Author: Festus Adeloye

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday presented its first witness in the N2.7 billion contract fraud trial of Hadi Sirika; his daughter, Fatima; his Son-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Limited. Led in evidence by EFCC lead counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the subpoenaed witness, a former director of Procurement, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Azubuike Okorie, informed Justice Sylvanus Oriji, of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, that the N1.4 billion Apron Extension contract at Katsina Airport was not executed as of the time he left civil service in May 23, 2023. Okorie said, “As of the time I…

The Federal Ministry of Works has fixed the vandalised railings and expansion joints used to absorb the thermal expansions at the Second Niger Bridge. Uchenna Orji, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this to our correspondent on Monday. Orji said the vandalised sections of the bridge were fixed on Sunday. He added that the Federal Ministry of Works is working with the police and other security agencies to tighten security stop vandalism on the bridge and save the “superstructure” from further damage. He said, “Yes, the vandalised sections of the bridge have been…

The organised labour has vowed to reject any ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 minimum wage proposal for Nigerian workers by the federal government. Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Monday, the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Chris Onyeka, described such a proposal as a “starvation wage”. Onyeka insisted that labour won’t accept the latest government’s offer of ₦62,000, saying that its latest demand as the living wage for an average Nigerian worker remains ₦250,000. He said, “Our position is very clear. We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below…

As the standoff between the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Federal Government over the proposed minimum wage continues, Nigerian citizens have taken to social media to implore the labour union not to disrupt the national grid during any potential strike action. On Monday, the NLC rejected the government’s offers of either ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 as the new minimum wage, with Assistant General Secretary Chris Onyeka describing these figures as a “starvation wage.” “Our position is very clear. We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know can take Nigerian workers home.…

Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, on Sunday visited the family of Cpl. Lucky Ikechukwu Ikpeama, one of the soldiers killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen at Obikabia Junction, Obingwa Local Government Area. Late Cpl. Ikpeama hailed from the same village, Nvosi, in Isialangwa South Local Government Area, as Governor Otti. The deceased, one of the five soldiers ambushed and killed by the gunmen, on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at his duty post, left behind a young wife with about four-month-old baby, and an aged mother. Governor Otti commiserated with the family and reiterated his promise that the State Government will take…

The Organised Labour has said it will not accept any N62,000 or N100,000 “starvation wage” as the minimum wage for workers. The union insisted on N250,000, being its latest demand at the last meeting of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage on Friday, as the living wage for an average Nigerian worker. This was made known by Chris Onyeka, Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, while fielding questions on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief show on Monday. Onyeka said the one week to the Federal Government last Tuesday would expire by the midnight of Tuesday, June 11,…

German coach Gernot Rohr has yet predicted a difficult match as The Cheetahs of Republic of Benin tango with the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier today at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Rohr, who switched coaching roles from Nigeria to Benin, said the game offers the Cheetahs the opportunity to avenge their loss to their illustrious neighbours in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier at the Charles de Gaulle Stadium in Port Novo. While the Super Eagles have only secured three points in their opening three matches, The…

Pedri is rediscovering his best form and will have an important role to play in Spain’s European Championship campaign, head coach Luis de la Fuente said after the Barcelona midfielder scored twice in a 5-1 win over Northern Ireland. The 21-year-old, who struggled with injury problems last season and didn’t play for Spain in 2023, scored his first and second international goals in Spain’s final warm-up match before the European Championship. “We have been very happy and because he is a very good player and he knows that I have confidence in him and he is going to give us…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rejigged the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). He appointed Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe as the interim Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the NCCC, pending confirmation by the Supervisory Council. Dr. Maduekwe, 39, a renowned climate policy expert with over 15 years of experience, will also serve as Co-Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP). According to a statement yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Maduekwe served as legal adviser to the NCCC Director-General. “In accordance with his commitment to actualize Nigeria’s green industrial vision,…

EFCC PRESS STATEMENT EFCC’s Akure Arrests: Setting the Records Straight Arising from the misinformation and distortion of facts about the arrest of 127 suspected internet fraudsters by operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, June 8, 2024, it becomes imperative to clearly present the true facts of the operation. The Operatives executed a classical sting operation at two Clubs simultaneously in Akure based on credible intelligence, leading to the arrest of the suspected fraudsters. The operation, in line with the established ground norm for such engagement, was devoid of any incident…