Author: GANUX

Dangote’s World Bank appointment well deserved – Tinubu

 

By Rotimi Agbana

 

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab — a high-level global advisory body designed to accelerate private investment and job creation in emerging economies.

 

The congratulatory message was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

 

The President acknowledged Dangote’s new role at the World Bank, stressing the significance of the lab’s mission — which he said aligns with Nigeria’s and other developing countries’ aspirations for economic growth through private sector involvement.

 

Tinubu justified the merit of Dangote’s selection, pointing to his extensive track record as an investor and employer.

 

The President praised the industrialist’s ability to grow the Dangote Group into a powerful conglomerate through innovation, resilience, and continued capital infusion, making him a symbol of African entrepreneurship.

 

The statement partly read, “President Bola Tinubu congratulates Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, on his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, a body tasked with promoting investment and job creation in emerging economies.

 

“The President describes the appointment as apt, given Dangote’s rich private sector experience, strategic investments, and many employment opportunities created through his Dangote Group. The Dangote Group became one of Africa’s leading conglomerates through innovation and continuous investment.”

 

Also, the President emphasised the scale and ambition of Dangote’s investments, spotlighting the $20 billion refinery project in Lagos, which has been dubbed Africa’s largest private-sector initiative.

He referenced it as a shining example of the industrialist’s capacity to undertake transformative projects with continent-wide implications.

 

He added, “Dangote Group’s business interests span cement, fertiliser, salt, sugar, oil, and gas.

 

“However, the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals remains Africa’s most daring project and most significant single private investment.”

 

Calling Dangote to action, the President encouraged him to use his expertise and track record to influence the World Bank’s global development agenda — particularly in helping other developing nations benefit from his knowledge of attracting capital and delivering large-scale development projects.

“President Tinubu urges Dangote to bring to bear on the World Bank appointment his transformative ideas and initiatives to impact the emerging markets across the world fully,” the statement added.

 

Tinubu noted that Dangote’s appointment is part of an effort to scale private-sector-led solutions to global development challenges, such as unemployment and limited infrastructure.

 

He situated Dangote among other globally respected business leaders from diverse industries, reinforcing the prestige of the appointment.

 

“The World Bank announced Dangote’s appointment on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of its Private Sector Investment Lab.

 

“The lab now enters a new phase aimed at scaling up solutions to attract private capital and create jobs in the developing world.

 

“The CEO of Bayer AG, Bill Anderson, the Chair of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti Mittal, and the President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Mark Hoplamazian, are on the Private Sector Investment Lab with Dangote. The World Bank said the expanded membership brings together business leaders with proven track records in generating employment in developing economies, supporting the Bank’s focus on job creation as a central pillar of global development”, he concluded.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has said he is unbothered by what he described as the “noise” from opposition party members in the state.

 

Otti made the remark on Tuesday while receiving a delegation led by the member representing Bende North State Constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party to join the ruling Labour Party in the state.

 

According to the governor, many of those in the opposition who claim they are coming to contest elections are not serious contenders.

 

He said their motives are to seek recognition, negotiate political benefits, or project themselves for the future.

 

“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up (for elections).

 

“Sometimes, they just want recognition—that their names showed up for the primaries—knowing fully well that they will not win the election.

 

“Some of them also come for negotiations, and then of course, some others also show up for projections. They look at themselves and say, ‘If I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040 they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognise me,’ so they are projecting themselves”, Otti stated.

 

He noted that his focus remains on the mandate given to him by the people, and his response to opposition criticism is to deliver tangible results across the state.

“People are making noise, but I respond with work. We are very committed to the job that our people asked us to do. We are doing just that. For us, governance is about stewardship and leadership. And that is what is keeping us here,” he said.

 

Speaking further, Otti congratulated Ibekwe on his decision to join the LP, stressing that it was a voluntary move made without pressure.

 

He reiterated that his administration does not prioritise political affiliations in governance, but is focused on delivering good governance to all Abians.

 

He added that the party is inclusive and welcoming, noting that Ibekwe has become a ranking member of the party.

 

He also announced that an official reception would be organised in his honour.

 

Earlier, Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party because of Otti’s achievements, which he described as unprecedented.

“This is the best time for Abia people”, he said, while praising the governor’s visionary leadership and assured him of his full support and that of his supporters toward the governor’s 2027 re-election bid.

