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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said the Department of State Services (DSS) refused to release its personnel for questioning over investigation into the arms procurement saga. EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a statement yesterday, adding that it is not strange for the anti-graft agency to invite other law enforcement agents alleged to be complicit in any case being investigated by the commission. He said there are protocols in doing this, “and part of that protocol is to write to the heads of such agencies, requesting that the officer(s) in question be released to be interviewed.” He said, in the course of investigating the arms procurement scandal in the Office of the former National Security Adviser (ONSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, the commission has had cause to request the release of officers of other security agencies. He said these included “the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and now the DSS, for questioning. All but the ...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented an appropriation bill of N8.612 trillion for 2018. While presenting the document before the joint session of the national assembly in Abuja, the president said the budget was meant to consolidate the achievements of previous budgets. He said the 2018 budget was also to deliver on Nigeria’s economic recovery growth. The proposed budget had a 16 percent increase compared to the 2017 appropriation. Here are the estimates of the budget. ASSUMPTIONS, PROJECTIONS • Benchmark crude oil price-US$45 per barrel • Oil production estimate – 2.3 million barrels per day • Exchange rate – N305/US$ for 2018 • Real GDP growth of 3.5 percent • Inflation Rate of 12.4 percent EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES The proposed aggregate expenditure of N 8.612 trillion (16 percent above 2017 budget estimate) will comprise • Recurrent Costs of N3.494 trillion • Debt Service of N2.014 trillion • Statutory Transfers of about N456 billion • Sinking Fund of N220 billion (to reti...

Here are some selected headlines in today's newspaper, November 08, 2017. Headlines from Punch 2018: Buhari bans recruitment by MDAs, presents N8.612tn budget 2018 Budget: FG to spend N35bn on Housing Programme, N9.8bn on Mambilla Hydro Project Obasanjo gets UN mediation job FG’ll prosecute tax defaulters who shun VAIDS – Adeosun Ex-AG, Otunla, others face trial for N2bn ONSA fraud Forgery: Court adjourns Misau’s arraignment until Dec. 12 $2bn scam: EFCC accuses DSS of protecting indicted officials Customs men kill two while searching for smuggled rice US sends CDC scientists to track monkeypox CAN demands Nigeria’s withdrawal from OIC, others N2.5bn chickens wasting away in cold rooms —Ex-PAN President Stranded kidney patient: Nigerians demand probe of NGO Herdsmen demand head, body parts of slain colleague Kashamu loyalists reclaim Ogun PDP secretariat 17-year-old arrested for endorsing Al-Makura on Facebook Five hungry children burgle noodles shop in Ogun 10 robbery suspects es...

Prominent Christian leaders in Nigeria including General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye and the Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have urged the Nigerian government to exit all international Islamic organisations it was part of. The leaders, in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, made the call at the Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos state on Tuesday. “CAN Calls on the National Assembly to compile the list of all organizations Nigeria belongs to and all the treaties signed with a view to dropping all the religious ones. “That we declare the inability of the State Governments to pay worker’s salaries and allowances as at when due as unacceptable and call on the Federal and State Governments to work together to do this. “CAN Calls of the National Assemblies to prevail on the States in the North of the country try to henceforth be issuing Certificate of Occupancy to th...

Here an opinion piece from Bamidele Ademola Olateju on the 'antics' of Abba Kyari at Aso Rock.  I told you that you won’t hear the true story about the Ikoyi money. Have you? Sources in the Presidency told me Buhari’s appointment of Mohammed Dauda as DG of the NIA, is beginning to create another level of intrigues in the Presidency between Baba Gana Kingibe and Abba Kyari and his cohorts. At issue is another $250m belonging to the NIA. Abba Kyari wants to restrict Dauda to operations and appoint a committee to teleguide him. They want the money. I’m following the trail. When I get the full story, you will. Never in my life have I seen a man whose balls is made of cotton. I have read biographies and autobiographies of men who aspired to high offices, their balls are usually made of steel because they know what the demands of the office they aspire to, are. Buhari has failed spectacularly to act on those destroying his presidency from within. A President we overwhelming voted sq...

The Imo state government has announced the impending arrival of the Liberian President, Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf in the state.  According to the state government, she will be conferred with a chieftaincy title and a road will be named after her in the state as well. A statement by governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “On arrival on Thursday, Mrs. Sirleaf would be taken to the Palace of Eze Imo to be accorded the African way of receiving an august visitor like her and the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri will be expected to decorate her with a Chieftaincy title. “Taking into account that she took over the leadership of Liberia soon after a bloody Civil War and she has been able to sustain the peace of that Country for ten years now. “The following day being Friday, November 10, 2017, Mrs. Sirleaf will then be at the Rochas Foundation College of Africa where she will meet with the Students and also spec...

The Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a mobile police officer for escorting a vehicle loaded with 30 bags of weeds out of Lokoja, Kogi state. According to the State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Idris Bello, the policeman was in a red Toyota Picnic car, with Kogi State registration number KNA 185 LG when it was intercepted at a road intersection around 2:30pm. He said the vehicle, suspected to be owned by the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. Bello said the driver escaped arrest, but the NDLEA officials were able to apprehend the mobile policeman. He didn't reveal the identity of the policeman, but said the NDLEA was in the process of notifying the Police headquarters of the development. Attached Files:

Authorities of Jersey Island have given the Nigerian government a stringent condition for the repatriation of $300m state fund stolen by ex-head of state Gen. Sani Abacha.  The Attorney General of Jersey Island, Robert MacRae QC, gave the condition on Tuesday during the on going 7th Session of Conference of State Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, holding in Vienna, Austria. Speaking at a side meeting with the Nigeria delegation led by acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, he expressly stated that negotiations in respect of repatriation of the USD300 million being part of the Abacha involving Jersey, Nigeria and the United States, “must be government to government cooperation”. Attached Files:

A number of notorious armed robbers and cultists have escaped from the custody of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS ) of the Nigerian Police in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. According to reports, the police are combing all the nooks and crannies of the state capital to rearrest the suspected daredevil criminals. Several sources said the fleeing number was 10, security sources said the police were still trying to determine the figure. However, it's reported that one of them had been rearrested by the police. Attached Files:

President Muhammadu Buhari presented Nigeria's 2018 budget at the National Assembly on Tuesday.  Attached Files:

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has explained the reason it summoned several officials of the State Security Services, SSS, as well as its reported feud with the agency. In a statement on Tuesday by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC said it was not strange for the EFCC to invite officers of other law enforcement agencies alleged to be complicit in any case being investigated by the commission, “for questioning”. “But there are protocols in doing this; and part of that protocol is to write to the heads of such agencies, requesting that the officer(s) in question be released to be interviewed,” Mr. Uwujaren said. “In the course of investigating the arms procurement scandal in the Office of the the Commission has had cause to request the release of officers of other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and now the DSS, for questioning. All, but the DSS have acceded to this request,” he added. He added that EF...

Governor of Nyeri in Kenya, Wahome Gakuru has died after being involved in a ghastly motor accident in in Kabati on the Thika-Kenol highway. The governor and his driver were rushed to Thika Level 5 Hospital and were set to be flown to Nairobi Hospital for further treatment. Gakuru becomes the second Nyeri Governor to pass on while in office after the late Nderitu Gachagua who died last year in February at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London while undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. Governor Gakuru, who is the former vision 2030 director, was travelling to Nairobi for a talk show on Inooro TV.

Below are key points from the speech of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the presentation of the 2018 appropriation bill on Tuesday. 1. As the country gradually recovers, it is important to reset the fundamentals that drive our economy – so we do not slide back into recession. We must reassess the relationship between oil and our economy. Oil prices are gradually inching up, but that is no reason for complacency in our diversification drive. We must grow our economy away from oil - as well as the need to increase non-oil revenue generation and collection. 2. Revenue from taxes as well as independent revenues from State Owned Enterprises must be taken seriously. If the budget is to be funded, we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to revenue under-performance. While there is a need to review extant laws guiding the operation of some Government enterprises, I would urge for more determined effort on the part of the Executive, to plug leakages. This sector alone accounts for over 40 ...

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has described the vice President, Yemi Osinbajo as a pernicious liar and a sanctimonious, self-serving dwarf over his comment of Former President, Goodluck Jonathan on the nation's resources. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had on Monday the legislative economic summit themed "Legislative Framework for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development", described incredible things Jonathan did before 2015 general elections as unbridled waste and corruption. But in a series of tweets on Tuesday, rhe PDP cheiftain, while reacting to Prof. Osinbajo's statement that "100 billion and $289 million was withdrawn in cash by former President, Jonathan in 2 weeks before the presidential election,” described the vice president as a self-serving dwarf. He said: “There is nothing worse than a pernicious liar and a sanctimonious, self-serving dwarf. “Leave Jonathan alone and clean up ur filthy mess!”

The recently concluded  Global Nutrition Summit 2017,  held in Milan, Italy, convened governments, international agencies, foundations, civil society organisations and businesses to accelerate the global response to malnutrition, an underlying cause of nearly half of all global child deaths. A major highlight of the Summit was the pledge by the Aliko Dangote Foundation to invest US$100 Million over five years to tackle malnutrition in the worst-affected parts of Nigeria. The Aliko Dangote Foundation is the philanthropic organization of Aliko Dangote, founder and Executive Chairman of the Dangote Group, Africa’s largest homegrown conglomerate. The Global Nutrition Summit is the global forum of the United Nations  Decade of Action on Nutrition  (2016-2026). This year’s edition was held in close partnership with a number of international stakeholders including the U.K.’s Department for International Development, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture O...

President Muhammadu Buhari while presnting the 2018 budget to the joint session made lawmakers to burst into laughter at the mention of the whistleblower policy of the Federal government. Buhari had reminded the lawmakers that Nigerians should not forget that the Whistleblower lines are still open. "I wish to remind Nigerians that the whistle blower lines are still availale", he said. The lawmakers burst into laughter. Attached Files: