The number of delisted loan apps rose from nine to 37, according to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s new report. The number of fully approved loan apps also grew to 164 from 154 as of its last updates obtained by The PUNCH from its website on Monday. The number of loan apps with conditional approval declined to 38 from 40, and the number of apps on the commission’s watchlist grew to 56 from 20. This followied a sustained shakeup of the digital money lending space by the FCCPC, after harassment of Nigerians by the lenders. According to the commission, delisted loan apps were permanently deleted by Google from Play Store. It stated that the list of delisted apps included, “Swiftkash App, Hen Credit Loan App, Cash Door App, Joy Cash-Loan Up To 1,000,000 App, Eaglecash App, Luckyloan Personal Loan App, Getloan App, Easeloan Apps, Naira Naija, Cashlawn App, Easynaira App, Crediting App, Yoyi App, Nut Loan App, Cashpal App, Nairaeasy Gist Loan App, Camelloan App, Nairaloan App, Moneytreefinance Made Easy App “Cashme App, Secucash App, Creditbox App, Cashmama App, Crimson Credit App, Galaxy Credit App, Ease Cash App, Xcredit, Imoney, Naira Naija, Imoneyplus-Instant, Nairanaija-Instant, Nownowmoney, Naija Cash, Eagle Cash, Firstnell App, Flypay, and Spark Credit.”

  Tuesday 12 September 2023 Tinubu special investigator faults CBN audited reports N2.9bn fraud: Jonathan’s godson, two others jailed six years How cultists deceived slain DPO – Rivers CP Corruption, biggest hindrance to Nigeria’s democratic development – Global report PENGASSAN reacts as Dangote refinery misses production deadline IG sets up gun licensing, regulations committee UAE Lifts Visa Ban On Nigerians After Almost One Year Tinubu Feels Your Pains, Renewed Hope Not Mere Talk, Wike Assures Nigerians Tribunal Declares Ex-Plateau Gov. Lalong Winner Of Senatorial Election UK Opens Temporary Visa Submission Centre In Enugu Tribunal Sacks Two LP Reps In Abia, Declares APC, APGA As Winners Morocco Quake Death Toll Rises To 2,681 – Ministry DPO’s Cult Killing: ‘I’ll Come After You,’ Fubara Reads Riot Act To Erring Traditional Rulers Accounting Icon, Pa Akintola Williams, Passes Away At 104 Shaibu Relocates Office Out Of Edo Govt House Despite Withdrawing Suit Against Obaseki Nigeria Needs N21 Trillion To Address Housing Deficit, Says Shettima One Killed, Six Kidnapped As Gunmen Attack Houses In Taraba Gbenga Daniel’s Wife, Ogun Govt Trade Words Over Building Demolition Tribunal Nullifies PDP’s Win, Orders Rerun In Niger Federal Constituency North Korea Summit Shows Putin Is ‘Begging’ For Help – US ‘To improve service delivery’ — NERC launches power outage reporting app NIPOST’s revenue fell by 44% in four years, says NBS NiMet Predicts 3-Day Thunderstorm, Cloudiness Across Nigeria UK Warship Arrives In Nigeria To Support Maritime Security Federalism at grassroots: 17 states run 323 LGAs with caretaker committees UAE lifts visa ban on Nigeria as Emirates, Etihad airlines resume flight operations Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  Gunmen on Sunday razed the country home of Eze Ugonna Iriele of Ogberuru community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State. Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums came in large numbers,riding motorcycles, they were said to have later gained access to the premises after throwing local bombs into the compound. The situation was said to have caused panic in the area as indigenes ran away to neighbouring villages. According to the source “the while place went in flames as soon as they they threw something into the compound, they were many,they came in motorbikes ,we cant come out because we were afraid, some people even have to run away to avoid being harmed”. When contacted for confirmation, the Sate Police spokesperson, Henry Okoye confirmed the incident. He assured that the perpetrators will be brought to book. “Frantic investigating efforts is intensified to unravel the perpetrators of the dastardly act. They will certainly be made to face the full weight of the law”.

