The United States will close its Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos on Monday, February 17, 2025, to mark Presidents’ Day.
The diplomatic mission announced that normal operations will resume on Tuesday, February 18.
A statement posted on X on Sunday by the diplomatic mission confirmed the closure and assured the public that normal operations would resume the following day.
Presidents’ Day is observed every third Monday of February in the U.S. to honour past and present leaders.
A group, League of Patriots has called on the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the anti-corruption agencies, and other stakeholders to uncover the mystery behind moving the Nigeria Police Cooperative Society Limited’s account from First Bank of Nigeria of United Bank for Africa UBA. The group said that while it is not illegal for a corporate government entity like the Nigerian police to move its account to any bank of its choice, it is an act of corruption if they are induced to do so.
The group called on the Nigeria Police Commission to move in and prevail on the leadership of the Nigerian Police to jettison any arrangement the cooperative has with the United Bank for Africa which currently manages the Nigeria police cooperative fund, over what it described as a corruption-laden arrangement that is shortchanging the police officers. The group alleges that before the movement of the account from First Bank of Nigeria, UBA went into a devious backdoor arrangement with the then leadership of Nigeria police and made an irresistible offer to the police leadership at that point that culminated in the movement of the fund from First bank of Nigeria.
Speaking during its monthly delegate meeting attended by delegates from Asia, America, Europe, and Africa, exclusively monitored by LeadingReporters, the group alleged that UBA prevailed on the then leadership of Nigerian police to accept a 5% interest rate for the cooperative fund on paper, while in reality, 7% was the agreed interest rate. The group said that while 5% accrues to the fund as interest, 2% is fraudulently given to pacify those in the know within the police hierarchy.
League of Patriots is a group of Nigerian professionals at home and in the diaspora that promotes morality in leadership and accountability among elected or appointed leaders in Nigeria. The group serves as a watchdog and offers creative support to Nigerian institutions for the greater good of nationhood.
“Today, the interest rate on that fund can be as much as 10%. It is a public fund. Why will the leadership of the Nigerian police in charge of the cooperative fund accept a 5% interest rate when they can get as much as 10%? It goes a long way to tell you the behind-the-scene arrangement where individuals are reaping where they did not sow.
“We challenge Nigerian police to initiate and negotiate for a better deal with other banks as a way of proving us wrong”.
“The 5% interest is a hoax that enriches very few. Let them allow other formidable banks to bid to be the cooperative’s banker. We are certain they will offer a better deal than UBA.
The Nigerian Police Cooperative Society is believed to be the biggest cooperative society in Nigeria and in Africa. It has a thematic objective of helping members of the police force and their family members to enjoy better warfare.
All efforts to reach UBA for clarifications on the allegations were unsuccessful as calls were not responded to.
The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Olayemi Cardoso has allegedly sacked Mr. Olakunle Abiola, aide to Deputy Governor of Central Bank Ms. Emem Usoro for falsification of National Youth Service Corp, NYSC certificate, LeadingReporters can authoritatively reveal.
A discreet CBN source who is in the know revealed that Mr. Olakunle Abiola, popularly known in CBN circles as Deputy Governor’s Henchman DGH was relieved of his duty upon discovering that his NYSC certificate was forged.
Although, it was learned that following the intervention of Abiola’s principal, Ms. Usoro, and to avoid being prosecuted, Abiola was said to have been given the option of resigning his appointment with CBN.
Mr. Abiola, prior to his shameful dismissal worked for United Bank of Africa, from where Ms. Usoro was said to have moved him to Central Bank of Nigeria. An insider source said that Abiola had worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria before joining UBA and latter returned to CBN when his principal was appointed a deputy governor. Others sources said that Abiola unceremoniously left CBN some years back when the bubble of certificate forgery first burst.
Years later, he returned to Central Bank of Nigeria with Ms. Usoro, who immediately promoted him from being her aide to an Assistant Director.
Olakunle Abiola was responsible for facilitating the employment of his old time friend Adesoji Ogungbesan. Recall that LeadingReporters has previously published the backdoor arrangement that saw Adesoji Ogungbesan being employed as an Executive Director, Corporate Services in one of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s sister company, Nigeria Security, Printing and Minting Plc. Mr. Adesoji was interviewed and recommended for the position of a senior manager only to end up as an Executive Director through a backdoor arrangement facilitated by Mr. Abiola and his principal, Deputy Governor Usoro.
