier to make an emergency landing in New York, the airline said, yesterday.

The plane had taken off from the western US coastal city of Seattle on Tuesday evening, airline spokesman Yahya Ustun wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He wrote: “The pilot of our Airbus 350 flight TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul collapsed during the flight.
After an unsuccessful attempt to give first aid, the flight crew and a co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing but he died before landing.” 

According to the airline management, the 59-year-old pilot, who has worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, passed a medical examination in March, which gave no indication of any health problems.

A 68-year-old woman, Mrs Esther Adeola, and her four grandchildren, have died mysteriously after they reportedly consumed pap.

Vanguard learnt that the ugly incident occured at Atayese Street, Gaga area in Akure, the state capital.
Reports had it that Adeola was a retired Admin officer of the Federal Government Girls College, Akure.

A family source told newsmen that “The elderly woman who was their paternal grandmother died suddenly and the family members took her to the mortuary.

“We were not suspicious of anyone or anything as the cause of her death as she was advanced in age. We believed her passing away was natural.

“After her death, my sister and her husband had gone along with their children to the deceased’s house to tidy up her belongings and they saw some processed dried pap in the kitchen which the younger ones craved to have while their parents declined.

“Their mother who is my sister made the pap and gave it to her children and their cousin who came along with them.

“My nephews and niece were ages seven, five and three while their cousin was 10.

“As the children took the pap, they all began to writhe in pain and the parents who were alarmed at the sudden and strange development rushed the children to the state Specialist Hospital, Akure.

“It was at this juncture that we began to suspect that probably the pap must have been poisoned or contaminated and could be the cause of their grandmother’s death.

“The four children spent three days in the hospital before they died. They would have made it if they were promptly attended to by the medical personnel.”

The source said that the children have been buried.

She said that the family did not report the case to the police because they did not suspect anyone.

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has decried the recent increase in petrol prices, describing it as “ill-timed and insensitive” to Nigeria’s prevailing economic challenges.

Muda Yusuf, chief executive officer (CEO) of CPPE, spoke in a statement on Wednesday. 

Earlier today, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limitedincreased the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, across its retail outlets.

TheCable observed that the price of the product increased to N998 per litre in Lagos on Wednesday — up from N855/litre.

Speaking on the development, Yusuf said the federal government should consider social, economic, and political factors in policy decisions, rather than solely focusing on commercial interests. 

The CPPE CEO said the price increase is regrettably ill-timed and does not reckon with the prevailing difficult economic conditions.

“It is important to stress that Social, economic and political considerations matter in policy choices.  Commercial considerations should not completely override these considerations,” he said.

“The Nigerian economy is not ripe for full-blown deregulation and market principles on all fronts.

“The social cost of such policy choices is typically very high. This is an economy with very weak social safety nets. Over one hundred million people are wallowing in various variants of poverty.”

Yusuf said the country is also faced with the challenge of “policy sequencing”.

He said it would have been better for the government to implement the economic stabilisation bill before introducing the petrol hike.

“The present administration has presented an Economic Stabilisation Bill to the national assembly,” he said.

“The Bill is expected to bring some relief to the citizens and businesses. It would have been better to allow the proposed mitigating measures to be activated and gain traction before coming up with the petrol price hike.

“What the economy needs at this time are measures to ease the current economic and social challenges; not policies that would aggravate them.”

‘FG SHOULD URGENTLY CUT IMPORT DUTIES, PEG EXCHANGE RATE’

Yusuf also said it is now important for the government to urgently cut import duties and taxes by a minimum of 25 percent on all industrial raw materials.

He added that the customs duty exchange rate should be fixed at a maximum of N1000 per dollar to reduce the current prohibitive cost of imports.

“Relevant legislation should be amended to that effect. This is without prejudice to the fiscal policy measures contained in the Economic Stabilisation  Plan,” Yusuf said.

“The government must be ready to trade off some revenue in the current situation.”

“There is a need to seek to achieve the maximisation of welfare function for citizens and productivity function for businesses.”

Yusuf also stressed that the government should not be fixated on revenue maximisation.

Multiple award-winning artiste David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has marked the first birthday of his twin children with his wife, Chioma.

Davido shared the news in a post on X.com on Wednesday, writing, “+1 Alhamdulillah,” accompanied by two baby emojis.

His post has since gathered thousands of congratulatory messages from fans and well-wishers.

Recall that in October 2023, Davido confirmed the arrival of the twins—a boy and a girl—with Chioma in the United States.

