The hottest and most trending news articles for this week in all categories are captured in one shot. Find articles ranging from News to Sports, to Politics, to Entertainment, to Economy, to Metro plus, and many other categories. See below the top news for the week:
NEWS
- N2.6m debt: Reps invite NNPC, NDDC, others for investigation
In its bid to investigate over N2.6 million debt owed by oil companies, the House of Representatives has invited the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Niger Delta Development Commission, and many others before the House. The other bodies invited by the House Ad-hoc Committee on the recovery of outstanding debts owed to the Federal Government by Oil and Gas companies in Nigeria include the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Upstream Regulatory Commission, Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
This is based on the report of the National Extractive Industries Extractive Initiative that 77 Oil and Gas companies operating in Nigeria were owing the Federal Government over N2.6 trillion.
The Clerk of the Committee, Mr Eric Makwe, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja, against the backdrop of the 2020 NEITI report.
He said that the invitation was based on the motion at plenary on November 30, 2021, which cited the NEITI report that 77 Oil and Gas companies operating in Nigeria were owing the Federal Government over N2.6 trillion.
The clerk also noted that the House directed NEITI, the National Oil Spill Detection Agency, and the FIRS to provide necessary data that was needed in the investigation that would help to facilitate recovery of the debts. He also said that the head of the 18-member ad hoc committee investigating the debt, Representative Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had assured that the committee would thoroughly investigate all issues raised in the NEITI report.
- Blackout worsens as national grid suffers second collapse within 48 hours
Some parts of the country were on Tuesday thrown into darkness following another system collapse of the National Grid. The Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric Plc, Mr Felix Ofulue, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
Eko Electricity Distribution Company also confirmed the partial collapse of the grid in a public notice.
The Electricity Distribution Companies said the collapse of the grid occurred at 5.10 p.m on Tuesday. They said the collapse had disrupted power supply within their networks with their customers experiencing blackouts.
On his part, Ofulue said Ikeja Electric had received notification of the collapse and was waiting for the grid to be restored. The collapse is happening barely 48 hours after the national grid collapsed at 10.40 a.m on Monday resulting in blackouts in some parts of the country. Supply was, however, restored to the grid at 12.20 p.m by the Transmission Company of Nigeria.
- FG not interested in fixing electricity challenge, says Dele Momodu
A Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has alleged that the “Federal Government is deliberately uninterested” in fixing the electricity problems confronting the nation. The Federal Government, according to Momodu, created so many bureaucracies around the power sector that made it “practically impossible to revamp and improve electricity supply” in the country.
Momodu said this on Tuesday in Maiduguri when he paid a condolence visit to his ally in Borno State. Speaking to journalists, the PDP presidential aspirant disclosed that he had made efforts in the past to help the APC-led government fix the power problem but the government did not show the commitment to address the issue.
“I called the minister of power and introduced them to experts that will help fix the electricity problem and they held a meeting but since that meeting, the minister refused to allow them to sit again. There are a lot of cabals around the government.
“I hate that word – the cabal; they are the ones that hold the power sector. The determination of one leader to succeed where others failed will change the bureaucracy holding the power sector. I have the knowledge and solutions to fix the power sector problem,” he said.
POLITICS
- Soludo Sworn In As Anambra Governor
Charles Soludo has been sworn in as the fifth governor of Anambra State in a modest event that took place at the Government House on Thursday. Soludo took over from Willie Obiano. The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor took the oath of office alongside his deputy, Onyeka Ibezim. In his inaugural speech, Soludo promised to hit the ground running, saying some key members of his government will be announced in a few hours.
The event was graced by top dignitaries in the state and beyond including the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Oye and wife; Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Uchenna Okafor and wife; Sen. Victor Umeh and wife; Bianca Ojukwu, clergymen, traditional rulers among others.
Hours before the swearing-in, security officers were seen at strategic points within and around the Government House. Guests began to arrive for the programme in the early hours of the day and were subjected to routine security checks. A circular by the state government showed that about 50 persons were invited for the ceremony as Soludo said he wanted a low-profile event.
