At least three persons have been reportedly killed while several others were injured as bandits invaded a market in Tsafe town, headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. An eyewitness narrated that the bandits stormed the market around 11AM on Sunday morning and opened fire on the marketers. The spokesperson of the Nigerian Police in Zamfara State, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the attack to Channels Television via telephone conversation. He said the number of casualties in the attack is yet to be ascertained as at this time. Abubakar added that the joint military and police forces were deployed to the scene to engage the bandits and normalcy had been returned to the area. “Yes, there was an incident this morning in Tsafe, the bandits entered the town, there were casualties, but I can’t confirm the figures now. I’m still waiting for the DPO of Tsafe to give full situation report but what I can confirm to you now is that the military and the police engaged the terrorists in gun battle and the area is calm now.” A resident of Tsafe town, Abubakar Tsafe, told Channels Television that at least three persons were confirmed dead while several others sustained gunshot injuries. “The bandits entered around 11AM and started shooting Indiscriminately towards the people at the market, the DPO of Tsafe gathered his officers on duty and lock the police station, preventing people from entering the place for shelter.” Residents also confirmed that the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji deployed to Tsafe engaged the Bandits in a gun duel which forced them to retreat to the forest.

  Fourteen persons have reportedly died in an accident involving two Toyota buses in Kogi. According to NAN, thirteen other persons survived in the accident which occurred at Aloma community in Ofu LGA of the state. A witness was quoted as saying the accident involved a Toyota Sienna bus heading toward Abuja from Port Harcourt and a Toyota Hiace bus heading to the southern part of the country. “Thirteen persons, including the driver of the Hiace bus, were completely roasted by the fire that engulfed the bus immediately after the head-on collision,” the witness said. “One of the four surviving persons in the bus died in the hospital from burns suffered, bringing the number to 14 that died.” According to the witness, none of the 10 occupants of the Sienna bus died, but they were badly wounded. He added that the victims are receiving treatment in a hospital. He commended the villagers for quickly mobilising to the accident scene to rescue the injured. “It is because of their timely intervention that the Sienna bus did not get burnt as well,’’ he was quoted as saying. The witness blamed the accident on speeding and potholes on the road, adding that it took rescuers three hours to remove the driver of the Sienna bus “whose two legs were badly damaged”.

  Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation (AGF), says he did not release any statement to support Yahaya Bello, an ex-governor of Kogi. Recently, a write-up credited to Adoke appeared on social media, especially WhatsApp in support of the embattled former Kogi governor. In the post, the author argued that Bello is not guilty of the corruption allegations against him until a court rules on the case. The post claimed that there is a court order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting or harassing Bello. “It’s baffling to see people who knows (sic) nothing about it all, writing long notes and making mockery of their sense of fair judgement and critical analysis on what they know nothing about,” part of the viral post reads. “GYB is not guilty until found guilty. Stop passing judgment in your bedroom court, the constitution does not recognize it and will never do.” However, Adoke, on Sunday, told TheCable that he did not author the viral post. On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja to arrest him over alleged N80 billion fraud. While the EFCC operatives were at Bello’s residence, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, came to visit his predecessor. Shortly after Ododo departed from the residence, the EFCC operatives also left the house.   Bello was reportedly rescued by Ododo when he departed his residence located at Wuse Zone 4 district of Abuja. Subsequently, the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has also placed Bello on a watchlist. The anti-graft agencyalleged that Bello, alongside Alli Bello, chief of staff to Ododo; and one Daudu Suleiman, diverted about N80.2 billion belonging to the Kogi government.

  The Federal Government is set to receive around $2.2 billion single-digit interest loan from the World bank and another budget support facility from the African Development Bank. Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, disclosed this during a press briefing at the end of Nigeria’s activities at the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Spring meeting in Washington DC, the United States on Saturday. Speaking on the sources of international funding to the Nigerian economy, Edun listed diaspora remittances, foreign portfolio investments, and facilities from the World Bank and other international development partners. He stated, “We have qualified for the processing just this week to the Board of Directors of the World bank of a total package of $2.25 billion of what you can call ‘the closest you can get to a free lunch’- virtually a grant. It’s for about 10- 20 years moratorium and about 1% interest. “In addition, there is a similar budgetary support – low-interest funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and, clearly, there are ongoing discussions with foreign direct investors across many sectors.” Edun also tapped issuing dollar-denominated securities specifically targeted at Nigerians in the diaspora and those with foreign-denominated savings in Nigeria as another measure to attract forex inflows into the country. He further highlighted the efforts of the fiscal side of the economy in complimenting the recent monetary policy reforms by the Central Bank of Nigeria. According to the minister, the issuing of government securities at an interest rate closer to the CBN’s monetary policy rate is an indication of the collaboration between both sides of the economy in tackling inflation in the country and attracting forex inflows.

