Author: Vardiafrica

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has been released from prison a day after a court cancelled his arrest warrant. Footage aired on local TV channels showed Yoon leaving prison on Saturday, waving his hand and bowing deeply to his supporters. Despite the release, Yoon’s criminal and impeachment trials continue over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3. His lawyers said the court decision “confirmed that the president’s detainment was problematic in both procedural and substantive aspects”, calling the ruling the “beginning of a journey to restore rule of law”. In a statement, Yoon, who remains suspended…

Doyin Okupe, a former presidential aide, is dead.According to family sources, Okupe died on Friday morning in Lagos, aged 72, after a prolonged battle with cancer. The late politician served as special assistant on media and publicity to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later as senior special assistant on public affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. He was the director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign in 2023. A medical practitioner, Okupe joined the LP from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2023 general election. He resigned his membership of the LP in January 2024, about 10 months after the election. In November…

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, White House Artificial Intelligence and Crypto Czar David Sacks said in a Thursday (March 6) post on X. The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will be capitalized with bitcoin seized in criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings and owned by the federal government, so it “will not cost taxpayers a dime,” Sacks said in the post. The executive order also calls for a full accounting of the federal government’s digital asset holdings, Sacks said, adding that there has never been such an audit and that it is estimated…

President Bola Tinubu has launched the national health fellows programme, an initiative to revitalise Nigeria’s primary healthcare system. Addressing 774 fellows in Abuja on Thursday, Tinubu urged them to monitor primary healthcare centres across all LGAs, promising employment after their one-year service. The president hailed the fellows as “vanguards of a new era”. The initiative aims to equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to drive meaningful change in the health sector. The programme is part of a broader initiative to upgrade existing primary healthcare centres and construct over 8,800 new ones across the country. The fellows began training on…

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the NDDC Board and Management to him at the Government House, Owerri, Governor Uzodinma said that the state government was willing to work with the Commission to bring development to the region.The NDDC team, led by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, included the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku; the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the member representing Imo State on the NDDC Board, Dr Kyrian Uchegbu; and other Directors.Governor Uzodinma stressed the need for the governors of the nine oil producing states to partner with NDDC for…

The Nigerian government has launched the National Electronic Asset Register to strengthen transparency and accountability across the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government. In addition to the launch, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) unveiled a compendium of federation Account revenue allocation to all three tiers of government, comprising the federal, state and 774 local government councils from 2020 to 2023. Unveiling the two documents, the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, described the two documents as strategic and important to government business. The Minister referred to the Electronic Asset Register as a…

 Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday quizzed the immediate-past Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, for her alleged roles in the misappropriation, violation of procurement process and diversion of public funds of ₦138.4m in the course of disbursing the 2023 budgeted funds for the Ministry. According to authoritative sources, the ex-minister arrived at the Commission’s headquarters around 11am on Thursday and faced interrogators on her alleged involvement in the fraud. The sources claimed that investigations by the EFCC showed that funds donated for the funding of P- Bat Cares for Women Initiative were diverted…

The Federal Government has unveiled the standards and guidelines for establishing and coordinating organ/tissue transplantation services in the country, with a view to providing hope and promoting transparency, accountability and, adherence to international best practices. Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako Honourable Minister of State for Health stated during the Official Launching of the standards and guidelines document, held today at the Corporate Headquarters office of the Ministry in Abuja. Validated on November 13, 2024; the Minister asserted that the document is a significant milestone to enhance organ donation and practices in Nigeria; emphasizing it is a life-giving opportunity that offers a…

Hasan Abubakar, the chief of air staff (COAS), has visited the victims and families affected by the recent air strike in Zamfara state. On January 10, some civilians, including members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG) and vigilantes, were mistakenly killed in an air strike operation by the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) in Tungar Kara, Maradun LGA of the state. In a statement issued on Thursday by Kabiru Ali, deputy director of public relations and information for NAF, the COAS described the incident as “a painful departure from NAF’s commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens”. The air chief, who admitted responsibility for the…

Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) has designated Simon Ekpa, 16 other persons and two entities, for their alleged involvement in supporting terrorist activities and terrorism financing The committee further directed financial institutions to freeze their assets and report any transactions related to the individuals and entities to the Sanctions Committee and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). Those named on the list include Simon Ekpa, Godstime Promise Iyare, Francis Mmaduabuchi, John Onwumere, Chikwuka Eze, Edwin Chukwuedo, Chinwendu Owoh, Ginika Orji, Awo Uchechukwu, and Mercy Ebere Ifeoma Ali. Others are Ohagwu Juliana, Eze Okpoto, Nwaobi Chimezie, Ogomu Kewe, Igwe Ka Ala Enterprises,…