Tinubu fires Tukur, names Bakari new NFIU CEO (DailyTrust)
President Bola Tinubu has fired Moddibo Tukur as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), naming Ms Hafsat Abubakar Bakari as his replacement.
According to Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesman, who announced the appointment, it is subject to confirmation by the Senate.
“Ms. Bakari is a lawyer and financial intelligence expert with years of experience in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF).” Read more
Former FedPoly bursar jailed for 7 years over fraud (Tribune)
The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a former bursar of the Federal Polytechnic in the state capital, Mr Elijah Oladapo, to seven years imprisonment over fraudulent practices.
According to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the man was first convicted in 2021 alongside the former Rector of the same institution, Mrs Theresa Taiwo Akande, for allegedly receiving over N500,000 as kickbacks from a contractor handling construction projects at the school.
The commission, which disclosed this on its official X handle on Tuesday, said it filed a nine-count charge against the duo before the court because “their actions contravened Sections 8(1) (a), 19 and 20 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. Read more
NiMet predicts early rains in Borno, Abia, A’Ibom (Punch)
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency on Tuesday presented the 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction in Abuja.
According to NiMet, Borno, Abia and Akwa Ibom states would witness early onset.
The forecasts released indicate that rains will be delayed in some parts of the country. Read more
NARTO resumes operation as freight rate increases (Nation)
Arising from a stakeholder meeting on February 20, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) confirmed that it has resumed operations after down tooling for two days.
Its national president, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, broke the news in Abuja after a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); representatives of the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and others.
The NARTO boss also confirmed that the marketers have increased the freight rate of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N32. Read more
APC member blames economic saboteurs for falling naira value (Channels)
A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ayo Oyalowo says the falling value of the naira is the handiwork of economic criminals.
The naira has sharply fallen in value against major currencies, trading for over N1,500 to the dollar at the parallel market.
But Oyalowo says the skidding value of the nation’s currency is due to the activities of economic saboteurs and not market forces. Read more
After AEDC disconnection threat, Tinubu directs payment of Aso Rock electricity bill (Leadership)
President Bola Tinubu has directed immediate settlement of outstanding electricity bill of the State House Abuja due to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, the President’s directive followed the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and AEDC.
He said contrary to the AEDC’s initial claim of N923million debt in paid advertorial in newspapers, the State House outstanding bill is N342,352, 217.46, according to a letter by the management of AEDC to the State House Permanent Secretary dated February 14, 2024. Read more
Enugu: Police parade 83 suspects, rescue 20 kidnap victims (Sun)
Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested 83 persons suspected to have committed various crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, defilement and vandalism in the state between January and February.
The state Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu who made this known while parading the suspects on Tuesday revealed that 20 victims of kidnap were rescued while 46 different calibres of firearms were recovered.
He also said that a total of 125 ammunition of different calibres recovered, 35 motor vehicles recovered, six tricycles recovered while 15 motorcycles were recovered. Read more
Ogun shuts down College’s nursing department for illegal operation (Vanguard)
The Ogun State government has sealed the Nursing Department of Harvarde College of Science Business and Management Studies in Abeokuta for offering a degree programme in Nursing Sciences without accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).
An enforcement team comprising officials from the State Ministry of Health and members of the State Nursing and Midwifery Committee (SNMC), carried out the operation on Tuesday.
Speaking during the enforcement exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Kayode Oladehinde, said such unauthorised programmes contributed to quackery in the profession, which posed a threat to the health of the populace, maintaining that the Nursing Department of the institution would remain closed until fully accredited. Read more
Beyoncé becomes first Black woman with No. 1 country song for ‘‘Texas Hold ‘Em’’ (EW)
After conquering the world with Renaissance, Beyoncé is continuing to make history with Act II.
Billboard announced Tuesday that the Grammy winner hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart with her new song “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Rolling Stone reports that this achievement makes her the first Black woman to top that chart since its inception in 1958. The song is also No. 2 on the Hot 100 behind Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me.”
Beyoncé announced her next album on Feb. 11 after teasing new music during a Super Bowl commercial for Verizon. Shortly after the ad premiered, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” hit streaming services to immediate success. The former song had 19.2 million official streams, while the latter had 10.3 million streams, which placed it at No. 9 on the country chart. Read more
America’s most wanted’ man caught after his daughters’ help hunt him down (Metro)
A man who appeared on ‘America’s Most Wanted’ has been caught after his daughters launched a campaign to find him on social media.
Ana and Yaneiry Albarran say their father Davie Albarran, 51, sexually assaulted two children and have spent over a year trying to hunt him down.
After 451 days on the run police found him hiding in a shed in Lakeland, Polk County, Florida on Sunday. Read more
Benzino echoes Kanye West’s antisemitic comments in emotional plea to black community (HipHopDx)
Benzino has expressed concern for the advancement and prosperity of the Black community, but in doing so he delved into a trope that has historically served as the basis for widespread discrimination.
During a Drink Champs interview published on Saturday (February 17) that lasted nearly three hours, the Hip Hop veteran got progressively drunker and spoke on the subject of unity among people of his race. In doing so, he referenced a longstanding conspiracy that has energised antisemitism for centuries.
