Kogi State House of Assembly has confirmed the screening of 15 commissioners, which was presented by Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.

The new commissioners confirmed by the eighth assembly include

Farouk Danlami Yusuf, Salami Ozigi-Deedat, Basiru Abubakar Gegu, Adams Abdulaziz, Joseph Oluwasegun Stephen.

Others were Muizideen Yinusa Abdullahi, Rabiatu Okute, Kingsley Fanwo, Fatima Momoh, Mohammed Yusuf, Timothy Ojoma, Sunday Faleke, Abanika Taye, Idris Asiru and Mohammed Adbulmutalib.

The Speaker of the assembly, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf, urged the commissioners to work hard for the development of the state.

The Chief Magistrate Court in Akure, Ondo State, has ordered that a 35-year-old labourer, James James Emmanuel, be remanded for allegedly raping a 55-year-old co-labourer, Mrs Deborah Abiodun, to death.

The defendant was alleged to have committed the offence at a poultry firm located at Oke-Odu area, off Ilere, on Ijare road, Akure.

James, who was arraigned on two counts bordering on murder and rape, after allegedly raping her to death, hit her with stone on her head and dumped her corpse inside a waste pit.

Earlier, the police prosecutor, Anwana Josephine, informed the court that the suspect committed the offence on 17th day of January, 2024, at about 11.00pm.

Anwana said that the offence, was contrary to Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The charge sheet read: “That you James Emmanuel ‘m’ on the 17th day of January, 2024 at about 11.00pm at Ilere, on Ijare Road, Akure in the Akure Magisterial District, did rape Deborah Abiodun ‘f’ aged 55 years old and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

“That you James Emmanuel ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterai District did kill one Deborah Abiodun ‘T’ by hitting her with stone on her head and dump her corpse inside a waste pit and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006”.

In her ruling, Magistrate Folashade Aduroja, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Centre in Ondo town and adjourned the trial till March 27, 2024.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will move five departments from the nation's capital, Abuja to Lagos as part of efforts to ‘decongest’ its head office.

Recall that the apex bank had revealed plans to move some staff from Abuja to Lagos in order to align with building safety standards and enhance office space efficiency.

This was contained in a circular dated 12th January from the director of the human resources department to all staff of the apex bank.

The move has generated mixed reactions, with some stakeholders, particularly from the north, opposing the move, while some other stakeholders support the development.

However, the CBN has not shown any sign of backtracking on its earlier announcement.

According to The Nation, the departments set to be moved from Lagos to Abuja are:

1. Banking supervision

2. Other financial institutions supervision

3. Consumer protection department

4. Payment system management department

5. Financial policy regulations department.

Meanwhile, about 1,500 CBN staff are reportedly set to resume in Lagos State on Friday due to the relocation of some departments of the apex bank.

Sources in the bank told Punch that though the move was heavily criticised, it was still in motion and affected staffers would be resuming on Friday, 2nd February.

“Yes, the plan is still on and they will resume work by February 2, which is the first week of next month,” an official said.

Another source who spoke to the publication said that some of the affected staffers had started relocating to Lagos.

“Some have already gone ahead. Over 80 per cent of the Banking Supervision Department staff have been redeployed and the same for the Payment System Department,” the source hinted.

Ahead of the commissioning in February 2024 of the 188megawatt Geometric Power plant in the Osisioma Industrial Area of Aba in Abia State, one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s power sector has been speaking on how the integrated power project will make a fundamental difference in electricity supply.

Ben Caven, reputed to be the only person to have served at different times as the Executive Director in charge of Transmission, Generation, and Engineering divisions of the defunct National Power Authority of Nigeria (NEPA), told over 150 electrical and electronics students of Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture at Umudike, Umuahia in Abia State today that “Geometric Power will make a fundamental difference in electricity delivery because of its insistence on using world-class electricity infrastructure”.

According to him, all turbines installed at the power plant “are from General Electric, the world’s leader in electricity equipment manufacturing, despite the cost.

“Most other firms could have gone for less costly machines after all the customer revenue will be collected in the local naira currency”.

