Author: Vincent Osuwo

The Senate on Thursday asked Wale Edun, Minister of Finance, Samsudeen Ogunjimi, Accountant-General of the Federation, and Tanimu Yakubu, Director-General of the Budget Office, to produce a thorough performance report on the 2024 budget within two weeks. Analysts are concerned that the decision may delay President Bola Tinubu’s presentation of the 2026 fiscal blueprint to the National Assembly. The Senate’s Committee on Finance warned that the report must include predictions for the capital component of the 2025 budget before the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) for 2026-2029 may be discussed. The order was issued by the Senate…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced that the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has admitted additional evidence in the ongoing trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over an alleged $4.5bn fraud. According to a statement released on Thursday, the EFCC said Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court made the ruling during proceedings on October 9, 2025. “Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on October 9, 2025, admitted more evidence against a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),…

The Council of State on Thursday approved the exercise of the presidential prerogative of mercy for 175 persons across various categories by President Bola Tinubu. The decision came after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), presented Tinubu’s recommendations based on the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy at Thursday’s Council of State meeting at the State House in Abuja. Although the complete names of the recipients have yet to be released, our correspondent learned that pardons were issued to Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s founding fathers, and Maj. Gen. Mamman…

Vinicius Jr.’s Madrid home reportedly caught fire on Thursday morning, just hours after his love life controversy sparked social media outrage. According to Spanish broadcaster Marca, an electrical problem caused a fire to break out in the false ceiling of his basement sauna, filling two floors with smoke. The Real Madrid player avoided injury since he was training with Brazil in Seoul, South Korea. Fortunately, no injuries or poisonings were reported as a result of the occurrence. At before 11 a.m. (Spanish time), the fire department was called to his home in La Moraleja, Alcobendas, and two crews arrived to…

The National Council of State unanimously confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan’s (SAN) appointment as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. This was announced in a statement on X on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy. On Thursday, during the Council’s meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu delivered Amupitan’s name. The nomination comes after Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s 10-year tenure ended in October 2025. Tinubu informed the Council that Amupitan, a 58-year-old Law Professor from Kogi State, is the first candidate from the North-Central state to be nominated…

Veteran broadcaster and former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Christopher Kolade, has died at the age of 92. The death of the elder statesman was announced by his family in a statement on Thursday. The statement disclosed that the late former Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria died peacefully on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. “We are thankful for his incredible life of faith and service, and are grateful for God’s abundant blessings,” the statement read in part. Kolade had a long career as a diplomat, academic, and proponent of ethics and corporate governance, among other things. Kolade was born…

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has praised US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas to end the Gaza conflict. Herzog stated that Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. “There is no doubt that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this,” Herzog wrote on X on Thursday, calling the deal a chance to mend, to heal, and to open a new horizon of hope for our region.” Trump announced earlier that indirect negotiations in Egypt had produced a breakthrough. The first phase of the US peace plan calls…

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended 12 suspected armed robbers in connection to the killing of an Arise News staff member, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery attack in Abuja. According to a report on Arise TV’s website on Thursday, the arrests were made after an operation organized by the Scorpion Squad under the FCT Police Command, based on intelligence from Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC. According to Arise, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, launched a manhunt for the culprits after the September 29, 2025, attack at Unique Apartment…

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned online advertisements and promotions that exploit his name and image without permission. In a message posted on his verified X account on Thursday, Obi stated that, despite previous comments from his aides, certain people continue to use his identity to mislead the public. He urged the public not to believe any commercial claims linking him to products, corporations, or money-making activities. “I wish to state categorically that I have no connection whatsoever with any of these endorsements or promotional activities. At no time have I authorized any individual, business, or online platform to…

Engineers sacked by the Dangote refinery for allegedly joining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have condemned the plan to redeploy them to sugar, cement, and other business units under the Dangote Group. The staff, who spoke with The PUNCH anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, claimed the company was victimizing them for unionization. However, the Dangote media team denied this on Wednesday, stating that there are still PENGASSAN members working in the refinery. PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities between Sunday and Tuesday last week over allegations that 800 refinery workers…