- Commotion As Obiano’s Wife Allegedly Slaps Bianca Ojukwu At Soludo’s Inauguration
There was some commotion on Thursday at the inauguration of Professor Chukwuma Soludo as the governor of Anambra State when wife of outgoing Governor Willie Obiano, Ebelechukwu, allegedly slapped Mrs Bianca Ojukwu at the event. Newsmen who were at the scene of the event reported that the incident occurred immediately after Soludo took his oath of office.
Reports have it that dignitaries including the outgoing governor were already seated when Mrs Obiano stepped in and moved to the front row where the widow of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu was seated and allegwdly slapped her.
The action drew the attention of security agents and some personalities who reportedly pulled Mrs Obiano off the hold of Bianca who was visibly shocked at the action. Mrs Obiano was later taken away and shortly afterwards, her husband left the venue of the event.
- Obiano Arrested For Alleged Misappropriation Of N42bn – Source
The arrested former Governor of Anambra State was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds. This is according to a source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr Obiano was arrested by the EFCC on Thursday evening at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, hours after handing over to Governor Charles Soludo.
According to the EFCC source, he was arrested for misappropriating N5bn Sure-P and N37 billion Security Vote funds, which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds were also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state, the source added. Mr Obiano is said to have been moved from Lagos an EFCC facility in Abuja.
The former Governor, who has been on the Commission’s watchlist for months, was arrested at about 8.30pm on Thursday. He was reportedly on his way out of the country to Houston, Texas in the United States. It had been reported last November how the EFCC had placed Mr Obiano on a watchlist.
- INEC Releases Final List Of Ekiti Governorship Election Candidates
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates for the Ekiti governorship election slated for June 18. The list includes 16 governorship candidates vying for the position. This was disclosed in a statement signed on Monday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye.
He said the list was released in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and following the close of nominations by political parties.
Okoye in the statement said the attention of parties is drawn to Section 32(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides that failure to notify the Commission “shall not be ground to invalidate the election.”
The final list is published in INEC State and Local Government offices in Ekiti State as well as their website and social media platforms for public information as required by law. Political parties are enjoined to note the provision of the law for compliance.
- APC Crisis: Buhari Backs Buni, Warns Govs, NEC Meeting Cancelled
President Muhammadu Buhari has categorically backed Yobe State governor and chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, in a bid by the party to wriggle out of crisis bedeviling it, nine days to its convention.
In a letter dated March 16, 2022 which he personally signed and addressed to the governor of Kebbi State and chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the president ordered an immediate return to the status quo ante, following the recent controversial attempt to change the CECPC leadership.
Buhari also directed that the Buni-led CECPC should, accordingly, be allowed to proceed with all necessary preparations to hold the convention as planned on March 26. He warned all members of the APC governors’ forum and their followers to desist from any behaviour or utterance that will likely lead to further disunity in the ranks of the party and ultimately jeopardise the transition to the convention.
- 2023: PDP chieftain calls for integrity test on INEC systems
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Osita Chidoka, has called for an integrity test on the technology of the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2023 general election. Chidoka called on INEC partners to encourage the conduct of third-party testing of the electoral umpire’s technology platform to ascertain its robustness, integrity, and performance.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Ikechukwu Okafor, that quoted Chidoka who spoke at a conference on US Policy and Nigeria’s 2023 elections held on Friday, March 11, at the Kenney Auditorium at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington DC.
The former Minister of Aviation stressed that INEC’s improvement in the use of technology would be key to the success of the elections, adding that a third party test from consultancy firms would address the issues experienced during the Anambra governorship and the FCT council elections. He also praised INEC’s drive to adopt technology and continuous innovation, describing the slow adoption by political parties as the weak link in the political process.
Commenting on the issues concerning the decline in voter turnout since the 2011 election, Chidoka argued that a decrease in voter turnout could be due to several factors including the increasing number of voters in the register without a corresponding clean up to reflect death, double registration and other issues that contribute to the growth of the voter register. He said, “INEC cannot determine Nigeria’s election voter turnout until the voter register is cleaned up through removal of dead people, de-duplication and clean up of the register started since 2011.”