“Let’s build each other,” he said. “Let me tell you about the Jews that Kanye [West] talked about. The Jews were the slaves and they came together and they bought within each other, and now look at them. Media, banking, entertainment — they run shit. We can run shit, but we killing each other. All you young n-ggas, stop killing each other.” Read more
Putin says Russia has no intention of putting nuclear weapons in space (AlJazeera)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the US.
Putin’s statement on Tuesday follows the White House claim last week that Russia has obtained a “troubling” anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said it would violate the international Outer Space Treaty, but declined to comment on whether the weapon was nuclear-capable. Read more
British tourist ‘dragged into hotel room and gang-raped’ by 5 men in Ayia Napa (Mirror)
A British woman has described being gang-raped while on holiday in Cyprus by five Israelis after being “forcibly dragged” into a hotel room in the party resort of Ayia Napa.
The tourist, aged 20 at the time of the alleged attack, was escorted under police protection into Famagusta criminal court on Tuesday as she prepared to give testimony behind closed doors.
It was the first time since identifying the suspects in a police line up last September that the Brit had come face-to-face with the men. Read more
Director of “Dahomey,” Mati Diop shines at Berlin Film Festival 2024 (AfricaNews)
The writer and director of “Dahomey,” Mati Diop, walked the red carpet at the Berlin Film Festival on Sunday for the world premiere of her documentary.
She was joined by Gildas Adannou, Habib Ahandessi and Joséa Guedje.
Among the competition entries this year is French-Senegalese director Mati Diop with her documentary “Dahomey,” exploring colonization through the return of stolen artifacts plundered by French colonial troops and returned to Benin in West Africa. Read more
2 adults charged with murder in Chiefs parade mass shooting (ABC)
Missouri prosecutors said Tuesday that two adults have been charged with murder in last week’s mass shooting that killed one person and injured 22 others near the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade.
Lyndell Mays, of Raytown, Missouri, and Dominic Miller, of Kansas City, Missouri, are both charged with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.
According to court documents, the two men were strangers who pulled out guns and began firing within seconds of starting an argument. Both men were shot, and they have been
hospitalized since the shooting, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said during a news conference. Read more
Former University of Nebraska basketball player says she was groomed by a coach for sexual relationship (NBC)
A former University of Nebraska basketball player filed suit against the school, saying athletic department officials should have done more to protect her from being groomed by an assistant coach.
Ashley Scoggin named the school’s board of regents, coach Amy Williams, athletic director Trev Alberts and former assistant coach Chuck Love Jr. as defendants in her federal lawsuit.
“The University was made aware of the lawsuit Monday morning,” University of Nebraska spokesperson Melissa Lee said in a statement to NBC News on Tuesday. Lee said the statement was on behalf of the school, Williams and Albert. Read more
Odigie mocks refs after Sporting defeat (Punch)
Bendel Insurance coach, Monday Odigie, has attributed his team’s 1-0 loss against Sporting Lagos on match-day 20 of the Nigeria Premier Football League at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos on Sunday to poor officiating, The PUNCH reports.
The Benin Arsenal were in search of their first away win of the season but were kept on back foot for most part of the game before conceding the only goal of the game in the 56th minute.
Mid-season signing, Tochukwu Michael, however broke the dock for Sporting Lagos from a freekick and condemned Odigie’s side to their sixth defeat of the season. Read more
Vekic stuns Sabalenka, Swiatek overcomes Stephens in Dubai (GulfToday)
Reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shocking defeat in the second round against Donna Vekic, while top seed Iga Swiatek wasted no time finding her rhythm to dispatch former US Open champion Sloane Stephens at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
Fresh off her third consecutive Qatar Open title, World No. 1 from Poland faced multiple breakpoints in the first set but later ultimately prevailed in straight sets against Stephens 6-4, 6-4, after two hours on centre court.
The world No. 2 from Belarus made a strong start and won the first set in a nail-biting tiebreak, but later was unable to maintain the momentum, ultimately losing the match 7-6, 3-6, 0-6 to Vekic in two hours and 22 minutes. Read more
World Athletics could trial new long jump take-off (BBC)
World Athletics is planning to introduce a new trial for measuring long jump take-offs.
A “take-off zone” could be used instead of the traditional wooden board, where a no-jump is called if the athlete’s foot crosses the line.
The jump will be measured from where the athlete’s front foot takes off to where they land in the pit. Read more
Peter Schmeichel completely changes his mind on Arsenal’s Premier League title chances after just 2 weeks (HitC)
It’s amazing what a few weeks can do in football and how it can change the mood in the camp, something Arsenal can testify to.
It wasn’t so long ago that they couldn’t hit a barn door, were dropping points in the Premier League and getting knocked out of the FA Cup.
The pressure was well and truly on Mikel Arteta, including legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel feeling that their Premier League title chances were well and truly out of the window. Read more
UCL: We must defend well against Osimhen – Barcelona boss Xavi (CompleteSports)
Barcelona manager Xavi must find a way to stop Victor Osimhen in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter.
The LaLiga champions will face Napoli in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Xavi reckoned that it is important for the Blaugurana to stop Osimhen from wrecking against his side. Read more