The largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, stated that it restricted 281 accounts belonging to Nigerians in 2022 due to money laundering concerns.

The exchange said it also collaborated with the Federal Government to protect users from illicit activity.

This information was disclosed in a statement published on its website on Wednesday.

A few weeks ago, Binance announced its decision to stop naira-to-dollar exchange services following a fallout with Nigerian authorities, who had accused the platform of manipulating the country’s foreign exchange rate.

The exchange mentioned that its team visited Nigeria twice in the fourth quarter, conducting comprehensive law enforcement training sessions for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

With over 30 investigators in attendance for each full-day session, Binance said it provided a detailed overview of its operations, training Nigerian law enforcement on the intricacies of exchanges in the digital asset ecosystem.

“During these sessions, various case studies were presented, including those involving suspects from Nigeria. The positive feedback received from Nigerian investigators underscored their strong desire to sustain this cooperative format, the platform noted.

“Binance’s financial crime compliance teams processed 626 information requests related to Nigeria or from local law enforcement agencies between June 2020 and February 2024.

“The Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and INTERPOL Nigeria were among the many organisations that benefited from the information we supplied in their efforts to combat crimes ranging from money laundering, kidnapping, extortion, and scams,” it said.

The exchange also conducted a three-hour online workshop for 70 EFCC officials in August 2023. The workshop’s main objectives were to interpret Binance’s operational responses and determine how best to use our help.

“We worked closely with the authorities to safeguard users from illegal activity in a well-publicised action that occurred in January 2022, restricting 281 accounts that belonged to Nigerian residents because of worries about money laundering,” it added.

The crypto exchange recognises Nigeria’s thriving fintech ecosystem, anticipating that nearly half of all investments in Africa from 2019 to 2023 will be directed to the country.

“Operating alongside established global players like Binance is deemed vital for the cohesive growth of this ecosystem, fostering a supportive environment for dynamic local startups,” the company noted.

Binance explained that collaboration with regulators and law enforcement in Nigeria would accelerate its financial technology adoption.

According to the exchange, the suggestion is to rely on top-tier partners with a proven track record of productive partnerships with both Nigerian and international authorities.

Looking ahead, Binance expressed eagerness to continue positive interactions, aiming to contribute to the prosperity of every Nigerian through ongoing collaboration and support for the nation’s fintech evolution.

A Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan, on Wednesday, dissolved the 14-year-old marriage between one John Akinwumi, a commercial driver, and his estranged wife, Toyin.

Akinwumi had pleaded with the court to put an end to his 14-year-old marriage with Toyin on grounds of alleged constant domestic violence and spiritual incompatibility.

He told the court, presided over by Mrs S.M. Akintayo, that his wife refused to take care of him, even when he was seriously ill.

Akinwumi said that a year after their marriage, things went so rough for him, while his wife suddenly changed, adding that they were always fighting as a result of the absence of love and affection.

He said that this was in spite of his estranged wife’s relatives assisting him to start a transport business.

Akinwumi, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve his marriage to the wife, as it was no longer working.

”My lord, all I need now is separation because the marriage is not working.

”I was okay before I met her, but it’s like we are not meant to be together,” he told the court.

Akinwumi, however, promised to give the two children, who are still staying with their mother, N25,000 as their monthly feeding allowance.

However, the respondent opposed the prayer for separation, adding that she still loved her husband.

She, was, however, silent on most of the allegations levelled against her.

”My lord, I still love Akinwumi. There is no reason for him to abandon me at this time.

”For almost a year now, he had left the children and me in penury.

”Akinwumi has not been catering for the children regularly, and the children are girls who need more attention,” she said.

Delivering judgment, Akintayo held that there was a valid traditional marriage between Akinwumi and Toyin due to the payment of bride price.

She said that there was nothing anyone could do since the petitioner said that he was no longer in love with the respondent.

Akintayo, therefore, pronounced the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent dissolved, while he ordered the duo to maintain peace.

