Cloned Nigerian Anchor

Author: Doris Israel Ijeoma

  • Tinubu Signs Students Loan Bill Into Law

    Tinubu Signs Students Loan Bill Into Law

    President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law.

    This development follows individual reviews by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the report from the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.

    The Bill sponsored by Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State, Bamidele Opeyemi aims to improve the execution of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme in Nigeria by tackling issues related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, applicant eligibility criteria, loan purposes, funding sources, and procedures for disbursement and repayment.

    Under this Bill, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) would be established as a legal entity with the authority to litigate and be litigated in its own name, and it would possess the power to acquire, hold, and dispose of both movable and immovable property to fulfill its functions.

    In essence, the Bill enables the Fund to offer loans to eligible Nigerians for their tuition, fees, charges, and living expenses while studying in approved tertiary institutions and vocational training centers in Nigeria.

    In contrast to the previous 2023 Act, which placed the Fund’s administration under a Special Committee chaired by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, this Bill proposes changes in the management structure.

    Furthermore, the Bill eliminates the income-based eligibility criterion set by the existing law, which required an annual income of less than N500,000 for applicants or their families.

    The Bill also broadens the scope of eligibility, allowing students from federally or state-established tertiary institutions and government-approved vocational institutions to apply, with specific criteria to be determined by the Fund.

    Additionally, unlike the 2023 Act, which limited loan applications solely to tuition fees, the new Bill permits applicants to request loans to cover various institutional charges and maintenance allowances.

  • Detained Employee Not Part of Binance Management – Crypto Firm

    Detained Employee Not Part of Binance Management – Crypto Firm

    Binance has refuted claims linking its detained employee, Tigran Gambaryan, to its management team, asserting that Gambaryan is solely a law enforcement officer without decision-making authority within the company.

    In a statement, the cryptocurrency exchange clarified Gambaryan’s role and emphasized his commitment to law enforcement despite his arrest in Nigeria on suspicion of involvement in money laundering activities alongside colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla.

    While Gambaryan remains in custody, Anjarwalla has fled the country, prompting inquiries about his whereabouts, to which Binance has yet to respond.

    Binance outlined Gambaryan’s contributions to compliance efforts since his hiring in 2021, including assisting in freezing and seizing assets worth billions of dollars globally.

    Part of Binance’s statement reads, “Tigran is a strict law enforcement professional and is not part of Binance management. While he has left the official service of the U.S. government, he has remained fully committed to the role of law enforcement officer ever since, operating as a global advocate for good governance and transparent regulatory financial practices.

    “Binance respectfully requests that Tigran Gambaryan, who has no decision-making power in the company, is not held responsible while current discussions are ongoing between Binance and Nigerian government officials.

    “In 2022 and 2023, Tigran’s Financial Crime Compliance team assisted global law enforcement in freezing and seizing more than $2.2b worth of assets, including more than $285m in cooperation with United States agencies like the FBI, DOJ, DEA, and others,” it said.

  • Lagos Deputy Commissioner Of Police Found Dead In His Home 

    Lagos Deputy Commissioner Of Police Found Dead In His Home 

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Gbolahan Oyedemi, serving under the Lagos State Police Command, was discovered dead in his private residence in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

    DCP Oyedemi, who previously served as the Aide de Camp (ADC) to former Oyo State Governor Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala in 2006, was found hanging in his home on Monday, raising suspicions of suicide.

    The late officer, a native of Ogbomoso, had returned to the town for Easter celebrations from Lagos before the tragic incident occurred.

    Sources revealed that he had discharged his aides to enjoy the holiday with their families before the shocking discovery was made.

    Oyedemi, who had been residing with his mother before constructing a new home, was reportedly unmarried.

    Efforts to reach the spokespersons of the Lagos and Oyo State Police Commands for comments were unsuccessful at the time of this report.

  • Bandits Attack Zamfara Mosque During Prayers, Kidnap Worshippers

    Bandits Attack Zamfara Mosque During Prayers, Kidnap Worshippers

    Bandits on Monday night, struck at a mosque in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, abducting numerous worshippers during the Tahajjud congregational prayer.

