Author: Festus Adeloye

Southern governors yesterday said having state police will give them more control over security decisions in their states. They believe locals are better placed to fight crime because they understand the terrain and language. The state helmsmen met under the Southern Governors Forum (SGF) in Abeokuta. They appointed host Governor Dapo Abiodun as chairman. Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, was named Vice Chairman. Also in attendance were Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Alex Otti (Abia), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun). Others are Bassey Otu (Cross River), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Duoye Diri…

Mr Femi Otedola, billionaire businessman and chairman of First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, yesterday, acquired additional 797,946,415 units of the company’s shares through the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, to sustain his majority stake in the company. The acquisition was disclosed in a corporate filing on the NGX, as the shares were traded at N21.58 per share valued at N17.219 billion. The fresh acquisition further shows that Otedola’s shareholding has now reached 11.63 percent, the highest in the company. It will be recalled that last week, Otedola, increased his stake in FBN Holdings, with the purchase of 546, 674, 034…

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration lavished the initial $100 million of a $500 million World Bank loan for women empowerment on meetings. Ohanenye made this revelation in an interview with Arise Television on Monday. According to the minister, Buhari’s government “lavished” the $100 million on meetings, advocacy and consultancy. Recall that the World Bank on June 27, 2023 approved a fresh $500 million loan for Nigeria to help improve the livelihood of women in Nigeria. Ohanenye commended President Bola Tinubu for his proactive involvement in the project, particularly his scrutiny of…

“The Sultan is the Sultan of Sokoto. But he is much more than that; he represents an idea. He is an Institution that all of us in this country need to jealously guard, protect, promote, preserve, and project for the growth of our nation.” The above were the words of Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Monday. Shettima gave the advice while delivering his speech at the ongoing North West Peace & Security Summit in Katsina State. The Vice President advised the Sokoto State government to protect the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III. Recall that the Executive…

Justice Mohammed Liman of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday acquitted a former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and his former aide, Oyebode Atoyebi, of 54 counts of money laundering. Delivering judgement, Justice Liman held that the prosecution failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on it by the provisions of the law. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ikuforiji is charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Atoyebi on a 54-count charge bordering on alleged N338.8 million in money laundering. They had each pleaded not guilty…

No fever than ten governors have arrived in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for the meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum. The meeting is holding at the Presidential Lodge, Ibara Housing, Abeokuta. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum, led the pack of early callers at the meeting. He was received by the host Governor, Dapo Abiodun. Other Governors who have arrived are: Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Alex Otti (Abia), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Bassey Otu (Cross River) Also on the ground are, Deputy Governors, Chinyere Ekomaru (Imo) and Monday Onyeme (Delta) and Olayide…

Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has extended his wedding invitation to the former chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick. Davido earlier revealed that he and Chioma would tie the knot in Lagos on June 25. In a recent post on TikTok, Julie, Pinnick’s wife, filmed Davido as he walked towards the ex-NFF boss to present him with the invitation card. The Afrobeats star, who was with Chioma, also took a group picture with Pinnick’s family. Julie also wished the couple “a beautiful future together forever”. “Let love lead Wishing Chioma and David a 30…

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted Union Bank Plc. an interim order of Injunction restraining Swift Networks Limited and its agents from accessing funds and assets in all banks pending the determination of a Motion on Notice in an alleged debt recovery suit. According to a certified true copy of the order, it was issued by the court on June 19, 2024, based on the application filed on June 11, 2024, and after hearing Gbenga Akinde Counsel for the Plaintiff/Applicant, Union Bank, moves a motion ex-parte. Union Bank listed Swift Networks and its Managing Director Charles Anudu…

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is set to host the 2024 LCCI International Business Conference & Expo in Lagos on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th August, 2024. The event with the theme, “Invest Nigeria”, which is to hold at Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, will herald the introduction of 15 unicorn companies to the Nigerian economy, signing of landmark investment agreements between Nigeria and other countries and establishment of over 1000 new start-ups across Africa. A statement from LCCI said…

Nigeria has recorded a commercial transaction of raw gold sales at the London Bullion Market Association, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake disclosed on Sunday. He said the sales have delivered a $5m increase in Nigeria’s foreign reserves, 70 plus kilograms of gold refined to the London Bullion Market Good Delivery Standard and successful aggregation of locally mined gold thereby injecting about N6bn into the rural economy. Alake disclosed this while presenting the latest gold bar sourced from artisanal and small gold miners and refined by the Solid Minerals Development Fund to President Bola Tinubu during the weekend.…