The leader of the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch has talked tough again, saying she does not want Britain to be like Nigeria, a poor country where terrible government destroy lives.
Making her first speech for the year, Badenoch said she hails from a poor country which was destroyed by actions and decisions taken by its leaders.
The Conservative Party leader said she would not want to watch Britain become like Nigeria, a country which she said terrible leadership has destroyed the lives and opportunities for its citizens.
Nigerian applicants seeking visa to Thailand can now apply for e-visa online, the Royal Thailand Embassy, Abuja, has said.
The embassy said it no longer accepts physical applications.
Apart from Nigeria, the new policy also applies to other African countries such as Ghana. Cameron, Benin Republic, Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Sao Tome, and Principe and Republic of Chad.
In a statement, the embassy said applicants must be residing within the aforementioned countries when applying for the visa.
It explained that it had the right to cancel the visa applications of any applicant should such fail to provide the evidence of their presence within the aforementioned countries while applying.
“Travel booking confirmation must be provided upon submission of your visa application. This includes return flight details showing applicant’s name, departure and return date, all flights en route from the aforementioned countries to Thailand. Upon receiving your application, it takes within 5 working days to get your visa. The processing time can take longer in certain cases,” the embassy said in the statement.
According to the embassy, applicants are expected to apply at least four to six weeks before their travel date but not more than three months before departure date.
It further noted that the visa fee was non-refundable regardless of the outcome, noting that the processing fee was prone to change without prior notice
The embassy added that it reserved the rights to request additional documents, interview in person in Abuja, and amend visa categories as deemed necessary as well as reject any without prejudice.
The embassy, however, advised visa applicants to provide genuine documents and information, stressing that actions would be taken if applicants provided false or fake information.
A pro-anticorruption and good governance group, Network Against Corruption and Trafficking, NACAT has petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, the House and Senate Committee Chairmen on Banking and other financial institutions, their counterparts in the Ethics and Privileges and the Civil Service Commission, requesting for an exhaustive review of the employment of the Ag. Executive Director, Corporate Services in the Nigeria, Security, Printing and Minting, Mr. Adesoji Ogungbesan.
In the petitions, exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters, the group appealed to the authorities to investigate an alleged back-door employment of Mr Adesoji Ogungbesan who was allegedly interviewed for the position of a Senior Manager, only to be appointed an Executive Director, against MINT employment and civil service commission laid down rules.
It was alleged that Adesoji Ogungbesan who previously worked with Sahara Group was presented to the board of directors of MINT by one Olakunle Abiola, an aide to the Deputy Governor of Central Mrs Emem Usoro for employment. LeadingReporters leart that Mr. Abiola in his efforts to help his friend, Mr Ogungbesan recommended him to his principal, for employment in MINT as an Assistant General Manager. But upon being interviewed, the panel that interviewed Mr Ogungbesan in their reported posited that he was not qualified for the position of an Assistant General Manager, but rather recommended that he be employed as a Senior Manager in the government-owned MINT.
Surprisingly, instead of heeding to the report and recommendation of the panel, Mr. Ogungbesan was ‘schemed’ into the position of Executive Director by no other than Deputy Governor Emem Usoro.
Speaking with LeadingReporters, the group’s Director Compliance, S. I. E. Obeagah said that his organisation received a verifiable petition that suggested criminal manipulation and glaring employment scam which should not be waved aside.
“Upon receipt of a petition, we verified that there was a clear case of criminal infractions, violation of laid down rules, and employment scam. This are not in tune with the reforms the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso is spearheading in that agency, hence the need to call his attention and that of other stakeholders to this glaring anomaly.
The group said that it would continue to assist creative reforms of the government and lend a voice for the greater good of the nation.
Thoughtless and irresponsible spending and diversion of immigration service’s funds using every possible means have heightened in the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, under the watch of the current CG Kemi Nanna Nandap. This time, the Comptroller GeneraL has allegedly spent a whopping sum of N76,870,573 in procuring vehicles for the movement of dogs attached to her office. Another frivolous and fraudulent payment was the payment of N42,887,500 paid to Network Solutions and Investment Limited for the provision of free-livechat on the Immigration website. Not only that livechats are mostly provided for free, but a premium charge also costs less than US$20/month, thus wasting N42,887,500 by the current leadership of Nigeria Immigration.
