Author: Vardiafrica

A former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has pleaded not guilty to the alleged corrupt practices involving about N2.7 billion brought against him by the Federal Government. Sirika was arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji at the Federal High Court in Abuja along with his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, and a firm – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited. The daughter and son-in-law also pleaded not guilty to the six-count charges when read to them. Following their denial of the fraud charges, their respective lawyers moved applications for their bail which was granted by the judge Justice Oriji admitted the…

The Senate has kick started moves to review salaries, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria in a bid to curb bribery and corruption and ensure independence of the judiciary. The executive bill seeking to prescribe the salaries of the judicial office holders both at the federal and state levels scaled second reading on Thursday and is expected to nip in the bud, the prolonged stagnation in remuneration to reflect the current socio-economic realities. Even though the bill was unanimously embraced, some lawmakers canvassed that in the face of the current economic hardship, salaries/ remuneration of Nigerians…

The Kaduna State government has disclosed plans to merge a total of 359 schools over incessant activities of bandits which had resulted in cases of abduction and kidnapping in the state. Speaking at a stakeholders forum and the training of the Schools’ Protection Squad on Wednesday, Governor Uba Sani represented by his Chief of Staff, Sani Kila, said the schools in vulnerable communities would be merged with those in safe locations, as part of measures to safeguard the schools and children from being attacked by bandits. According to him, the launched school protection squad under the Federal Government’s Safe School…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama on Thursday Sirika, who served under the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari, would be arraigned on a six-count amended charge. To be arraigned alongside Sirika are his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, for alleged abuse of office. According to the charge sheet sighted by Channels Television, Sirika allegedly used his position as the Minister of Aviation to fraudulently award contracts to his daughter, son in-law…

The Senate is fast-tracking the process of proper documentation and protection of human rights of domestic workers and their employers in the country. Lawmakers argued that proper documentation and protection of domestic workers will serve several purposes, including keeping full records of the identities of domestic workers, respecting their fundamental human rights and provisions for the safety of the employers. Leading the debate, the sponsor of the bill, Sen. Hussaini Babangida-Uba, representing Jigawa North-West, noted that most domestic workers in the country were either unregistered and not engaged in compliance with labour laws. He further argued that bill would safeguard…

The political crisis in Rivers State has taken a whole new twist as some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara elected the member representing Bonny constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo, as their Speaker. Oko-Jumbo, who is said to be the new speaker for the entire 32-member Assembly, was said to be elected at 10am during plenary on Wednesday, in line with the Standing Order of the House. Oko-Jumbo was one of the four lawmakers loyal to Fubara in the wake of the political crisis in the state. They had at the time of the crisis…

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that the sum of N3.911bn has been realised since it became an oil-producing state but the production has been hampered due to challenges faced by the company managing its exploration. The state’s Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, made this known on Wednesday at the 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the second-term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa, Ikeja. Ogunleye said Lagos State, which joined the league of oil-producing states in the country in 2016, has received a total of N3.911bn as its share of the 13 per cent Derivation Fund.…

The House of Representatives has decried the worrying rate of kidnappings and wanton destruction of lives and properties in schools across the country since 2014. This follows a motion of urgent national importance moved by Honourable Billy Osawaru during plenary in Abuja. Following the adoption of the motion the House mandated its Committees on Army, Airforce, Navy, Police Affairs and Defence to interface with the security Chiefs to identify how best to secure schools and proffer immediate lasting solutions to the security challenges in the country. The House also mandated schools to engage the services of private security outfits to…

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, on Wednesday, announced the complete withdrawal of the military from the Okuama community in the state. The governor disclosed this during a press conference at the Government House, in Asaba, implying that the displaced people of Okuama are now free to return to their homes. He also disclosed that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp set up by his administration for a smooth and seamless resettlement of the displaced okuama residents is already running. The military had taken over the community after 17 Army personnel were gruesomely killed on the 14th of March, 2024…

The presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms says there is a need to increase the value-added tax (VAT) rate. Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the committee, spoke on Monday while disclosing the VAT revenue-sharing formula would be reviewed. He spoke at a policy exposure and impact assessment session organised by the committee. Nigeria’s VAT rate is currently 7.5 percent. Oyedele also said the committee has proposed reviewing state and local governments’ share of VAT revenue to 90 percent. According to section 40 of the VAT Act, the federal government gets 15 percent of the tax revenue, states share 50 percent, and…