He stated that he and his wife were in shock when they discovered they were expecting twins.

A viral video subsequently emerged showing Chioma sitting in a wheelchair and cradling the two babies, with Davido beaming with joy beside her.

The trial of the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria continued on Wednesday with a former CBN Deputy Governor, Edward Adamu, testifying as the fourth witness.

Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Federal Government over the chaotic naira redesign policy of the CBN under his watch in late 2022.

The ex-CBN helmsman faces four counts before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama in Abuja.

Appearing as the fourth prosecution witness on Wednesday, Adamu told the court that Emefiele breached the laid down procedure in the naira design exercise of 2022.

Adamu, led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,  Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN),  told the court that during his time as a CBN staff, he witnessed previous redesigns of the naira, carried out with the aim of addressing issues of volume of currency in circulation, inflation, counterfeiting and general currency management, among others.

He, however, claimed that the 2022 naira redesign exercise carried out by Emefiele during ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was without the approval of either the President or the CBN Board, contrary to the law.

Adamu explained that the standard procedure for a naira redesign originates from the Director of Currency Operations and is passed on to the Committee of Governors, who then forward it to the CBN Board for approval before it reaches the President.

He alleged that Emefiele bypassed this process.

Instead, Adamu testified that Emefiele convened a meeting of the Committee of Governors, where he presented a purported presidential approval for the redesign and proceeded with implementation.

He further noted that, upon reviewing Exhibit E2, which was admitted as evidence, the design of the naira notes currently in circulation differed slightly from what was approved by both President Buhari and the CBN Board.

He asserted that these changes were made unilaterally by Emefiele.

During cross-examination, the defense counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), asked Adamu if, prior to the recent naira redesign, it was customary for a board recommendation to precede presidential approval. Adamu confirmed that it was.

Ojo then asked if there had ever been a practice where the President gave approval before the board was informed. Adamu responded that such a practice was not the norm during his tenure.

The defence counsel further questioned Adamu on whether he was aware of instances where the President approved the release of funds to ECOWAS, the military, or other countries without prior consultation with the CBN Board or Committee of Governors. Adamu admitted to being aware of one such instance.

Ojo also inquired if Adamu knew of any consequences for not adhering to procedures outlined in the CBN Act. Adamu stated that he could not recall.

Referring to an earlier statement made to the EFCC on February 24, 2024, Ojo asked Adamu if he recalled saying that the minutes of CBN Meeting 764 were adopted. Adamu responded that he could not remember.

The defence counsel argued that the witness’s account in court was inconsistent compared to his statement to the EFCC.

The prosecution counsel objected, arguing that the witness’s testimony and prior statement were not yet in evidence before the court.

The judge subsequently allowed the witness to refresh his memory by reviewing his statement, which he did.

The defence counsel then asked Adamu if he was privy to any discussions between the former CBN governor and the President regarding the specifics of the redesign. Adamu responded in the negative.

Justice Anenih adjourned the case till November 18 for the continuation of the trial.

The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has secured loans worth $6.45bn from the World Bank in just 16 months.

The amount increased to the new figure following the recent approval of three new loans totalling $1.57bn from the World Bank for various projects in Nigeria and is expected to increase further in the coming months.

This was as the international lender approved no fewer than 36 loan requests to the Federal Government, amounting to a substantial total of $24.088bn within five years.

These approvals, aimed at financing various development projects nationwide, arrive alongside increasing concerns about the country’s escalating debt profile, prompting questions about the sustainability of these financial commitments and their potential long-term effects on the economy.

Some of the projects under Tinubu include loans for power ($750 million), women empowerment ($500 million), girl’s education ($700 million), renewable energy ($750 million), economic stabilization reforms ($1.5 billion) and resource mobilization reforms ($750 million),

For many Nigerians, long years of infrastructure decay and increased unemployment have triggered an increased feeling of bitterness whenever they hear the government’s intention to borrow.

Although some of them realistically agree that resources are thin, considering an outsized population; however, they believe the past borrowings have not been justified.

However, according to an analysis of documents obtained from the international lender website on Tuesday, the international lender has maintained an annual credit approval to the nation since 2020.

A cursory look showed that the lender approved 15 loan requests worth $6.36bn in 2020. Some of these projects include the Nigeria Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project with an approved project commitment of $510m, The Nigeria Digital Identification for Development project ($430m), and $750m for the Nigeria SATAN additional financing for COVID-19 response, amongst others.

