Author: Vardiafrica

Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to vacate the interim order placed on 57 properties traced to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Malami, who served as the AGF during the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, sought two categories of orders lifting the interim forfeiture orders on the seized assets. In the first prayer, he urged the court to discharge three particular properties listed by EFCC as No. 9, No. 18 and No. 48 in the ex-parte motion with which the anti-corruption agency…

Proceedings resumed on Monday at Southwark Crown Court in London in the corruption and bribery trial of former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Prosecutors presented detailed evidence of what they described as an extravagant spending pattern at a luxury antiques store in the British capital. The court was told that up to £140,000 was allegedly spent in a single day on high-end furniture, bespoke lighting and decorative artworks, with payments said to have been made through intermediaries during her time in office. The public gallery was filled with supporters from the Ijaw community, some of whom travelled from…

A total sum of ₦1.969 trillion, being the December 2025 Federation Account Revenue, has been shared to the Federal Government, States, and the local government councils. The revenue was shared at the January 2026 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja. This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Bawa Mokwa, on Monday. Mokwa said the December allocation comprised statutory revenue of ₦1.084 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of ₦846.507 billion, and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of ₦38.110…

The federal government on Friday, January 30,signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea to establish an Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant and develop charging infrastructure across Nigeria. The agreement was signed by John Enoh, , minister of state for industry, and representatives of the Asia Economic Development Committee (AEDC) of South Korea. The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) announced the development in a post on X social media platform. According to the council, the partnership aligns with Nigeria’s National Energy Transition Plan (ETP) and the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP). The NADDC said the project will be implemented in…

Presidential hopeful and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election. Obi, who made the announcement during an interactive session on X, hosted by @obidientupdate, put paid to months of speculation over his future political plans. The X Space attracted thousands of participants, underscoring Obi’s continued influence in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election. Obi used the opportunity to address some of Nigeria’s critical challenges in the areas of economy, security, and governance. “Peter Obi will be on the ballot in 2027. I need your prayers. I…

Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to ‘boycott’ Al Nassr and will ‘refuse to play’ in their next game. Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time, but he is also a renowned man-child and has spat his dummy out on several occasions in recent years. The Man Utd legend responded poorly to falling in the pecking order under Erik ten Hag in his final few months at Old Trafford, with the former head coach rightly preferring to select younger stars who offered more. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was a bit-part player before his infamous interview with Piers Morgan (in which he…

Dangote Refinery, Dangote Cement and Dangote Fertiliser signed revised Gas Sale and Purchase Agreements (GSPAs) on Feb. 1 with two NNPC subsidiaries, Nigerian Gas Marketing and the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company. The deals are intended to cover rising energy demand linked to the Dangote Group’s industrial expansion projects and form part of its Vision 2030 strategy to increase production while shifting toward cleaner energy sources. The signings took place during the official launch of the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026 at the company’s headquarters in Abuja. The plan is NNPC’s new roadmap for boosting gas production and domestic use. The…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has commissioned a 9.4-kilometre Ogu Community Road Network and a 1,500 seater Royal Hall in Ogu, Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, while speaking at the inauguration yesterday, described the projects as further proof of the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region. Wike said he was impressed by the quality and scale of infrastructure delivered in the community, stressing that the network of concrete roads and drainage systems had significantly transformed Ogu. According to the minister, the projects…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over reports that civil servants across several states are being coerced to register for the APC’s ongoing e-registration exercise, allegedly under pressure from the party’s national leadership. The ADC described the practice as economic coercion and forced membership, warning that compelling public servants to join a political party violates their constitutional right to freedom of association and undermines the neutrality of the civil service. The full statement read: The African Democratic Congress (ADC) expresses deep concern over disturbing reports emerging from several states across the country indicating that civil servants and…

The Anambra state government has announced the reopening of Onitsha Main Market on Monday, February 2, for full commercial and economic activities following a one-week closure. Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, ordered the temporary shutdown of the market after traders defied the state’s directive to ignore the longstanding Monday sit-at-home order enforced by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Soludo issued the directive for the closure during an on-the-spot visit to the market, accompanied by senior officials and security operatives. He warned that non-compliance could lead to longer closure or harsher measures. The closure triggered a response from Emma Powerful, IPOB…