- Al-Makura woos N’Assembly members with automatic return tickets
A former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Al-Makura, has said if he becomes the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, he will ensure that members of the National Assembly get another term in the federal parliament. Al-Makura said this in Abuja on Thursday at a consultative meeting with the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives.
Responding specifically to a question on lawmakers getting return tickets, Al-Makura said, “I believe in continuity and I believe that Nigerian democracy, as it is now, is at its very youthful stage. What we need is to ensure that people who already know the system continue to add value to the system.
“We will be stagnating our democracy if we promote the entrance of too many people that will come to learn how to legislate. What we are trying to look for is how we can build our democracy to endure. So, for me, I am compelled to encourage through whatever means to ensure members who are currently in the legislature are encouraged to come back.
- PDP can’t afford to lose 2023 election — Atiku
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has called on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to do everything possible to win the 2023 Presidential election, saying anything short of victory will not be good for the party.
Atiku, who commended the party for its opposition role since 2015, noted that the next general elections offered the PDP opportunity to return to the heart of political governance of the country. He stated this during an interactive session with members of party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, at the Yar’ Adua Centre, Abuja, to crave their support for his aspiration.
“I am worried and you should be worried too that if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years. By the next eight years, I don’t know how many will be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments. Ordinary people naturally gravitate towards government. So this is a very, very crucial and historical moment in history, for our survival. I want you to think about it.
- You’re Ungrateful, A Serial Betrayer, Wike Tells Obaseki – WAR OF WORDS
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has described his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, as a politician who is a serial betrayer of those who helped him to advance his political aspiration. Wike made this remark on Monday at the inauguration of the Community Secondary School, Omuanwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state. It was in an apparent response to Obaseki’s advertorial, where he castigated Wike and accused him of turning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into his personal property.
The Rivers State governor, after reviewing Obaseki’s alleged betrayal and ingratitude, concluded that he owed the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, an apology for opposing him when he insisted that “Obaseki is a treacherous and ungrateful man”.
Wike said Oshiomhole was right then and had been vindicated given the recent display of ingratitude by Obaseki to the PDP and to those who helped him to secure his second tenure as governor of Edo State.
He said, “If you go and check the DNA of Godwin Obaseki, what you’ll see in that DNA is serial betrayal and ungratefulness. Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole, who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, we’ll see the insincerity, we’ll see the ungratefulness of Godwin Obaseki.
“So let me apologize to Adams Oshiomhole and to say you have been vindicated. You were right, we were wrong. I’ve never seen people who are so ungrateful in life. I’ve never seen people who can betray everything in life.”
ECONOMY
- Nigeria borrowed N6.64tn, serviced debt with N2.93tn in 2021, says DMO
The Debt Management Office on Thursday said Nigeria’s total public debt stock increased to N39.56tn in 2021 from N32.92tn in 2020. The Director-General, DMO, Patience Oniha, said this at a media briefing in Abuja. According to her, the total debt includes new borrowings by the Federal Government and the sub-nationals.
She also said that the amount helped in financing the budget deficit, capital projects and support economic recovery. She further said that despite the debt increase, the country is still within the total public debt stock to the Gross Domestic Product limit of 55 per cent set by the World Bank and 70 per cent set by the Economic Community of West African States.
Oniha also said that the Federal Government was “mindful of the relatively high debt-to-revenue ratio” and has established certain measures to increase revenues through the strategic revenue growth initiative and the introduction of Finance Acts since 2019.
- FG’ll tap $2.2bn Eurobond for fuel subsidy funding– Minister
The Federal Government is planning to tap €2bn ($2.2bn) by this month or next of the money it raised in a Eurobond sale last year and targets more local borrowing in 2022 to help fund subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Ahmed Zainab, has said.
It was also gathered on Tuesday that Nigeria’s crude oil production dropped from the 1.399 million barrels per day figure recorded in January this year to 1.258 million barrels per day in February.
This indicated a daily crude oil production loss of 141,000 barrels in the month of February 2022, according to the latest monthly oil market report for March 2022 released by the Organisation.