He also granted the order restraining Toyin from harassing, threatening, and interfering with the personal life of the petitioner. (NAN)

Paul Alexander, a polio survivor known as the “man in the iron lung” has died aged 78, according to his family and a fundraising website.

Paul Alexander of Dallas, Texas contracted polio at the age of six. It left him paralyzed from the neck down and reliant on a mechanical respirator to breathe for much of the time.

Although often confined to his submarine-like cylinder, he excelled in his studies. Iron Lung Polio Paul Alexander earned a law degree, worked in the legal field and wrote a book.

“With a heavy heart I need to say my brother passed last night,” Philip Alexander posted on Facebook early Wednesday.

“It was an honor to be part of someone’s life who was as admired as he was.”

Christopher Ulmer, a disability advocate running a fundraiser for Alexander, also confirmed his death in a GoFundMe update posted on Tuesday.

“His story travelled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered,” said Ulmer.

A prior update on Alexander’s official TikTok account said he had been rushed to the emergency room after contracting COVID-19.

Iron lungs, the type Paul Alexander used, are sealed chambers fitted with pumps. Raising and lowering the pressure inside the chamber expands and contracts the patient’s lungs.

Invented in the 1920s, their use fell away after the invention of the polio vaccine by Jonas Salk. This became widely available in 1955 and helped consign the devastating paralytic illness to history.

Alexander held the official Guinness World Record for time spent in a lung.

According to his Guinness page, he was able to leave the device for periods of time. He could do this after he learned to “frog breathe” with the help of a physical therapist.

This involved “using his throat muscles to force air into his lungs, gulping down air one mouthful at a time.” Eventually, he only returned to his iron lung at night to sleep.

As a practicing lawyer, Iron Lung Polio Paul Alexander was able to represent clients in court in a special wheelchair that held his paralyzed body upright.

In 2020, he published his memoir, “Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung,” which took five years to complete, given that he wrote the manuscript while confined to the cumbersome contraption.

Iron Lung Polio Paul Alexander used a pen attached to a stick held in his mouth to write every word of the tome.

Seventy-five-year-old Martha Lillard of Shawnee, Oklahoma is reportedly the last surviving person in an iron lung

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reiterated his directives to security agencies and the ministry of defence that no ransom should be paid by the government to kidnappers, bandits, or any criminal elements for the release of abducted persons.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This is coming on the heels of the reported cases of kidnapped children in Kaduna State who are still held in captivity by their abductors and are demanding billions of money for their release.

He said, “In council today, Mr. President reiterated his directive to the security agencies and the ministry of defence to ensure that those of our kids that have been abducted by these criminal gangs are brought back to their homes safely.

“And Mr President has also reiterated his zero tolerance for payment of ransom. That was also mentioned by Mr. President at the council today. So the security agencies are working around the clock.

“So these children and people that have been abducted by criminal elements will be brought back to safety pretty soon. The security agencies are working hard in that direction. And Mr. President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by government to any of these criminal elements. It is important that it be put out there.”

While fielding questions on the increasing wave of kidnapping in the country, the Minister said, “You’re also asking about the apparent surge in this kidnapping across the country. Now it is true that some of these are happening, we have seen what has happened in Kaduna, in Borno, and then in Sokoto.

“Of course, the government is watching that very closely and not just watching but also ensuring that security agencies are taking proactive steps to ensure that this is halted significantly.

Now, like I said, Mr. President has said that it is an unacceptable situation, and the government will not condone abductions or kidnappings, or any kind of criminality in that direction. We’re seeing this happening, and the government is taking very proactive steps, first to mitigate that, and also to stop the spread of this apparently.

“We are seeing that the more the security agencies are also hitting these targets or criminals, the more they are pushed to also get some soft targets. But the government is not taking any excuses.

“The President has directed that security agencies must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that these children and all those who have been kidnapped are brought back in safety and also in the process to ensure that not a dime is paid for ransom.

