General
Group Warns Kogi Governor Over COVID-19 Vaccine Utterances

By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has been warned to be mindful of his utterances concerning the COVID-19 vaccines because his actions lately were “tantamount to incitement to commit war crime.”
Mr Bello has not hidden his opinion concerning the virus, which emanated from China and spread to the four corners of the globe.
The contagion was first recorded in Nigeria on February 27, 2020, and at the moment, it has infected more than 100,000 persons in the country and killed over 1,400 people.
Globally, it has infected and killed millions of people, with the United States, Brazil, India and others among the worst-hit in the world.
But the Kogi State Governor has always rushed to the rooftop to say COVID-19 was not real and recently, he was seen in a video saying the vaccine developed in an unprecedented time was aimed to implant something on people, urging his people not to receive the jabs.
Reacting to this, a group known as the APC Mandate Defenders argued that discouraging Nigerians not to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines in the face of the ongoing biological war was criminal.
The group, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Ifeanyi Emeka, reminded the young Governor that no vaccine would be administered on any Nigerian without the authorisation of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to the APC Mandate Defender, there are different types of vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as the various regulatory bodies across the globe.
Some of the approved vaccines are Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine, Moderna Vaccine, Sinovac Vaccine among others.
“Therefore, alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government wants to introduce vaccines to kill Nigerians in his unfortunate video is the height of desecration and disrespect for the Office of the President of the country.
“It also amounts to insubordination as well as usurping the powers of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the group.
“We can afford to allow Governor Bello to continue with his foolishness unrestrained, but accusing the president of introducing vaccines in order to kill Nigerians will not be tolerated by any means because that is the highest form of incitement against Mr President,” it warned.
The organisation appealed to Nigerians to ignore Mr Bello and rally round Mr Buhari as he “strives to fulfil his campaign promises to the people because, inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist.”
The APC Mandate Defender emphasised that it would “resist [the] covert and overt strategies [of the Governor] aimed at destroying the government of President Buhari who still have some years to make Nigeria better.”
General
CNPP Hails Removal of Mele Kyari as NNPC Chief, Seeks Forensic Audit

By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), has praised President Bola Tinubu for firing Mr Mele Kyari as the chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, and replacing him with Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Mr Tinubu announced the removal of Mr Kyari from office in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Reacting to the sacking of the erstwhile NNPC chief, the CNPP said the next step is for President Tinubu to order a forensic audit of the state-owned oil organisation to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s oil sector.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema, the group noted that the removal of Mr Kyari is a vital step toward restoring accountability, efficiency, and transparency in a sector that has long been shrouded in allegations of corruption and mismanagement, adding that Nigerians have endured years of economic hardship fueled by inefficiencies and alleged large-scale corruption within NNPC.
It noted that these challenges have exacerbated the country’s struggles, with high transportation costs contributing to soaring food prices that have burdened millions of families.
According to the CNPP, this bold move by the President signals a readiness to confront deep-seated issues in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
The organisation emphasised that merely replacing Mr Kyari is insufficient to address the root causes of the oil sector’s problems, reiterating its long-standing demand for a thorough forensic audit of NNPC’s operations during his tenure.
It emphasized that without such an investigation, the new management would inherit a foundation weakened by years of alleged financial irregularities, inefficiencies, and questionable practices.
The CNPP has raised serious concerns about the management of NNPC under Mr Kyari, asserting that the Nigerian people deserve transparency and accountability regarding the operations of the national oil company.
The group urged President Tinubu to authorize an independent forensic audit covering all aspects of NNPC’s accounts, crude oil sales, and subsidy disbursements during his tenure, arguing that this audit is crucial not only for understanding the extent of mismanagement but also for implementing reforms that will stabilize the oil.
In its statement, the CNPP underscored the critical importance of Nigeria’s oil industry to the nation’s economy, warning that without urgent and radical reforms, the suffering of Nigerians would persist. It called on anti-corruption agencies, civil society organizations, and the National Assembly to support its demand for justice, urging all stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring accountability within NNPCL.
The group affirmed its commitment to monitoring developments in the oil sector and holding all stakeholders accountable to the Nigerian people.
“The oil sector cannot remain a black hole where billions of dollars disappear without accountability. The time to act is now,” it declared.
General
Customs Debunks Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi Tenure Extension Rumour

By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service has debunked the widespread reports about the alleged tenure extension of the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada, the customs spokesman, said that the news was inaccurate and misleading.
He stated that the appointments and tenure extensions of the CGC are made solely at the discretion of the President, in line with the provisions of the NCS Act 2023 and other relevant regulations governing public service appointments.
“The attention of the NCS has been drawn to a fake release allegedly from the State House regarding an extension of the tenure of the CGC, Adewale Adeniyi. The NCS wishes to categorically state that this information is inaccurate and misleading,” Mr Maiwada said.
Mr Maiwada noted that at the moment, no such directive has been communicated to the NCS by the appropriate authorities.
He emphasised that the leadership of the service remains focused on fulfilling its statutory mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.
Under the guidance of the current CGC, Mr Maiwada explained the NCS has continued to implement key reforms aimed at, “modernising customs operations, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and enhancing national economic growth.”
The customs spokesperson called on the public and all stakeholders to rely only on official channels for accurate information regarding the NCS. He added that updates regarding appointments or tenure decisions will be formally communicated through the appropriate government authorities.
“The service appreciates the continued support of stakeholders and remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and service to the nation,” he said.
General
Tinubu to Appraise Performance, Assess Key Milestones in France

By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu will travel to Paris, France for a two-week working visit to appraise his administration’s midterm performance and assess key milestones.
This information was revealed on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
In a statement issued today, it was disclosed that Mr Tinubu would “use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.”
“This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year,” another part of the statement said.
President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, and has since introduced some reforms that have been tagged harsh, including the removal of subsidies on premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange (FX) market.
These two policies have triggered inflationary pressures in the country, with some citizens struggling to survive because of the harsh economic environment.
In the statement today, it was stated that recent economic strides reinforce the President’s commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.
“While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities,” Mr Onanuga added.
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