Author: Damilola

The Federal Government has announced plans to implement 30 per cent of the 2025 capital budget before the end of November, in a renewed push to accelerate project delivery and clear pending obligations. The decision follows a directive to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strictly adhere to procurement regulations in executing and processing payments for capital projects under the extended 2025 budget cycle. In a statement issued on Thursday bythe Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the government said MDAs had been ordered to fully comply with the…

Prosecutors in Morocco have asked a court to impose prison sentences of up to two years on 18 Senegalese football supporters arrested after last month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Rabat, according to an AFP journalist present at the hearing. Arguing for the stiffest penalties in some cases, the prosecution told the court that the accused had “deliberately sought to disrupt the proper conduct of the match”. It further alleged that the group “committed acts of violence broadcast live on television”. The defendants, however, rejected the accusations and denied any involvement in wrongdoing. The supporters have remained in…

Nigeria’s external reserves have reached $48.5 billion, marking their strongest level in roughly 13 years. Figures published by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) show that the last time reserves were at a similar level was on May 14, 2013, when they stood at about $48.51 billion. The latest data indicate a steady build-up in reserves since the start of the year. From $45.56 billion recorded on January 1, the stock has risen by $2.94 billion — a 6.45 percent increase year-to-date. On Monday, reserves were reported at $48.36 billion before climbing further to Tuesday’s figure. The apex bank defines…

A 37-year-old Nigerian, Matthew A. Akande, has been handed an eight-year prison sentence for masterminding a cyber fraud operation that targeted tax preparation firms and defrauded the United States government of more than $1.3 million. The conviction was announced in a statement published on an official U.S. government website on Wednesday. Akande, who had been residing in Mexico prior to his arrest, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in a federal court in Boston. In addition to his prison term, he was ordered to pay $1,393,230 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release…

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has refuted allegations that financial inducement influenced his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Kefas addressed journalists at the State House on Wednesday following his first official meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa since formally joining the ruling party. The New Daily Prime reported Kefas defected to the APC in January 2026. He maintained that his defection was guided by what he described as the best interests of Taraba State and not by monetary considerations. “My decision was based on what is best…

The Rivers State House of Assembly has suspended the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu. The suspension followed President Bola Tinubu’s intervention. At it resumed plenary on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the state lawmakers moved the motion to pend the impeachment. The New Daily Prime earlier reported that the House at its first sitting in 2026, began the impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy over alleged gross misconduct, the demolition of the state assembly complex, and spending without legislative approval, among others. The lawmakers noted that the the notices of allegations were brought…

Gunmen have assassinated Kehinde Jacob Faledon, the traditional ruler of Agamo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, after storming his palace on Wednesday night. The attackers reportedly invaded the monarch’s residence, abducted him, and shortly afterwards, he was discovered nearby with gunshot wounds. Confirming the incident, Ondo State Police spokesperson, DSP Jimoh Abayomi, said the monarch was pronounced dead at the scene. According to him, the police received a distress call from a community representative soon after the attack. This is coming few hours after two feared dead as violence mars Ondo APC ward congress. “Information reached…

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has called for deeper collaboration among anti-corruption bodies, saying collective action is vital to curbing financial crimes and corruption in Nigeria. Olukoyede made the appeal in Abuja during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the EFCC and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), led by its chairman, Abdullahi Bello. The development was disclosed in a post shared on the commission’s official X handle on Wednesday. Describing corruption as a central driver of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges, Olukoyede linked the scourge to poverty, hunger, poor infrastructure, and overall underdevelopment. He…

President Bola Tinubu has directed the suspension of management and frontier exploration fees previously collected by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), as part of a far-reaching Executive Order designed to protect oil and gas revenues accruing to the Federation. The directive was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement issued by Uloma Amadi, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance. According to the ministry, the Executive Order — signed last week — mandates the direct remittance of taxes, royalties and profit oil from Production Sharing Contracts to the relevant fiscal authorities, effectively…

Governor Uba Sani has approved 50 Christians from Kaduna State to undertake a holy pilgrimage, marking the end of an 11-year suspension of the programme. The Christian pilgrimage scheme was discontinued during the administration of former governor Nasir El-Rufai, when the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Agency was dissolved — a decision that drew criticism from segments of the Christian community. Reacting to the development in a telephone interview on Wednesday, the chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Ma’aji Bawa, praised the governor’s decision, describing it as courageous and inclusive. “We are grateful to…