Shehu Sani, a former senator, says he was nearly suspended for six months in the upper chamber for disclosing the remuneration of federal lawmakers in 2018.

In a post published on his X handle on Thursday, Sani said he would have been suspended if not for the “immediate rescue” of Bukola Saraki, then senate president, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu,

The former senator from Kaduna stated that any senator who “blows the whistle too loudly” will have to face the consequences of their actions alone, without support from fellow members.

“When I publicly disclosed the salaries and allowances of the senators, it nearly earned me a SIX months suspension if not for divine intervention, Saraki and Ekwerenmadu’s immediate rescue,” he wrote

When I publicly disclosed the salaries and allowances of the Senators, it nearly earned me a SIX months suspension if not for Divine Intervention,Saraki and Ekwerenmadu’s immediate rescue.Just know that if you are there and you blow whistle too loudly,you will be “On your Own”,no…

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 6, 2025

In March 2018, the former senator revealed that he and his colleagues received N13.5 million monthly as running cost.

Sani had also disclosed that the senator received N200 million as constituency project fund.

The former senator’s revelation was met with strong disapproval from many of his colleagues, as the salaries of federal lawmakers are usually kept confidential.

Sani’s comments come on the heels of the decision of the senate to suspend Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, for six months.

The decision followed the adoption of the report by the senate committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions.

The Kogi senator was suspended following an altercation she had with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on February 20.

On February 28, in an interview on Arise TV, the Kogi senator alleged that her trouble in the senate began after she rejected sexual advances from the senate president.

[TheCable]

Lagos, Nigeria – The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) is set to celebrate its 65th anniversary with a grand gala dinner, featuring His Excellency, Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, as the Special Guest of Honour. 

The prestigious event will take place on April 12, 2025, at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, with the red carpet reception commencing at 5:00 PM.

Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, National President, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce

The highlight of the evening will be the inauguration of Alhaji Sheriff Balogun as the 20th President of NACC.

Alhaji Balogun will also unveil his leadership team, while outlining strategic initiatives to strengthen bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and the United States.

As part of the evening’s programme, 40 new members will be inducted into the chamber, and the NACC multi-storey building project will be officially launched. 

The gala will also honour outstanding Nigerian and American companies and distinguished individuals, including past presidents of the chamber, for their contributions to economic growth and trade relations.

The President of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Mr. Samaila Zubairu, will chair the event. 

Dignitaries confirmed to attend include Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Founder and Chairman of Elizade Group, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo and Chairman of Odu’a Group, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru.

Others are Founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, Chairperson of Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, Catherine Uju Ifejika, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and Chairman of Zinox Technologies Limited, Leo Stan Ekeh.

His Excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, will serve as the Chief Host of the occasion.

For 65 years, the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of fostering bilateral trade relations between Nigeria and the United States, serving as the premier platform for business growth, networking, and investment opportunities.

The Chair of the Planning Committee, Dr.Ikenna Nwosu, says all the guests will be treated to one of the grandest anniversary galas ever experienced in the country.

VICTOR OJELABI

Senior PR Associate 

Neo Media & Marketing | Chair, Publicity Committee, NACC Presidential Inauguration Dinner & Awards Night

As the Lenten Season commences, I extend heartfelt wishes to all Christians in Nigeria and worldwide who partake in this sacred time.

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, the 40-day period is a time of fasting, prayer, and repentance, preparing believers for the joyous celebration of Easter.

During Lent, Christians engage in earnest prayer, self-denial, almsgiving, and deep spiritual reflection. It is a solemn reminder of life's transient nature, echoed in the Holy Scriptures: "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19)

This year's Lent, a time of devotion and reflection for Christians, coincides with the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims, a season that similarly emphasises devotion, sacrifice, and acts of kindness. This convergence of religious observances is a testament to the unity in diversity that characterises our nation.

Beyond fasting and prayer, I urge all Nigerians to embrace the love of Jesus Christ by showing compassion and empathy to those around us.

Let us extend a helping hand to those in need, comfort the grieving, visit the sick, and uplift the marginalised. The Scriptures remind us that our love for one another is a true testament of worship.

Let this season deepen our commitment to selflessness and service as we strive to build a nation where empathy and generosity shape our daily interactions.

This period of reflection coincides with encouraging progress in our nation. We ended 2024 positively, as our economy showed strong growth in the last quarter compared to the same period in 2023. Food prices are declining, the exchange rate is stabilising, fuel prices are dropping, and our internal security is strengthening. Our security and law enforcement agencies are making commendable strides. This progress fills us with steadfast hope and optimism for the future.

As we journey through this season with penitence and steadfast devotion to God Almighty, may His kindness bring healing to the sick, prosperity to our people, and peace to our nation.

May we experience God's goodness in a profound way this Lenten season. May He renew our hearts, strengthen our faith, and guide us on righteousness.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

The past few weeks have been highly volatile for bitcoin (BTC), with price action reflecting sharp swings. In the past two weeks bitcoin traded on an open-high, lower-close candlestick pattern with double-digit percentage differences.