- Amid fuel crisis, Nigeria’s inflation hit 15.70% in February
The Consumer Price Index rose to 15.7 per cent in February from 15.6 per cent in January, latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics have revealed. The NBS disclosed this in its ‘Consumer Price Index February 2022’ report on Tuesday.
According to the NBS, the highest increases were recorded in prices of gas, liquid fuel (same as petrol), wine, tobacco, spirit, narcotics, solid fuels, among others.
It said, “In February 2022, the CPI which measures inflation increased to 15.70 per cent on year-on-year basis. This is 1.63 per cent points lower compared to the rate recorded in February 2021 (17.33) per cent. This means that the headline inflation rate slowed down in February when compared to the same month in the previous year.
- Elumelu Blames Poor Electricity Supply, Petroleum Products Hike On Oil Theft, Vandalism
The Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has blamed the poor electricity supply, hike in the prices of petroleum products and food inflation currently ravaging Nigeria on oil theft, vandalism and insecurity. Bemoaning the situation in a series of tweets on Thursday, Elumelu said the worsening situation was impacting negatively on the citizens and businesses, as many businesses are either running at a loss or closing up.
Elumelu noted that as an oil producing country, it was unfortunate that many Nigerians were living in hardship and poverty. He noted that Nigeria’s inability to generate the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil production quota was costing the country more and depleting her foreign reserves.
Elumelu urged Nigerians to be more vocal and demand accountability from government as the 2023 general election draw closer. He added that only leaders who can deliver on their mandates can change Nigeria’s trajectory.
- NEITI report: Reps go after 77 oil firms over unremitted N2.6tn revenue
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, commenced an investigative hearing into the N2.6tn owed the Federal Government by 77 oil companies operating in Nigeria. The House is acting on the 2019 report of the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative.
Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, threatened that parliament might be forced to invoke the provisions of the Constitution against a company or official who fails or refuses to cooperate with the House on the probe. He noted that N2.6tn is a huge sum of money that should not be allowed to go down the drain, especially at a time when the Federal Government is experiencing a shortage of revenue to fund its annual budget budgets.
He said, “To underscore the importance of this exercise, let me make a bold statement that if there are companies or individuals that refuse to cooperate with the committee during this exercise, it may be the first time in the 9th Assembly or in the history that I will personally invoke the provisions of the Constitution and have such person arrested. That is how important this exercise is. If true, N2.6tn is not a child’s play; and it if is true, we need to recover that money for the good of the Nigerian people. So, I seek cooperation and plead for cooperation.”
The Speaker added, “There is direct nexus between revenue generation and infrastructural development. It is also very important and that is why the House, in its wisdom, decided to put in place an ad hoc committee even though there is a standing committee that works directly in this area. I expect that the deliberation will be thorough and interrogate if it is true that the NEITI report is what it is.”
- FG may spend 93% of revenue on interest in 2022, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund projected that the Federal Government of Nigeria may spend 93 per cent of the country’s revenue on the payment of interests incurred on its debts by 2022. The Fund also projected that 139 per cent of the nation’s revenue on paying off of interests from debts by 2026.
This projection was provided in the IMF’s ‘Nigeria Staff Report for the 2021 Article IV Consultation’ report. The Washington-based said that the interest-to-revenue ratio would rise steadily from 86 per cent in 2021, adding that a high interest-to-revenue ratio puts the country at fiscal risks.
It, however, said that the ratio is very susceptible to shocks, which can make the 2026 ratio hit between 247 and 398 per cent. The Washington-based lender also projects that government spending would rise by 69.91 per cent from N17.24tn in 2022 to N29.29tn in 2026.
BUSINESS
- Power grid collapses again, stakeholders’ meeting enters second day
Nigeria’s electricity grid collapsed around 5pm on Tuesday, which was less barely 48 hours after it collapsed on Monday, a development that caused widespread darkness across the country. Power distribution companies again alerted their customers about the collapse, as it was gathered that the meeting summoned by the Federal Government on Monday over issues in the sector, had to drag on till late night on Tuesday. The grid collapse further prolonged the blackouts witnessed across the country, amidst the current energy crisis in the petroleum sector in Nigeria.
