News
N23bn Diezani Bribe: EFCC Declares Billionaire Businessman Wanted
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared billionaire businessman and Managing Director of Aiteo Group, Mr. Benedict Peters, wanted for his alleged role in the $115m (N23bn) bribe given to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the build-up to the 2015 election.
The EFCC said in an official gazette signed by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, that Peters was wanted for criminal conspiracy, diversion of funds and money laundering.
The notice read in part, “Dark-complexioned Peters is wanted in connection with a case of criminal conspiracy, diversion of funds and money laundering. He hails from Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. His last known address is 8B Agodogba Avenue, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, and Lagos.” Punch
1976 coup: Why I Declined Taking over After Murtala’s Death
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said, yesterday, that he was persuaded to take over as Head of State, shortly after General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was killed in the 1976 coup.
Olusegun Obasanjo The then Head of State, Gen Muhammed, along with his aide-de-camp, ADC (Lt. Akinsehinwa), orderly and driver were assassinated on February 13, 1976 while on his way to work in a black Mercedes Benz car.
Obasanjo said he, as the then Chief of Staff of Supreme Headquarters and the late Muhammed had worked for the peace of the country before the Lt. Col. Buka Dimka struck in the bloody coup. Vanguard
Buhari Should Know He’s No Longer a Military Man – Oba Akiolu
The Oba of Lagos on Monday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to be civil in his approach to governance, saying he should realize that he is no longer a military man.
Even as the monarch said former Goodluck Jonathan could not be totally blamed for the nation’s current economic crisis, he sought support for President Buhari and expressed confidence in the Federal Government’s Economic Management Team led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to salvage the economy.
He spoke in Lagos during the unveiling of SunTrust Bank Limited, the first commercial bank to be licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 15 years. Punch
We Met Economy in Meltdown – Osinbajo
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday declared that the present Federal Government met an economy that was already in a meltdown.
Although he assured Nigerians that the Muhammadu Buhari administration was doing its best to salvage the situation, he stressed that the country did not adequately exploit the oil boom era by investing massively in infrastructure and diversifying the economy.
The Vice-President, who disclosed this while inaugurating the agricultural sector road map titled, ‘The Green Alternative: Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016 – 2020’, in Abuja, said, “The present administration came into office to meet an economy essentially in meltdown.” Punch
Lagos, Yola Zones Get Lowest Certified Electrical Contractors
Lagos and Yola zones have the lowest number of certified electrical contractors, according to data released by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services (NEMSA).
The data on certified electrical contractors obtained by Daily Trust yesterday showed that there are just 15 of them plying their trade under the Lagos-Abuja zone, while 29 others operate only within the Lagos zone, among the 2,212 certified contractors.
Inaugurating the Abuja zonal panel last week, the Managing Director of NEMSA, Engr. Peter Ewesor, said it had revalidated the existing certificates of over 6,500 electrical contractors. Daily Trust
My Removal, Act Of God, Says Ex-JAMB Registrar
The immediate past Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor, Dibu Ojerinde, has said his removal was not occasioned by rumoured disagreement he had with the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.
Professor Dibu Ojerinde, Ex-JAMB Registrar He said contrary to reports that he had misunderstanding with the minister, there was no such thing, adding that he had prepared his mind for the removal several months before it was finally announced.
He appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister for giving him the opportunity to stay in office till the time he was removed. Vanguard
Business News
Web Designer Defrauds Man of N1.7m on Nairaland
The police in Lagos have arraigned a website designer, Ikechukwu Iwezor, in an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding a blogger to the tune of N1.7m.
The 28-year-old Iwezor was brought before the magistrate, Mrs. F.F. George, on Monday on three counts of fraud.
The police said Iwezor and the blogger, Ola Akinlayo, met on Nairaland, a social media platform, sometime in September 2015, and started a discussion on website designs. Punch
FIRS Seals Four Firms Over Unpaid N715m Tax
The Federal Inland Revenue Service said it had sealed some companies in Lagos, Abuja and Asaba, the Delta State capital over unremitted taxes running into N715m.
FIRS said in a statement on Monday that the sealing of the companies followed its renewed efforts at enforcement of tax regimes.
It identified the companies it sealed as Urban Shelter Limited in Abuja, Venro Energy Limited in Lagos, Enegas in Lagos and Davnotch Nigeria Limited in Asaba. Punch
Dangote, Nestle, Nine Others Recoup N24bn on Stock
Despite market breadth closing negative, the Nestle Nig. Plc, Dangote Cement Plc. and nine other companies gained a collective N24bn to close market yesterday.
According to Charles Fakrogha, the chief communication officer at Foresight Securities and Investment Ltd, rally by investors on the eleven gaining stocks had helped the market to regain strength with renewed enthusiasm to commence the week, though, 37 seven declining stocks and nine unchanged ones emerged at the end of the trading session.
Consequently, market benchmark index soared by 0.26 per cent as market capitalization closed higher at N9.382trn, and the All-Share Index at 27,316.52 absolute points after it gained 69.64 points. Daily Trust
Important Drugs Disappearing From Market, Pharmacists Cry Out
In the wake of the current shortage of foreign exchange in the country, experts have observed that most important drugs in the country are gradually going into extinction while prices of available ones have sky-rocketed out of the reach of Nigerians.
The experts under the auspices of Association of Community Pharmacists, ACPN, Lagos State branch, said persistence of the problem may endanger the health of Nigerians. They also called on the Federal government to activate the Pharmaceutical Intervention Fund, PIF, to boost local production of medicines. Vanguard