“So it’s important to underscore that the government is not paying anybody any dime, and the government is optimistic that these children and other people that have been abducted will be brought back to their families in safety.”

Former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, argues no rule in Islam prohibits non-Muslims from eating in public during the Ramadan fast.

In reaction to reports alleging that the Hisbah police warned non-muslims against eating in public during Ramadan, Ahmad further clarified that not eating in public during Ramadan fast could only be seen as a gesture of goodwill and respect.

Naija News reports that the former presidential aide further disclosed that Islam preaches respect and consideration for the beliefs of non-Muslims.

“It is important to note that no rule in Islam prohibits non-Muslims from eating in public during Ramadan. In fact, respect and consideration for others’ beliefs are highly valued in our religion. While non-Muslims living in a Muslim-majority community are NOT expected to fast during Ramadan, it is seen as a gesture of goodwill and respect for them to avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours. This is simply out of consideration for the fasting Muslims around them, but it is not compulsory,” he wrote in a post on his official X account.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 13, resolved to investigate the arbitrary increase in the price of cement by cement manufacturers in the country.
The House resolved to invite cement manufacturers alongside the Ministers of Solid Minerals Development and Trade and Investment to brief the House at plenary on reasons for the increasing cost of cement and efforts being made to force down the price.

This followed a motion on notice sponsored by Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi (SDP, Nasarawa) and Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos).

Moving the motion, Gbefwi said manufacturers of cement have increased the price of their products by up to 50%, leading to sharp hikes in building blocks, the cost of building, and consequently, the price of rent across the country

According to him, the raw materials for the manufacture of cement, which include lime, silica, alumina, iron oxide, and gypsum are all sourced locally and not affected by exchange rate volatility.

He said all the factors of production and elements of the cement production flow chart are also sourced locally and have not changed significantly year-on-year.

He alleged that the manufacturers of cement are capitalizing on exchange volatility to arbitrarily increase the price of the product, whose cost of production has not changed significantly since last year.

He accused those he called the cement cabal of unconscionably inflicting hardship on Nigerians as the prices of rent and associated services have increased.

He alleged further that the increase is a direct affront and sabotage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s effort to bring comfort to the populace and should be resolved immediately.

Contributing to the motion, Oboku Oforji (PDP, Bayelsa) said the parliament must not close its eyes and watch cement manufacturers inflict pain on the Nigerian people through arbitrary increases in the prices of cement.

Yusuf Adamu Gagdi (APC, Plateau) accused cement manufacturers of practically sabotaging the efforts of the government to provide affordable housing for the Nigerian people.

Gagdi said while the prices of cement were rising above the reach of the average Nigerian, people from neighbouring countries were enjoying the benefit of the products.

Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo) wondered why cement manufacturers should be increasing the prices of cement almost daily and declaring billions of naira as profit. Pricing cement is above the reach of the average Nigerian.

George Ozodinobi (LP, Anambra) calls for mass importation of cement into the country, saying doing so will force down the prices of locally produced cement.

He said when licence was given to Ibeto to import cement by the Yar’adha administration he was frustrated out of the business by cement manufacturers in the country.

Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano) accused cement manufacturers of sabotage and working against the provisions of the Constitution, saying what the cement manufacturers are doing was corruption.

But Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) cautioned against any drastic action against the manufacturers, saying Nigeria was operating a free market economy while saying that those contributing to the motion were speaking from the socialist point of view.

He said even though he was on the side of the Nigerian people, the point must be made that there is no monopoly in cement production in the country, adding that the cement plants were sold to the highest bidders, describing Nigeria as a net exporter of cement in Africa.

He said Nigerians must understand that the cement manufacturers were paying for the cost of energy as they have to generate their own power using gas which is priced at an international rate, but the lawmakers shouted him down.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate re-opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with neighbouring Niger Republic.
According to a statement issued by his special adviser on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu also directed the immediate lifting of other sanctions against the country.

The statement further explained that the President’s directives were in compliance with the resolution of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government during its last extraordinary meeting in Abuja.