In a public announcement to its customers on Tuesday, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company described the collapse of the grid as total. It said, “Dear esteemed customers, we regret to inform you of a total system collapse on the national grid at 1709hours of today Tuesday, March 15, 2022 leading to outages across our network.
“We are closely monitoring the situation with our TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria) partners and will keep you updated on the situation. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”
Also, the Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric Plc, Mr Felix Ofulue, confirmed the development to the newsmen in Lagos.
Power distributors said the collapse had disrupted power supply within their networks as customers were experiencing blackouts nationwide.
- Gencos Disagree With TCN Over Outages, Blame Weak Transmission
Power generation companies on Sunday said the recent incessant blackouts across the country were because the weak infrastructure of transmission and distribution companies had rendered the quantum of electricity generation in Nigeria inconsequential. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies, Joy Ogaji, kicked against the position of the Transmission Company of Nigeria that the Gencos were to blame for poor power supply nationwide.
On March 8, 2022, the TCN ascribed the low power generation in Nigeria to Gencos’ inability or refusal to generate power, as the transmission company absolved itself of any responsibility from the ongoing shortage of power supply across the country. But the Gencos on Sunday countered the claims of TCN, as Ogaji insisted that the transmission infrastructure put in place by TCN was weak.
She said, “Since 2013 when the power sector was partially privatised till date, weak and inadequate infrastructure (transmission and distribution) have continued to render inconsequential, a significant portion of the generation capacities recovered or added by Gencos through huge investments to increase their respective generation capacities.
The APGC rejected the claim by TCN that Gencos were to blame for the low power supply in Nigeria, as the association further stated that Gencos were also being owed billions of naira by the power market through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc.
HEALTH
- PCR tests for travellers fraudulent, probe NCDC, ministry – WHO envoy
The World Health Organisation’s Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, Ayoade Alakija, has called for an investigation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Health over the required COVID-19 PCR tests for inbound passengers to Nigeria. Alakija, in a tweet via her official Twitter handle, @yodifiji, wondered why the PCR tests were done with no reagents.
Reports have it that the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Ifedayo Adetifa, had earlier insisted that Nigeria would not scrap COVID-19 tests for inbound passengers into the country. Adetifa had said the country was reporting a high rate of COVID-19 cases from inbound passengers, hence the need for the insistence of the tests.
Alakija, reacting to a tweet by a journalist, David Hundeyin, tweeted, “It’s a scam. The entire thing is a criminal enterprise and should be exposed. “Diagnostic tests to enter a country where the government officials have interest in Dx test centres. PCR tests with no reagents? NCDC and MOH should be investigated. It is a scam, period.”
EDUCATION
- ASUU Extends Strike By Eight Weeks, Accuses FG Of ‘Nonchalant Attitude’
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has extended its warning strike by eight weeks, the union said on Monday. ASUU reached the decision after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the University of Abuja secretariat of the union following the expiration of its one-month warning strike. It hinged its decision on the unseriousness of the Federal Government.
“NEC, having taken reports on the engagements of the Trustees and Principal Officers with the Government, concluded that Government had failed to satisfactorily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA) within the four-week roll—over strike period and resolved that the strike be rolled over for another eight (8) weeks to give Government more time to address all the issues in concrete terms so that our students will resume as soon as possible,” a statement by ASUU’s president, Emmanuel Osodeke, read.
ASUU blamed its decision on the insincerity of the government since it started the warning strike a month ago. According to the lecturers, a series of meetings with government officials yielded nothing. “NEC viewed Government’s response, so far, as a continuation of the unconscionable, mindless, and nonchalant attitude of the Nigerian ruling elite towards the proven path of national development which is education,” ASUU said.
But the Federal Government said it had met all the demands of the union, based on the agreement reached with the leadership during negotiation meetings. Minister of State for Education, Honourable Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, while reacting to the announcement of the extension of strike by ASUU shortly after the 2022 Commonwealth Day celebration held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja, said the government met with the union and had done all the union asked for. Expressing worries over the development, the vice-chancellors of public universities in the country and the parents described the strike extension as a sad development.
