The World Bank says it is in talks with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion loan to resolve the problems of the country's power sector. World Bank's Vice President for Africa, Hafez Ghanem said this while addressing journalists in Abuja, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. “We’re talking about a new…

A Nigerian immigrant, Nzemeka Ezims, has been arrested by the Thailand police for alleged public fraud and love scams. According to a report published on the Nationthailand, Mr Ezims, 37, was arrested at a highway police checkpoint on the Bangkok-Chon Buri motorway’s sixth-kilometre marker in the capital’s Prawet district. The…

Nigeria's former attorney-general, Mohammed Adoke, lied in his new book, an anti-corruption chief, Ibrahim Magu, has said. Mr Magu, acting chairman of the anti-graft agency, EFCC, said this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Magu said Mr Adoke particularly lied by claiming that he was being investigated for…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibadan zonal office, has arrested one Kehinde Olumide Agbabiaka, a sales agent of Fidelity Bank Plc. His arrest was sequel to a petition jointly penned by the bank’s Regional Security Officer and the Cluster Control and Compliance Manager, in which it was alleged…

Following public criticisms that have greeted his appointment to the budget ministry, Seun Onigbinde has now turned down the appointment. Mr Onigbinde, the co-founder of BudgIT, a civic group committed to government financial transparency, announced his resignation on Monday. Mr Onigbinde had last week announced his decision to accept a…

On a bright day in August at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, the electoral commission chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, and his team sat for an interview with a PREMIUM TIMES team led by the Publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi. In this first part of the interview, Mr Yakubu answered questions on diverse issues…

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was not directly involved in the removal of Ayo Salami, an ex-president of the Court of Appeal. He said Mr Jonathan "did not have any interest in hounding Mr Salami". Mr Adoke, who served…

A State High Court in Lagos has convicted a businessman, Lawrence Maduagwu, of stealing $179,000 and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday, said it charged Mr Maduagwu on a two-count charge of…

A prosecution witness, Musa Sunday, has revealed how aides of a former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, illegally conveyed cash to him at the Government House, while in office. He made the revelation before a divisional High Court in Plateau State in an alleged N6.2 billion fraud case against…

A Nigerian illegal immigrant in the United Kingdom, Oluwaleke Yisa, has been sentenced to prison for walking into a London immigration centre threatening to stab people with a ''big kitchen knife'' unless he was deported. Mr Yisa, 30, who was sentenced to eight weeks in prison by the Inner London…

Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, and the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) have tackled each other over the legality of the use of security votes by governors. Mr Buratai questioned the legality of the funds, arguing that some Nigerian governors hide under the cloak of immunity to embezzle the…

A Minna Division of the Niger State High Court has adjourned the trial of a former governor of the state, Babangida Aliyu, to October 7, 8 and 9. The ex-governor is being tried for an alleged N2 billion fraud. Mr Aliyu is standing trial alongside two others, his then Chief…

The National Executive Council of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has dismissed a purported communique stating it has removed its national president, Kolade Alabi. The association made the denial in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Binta Bello, and six state chairpersons on Monday. It said there…

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Musa Wada, says his victory at the just concluded governorship primaries is for all the aspirants who participated in the process. He said this in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja on…

Dozens of protesters, on Tuesday, in Abuja expressed their dissaproval over the $8.9 billion arbitral award granted against Nigeria by a U.K court over a botched gas deal with a foreign firm, P&ID. The protest was organised by members of Coalition of Civil Society Groups. Its president, Bassey Williams, led…

The anti-graft agency, EFCC, has said an estimated N974 million, $729,653, and €2330 have been recovered since January in Abuja and Kano in its fight against corruption. This was disclosed in two separate statements signed by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday and Tuesday. The commission also said it…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would deploy 24,000 ad-hoc staff for the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections on November 16. The INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said this in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES at the commission's headquarters in Abuja. Mr Yakubu also said the staff…

President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed claims by the South African government that the recent attacks targeting Nigerians in the country were 'sporadic attacks'. A spokesperson to Mr Buhari also said the South African government must guarantee the protection of every Nigerian living in their country. The special adviser on media and…

A Nigerian anti-corruption agency has asked a Federal High Court, Abuja for an interim order to seize a petrol station and a warehouse traced to Solomon Ita, a former director in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) disclosed this in…

A division of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that a businessman, Babagana Dalori, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for an alleged N95.5 million fraud. In a statement signed by the anti-graft agency's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Monday, it said…

The federal government has filed an application before a high court in Abuja, requesting interim forfeiture of N840 million traced to a retired President of the Benue State Customary Court of Appeal, Margaret Igbeta. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, on Monday, the Independent Corrupt Practices and…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on civil society organisations (CSOs) to pay more attention to the affairs of political parties and their primary elections. The Chairman of the commission, Yakubu Mammud, said this on Friday during the presentation of the final 2019 general election observation report by…

Three soldiers and many Boko Haram fighters were killed in a bloody battle in Borno on Saturday, an official said. The News Agency of Nigeria quotes the army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, as saying the battle occurred after Boko Haram terrorists ambushed the soldiers. The ambush reportedly happened at Gasarwa village,…

The federal government has signed a ten-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of 40-hectare farmland with the University of Ilorin in Kwara State, for the Social Intervention Programmes (SIP) N-Power Agro beneficiaries. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the programme communications manager, Justice Bibiye, in Abuja. The senior special…

Demands intensified this week for the sack of Bashir Magashi as President Muhammadu Buhari's defence minister, fuelled by a PREMIUM TIMES report that uncovered his sordid past as one of those who stole Nigeria's wealth under dictator Sani Abacha. The article, published exclusively on Wednesday, detailed how Mr Magashi, a…