Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has issued a warning against the use of “money bouquets” ahead of Valentine’s Day, as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lists the practice among acts considered an abuse of the naira. In a public notice shared via its official social media platform, the apex bank described money bouquets — where banknotes are folded and arranged like flower petals to form a bouquet — as a violation of currency handling rules. The CBN grouped the trend with other prohibited practices such as spraying, squeezing, selling, and defacing naira notes. The bank stressed that protecting the national currency…

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court on Thursday withdrew from presiding over the asset forfeiture suit filed against former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, SAN, and two others, citing personal reasons. The judge announced his decision shortly after counsel for the parties entered their appearances in court. He said his withdrawal was in the interest of justice. Ladies and gentlemen, for personal reasons, and for the better interest of justice, I will recuse myself from this case,The instant charge CR/700/2025 filed FRN vs Abubakar Malami (SAN) and two others, shall be filed back to the Chief Judge…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has raised alarmed that he might soon be targeted for arrest by Nigeria’s security agencies. The ex-FCT Minster spoke in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The controversial El-Rufai, revealed that while he has not yet been detained, several of his close associates have already been arrested, leading him to fear that he could be next. “About four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested. So, it may only be a matter of time before they come for me as well,” El-Rufai said, highlighting the growing pressure on members…

The Swedish government has proposed a bill that significantly raises the requirements for candidates for citizenship in the country. The new set of rules aims to make the process more transparent, stricter, and focused on real integration. According to the government, applicants must reside in the country for a certain period, demonstrate language proficiency, and prove financial self-sufficiency. Sweden’s Minister for Migration, Johan Forsell, said at a press conference that citizenship applicants must “live honestly,” be proficient in Swedish, and have the means to support themselves. “live honestly,” speak Swedish, and be able to support themselves.– Johan Forsell Key Points…

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on anti-corruption and security agencies to intensify efforts against vote buying and what he described as “vote trading” ahead of upcoming elections. Speaking during a visit by the National Peace Committee, Amupitan said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force had been placed on alert to curb electoral malpractice. “We specifically charged the Nigeria Police, the EFCC, and also the ICPC to be on guard so that we can arrest the menace of vote buying and what…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major operational milestone with the full restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block. Both units are now running at optimal performance, further strengthening the steady state operations of Africa’s largest oil refining facility. Following a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72-hour series of performance test runs in collaboration with licensor UOP. These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all critical parameters meet global standards. Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, noted that…

The United States is planning to send about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military to fight Islamist militants, weeks after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against what he called Islamic State targets. The move would add to a small US team already in the West African nation after the first publicly acknowledged US ground presence there since carrying out strikes on Christmas Day. The troops are expected to deploy in the coming weeks to provide training and technical support, a US official told Reuters on Tuesday. The official said the 200 troops will supplement a handful of…

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, says the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) is set to deploy the Joint Special Task Force, known as ‘Savanah Shield’, to clean up terrorists in Kwara and parts of Niger. Mr Oluyede made this known at the 2026 budget defence session organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the military had been doing everything with its best to ensure that Nigeria was safer for citizens and investors. Mr Oluyede said things are currently much better in the North-East zone, adding, however, that there are lingering challenges in…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), at his Uphill Residence in Minna, the Niger State capital. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Atiku said his visit to Niger State was aimed at strengthening the African Democratic Congress (ADC) structures across the state, stressing that the engagement had nothing to do with his alleged ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election. According to him, the visit was centred on the demand by Nigerians for electronic transmission of election results, which he said would significantly reduce confusion and post-election disputes. “At…

The Nigerian Senate has constituted a 12-member conference committee to harmonise differences between its version of Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and that of the House of Representatives. The decision was taken during an emergency plenary session on Tuesday and announced by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. While announcing the committee, Senator Akpabio said the number of members had been increased from nine to 12 following consultations with the Senate leadership. “After consultation with the leadership, we have moved the number from nine to 12. I will now read out the names of the conference committee members from the Senate,” he said.…