Author: Opalim Lifted

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has recounted how investigating an alleged $2.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud in Nigeria led to threats against her and the kidnapping of her mother. Okonjo-Iweala said the abductors demanded that she resign as finance minister and leave the country in exchange for her mother’s release. She recounted the ordeal during an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua on The Leaders programme. The former finance minister said the investigation began after officials noticed a sharp increase in claims submitted by fuel importers under Nigeria’s subsidy programme. At the time, Nigeria relied on…

Nigeria spends more than $10 billion annually to maintain its foreign reserves, according to Mustafa Chike-Obi, former chairman of Fidelity Bank. Chike-Obi made the claim during an episode of Policy Without Politics, a podcast he hosts with Ken Ikpe, arguing that the cost of maintaining the reserves must be weighed against their economic benefits. He said Nigeria’s foreign reserves, valued at between $52 billion and $53 billion at the time of his remarks, earned an average return of 3 per cent from liquid assets held abroad, while the naira used to finance them cost about 20 per cent. “So now…

Arsenal broke Nottingham Forest’s resolve as a second-half strike by substitute Noni Madueke earned the defending champions a sixth Premier League win of the season. The Gunners looked in danger of being held to their first draw of the campaign as they struggled to break down the home side’s defence. A dreadful first half did not feature any shots on target from either side, which is only the second time that has happened in the Premier League this season. The first time was in a game that also involved Arsenal – at Aston Villa on 31 August, when the Gunners…

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Task Force) has detained a dismissed operative for alleged impersonation and extortion of motorists and traders. The chairman of the task force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, disclosed this in a statement signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, on Sunday in Lagos. Akerele said the suspect was detained at Oshodi bus stop following the circulation of a viral video showing his apprehension. The chairman said the suspect, a former paramilitary operative, was dismissed several months ago over alleged misconduct, including theft, the use of a fake identity card, extortion of motorists and…

Salihu Lukman, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and convenor of G100, says opposition parties are making progress towards forming an alliance ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election. Lukman said the group had made greater progress than expected in persuading political parties and presidential candidates to consider working together to strengthen the opposition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He spoke in an interview with Channels Television aired on Friday. “Well, first, let me remind you that when we came together as G100, our objective was to engage the political parties and their candidates and get them…

Suberu Aniviye, the suspended Niger State commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has admitted that the deaths of suspected illegal miners in custody could have been avoided. According to AIT, Aniviye apologised to the victims’ families while testifying before a panel of inquiry investigating the deaths in Minna, the Niger State capital. He described the incident as a costly mistake that occurred during his tenure. The panel is chaired by Mohammed Mohammed, a judge. Stephen Tsado, the suspended head of the NSCDC legal unit, told the panel that he had advised Aniviye to release the underage…

Clemens Westerhof, former Super Eagles head coach, has been hospitalised after he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Lillian, Clemens’ wife, confirmed the illness in an Instagram post on Saturday. She added that the family needs prayer and support, adding that an emotional Westerhof clings on to life despite his critical condition. According to Vanguard Newspaper, the veteran coach is receiving treatment at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem, his hometown in the Netherlands. Westerhof was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday, and Lillian added that he could be moved to a facility in Amsterdam, the Dutch capital, or Germany for better treatment.…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “over its failure to account for over ₦126.46 billion in public funds appropriated for electoral operations but allegedly diverted, lost, mismanaged or otherwise unaccounted for.” The funds were meant to buy ballot boxes, electoral devices and materials, sensitive materials and result sheets, vehicles and accreditation devices, and to pay for audit and consultancy services, digital archiving, and other goods and services required for the conduct and administration of elections. According to the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published…

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces will provide adequate security before, during and after the forthcoming general elections, pledging to protect voters from intimidation. Musa gave the assurance at the State House after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, where security chiefs briefed the President on the country’s security situation ahead of the elections scheduled for January. Speaking to State House correspondents, the minister said Tinubu had directed security agencies to maintain professionalism and ensure a safe environment for Nigerians to exercise their voting rights. According to him, the President…

Audio streaming platform Spotify has expanded its audiobook service to Nigeria as part of a global rollout that will bring hundreds of thousands of titles to listeners across more than 180 markets. Announced on 7 October, the expansion is expected to make more than 350,000 audiobook titles available in over 120 languages by the end of 2026. According to Spotify’s official announcement, the move aims to help authors and publishers reach new audiences while giving listeners more ways to discover and enjoy books. Spotify Audiobooks: Subscription Cost in Nigeria Nigerian users can access audiobooks through Spotify’s Audiobooks+ subscription, which offers…