The week beginning Feb. 24 saw bitcoin drop to a low of $78,167 and climb to a high of $96,515, a 23% swing. The following week, starting Mar. 3, recorded a low of $81,444 and a high of $94,415, marking a 16% swing.

These large candlestick formations are known as hammer candles, as defined by analyst Checkmate, where the lower or upper wick makes up 90% of the total price range, leaving a small body with a long wick.

Checkmate’s analysis shows that Bitcoin has formed a weekly hammer candle with a 90% lower wick only five times in its history. These instances occurred during the 2017 bull run, the late 2021 bull market peak near $69,000, twice in 2023—following the Silicon Valley Bank crisis and again after the summer downturn—and once in 2024, also during a summer lull.

While the data does not show a clear pattern in bitcoin’s cycle, the 2017 bull market correction stands out, suggesting that such formations could signal critical turning points in price trends. Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.

[Coin Desk]

Solana's co-founder and CEO, Anatoly Yakovenko, has opposed a US crypto reserve. He shared his thoughts on X, highlighting the necessity of decentralization in the field.

Yakovenko's top choice has no reserves at all. He feels that government control may impede decentralization attempts. His second preference is for state-run crypto reserves to protect against Federal Reserve errors. These remarks follow Donald Trump's recent announcement of a cryptocurrency strategic reserve. The planned reserve would contain XRP, Solana, Cardano, Bitcoin, and Ether. However, Yakovenko denies any involvement in proposing Solana for inclusion.

The Solana CEO also recommended a third option: creating objective, measurable standards for tokens in a national reserve. He suggested that these conditions could be so severe that only Bitcoin now qualifies. Yakovenko emphasized that all standards must be rationally justified.

In response to reports of involvement, Yakovenko questioned the concept of a "Solana representative." He compared it to having a Bitcoin representative, emphasizing the decentralization of these programs. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson also denied having prior knowledge of ADA's inclusion in the reserve. He added that no Cardano officials were invited to the upcoming White House cryptocurrency roundtable.

Meanwhile, officials from Ripple, MicroStrategy, Coinbase, and Chainlink have confirmed attendance at the summit. This gathering of business leaders emphasizes bitcoin's growing role in national economic debates.

Yakovenko's viewpoint echoes broader concerns in the crypto community about preserving decentralization while avoiding potential government intervention. As debates about a US crypto reserve continue, balancing innovation with regulatory constraints remains a major problem for the industry.

[The Street]

Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex on Thursday said stablecoin Tether had blocked digital wallets on its platform holding more than 2.5 billion roubles ($28 million), forcing it to suspend operations days after coming under EU sanctions.

The European Union included Garantex in its 16th sanctions package against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine on February 24, accusing the crypto exchange of being closely associated with EU-sanctioned Russian banks and responsible for circumventing EU sanctions.

"We have bad news," Garantex said on Telegram. "Tether has entered the war against the Russian crypto market."

Tether did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Garantex said it was temporarily suspending the provision of all services, including cryptocurrency withdrawals.

"We are fighting and will not give up," Garantex said. "Please note that all USDT held in Russian wallets is now under threat."

Deprived of access to the U.S. dollar and cut off from the SWIFT global payments network, some Russians have turned to cryptocurrencies to move money overseas and the central bank has allowed businesses to use cryptocurrencies in global trade.

The United States called Garantex a "ransomware-enabling virtual currency exchange" when sanctioning the company in April 2022, accusing it of allowing its systems to be abused by illicit actors.

Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin accused Western countries of pursuing political goals and said it would not be the last time pressure is exerted on Russia's cryptocurrency infrastructure.

"To the investors who underestimated this risk, my condolences," Gorelkin wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

"But it is worth recognising that it is impossible to completely block this market for Russia," he said. "Cryptocurrencies will remain one of the most effective tools for circumventing sanctions, although USDT can be safely deleted from this list."

($1 = 89.2500 roubles)

(Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya in Moscow and Alexander Marrow in London; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

[Reuters]

The Nigerian Senate has handed a six-month suspension to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

This decision was made after a majority vote, aligning with the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct.

The Senate also voted against reconsidering the suspension until the six-month period elapses or Akpoti-Uduaghan apologizes.

As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office will be locked, and she will be barred from accessing the National Assembly’s premises.

Her salaries and those of her legislative aides will also be suspended during this period.

To appeal the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a written apology to the Senate for violating its rules.

Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro endorsed the ethics committee report, stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions warranted disciplinary action, likening her to “a child” who needs correction.

He said, “As Nigerians, we have a tradition; if you beat your child with the right hand, you draw that child with the left hand.”

The suspension stems from a heated confrontation in the Senate last week, where Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio.

She had arrived at the session to find her nameplate removed and her seat reassigned, prompting her to challenge the move and accuse the Senate leadership of marginalizing her voice and attempt to make her invisible.

The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months amid the sexual harassment allegation she levied against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions recommended her suspension on Thursday, March 6, 2024.

During the period of the suspension, the committee stated that her salary and security details will be withdrawn.

The committee also recommended that Senator Natasha should not be seen anywhere around the National Assembly during her suspension period.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension stems from a controversy surrounding her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The dispute began when Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, formally accused Akpabio of misconduct, submitting a petition before the Senate.

[Vanguard]