  The Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) has raised the alarm that terrorists are still operating on some borders in the country, lamenting that drug traffickers continue to use borders to bring in narcotics that fuel terrorism. The acting Comptroller-General of the Service, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this at Army Headquarters, Abuja on Monday when he visited the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja. He explained that smugglers at the border areas were taking the strength of the service for granted. Adeniyi said his officers had been unable to apply commensurate force to the level of security threats in border communities, revealing that the criminal elements now believed they could overrun men of the customs service. “In the last 10 years, the dynamics of border crimes have changed. We have terrorists operating on our borders. Drug traffickers continue to use borders to bring in narcotics, which drives the evil agendas of these criminals. Those who bring in arms and ammunition do so in violation of the law that guides them. We have found ourselves needing to cooperate with the Army. In view of this, I would like to make two requests,” the customs boss said. “We need collaboration with the Army, and we have started it with the training of our personnel. I think we can escalate this collaboration into real operational matters. Our officers work daily in border areas and difficult terrains. “Sometimes in the course of their operations, they come under attacks from smugglers and hostile communities. And most of the time, they are found wanting to apply forces that are commensurate with the level of threats they are exposed to, as smugglers seem to have taken our strength for granted. “They believe that they can overrun our officers along the border communities,” he added. Adeniyi appealed to the Army that there was a need to expose his men to joint training operations with the Nigerian Army. He also pleaded with the Army to conduct a show of force at the border areas to send a signal to smugglers. The NCS boss added, “We have thought about involving our men in joint training operations with the Nigerian Army. I believe that because of the rich experience the Army has in its theatres, it would be easy to build the capacity of our officers in these border areas. “Even, if it is just a show of strength to send a powerful message to smugglers that we have our sister agency that can come for our assistance when they come under attack.”

  The Nigerian Presidency says the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerians by the United Arab Emirates doesn’t mean that things will go back as they used to, especially as it concerns UAE visa applications and processing. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, moments after the deal between President Bola Tinubu and his UAE counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan public, Media aide to the President, Ajuri Ngelale said things will be done differently to address some loopholes that caused the visa ban. “Every agreement comes with mutual responsibility. There is no free lunch. What I mean by that is the notion that floodgates will open up and we go back to business as usual. That is not what Nigerians should expect. I want to be very clear about this so that everybody can understand,” Ngelale said. Speaking further, he noted that “one of the major challenges of the bilateral relationship with regards to visa applications, visa processing and with respect to Nigerians being able to migrate to the UAE for example, was the fact that there was a laxity on the part of certain visa process or certain applications that were being made that it created a lack of specificity and lack of diligent evaluation with respect to who is travelling to the UAE and why they are travelling. “And this is why we had issues. Just a few bad eggs among our people giving a bad name to all of us which was a major sticking point as to how we got to this point. So, what we have done as part of this process is to put in place measures to ensure there is effective diligence done on the part of both sides.” The visa ban on Nigerians was lifted by the UAE almost one year after the decision following an intervention by President Tinubu who met with the UAE leader. The agreement between the two leaders also means that Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria. A statement by the Presidency also added that as negotiated between the two heads of state, the restoration of flight activities does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

  Gabon’s new ruler General Brice Oligui Nguema on Monday appointed former opposition leaders and stalwarts of the ousted regime to both houses of parliament. The general, proclaimed president for a transition period, led a bloodless coup d’etat against President Ali Bongo Ondimba on August 30. Moments before, Bongo, whose family ruled the West African state for 55 years, had been declared the winner of a presidential election that the army and opposition declared fraudulent. Oligui has promised to hand the country back to civilian rule with elections after a transitional period, without setting a date. He has set up a broad transitional government under new prime minister Raymond Ndong Sima, a Paris-educated economist who served as PM for Bongo from 2012 to 2014 before running against him in the 2016 and 2023 presidential campaigns. The new Senate will be led by Paulette Missambo, one of Bongo’s leading rivals at the election and head of the National Union party, said a decree from Oligui, read out on state television. Jean-Francois Ndongou, who held numerous ministerial posts under the Bongo family’s decades in power, will be the speaker of the transitional National Assembly. Four vice-presidents – army officers, politicians who opposed and supported Bongo as well as civil society figures – were named for each house. Oligui is also expected to appoint 70 members of the assembly and 50 of the senate. The new government that Ndong Sima announced on Saturday includes military figures and ex-ministers who served under ousted president Ali Bongo Ondimba, but none of the main opposition figures. Oligui has also promised a new constitution, to be adopted by referendum, and a new electoral code. Also on Monday the curfew introduced in Libreville and its suburbs by Bongo’s government, and subsequently maintained by the military, was reduced by four hours and will now run from 10 pm to 6 am. However the 6 pm to 6 am curfew hours will be maintained in the rest of the country, the military announced.

