Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. The former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, illegally lodged billions of naira in no fewer than 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China without the approval of the apex bank’s board of directors and the CBN Investment Committee. The Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities, Jim Obaze, found that the ex-CBN governor lodged £543, 482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone.
2. The National Economic Council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday, set up committees on economic affairs, as well as crude oil theft and management. The committees will be headed by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazak and his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodimma, respectively.
3. A London court has quashed an $11bn damage bill against Nigeria lodged by Process & Industrial Developments Limited Gas Company. The bill charge was brought forward against Nigeria for a collapsed gas processing project in Cross River, Nigeria.
4. The Supreme Court, on Thursday, reserved judgments on the Kano and Bauchi states governorship appeals. The five-man panel led by John Okoro adjourned the appeals for judgment after listening to the parties’ arguments.
5. The Senate, on Thursday, okayed 11 Justices shortlisted for appointment to the Supreme Court. The confirmation of the 11 Justices came a day after the Senate received a letter from President Bola Tinubu, requesting the screening and confirmation of the Justices.
6. A juju musician, Omoba De Jombo, and his crew members, have reportedly regained their freedom four days after they were kidnapped in Abuja. The band members had performed in the Federal Capital Territory and were reportedly travelling to Kogi State for another performance when they were kidnapped last weekend.
7. The Senate has shifted the passage of the 2024 President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ budget. The Appropriation Committee had initially planned to present the 2023 budget to the Senate on Thursday while the passage was billed for Saturday, December 23, 2023. However, many of the committees were unable to meet the Wednesday deadline stipulated by the committee in its timetable.
8. The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Aviation to invite the immediate past minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, to brief it on the status of the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, as of the time he left office. The former minister is expected to provide insights on a wide range of controversies surrounding the project.
9. The federal government, on Thursday, December 21, apologized to Nigerians over the current scarcity of Naira notes in circulation, saying that it will ease in the coming year. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said the scarcity was not deliberate.
10. A few days after the crisis resolution in Rivers State, a similar scenario is playing out in Benue State as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly caucus have accused Governor Hyacinth Alia of displaying dictatorial tendencies and poor leadership.