Caven, who is now the Managing Director of GPL, a member of the Geometric Power Group, told the visiting students who were on an excursion to Geometric Power Village to familiarise themselves with the machines and equipment in the group that four brand new power transformers have been installed and three old ones refurbished to ensure quality and constant power supply to nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State serviced by Aba Power, which is also a member of the Geometric Power Group.

He disclosed that the tubular poles installed in the Aba electricity ringed fence are found only in a few world cities like Tokyo in Japan and San Francisco in the United States because they can withstand such natural calamities as earthquakes.

“Though our tubular poles are high so that they cannot easily be fouled by trees and vehicles which cause electricity blackouts,” said Caven who is widely considered Nigeria’s foremost power engineering guru, “each of them is buried about 10 metres in the ground at a tremendous cost to the company.”

He added: “We have also provided 150,000 kilometres of brand new overhead wires and cables in these LGAs.

“All the wires are from Nigerian indigenous companies like Cutix plc in Nnewi, Anambra State, and Coleman Company in Arepo, Ogun State, and we are proud to state that they are better than most wires and cables in the world”.

The electricity boss disclosed to the engineering students that Geometric Power has extended its promotion of Nigerian content in the Nigerian business to vehicle acquisition, noting that all the vehicles procured by the firm in the last two years were made in the country.

“I use an Innson truck myself, and it compares favourably with Hilux by Toyota”, he explained, “yet it costs a fraction of the Toyota product”.

The students were later conducted around Geometric Power premises by a team of electrical, mechanical and safety engineers led by Usman Zamdai, Eric Omianwele, Collin Ogbu, Ifeanyi Ogbodo, and Andrew Amaje.

The leader of the visiting students, Chimdi Ahamefule, expressed appreciation to Geometric Power for letting them access the state-of-the-art electricity facilities, saying “This is the most rewarding visit we have ever made”.

The electrical engineering lecturer who led the students, Gerald Diyoke, commended the company for providing world-class facilities to Aba and neighbouring communities despite the ongoing economic crisis in the country.

“We are confident that power outages and load shedding will become history in the area once the Geometric Power thermal plant is commissioned”, he stated.

Nigerians are unhappy to hear of the arrest, prosecution and persecution of 30 women in Nasarawa, among others, for exercising their rights to protest against an INEC instigated miscarriage of justice in the Nasarawa gubernational election of 2023, and the decision of the Supreme Court which upheld the results as declared.

The prosecution of these 30 women shows the failure of the Nigerian Police Force and the Government of Nasarawa State in Nigeria to uphold the right of citizens under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to protest, assemble and freely express themselves.

These women were nude, demonstrating clearly that they were both committed to peaceable protest & unarmed. It is a travesty to then accuse them of being violent when in fact, they were the people violated by the attack from the uniformed personnels, including with projectiles. Security agents, nearly all of them male, assaulted, beat up, shot at, and seriously injured some of these women in clear violation of the Constitution and in full public view. Locking them up in indefinite pre-trial detention at the instance of those whom they were protesting against constitutes POLITICAL PERSECUTION.

The misuse of security services and the abuse through the judiciary to promote partisan propaganda and political agenda should be rejected by all and it is upon this ideological and ethical basis that Project - Free Nasarawa 30 is rallying its regional and international network to ensure that the further violation of the rights of these women stops with a call on the government of Nasarawa State to end the abusive use of state power

Project- Free Nasarawa 30 is a national and non-partisan coalition comprising of civil right activists, citizens' journalists, rights' organisations and international advocacy and solidarity groups demanding the immediate release of the Nasarawa 30, a group of women currently in jail over no crime they committed even as contained in the unacceptable charges filed by the current Nasarawa State government against these women for exercising their rights to assemble and express themselves.

Project - Free Nasarawa 30 rejects in totally the tactics and aggression against these women, and calls for the immediate review of their bail conditions to grant them freedom without the culture of punitive bail terms that have been unethically and wrongly adopted by the current judicial bench to justify empty allegations against the Nasarawa 30.

An attack on the Nasarawa 30 is an attack on all women across the globe.
End the persecution now!
Free Nasarawa 30 unconditionally TODAY!