    Tahajjud prayer is a vigil normally held in the last 10 days of Ramadan preceeding Eid-el-Ftr.

    According to a source, Mannir, the attackers stormed the mosque during the night prayer and kidnapped the worshippers

    Mannir, however, expressed uncertainty about the exact number of persons taken as captives.

    “While the number of abducted individuals remains unconfirmed, authorities are actively pursuing the assailants,” Mannir added.

    As at the time of this report, no ransom demand has been made, and no group has claimed responsibility for the audacious attack, adding to the prevailing sense of insecurity in the North-West.

  • Deputy Speaker Kalu Advocates Political Means for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release

    Deputy Speaker Kalu Advocates Political Means for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release

    Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, revealed ongoing efforts to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, through a combination of legal processes and political negotiations.

    Speaking on “The Ben Kalu’s Mandate” radio show, Kalu emphasized the importance of behind-the-scenes political maneuvers in achieving Kanu’s release and fostering peace in the South East region.

    Kalu highlighted the role of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) in advocating for reconciliation and acknowledged Kanu’s significance in the peace agenda. 

    He stressed the need for political solutions and urged the involvement of Igbo elders in discussions with the federal government.

    Kalu said: “The Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) has reconciliation in the mix of what we are trying to achieve. We recognise the importance of our brother, Nnamdi Kanu in the peace agenda we are pushing. That’s the truth. And I have been very vocal about it. I am not hiding it.

    “I have always told people that I will never deny Nnamdi Kanu. He’s my brother. We come from the same place and I will never be happy having him incarcerated when we can have him out and increase our pursuit towards peace. But we may not advance all the things we are doing behind our backs but I can assure you that all the powers-that-be in this country know that people like us are not sitting on the fence.”

    Addressing the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Bill, Kalu noted its progress in the conference committee stage, emphasizing the importance of resolving related matters to advance the region’s development.

    Kalu called for peace and loyalty to the government while pursuing concessions, underscoring the imperative of maintaining stability in the region.

  • PDP Reacts As Rivers Assembly Threaten To Impeach Fubara

    PDP Reacts As Rivers Assembly Threaten To Impeach Fubara

    The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly for its recent threats to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    The assembly, perceived to be loyalists of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had issued the impeachment threat against Fubara, citing his alleged refusal to implement an eight-point Peace Accord signed with Wike on the orders of President Bola Tinubu.

    Among the accusations leveled against Fubara is the alleged failure to provide funding for the Rivers Independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections for local government councils in the state.

    In response, the state Publicity Secretary of Rivers PDP, Sydney Tambari Gbara, condemned the assembly’s actions, urging them to desist from disturbing the peace of the state. Gbara also called on the assembly members to address their legitimacy concerns, particularly in light of their defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the ongoing legal challenges questioning their status.

    Gbara emphasized that the assembly’s decisions and laws hold no significance to the people of Rivers State, labeling them as an “illegal assembly” whose actions are inconsequential.

    Furthermore, Gbara dismissed claims that Governor Fubara had failed to implement the Peace Accord, stating that the governor had taken steps to promote peace in accordance with the law.

  • Drama Unfolds As Senator Flees Live TV Interview To Avoid 2024 Budget Questions

    Drama Unfolds As Senator Flees Live TV Interview To Avoid 2024 Budget Questions

    In a dramatic turn of events, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe of Cross River North abruptly ended a live TV interview when pressed about the details of the 2024 budget.

    During the session, the senator expressed reluctance to delve into budget specifics and insisted on focusing on his constituency’s concerns.

    When confronted with questions regarding budgetary allocations for his district, the senator opted to disengage, citing a desire to avoid controversy.

    The unexpected departure occurred on the Arise News breakfast show, leaving the interviewers and viewers startled.

    “I was not elected by the people of Cross River North, you are, it is your duty, I believe, not mine (to scrutinise the budget), but let’s move on…., ” the TV anchor said.

