₦airaland Forum

A 32-year-old cashier, Jessica Ogba, appeared before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N2 million from her employer.

Ogba, who is facing a count of theft, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Ben Ekundayo, told the court that the defendant committed the offense on Jan. 25 at 11:00a.m at the Murtala Muhammad Way, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

He said that the defendant, an employee of an old generation bank, allegedly stole N2million belonging to customers of the bank.

Read the details of the charges here: https://matrixliveng.com/bank-cashier-in-court-over-alleged-theft-of-customers-n2m

Barring any setback, fans would be allowed back into English Stadiums for the final weekend of the Premier League season.

During the implementation of a four-stage plan, crowds of up to 10,000 or 25 percent of seated capacity, whichever is lower, will be allowed to return.

The Premier League season is due to finish on May 23. Other than a small number of matches played in front of 2,000 spectators late last year, the entire 2020/21 season has been played behind closed doors.

All further restrictions would then be lifted on June 21 in time for a series of major sports events in England.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/fans-set-for-epl-return-from-may-17

Nigerian Breweries Plc has declared a revenue of N337.01 billion for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2020.

The revenue represented an increase of 4.3 per cent compared with N323 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2019.

The company disclosed this in its audited financial statement to newsmen signed by its Legal Director/ Secretary, Mr Uaboi Agbebaku, on Monday, in Lagos.

He said that the company posted a profit after tax of N7.52 billion during the review period against N16.1 billion achieved in the comparative period of 2019...
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/nigerian-breweries-declares-n337bn-revenue-for-2020

The arraignment of former Minister of Aviation, Sen. Stella Oduah, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, could not commence over the inability of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to serve two suspects in the trial

Counsel to the EFCC, Dr. Hassan Liman, SAN, at the mention of the case before Justice Inyang Ekwo, told the court that the 5th and 6th suspect in the matter were yet to be served with the court processes.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until April 19 for the suspects to take their plea.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/alleged-fraud-efccs-inability-to-serve-suspects-stall-arraignment-of-ex-aviation-minister-stella-oduah

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has given March 31 deadline to all taxpayers in FCT to file their annual tax returns.
The Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Abdullahi Attah, said this in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.

He explained that the law required every taxable individual to file a tax return within 90 days after the end of the financial year.

The executive chairman said that taxpayers were mandated and expected to file the tax return between January and March 31 yearly...
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/fct-residents-get-march-31-deadline-to-file-tax-returns

Seven members of the electoral commission in the Niger Republic have been killed in a landmine explosion.

The team’s car drove over an improvised explosive device in the Tillaberi region in the country’s south-west.

It is not known whether the vehicle was deliberately targeted.

Nigeriens were voting on Sunday in the second round of the presidential election that will see the first democratic transition of power since independence from France in 1960.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/election-day-disaster-seven-niger-election-officials-killed-in-landmine-explosion/

The last has not been heard in the ongoing controversies surrounding the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to ban transactions in cryptocurrencies in Nigeria.

In a sequel to the ongoing drama, the Senate has invited the Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele to brief its committees on the opportunities and threats of cryptocurrency on the nation’s economy.

The decision of the Senate to invite the CBN governor is a sequel to a motion by a Federal Lawmaker Senator Istifanus Gyang during plenary on Thursday, on the CBN’s directive to stop financial institutions from transactions in cryptocurrencies and matters arising from them.

In their contributions; Federal lawmakers called for caution pointing out that while cryptocurrency has its negative sides, it has become the fastest-growing form of transaction all over the world...

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/emefiele-to-brief-senate-on-threats-opportunities-of-cryptocurrency

The attempt by the Federal Government and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), to reach an agreement on how to avert their ongoing strike has ended in a stalemate.

It is the second meeting that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige is holding with the striking university workers, in an attempt to resolve the issues leading to the labour unrest in the universities.

At the beginning of the meeting, the minister lampooned the two unions, describing their industrial action as illegal and unknown to labour laws.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/strike-again-fg-university-workers-fail-to-reach-agreement

The Ogun State Police Command has clarified that no herdsmen attacked Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

A statement by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the intrusion on Soyinka’s home was just a case of a strayed missing cow.

Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said: “Yesterday, Tuesday, February 9, 2021, one Kazeem Sorinola, an indigene of Ijeun, Abeokuta, who is into the cattle business, was said to have been informed by a young Fulani man, Mr. Awalu Muhammad, who is taking care of the cattle, that one of the cows had got missing...

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/herdsmen-did-not-attack-soyinka-police-clarifies/

Microblogging site, Twitter has disclosed that former President Donald Trump will remain banned forever from its platform, even if he runs for office again.

This was disclosed by Twitter’s Chief Financial Officer, Ned Segal in a chat with CNBC’s “Squawk Box program.”

“When you are removed from the platform, you are removed from the platform. Whether you are a commentator, you’re a CFO, or you are a former or current public official...

