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Ahmed’s Fall, The Dangote Challenge And A Rentier System

Ahmed’s Fall, The Dangote Challenge And A Rentier System

By AZU ISHIEKWENE It’s rare to find a multibillionaire who hasn’t had nasty battles. Yet, as battles go, the fight between Aliko Dangote, the founder of the Dangote Refinery, and the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, is among the most spectacular that Africa’s wealthiest man has had to fight in recent times. It won’t be a surprise if the resignation of Ahmed (and the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe) on Wednesday marks a pause, rather than an end, because the problems run very deep. Dangote’s cement…
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PANIC! Is Nigeria’s Oil Losing International Appeal? No Buyers As 20m Barrels Remain Unsold –Report

PANIC! Is Nigeria’s Oil Losing International Appeal? No Buyers As 20m Barrels Remain Unsold –Report

*W/African Oil Struggles To Find Customers *Middle East Oil Displacing W/African Crude In Asia *Global Glut Builds West African crude oil sellers are struggling to find buyers for up to 26 December- and January-loading cargoes due to stiff competition from plentiful and cheaper alternative supplies, traders and analysts told Reuters. The amount of unsold Nigerian and Angolan crude, analysts say, is a symptom of a wider oil market surplus. It drove selling on the international futures market that pushed Brent crude below $60 per barrel to the lowest since May this week. "The overhang of West African cargoes partly reflects…
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CDD Trains 90 Benue Journalists On Information Manipulation

CDD Trains 90 Benue Journalists On Information Manipulation

By Sam Tyav, Makurdi No fewer than 90 Benue State journalists have been trained on information manipulation by the Centre fo Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa. CDD explained that the training objective was to enable people to avoid possible causes of violence and unrest in the society. During the training, the programme staff of the CDD, Mr Raji Olatunji, who identified misinformation, disinformation and malinformation as classifications of information manipulation, urged journalists to avoid all forms of information manipulation to maintain peaceful coexistence and societal development. This two-day capacity-building workshop which theme was 'Strengthening Information Literacy and Social Cohesion',…
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Ekiti Varsity Salutes Oyebanji Over Subvention Release

Ekiti Varsity Salutes Oyebanji Over Subvention Release

*Film Production Firm Denies Infringing On Ace Actor's Copyright By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan As Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State released the December 2023 outstanding subvention of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the institution, Professor Babatola Ayodele, has commended the governor. Also, the entire university community praised Oyebanji for the gesture. Deputy Registrar/ Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs of the institution, Dr. Bode Olofinmuagun, in a statement on Thursday, said Professor Ayodele noted that the development would reduce the financial burden of the school. “The Vice Chancellor, particularly, noted with delight that this kind gesture…
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Wealthy DSP Allegedly Kills Self Over AK-47s, Ammo Deals With Terrorists In Niger State

Wealthy DSP Allegedly Kills Self Over AK-47s, Ammo Deals With Terrorists In Niger State

*Audit Examination Unearths Scandal *Abuja Opened Lid On Racket *Colleagues Detained, Under Investigation The bid to cleanse Nigeria's Augean stable of filth perpetrated by some uniformed personnel has claimed the life of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Niger State, in a massive scandal of epic proportions. DSP Isah Abdullahi attached to MOPOL 12 in Minna, Niger State, allegedly shot himself to death with a pistol in the armoury he headed, following official detection of his role in arming terrorists and other criminal elements in the state with AK-47 rifles and ammunition. It is unclear how long Abdullahi had…
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Security: Aare Musulumi Yorubaland Cautions Against Politicising Challenges, As Bomadi LG Plugs Loopholes

Security: Aare Musulumi Yorubaland Cautions Against Politicising Challenges, As Bomadi LG Plugs Loopholes

By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan, and Emma Ogoigbe, Warri. Newly-appointed Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Oyo State chapter, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, has paid a courtesy visit to the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, His Eminence Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola (aka De-Damak), at his Ibadan residence in Ikolaba. Alhaji Akinola seized the occasion to advise Nigerians to desist from politicising the security situation in the country, affirming that it was both Christians and Muslims that were being caught in the web of the insecurity menace. This was just as Reverend Ogundiya also said interfaith unity and religious…
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EXCLUSIVE! Wike In Fresh Controversy With FCTA Staff Over Tinubu’s Wage Award Arrears

EXCLUSIVE! Wike In Fresh Controversy With FCTA Staff Over Tinubu’s Wage Award Arrears

By our reporter Implementation of President Bola Tinubu's wage award to workers in Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) continues to be a thorny issue. This is because the Administration led by FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has reportedly not paid five months' of the bulk of arrears of the money, which is meant to cushion the dire effects of President Tinubu's removal of petrol subsidy on 29 May, 2023. Recall that in October 2023, Tinubu approved a N35,000 monthly provisional wage award meant for federal workers for six months in the first instance. Apparently riled by alleged non-payment of five…
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BREAKING: Court Dismisses Malami’s Quest for Bail

BREAKING: Court Dismisses Malami’s Quest for Bail

Abubakar Malami, SAN, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, will remain in the EFCC custody longer than he thought. Babangida Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday dismissed  the summons for bail which he filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.  Malami is facing multiple allegations of corruption. Through his counsel,  Dr. Suliaman Hassan,  SAN, he had approached the court seeking bail from the custody of the EFCC, arguing that his detention by the Commission in its ongoing investigation, was illegal. However,  counsel to the EFCC,  Chief J.S. Okutepa,  SAN, submitted that…
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EFCC Arrests Herbalists with $3.4million, €280,000 Counterfeit Notes

EFCC Arrests Herbalists with $3.4million, €280,000 Counterfeit Notes

Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have uncovered huge counterfeit foreign notes to the tune of $3, 430, 000 (Three Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand United States Dollars) and €280, 000 (Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand Euros) in possession of a five-member syndicate. The syndicate was arrested for allegedly swindling one Halima Sanni of the sum of  N26,550, 000 (Twenty-Six Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira). The herbalists were listed as Akingbola Omotayo, Adeola Funsho Ogunrinde, Yahaya Amodu, Kubratu Babalola Olaitan (female) and Familola Sunday Olaitan. The statement by Dele…
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Petition To FIFA: After Losing To Us, You Want To Qualify From Backdoor -Congo DR Ridicules Nigeria

Petition To FIFA: After Losing To Us, You Want To Qualify From Backdoor -Congo DR Ridicules Nigeria

*Calls Nigeria 'Bad Losers' Apparently bemused that Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) petitioned FIFA over alleged use of ineligible players by the Leopards during the 2026 World Cup playoffs in Morocco, Congo DR has mocked Nigeria. Reacting to the said petition in which NFF sought Congo DR's disqualification and their replacement by the Super Eagles at the oncoming intercontinental playoffs, the Congolese team, in a post on its official Instagram page on Tuesday night, warned Nigeria against attempting to qualify for the World Cup “from the back door” after losing to them on penalties. Congo DR wrote: “If you can’t win…
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