President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate dissolution of the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies in the exercise of its Constitutional Powers and in the Public interest.
The dissolution does not, however, affect Boards, Commissions and Councils listed in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153 (i) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
In view of this development and until such a time new boards are constituted, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies are directed to refer matters requiring the attention of their Boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their respective supervisory Ministries and Offices.
Permanent Secretaries are directed, also, to route such correspondences to Mr President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Consequently, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to ensure compliance to the provision of this directive which took effect from Friday 16th June, 2023.
Permanent Secretaries are particularly directed to inform the Chief Executive Officers of the affected Agencies under the supervision of their respective Ministries/Offices for immediate compliance.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate retirement of all Nigeria’s military chiefs and named replacements for them.
The President also relieved the head of Customs, Hameed Ali, of his position and named a replacement.
According to a statement by his office, the president also named a former anti-corruption chief, Nuhu Ribadu, as his National Security Adviser.
Read the full statement below.
The newly appointed Officers are: S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS 1 Mallam Nuhu Ribadu National Security Adviser 2 Maj. Gen. C.G Musa Chief of Defence Staff 3 Maj. T. A Lagbaja Chief of Army Staff 4 Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla Chief of Naval Staff 5 AVM H.B Abubakar Chief of Air Staff 6 DIG Kayode Egbetokun Acting Inspector-General of Police 7 Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye Chief of Defense Intelligence
Mr President has also approved the following appointments: S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS 1 Col. Adebisi Onasanya Brigade of Guards Commander 2 Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja 3 Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State 4 Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger 5 Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja
Similarly, the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa as follows: S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS 1 Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery 2 Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) Second-in-Command, State House Artillery 3 Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence 4 Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament 5 Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament
Mr President has also approved the appointments of two (2) additional Special Advisers, and two (2) Senior Assistants, namely:
S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS 1 Hadiza Bala Usman Special Adviser, Policy Coordination 2 Hannatu Musa Musawa Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy 3 Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel Senior Special Assistant , National Assembly Matters (Senate) 4 Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)
Finally, the President has approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs.
It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Wife of the former Governor of Oyo State, Dr (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi has denied any offer of commissionership slots from Governor Seyi Makinde.
In a statement reacting to an online publication on behalf of Mrs Ajimobi, former Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Bolaji Tunji said there was no time that such an overture was made to Mrs Ajimobi.
Godswill Akpabio, Senate President and former governor of Akwa Ibom State, has called on Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers State, and his colleagues in the G5 group to establish another faction within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Akpabio’s aim is to ensure a smooth victory for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
During a thanksgiving reception at Wike’s residence in Rumueprikom, Akpabio expressed gratitude for Wike’s efforts in championing justice in Nigeria. He also acknowledged the G5 Governors, a group of influential politicians within the PDP who opposed the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election, instead supporting APC’s Bola Tinubu.
Akpabio stated that he was proud of the G5 members and encouraged them to form another group in 2027 to ensure continued success for the APC. He even suggested expanding the group to include two additional members, making it a G7 rather than a G5.
Akpabio also addressed Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, a member of the G5, praising his leadership and recalling his prediction of Makinde becoming a governor when they first met.
The event was attended by all the members of the G5, including Wike, Makinde, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu). Other notable figures present included Ayo Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, Umar Damagum, Acting PDP Chairman, and former governors Peter Odili (Rivers), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), and James Ibori (Delta).
Nigerian chef, Damilola Adeparusi alias Dammy has spoken regarding the donations she received after successfully completing her 120-hour cook-a-thon.
In a widely circulated video, the zealous chef refuted claims of receiving numerous donations from numerous Nigerians. She clarified that the total amount she had received so far had not yet reached N2 million.
Damilola candidly referred to the online donations as “audio money,” highlighting that the perceived generosity was not real. Additionally, she addressed the misconception that she had been gifted a car, emphasizing that such claims were unfounded.
Expanding on her statement, she politely reached out to her fans across Nigeria, appealing for financial support.
Criticisms have continued to trail the proposed 7.5% VAT on Premium Motor Spirit PMS and Diesel set to be announced by Federal Government of Nigeria as from tomorrow.
A lot of people have taken to their social media handles to express their displeasure at what they called “draconian policy” being proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to compound more on the hardship currently experienced by the masses as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
A tweep identified as, @bh_undisputed said, “Already buying fuel for almost double the amount I used to buy it under Buhari & I’m hearing bala blu & his fellow crooks are planning to implement a 7.5% VAT on fuel. Nigeria, what exactly is my offense??”.
A tweep identified as @DanieRegha said, “the supposed 7.5% VAT on petrol shouldn’t be a problem for anyone who voted the APC, or have praised Tinubu for doin the barest minimum. Petroleum products will cost more but don’t cry now, since y’all were OK with the situation of things, continue to stand on the APC’s mandate”.
