News

By Uzair Adam

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has alerted the public to the activities of imposters falsely claiming to represent the commission in securing contracts for the 2025 Hajj.

In a statement released on Monday by Fatima Sanda Usara, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Public Affairs, the commission stressed that it will not recognize any unauthorized agreements made in its name.

The statement explained that certain individuals have fraudulently contacted service providers and the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah under the guise of acting on behalf of NAHCON, making arrangements for accommodations and feeding for Nigerian pilgrims.

NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, clarified that no individual or group has been authorized to make such arrangements.

“All official transactions must go through recognized NAHCON personnel and follow due process,” the statement emphasized.

The commission urged the public and service providers in both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to verify all dealings through official channels to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes, noting that NAHCON will not be liable for any losses caused by such activities.

For any clarifications, stakeholders are advised to contact NAHCON through its official communication platforms.

By Uzair Adam

The former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has reached a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concerning an alleged fraud involving N1.6 billion.

During the resumed hearing on Monday, EFCC Counsel Ogechi Ujam informed Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja that Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, had proposed a settlement since the last adjourned date.

Ujam stated that the agreement had been submitted to EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede for approval.

“We are seeking a date to file our plea bargain agreement and amended charge,” Ujam said.

Nwabuoku’s lawyer, Isidal Udenko, and Emeka Onyeaka, who represented Nweke, also confirmed their decision to opt for a plea bargain. Justice Omotosho adjourned the case until December 2 for the adoption of the plea bargain agreement.

The anti-graft agency has brought forward an 11-count money laundering charge against both defendants, who are accused of laundering funds while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence from 2019 to 2021.

Nwabuoku, the first defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24, was appointed acting AGF on May 20, 2022, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over allegations of N80 billion fraud.

However, Nwabuoku was removed just weeks later, in July 2022.

Sylva Okolieaboh was appointed as acting AGF to replace Nwabuoku amid reports of ongoing corruption investigations by the EFCC.

According to reports from July 10, Nwabuoku and his co-defendants requested additional time from the court to finalize the refund of the public funds allegedly misappropriated, asking for the arraignment to be postponed to allow for the completion of this process.

By Uzair Adam

The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology has rolled out a 10-year strategic roadmap aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s raw material sector, with the goal of achieving 60% value addition by 2034.

Announcing the plan during a Program Presentation and Dialogue Session in Abuja, Minister Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji highlighted the need to enhance the value of raw materials before export to promote job creation, stimulate domestic manufacturing, and strengthen the naira.

Currently, only 25% of raw materials undergo value addition, which Nnaji described as “unacceptable.”

The roadmap, developed in collaboration with the African Development Bank, includes building capacity in circularity, developing real-time data systems, and upgrading testing laboratories to support research and technology innovation.

Nnaji urged the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), development partners, and financial institutions to collaborate on these ambitious goals.

By Uzair Adam

In a continued effort to tackle crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, Nigerian troops have successfully dismantled more than 30 illegal refinery sites and recovered over 230,000 litres of stolen crude products.

According to a statement from Army headquarters, the operation took place in several locations, including Assa, Lekuma, Abiama, and other creek areas.

Alongside the destruction of refining sites, the troops also confiscated 44 cooking pots, six wooden boats, and various equipment used in the illegal operations.

Collaboration between the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division and other security agencies in the Niger Delta Region (NDR) has led to increased success in thwarting attempts to steal crude oil.

In the past week, the troops intercepted 12 boats, nine vehicles, and four motorcycles used to transport stolen products, leading to the arrest of eight suspects.

Additionally, in Rivers State, an illegal refining site was destroyed in Akuku-Toru LGA, with 9,000 litres of stolen gas oil recovered.

More operations in the region also uncovered a criminal loading point in Eleme LGA, resulting in the arrest of five guards and the seizure of over 40,000 litres of stolen products.

By Uzair Adam 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant strides in its ongoing war against drug trafficking, intercepting a total of N22.7 billion worth of opioids at three major seaports. 

In a separate incident, operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, arrested Oguejiofor Nnaemeka Simonpeter, a Thailand returnee, for attempting to smuggle heroin valued at over N3.1 billion.

Oguejiofor, a 29-year-old graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State, was apprehended on October 7, 2024, while trying to exit the airport with the illicit drug hidden in six backpacks packed inside two large suitcases. 

The heroin, weighing 13.30 kilograms, was carefully sewn into the backpacks. 

According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media & Advocacy, Oguejiofor had travelled from Thailand to Lagos via Qatar Airways, stopping over in Doha. 

Upon arriving in Lagos, he requested his luggage, which was initially routed to Accra, Ghana, to be rerouted back to Nigeria in an attempt to avoid security checks. 

NDLEA officers intercepted the luggage, leading to the discovery of the heroin.

Oguejiofor claimed that he was paid $7,000 to deliver the drugs, with two parcels intended for Lagos and the remaining four for Accra.

In related operations, NDLEA officers at the Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa Seaport in Lagos, and the Port Harcourt Port Complex seized a large quantity of opioids, including 32.6 million tramadol pills and over 1.4 million bottles of codeine-based syrup. 

These drugs were estimated to be worth N22.7 billion in total.

Meanwhile, operatives in Anambra State also arrested a suspect with 50,000 tramadol tablets, and in Edo State, NDLEA officers recovered 1,050 kilograms of cannabis during a raid at a transit point.