    At that point, Senator Jarigbe quid in saying, “Come oh, what is this budget, budget talk nah? I want to talk about my thanksgiving and representation to my people. You people are doing budget, budget, I will walk away oh. You people want me to say something that I will go and face wahala, you should allow me oh, let me serve my people quietly.”

    Thereafter, the connection to Senator Jarigbe was lost.

    Efforts to get him back on line failed as the senator may have cut off the connection, thereby bringing the interview to an abrupt end.

  • LP crisis: I didn’t promise to build new party – Peter Obi on ignoring national convention

    LP crisis: I didn’t promise to build new party – Peter Obi on ignoring national convention

    The 2023 Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has said he promised to rebuild Nigeria and not to build a new party.

    Obi made the remark while disclosing why he ignored the LP’s National convention in Anambra State.

    Addressing Nigerians on X Space hosted by Parallel Facts on Friday, Peter Obi said he ignored the convention because the party leadership under Julius Abure failed to conduct wide consultation with key stakeholders of the party before embarking on the said convention.

    He stressed the need for the right thing to be done to salvage the party, adding that he is more passionate about building a new Nigeria than building a new Labour Party.

    “We promised to build Nigeria, we did not promise to build a New Labour Party,” Obi said.

    He also threw his weight behind the call for a structure for the ‘Obidient’ movement.

    “It is the standard practice around the world where movements form themselves into blocs and are part of the political process,” he added.

    Two factional groups respectively led by Julius Abure and Apapa Lamidi have been claiming supremacy.

    Also, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, is against Abure’s leadership of the party

    However, Abure was reelected during the controversial national convention organized in Anambra State.

  • Presidency Reacts As Air Peace Begins Lagos-London Flight Services

    Presidency Reacts As Air Peace Begins Lagos-London Flight Services

    The Presidency has reacted to the commencement of the Lagos-London flight services by Air Peace.

    The airline, in a post via its X page on Saturday, March 30, 2024, announced that it had commenced its Lagos-London flight services.

    The airline expressed delight at the milestone and appreciated everyone who contributed to the success of the launch.

    Reacting to the development in an X post, presidential aide, Dada Olusegun congratulated the airline owner, Allen Onyeama for accomplishing this milestone that will have a massive impact on the economy of Nigeria.

    The presidential aide also said the move would improve the standard of service enjoyed by Nigerians via this Nigeria-London route and make ticket prices competitive for Nigerians.

    He wrote: “Here is congratulating Chief Allen Onyeama for accomplishing this milestone that will have a massive impact on the economy of Nigeria and also improve the standard of service enjoyed by Nigerians via this Nigeria-London route.

    – Pressure off our forex

    – ⁠Competitive ticket prices for Nigerians.

    “We are not where we want to be, but surely, we are not where we used to be. Slowly but surely, we will get there.”

  • Nigeria to commence local manufacturing of vehicles

    Nigeria to commence local manufacturing of vehicles

    The government of Nigeria has revealed plans for the local production of vehicles. 

    According to the governor, the country plans to commence local manufacturing of vehicles in the next ten years.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Doris Uzoka-Anite, on Friday at the launch of the Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan.

    According to the minister, the country can produce vehicles, including motorcycles, tricycles, sedans and heavy trucks.

    She noted that the goal was to cut down on the cost of purchasing vehicles in the country.

    “Nigeria can produce its vehicles. We have the raw materials, we have the skills, we have a market, and now we have a plan that can help us produce our vehicles.

    “These vehicles include motorcycles, tricycles, sedans, and heavy-duty trucks.

    “With this plan, we should see Nigeria fully producing its own vehicles within ten years. Our goal is to reduce the cost of purchasing a vehicle for the average Nigerian,” he said.

    In his remarks, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Joseph Osanipin, stated that the policy proposed to help actualise the plan was a five-year tax holiday for assemblers of vehicles in Nigeria.

    He said, “Through such fiscal initiatives, there is a deliberate focus on backward integration and component production.”

    The development comes as vehicle imports climbed by 226.46 per cent to N1,063 trillion in 2023 from N325. 05 billion in 2022, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.