Author: Akintayo Adams

The Government of Enugu State, through the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, on Tuesday, sealed off the offices of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). The move was taken after EEDC threatened to disconnect power supply to the Enugu State Government House and those of other state governments as well as institutions in the South-east over ₦180 billion debts. Emeka Ezeh, spokesperson of EEDC, said he met the headquarters of the company sealed alongside other staff. “We were informed by the security men on duty that in the early hours of today (Tuesday) at about 1:53 a.m., a group of…

Hunter Biden has been convicted on all three felony gun charges. A jury in the US state of Delaware found the president’s son guilty on all three counts after hearing a week of witness testimony and evidence in the high-profile criminal trial. The charges carry a maximum sentencing of 25 years and $750,000 in fines. The first count is for making a false statement for acquisition of a firearm, the second for making a false statement to be obtained in records and the third is for illegal possession of a firearm. After being found guilty of illegal drug use while…

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the disbursement of a $40 million Intra-African Investment Facility to Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc. The funding is to aid Fidelity Bank’s acquisition and recapitalisation of Union Bank UK, marking a pivotal step in its international expansion bid. The facility, delivered in two $20 million tranches, allowed Fidelity Bank to refinance its acquisition of a full equity stake in Union Bank UK and inject further equity into the bank, with approval from the UK’s financial regulator. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank, highlighted the strategic significance of this transaction, which aligns with the…

Dr. Ngozi Okoronkwo, Abia State Commissioner for Health has been suspended by Govenor Alex Otti. The directive was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Culture in the state, Prince Okey Kanu. The statement explained that the suspension is to allow for the investigation of allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the Commissioner. “The Abia State Government is committed to good governance and the rule of law under which persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Consequently, the administration is painstaking in investigating and establishing facts of infractions or misconduct uncovered by its internal monitoring…

Gains from Nigeria’s Foreign Exchange devaluation has contributed ₦4.23 trillion to the Federation Account Allocation Committee revenue for the last twelve months. This is according to a recent report by Agora Policy. The increased FAAC revenue was reported to have started since the Naira was floated in June 2023. It stated that FX gains contributed 20.14 percent to the ₦20.99 trillion FAAC revenue in the last year. “From May 2023 to April 2024, a total of ₦4.23 trillion was shared as exchange gain by FAAC, representing 20.14% of ₦20.99 trillion, which was the gross FAAC revenue for the 12 months,”…

Nigeria’s aggregate Company Income Tax (CIT) for Q1 2024 stands at ₦984.61 billion. The figure was disclosed by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its NBS Company Income Tax, CIT, Q1 2024 Report released in Abuja on Tuesday. The figure, according to the data, shows a growth rate of -12.87 per cent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from ₦1.13 trillion recorded in Q4 2023. Local payments raked in were ₦386.49 billion, while foreign CIT payment contributed ₦598.13 billion in Q1 2024. The report further explained that activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own…

Canadian singer Celine Dion has revealed that she hid her struggle with Stiff Person Syndrome for 17 years before disclosing it to the public. She made it known in an interview with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show where she revealed how she was secretly battling the illness while managing her late husband, Rene Angelil’s cancer battle and raising their children. “We did not know what was going on [with me]. I did not take the time… I should have stopped, took the time to figure it out,” she said. “And like it wasn’t enough, my husband as well is…

Dr Bassey Okon, Commissioner for Special Duties, has been sacked by Governor Umo Eni of Akwa Ibom State. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Enobong Uwah. The statement, however, failed to give a reason for his dismissal. “In an ongoing effort to reposition this administration in line with the ARISE Agenda, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Umo Eno, has relieved Dr Bassey Okon, Commissioner for Special Duties, as Commissioner in the Akwa Ibom Executive Council with immediate effect,” the statement partly read. Okon was directed to hand over all property…

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has revealed plans, to inaugurate a more accessible e-visa application channel. This is for short visits in line with the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020, according to the statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Kenneth Udo. The statement revealed the plan was announced by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, during an address delivered at the graduation ceremony of the 12th Command Course of the Immigration Command and Staff College, in Sokoto. “We must embrace these reforms and implement effective internal control and monitoring mechanisms,” she said. “This is…

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera said Tuesday that the plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others has been found. However, no one survived. “The plane has been found and I am deeply saddened and sorry to inform you all, it has turned out to be a terrible tragedy,” he said, in a televised address. The group departed just after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister some 370 kilometres (230 miles) away in Mzuzu. Former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri was also on board. Described as charismatic yet stern-talking, he…