Bola Tinubu Archives | Trendbrio.com

SERAP sues Tinubu over alleged missing N57b in Humanitarian Affairs Ministry

Prince Odutola1 week ago1 week ago04 mins

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over “the failure to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations that over N57 billion of public funds were missing, diverted, or stolen from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021 alone.” This was disclosed in a statement signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP’s Deputy Director, on Sunday and sent to Nairametrics. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has been joined as a respondent in the suit, with the advocacy group alleging that serious concerns against the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry were documented in the 2021 audited report released last month by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation. In the suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr. Fagbemi to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate allegations that over N57 billion of public funds were missing, diverted, or stolen from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.” SERAP is also asking the court “to compel President Tinubu to direct Mr. Fagbemi to work with appropriate anti-corruption agencies to prosecute anyone suspected to be responsible for the missing N57 billion, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and to recover any missing public funds.” SERAP argued that investigating the allegations, prosecuting those suspected of being responsible for the missing N57 billion, and recovering the missing funds would help end the impunity of perpetrators. “The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations. “Poor Nigerians have continued to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as in other ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs),” SERAP added. Oluwadare and Ms. Oluwakemi Agunbiade further emphasized that granting their reliefs would go a long way in addressing corruption in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as well as the country’s budget deficit and debt problems. “According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation failed to account for over N54 billion (N54,630,000,000.00) meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021,” the suit partly reads. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Tinubu departs France for South Africa

Prince Odutola3 weeks ago3 weeks ago03 mins

President Bola Tinubu will leave France on Monday for Cape Town, South Africa, to co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission alongside President Cyril Ramaphosa. The presidential BNC, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2, 2024, at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town. President Tinubu and President Ramaphosa will engage in substantive talks on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international matters. Building on the commitments from their June 20, 2024, meeting in Johannesburg shortly after President Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office, the two leaders will review the progress achieved since the 10th session of the BNC held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021. The 11th session of the BNC will feature deliberations across eight working groups, each focusing on a specific area of mutual interest. These include political consultations, consular and migration, banking and finance, defence and security, manufacturing, social sector, mines and energy, and trade and investments. At the high-level meeting, officials of both countries will sign several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements. The Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission was established in 1999 to further strengthen the ties of friendship and cooperation between the two nations. The first session at the Heads of State level was held in October 2019 in Pretoria. The BNC provides a platform for sustaining high-level dialogue and promoting cooperation in critical areas such as diplomacy, economy, trade, security and other areas of mutual interest. This year’s meeting is particularly significant as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Commission, a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa. President Tinubu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising state governors, ministers, and senior government officials, He will return to the country after the BNC meeting.

Tinubu appoints General Oluyede as acting Chief of Army Staff

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Oluyede will act in the position pending the return of the indisposed substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. Until his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the elite Infantry Corps of the Nigerian Army, based in Jaji, Kaduna. The 56-year-old Oluyede and Lagbaja were coursemates and members of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1992, effective from 1987. He rose to Major-General in September 2020. Oluyede has held many commands since his commissioning as an officer. He was Platoon Commander and adjutant at 65 Battalion, Company Commander at 177 Guards Battalion, Staff Officer Guards Brigade, Commandant Amphibious Training School. General Oluyede participated in several operations, including the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Mission in Liberia, Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi, and Operation HADIN KAI in the North East theatre of operations, where he commanded 27 Task Force Brigade. Oluyede has earned many honours for his meritorious service in various fields of operations. These include the Corps Medal of Honour, the Grand Service Star, Passing the Staff Course, and Membership in the National Institute. Others are the Field Command Medal, the Field Command Medal of Honour, and the Field Training Medal. Oluyede also received the coveted Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award. He is married and has three children.

Floods: Biden phones Tinubu, expresses his condolences

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

President of the United States of America, Joe Biden on Tuesday called his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commensurate with him over the ravaging floods in the country. President Biden disclosed this on his official X handle. “Earlier, I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria to express my condolences on the floods impacting his country and my appreciation for his leadership in securing the humanitarian release of Tigran Gambaryan. “We also spoke about the value of our partnership,” the US President wrote. According to reports, the flooding was the worst Maiduguri has seen in 30 years. It submerged homes, killed at least 30 people and displaced nearly 400,000 others. It affected Maiduguri Metropolitan Council as well as Jere and Konduga local Government areas. The floods have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Borno State, the epicentre of a conflict involving various non-State armed groups that has persisted for more than a decade. Many flood-affected people had already relocated due to the conflict.

Subsidy: Tinubu reels out gains in governance

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago05 mins

Here are the gains Nigeria has achieved and what the President Tinubu-led government has been able to actualize from the removal of Fuel Subsidy among other ongoing reforms in the country… Economic Gains: Investment Gains: Transparency and Accountability Gains: Energy Sector Gains: Social Gains: Environmental Gains: Overall: These gains demonstrate the positive impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigeria’s economy, energy sector, and society. It has been a challenging year so far, but it must be said that so much progress has been made in the bid to reposition the economy for a sustainable future.