Author: Vardiafrica

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, said two of the agency’s staff members were recently dismissed over allegations of corruption. Olukoyede disclosed this during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference organised by the Rule of Law Development Foundation in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 5-day event is titled: “Optimising the Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria: How to Navigate Emerging and Systemic Challenges of Insecurity and Economic Hardship.” The EFCC chairman, who said the two officials were dismissed two week ago, said besides dismissal, erring workers…

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva closed the Group of 20 summit on Tuesday and handed over the presidency to South Africa. “After the South African presidency, all the G20 countries will have exercised leadership of the group at least once. It will be a good time to evaluate the role we have played so far and how we should act from now on,” said Lula da Silva. Leaders of the world’s 20 major economies gathered once again on Tuesday with a lighter schedule after they issued a joint declaration the night before. The document, which includes calls for…

Russia is launching mass production of mobile nuclear war shelters amid acute concern that Vladimir Putin could trigger nuclear war. The move comes 1,000 days into the conflict with Ukraine. Today, Nov. 19, Putin rewrote Russia’s nuclear doctrine to suggest he might trigger Armageddon if Ukraine strikes his territory with NATO-supplied weapons. Such a strike on an ammunition arsenal in Bryansk region with ATACMS US-supplied missiles has now been admitted by his own defence ministry. For the first time, Russia has gone into serial production of mobile nuclear shelters. These are intended to give protection from the light radiation of a nuclear explosion and radioactive contamination of the area, according to the…

President Bola Tinubu has written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767tn as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 appropriation act. The loan, if approved, will be used to part-finance the budget deficit of N9.7tn for the 2024 budget. The president’s request was read by the speaker during plenary on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The president has also forwarded the MTEF/ FSP 2025- 2027 to parliament and the National Social Investment Programme establishment amendment bill, to make the social register the primary tool for the implementation of the federal government’s social welfare programmes. This is as the Central Bank of…

Nigerian and Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman has made the final five shortlisted players for the African Men’s Best Player Award. The diminutive forward, who has been on a superb run of form for the past year, will be pitted against Serhou Guirassy of Guinea and Borrusia Dortmund, Achraf Hakimi of Paris Saint Germain and Morocco, Ronwen Williams of South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns and Simon Adingra of Ivory Coast and Brighton. The coveted award is currently held by Ademola’s fellow countryman, Victor Osimhen. Elsewhere, his fellow countryman, Stanley Nwabali, made the final five shortlist for the best goalkeeper on the continent. Nwabali, who mans the posts for Chippa United in South Africa, was…

Sweden has sent out millions of pamphlets advising residents how to prepare for possible war while Finland has launched a new website on preparedness, as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. The move follows the Nordic neighbours dropping decades of military non-alignment to join defence alliance Nato after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “The security situation is serious and we all need to strengthen our resilience to face various crises and ultimately war,” said Mikael Frisell, director of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) which sent out the brochures. Weapons wanted by Ukraine – in pictures Since the start of the war, Stockholm has repeatedly urged…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has warned electricity distribution companies not to forcefully migrate customers with faulty meters into the estimated billing regime. It also ordered the Discos to replace obsolete prepaid meters for their customers free of charge. This mandate was outlined in a statement released by the regulatory body’s management and posted on its official X handle on Monday. It highlighted that, according to the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry Act, it is the responsibility of Discos to replace faulty and outdated prepaid meters for their customers. The directive follows recent reports of some electricity companies requiring customers to…

President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed on his social media network that he plans to use the US military to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented migrants. On Monday, he posted “TRUE!!!” in response to a conservative commentator who wrote that Trump would declare a national emergency and use military assets to lead “a mass deportation program”. At campaign events, Trump repeatedly pledged to mobilise the National Guard to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency tasked with carrying out deportations. Trump’s latest comment comes as questions grow about how he would fulfil his pledge to execute the…

President Bola Tinubu has announced a fresh shake-up in his cabinet, with the approval of Sunday Dare and Daniel Bwala as co-spokespersons to Bayo Onanuga. A statement shared by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga late Monday, said there is no longer a single person as the president’s spokesperson, adding that both Sunday Dare and Daniel Bwala will also, henceforth jointly serve in his office as spokespersons. The presidency explained that the shakeup is aimed at ensuring effective and consistent communication of government policies, decisions, and engagements. “President Bola Tinubu has re-designated the positions of two…

Governor Monday Okpebholo has assented to a N485 billion revised supplementary budget passed by the Edo State House of Assembly. Okpebholo signed the revised budget on Monday in Benin City, the Edo State capital. The governor while reacting to the speedy passage of the bill thanked the lawmakers, who were at the Government House, for presenting the document. He believes their action would enable the government to carry out expeditious execution of development plans in the state. The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Blessing Agbebaku led other members of the legislature on the formal visit. Agbebaku disclosed…