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 Emefiele implemented naira swap without Buhari’s approval – EFCC The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, arraigned the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, for alleged unlawful redesign and printing of the new naira notes. Emefiele was arraigned before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court. In the charge marked CR/264/2024, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele carried out the naira redesign policy without the approval of the  CBN Board and then President, Muhammadu Buhari. The anti-graft agency said without the approval of the CBN Board and the President, Emefiele spent N18.96bn for the printing and swapping of new naira notes worth N684.5m. It alleged that Emefiele, “knowingly disobeying the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007”  approved “the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1,000 notes, at the total cost of N11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Boa...

 Reps disagree on faulty presidential aircraft probe Members of the House of Representatives were divided on the floor of the Green Chamber on Wednesday at plenary when the issue of a recent breakdown of the presidential jets was brought to their attention by Ahmed Satomi. Satomi, who represents Jere Federal Constituency, Borno State, while moving a motion of urgent public importance, noted that in April, President Bola Tinubu was forced to fly in a chartered plane from the Netherlands to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forum. Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima was, on Sunday, forced to cancel his trip to the United States where he was scheduled to represent President Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit as a result of a faulty aircraft. Santomi said the National Security Adviser must come before the committee to explain the whereabouts of the money appropriated for the maintenance of the presidential aircraft. “We have appropriated enough f...

 Mercy killing illegal in Nigeria, says NMA The Nigeria Medical Association has reaffirmed its stance against euthanasia, otherwise called mercy killing, emphasising that it remains illegal in the Nigerian medical practice. The newly elected president of the association, Dr. Bala Audu, made this assertion during a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday. The conference marked the conclusion of the 64th NMA Annual General Conference, which took place in Cross River State from May 5 to 12, 2024. Euthanasia, often referred to as “mercy killing,” is the act of painlessly putting to death a person who is suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma This year’s conference had the theme: “Reversing the Trend of Health Sector Brain Drain.” The sub-theme was “Euthanasia in Medical Practice.” Audu noted that as part of the AGC’s resolutions, “The introduction of euthanasia in the medical practice in Nigeria requires careful consideration because of ethical, ...

 ‘Why I am not ready to have kids yet’ – Burna Boy reveals Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, has opened up about why he is not ready to be a father yet. According to the 32-year-old, he is not ready to have kids yet because he can’t give them the attention they deserve. Burna Boy disclosed this while responding to a curious fan during a recent Instagram live session with fans. He explained that he would have children when he was settled or married. He said, “Why haven’t I had kids yet? Bro, because I don’t want to have kids yet. “Have you seen my mum the way she loves me? Have you seen my dad the way he loves me?I know I can’t give that to anyone right now with the life I’m living. So until I’m settled and I can be there for my children everyday, I’m not having no kid. “I feel like my kids deserved better than I got. And I got both my mum and dad so you understand?” On the allegations that he is impotent, Burna Boy said, “When I see the bants and the thin...

 Marriage of 100 girls: Niger Imams Forum dares minister, issues ultimatum The threat of legal action against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, by the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, over his plans to sponsor the marriage of over 100 girls in his constituency in Mariga Local Government Area has continued to generate brouhaha across. Various Islamic groups on Wednesday gave the minister a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw the suit or face legal action. MAGIC FM recalls that the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly had decided to sponsor the marriage of about 100 girls who had lost their parents to banditry in his constituency, as well as those whose parents could not afford to foot their marriage expenses. But the Minister of Women Affairs, suing the speaker, alleged the girls were being married off against their will. Arising from its meeting on Wednesday in Minna, the Niger State Imam Forum and other heads of Islamic or...

 Alleged $6bn Fraud: Agunloye Loses Bid to Stop Prosecution   Justice Jude Onwueguzie of the Federal Capital Territory High, FCT, Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 dismissed a preliminary objection brought by ex-minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye challenging the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to prosecute him.    Agunloye is facing prosecution by the EFCC on seven-count charges bordering on suspected fraudulent Mambilla Power Project contract award to the tune of $6billion (Six Billion US Dollars).   On February 8, 2024, Agunloye had through his counsel, Adeola Adedipe (SAN) filed a motion challenging the powers of the EFCC to investigate and prosecute him as well as that of the jurisdiction of the court to try him. In response, prosecution counsel Abba Muhammed filed a counter affidavit, dated February 22, 2024, where he dismissed Agunloye’s motion as incompetent and offensive to the provisions of Secti...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO OGONI LEADERS: WE WILL UNLOCK THE HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF OGONILAND President Bola Tinubu says his administration is committed to unlocking the human and natural resource potential of Ogoniland, while ensuring the environmental and economic security of Nigerian communities. The President stated this on Wednesday at the State House during a meeting with members of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni, Rivers State, led by King Samuel Nnee, Gbenemene Tai Kingdom and Paramount Ruler of Kpite Tai.  The President was responding to requests presented by the Ogoni leaders at the meeting, which was also attended by former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike; the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Engr. Abubakar Momoh; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed...