Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET, has forecast haziness and sunshine from Saturday to Monday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Friday in Abuja predicted moderate dust haze on Saturday with horizontal visibility of 2km and 5km over the northern region during the period. According to the agency, a sunny sky in hazy atmosphere is expected over North-Central cities and the inland cities of the South. It anticipated partly cloudy skies in hazy atmosphere over the coastal belt of the country. It expected some prospects of localised thunderstorms over parts of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states…

Former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is now in the United Kingdom, has acknowledged that she embezzled money from Nigeria. Confessing her deeds during a recent press briefing in London, Madueke alleged that she had entrusted nine billion Dollars to the incumbent Governor of Zamfara State. Madueke served as petroleum minister under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Port Harcourt-born is understood to have fled the country to the United Kingdom out of fear of being arrested by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Diezani, who is said to be battling cancer, is now appealing…

The Nigeria Customs Service Board, has confirmed the appointment of two Assistant Comptrollers-General and the promotion of 2,209 senior officers. The promotion was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by the National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada. This took place at the NCS Headquarters during its 58th regular meeting held on Tuesday, December 19. The appointed officers confirmed as substantive members of the NCS Management Team are ACG Florence Ogar-Modey and ACG Queen Ogubudu. The Comptroller-General, NCS, Bashir Adeniyi, congratulated the newly appointed and promoted officers. The Customs boss equally urged the officers to put in more effort…

Moses Simon has penned a new contract with Ligue 1 outfit, Nantes. The Nigeria international signed a two-year contract that will see him remain at the Maison Jaune until 2026. Simon joined the Canaries on loan from Spanish club Levante at the start of 2019/20 season. The move was made permanent the following campaign. The winger expressed his excitement after signing the new contract. “I am delighted to continue the adventure here and very happy to stay in Nantes! I am ready to continue fighting to help the team go as high as possible. What is certain is that This…

The Rivers State Police Command has banned the use of fireworks and tinted glasses in Port Harcourt and its environs ahead of the yuletide.  The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe Koko, in a statement on Friday, warned retailers of fireworks to cease their sales, saying defaulters would be arrested and prosecuted. Koko also warned against the covering of number plates on vehicles, saying the practice hindered effective law enforcement and compromised public safety.

Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has fulfilled the conditions of his bail as outlined by the court. Emefiele has therefore left the Kuje prison after meeting the N300 million bail condition. It was gathered that Emefiele’s release warrant was signed by a vacation judge, Justice Othman Musa on 22nd December. Emefiele was in November, granted bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum by Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja. The sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District according to the Judge and…

All thirty-six (36) members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who had been detained for two years in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, have been released by the Ebonyi State High Court. The counsel representing IPOB, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, confirmed this development in a statement released on Saturday. Initially charged with murder under charge No: HAB/29c/2021, the IPOB members pleaded not guilty, and the case proceeded to a hearing. The prosecution presented six witnesses and closed its case, after which we submitted a No Case Submission. This submission was duly adopted on June 15, 2022, and the ruling was…

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has directed banks to disregard the initial ban on cryptocurrency which it announced two years ago. Haruna Mustapha, CBN’s director of financial policy and regulation, disclosed this in a circular on Friday. The apex bank said it is now providing guidelines and regulations for banks with regard to managing cryptocurrency in line with global trends to avoid its misuse, while urging banks to comply with the guidelines and regulations. See full statement below: FPR/DIR/PUB/CIR/002/003 CIRCULAR TO ALL BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS GUIDELINES ON OPERATIONS OF BANK ACCOUNTS FOR VIRTUAL ASSETS SERVICE PROVIDERS (VASPs)…

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Thursday commenced the implementation of the Integrated Market Revenue Management System (IMRMS), a purpose-built digital platform, to capture the informal sector, especially market traders in the federal government’s tax net. The FIRS is partnering with the Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN), the umbrella body for all trading associations in Nigeria with a membership of well over 40 million traders across the country, to collect and remit Value Added Tax (VAT) from traders in the marketplace, using the IMRMS platform. The collaboration is known as the VAT Direct Initiative (VDI), which is part…

Julian Alvarez scored twice as Manchester City won the Fifa Club World Cup for the first time by beating Brazilians Fluminense in Saudi Arabia. Pep Guardiola’s side, taking part in the tournament after winning last season’s Champions League, made the ideal start as Alvarez struck inside the first minute, chesting in from close range after Nathan Ake’s long-range strike hit the post. They added a second before the break when Nino turned Phil Foden’s cross into the back of his own net. England’s Foden then got on the scoresheet himself in the second half when he darted through the middle…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 3, 2024 to conduct 44 supplementary elections. Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman Information Voter Education Committee (IVEC) of INEC said this on Friday in a statement tagged ‘timetable and schedule of activities for bye-elections and court-ordered re-run elections’. The elections comprise nine bye-elections and 35 court-ordered re-run elections. “The commission has approved the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for conducting bye-elections resulting from the resignation or demise of Members of the National and State Houses of Assembly. “These vacancies were declared by the Presiding Officers that is the Senate President,…

Governor Inuwa Yahaya has officially endorsed Gombe State’s 2024 budget of N208.064 billion. The budget was signed on Friday, ten days after the state House of Assembly approved it. The signing ceremony took place in Gombe and was attended by the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Abubakar Luggerewo, and other prominent government officials. During the event, Governor Yahaya commended the collaborative efforts between the executive and legislative branches of the government, which facilitated a seamless budgetary process in the state. He emphasized that the budget was designed with the people’s best interests in mind, evident in the allocation of 58% of…