Signed

Dr. Eki Yemisi Omorogbe, International Law and Policy in Africa Network
Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi
Co-Convener, Womenifesto
Amb. Nkoyo Toyo (Gender and Development Action-GADA)
Chidi Anselm Odinkalu (Atrocities Watch Africa (AWA)
Richard Inoyo (Citizens Solution Network)
Yemi Adamolekun (Enough is Enough)
Adaora Sydney Jack (Gender Strategy Advancement International)
9jafeminista
Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls
Above Whispers Foundation
Action Aid Nigeria
ACTS Generation GBV
Ade Grange Child Foundation
ADEM Community Human Development Foundation
Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
Advocate for Health and Development Initiative
African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
Ajegunle Community Project
Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation
Alliance for Credible Elections
Alliances for AFAica (AfA)
Amazing Grace Inspirations
Aminchi Women Cooperative Society
Amnesty International Nigeria
ARDA Development Communication Inc.
Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.
ASWHAN
ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)
Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA)
Association of Nigeria Women's Business Network (ANWBN)
Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA)
Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation
AWEP
ANWIB
AWFAN
FEBWE
FEDAN
BLECCA Foundation
Bring Back Our Girls
Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
Cece Yara Foundation
Cedar Seed Foundation
CEE-HOPE Nigeria
Centre for Good Governance and Accountability
Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)
Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)
Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)
Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)
Change Managers International Network
Center for Women’s Health and Information
Centre for Media and Development Communications
Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC)
Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Charity Women Spring of Salvation
Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI)
Choung-Dung Women Association.
Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)
Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)
Community and Youth Development
Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
Community Partners for Development.
Community Life Project (CLP)
Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)
Community Women Initiatives (CWI)
Country Associates Network (CAN)
Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)
Crestville Development Foundation (CDF)
Champion Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Association (CWEMA)
CWEMA
Daria Media Foundation (DMF)
Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)
Diaspora Womanifesto2019
Dinidari Foundation (DF)
Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)
Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili
Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
Edo Women's Development Initiative
Education As A Vaccine (EVA)
EiE Nigeria
Emerge Women (EW)
Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC)
Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)
Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper
FACICP Disability Plus
FAME Foundation
Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)
Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)
Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)
FIDA Nigeria
First Future Leadership
FOMWAN
Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)
FRED
FEDAN
Gender Action Awareness Trust
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
Gender and Development Action (GADA)
Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender Development Initiative
Gender Equality Center
Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI)
Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
Girl Child Africa
Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation
Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)
Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC)
Green Spring Development Initiative
Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
Heal Disability Initiative
Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative
Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria(HERFON)
HEIR Women Development (HWD)
Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development
Hope for New Life (HNL)
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)Nigeria
Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF)
International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA)
International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida Nigeria)
International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)
International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH)
International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD)
Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF)
Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
Jana Health Foundation (JHF)
Julie Oyegun
Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP)
Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)
KMashi Gamji Women
Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre
Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI)
Kilimanjaro Youth Foundation
League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE)
League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)
LEDAP
Lift Initiative
League of Queens International Empowerment
Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women Initiative (LACVAW)
MBULA Women Association
Media &Teens Network
Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children
Media Concern Initiative (MediaCon) for Women and Children
MODAC
Mothers United and Mobilised (MUMs)
More Women in Politics
My Voice My Future NGO
Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)
NAWE
NNEW
NAWORG
Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
National Centre for Women Development
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)
NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women
Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation
Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
NEWA
NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society
Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
Nigeria For Women Project
Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee
Nigerian Express
Nigerian Women Politics Forum
Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)
Ogun Women Alive
Okwuzi Women Forum
Olive Community
Development Initiatives
Onomese Foundation
Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD)
Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
Ovie Brume Foundation
Partners West Africa
Peasant Dragnet
Princess Olufemi-Kayode
Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
Project Alert on Violence Against Women
Ray of Hope Community Foundation
Relief Development Initiative Kaduna
Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Sesor Empowerment Foundation
She Forum Africa
Safe Space Initiative
Save a Child Lend a Hand Foundation
Sheforshe Africa Initiative
She Mentors Initiative
Shout Global Health
Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)
South- South Professional Women Association.
Stand to End Rape (STER)
Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
Support For Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI)
TechHerNG
THR Media
The Inclusion Project (TIP)
The Priceless Jewels Foundation
THR Media - HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE
Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation
Transformation and Development Center (TDC)
Transition Monitoring Group
Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)
UC Women Commission
UTO Foundation
Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)
Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
West African Network for Peace
WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE
WEPDN
Widows Development Organization (WIDO)
Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC)
Women’s Leadership Group (WLG)
Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)
Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)
Women AT Risk International Foundation(WARIF)
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)
Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
Women in Mining
Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative
Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT)
Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI)
Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC)
Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI)
Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
Women Farmers Alliance (WFA)
Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)
Women for Women International (W4WI)
Women Foundation Initiative (WFI)
Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)
Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC)
Former Women Action Organization (WAO)
Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI)
Women in Agriculture (WIA)
Women in Mining (WIM)
Women in Politics Forum (WiPF)
Women Information Network (WINET)
Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)
Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)
Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)
Women Lead Agric (WLA)
Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women of Vision Development Initiative
Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN)
Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program
Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF
Women Right to Education Programme (WREP)
Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
Women’s Rights and Health Project
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
Working Moms Africa (WMA)
Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA)
Women Initiative on Climate change
Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)
Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ)
WISCAR
Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria
WomenPreneurs (AWEBO)
Yiaga Africa
Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI)
Zonta International Club of Lagos 1
50MAWSP
100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG)