 

Ibekwe was accompanied by key stakeholders from Bende North State Constituency, including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze; Labour Party stalwart, Chief Uwakwe Maduka; former Commissioner for Boundary Matters, Mr. Mascot Obike; and the Abia State APC spokesperson, Mr. Okey Ezeala, among others.

The Yobe State Government said it is committed to reaching 80 per cent vaccination coverage by 2026, as it intensifies efforts to close immunisation gaps and protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Gana, who said this on Tuesday at a one-day media dialogue to commemorate the 2025 World Immunisation Day in Damaturu, Yobe State, noted that the state is implementing strategic actions to reach underserved and vaccine-hesitant communities.

 

He stated that unvaccinated children pose a public health risk, contributing to repeated outbreaks of diseases such as diphtheria, cholera, cerebrospinal meningitis, and vaccine-derived polio.

 

“To achieve herd immunity and safeguard our communities, we must reach at least 80 per cent coverage by next year,” Gana said.

 

He urged health workers not to miss fixed immunisation sessions and emphasized the need to prioritise hard-to-reach and zero-dose communities, particularly in areas with low vaccine uptake.

 

Gana said, “Here in Yobe State, we have been recording outbreaks of diphtheria. We’ve seen outbreaks of cerebrospinal meningitis, especially Type C. We have seen outbreaks of even acute watery diarrhoea, sometimes cholera, and others.

 

“Despite all this, we have recorded a lot of success, in the sense that when you compare the 2023 and the 2018 National Demographic Health Surveys, you can see that we have made moderate or modest progress in that regard.

 

“The desire is actually to get up to 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the population for you to be able to achieve herd immunity.

 

“So, because of all these issues, and of recent, the record of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived polio viruses, and then sadly the type 3 in one of the local government areas has been a wake-up call to the entire team, not only the team here in the state, but nationally.”

 

Also speaking, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Umar Chiroma, stated that as of 2024, 17.5 per cent of children in the state were classified as zero-dose, meaning they had not received any routine vaccination.

“Two LGAs were categorised at the national level as zero-dose LGAs due to high burden of zeth-dose children – Gulani and Geidam LGAs,” he said.

 

He, however said the state is working towards ensuring that the health system is integrated into serving the communities better.

 

The Borno State Immunisation Officer at the State Primary Health Care Agency, Maina Modu, said that the state is intensifying efforts to reduce the number of zero-dose children.

 

According to him, additional outreach activities are being implemented in hard-to-reach settlements to ensure no child is left behind.

He added that eligible children are also being vaccinated at transit team points to receive missed or overdue vaccines.

 

He noted that the efforts are part of a broader Big Catch-Up strategy, which includes targeted local responses tailored to specific community needs.

 

Meanwhile, UNICEF Health Officer Mr. Bashir Elegbede, highlighted that to meet the global targets, there is a need to reduce the number of zero-dose children by 25 per cent by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030.

 

Elegbede urged all stakeholders to strengthen vaccination platforms and ensure equitable access to routine immunisation.

 

He reiterated the call for collaboration between government agencies, traditional leaders, healthcare workers, and development partners to ensure no child is left behind.

Telecommunications services disrupted in Kogi State are expected to resume by Wednesday following a resolution of the dispute between MTN Nigeria and the state government, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria has said.

 

The Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, told PUNCH Online on Tuesday that the issues that led to the shutdown of telecom masts in the state, primarily affecting MTN, had been addressed, paving the way for service restoration.

 

“We have resolved the issues. Services will be fully restored on Wednesday,” Adebayo said.

 

The shutdown stemmed from a compliance dispute between MTN and the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency, which accused the telecom giant of violating operational rules and under-declaring the extent of its optic fibre network coverage in the state.

 

KUIMCA Director General, Taofeeq Isah, told journalists in Lokoja on Friday that MTN failed to comply with state operational rules.

 

“After assuming the office last August, I found non-compliance in their files. A four-day verification showed they covered more areas than declared,” Isah said.

He noted that MTN initially claimed to have laid 48 optic fibres across Kogi, but a joint verification exercise revealed a much larger coverage.

 

“I called them for a discussion where they complained of being overbilled concerning the area of the state covered by their optic fibre.

 

“I went with them for a verification exercise to assess their claim, which took about four days, and we found out they were even covering more areas than they claimed,” Isah said.

 

Kogi demanded additional levies, and MTN’s refusal led to a court-ordered facility shutdown, leaving subscribers and businesses frustrated for over a week.

 

Officials from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service also accused MTN of tax evasion and submitting irrelevant documentation during compliance checks.

