Author: David Great

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman Ola Olukoyede has ordered staff of the anti-graft agency to declare their assets. In a statement by Dele Oyewale, the agency’s spokesperson, the order is a bold move towards internal accountability and cleansing, noting that, it was also in line with civil service regulations and procedures. The EFCC boss gave the directive on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at the Corporate Headquarters of the Commission in Abuja while addressing senior staff of the EFCC. Olukoyede who was recently approved by the Senate stressed that, fighting corruption required those at the vanguard to be…

The House of Representatives is to summon the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, to discuss the new policy that eliminates forex restrictions on 43 commodities. The House is seeking clarification on the policy and its economic repercussions. Following the passage of a motion of urgent public concern by a member, Sada Soli, seeking explanation on the policy and its ramifications for the economy, the parliamentarians passed the resolution summoning the CBN governor. The legislator called the House’s attention to the fact that some of the initially disallowed commodities had tariffs in place to protect domestic…

Southwest Governors paid a goodwill visit to Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, who has been recuperating at his Ibadan house in Oyo State since returning to Nigeria from abroad for medical treatment. The visiting governors were Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, and Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, who were received by Governor Makinde of Oyo State in his office in Agodi, Ibadan, on Tuesday. Following a private meeting at the Governor Seyi Makinde’s Office, they proceeded to Governor Akeredolu’s mansion in Jericho, Ibadan. However, Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, was conspicuously absent. Adeleke was not…

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to respect the laws of war and humanitarian principles in its fight against the Palestinian Islamist Hamas Movement in the Gaza Strip. “The fight must be merciless, but not without rules, because we are democracies fighting terrorists, democracies that respect the law and guarantee humanitarian access,” Mr. Macron said. Mr. Macron was speaking on Tuesday in Tel Aviv during a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Democracies do not target civilians, either in Gaza or anywhere else,” he said. Specifically, Mr. Macron called for electricity to be supplied to the hospitals in…

The Zamfara Hajj Commission on Monday said it discovered N774 million as an outstanding balance not refunded to 504 prospective pilgrims in the state from 2019 to date. The commission’s chair, Musa Mallaha, disclosed this in Gusau at the commission’s inaugural meeting. During the meeting, Mr Mallaha presented appointment letters to the recently appointed five permanent commissioners and 18 part-time commission members on behalf of Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal. Mr Mallaha further disclosed that from 2019 to date, the immediate past administration had not refunded N775 million to the 504 prospective pilgrims who deposited their money with the commission.…

The Kremlin has officially denied an internet report that claimed President Vladimir Putin suffered a heart attack. “There is nothing wrong with him. As usual, this is a hoax,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, according to local media reports. Earlier, a widely read Russian Telegram blog claimed that Putin had suffered a heart attack in the past weekend and had been resuscitated by doctors. The Kremlin felt compelled to issue a denial, even though the story lacked credibility. Peskov spoke of “false Western media reports.” The health of the 71-year-old Russian president has often been the cause of…

About a hundred Bayern Munich and Galatasaray fans battled early Tuesday in one of Istanbul’s largest pub districts before their Champions League encounter. According to Turkish media, four German fans and one Turkish fan were lightly hurt, but no charges were filed. Fans were filmed flinging chairs and other small missiles down the main boulevard of Istanbul’s famed Beyoglu district. The tourist-friendly area is teeming with bars that Galatasaray supporters enjoy. When fans began to target one of the Istanbul club’s retail stores, police intervened. According to the IHA news agency, the altercation involved 70 German and 30 Turkish fans.…

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to become the first Western leader to meet both Israel’s premier and the Palestinian president on Tuesday, more than two weeks into the brutal Gaza conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. As Israel battles Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas after suffering the worst attack in its 75-year history, Macron visited to express solidarity but also to stress the need to protect Gaza’s civilian population in the withering bombing campaign. Hamas in its October 7 attack on southern Israel killed more than 1,400 people and took over 200 hostages, Israeli officials say. Retaliatory air and…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has authorised the establishment of a Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund. Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, disclosed this while briefing State House media shortly after the FEC meeting on Monday at the Presidential Villa Abuja. She stated that the trust fund will allow the Federal Government to respond quickly to humanitarian emergencies in the country. According to her, the federal government hopes to contribute at least $5 billion to the trust fund each year. Tinubu applauds Nigeria’s $11bn P&ID legal battle victory in UK court According to Edu, the…

The United States warned Monday that any Gaza ceasefire by Israel would benefit Hamas, as the European Union considers a call for a humanitarian pause. A ceasefire would “give Hamas the ability to rest, to refit and to get ready to continue launching terrorist attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. “You can understand perfectly clearly why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border,” he said. Israel hammers Gaza…