Author: Amina Mohammed

The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked its relevant committees to invite the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Managing Directors of Commercial banks, and other financial institutions utilizing point-of-sale services to find solutions to the challenges faced by users of POS in the country. This followed a motion by John Okafor (APC, Imo) on the need to implement verifiable documentation of Point of Sale users and fund recipient identity across the country. Okafor said the increasing challenges posed by the undocumented identities of Point of Sale (POS) users and fund recipients in Nigeria have given opportunities for fraudulent…

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, on Wednesday, ordered the remand of the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until December 10. The court will rule on his application for bail on that date. Justice Maryann Anenih gave the order after Bello and his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge filed against them by the EFCC. The charges include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property linked to an alleged N110 billion fraud.…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has produced the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama for arraignment.  Bello is billed to enter his plea to a 16-count charge ordering on his alleged complicity in a N110billion fraud. The erstwhile governor’s whereabouts remained unknown till yesterday when he surrendered himself after a protracted hide-and-seek game between him and the anti-graft agency. Dressed in white caftan and blue cap, was marshalled into the court premises by armed operatives of the EFCC before 9am, for his arraignment.…

Six men linked to France midfielder Paul Pogba, including one of his brothers, went on trial in Paris yesterday  accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding a player at gunpoint. The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world – all the more so because the alleged perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother Mathias. Tuesday’s trial comes on top of professional woes for Pogba, whose career has struggled since France’s spectacular 2018 World Cup win when he scored against Croatia in the Moscow final. He suffered through repeated injuries and…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday, stated that the country must confront the pressing issue of the National Library, which has been abandoned for over 18 years, by ensuring its completion. Obasanjo, who delivered a goodwill message at the 60th anniversary of the National Library of Nigeria in Abuja, described the library as not only a symbol but also a critical necessity. The contract for the library, which stands incomplete on Plot 35, Cadastral Business District in the Federal Capital Territory, was awarded to Reynolds Construction Company in 2006 during Obasanjo’s administration. The contract was worth N8.9 billion, with an…

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Musa Odiniya, yesterday told an Abuja High Court that Al-Duraq Investment Limited, which was registered in 2021, got the contract for the construction of the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport in 2022. Odiniya, who is a former Director of Procurement at the Bureau Public Procurement (BPP), said this while testifying in the alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud against a former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika. The EFCC is prosecuting Sirika and his daughter Fatima, Jalal Sule Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Nigeria Limited for abuse of office and contract fraud. They are standing trial before…

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Abubakar Dantsoho, has called for enhanced technological collaboration among African littoral states to accelerate transit cargo transportation, particularly in regions requiring multiple waterway transits. Speaking on Monday at the 44th Annual Council and 19th Roundtable of the Directors General of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa in Conakry, Guinea, Dantsoho emphasised the need for African countries to leverage their strengths to improve trade facilitation to landlocked nations. “We must work together to improve trade access for landlocked countries, sharing technological advancements and information to enhance service delivery, particularly by…

Reno Omokri, a former presidential media aide has described Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections as a tribalist who only thinks of his people in the South-East. In a post on his X, Omokri despite serving eight years as governor of Anambra, Obi did not build a single school but has been donating money to different schools, mostly in Igboland ahead of the 2027 elections He wrote “Peter Obi, who did not build a single nursery, primary or secondary school or university while he was a two-term Governor of Anambra, has been donating money…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has announced a new agreement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery that could reduce petrol prices nationwide. IPMAN’s National President, Abubakar Garima, revealed the agreement during a press briefing in Abuja, following a meeting of the association’s National Working Committee. Under the new arrangement, IPMAN will now source PMS (Premium Motor Spirit), AGO (Automotive Gas Oil), and DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene) directly from Dangote Refinery. Garima stated that this direct access to products would ensure a steady and affordable fuel supply for Nigerians, ultimately driving down costs at the pump. He said, “Following our…

The Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Alkali, seems to have a hang of his ministry, based on the presidential priorities. This is especially so because he also understands how pivotal his ministry is to the success or failure of the President Bola Tinubu administration. After over a year in office, Alkali is confident that the take-off is gradually attaining a degree of stability, and with the appropriate financing, the ministry is sure to deliver on all its mandates. In this interview with Amina Mohammed, he shares the story of the journey so far. Excerpts: It’s been a few months since…