In recent times, there has been a surge in the number of fraudulent cases that have swindled thousands of people in billions of naira. Especially in the corporate sector. Con artists are now leveraging the vulnerability of the media, celebrities, and influencers, to lure unsuspecting members of the public into investing in their schemes, only to later leave them stranded with unexplainable excuses when they were expecting returns on their investments. Damilare Famuyiwa reports…

When investment scheme Racksterl, was endorsed by singer David Adeleke otherwise known as Davido, many Nigerians believed that they were about to make fortunes just by putting a little of their money to work. Amongst the thousands of Nigerians, who on the music star recommendation, considered investing in Racksterli, was Yinka, a student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/20/racksterli-how-media-davido-and-other-influencers-promote-fraudsters/

Singer David Adeleke otherwise known as Davido has lost another aide Fortune.

Information reaching Newsrand has it that Fortune, who was the music star’s personal photographer drowned at the waterside end of Freedom Way in Lagos State.

The incident, according to our source, happened on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, when Fortune went to the location alongside film director Dammy Twitch for a shoot.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/21/davido-loses-another-aide-3-months-after-obama-dmws-death/

Phillipian boxer, Manny Pacquiao has announced his retirement from boxing as he aims to become the new President of the Philippines in 2022.

The eight-division world champion disclosed his presidential intentions in a tweet, as he is already a Senator in the country since 2016

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/21/manny-pacquiao-quits-boxing-to-run-for-president/

As naira to dollar exchange rates continue to interest Nigerians with the latter going on a downward spiral trend, Aboki Fx has bowed to the pressure from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Newsrand had reported that Governor Godwin Emefiele of the apex bank, on Friday, September 17, 2021, stated at the 280th Monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja, that Aboki fx had been sabotaging the Nigerian economy all along.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/20/naira-to-dollar-aboki-fx-deletes-all-trading-information-on-website/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported that election materials were destroyed in Sunday morning’s attack on its Awgu Local Government Area office in Enugu State.

The commission disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye on Sunday, in Abuja.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/20/inec-office-set-ablaze-in-enugu-state/

The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has said his visit to a former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has nothing to do with the 2023 presidential race.

He said he was in London to see Tinubu and he was sure that the rumours flying around on social media was not true.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/20/my-visit-to-tinubu-has-nothing-to-with-2023-presidential-race-akeredolu/

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested kidnappers of students of Greenfield University as well as students of the Bethel Baptist High School, all in the state.

Also in the police net are kidnappers of the 37 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State.

Both the Greenfield University and the Baptist Bethel High School are located in Chikun LGA of the state.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/17/police-arrest-bandits-who-kidnapped-greenfield-university-and-bethel-baptist-students/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says efforts were currently underway to limit the development of gas projects in Africa, violating the principles of equity and justice enshrined in global agreements.

The vice president said much of the global investment in clean energy would need to go into Africa and advised that efforts be made to redirect global capital to the continent.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/15/osinbajo-warns-country-against-withdrawing-funds-on-gas-projects/

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has advised Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible for any strike action.

According to ASUU’s two zones that hinted at a possible strike, it’s not in its best interest to stop working, but the Buhari-led government should be held accountable if the body of university lecturers embarks on another strike.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/15/ASUU-to-parents-hold-buhari-responsible-for-any-strike-action/

GTBank appears to be ravaged by COVID-19, and the financial institution is not taking any chances as it threatened to sanction its workers who would refuse to get vaccinated.

Newsrand learnt that a protracted COVID-19 emergency among its staffers has forced Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), owners of GTBank, to impose a mandatory vaccination policy; defaulters risk a 50% pay cut.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/14/gtbank-ravaged-by-covid-19-threatens-to-sanction-its-workers/

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says 1,692,315 eligible Nigerian have received two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at the briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 on Monday, in Abuja.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/14/nphcda-over-1-6-million-nigerians-are-fully-vaccinated-against-covid/

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted more than 24,311 kilograms of different hard drugs at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MIIA), Ikeja, and the Tin-Can Seaport, Apapa, Lagos respectively.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director, Media, and Advocacy of the Agency, disclosed this on Sunday in a statement.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/13/ndlea-seizes-24311kgs-of-illegal-drugs-in-lagos/

President Muhammadu Buhari has authorized the appointments of new chief executives in some agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education.