He said: “President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

“This directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

“ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

“The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately: Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.

“Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as a freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.

“Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.

“Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD. Travel bans on government officials and their family members.”

President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed on Wednesday has expressed his displeasure at the action of thr Nigerian Senate to suspend Senator Ningi.

Describing him as one of the ‘best of us from Bauchi’, the Governor said he is saddened that the Senator was suspended for telling the truth and called for proper investigation into the alleged N3 trillion budget padding in the approved 2023 fiscal document.

Abdul Ningi, a senator representing Bauchi Central under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the amount is strange to the lawmaker and has no allocation in the approved budget.

Ningi, was also the Chairman, Northern senators was deserted by his colleague for raising the issue, saying the claim did not represent the views of the Forum. He has come under fire and was suspended by the Senate for three months. The lawmaker also resigned his position as the leader of the Forum on Tuesday after the suspension.

Meanwhile, while reacting to the development, Governor Bala Mohammed while speaking during a meeting of the State Executive Council on Wednesday, said that he is in support of Senator Ningi.

He said: “We will continue as opposition to the Federal Government but that will be done in our own modesty and that is not to disparage our country. Yesterday, I was very sad that the Senate suspended one of our best in Bauchi for telling the truth, for standing to be the beacon of truth –Senator Abdul Ningi.”

“Equally I don’t know what we will do but we will discuss privately to see what we can do to support him because I support whatever he is doing. And that is the face of the opposition, especially if what he is saying is the truth. We will investigate that. I am not too quick to go to the media but, certainly, he has shown courage. He has shown he is from Bauchi and we have to be with him,” he said.

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has claimed that the attack on the North is being orchestrated by forces within and outside the country.

He stated this while reacting to the abduction of 61 people in Buda village, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Tuesday.

Fani Kayode condemned the act, describing it as cowardly, condemnable and despicable.

He wondered who had decided to inflict Kaduna State and its people with troubles through the kidnap of their indigenes.

Speaking via his X account, Fani-Kayode wrote, “The attack and kidnapping of another 61 people in Buda Village, Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State in the early hours of Tuesday is yet another cowardly, despicable and condemnable act.

“Four days ago, I wrote that this whole nightmare was being orchestrated by some dark and sinister forces from within and outside our country and that for our nation to have experienced 3 mass kidnappings and abductions of women and school children in the space of one week in three separate states in the North (namely Borno, Kaduna and Sokoto) was NO coincidence.

“Tuesday morning’s dastardly act makes it the fourth!

“Who is targeting the North and by extension Nigeria for destruction and who has decided to afflict the beautiful state of Kaduna and trouble its people and hardworking and diligent Governor just after he has established a bridge of peace, love and unity between Christians and Muslims in the state?

“Who seeks to rob us of our peace, who hates our people so much, who is trying to bring us to our knees and who wishes such ill for Nigeria?

“In the fullness of time, all these questions will be answered and those behind this great evil will be exposed and brought to justice.

“Once again my heart goes out to @ubasanius and the people of Kaduna state and I join millions of others in praying for them and boldly proclaiming that we shall overcome.”

Tobechukwu, the son of Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli, has tied the knot with his partner.

Naija News recalls that the movie star in January announced the engagement of his son via her Instagram page, alongside photos of the proposal.

Omoni Oboli took to her Instagram page on Wednesday to share a photo of the wedding ceremony, stating that they had the most beautiful wedding with close family and friends.

She captioned the photo, “God did!!!  It was a cold winter evening but it was very warm in our hearts We had the most beautiful wedding ever with close family and friends. Still reeling from the beauty of that day Thank you Jesus ❤️
Presenting the latest Mr and Mrs Oboli

“Welcome to our world @marelleoboli love you so much my baby girl  PS: Thank you @wannebaybee for hooking me up with @pearls_bridals for my beautiful dress and @onyix_craft for my auto gèle and accessories more pictures and videos loading”