According to the findings on Govspend, CG Kemi paid the said sum of N76,870,573 to Metropolitan Limited the sum of N62,669,362.78 on the 20th of May, 2024 and another N15,201,170 on the 26th of May, 2024 via payment Numbers 1001182589-5 and 1001184474.24 respectively for provision of vehicle for conveying dogs.
Other suspicious payments include the sum of N42,887,500 paid to Network Solutions and Investment Limited via payment No 1001161522-5 for provision of a service that is offered free of charge on the web. A simple check on the costs of integrating livechat on the website revealed that it costs less than US$20/month for a premium package. Above all, one begins to wonder why the said amount has to be spent since the existing site has a livechat onit.
Another suspiciously fraudulent payment was the one made to Ike Global Agro-Farm Limited, a purely agro-allied company to provide light at the CIS residence in Imo State. This gulped a total sum of N16,943,723.69 via payment No. 16001151299-112.
Series of fraudulent payments have continued to be made under CG Kemi watch. A discreet source that spoke to LeadingReporters on condition of anonymity revealed that the CG is in a spending-spree as a way of raking in as much money as she could before her retirement. The source said that over 40% of payments processed and paid by Nigeria Immigration Service are hoax and simple ways of stealing from the service’s treasury.
CG Kemi, whose tenure in office has elapsed is believed to be in her last spending spree, a move the source said is to enable her rake in as much as she could before she lives the service.
China has uncovered a significant gold deposit in Hunan province, valued at an estimated $83 billion. The discovery, made in Pingjiang County, includes over 40 gold ore veins found more than 2,000 meters underground.
Preliminary studies have identified 300.2 tons of gold in the core exploration area, with the highest-grade samples containing up to 138 grams of gold per metric ton. Experts predict the site could hold over 1,000 tons of gold reserves at greater depths, exceeding 3,000 meters.
The discovery highlights China’s position as the world’s largest gold producer, accounting for 10% of global output in 2023, according to the World Gold Council. However, despite its production dominance, China consumes far more gold than it produces.
In the first nine months of 2023, the country consumed 741 metric tons of gold, while domestic mines produced only 268 tons. This shortfall has made China increasingly reliant on imports to meet its demand for jewelry, technology, and other industries.
Gold reserves, such as the one in Hunan, refer to deposits that can be mined profitably. These discoveries are crucial for a nation heavily dependent on gold imports, as they reduce reliance on foreign markets and strengthen domestic resources.
Gold prices have experienced a sharp rise this year, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions worldwide. On October 30, 2024 the most actively traded gold futures contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange reached a record high of 639.48 yuan per gram.
By Thursday’s close, the contract traded at 617.7 yuan per gram, marking a 27.8% increase since the start of 2023. The ongoing rise reflects growing investor interest in gold as a safe-haven asset during times of uncertainty.
At current exchange rates, one U.S. dollar equals 7.2383 yuan, further emphasizing the significant value of gold in both domestic and international markets.
The Hunan discovery could play a role in addressing China’s gold supply challenges. With a widening gap between production and consumption, the reserve is expected to boost the country’s ability to meet its own gold needs.
Analysts believe that tapping into such deposits will also help stabilize the domestic market and reduce dependence on volatile global gold prices.
The Pingjiang County site is one of the deepest gold discoveries in China. Its rich veins and high-grade ore samples highlight the potential for significant economic gains. However, extracting gold from such depths poses technical and logistical challenges, requiring advanced mining techniques and substantial investment.
The gold reserves found in Hunan represent a pivotal moment for China’s resource management and economic strategy, opening new opportunities to strengthen its position in the global and local precious metals market.
The All Progressives Congress APC have long been noted as a political party whose only motivation is to grab power for the sake of power. They showed it in 2014/2015 when they gave their ticket to a morose Buhari because of his popularity in the core North of Nigeria with a constant twelve million votes in order to grab power.
In addition to fielding Buhari as their (APC) presidential candidate, they did everything possible to demonize Goodluck Jonathan while presenting Buhari as the Messiah Nigeria had been waiting for to take away their sufferings by ending corruption and instituting a frugal government.
Buhari had no message beyond fighting corruption and enforcing discipline, yet many Nigerians were carried away and thought he was ” an elegant cow coming from Uzebu ” ( please ask a Benin person to interpret this for you).