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague on Friday ordered Israel to “take all measures within its powers to prevent the commission of any acts of genocide” against Palestinians in the besieged Hamas-controlled Gaza but fell short of calling for an immediate ceasefire as demanded by South Africa in its case of alleged genocide against Israel.

In its 35-minute majority ruling read by Justice Joan Donoghue, President of the 17-member panel of Judges, the Court also ordered Israel to “prevent and punish direct and public incitement to commit genocide; and to “immediately enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in Gaza.”

Noting that it has jurisdiction on the case and dismissing Israel’s objection, the Court also ordered Israel to “prevent the destruction, and ensure the preservation, of evidence related to South Africa's allegations.”

Both South Africa and Israel claimed “victory” over the ICJ ruling, which also ordered both parties to submit to the Court within one month, reports on their compliance with its orders.

South Africa had taken Israel to the ICJ alleging that Israel had violated the United Nations 1948 Genocide Convention as a result of the Israeli military ceaseless bombardments of Gaza in retaliation for the 7th of October 2023 raids on Israel by the Palestine militant group Hamas.

In reaching its conclusions, the ICJ cited statements by Israeli officials, including racial slurs and the reference to Palestinians as “human animals.”

The Court also referred to statements by UN senior officials describing the sufferings and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as attacks by the Israeli military on infrastructure, homes, and hospitals, and denial of births in Gaza.

The Genocide Convention is the first human rights Treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1948, signifying the international community’s commitment to ‘never again’ after the atrocities committed during the Second World War.

It describes genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy in whole, or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.”

The ICJ decisions are binding on State signatories, but the court has no means of enforcement.

Although Israel has a track record of disobeying UN decisions/resolutions, the Gaza case before the ICJ, a legal arm of the UN, is different since it touches on genocide.

Israel is among the UN’s 92-member State signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was informed by the mass killings of European Jews by Nazi Germany under Hitler, known as The Holocaust.

Also, apart from the outrage expressed in “Court of Public Opinion,” growing anti-Israeli sentiments over the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, support is waning for Israel, which continues to claim self-defence in the Gaza war.

Israeli officials said some 1,200 Israelis were killed, while 250 people of different nationalities were also taken hostage during the Hamas raids.

According to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, some 26,083 Palestinians have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded since the 7th of October 2023 Hamas raids on Israel.

South Africa deserves credit for escalating the Gaza crisis to the ICJ, although it remains to be seen whether the Court’s ruling would increase the pressure on the U.S. to persuade Israel, its major ally to end hostilities in Gaza in favour of a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

Could Africa take a cue from this development, to review its relations with external partners given the “many raging Gaza-like” conflicts on the continent and other parts of the World with negative impacts on the continent and its more than 1.3 billion people?

