Author: Akintayo Adams

Edo State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Dr. Tony Azegbemi, has been released by his abductors after spending the last eleven days in captivity. He was said to have arrived his residence at about 3am. The news of his release was broken by Senator Odion Ugbesia in the early hours of today It is yet to be ascertained whether ransom was paid or not before he was released. The kidnappers were said to have demanded the sum of ₦500 million, as revealed by a member of his family. Azeigbeme was kidnapped on the 15th of March few metres…

Barely 24hrs after the decision of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to raise the 2024 hajj fare by ₦1.9 million, many individuals who intend to perform the 2024 Hajj besieged their respective state Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards to demand a refund of their deposits. NAHCON had released a statement on Sunday increasing the fare for this year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia by ₦1,918,032.91 while setting a deadline of March 28, 2024. It had in December 2023 fixed a fare of ₦4.9 million per pilgrim based on an exchange rate of ₦897 to a dollar. However, the current exchange…

The stock market witnessed a 20.04 per cent downfall in transaction value on Monday with Dangote Sugar and 29 other equities leading the charge towards a negative performance. 306.82 billion shares valued at ₦11.38 billion exchanged in 9,343 deals which represents a drop when compared with 505.19 million shares valued at ₦14.24 billion which traded in 9,574 deals on Friday. Alongside Dangote Sugar and Ikeja Hotel, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), FBN Holdings, and Zenith Bank played a huge part in the downfall. As a result, the market capitalisation experienced a massive decline of ₦289 billion or 0.49 per cent,…

On Monday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) through its chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa, said no fewer than 48,157 persons were arrested for drug-related offences between 2021 and 2023. This was disclosed by the spokesman for the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, who stated that Marwa made the revelation while receiving the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed, who paid him a courtesy visit. The chairman noted that those arrested included 46 drug barons, and that 8,350 of those arrested had been successfully prosecuted and convicted. 7,500 tons of illicit drugs were seized from the suspects, and 1,057 hectares…

Former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has faulted the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for being tge one in charge of the detained Binance executives. He said the Office of the NSA is not a security agency that has a detention facility and should have transfer fleeing Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the secret police. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, he said the fleeing suspect and his colleague at the cryptocurrency exchange platform, Tigran Gambaryan, ought to have been placed…

Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi has been invited by the Federal Government of Nigeria over his comments on the activities of bandits and agents of destabilization in the country. This was made known on Monday by the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja. Speaking, Idris said Gumi is not above the law, noting that the government has deemed it right to invite him for questioning at this time. “I am ready to lead a holistic dialogue between the government and bandits. It is my religious duty to do so for peace,”…

The Kwara State Police Command has announced that it has “rescued” the Chinese national, PengChao Zhang, who was abducted penultimate Sunday around Eyenkorin in Kwara State. Police spokeswoman, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi (DSP), revealed that the Chinese expatriate was “rescued” in the early hours of Tuesday. “Through diligent and coordinated efforts, the command’s tactical teams and vigilantes executed a series of strategic search and investigation leading to the safe rescue of the victim in the early hours of March 19, 2024. “The command is pleased to confirm that the victim has since been reunited with his family unharmed. “This achievement underscores the…

President Bola Tinubu today presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Vice President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila and Head of Service of the Federation, Yemi Esan were all in attendance. The is the 10th meeting of the council since the assumption of office by President Tinubu on May 29, 2023, even though the FEC meeting was supposed to take place every week. That wasn’t surprising as the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, had explained that…

Crypto giant, Binance has confirmed that its executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has escaped Nigerian custody. Samantha Fuller, Binance spokesperson revealed this information to PUNCH Online, one of Nigerian national dailies via email on Monday. “We were made aware that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody. Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees, and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue,” the mail read. According to PUNCH, the spokesperson did not include details on how Anjarwalla left Nigeria. Anjarwalla and his colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, were arrested after they arrived in Nigeria on February…

The escape of detained Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla has been confirmed by the Office of the National Security Adviser. In a statement issued by the Head, Strategic Communication, ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, it was revealed that preliminary investigation showed that Anjarwalla fled the shores of Nigeria using a smuggled passport. “The Office of the National Security Adviser confirms that Nadeem ANJARWALLA, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria has escaped from lawful custody on Friday, March 22, 2024,” partly reads the statement. “Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with…