Author: David Great

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, restored access to foreign exchange (FX) to 43 previously restricted commodities on Thursday. CBN Director of Corporate Communications Isa AbdulMumin revealed in a statement on Thursday. The apex bank reiterated its commitment to resolving the currency problem. It also stated that it is working with existing participants to create an FX backlog and would maintain conversation with stakeholders to remedy the issue. According to the statement, “Importers of all the 43 items previously restricted by the 2015 Circular referenced TED/FEM/FPC/GEN/01/010, and its addendums are now allowed to purchase foreign exchange in the Nigerian Foreign…

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Delta Safe have uncovered and deactivated 53 illegal refining sites, recovered stolen products and apprehended 19 suspected oil thieves in one week. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across the country on Thursday in Abuja. Buba said the troops had sustained momentum against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. He said the troops discovered and destroyed 54 dugout pits, 66 boats, 138 storage tanks, 253 cooking ovens, two pumping machines, eight speedboats, 17 hoses, 18…

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Christopher Galtier has returned to management three months after leaving the French champions, taking over at Qatari side Al Duhail. Galtier, 57, won the Ligue 1 title with PSG but lasted just one season at the club after a poor second half of the campaign. The final weeks of his reign were marred by accusations of racism during his previous job at Nice. He has vehemently denied the accusations but will stand trial in December. At Al Duhail, he will inherit a squad including former Liverpool and Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho. Messi doubtful for Argentina…

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder destroyed an illegal refining site in the creeks of Rivers State’s Degema Local Government Area. Commodore Desmond Igbo, Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, showed journalists around the location on Wednesday and put the refinery’s capacity at over a million litres. The Commander described the scope of the operation, which he described as stealing oil from the wellhead and transporting it to an illegal reservoir. “This is NNPC OML-18 being managed by NNPC and Sahara. You can see how these criminals went over there and rigged a hose, that hose is almost 18…

Lionel Messi is doubtful for Argentina’s South American World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Thursday despite “looking good” in training, according to coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi teamed up with the World Cup winners after returning from injury as a second-half substitute for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Messi had played just 37 minutes for his club since September 3, having returned with an injury from international duty last month. “We still have one more training session and one more is important for him… I have to talk it over with him and make sure we are convinced…

President Bola Tinubu has named Ola Olukoyede as Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed the appointment in a statement on Thursday. Olukoyede is slated to serve for four years if confirmed by the Senate. Tinubu appoints Olukoyede as EFCC chairman, Hammajoda as Secretary Below are six things to know about the new EFCC boss: Olukoyede hails from Ekiti State, South-west Nigeria. He was born in Ikere-Ekiti on 14 October 1969. Olukoyede is a seasoned lawyer with over twenty- two (22) years of experience…

NATO countries on Thursday told Israel’s defence minister they stood by his country after the attack by Hamas, but urged his forces to respond with “proportionality”, the alliance said. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant briefed his counterparts from the US-led military alliance via videolink as his country’s military carries out a bombing campaign after Islamist militants killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. “Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO condemned the terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms, adding: ‘Israel does not stand alone’,” NATO said in a statement. “Allies expressed solidarity with Israel, making clear that it has the…

President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has ended the grip of the north on anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by appointing the first chairman of southern extraction since the creation of the agency in 2003. Tinubu on Thursday appointed Olanipekun Olukoyede as the substantive chairman replacing suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa who is in custody following corruption allegations against him. Tinubu also appointed Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda as the new Secretary of the EFCC. Olukoyede who had previously served as Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC between 2016-2018 and Secretary to the Commission between 2018-2023 awaits a…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday appointed Ola Olukoyede as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a statement by the Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson to President Tinubu, Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda was appointed as the Secretary of the anti-graft agency. The statement read, “By the powers vested in President Bola Tinubu as established in section 2 (3) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, that “the Chairman and members of the Commission, other than ex-officio members, shall be appointed by the President,” President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Ola Olukoyede to…

The wife of Gabon’s deposed President Ali Bongo Ondimba, under house arrest since a coup in the central African country in late August, has been jailed, her lawyer said on Thursday. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Valentin, suspected of allegedly embezzling public funds, was jailed late on Wednesday, her lawyer Francois Zimeray told AFP, condemning the “arbitrary… illegal procedure”. Bongo’s wife was charged on September 28 with money laundering, forgery and falsification of records. Sylvia Bongo has been under house arrest in the capital, Libreville, since the August 30 coup brought the curtain down on 55 years of Bongo dynasty rule. The…