Author: Chief Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the House of Representatives seeking its approval of $4.054 billion and £710 million external loans to fund projects captured under the 2018-2021 borrowing plan. Buhari is also seeking approval for grant components of $125 million in the 2018-2021 external rolling borrowing plan. The president had, on May 18, 2021, sought the approval of the lawmakers to borrow $6.18 billion external loan to finance this year’s N5.6 trillion budget deficit. The request was approved by the lawmakers before they embarked on their annual recess. President Buhari, in the new request read by the Speaker, Hon.…

Thomas Mueller said Bayern Munich’s dominant 3-0 win at Barcelona on Tuesday sent an important message to their rivals for this season’s Champions League title. The Bundesliga giants handed Barcelona a brutal demonstration of how far their opponents have fallen as Mueller scored the opening goal at the Camp Nou before Robert Lewandowski netted twice. Without Lionel Messi for a first European campaign since 2003, Barca were outplayed by a Bayern team who could have scored more after weathering an opening storm by the hosts. Mueller put Bayern ahead when his long-range shot took a deflection which wrong-footed Barca’s German…

Cristiano Ronaldo has wasted no time in showing how valuable he will be to Manchester United but Tuesday’s shock Champions League defeat at the hands of Young Boys in Bern was a reminder that the Old Trafford side have not been a major player at this level for a long time. Ronaldo got his third goal in two matches since returning to United as the visitors took an early lead at the Wankdorf Stadium, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s sending-off shortly before the interval was what swung the Group F opener. Young Boys, the Swiss champions whose most notable performance in the…

President Muhammadu Buhari will address the 76th Session of the high-level General Debate of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, Sept. 24, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. A provisional list of speakers obtained by the Correspondent of NAN from the UN headquarters in New York showed that Buhari would be the second speaker on the fourth day. The Nigerian leader would deliver his address around 9am (around 2pm Nigerian time) to other world leaders during the morning session. The President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro would be the first world leader to…

West African bloc ECOWAS said it will meet Thursday to discuss possible steps after Guinea’s president was ousted in coup earlier this month, Ghana’s foreign minister said. ECOWAS already suspended Guinea last week after a special forces commander toppled 83-year-old president Alpha Conde, calling his ouster a “clear violation” of the group’s regional charter. A delegation from the 15-member ECOWAS group was sent to Conakry to meet with coup leader Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, visit Conde and demand a civilian-led transition. Ghana Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who led the mission, said Thursday’s extraordinary summit would review the delegation’s findings and…

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday described as fake a news item purportedly promoting him as a presidential hopeful in the 2023 elections. The governor’s remarks were contained in a statement issued yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa. The statement said a banner advert, which has the picture of the governor and the Nigerian flag, as well as a picture of Adisa, allegedly promoting the presidential ambition of the governor, should be treated for what it is: “Fake News!” The advert, according to the governor, was one of the antics of fake news promoters. The statement read:…

Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari recently called on residents of the state to defend themselves, following massive cases of abductions and killings by terrorists. It was a clear call on citizens to take up arms and fight back the rampaging bandits. He was not alone. Other prominent citizens had previously made similar call. The Governors of Benue and Taraba States, Samuel Ortom and Darius Ishaku respectively, had made similar calls, after security agencies, failed to protect their states from the marauding militias that have been maiming, destroying farms, burning houses, kidnapping for ransom and raping. Similarly, the Minister of Defence, retired…

• Sit-at-home continues today to commemorate Nnamdi Kanu’s home invasion • Gunmen invade Imo school, chase away students writing WAEC exams • Obiano leads protest against IPOB, visits markets, banks Four days after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Imo State, in what many believe to be the Presidency’s outreach to the Southeast; and despite directives by Anambra and Imo governors for residents to shun the customary Monday’s sit-at-home protest in the region, many parts of the Southeast states were, yesterday, grounded in observance of the sixth version of the protest since it began on August 9. The protest had been in…

• SCOAN names Evelyn new leader, evicts disciples from church’s lodge  There are indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have invited 20 disciples of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) for questioning over alleged financial fraud and diversion of funds left by the late founder of SCOAN, Temitope Balogun Joshua. The invitees include Nigerian and foreign prophets and prophetesses of the church. According to the letter of invitation sighted by The Guardian, yesterday, the church is expected to release them to report for an interview through the Special Investigation Team (STI). The letter signed by EFCC’s Lagos…

• Two commit suicide as operators task FG on national development • Any unregistered investment scheme is illegal, says SEC • Founders on the run as EFCC arrests 10 operators • Experts list measures to safeguard Nigerians against falling victim Rising inflation, perceived poor performance of the capital market, as well as low returns on government securities have exposed Nigerians to speculative and dubious schemes with victims suffering over N300 billion in the last five years. Following the losses, experts have urged the Federal Government to create policies that will promote national development, tackle prevailing stock market volatility, restore the…