Headlines

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has taken a detour and returned to Nigeria, thereby aborting his planned trip to the United States of America to attend the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications in a statement on Monday said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will now represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Summit in Dallas, Texas.

The presidential Aide disclosed that Vice President Kashim Shettima who was originally scheduled to represent the President was unable to make the trip “following a technical fault with his aircraft, forcing him to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet.”

He also added that the Vice President will carry on with other national duties.

Part of the statement also said: “The high-profile summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring together political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States, and other regions. It features high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries.”

The Federal Government has announced plans to delist the naira from all peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms.

The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Emomotimi Agama, made this disclosure in a virtual meeting with blockchain stakeholders on Monday.

This decision aims to tackle the manipulation of the local currency’s value in the foreign exchange market.

The country’s regulatory authorities have been investigating and scrutinising cryptocurrency exchanges in recent months.

On March 8, the biggest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, stopped its naira services.

Details later…

Six individuals were tragically killed by bandits in a brutal attack on the Ambe community in Kaduna State’s Sanga Local Government Area on Sunday night.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command Mansir Hassan confirmed the incident , saying that one suspect has been arrested in connection with the attack.

According to Hassan, police operatives from Sanga Divisional Police Station and troops of Operation Safe Haven upon getting a distress call, rushed to the community and engaged the bandits in a gun duel during which one of the bandits was arrested while the rest escaped into the forest with bullet wounds.

Meanwhile, the member representing Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency Daniel Amos said in a statement that six people were killed in the attack while eight others sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment at the hospital.

While condemning the latest attack aimed at destabilising the peace and security in his constituency, the federal lawmaker, called on all residents of Sanga Local Government Area to remain calm and peaceful as they work towards finding a lasting solution to the insecurity in the area.

“We must continue to promote peaceful coexistence among our diverse communities, irrespective of our differences.

“I also call on the security agencies to act swiftly to apprehend the perpetrators of this evil act and bring them to justice. The safety of our people must remain a top priority. We cannot allow the criminals to continue to operate with impunity.

“As your representative in the National Assembly, I assure you that I will continue to do my best to attract development to our constituency while working with relevant stakeholders to ensure the safety of our people.

“Finally, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones, Arak chiefdom, Sanga Local Government Area, and the government of our dear State. I also pray for a speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries”.

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has debunked viral reports alleging that his administration has so far borrowed N10 billion from foreign bodies.

A report earlier emerged that the governor reportedly secured the sum of N10,022,382,348.40 billion in loans from different foreign bodies and organizations in 2023.

Reacting, Governor Adeleke in a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed countered the report, saying he has not borrowed a kobo since his administration kicked off.

Describing the report as fake, the governor stated that he has not at any point since he assumed office, “taken any loan either through a resolution of the State Executive Council or that of the State House of Assembly”.

He explained that what the report referred to as loans, were World Bank Development financing which, according to him, were inherited from the previous administrations.

The governor insisted that all the projects executed in the state including the dualisation of roads, the overhead bridges, the school, health centre upgrades and several road projects were being funded through special project accounts created by the state government.

“No responsible government will abandon a series of World Bank projects which are already household names across the Federation and which have benefited so many residents.

“We reaffirm again that Governor Adeleke has not borrowed a kobo since assuming office. Inherited liabilities and contracts cannot be tagged on the Governor of the Year on Infrastructure”, the statement added.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has announced a reduction in the price of electricity tariff for Band A customers from N225/kWh to N206.80/kWh.

The AEDC made the announcement in a tweet on Monday, May 6.

It reads: “We are pleased to share with you the revised tariff for our Band A feeders, which will decrease from N225/kWh to N206.80/kWh effective today, May 6th 2024.

“We assure customers on our Band A feeders of continued availability of electricity supply for 20-24 hours daily.

“Please note that the tariffs for Bands B, C, D, and E remain unaffected.”

Similarly, the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has informed Band A customers that they can now enjoy a reduced electricity tariff of N206.80/kWh from N225.

“The Management of Kaduna Electric is pleased to inform the public of a downward review in the tariff of our Band A feeders from N225/kWh to N206.80/kWh,” the statement noted.

“The review is effective from 6th May 2024 and affects both prepaid and postpaid customers.

“Kaduna Electric assures customers on its Band A feeders of continued availability of 20-24hrs supply daily as stipulated in the Service Based Tariff regime.

“The public should please note that the tariff for Bands B, C, D, and E remains unchanged.”