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/twitter-bans-trump-permanently-even-if-he-runs-for-office-again

The Youth Wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ebonyi has urged youths across the country to desist from violence and hate speech.

Mr Obiya Sabastine, the State Chairman of the group, gave the advice in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

Sabastine decried the rising political hate speech and crisis in Ebonyi and noted that no meaningful development could be achieved in the atmosphere of the crisis.

NAN recalls that the defection of some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to APC in Ebonyi including Gov. David Umahi had generated several likes and dislikes among peoples in the state.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/ohanaeze-urges-youths-to-desist-from-violence-hate-speech

Fresh crisis is brewing in the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole has described the party’s ongoing membership revalidation exercise as strange and unconstitutional.

Oshiomhole who is also a former governor of Edo State stated this on Tuesday after his participation in the exercise at his ward in the state.

“APC is governed by a constitution and not by man. The constitution only provides for registration and I registered as a member of the APC in 2014 under the interim national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande...

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/fresh-crisis-looms-in-apc-as-oshiomhole-label-re-validation-exercise-unconstitutional

Hmm, more news on this? there is more to his death we don't know!

A divided US Senate voted largely along party lines 56-44 to proceed to the first-ever trial of a former president, rejecting Donald Trump’s defence lawyers’ argument that he was beyond the reach of the Senate after having left the White House on January 20, 2021.

Democrats hope to disqualify Trump from ever again holding public office, but Tuesday’s outcome suggested they face long odds. Only six Republican senators joined Democrats to vote in favour of allowing the trial to take place, far short of the 17 needed to secure a conviction.

Convicting Trump would require a two-thirds majority in the 50-50 Senate.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/us-senate-votes-56-44-to-proceed-with-trumps-impeachment-trial/

The Commander Of Western Nigeria Security Network code-named Operation Amotekun, Ondo State Chapter, Adetunji Adeleye has revealed that while operatives were enforcing the order given by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu that all illegal occupiers of forest reserves in the state should vacate, several persons involved in illegal gold mining activities in the state were arrested.

The Amotekun official while briefing journalists in Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday that the suspects were arrested at different locations in Owo forest reserves on Sunday.

"Nobody would have believed that Ondo state has this quality of gold until we got to the locations where the gold robbers were living and performing illegal mining. Beyond the arrest, the culprits will be prosecuted”

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/how-amotekun-nabbed-illegal-gold-miners-in-ondo

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed April 13 for the hearing of an application seeking the final forfeiture of the sum of $5.8million USD and another ₦2.4 billion, said to have been illegally acquired by former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

Justice Chika Obiozor fixed the date on Monday after lawyers involved in the matter appeared before him.

In 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed the suit seeking the forfeiture of the sums to the Federal Government.

The case was assigned to Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, who retired from the bench in 2019.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/court-set-april-13-date-in-final-forfeiture-case-of-patience-jonathans-5-8m-%E2%82%A62-4bn

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it will convert one million cars from petrol to gas at no cost in its autogas initiative.

This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, during an interview on one of the national televisions, on Monday.

Sylva explained that the target of the government is to ensure that all Nigerians embrace the initiative, as it is a safer, cleaner, and cheaper source of energy for vehicles.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/fg-to-convert-1m-cars-from-petrol-to-gas-free-minister

Researchers in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin have developed a new breed of maize, named ILOMAZ-1.

Prof. Gbolagade Adesiji, a former Ag. Dean of the Faculty, announced the new development to newsmen in Ilorin on Monday.

Adesiji told reporters that the research effort that produced the innovation was done in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/unilorin-researchers-develop-new-maize-breed

For violating the Lagos State Government’s Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, the state has auctioned 83 forfeited vehicles.

The move is the sequel to the orders of the Special Offences Mobile Court set up by the state government.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi revealed that the forfeited vehicles have been auctioned.

Driving against traffic (one way) has caused a huge number of accidents and untold losses to property and human lives,” the Coordinator of Special Offences Mobile Court, Arinola Ogbara, was quoted as saying

“There is a lot of processes and transparency to the public auction. Moreso, some of the people whose cars were seized have been told to pay a fine without their cars being forfeited based on the strength of evidence they presented at the Mobile Court.”

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/for-violating-traffic-law-lagos-govt-auctions-83-forfeited-vehicles

As a second historic impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump draws near, Senators are looking forward to get it over within one week, media reports said.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are still trying to get a deal on the organisation of the trial, which is scheduled to start on Tuesday, The Hill reported.

“I just can’t imagine that it’s going to go beyond a week… I don’t think there’s a lot of enthusiasm for this thing from anybody,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/u-s-senate-set-for-speedy-trump-impeachment-trial

Several hours after being abducted, the Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman, Taraba State, Peter Jediel, has now regained his freedom.

The Acting Police Public Relations Officer in the state confirmed this to Channels Television via a telephone interview on Sunday evening.

According to him, the NLC Chairman has since been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.

