Voice Air Media, VAM News Update
Here is Thursday’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may prosecute 300 forex racketeers trading on a peer-to-peer platform outside the financial regulations. EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, who gave this indication during an interactive programme with editors and bureau chiefs in Abuja on Tuesday, revealed that their accounts were frozen following a court order on Monday.
2. Lead British International School Abuja, which has been in the eye of the storm over viral videos of bullying involving some of its students, has been shut for three days. The shutdown order was issued on Tuesday by the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye.
3. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed a fresh charge at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. EFCC in the charge accused Emefiele of approving the printing of N684,590,000 at the rate of N18.96 billion.
4. The naira depreciated further against the United States dollar at the official market on Tuesday, closing at 1,300/$. This came as the Central Bank of Nigeria stepped up efforts to stem the tide, selling more dollars to Bureau De Change operators.
5. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, urged Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja to deny the bail application of the detained Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan. The anti-graft agency said it was too risky to admit the foreigner to bail, noting the escape of his co-defendant, Nadeem Anjarwalla from custody.
6. The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the list of the Rivers State Caretaker Committee has taken a new dimension as the Federal High Court, Abuja, has restrained the leadership of the party from further action on the matter. This was disclosed by the National Working Committee, NWC, after its emergency meeting on Tuesday.
7. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to ensure that the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is prosecuted. Speaking with select Editors in Abuja on Tuesday, the anti-graft czar said he made a direct phone call to Bello out of respect, urging him to appear before the commission and address the charges against him.
8. Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika was on Monday arrested. He is due to face charges alongside his brother, Abubakar, following an investigation into alleged N8.06 billion fraud during his tenure. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede announced this.
9. A former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha has resigned his membership of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In a letter, dated April 23 and delivered to the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, Ihedioha, a long-time ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said his decision was the right course of action.
10. A Dana Air aircraft with registration number, 5N BKI, flying from Abuja to Lagos on Tuesday morning, veered off the runway while landing at the Murtala Mohammed airport in Lagos. A statement signed by Mr Kingsley Ezenwa, Head of Corporate Communications of the airline, said all the 83 passengers and crew members onboard were unharmed.