Another tweep, @poefy said, “Which one is 7.5% VAT on petrol again? If I go to filling station and they charge me a higher price I will begin my protest there. Enough!”.
A tweep, @realkingsley said, “7.5% VAT on Fuel and Diesel. They are tighten the nut and bolt of the suffering they inflicted on the citizens. That what happens when a man who don’t know how to create wealth natural is sitting in power”.
Eyah Celestine Nnamdi, alias Murphy, and Ugwuoke Peter Oluchukwu, two drug lords with connections to Qatar, have been detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after their methamphetamine shipment was intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement released on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, the director of media and advocacy at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, announced this.
Babafemi said Ugwuoke was the first to be arrested on 9th June during the outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers at the departure point, Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport.
The spokesman said the NDLEA officers discovered that the suspect was travelling to Doha with an Ivorian international passport with the name Hien Narcisse.
He said a further scrutiny of his black carry-on luggage led to the discovery of a false bottom concealment of two parcels of crystalline substance that tested positive to methamphetamine weighing 1.00kg.
Babafemi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a Nigerian who had gone to obtain an Ivorian passport for his travels.
“He confessed that he travelled to Qatar in August 2022 and returned from the Arab nation about two months ago to perfect arrangement for the movement of the drug consignment,” Babafemi said.
According to the statement, a further probe led operatives to discover that his Qatar-based senior partner in the trade simply identified as Murphy was lurking around in Eziani, his home town in Nsukka LGA, Enugu State.
Babafemi said Ugwuoke who hails from Igboeze North Local Government Area of the State claims he holds a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Federal Polytechnic Oko.
He said a prompt deployment of NDLEA operatives on 10th June to Eziani community of Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, led to the arrest of ‘Murphy’ whose true identity was later discovered to be Eyah Celestine Nnamdi, who had lived in Indonesia for some years before relocating to Doha, Qatar.
The statement reads, “In the same vein, anti-narcotic officers of the Agency have arrested a female Pharmacist, Ikwebe Ori Hellen in Kaduna following her attempts to use forged documents to purchase and distribute six cartons of pentazocine injection with 2,000 ampules.
“She confessed she used fake documents of a Kaduna hospital to order the drug, which she planned to distribute in Kaduna, Abuja and Sokoto. The consignment was initially intercepted at the local wing of the MMIA, Ikeja while being sent to Kaduna by a freight agent.
“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives in Niger state have seized a total of 1,072 kilograms of cannabis in two raids. On Thursday 15th June, 726kg of the illicit substance was recovered at Oyoyo filling station along Kaduna – Abuja express road where four suspects: Aminu Mohammed, 50; Nasiru Mohammed, 30; Rabiu Haruna, 29, and Hamza Abubakar, 18 were arrested.
“The following day, 16th Friday, operatives intercepted a Mercedes 1422 truck marked MKD 116ZM on its way from Umunede, Delta state with gallons of palm oil to be delivered at Garki market in Abuja.
“However, the truck driver, Jekwe Udenze, 38, along with his two assistants: Gabriel Nzekwube, 43, and Chima Uzoma, 42, stopped over at Uromi, Edo State and loaded 19 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 346kg, to be delivered at Dumez Luxury Park along Kaduna road, Suleja to Ignatius Mokwe, 47. Both the driver and his two assistants as well as the owner of the illicit consignment, Ignatius Mokwe have been arrested.
“Meanwhile, a total of 30.9 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed in Delta, Edo and Ondo in the past week. In Delta, 18 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed on Monday 12th June in Umuchime village, Ogume, Ndokwa West LGA by NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers. Four suspects arrested on the farms include two men and two women: Kingsley Atuola, 40; Okikiolu Adekunle, 44; Osai Doris, 40, and Ublenu Joy, 28.
“In Edo state, operatives on Wednesday 14th June stormed Awakpa forest in Owan West LGA where they arrested Malachy Amaechi; Nanmua Peter; Ojo Momoh; Afam Luke and John Danladi who were apprehended inside a hut located on 2.5 hectares of cannabis farm, which was destroyed and 102 kilograms of the substance already harvested recovered. Another farm measuring 1.294870 hectares was also destroyed with the three farms razed totalling 3.978217 hectares.
“Similarly, operatives on Saturday 17th June raided the house of a dealer, Godwin Ejiro, 45, at Uyiwnendi community, Ikpoba Oka LGA, where quantities of illicit drugs including cocaine, heroin, meth, swinol and cannabis were recovered. In Ondo state, John Emmanuel, 30, was arrested at Ofosu, with 81kg cannabis on Thursday 15th June while operatives on same day nabbed Gideon Akoh at Ala forest where a total of nine hectares of farm were destroyed and 12kg harvested substance recovered.