Two members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria were crushed to death on Tuesday by an articulated vehicle in front of the University of Benin along Lagos Road.

 

One of the deceased was identified as Mustapha through his identity card, and the other victim had their head crushed in the accident, which led to their death.

 

The deceased were said to be riding a motorcycle when they were run over by the trailer, which sped off after the accident.

 

One of the hawkers, who gathered at the scene of the incident, said that the accident happened in a flash, as it was not clear whether the vigilante men were trying to stop the trailer when the accident happened.

 

The hawker said, “The accident happened all of a sudden. The trailer was on its way to Lagos, and before we realised what was happening, the men were lying on the road, lifeless, with their heads crushed.

“No one could say if the vigilantes were trying to stop the trailer when the accident happened. It is so sad that these men had to lose their lives in this manner.”

 

When contacted, the spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu confirmed the incident and said efforts were on to get more information from the Divisional Police Officers of the area, who are on official duty.

 

He said, “It is true that the accident happened and that the men died in the process. However, I am waiting for more information from the DPO of the area who is on official duty.”

 

Their corpses have since been deposited at the morgue of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

Celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest has expressed support for his friend and fellow socialite, Emeka Okonkwo popularly known as E-Money following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

 

E-Money was taken into custody by EFCC operatives on Monday night at his residence in the Omole area of Lagos for allegedly abusing the Naira and violating the Foreign Exchange Act by reportedly spraying U.S. dollars at a public event.

 

Reacting via his Instagram page on Tuesday, Cubana Chief Priest rallied behind E-Money, praising his recent contributions to the South-East, particularly his Easter “Homecoming” concert. He hinted that E-Money’s rising influence may have drawn the attention of those seeking to suppress prominent voices from the region.

 

He wrote, “This is a guy who just did everything to push up Southeast with his just concluded Home Coming Concert this Easter. I knew they will come for him because they just saw his strength, they are doing this so they could break him so as to make him succumb in supporting them under duress.

 

“The oppression on us Igbos will never stop but let me tell all of you we will never stop. We don’t die we multiply more billionaires are coming up, come 2027 we will support & vote for who we want to, we wont be broken, we will even be stronger, we will reciprocate how we were treated with our energy, brotherhood, support, votes & affluence. #iam_emoney1 it’s nothing brother I have been there it will make you stronger it’s just like our Rolls Royce, 🦅 na location for the rich & famous na status symbol.”

Cubana Chief Priest himself was previously arraigned on April 17, 2024, on similar charges of Naira abuse after spraying money at a social event at Eko Hotel in Lagos. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of ₦10 million. However, Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos later struck out the charges following a settlement agreement between the parties involved.

 

PUNCH Online reports that the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested a popular Lagos socialite, Emeka Okonkwo Daniel (a.k.a. E-Money), for allegedly abusing the Naira note.

 

Our correspondent gathered that he was arrested on Monday night at his residence in the Omole area of Lagos.

 

Sources within the commission on Tuesday said E-Money was arrested for allegedly spraying United States dollars, an act said to be in violation of the Foreign Exchange Act.

 

One of the sources said, “On Monday night, we arrested E-Money for Naira abuse and defacing foreign currencies. Specifically, he was alleged to have sprayed U.S. dollars, which is against the Foreign Exchange Act.

An Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday sentenced five persons to death by hanging for the offences of armed robbery and murder.

 

The five defendants were also sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment each for the offences of conspiracy.

 

The defendants, Ojo Tope, Damilola Christopher, Joshua Adegoke, Aderopo Temitope and Oyedele Oluwatobi were tried and convicted for committing the offences of armed robbery, murder and conspiracy.

 

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case on behalf of Ekiti State, had told the court, “The offences were committed by the defendants on the 18th August, 2021 at Agogo Street, Ilupeju Avenue, Odo Ado, Ado Ekiti.

 

“The defendants robbed Ajiboye Olajide, Lateef Temidayo Busari, and Akeem lsiaka of their money, laptop computers, mobile phones, and other valuables.

 

“In the process of the robbery, the five defendants also killed the street night guard, named Joseph Blessing.

“They were arrested and charged to court with the offences of conspiracy, murder and armed robbery contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, Section 319 of the same law and Section 1 (2)( a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

 

The DPP called four witnesses and tendered 13 exhibits to prove his case before the court.

 

The defendants were represented by Adeyinka Opaleke, and each of them gave evidence without calling additional witnesses.

