Author: Chronicle Editor

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Delta State. Also passed were two bills to establish the University of Technology, Auchi, Edo State; and Federal College of Education, Giwa, Kaduna State. The three bills were passed by the upper chamber following a clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND. Senate okays N168.8bn FIRS 2020 budget While the bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Maritime University was sponsored by Senator James Manager (PDP – Delta South); the other two to establish the University of Technology,…

Suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has opened up on his travails while in detention. He asked Nigerians not to give up on the fight against corruption. He said whether he is the chairman of EFCC or not, “Nigerians must own the war against corruption, which President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to eradicate.” He said what he went through was “one of those risks of the job.” He said all the allegations flying around were to tarnish his image and that of EFCC. Magu, who spoke exclusively with The Nation, said: “As for…

The Secretary of the Medical Guild, Dr. Ismail Ajibowo, has said on Wednesday that doctors in Lagos State have suspended their three-day warning strike. “The three-day warning strike will be suspended and work is to resume by 8am Thursday, 16th July, 2020,” a resolution contained in the communique issued after the Medical Guild Representative Council virtual meeting held on Wednesday (today) stated. Ondo sacks Resident doctors The doctors on Monday commenced a three-day warning strike to press home their agitations, which include harmonisation of wage disparity between the Federal and the Lagos State doctors. More to follow…

The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has been released from police custody after 10 days in detention. Magu was arrested on July 6, 2020 amid allegations of corruption and brought before the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel. The suspended EFCC boss was accused of being unable to account for the interest accrued to recovered funds of about N550bn. 12 EFCC directors suspended He was also accused of insubordination and purchase of property in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. more to follow…

Justice I.N. Buba of Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced Captain Ezekiel Bala Agaba, a former executive director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA to seven years jail term for N1.7 billion fraud. The convict was prosecuted on seven-count amended charges, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Office, following a 2015 intelligence report of fraud in NIMASA and subsequent investigations that unearthed several suspicious transactions to the tune of N1,699,808,666.60, traced to him.…

The Senate on Wednesday approved the N168,809,476,220 as the 2020 budget of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The approval followed the presentation of the report of the Senate Committee on Finance in the FIRS’ 2020 budget proposal. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Solomon Adeola (Lagos West), recommended a one-off special purpose intervention fund of N100 billion for the agency which was approved by the Senate. Adeola said the N100 billion is to assist the FIRS fund pressing needs such as: completion of the FIRS Head Office building complex; Six training schools; 30 Prototype Tax Operations Office; Purpose-built facilities for…

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) authority has explained the circumstances that led to the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot. The Air Force had on Tuesday announced the death or Arotile, saying that she died in an accident within the NAF Base in Kaduna. However, in a detailed release by the NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the late young Officer was killed by a reversing car. According to Air Commodore Daramola, “Flying Officer Arotile died on 14 July 2020 at the age of 24, when she was inadvertently…

The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has sacked the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori. Sani-Omolori was sacked alongside 149 others, including Secretary of NASC, Mr. Olusanya Ajakaiye in a letter by the Commission on Wednesday. The Commission declared any staff who has spent 35 years in service of is 60 should leave and would receive their retirement letter soon. NASS tells Buhari to suspend recruitment of 774,000 The development finally resolves the tenure elongation agitation for the CNA and the affected staff. Details shortly…

About 12 directors and top staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been suspended with immediate effect. The notice of suspension was communicated to the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Mohammed Umar, on Tuesday night by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. The action was said to be in connection with the ongoing investigation of the suspended acting Chairman of the agency, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. Magu never paid Falana N28m But there is anxiety in the commission on the suspension with some of those affected claiming that they were not directly involved in Magu’s…

Apple has been told it will not have to pay Ireland €13bn (£11.6bn) in back taxes after winning an appeal at the European Union’s second highest court. It overturns a 2016 ruling which found the tech giant had been given illegal tax breaks by Dublin. The EU’s General Court said it had annulled that decision because the Commission had not proved Apple had broken competition rules. It is a blow to the European Commission which brought the case. However, it has 14 days to appeal the decision at Europe’s top court, the European court of Justice. What did Apple say?…