In 2021, the loan requests were reduced to six projects worth $3.2bn while the nation, under the administration of former president Mohammadu Buhari, secured loans worth $1.26bn in 2022 for six projects.

For instance, a $500m loan request was approved for a livestock productivity and resilience support project on March 18, 2022.  Another loan of $750m was approved under the Nigeria: State Action on Business Enabling Reforms Program in the same year.

Also, $3.9m was secured for the Umbrella organisation to support Nigeria for women’s projects.

However, in 2023, the loan request increased to $2.7bn to implement four projects, namely $750m for Nigeria- AF power sector recovery performance-based operation, $500m for Nigeria for Women Program Scale-up projects and $750m for the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy scale-up project.

Similarly, the bank has approved $3.82bn already in 2024 for five projects, which include a grant of $70 million.

This means that the loan amount was $3.75bn so far in 2024, with more credit facilities expected before the end of the current year

The World Bank has approved a series of loans to Nigeria, strategically targeting critical sectors such as economic reforms, resource mobilization, adolescent girls’ education, and renewable energy expansion.

Recall that on June 13, the World Bank announced the approval of two loan projects aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s economic stability and supporting its vulnerable populations.

According to a statement from the bank, the combined package, totalling $2.25bn, comprises the $1.5bn Nigeria Reforms for Economic Stabilization to Enable Transformation Development Policy Financing Program and the $750m Nigeria Accelerating Resource Mobilization Reforms Program-for-Results.

Already, the international lender has received $751.88m of the $1.5bn under the Nigeria Reforms for Economic Stabilisation to Enable Transformation.

The World Bank is expected to approve another loan request worth $500m by December 16, 2024, for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project – Scale Up project.

According to a statement released last week announcing the latest approval, the international lender said the credit facilities will help the government strengthen human capital through better health for women, children and adolescents.

It added that the approved projects would also help build resilience to the effects of climate change, such as floods and drought, by improving dam safety and irrigation.

The statement read, “The World Bank has today approved three operations for a total of $1.57bn to support the Government of Nigeria in strengthening human capital through better health for women, children and adolescents and building resilience to the effects of climate change such as floods and droughts through improving dam safety and irrigation.”

The international lender stated that this new financing includes $500m for addressing governance issues that constrain the delivery of education and health, $570m for the Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Programme and $500m for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project.

“The HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC programmes combined will support the Government of Nigeria to improve service delivery in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors which are critical towards improving Nigeria’s human capital outcomes.

“The SPIN project will support the improvement of dams’ safety and management of water resources for hydropower and irrigation in selected areas of Nigeria.

“The HOPE-GOV Programme will support Nigeria to address underlying governance weaknesses in the systems and procedures of government in two key human development sectors,” it noted.

The approval, made on September 26, 2024, highlights the World Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s human capital and building resilience in the face of climate threats.

Data from the external debt stock report of the Debt Management Office shows that Nigeria owes the World Bank a total of $15.59 billion as of March 31, 2024.

Nigeria’s debt servicing expenses reached N6.04tn in the first half of 2024, marking a sharp increase of 68.8 per cent from the N3.58tn recorded during the same period in 2023, the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed.

This sharp rise in debt service obligations, likely driven by naira devaluation for foreign debt repayments, reflects the growing burden on the government as debt repayment consumes a significant portion of its financial resources.

The Nigerian Army has detained M.A. Sadiq, former commander of the 3 Brigade in Kano, over allegations of theft and mismanagement of palliatives.

Sadiq allegedly diverted rice palliatives from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) intended for soldiers under his command.

He is also accused of stealing official military equipment, including a MIKANO heavy-duty generator from the Military Training Camp in Falgore, Kano state, which was allegedly sold to scrap metal dealers.

He has since been relieved of his duties and replaced by A.M. Tukur, the former registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Onyema Nwachukwu, director of army public relations, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

Nwachukwu added that investigations into the allegations are ongoing, and appropriate administrative actions will be taken based on the findings.

“The Nigerian Army has been inundated with media reports concerning the former Commander of the 3 Brigade, Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq, who is currently under military investigation for administrative discrepancies during his tenure,” he said.

“As a result, the senior officer has been relieved of his command to allow for a comprehensive investigation.

“The Nigerian Army, as a self-regulating institution built on discipline, justice, and accountability, has zero tolerance for indiscipline and misconduct that undermine its core values.

“We assure the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted, and appropriate actions will follow.

“Our commitment to transparency and integrity remains steadfast, and we guarantee a fair and impartial process that adheres to our established procedures.”