Incidentally, Justice Donoghue is American, but ICJ judges are supposed to be apolitical and supranational.##

Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro has refused to rule out Stanley Nwabali from the side’s quarter-final fixture against Angola.

Nwabali sustained a knee injury in Nigeria’s thrilling 2-0 victory against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon last Saturday.

The 27-year-old was replaced by Francis Uzoho 10 minutes from time.

The Chippa United shot stopper sat out training on Monday night at the Police College, Cocody.

“He (Nwabali) is with us, we are hoping he will be available for the game against Angola,” Peseiro told reporters.

“He will undergo another test on Wednesday. After that we will know whether he can play or not.”

The Super Eagles will take on the Palancas Negras of Angola at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on Friday.

Amid the continued foreign exchange crisis in Nigeria and the freefall of the Naira, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has moved crude oil sales revenue to the Central Bank of Nigeria from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in sweeping reforms in the oil and gas sector.

The Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, last week, during a keynote address at the launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, “2024 Macroeconomic Outlook Report,” said that the directive is part of collaborative efforts between the CBN and the Ministry of Finance.

He said: “This coordinated effort will greatly enhance the Bank’s foreign exchange flows and contribute to the accretion of reserves.”

Under the new arrangement, NNPCL will submit receipts for crude oil sales to CBN for vetting and documentation.

Sources familiar with the development said the reform would see receipts of payment for oil sales forwarded by NNPCL to the apex bank to boost transparency and accountability.

Over the years, NNPCL had maintained sole control over crude oil sales, only rendering accounts to the Federal Government.

In 2022, the NNPCL declared zero revenue remittance to the Federal Government.

The company had blamed fuel subsidies for non-remittance.

Recall that the former CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi, said NNPCL is responsible for the persistent forex crisis due to its opaque nature of managing revenue from crude oil sales in the country.

Consequently, the former Emir of Kano called for a company probe.

The development comes as the Naira crashed to N1,348.63 against the US Dollar at the official forex market and quoted at N1,450 at the parallel market on Monday.

The federal government of Nigeria has expressed its readiness to engage in dialogue with the military governments in Mali, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso over the recent decision by the three countries to dump the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Naija News recalls the three countries on Sunday, announced their immediate withdrawal from the ECOWAS bloc, a decision that has spread diplomatic shock waves across the region.

Amidst the development, the Nigerian government has expressed sadness but says the country remains open to talks with the three affected countries.

The country says it stands with ECOWAS in its resolve to promote peace, prosperity, and democracy in the West African sub-region.

The position of Nigeria was made known in a statement on Monday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francisca Omayuli.

“For half a century, ECOWAS has worked to promote peace, prosperity, and democracy in the region. Nigeria stands with ECOWAS to emphasise due process and shared commitment to protect and strengthen the rights and welfare of all citizens of Member States.

“Nigeria has worked sincerely and in good faith to reach out to all members of the ECOWAS family to resolve the difficulties being faced. It is now clear that those seeking to quit the Community do not share that same good faith.

“Instead, unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade, and freedom to choose their own leaders.

“Nigeria remains open for engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger so that all the people of the region can continue to enjoy the economic benefits and democratic values that ECOWAS embraces,” the statement read in part.

Posters of the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, promoting him as the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has flooded Abuja forty-eight hours after leaving office.

The posters of the former governor were seen on major streets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially around the Federal Secretariat and on walls and fences of structures around the APC national secretariat along Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.

The picture of Yahaya was adorned with the inscription “APC Next Level. Alhaji Yahaya Bello as APC National Chairman. Leading the Change, Building a Stronger APC.”

Party sources who spoke to The Nation said the move to unseat the incumbent chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, was being orchestrated both within and outside the party.

It was also gathered that the latest move was a plot by some elements within the party from the North Central zone to regain the office of the national chairman, which was lost to North West, where Ganduje hails from.

A source in the party who spoke in confidence said: “Bello’s move is an attempt to bring back the chairmanship seat to the region, and it is believed he has the backing of several stakeholders in the North-central.”

Recall that the present national chairman of the APC is Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

He was elected at the August 3, 2023, National Executive Committee (NEC) to replace Abdullahi Adamu, who resigned from office.