By Uzair Adam 

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pensions, Alhaji Bashir Ado, following a premature announcement regarding a proposed N70,000 minimum wage.

The suspension was confirmed in a statement issued by Bala Ibrahim, the Secretary to the State Government, in Dutse on Saturday. 

The statement revealed that a circulating media report claiming the governor had approved the new minimum wage was both inaccurate and premature.

“This is an embarrassing situation, as the committee tasked with advising on the appropriate wage, led by the Head of the State Civil Service, has yet to finalize its report,” Ibrahim explained.

Due to the incident, the governor has approved Ado’s immediate suspension pending the outcome of an investigation. 

A committee, chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Bello Abdulkadir, has been set up to probe the source and intent behind the statement.

The committee, which includes Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture Sagir Musa, Commissioner for Health Dr Abdullahi Muhammad, and Muhammad Hahaha, Permanent Secretary of Establishment and Service Matters, is expected to submit its report within two weeks.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini 

The Jigawa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 26-year-old man, Nura Mas’ud, who allegedly set his grandmother ablaze. 

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Lawan Adam, confirmed the suspect’s arrest in a statement on Saturday. 

He said, “On October 8, 2024, at about 1600hrs, the command was notified of a sad and regrettable incident that occurred in Mu’azu village, Dan Gwanki ward, Sule Tankarkar LG. 

“That one Nura Mas’ud, 26 of Mu’azu village, Sule tlTankarkar LGA, went to his family house with a petrol canister and poured it on his grandmother, Zuwaira Muhammad, 60 of the same address, and set her ablaze. 

“The elderly woman eventually passed away while being admitted to a hospital as a result of the conflagration.” 

He explained that the medical doctor on call certified her death, and the corpse was released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites. 

He pointed out that a team of police detectives from the Sule Tankarkar Division quickly arrested and detained the suspect. 

“He was later taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a discreet investigation. 

“During the interrogation, the suspect admitted to committing the alleged offence against him,” the statement added. 

Adam noted that a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect suffers from mental illness and has been receiving treatment at Kazaure Psychiatric Hospital. 

“The suspects further stated that the late grandmother upset him by expressing concern about his physical appearance and health, which he did not want. He warned her on several occasions but she refused. Thus, he purchased gasoline, poured and ignited her,” he added. 

He said the state commissioner of police, A.T. Abdullahi, had directed the SCID to thoroughly investigate the case and prosecute the perpetrator to serve as a deterrent to others.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has initiated an investigation into allegations of a N1.5 billion scholarship scam involving the Ministry of Higher Education.

The commission is currently interrogating two senior officials in connection with claims regarding 1,001 students purportedly studying in India and Uganda.

The Daily Reality gathered that the state government had sponsored these students for postgraduate degrees in India and Uganda as part of a foreign scholarship initiative launched by Governor Abba Yusuf.

Recently, Governor Yusuf hosted a farewell dinner for the first batch of 550 scholarship beneficiaries, and expressed his gratitude to former Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso for establishing the program.

However, it has come to light that only 418 students were actually sent abroad for their studies.

That raised concerns about the fate of the remaining students.

Kabiru A. Kabiru, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed the ongoing investigation. He stated that the two officials were questioned regarding the alleged fraud.

He noted that preliminary findings have revealed suspicious activities linked to the Ministry of Higher Education’s handling of the postgraduate scholarship program.

“We have opened an investigation to uncover the truth. Those found culpable, regardless of their position, will face prosecution,” Kabiru asserted.

By Uzair Adam

During his inauguration at Eagle Square, Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared the end of the fuel subsidy, leading to a sharp increase in petrol prices from N198 to N540 per litre.

The president argued that the subsidy had become a hindrance to national progress, fueling corruption, and stated that funds previously allocated to it would be redirected to other sectors of the economy.

Tinubu explained the rationale behind the removal during a meeting with traditional rulers, as reported by The Daily Reality.

He stated, “We cannot continue to support smugglers and neighboring countries at our own expense.”

He described the subsidy as an economic burden that could bring Nigeria to its knees if not addressed.

However, this stance marks a significant departure from Tinubu’s previous criticism of the subsidy removal by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.

As the national leader of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the time, Tinubu had condemned the move, labeling it the “Jonathan tax” and accusing Jonathan of breaching his social contract with the Nigerian people.

In a strongly-worded piece, as gathered by Daily Trust on Sunday, Tinubu argued that the subsidy removal would plunge Nigerians into deeper hardship and criticized the economic policies driving the decision.

He had stated, “The people will become enslaved to greater misery. This crisis will bear Jonathan’s name and will be his legacy.”

Tinubu’s past opposition to the removal of fuel subsidies now stands in stark contrast to his own administration’s decision to abolish it.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini 

Faisal Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, son of former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, is dead. 

The accident happened along the Kaduna-Zaria highway on Saturday evening. 

According to reports, the accident occurred along the Kaduna-Zaria highway this evening. 

He was taken to an undisclosed hospital, where he was declared dead. 

His father was at the hospital, and his corpse has been conveyed home for burial arrangements. 

Makarfi, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report. 

A civil engineer by training, Faisal attended Kaduna International School and then proceeded to Adesoye College, Offa, Kwara State, for his secondary education.

He attended the University of Greenwich, London, for undergraduate and master’s degrees and enrolled for a PhD at the same institution.