Author: Precious Ibekwe

EFCC arrests Nigeria’s top politician, ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha

Precious Ibekwe

  The Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Tuesday arrested top politician, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria, over alleged money laundering. Okorocha, a serving Senator, was arrested at his office in Abuja. Confirming the arrest, the spokesperson for the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, said that the news was true. “Okorocha has been arrested by our men”, he said in a telephone chat, according to a report by the Lagos-based Vanguard newspaper.

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NNPC Releases 66th Monthly Report, Downs Pipeline Vandalism by 37.2% in Jan

Efe Wellington

  The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday deepened its culture of transparency as it released the 66th edition of its Monthly Financial and Operational Report (MFOR) in which it announced a 37.21 % decrease in cases of pipeline vandalism across the country in the month of January 2021. This report, according to a press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Kennie Obateru, indicates that a total of 27 pipeline points were vandalized in January 2021 down from the 43 points…

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Five GTBank Branches shut Over N1bn Tax Evasion

Aliyu Aliyu

  Five branches of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in Nigeria have been sealed over N1 billion tax evasion. The Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), which carried out the actio on GTBank facilities, said the closure is in line with an order issued by Kano State High Court over the bank’s failure to audit and pay its taxes between 2014 and 2019. The affected branches include that of Murtala Muhammad Way, Wapa, Zaria Road, Bachirawa and France Road. Briefing newsmen during the exercise, the Legal Director of the agency, Barrister…

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BurkinaFaso’s ex-President Compaore charged in predecessor Sankara’s Assasination

Aoko Benjamin

  A Burkinafaso Court charged former President Blaise Compaore (pictured) in absentia on Tuesday in connection with the 1987 murder of then-President Thomas Sankara, one of the most infamous killings in Africa’s post-independence history. Sankara, a charismatic Marxist revolutionary often called ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’, was assassinated during a coup led by his former friend Compaore. Compaore went on to rule Burkina Faso for 27 years before being ousted in a 2014 uprising and fleeing to Cote d’Ivoire, where he is believed still to live. He has previously denied any involvement…

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More IOCs may lose oil blocks, Nigeria talks tough on OMLs revocation

Efe Wellington

  Here is why DPR tagged some oil firms “economic saboteurs,” revoked Addax Petroleum Nigeria oil blocks   More oil producers in Nigeria may lose mining leases as the government talked tough on activities of some of them it tagged as “economic saboteurs.” The government has also given reasons it revoked six Oil Mining Leases (OML) initially given to International Oil Companies (IOCs) including Addax Petroleum Nigeria Limited. Oil industry regulator, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which declared this, added that the oil block leases were revoked due to the…

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11 hrs in Jo’burg, 19 hrs in Norway, Odd fasting hours for World Muslims

Aliyu Aliyu

  Here is the fasting hour in your country + how Muslims in cities such as Longyearbyen, Norway, where the sun does not set from April 20 to August 22 will fast   This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan started on Tuesday, April 13. The pre-sunrise to sunset fast lasts anywhere from 10 to 21 hours depending on where in the world you are. The number of daylight hours varies from country to country. Muslims living in the world’s southernmost countries such as South Africa, Chile or New…

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Reasons Nigerian Doctors suspended strike for four weeks

Tade Salako

  The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its ongoing strike for an initial period of four weeks. President of the association, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, who confirmed the development late Saturday night, noted that the suspension was for four weeks. “The strike has been suspended for four weeks and isolation centres resume 8 a.m. on Sunday and others on Monday,” he said. Mr Okhuaihesuyi said the decision to end the strike followed a new agreement reached with the federal government on Saturday morning. “All house officers yet to be…

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NNPC in epoch-making haulage of 96 line pipes for $2.8bn AKK project

Aliyu Aliyu

  Phase one of 1,300km Trans-Nigerian Gas Pipeline (TNGP) project for gas delivery to Europe received a boost   The execution of $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano, AKK gas pipeline project was boosted at the weekend through the delivery of 96 pipes from Warri Southsouth region to Itakpe in Kogi state, Northcentral Nigeria by rail. The conveyance by rail was made possible through the efforts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, a major stakeholder in the project. The Corporation, which confirmed this in a message obtained by Platforms Africa from its…

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Eni pushes Angola, Nigeria’s biggest rival, ahead with 250m bbls oil discovery

Aoko Benjamin

  How Nigeria is losing out + why IOCs shrink investment for oil discovery in country, surged funding for Angola oil acreages   Italian firm Eni has made a new light oil discovery off the coast of Angola after exploration activities recommenced following a year of pandemic restrictions. This discovery and advancement in renewables makes Angola to the African Oil giant to watch in the next five years. The discovery, made on Tuesday, is in Angola’s deepwater Block 15/06. Eni believes the exploration well, drilled at 500 metres in the…

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Saudi Arabia declares Tuesday, April 13 First day of Ramadan 2021 – Report

Dawood Rabiu

  The moon-sighting committee of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has said that the crescent moon of Ramadan 2021 had not been sighted on Sunday, making Monday 30th of Sha’ban and Tuesday first of Ramadan The first day of Ramadan will be April 13, Tuesday, the moon sighting committee in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has declared. The committee, a report by Gulf News read, said that the crescent moon had not been sighted. Accordingly, Monday, April 12, will be the last and 30th day of Shaban 1442 Hijri which…

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