The appointments came as a result to continue the prolonged efforts by the federal government to further strengthen effective service delivery in the education sector.

The Director, Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Bem Goong, revealed this in a statement made available to the public in Abuja.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/09/buhari-appoints-new-executives-in-education-agencies/

I begin this material with a solicitation that you join me in prayers for a dear friend, Ahmed Abudulkadir who was kidnapped on Monday along with his daughter in Bakori, near Funtua in Katsina State. Ahmed is a nice fellow, a genuine go-happy gentleman who has no time for misery and regrets.

Ahmed has served his people without holding anything back. He was General Manager, Katsina State Television, before joining the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) where he retired as the Zonal Director in Maiduguri. The Maiduguri Zone also includes: Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Yobe. Before the Maiduguri posting, Ahmed was Head, Public Affairs of the Commission. It will be pertinent to observe here that with all the dangers in the Zone which includes the dreaded Sambisa forest, Ahmed traversed the whole of the area before retiring into farming in his native Katsina State.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/09/a-plea-for-understanding-in-zamfara-tech-shutdown-okoh-aihe/

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Wednesday, announced the seizure of a large quantity of Captagon, a brand of Amphetamine drug, valued at N5.8 billion at Apapa Port, Lagos.

Chairman of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos, said that the seizure of Captagon, with one suspect in the net, was the first in Sub-Sahara Africa

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/08/ndlea-arrest-one-confiscate-n5-8b-worth-of-illegal-drugs-at-apapa-port/

The Federal Government says it has reached a truce with aggrieved health workers of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and assembly of healthcare professions.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of a five-hour conciliation meeting with the leadership of JOHESU on Tuesday in Abuja.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/08/doctors-strike-fg-reaches-agreement-with-johesu/

President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd., Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has revealed plans to increase human capacity at its Refinery Project site, from 40,000 personnel to 57,000 in the coming months.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Anthony Chiejina, Group Head, Corporate Communications, Dangote Group on Sunday in Lagos.

According to the President, Dangote Group, the project currently employed 29,000 Nigerians and 11,000 foreigners at the 650,000 barrels-per-day world’s largest single refinery project, located in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/06/dangote-refinery-to-expand-employment-capacity-by-17000/

Government hospitals across the country may become paralysed. as the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) threatened to embark on strike.

The union, through its President, Josiah Biobelemonye, had given a 15-day ultimatum to Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and other stakeholders of the health sector.

Revealing why the industrial action is pertinent, JOHESU said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had been nonchalant to attend to lingering issues concerning its members in a letter to the minister.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/06/government-hospitals-to-be-paralysed-after-johesu-threatens-strike/

As the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) continues to receive commendation over its N287 billion profit in 2020, the Group Managing Director Malam Mele Kyari, started the week by charging the staff to work hard to sustain the profitability trend as Nigerians will no longer condone losses from the Corporation.

Kyari at a Townhall meeting held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, with staff joining from NNPC Offices across Nigeria assured that the corporation would continue to imbibe the best practices.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/05/kyari-nnpc-will-no-longer-suffer-loss/

N-power Batch C was recently flagged off across the country, and this is the latest news about the programme.

The Npower batch which was just inaugurated was however divided into two streams, which are -stream C1 and stream C2 -both are expected to have 510,000 and 490,000 beneficiaries respectively.

Under Batch C1, a total of 450,000 beneficiaries had been selected to benefit under the graduate component, while 60,000 beneficiaries would be under the non-graduate component.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/03/n-power-news-how-to-select-new-programme-in-lga-via-nasims-portal/

Sabo Nanono was on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, dismissed from his role as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

President Muhammadu Buhari sacked Nanono after he had claimed that he wouldn’t hesitate to sack underperforming members of his cabinet since he came into power in May 2015.

“I wish to reiterate once more, that this process shall be continuous,” presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina quoted Buhari as saying, adding that the decision was taken after a “critical self-review” of the performances of the minister.

Below is everything you need to know about Sabo Nanono
1. Nanono was born in the Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano State on April 11, 1946.
2. He attended Zakirai and Gwarzo Primary Schools, Birnin Kudu Secondary School, Government College Kano from there he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration in the year 1972

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/02/sabo-nanono-what-you-should-know-about-the-sacked-minister/

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has assured the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) of the army’s support to enhance the security at the military university.

