The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday said the risk posed to the general public by the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship remains “extremely low,” stressing that the disease spreads only through very close contact. “This is a dangerous virus, but only to the person who’s really infected, and the risk to the general population remains absolutely low,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told journalists in Geneva. He noted that even passengers who shared cabins aboard the affected MV Hondius cruise ship were not always infected, underscoring the virus’s limited transmissibility. ALSO READ WHO confirms 2 hantavirus cases,…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over a N33 billion fraud and money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt in the 12-count amended charge brought against the former minister. The court found Mamman guilty of illegally diverting funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Justice Omotosho ruled that the former minister violated anti-money laundering laws by…
Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, has revealed that informants within government circles, security agencies, and local communities are supplying intelligence to bandits, helping them evade arrest and carry out attacks across the state. Speaking during an exclusive interview with Channels Television, Radda said the activities of the informants were frustrating efforts to tackle insecurity in the state. The governor specifically identified a notorious bandit leader known as Mohammed, alleging that he receives timely information from collaborators embedded within communities and official structures. “This notorious person that is disturbing us — we know him. He is Mohammed; that is his…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) allotted N731.75 billion at its Treasury Bills Primary Market Auction held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, amid sustained investor appetite for longer-dated government securities. Auction results showed total subscriptions rose to N2.41 trillion, far above the N700 billion offered across the 91-day, 182-day, and 364-day tenors. Demand remained heavily concentrated on the 364-day Treasury bill, reflecting investors’ preference for locking in high yields amid lingering macroeconomic uncertainty and ample system liquidity. The one-year instrument attracted subscriptions of N2.23 trillion against an offer of N550 billion, with the CBN allotting N600.49 billion. For the 182-day…
The Senate has reversed its recent amendment to the Standing Orders, a move that reopens the contest for key leadership positions in the 11th National Assembly and could pave the way for fresh contenders in the race for Senate President in 2027. The decision followed a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who explained that the amendments introduced two days earlier to Section 2(2) and Section 3(1) might, after further constitutional and legislative scrutiny, create constitutional inconsistencies and unintended tensions. With the reversal, all duly elected senators are now eligible to participate in the election of presiding officers…
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Olayemi Cardoso, on Wednesday hosted a delegation from Standard and Poor’s (S&P Global Ratings) as part of the agency’s periodic review of Nigeria’s sovereign credit ratings. The S&P Global team, led by its Global Head of Sovereign Ratings, Mr Roberto Sifon-Arevalo, held discussions with the CBN governor during a working visit to Nigeria, which forms part of a broader engagement with key government ministries, departments and agencies. During the meeting, Cardoso highlighted Nigeria’s improving macroeconomic fundamentals, resilience and the positive outcomes of ongoing economic reforms initiated by the current administration.…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, over an alleged N15.6 billion fraud. The commission disclosed this in a statement posted on its X handle on Monday, noting that Ayeni was brought before Justice Jude Onwuzuruike of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja. According to the EFCC, Ayeni is facing a 17-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and conversion of investors’ funds amounting to N15,665,085,429, allegedly diverted during his tenure as chairman of the bank. Prosecution counsel, E.E. Iheanacho, told the court the…
The Naira has shown remarkable stability against the US dollar since late 2024. After extreme volatility with rates spiking above $1: N1,600 in early 2025, the official exchange rate has settled in the $1: N1,350–1,430 range by May 2026, with daily volatility dropping sharply from over 4% in 2024 to around 0.5%. This is one of the most significant positive macro developments in recent years. While improved FX liquidity and CBN reforms played a role, one project stands out as a major structural driver: the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The 650,000 barrels per day refinery has fundamentally altered Nigeria’s foreign exchange demand profile.…
In a major overhaul of its internal rules, the Senate has amended its Standing Orders to restrict eligibility for the office of Senate President to returning members of the 10th National Assembly. The decision followed a marathon closed-door session on Tuesday, during which lawmakers adopted fresh criteria aimed at reinforcing parliamentary hierarchy, legislative experience and the tradition of ranking within the chamber. Under the revised rules, only senators who have served two terms will be eligible to contest for principal offices. The amendment also provides that at least one of the two terms must be the immediate term preceding the…
Remittances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to the Federation Account rose sharply in March 2026, climbing 60 percent to N2.88 trillion from N1.80 trillion recorded in February. The spike follows the implementation of Executive Order No. 9 signed by Bola Tinubu in February, which bars NNPC from deducting 30 percent for the Frontier Exploration Fund and another 30 percent as management fees before remitting revenues. Policy shift drives higher inflows Under the new directive, all royalty, tax, and profit oil and gas revenues are to be remitted directly to the Federation Account before any cost deductions. The…