 

Justice Olalekan Olatawura, in the judgment, held that the prosecution proved the counts of armed robbery, murder, and conspiracy against all five defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

The judge consequently convicted all the defendants and sentenced them to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder, and 21 years imprisonment for conspiracy.

Legendary Juju musician, King Sunny Ade, has dismissed widespread speculations about his safety and whereabouts, declaring on Tuesday that he was neither missing nor kidnapped.

 

The music icon made this known in a live video shared by one of his wives, Mrs. Bose Olubo-Adegeye, following a social media storm ignited by his daughter, Damilola Adeniyi-Adegeye.

 

Damilola had on Monday, raised the alarm over her father’s whereabouts, accusing her stepbrother, Dayo, whom she described as KSA’s manager, of allegedly holding the veteran singer hostage and mismanaging his affairs.

 

In a flurry of social media posts, Damilola called for Dayo’s arrest, claiming he had been “stealing” from the musician and preventing access to him.

 

One of her posts read: “Dad told my brother that he wants to go home. Where is he? Where are his phones? He has not been online or picking up his calls. Where is he?”

 

Another stated: “I want Dayo (manager) apprehended. I want him to provide all the money they have been stealing from him. He has a UK visa, thinking he can run.”

However, speaking in the video on Tuesday, King Sunny Ade reassured fans that he was hale, hearty, and actively performing live music at events. He specifically mentioned performing at a show in Lekki, Lagos, over the weekend and noted that he was on his way to another performance.

 

“Nobody kidnapped me. I pray, as I don’t want anybody to kidnap me. I believe that the whole world is in love with me. This is me, King Sunny Ade. I have to thank God and you, my fans, for the concern. I have been doing my shows. I was at a show last Saturday at Lekki, Lagos. I am on my way to have a show, and I am coming back again to play in Lagos, as well. So, I have nothing to say other than to thank God and to thank you,” KSA said.

 

The singer also appreciated Nigerians and fans worldwide for their concern, noting that the confusion might have stemmed from some of his children not seeing him recently.

 

“I know my children are in love with me, and they want to see me. I didn’t go anywhere. This is me. I thank the children, too, for their concern as well.

 

“By God’s grace, enjoyment continues. I am still in music. Music is my life; it is my business, and I will continue to do it. I thank the whole world for loving me as usual,” he added.

The Labour Party in Delta State has tackled Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on the wasteful defection ceremony.

 

The National Vice Chairman South-South of the Labour Party, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, stated this on Tuesday while reacting to the defection of the entire Delta PDP members in Asaba, Delta State.

 

Ezeagwu stressed that LP will maintain a strong opposition in the state after the collapse of PDP into APC, describing the defection ceremony as a waste of Delta resources.

 

He said, “We are the only opposition in Delta State now, we just thanked God that the governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and his PDP members made the blunder by defecting to APC.

 

“As long as LP is concerned, we don’t have anything on the defection, but it is an advantage to us because, as it is today, before they finish their fighting in APC, we have gone very far.

 

He said there will definitely be a lot of infighting in their new party, as people from diverse backgrounds, including those who previously left the party due to internal disputes, are now returning to join the same group they once clashed with.

“And trust Nigerian politicians, no politicians have the interest of the people; it is personal interest, so as long as they are concerned, they are not going to put anybody into consideration, rather everybody will be fighting for what he or she will benefit.

 

“That’s exactly what you will see going on there. It is because of that particular interest, you will see that in the end, they will scatter more in the APC.

 

“Watch out, you will see that almost 80 per cent of them who moved now, will move back to other political parties. Let me not say precisely they are coming to join LP, because as it is, they have grounded PDP and it will be difficult for PDP to find it seat in Delta any longer.

 

“It is a complete waste of resources for Oborewori to spend such a huge amount of money to officially defect to APC,” said Ezeagwu

 

The LP leader further said there have been conversations about looting public funds in the past, yet they continue to loot and waste our money. He added that their move to the APC is simply to validate Adams Oshiomhole’s infamous remark: “As soon as you join APC, your sins are forgiven.” According to him, APC is just a shelter for them; that is why they have gone there.

The Indigenous Igbo Women Assembly, says, if the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa is genuinely committed to the restoration of peace in the zone, he should ‘move his men to the bush to combat the killer herdsmen killing farmers and raping women and girls.’

 

The women made this known following recent advice by the CDS to the people of the South East against promoting the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, particularly through social media.