The COAS gave the assurance on Tuesday when he visited the academy, according to a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Maj. Bashir Jajira, on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Jajira said the COAS’s visit to the academy is to get a firsthand brief on the incident and to commiserate with the commandant NDA, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, and its community.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/02/nda-attack-coas-to-bring-perpetrators-to-justice/

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo has revealed that he would love to put the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in charge of Indian hemp farms in the state.

He made this known as he charged pharmacists across the country to conduct in-depth research into the various uses of Indian hemp, for medicinal purposes.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu was quoted as saying that since pharmacists had been working on herbs, more in-depth research into Indian hemp for medicinal purposes would be needed.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/02/akeredolu-ndlea-will-be-in-charge-of-ondos-indian-hemp-farm/

A group of bandits, on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, stormed Kaya Day Secondary School in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The attack, according to eyewitnesses, led to the abduction of hundreds of students.

Newsrand understands that Governor Bello Matawalle hails from Maradun.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/01/bandits-invade-zamfara-school-for-fresh-mass-abduction-of-students/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is pleading with ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, not to dump the party.

On Tuesday, August 31, 2021, the PDP’s acting National Chairman, Yemi Akinwonmi, led a delegation of party leaders to visit the former president in his Abuja residence.

Those on Akinwonmi’s delegation were Daisi Akintan, former caretaker secretary of the PDP in the South-West and the secretary of ex-officio forum, and a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Helen Taiwo.

https://newsrand.com/2021/09/01/pdp-begs-jonathan-not-to-dump-party/

Some days ago, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) became a trending topic among Nigerians, as some of its operatives invaded an apartment building in the Lekki area of Lagos.

In a move likened by many Nigerians to that of the defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), the EFCC officials forcefully made their way into the residence of a former BBNaija housemate, Dorathy, to make arrests, an event that raised dust among members of the public

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/31/is-efcc-starting-from-where-sars-stopped/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling-All Progressives Congress (APC), have become a topic of discussion on social media, as Nigerians debated which is the better political party amongst them.

As seen in different tweets, while some Nigerians expressed opinions that the APC and PDP are two different political parties that doesn’t share the same ideologies, others expressed beliefs that they are birds of a feather and what Nigerians are currently experiencing is a continuation of the PDP leadership.

The PDP vs APC debate below

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/31/pdp-vs-apc-nigerians-debate-the-better-political-party/

Amid the recent killings in Jos, Plateau State, the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), has warned residents against defending themselves against the assailants unleashing mayhem in the state.

Newsrand understands that residents think Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the crises, which have seen no less than 23 persons dead and several others injured.

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/30/jos-killings-dont-defend-yourselves-against-herdsmen-military-warns-residents/

Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah has given reasons why she dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the serving senator, it is to be part of the process of changing the political narrative in the South East.

Oduah’s defection was revealed in a statement issued by APC spokesperson, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta.

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/27/stella-oduah-why-i-dumped-pdp-for-apc/

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Malam Mele Kyari says that N287 billion profit after tax made by the corporation in 2020 was huge but not sufficient for the nation.

Kyari disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, on Thursday.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced a Profit after Tax of N287 billion by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in 2020.

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/27/n287bn-profit-not-sufficient-nnpc-gmd/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria remains unbreakable and its people indivisible in spite of the challenges facing the country.

Osinbajo said this at “The Nigeria Social Cohesion Dialogue and Unveiling of the 2021 Nigeria Social Cohesion Survey Report” by the African Polling Institution (API) in Abuja on Thursday.

According to Osinbajo, a major feature of Nigerians is their optimism, as they are forever hopeful about their prospects and take their destinies in their hands working hard for a better life.

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/27/nigeria-is-not-the-first-to-pass-through-challenges-osinbajo/

Troops of the Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJTF), have on Wednesday eliminated a total of 43 Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Diffa, Niger Republic.

The Chief of Military Public Information for MNJTF, Col. Muhammad Dole, disclosed this in a statement from N`Djamena, Chad.

Dole said, “the troops of Sector 4 Diffa, displayed uncommon acts of gallantry and bravery when their location was attacked by BHT/ISWAP criminals in the early hours of Wednesday.”

https://newsrand.com/2021/08/26/troops-kills-43-boko-haram-terrorist-col-dole/