- We Won’t Make Gunpoint Negotiations With ASUU – FG
The Federal Ministry of Education has said it will not enter into agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities under duress. The ministry called on ASUU to call off its strike “so that we will not have gunpoint negotiations and make promises that we will not be able to fulfil.” The ministry’s spokesman, Ben Goong, made this known in an interview with newsmen on Sunday.
Newsmen also gathered that the National Executive Council of the union, which is currently meeting at the University of Abuja, would announce the final decision on whether to proceed with an indefinite strike or suspend the current industrial action on Monda.
The National President, ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, confirmed that the NEC was indeed meeting, but refused to make further comments.
However, a high ranking source in the NEC told newsmen that the union would have no choice but to go on full blown strike as the government had failed to do anything tangible to meet its demands.
- UTAS: ASUU To Meet NITDA Over Integrity Test
The Academic Staff Union of Universities is set to meet with the management of the National Information Technology Development Agency by 2p.m today (Monday) over the deployment of the University Transparency Accountability System for the Payment of university lecturers, newsmen have learnt. The National President of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.
Reports have it that ASUU in a press statement released on Sunday had accused the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa and the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami of deliberately trying to mislead the public on the report of the integrity test conducted on UTAS.
Inuwa had during a press briefing with state house correspondents last week had said that UTAS had failed the integrity test. But the ASUU chairman told newsmen that the ASUU team would be meeting with the NITDA team.
- Federal lawmaker proposes 3-year validity for UTME results
Rep. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (APC-Oluyole) has proposed a three-year validity period for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results in the country. This is contained in a statement issued by her Media Aide, Olamilekan Olusada, and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Ibadan.
Akande-Sadipe is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Matters. She said that a bill was, on March 16, sponsored on the floor of the House to amend the law establishing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). She said that the law should be amended to increase the validity of UTME to three years to make JAMB function better.
The lawmaker argued that the one-year validity period of UTME results was cumbersome, distorting and worrisome to the average Nigerian. “Most examinations meant for entrance for academic programmes generally last more than a year.
WORLD
- Rising Food Prices Shake North Africa As Ukraine War Rages
Households across North Africa are rushing to stock up on flour, semolina and other staples as food prices rise following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both key wheat exporters to the region. The scramble is worse coming just weeks before the start of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims traditionally break a dawn-to-dusk fast with lavish family meals.
Tunisia, Morocco and Libya, along with several other Arab countries, import much of their wheat from Ukraine and Russia. Some fear the Russian invasion could lead to hunger and unrest, with memories of how rising food prices played a role in several Arab uprisings last decade.
In one supermarket in the Tunisian capital, the shelves were bare of flour or semolina, and only three packs of sugar sat on a shelf near a sign that read: “One kilo per customer, please”. Store managers said the problem was “panic buying”, not shortages. Bulk-buying ahead of Ramadan, which is expected to start in early April this year, is common in Muslim countries. But some say the war in Ukraine has sparked a shopping frenzy.
- COVID-19: Chinese cities, factories on lockdown over Omicron spike
Seventeen million people in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen began their first full day under lockdown Monday, with restrictions also imposed in Shanghai and other major cities in an effort to extinguish the biggest threat to the nation’s zero-tolerance Covid strategy.
The southern city took the measures on Sunday as authorities battled an Omicron flare-up in factories and neighbourhoods linked to nearby Hong Kong, which is recording scores of daily deaths as the virus runs rampant.
Shenzhen is one of ten areas nationwide to issue some level of stay-at-home order. Health officials have warned tighter measures could be on their way, as concerns mount over the resilience of China’s “zero-Covid” approach in the face of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant. Authorities reported 2,300 new virus cases nationwide on Monday and almost 3,400 a day earlier, the highest daily figure in two years.
- Obama Tests Positive For COVID-19
Barack Obama has tested positive for a mild case of Covid-19, the former US president said on his Twitter account Sunday. “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple of days, but am feeling fine otherwise,” Obama tweeted, adding that his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, has so far tested negative. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted,” he wrote.
Obama, plus fellow former presidents Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton — and the former first ladies — appeared together in a one-minute video released last March, endorsing the US vaccination campaign and sharing what they missed about pre-pandemic life. “This vaccine means hope,” Obama said in the video. “It will protect you and those you love from this dangerous and deadly disease.”