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested three wanted members of a criminal network specialising in drug trafficking across several countries. This was made known in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on the agency’s website on Sunday. The statement also revealed that recent seizures of the largest heroin consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos led to the recovery of 51.90Kg of heroin. The statement read, “Over two months after they were declared wanted, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested three members of an organised criminal organisation which specialises in illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Europe and America following the recent seizure of the single largest consignment of heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos. “A total of 51.90Kg of heroin had been recovered from members of the drug cartel in an operation that began on February 10, 2024 at the SAHCO Import Shed of the airport’s Cargo Terminal. “The consignment was concealed in 15 cartons of 2300-watt metal cutting machines, with no less than 45 blocks of the illicit substance weighing 49.70kg recovered from the equipment, while additional 2.2kg was seized at the syndicate’s warehouse in Ayobo area of Lagos. “While the agency has secured interim forfeiture court order on hotel, mansions, vehicles and funds traced to members of the syndicate after arresting four of them, a manhunt was also been launched for others who went underground. The effort, however, paid off on Friday, April 19, when two of the wanted kingpins: Onyinyechi Irene Igbokwuputa and Frankline Uzochukwu were arrested in Lagos and Awka, Anambra State respectively. “Another wanted member of the syndicate, Osita Obinna was equally nabbed in Lagos.” Similarly, NDLEA officers foiled an attempt by a suspect, Iheakara Festus, to export a drug shipment through Terminal 2 of the Lagos airport to Muscat, Oman via an Ethiopian Airlines flight on April 18. Upon searching his luggage, officers reportedly discovered 20 large parcels of cannabis weighing 9.80kg hidden inside. In his confession, Festus, who resides in Muscat and returned to Nigeria on April 1, admitted to being hired as a courier for the drug, with an agreement to receive N1.2m upon successful delivery in Oman. In Adamawa State, NDLEA operatives, on April 20, intercepted a Peugeot car driven by Dahiru Mohammed at Girei, carrying 1,250,000 pills of opioids weighing 450kg en route to Mubi. Prior to this, they had intercepted a J5 bus loaded with motor spare parts from Onitsha, Anambra State, along the Ngurore-Yola Road. Codeine Syrup and Tramadol were found concealed among the motor parts. Subsequently, they arrested the recipient, Jairus Nwanchor, at Jambutu Motor Park after a follow-up operation. On April 20, three suspects – Beriakuma Chinrdu (40), Okpor Isaac (68), and Daniel Onyeachom (42) – were arrested in Amarata, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. They were found in possession of 69 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 36kg, concealed in a false compartment of a Toyota Picnic car marked MUS 711 DH. Meanwhile, in Imo State on April 18, NDLEA operatives arrested Kingsley Omeje (41) in Amajeke, Owerri, as he was receiving a delivery of 49 bottles of codeine syrup he had ordered. In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives raided the Oloro camp in Ogbese, Akure North LGA, where they arrested Linus Odogwu (50). They also destroyed 25,000kg of cannabis on a 10-hectare farmland and recovered 89.5kg of the same substance. Additionally, three other suspects – David Obungete Ekepenyoung (22), Oluwaseun Folorunso (23), and Rabiu Musa (32) – were apprehended in other parts of the state in connection to different seizures totaling 77kg.

  The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Nigeria’s 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike to “provide our organization with documents on the spending of trillions of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT since 1999, and to widely publish any such documents.”   SERAP also urged them “to invite Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to jointly track and monitor the spending of FAAC allocations by your state and the FCT and to probe any allegations of corruption linked the allocations.”   SERAP’s requests followed reports that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024 alone. States collected N398.689 billion.   In the Freedom of Information (FoI) requests dated 20 April 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent.”   SERAP said, “Without this information, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT and they cannot properly fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.”   According to SERAP, “trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.”   The FoI requests, read in part: “ensuring that the FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT are spent to achieve the security and welfare of Nigerians are serious and legitimate public interests.”   “Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”   Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.”   “The documents should include the evidence and list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects and completion reports of the projects.”   “The documents should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.”   “Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in your state and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.”   “The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.”   “FAAC allocations received by your state and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. FAAC allocations have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.”   “Publishing the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations by your state and the FCT would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds.”   “Publishing the documents would enable Nigerians to meaningfully engage in the implementation of projects executed with the FAAC allocations collected.”   “The report that some 140 million Nigerians are poor suggests corruption and mismanagement in the spending of trillions of naira in FAAC allocations collected by your state and the FCT.”   “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and your state and the FCT to comply with our requests in the public interest.”   “According to our information, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) last week disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for March 2024.”   “State governments got N398.689 billion while local government councils got N288.688 billion. The mineral-producing states received an additional N90.124 billion (13% of mineral revenue). In February, states collected N336 billion.”   According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the federal, states and local governments shared N10.143 trillion from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations in 2023, with states collecting N3.585 trillion.”   “SERAP also urges you to provide details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the trillions of naira of FAAC allocations that have been received by your state and the FCT are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”   “SERAP is concerned about the persistent lack of transparency and accountability in the spending of FAAC allocations by your state and the FCT.”   “SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”   “Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’”   “Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on your state to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”   “Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.”   “Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure, and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.”   “The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the