 

The CDS, represented by Group Captain Ibrahim Bukar, during a recent engagement in Anambra State, had said that the spread of unverified information “not only endangers the region but also poses a threat to national unity and peace”, adding that “IPOB’s actions are detrimental not just to the South East, but to Nigeria as a whole,” and should not be supported in any form.

 

However, in a statement, IWA’s National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, challenged the CDS that IPOB is not a terrorist group, but a peaceful movement protesting the marginalisation and continued exclusion of the South East from the scheme of things in Nigeria, urging him to advise the federal government to listen to the agitations of IPOB and engage the group in dialogue with a view to addressing its genuine concerns, instead of resorting to propaganda to blackmail its members.

According to the statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia on Sunday, the women said, “We want to remind Gen. Musa that IPOB members are not terrorists but our children who are protesting the ill-treatment and marginalisation of the South East from the scheme of things in Nigeria. Since the civil war up till now, the South East has been grossly marginalized by the Nigerian State.

 

“From 1966 after the assassination of Gen. Aguiyironsi till date, no Igbo man has been President of Nigeria. Ndigbo have grossly been marginalized in political appointments by successive administrations in the country. They have been denied their rightful promotion especially those in the security agencies. And that’s part of the reasons Igbo youths are losing interest in military recruitment. They have refused to join the military and even the police because they hardly get promoted like their colleagues from other tribes”.

 

Expressing their concern further, the women asked, “Why is the federal government killing IPOB members but granting amnesty to bandits and mass murderers who have not stopped killing innocent citizens, including security agents? Why is the government killing our youths during peaceful protests, but allowing armed herdsmen on a killing spree to keep roaming our communities with guns?

 

“What is the rationale behind the constant release of captured terrorists who claim to have repented, while peaceful agitators like IPOB members are held in perpetual detention? Fulani herdsmen do not need AK-47s in the South East because there has never been any incident of cattle rustling in the region. For them to carry AK-47s about, shooting people shows they have an evil agenda because they don’t shoot and run, but shoot and stay.

“What IPOB is demanding is legitimate. It’s their right. Those causing mayhem in the zone are criminal elements and killer herdsmen. If the CDS truly loves the restoration of peace in the South East, let him advise the federal government to listen to IPOB and engage the youths in sincere dialogue and address their grievances.

 

“Gen. Musa should understand that the problem of the South East is not IPOB: our problem is the rampaging Fulani herdsmen busy displacing communities across the zone. If Gen. Musa wants to maintain peace and order in the South East, he should move his men to the bush to combat the killer herdsmen killing our farmers and raping our women and girls”.

 

IWA traced the genesis of the tension in the South East to the deployment of the military to the zone during a special military operation codenamed Python Dance, stating, “May we remind Gen. Musa that prior to the drafting and deployment of the military to the South East by President Muhammadu Buhari, we had absolute peace in Igbo land. South East was the most peaceful region in Nigeria before then.

 

“When the federal government abducted IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya, the problem became worse. IPOB members in protest declared a Monday sit-at-home protest but relaxed it after appeals from the elders. During President Donald Trump’s inauguration, a lot of them were shot and killed in Port Harcourt for celebrating Trump. Many were also killed in Onitsha and Aba for merely praying and carrying out peaceful protests.

 

The Igbo women also decried the continued migration of youths from the South East who are fleeing intimidation and humiliation by security operatives, especially at roadblocks and condemned reprisal attacks on innocent communities any time security agents come under attacks by criminals in South East, stating, “While the security operatives deployed to the South East were busy crushing our youths, criminals were busy spreading insecurity in the South East.

 

“There have been several attacks against security agencies in the North but how many Northern villages were sacked in the aftermath unlike here in the South East? Awo Idemiri and Eke Ututu market in Imo State were all attacked. These made our youths to migrate from the South East in their droves. What the security agents are doing is to systematically chase our youths away so that we will not have those to defend us when the rumoured jihad eventually starts.”

IWA further raised alarm over the influx of aliens in the South East and urged security agents to investigate their mission, stating, “There is an invasion of the South East by strange faces doing all sorts of menial jobs and surveying our land. These strange faces are not IPOB members. In some villages, some of these jobless wanderers outnumber the owners of the land. What’s the Nigerian Government doing that has not stopped these marauders who are moving about with guns and killing innocent citizens at will?

 

Igbo women, therefore, demanded the immediate dismantling of security roadblocks across the South East, which, they said, have become extortion points, causing traffic delays.