In August, Obama scaled back his 60th birthday celebrations due to the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Conservative political opponents had lashed out at the former president for planning to host an outdoor party — in which attendees were required to be vaccinated — that had been expected to draw hundreds of guests after Democrats had criticized Donald Trump’s administration for organizing several maskless events at the White House. Obama reiterated his support for the vaccine in his tweet Sunday, saying his own positive test was “a reminder to get vaccinated if you haven’t already, even as cases go down.”
- Russia Accuses Google, YouTube Of ‘Terrorist’ Activities
Russian regulators on Friday accused US tech giant Google and its video subsidiary YouTube of “terrorist” activities, the first step towards a possible access ban. Russia has already blocked access to other global tech giants including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as several independent media. Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor said YouTube users “are sharing adverts with calls to shut down railway communications between Russia and Belarus”.
Russia partly carried out its military operation against Ukraine last month from the north through the territory of its ally Belarus.
Russia earlier this month launched a criminal case against Meta — which owns Facebook and Instagram — accusing the company of allowing posts “calling for the murder” of Russians.
- Putin Accuses Ukraine Of ‘War Crimes’ In Macron Call
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused Kyiv of “war crimes” in a call with his French counterpart, saying that Moscow was doing “everything possible” to avoid civilian deaths in Ukraine.
“Attention was drawn to the numerous war crimes committed daily by the Ukrainian security forces,” the Kremlin said of the call between Putin and Emmanuel Macron.
Putin told Macron the Russian army was “doing everything possible to safeguard the lives of peaceful civilians, including by organising humanitarian corridors for their safe evacuation,” the Kremlin said.
Both leaders also discussed ongoing talks between Moscow and Kyiv to end the conflict in Ukraine in the telephone call, which was a “French initiative”, it said.
ENTERTAINMENT
- It’s Painful Sharing 2Baba With Other Women – Annie Idibia
Actress, Annie Idibia, has opened up on some of the pains she has had to struggle with in her marriage to music star, Innocent Idibia, aka 2Baba. In an interview with her co-stars on the ‘Young, Famous, and African’ reality show, Annie stated that she met her husband before any of his baby mamas.
In an emotional tone, the mother of two said, “When one meets someone and one realises that one knew them first, yet one sees different women having babies for him. Then, he has five kids with other women. My first child is his fifth and I met him before the other women that have children for him. (Do) you know how many humiliation and embarrassments (I’ve faced)? How does one repeat the same mistake twice? I was hurt. Even when he was engaged…but, that is a story for another day.
“It is painful (sharing him with other women) and it hurts. (However), the good times are so much more (than the bad), and I still have forever (to spend) with him and make up for the bad times. People actually abuse the word, ‘love’. Love is more than what people say it is.”
Recall that in September 2021, Annie made a series of posts on Instagram, accusing one of her husband’s baby mothers, Pero Adeniyi, of using their children to get closer to him. She also accused her husband’s family members and his manager of coming between them.
- Organisers Announce New Twists To AMVCA
The eighth edition of the popular Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards is set to hold for eight days— from Saturday, May 7, to Saturday, May 14, 2022. This is a clear departure from the one-day events that had held in the ceremony’s eight-year history. At an event on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos,it was stated that the AMVCA 2022 will cater to different sectors of the creative industry.
The Head of Content, Africa Magic, Busola Tejumola, stated that the company had invested over $500m in the promotion of local content from 2015 to 2021 through platforms such as the AMVCAs and the MultiChoice Talent Factory.
According to the organisers, May 7 has been designated as the AMVCA Opening night, followed by a runway show on May 8. May 9 will be dedicated to the Multichoice Talent Factory, and will include movie screenings and panel discussions by students of the MTF academy.
May 10 is for ‘Africa Magic Session with Content Creators’, where industry stakeholders and enthusiasts will be hosted to a special ‘Africa Magic Content Market Day’.