The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, on Monday suspended three lawmakers over an alleged plot to impeach him and other principal officers of the Assembly.

One of the suspended lawmakers, Donald Okogbe, PDP, Akoko-Edo II, is an ally of the impeached deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, and was the only lawmaker who did not sign the petition that led to Shaibu’s impeachment.

The two others are Addeh Emankhu Isibor, APC, Esan North-East I, and Iyamu Bright, PDP, Orhionnwon II.

Agbebaku also accused the trio of bringing native doctors to the House on May 1 at around 1am to perform the sacrifice.

Agbebaku said the three lawmakers were suspended indefinitely, alleging that external forces were influencing them to cause chaos and remove the house’s leadership.

The suspension of the lawmakers, however, created tension in the House as the affected lawmakers kicked against their suspension.

In a rowdy session, the three suspended lawmakers were seen screaming, “Mr Speaker, you do not have the right to unilaterally suspend any member(s) of the house.

“You must call for votes. Allow members vote on the matter.”

The Speaker, thereafter, adjourned the plenary abruptly.

Governor Godwin Obaseki says he wants to learn more, do research, and impart knowledge after his eighth year in office ends in Edo.

Mr Obaseki stressed that after completing his second term in Osadebey House, he will not attempt to be a godfather.

The incumbent Edo governor assumed power in 2016 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress. In his second coming, he lost favour with his so-called godfather, former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who, with the help of other party members, wrested the gubernatorial ticket from him, forcing Mr Obaseki to pitch his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party. Mr Obaseki won the subsequent election.

When asked in an interview with THISDAY what was next for the Edo governor, who has some months left in office, Mr Obaseki said, “Obaseki is very fortunate and has every reason to thank God. If you look at Nigeria today, I am one of the few persons who have had solid private sector experience and have been in government.

“I have been in the APC and I have been in PDP. My role is to sit back and see how I can assist and help, nurture, let people know, share my experiences with them and support them. So, I see myself going back to school, research, teach and just impact knowledge.”

Regarding entrenching leadership in Edo as a godfather, Mr Obaseki said, “There is no need to.”

The governor added, “You always mentor people, but when you want to sit and begin to direct them, that’s where the problem is. I don’t like being directed, so why should I direct anybody? If I wanted to direct somebody,

“I would not get one of Nigeria’s most accomplished lawyers to come and run the state, make sacrifices, and step down from all his enviable professional engagements just to come and be directed in Edo state.”

The Federal Government has approved a downward review in electricity tariff for Band A customers(Those with a daily supply of minimum of 20 hours).

Under the approved review,Band A customers who hitherto were charged N225/Kwh are now to pay N206.80/Kwh.

The decision to crash the tariff may not be unconnected with public outcry over the increase in electricity which industry observers, CSOs, labour unions have described as insensitive.

In a notice to its customers on Monday, Ikeja Electric said “Please be informed of the downward tariff review of our Band A feeders from N225/kwh to N206.80/kwh effective 6th May 2024 with guaranteed availability of 20-24hrs supply daily.

The tariff for Bands B, C, D, and E remains unchanged,”.

Details later…

A pure water hawker Ugwu Augustus, has reportedly scored 309 and secured a full scholarship into the university after scoring 309 in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Alex Onyia, the founder of Educare, an organisation that prepares candidates for UTME, revealed that Augustus left school two years ago.

He added that he was, however, challenged to join the UTME preparatory class and score above 300 to get a full scholarship.

He wrote, “This youngster from my village, Ugwu Chibuzo Augustus, scored 309 in JAMB. He left school 2 years ago and has been selling pure water in the streets.

“We convinced him to join the JAMB prep program with a promise that he will get a scholarship if he scores above 300. He took up that challenge.”

Onyia recalled Augustus’s commitment to the preparation, saying he comes to classes during the day then goes back to sell pure water on the road.

He also stressed Augustus’s zeal for sharing knowledge, noting some students’ testimony of how he stays back after class to teach them.

“He comes to classes during the day and goes back to sell his pure water after the days classes.

“Interestingly, some of the students who did well in science said that Chibuzo usually stays back to explain further to them what was taught in class before he leaves for the day to sell pure water.

“The group comprised of those who were desperately determined to score above 300 and get the scholarship. They became close friends and studied together always.

“During the monthly assessments he has been consistent with good scores and right now he made it. He has now been enrolled in our full scholarship program.” Augustus wrote.

Amid disappointing statistics from this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Augustus’s achievement stands out as a testament to perseverance and excellence.