All the things the APC criticised Jonathan for during that campaign window, they did worse. They changed nothing and added to the woes of Nigerians. For instance, Buhari said he would sell off the planes in the Presidential fleet or convert them to start a national commercial carrier if elected as President. Buhari did not only fail to do this, he acquired more jets. The only attempt at starting a national carrier was the grotesque launching of Nigerian Air artistic design on paper with millions of Dollars.
Buhari’s government was a cesspool of corruption, inefficiency, nepotism and total abdication of governance.
Buhari’s successor, his fellow APC leader and founder, Bola Tinubu, continued from where Buhari stopped and took it further in profligacy, larceny, nepotism and grand insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. I will dwell on Tinubu another day, but before anyone calls me names, it is trite to offer this reminder that I supported Tinubu because he was the candidate of my then political party and the fact that I thought he would replicate some of his dynamisms as Lagos State Governor as President of Nigeria. My choice at the time was actually Prof. Yomi Osinbajo, until Tinubu emerged as candidate.
The APC have clearly shown that it is a party that over promises and under deliver because of their desperation for power. They showed this with Buhari and Tinubu and are now showing it with Okpebholo in Edo state.
From 2020 till the last Governorship election in Edo state, Edo APC leaders and their social media messengers have been very huge on allowing Edo based Edo people to be the fulcrum of Edo Government and criticised Godwin Obaseki for importing Edo people from outside the state to run his government. With what I have seen of the appointments Monday Okpebholo has made so far, he is proving to be a lot worse than Godwin Obaseki in this area. His government so far is 95% diasporan, if you like, none Edo based.
I deliberately stayed off Monday Okpebholo’s appointments so far so as to wait till most of the appointments are made to give him the benefit of doubts, but I would like to make preliminary observation on his appointments so far, especially the appointment of the Managing Director of Edo Broadcasting Service.
I can not fault Sulaiman Aledeh’s appointment in anyway. He’s a friend ( by friend, I mean he’s not a foe, and I personally know him and he knows me) , a fellow alumnus of Western Boys’ High School, Benin City ( some years my senior) and a fellow Ikpoba Hill boy.
As much as I wish him well, APC social media urchins saying he’s home grown is overreaching. He’s a Lagos boy, a diasporan that Edo APC so much loathed for over five years now.
The way Edo APC disparaged Obaseki, Asue Ighodalo and some other personalities in Obaseki government because they didn’t always live and work in Edo state or that they didn’t school in Edo state or that they didn’t grow up in Edo state, one would think that their appointments would be dominated by Edo based personalities.
Only one Edo based person has been appointed by Okpebholo so far, after almost 15 appointments. His name is Mr. Emmanuel Okoebor, who was as recently as January this year the Regional Manager of UBA, Edo/Delta region. If Mallam Gani Audu can be counted as Edo based, then he would be the other one. If anyone contests this conclusion, feel free to controvert me with facts and I will tell you where they all live and work. The only person I didn’t know until now was the newly appointed SSG.
During this last campaign, I warned Edo people not to listen to the jejune arguments of homeboy and foreign based orchestrated by APC leaders, that they were mere demagogues and filibuster to hoodwink Edo people. Now they have clearly vindicated me so early in their adhoc government.
May Edo win!
News Source: https://www.truthlivenews.com/welcome-the-apc-a-party-of-demagogues-only-motivated-by-power
Daniel A. Noah Osa-Ogbegie, Esq. writes from Etete New Layout, Benin City.
Simon Ekpa, has been arrested in Finland along with four others on terror-related charges, The Finnish-Nigerian separatist and self-proclaimed leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile
It was gathered that the Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests, citing allegations of incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and financing terrorism.
The arrests, carried out earlier this week, led to the suspects being remanded by the district court of Päijät-Häme. Authorities allege that Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, used social media to incite violence in southeastern Nigeria, exacerbating tensions in the region.
Crime Commissioner Otto Hiltunen, leading the investigation, emphasized the cross-border nature of the case, highlighting international cooperation in uncovering the alleged activities.
Ekpa, known for his radical activism, has a history of controversy. In 2023, Finnish police briefly detained him for suspected fundraising fraud. Globally, he has gained notoriety for advocating election boycotts and publicly endorsing violence. In one of his widely shared statements, Ekpa said, “I support violence against Nigerian government forces. This is self-defense against war crimes committed against us.”
The arrests signal a critical development in addressing allegations of international terrorism and separatist militancy, with implications for security both in the South East particularly, in Nigeria and abroad.