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) did not make any comment on lifting the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers in its statement on the meeting its president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had with his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, DailyTrust reports. Recall that Tinubu proceeded to Abu Dahbi, UAE capital, from India, where he attended the G-20 Summit. In a statement on Monday, Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced that the meeting with the UAE authorities was fruitful. According to Ngelale, disputes on the visa ban slammed on Nigerian travellers 10 months ago, suspension of Etihad and Emirates flights were resolved at the meeting. President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.” “Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay,” Ngelale said. However, Emirates News Agency, the official news agency of the UAE, reported that during the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, Nahyan renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity. Below is the full statement issued by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is on a working visit to the UAE. During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed renewed his congratulations to Tinubu on assuming the presidency earlier this year, and wished him every success in leading Nigeria and its people to further progress and prosperity. His Highness expressed his hope that the two leaders will work together to reinforce ties between the UAE and Nigeria for the benefit of both countries. The UAE President and Nigerian President explored opportunities for further bilateral collaboration in areas that serve both countries’ sustainable economic growth, including the economic, development, energy, and climate action fields. The two sides also exchanged views on a number of regional and international developments of interest. The meeting discussed the upcoming COP28 climate conference set to take place in the UAE later this year, with both parties stressing the vital importance of encouraging and enabling international cooperation to tackle global issues, including climate change. His Highness underscored the UAE’s ongoing commitment to fostering ties with countries that share the same aspirations for stability, sustainable growth, and development and prosperity for their people. He further emphasised the particular importance the UAE attaches to its relationship with Nigeria, within the framework of its strategic vision for relations with the African continent. The President of Nigeria expressed his pleasure to be visiting the UAE and affirmed his country’s keenness to further enhance bilateral cooperation to support sustainable development and progress in both countries. The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the Nigerian President, which included a number of ministers and high-ranking officials. Culled from DailyTrust 

Gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, have reportedly hijacked two fully loaded buses belonging to Benue Links, a Benue state transport company, and kidnapped some passengers. It was gathered that the buses which loaded in Makurdi, on Sunday, September 10, 2023, were heading to Lagos when they were intercepted at Okene, Kogi state. Our correspondent gathered that 10 people were reportedly kidnapped during the attack while many others were said to have escaped. It was also learnt that the incident happened between 2 to 3pm on Sunday along Ajaokuta/Okene road while the buses were conveying their passengers to Lagos. An official of the transport company who didn’t want to be named confirmed the incident on Monday. He said, “It is true the incident happened along Ajaokuta/Okene road yesterday between 2 and 3pm. “Two vehicles were involved and 10 passengers were abducted, the incident was reported at Adogo Police station near Okene. The source appealed to the federal government to beef up security to ensure adequate surveillance and security along Nigerian roads. Another source at the company who also didn’t want to be named also confirmed the incident describing it as sad and unfortunate. Speaking to our correspondent on phone the source said, “Yes, but I shouldn’t be the one to confirm this story but we have an unfortunate situation like that.”

  The Nigerian Navy high command has raised the alarm over fake advertisement into its Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) making the rounds on the internet. [ad} Spokesman of the navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan urged Nigerians to disregard the fraudulent vacancy. According to Ayo-Vaughan, “The attention of the Naval Headquarters has been drawn to a fraudulent online advertisement on the enlistment exercise for Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) into the Nigerian Navy (NN) captioned: Nigerian Navy DSSC Recruitment 2023/2024 Application Form Portal/www.joinnigerianavy.com “The false publication advised for interested applicants to visit https://www.topnigerianjobs.com/nigeria-dssc-recruitment/ claiming that the Nigerian Navy DSSC Recruitment 2023 portal is currently opened for online application. “The criminals also stated that applicants will be intimated on the opening and closing dates for the 2023/2024 Nigerian Navy DSSC Recruitment. It was further mentioned that detailed information, guidelines and other requirements that will assist applicants in the application process had been provided, invariably cajoling unsuspecting individuals to login into the fake website. “It is important to note that the NN did not announce any DSSC Enlistment Exercise neither is the Service conducting any form of enlistment for the NN officer cadre. For avoidance of doubt, the NN will usually notify the public through its official website www.nigeriannavy.mil.ng and other credible verifiable platforms including main stream media for the advertisement of such Enlistment Exercise. “In addition, contrary to the false statement provided by the unscrupulous swindlers regarding the non – disclosure of the opening and closing dates of the Exercise, the NN will always provide details and phases of the entire Exercise when publicized. “Accordingly, members of the public especially would-be applicants are strongly advised to always verify information from the NN official website stated above and other official NN social media handles to avoid falling prey to fraudsters.” [ad}