SPORTS
- Fans Boo Messi And PSG Stars Despite Win Over Bordeaux
Paris Saint-Germain beat Ligue 1 strugglers Bordeaux 3-0 on Sunday amid incessant whistles directed at stars including Lionel Messi and Neymar from home fans furious at another European exit. Amid a gloomy atmosphere in the French capital, only Kylian Mbappe, who scored both goals in the last-16 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, escaped the wrath of the fans.
On Sunday, Mbappe was again on target, scoring the opening goal after 24 minutes with Neymar and Leandro Paredes adding two more in the second half. The Parisians hold a 15-point lead on second-placed Nice and are on track to equal Saint-Etienne’s record of 10 French titles, but the frustration of their home fans spilled over.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was booed as never before in his career, even in the rare bad times with Argentina, and whistled at every touch of the ball. Coach Mauricio Pochettino said the players had greeted the hostility “with sadness”. “No-one who loves PSG, its colours, and who feels the frustration of elimination, can experience it in any other way.
METRO PLUS
- Lagos socialite gets N2m bail for doling out petrol souvenir at party
A socialite, Ms Chidinma Ogbulu, aka Erelu Okin, has been arraigned before a Special Offences (Mobile) Court in the Oshodi area of Lagos State for distributing petrol as a souvenir during a ceremony. Ogbulu reportedly distributed petrol while celebrating her chieftaincy title on March 5, 2022, at the Havillah Event Centre, Lagos.
A video of kegs of petrol for guests at the event went viral on social media, sparking an outrage as the state government sealed off the centre. The police also vowed to prosecute the socialite.
She was arraigned on Monday on four counts bordering on conduct likely to cause breach of peace, endangering human lives by distributing combustible matter in a public gathering, intent to do harm to another and unlawfully carrying on the business of storage and containerising petroleum product without a permit. Ogbulu was granted bail in the sum of N2m with two responsible sureties with verified addresses and three years’ tax clearance.
- No record Hushpuppi committed fraud in prison –US court
The US Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California on Thursday described as false, reports (not by The PUNCH), that alleged international fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, committed over $400,000 fraud while in an American prison. The court’s Director of Media Relations, Thom Mrozek, made this known in an email response to an inquiry by The PUNCH on Thursday.
According to him, the Federal Bureau of Investigation did not file any such allegation against Hushpuppi. The court official also said the FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, who was said to have filed the fresh charges against Hushpuppi said he didn’t author such a document.
“We have checked with the FBI agent who supposedly authored the document, and he confirms it is a fake,” Mrozek told newsmen. The Dubai Police in the United Arab Emirates had in June 2020 arrested Hushpuppi and his gang. They were later extradited to the US for prosecution by the FBI.
- NDLEA traces N4.2bn to Abba Kyari, co-accused’s accounts
Fresh facts have emerged on how suspended super cop and former Commander of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari; as well as his deputy, ACP Sunday Ubua, allegedly received a combined N4.2bn from their separate bank accounts. The details are part of a report sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, by the NDLEA.
According to the drug enforcement agency, not less than N1.4bn passed through Kyari’s account while he was commander of the IRT.
However, Kyari’s deputy, Ubua, may have received far more than him as not less than N2.8bn was traced to his eight bank accounts.
According to investigations, Ubua allegedly received a lump sum of N2.664bn on August 15, 2019. The NDLEA is now working on the assumption that the sums traced to Kyari and his deputy may be connected to the sale of some illicit substances including Tramadol worth N3bn.
A source said, “You will recall that the NDLEA is investigating an allegation that Kyari and his team seized a large consignment of tramadol in a warehouse at Amuwo Odofin in Lagos. The consignment was worth about N3bn. The IRT under Kyari’s command seized these drugs and they are believed to have sold the consignment to a cartel afterwards. It was around the time of this seizure that Kyari’s deputy received a deposit of N2.664bn in his personal bank account. Out of this money, he purchased FBN Insurance shares worth about N100m.”
Meanwhile, the NDLEA has written a letter to the AGF seeking his approval for the confiscation of properties and assets belonging to the once revered super cop. It was gathered that the NDLEA’s request was dispatched to the justice minister last week following the March 7 arraignment of Kyari and his men for dealing in cocaine. Kyari is facing eight counts of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine, and other related offences at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
