Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it will freeze accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identification Number (NIN) from April 2024. This is according to a Friday circular by the apex bank which instructed banks to place a “Post no Debit” restriction – which prevents customers from making withdrawals, transfers, or any other debits “for all existing Tier-1 accounts/wallets without BVN or NIN”. “Effective immediately, any unfunded account/wallet shall be placed on ‘Post No Debit or Credit’ until the new process is satisfied.  Effective March 1, 2024, all funded accounts or wallets shall be placed on…

The Northern Caucus chairman in the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ado Alhassan Doguwa, has debunked as incorrect the report that President Bola Tinubu presented an empty budget box during his budget presentation on Wednesday. “What people don’t know is that the President had submitted a flash drive of the whole budget before his presentation to the joint chambers,” he said. In a statement he released titled “Stop the Misrepresentation of Facts: We Did Not Receive Empty 2024 Budget Box from President Tinubu,” Doguwa said the speculation is unfounded. Doguwa said: “I write in response to the mischievous insinuations that Mr.…

Prince Kassim Afegbua has declared his interest to contest the forthcoming Edo 2024 governorship election under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking during an interaction with the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council at its secretariat in Benin City, Afegbua said he would not run government of Memorandum of Understanding if elected. He also said infrastructural decay, leadership deficiency, amongst others currently witnessed in the state made him to join the governorship race. He said the needless fight and altercations among the leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state, coupled with the…

Athletic Bilbao have tied Nico Williams down to a new contract amid reported interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool. Williams’s previous deal was set to expire at the end of this season, sparking rumours of a potential free transfer away from Bilbao in the summer. But the 21-year-old has now put pen to paper on a contract which will run until 2027, potentially fending off interest from outside for the time being. A buy-out clause in the deal has not yet been disclosed. The Spain international rose through the ranks at San Mamés and has so far made 96 appearances…

OPEC+ has lowered Nigeria’s oil production target for 2024 to 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), from its previous target of 1.74 million bpd. The move comes as the group of oil-producing countries seeks to manage supply and demand in the global oil market. Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, has struggled to meet its production quotas in recent years due to underinvestment and security issues. However, the country’s output has picked up in recent months, helped by more production offshore. OPEC+ also lowered Angola’s oil production target for 2024 to 1.11 million bpd, from its previous target of 1.28 million…

The Senate, yesterday, said the relative inexperience being exhibited by the Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, has created a cloudy future for the yet to be explored wealth of the ministry. The upper chamber of the legislature, which summoned Alake, to appear before its Committee on Solid Minerals next Wednesday, chided him for disregarding its invitation and threatened zero allocation in the 2024 budget. Alake is expected to brief the senate committee on the federal government’s work plan to develop the sector and block illegal mining. The committee made the resolution, during its meeting and expressed…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have cleared Nigerian singer, Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj, of fraud and rape allegations. The anti-graft agency and the police cleared D’banj of N-power fraud and rape allegations in different clearance reports upon completion of investigations. According to ThePunch, an affidavit deposed by Toheeb Lawal of an Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, before the District Court of Abuja shows that the Nigerian singer is free from any allegation. The newspaper said in the reports of the Nigeria Police Force Investigation and clearance from…

Everton have filed an appeal against their 10-point deduction by the Premier League, the club said on Friday. The Merseyside club were docked points with immediate effect last month after being found to have breached profitability and sustainability rules relating to losses. “Everton Football Club has today lodged with the Chair of the Premier League’s Judicial Panel its appeal of the decision by a Premier League Commission to impose a 10-point deduction on the club,” Everton said in a statement. “An Appeal Board will now be appointed to hear the case.” Earlier this month, the Premier League said Everton admitted that they had breached profitability and…

Crisis in the North-Western and South-Western regions of Cameroon has pushed it’s citizens to seek asylum in Taraba State. The refugees who are nearly 20,000 in number are presently camped in five various local government areas of the state, including Kurmi, Gashaka, Sardauna, Takum and Ussa. The refugees had appealed to the Taraba State and Federal Government to assist in alleviating their sufferings. Although worried about the security crisis rocking the state, the Taraba Governor, Agbu Kefas, has assured the refugees of their safety and protection pending the return of peace in their country. Represented by his Deputy in a…

In the wee hours of Friday, Unknown Gunmen attacked the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made this known in a statement via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. The electoral umpire also shared photos of burnt vehicles, stating that the gunmen engaged in a duel with security operatives which led to loss of properties during the attack and called for a thorough investigation into the incident. The statement reads, “In the early hours of today, Friday December 1 2023, around 3.30am, gunmen attacked the residence of our Resident…

An helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. It was learnt that the helicopter with the number NAF MI-35P crashed at exactly 7.45 am shortly after it took off for an operation against economic saboteurs in Rivers State. As of press time, the cause of the crash remains a mystery. NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, who confirmed the crash, said all those onboard survived with “minor injuries”. Gabkwet, an Air Commodore, explained that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, is on his way to the scene to assess the situation.…

No fewer than 11 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have been sacked over allegations bordering on extortion and bribery. Though, the identities and ranks of those dismissed were unknown as of press time, one among the 12 officials of the Authority who appeared before a disciplinary panel was exonerated from any wrongdoing. About 12 officials of the Authority were on Thursday, November 30, 2023, summoned before a disciplinary panel for various offences bordering on corrupt practices and absenteeism. Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, who confirmed the dismissal on Friday, said the…