Author: Alade Adisa

US President Donald Trump has appointed Secretary of StateMarco Rubio as acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), confirming the State Department’s de facto takeover of the humanitarian agency. The news came hours after American tech billionaire, Elon Musk charged with overhauling the federal government, said President Trump had signed off on shutting the agency down. However, Democrats say that it is not legal for the president to shutter a federal agency without consulting Congress. The US State Department shared a post on X, stating that a review of USAID foreign assistance activities is underway, with the…

Normal caffeinated coffee has reams of health benefits. So is there any reason to go decaf? It’s a kick-start for the day, a jolt many of us need to power through, and one of the last socially acceptable addictions. It’s only when we have to go without coffee that we realise how badly we rely on it. The jitteriness and headaches from caffeine withdrawal can be so overpowering that many of us turn to decaffeinated instead, thinking surely it must be better for our health. But that might not be true, the experts say – not least because decaf coffee is not…

Donald Trump is making good on his threats. Giving Elon Musk plenipotentiary powers, driving a cyber truck through the US constitution, threatening allies with economic war, blaming DEI for the country’s worst air crash in years and obliterating America’s aid agency are just a sample of moves in his opening fortnight. Trump is burning America’s rule book. If he carries on like this, Democrats will have no choice but to send him a strongly worded letter. To claim that America’s minority party is too punch drunk to get its act together would be charitable. None of Trump’s moves should come…

By Alade Adisa The committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to probe the administration of former Governor Nasir el-Rufai has recommended an investigation and possible prosecution of the former governor over alleged ₦423 billion fraud. According to the committee’s report, sighted by New Daily Prime, it also recommended an investigation and possible prosecution of all Commissioners for Finance who served during el-Rufai’s eight-year tenure as governor. Other individuals recommended for investigation and possible prosecution include those who served as Chairmen of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) from 2015 to 2023, as well as Muyiwa…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must pay N1.12 billion to the family of Mike Madu, a businessman who tragically lost his life in a road accident caused by an INEC driver in Kogi State. Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered INEC to pay the N1.12bn with 10 per cent interest per annum from the date of judgment until the final or full payment is made. In addition, the judge ordered INEC, its Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, and other defendants to send a letter of condolence to the late Madu’s family, in a…

…Tells Grammy to never invite or nominate him again Legendary American rapper, songwriter, and record producer, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known professionally as Eminem (often stylized as EMINƎM), has berated the prestigious Grammy Awards, stressing that the award vote is not a real vote. The 67th Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, January 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, USA, despite the recent wildfires that ravaged parts of the city. However, reacting to the event in an interview making the rounds online, Eminem asserts that the prestigious award is not a professional one as they only give…

In a bid to boost local refining capacity, reduce the import of refined petroleum products, and curb pressure on foreign exchange supply, the Federal Government has placed an immediate freeze on the export of crude oil meant to meet the needs of domestic refineries in the country. Before now, about 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day meant for domestic refining have been finding their way to the international market as producers and traders shortchange the policy for quick foreign exchange proceeds. Acting through the upstream sector regulator, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the government warned that it…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, arraigned 29 Chinese, 10 Filipinos, one Malaysian, one Indonesian and one Pakistani before separate Federal High Courts sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The suspects were arraigned on charges bordering on alleged cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, impersonation, possession of documents containing false pretence, and identity theft, among others. They were arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Co. Ltd., before Justices Ayokunle Faji ; D.I. Dipeolu; Alexander Owoeye and C.J. Aneke, respectively. The defendants are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos during…

The disconnection threats hanging over some Nigerian banks for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt totalling N160 billion have been lifted as they (banks) make significant progress in repaying their outstanding debts to telecom operators. The banks, by their timely action, avoided service disconnection threats by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which could have resulted in a potential disruption and ultimately impact millions of users negatively. The banks, which faced disconnection risk over the N160 billion debt have cleared their liabilities significantly, ensuring continued access to the USSD platform, which is vital for customers without internet access. The nine banks…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its proposed protests against the recent 50 percent increase in telecom tariffs by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), citing the need for further engagement with government. President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero disclosed the decision after a meeting between the union and government officials at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on Monday. NEW DAILY PRIME reported that organised labour had fixed the planned nationwide demonstrations over the telecom tariffs hike to commence today (Tuesday) in a bid to force down the huge hike. However, following…