Author: TheScrutinyNG

Nigeria has met its outstanding financial obligations to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) which has spanned nearly two decades with one hundred percent payment totaling $85.54 billion. The payment, totaling ₦84 billion and $54 million, covers Nigeria’s contributions for 2023 and extends through July 2024. The announcement was made by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, during the 66th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held on Sunday at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Dr. Touray described the payment, completed on Friday, December 13,…

Gary O’Neil has been sacked as head coach of struggling Wolves after four consecutive Premier League defeats. The club sits second from bottom of the table with nine points from 16 games, following Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Ipswich. In a statement via X on Sunday, Wolves announced, “We have parted company with head coach Gary O’Neil and his backroom staff. We thank them for all of their effort and hard work over the last 16 months.” O’Neil, 41, was appointed in August 2023 after the departure of Julen Lopetegui and signed a new four-year contract with the…

President Bola Tinubu is hosting 11 of his counterparts at the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States. The 12 presidents arrived at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, at about 2:00 pm. PUNCH reports that Tinubu is hosting Sunday’s meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, a position he assumed in June 2023. He was re-elected for a second one-year term in June 2024. The meeting comes amidst rising tensions, particularly following the announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali,…

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has denied a report alleging that it has invited former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the presidency under its platform, saying such story remained untrue. Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, made the clarification in an interview with BBC Hausa. The PDP deputy spokesman said a previous interview he granted about Jonathan’s eligibility for presidency was misconstrued. “The report that PDP has issued its presidential ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan or invited him to contest the 2027 presidential election is not true. “What happened is…

Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, has explained that the Federal Government terminated Julius Berger contract to construct the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road because the construction giant failed to keep to agreement terms, noting further that the country would save N640 billion by terminating the contract. Umahi disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee to defend the government’s decision. Recall that in November 2024, Umahi announced the termination of Julius Berger’s contract to construct the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road over failure to meet up with contractual conditions. In a follow-up development, the Nigerian Senate had issued an arrest…

At least three people have been killed and 48 others injured, six critically, following a bomb attack at a festival in Thailand’s northern Tak province. The explosion occurred late Friday night at the Red Cross Doi Loyfa Fair in Umphang district, a popular annual event attended by thousands. Authorities say the device was thrown into a crowd near an outdoor stage where festival goers were dancing. Two suspects are in custody, though no charges have been filed yet, according to Thai police and local media reports. Early investigations suggest the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). Prime…

A tanker laden with premium motor spirit exploded in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State on Saturday, as the development sent shivers down the spines of the residents. This is as no casualty was recorded as at the time of this report, even as residents have continued to monitor the situation in fear. It was gathered that the incident occurred around noon when the tanker which was heading toward Kwara State suddenly exploded. Men of the Fire Service were on ground to put out the fire. The incident caused heavy gridlock along the road as commuters were forced to…

The Federal Government has expressed commitment to producing a critical ingredient called pharmaceutical-grade starch locally for solid medicine production. This was disclosed by Professor Martins Emeje, the director general of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), during a virtual stakeholders’ meeting which the agency hosted on Saturday, where the don emphasised the necessity of the Cassava Value Addition Initiative (CVAI) in this regard. The meeting served as a platform to involve key players in cassava cultivation, processing, and utilization, emphasizing the project’s national importance. The DG sad the Cassava Value Addition Initiative (CVAI) aims to curtail foreign exchange losses,…

Alhaji Dalhatu Bafarawa, the former governor of Sokoto State, has said division along religious lines was used to divide the people of northern Nigeria to prevent the region from realising its full economic and socio-cultural potential. Different parts of Northern Nigeria have over the year grappled with one form of insecurity or another. For instance, the North East has been suffering from Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade, the North Central battles farmers-herders conflict while the North West is encountering banditry and terrorism. Farmers across conflict-ridden areas in the North can barely go to farms now, thereby posing threats…

Hon. Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has challenged those opposing the Federal Government’s Tax Reform Bill to come up with any better alternative if they even have such. This is as he also advanced reasons he is supporting the bills,, saying he was not supporting them because they were perfect but because it was the right thing to do. He, however, conceded the fact that those opposed to it have the right to do so, saying, “But I do not share their jaundiced nay tenuous and puerile position that because they disagree with some aspects…