“While 93.7kg of the psychoactive substance was evacuated from a shop in Enugu metropolis on Saturday 17th June, a wanted notorious dealer, Kwada Vendi, 37, was arrested with 30.6kg cannabis at Mamari, Maiduguri, Borno state on Tuesday 13th June. In Bauchi state, 87,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from a suspect, Tony Ogbonna, 40, by NDLEA operatives at Yelwa, Bauchi town on Saturday 17th June.
“A total of 13,800 pills tramadol consignment abandoned by a suspect going to Geidam, Yobe State was recovered at Yankaba Park, Kano on Wednesday 14th June, while same day in Benue state, a suspect, Chidera Gabriel was arrested with 22,100 pills of the same pharmaceutical opioid at an NDLEA check point in Vandeikya.
“Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of MMIA,
Among the who is who in the Nigeria’s political circle who graced the end of 8years tenure of the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, in Portharcourt today, included the Governors of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu, who represented President Bola Tinubu, of Imo State, Hope Nzodinma, of Oyo, Seyi Makinde, of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri.
Others were; the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Fmr Governors of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose and Kayode Fayemi; of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, of Benue, Ortom, of Rivers State, Peter Odili and his wife; amongst others.
Giving his testimony before the Congregation, Wike glorified God for the grace to complete the 8years tenure despite the numerous battles he faced physically and spiritually, confess I ng that he thought he would dead in 2018.
He shared how he survived deadly poison in 2018 December when Doctors diagnosed damage to his kidney, intestine and liver; noting that God miraculously healed him within a week that he was flew out of the country at 12midnight.
As if that was not enough, he narrated that just few months later while preparing for second term campaign, his wife brought a bad news of cancer diagnosis and he decided to pull out of the race.
According to him, being a Governor didn’t certify one free from battle as he explained that people don’t bother about how those in positions of power feel and fair, but just keeping bombarding them with financial requests and different personal burdens.
Wike, who disclosed that he was persuaded to go ahead with the second term bid , however noted that he did the campaign with extra care and caution, refused to visit anyone’s private residence for any post-campaign meetings in the local government areas due to the poison attack as he saw everyone as a suspect.
He noted that to everyone out there, Wike is a strong man, but asserted that he endured all the hard times, saying that part of leadership is not to frighten supporters, hence, the need to appear strong.
According to him, political battle within his party from the top and bottom levels also arose but he surmounted all, “All evil plots against me failed, why won’t I praise God?”, he says.
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Balogun Olawale, a staff of Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, alongside forty-seven (47) others for their alleged involvement in internet fraud.
The suspects were arrested on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at Idi-Aba area of Abeokuta following intelligence on their alleged fraudulent activities.
The rest include Orunsolu Sodiq Babatunde, Lamidi Micheal Akolade, Lateef Rahamon Olamilekan, Idowu Micheal Oluwasegun, Peter Adio Olakunle, Ahmod Kazeem Olayemi, Okewole Daniel Olayiwola, Ogundeyin Faruq Olamilekan, Edunjobi Toheeb Ayobami, Simon Dare Tosin, Ahmod Mustapha Olawale, Oladende Mubarak Olansile, Olanrewaju Kabiru Olamilekan, Olowookere Abeeb Lolade, Dolaoso Uthman Olamilekan, Kodagbese Emmanuel Aduragbemi, Simon John Seyi, Idemudia Lucky, Ahmod Waheed Olamide, Olowookere Soburu Ademola, Agboola Oladimeji Taofeek, Awoniyi Segun Gbenga, Babatunde Mathew Ayodele, Alaye John Saheed and Odediran Oluwole Ayomide.
Items recovered from the suspects include seven exotic vehicles, several mobile phones, laptops, hi and apple wrist watches, among others.
In a related development, two suspected ‘yahoo boys’, Adeniji Samson Adebayo and Ayoola Olawale Samson were arrested same day at Idi-Igba area of Ibadan, Oyo State by operatives of the EFCC, Ibadan Command.
They were arrested with two cars and other valuables.
Also, the Oyo State Command of the Nigerian Police arrested and handed over a cybercrime suspect, Andrew Olasunkanmi, to the EFCC.
Andrew was arrested at his house on suspicion of involvement fraudulent activities. A Honda Civic car and mobile phones were recovered from him.
The suspects will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.
Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, struck yesterday in Ondo State, kidnapping Alhaji Bodunde Oyinlade, the Chief Imam of the Uso Community in Owo Local Council Area of the state in the process.
The Chief Imam was kidnapped on his farm by unknown gunmen within the community, situated along the Owo-Akure highway.
According to sources in the community, Alhaji Oyinlade, 67, had left for the farm in the afternoon when his abductors trailed him and attacked him.
A family member confirmed that the kidnappers had contacted the family but had yet to demand ransom as of the time of filing this report.
The situation had thrown the community into a state of tension, with local vigilantes already mobilized to comb the forest and rescue the Chief Imam.