It is, however, still unclear what transpired between the family and his abductors before they secured his freedom, but the PPRO promised to ascertain it.

He noted that residents need to volunteer credible information to the police to enable them to work effectively at all times.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/at-last-kidnapped-taraba-nlc-chairman-regains-freedom

The extended tenure of Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu is starting on a litigations’ note as the Ekiti State Government has sued the IGP for the dismissal of a constable, Ms. Omolola Olajide, for getting pregnant without serving for the required number of years.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, in a suit challenging the police’s decision contended that the state government took the legal option having considered the dismissal as a constitutional infraction, aberration and flagrant discrimination against women in the force.

The commissioner, in a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Mr. Olalekan Suleiman, said the suit, marked FHC/ AD/ CS/ 8/ 2021, filed at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti Judicial Division, sought a determination of some questions.

Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/for-dismissing-pregnant-constable-ekiti-state-sues-police-ig

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has made clarification that it will not accommodate any student on campus when it resumes for the 2020/2021 academic session.

The clarification follows the information trending on the social media that the university has published allocation of students into their respective hostels and students are expected to make payments.

The university in a statement signed by Mr Olatunji Oladejo, Director of Public Communication of the institution in Ibadan on Thursday, urged the public to disregard the information on the social media.

“The university hereby wishes to inform the new students and the general public to disregard the information as student registration portal has not been opened. Kindly beware!
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/no-student-will-be-accommodated-on-campus-ui

Mr Bright Echefu, the Managing Director, TStv, an indigenous digital service television has said that the company was not “threatened” by the presence of other digital TV operators in the country.

Echefu who said this at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday added that the Pay TV had a national spread across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

He said that with its modern facilities, TStv was well-equipped to compete with other Pay TV operators in the country.

Echefu said competition in the industry would improve quality of services offered to Nigerians.

“So it creates market for improvement for us where it gives us the urge to improve on what we have to just get an edge over what other people have...
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/we-are-not-afraid-of-competition-says-tstv

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has revealed that its members had achieved 101 per cent adherence to crude oil output cut mandatorily agreed upon last year to curb huge supply glut.

This was disclosed during a virtual meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC), in Vienna under the chairmanship of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

The committee emphasised the ongoing positive contributions of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) in supporting a rebalancing of the global oil market in line with the historic decisions taken at the 10th (extraordinary) OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting on 12, April 2020.

“Overall conformity with the original production adjustments was 101 per cent, reinforcing the trend of high compliance by participating countries.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/opec-hits-101-output-cut-compliance-as-oil-price-hits-58

Yesterday, President Joe Biden appointed Nigerian-born Lawyer, Enoh T. Ebong as the Acting Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, USTDA adding to a growing list of Nigerians appointed by the new American President.

The appointment meant a return to USTDA by Ms. Ebong where she served in different roles from 2004 to 2019, most recently as the Agency’s General Counsel, and Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer.

The statement says that as Acting Director, Ms. Ebong is expected to lead an agency that partners with the US private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies while supporting US jobs through the export of US goods and services.

“It is an honour to return to USTDA. The opportunity to lead the Agency comes at a critical moment when the world is turning to the United States for leadership on clean energy and climate-smart infrastructure, as well as safe and secure ICT solutions.
See full list here: https://matrixliveng.com/see-the-list-of-nigerians-appointed-by-president-joe-biden-since-he-assumed-office

A few weeks after the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU called off its almost 10 months’ old industrial action, academic activities in Nigerian public varsities are set to be grounded once again.

This development is due to the insistence of the Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities to go ahead with its planned nationwide industrial action commencing from February 5.

Their decision is despite the conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja on Tuesday to stop the non-teaching staff of the universities from embarking on the strike.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/academic-activities-to-be-grounded-from-february-5-as-varsity-staff-insist-on-strike

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has berated the Amnesty International (AI) over its call for the arrest and prosecution of former Service Chiefs

AI had in its recent report, called for the arrest and prosecution of the service chiefs at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged human rights violation in the prosecution of war against terror in the North-East region.

Speaking on “Politics Nationwide,” a Radio Nigeria programme monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, Mohammed said the global human rights protection organisation should “shut up because it had no proof of crimes committed by the Nigerian military’’.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/fg-berates-amnesty-international-over-call-for-service-chiefs-prosecution

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is seeking the transfer of Orji Kalu’s case file from the Abuja division of the Federal High Court to the one in Lagos State.

At the court session on Tuesday, counsel for the EFCC, Chile Okoroma, informed the court of a pending letter before the Chief Judge asking for the transfer of the case to Lagos.

Okoroma said the Chief Judge is yet to respond to the letter which was written in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court ordering the prosecution to try Senator Kalu afresh.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/alleged-n7-1billion-fraud-efcc-seeks-transfer-of-orji-kalus-case-to-lagos

Doctors working in Ondo State government-owned hospitals have disclosed that they embarked on an indefinite strike action because they were offered half-salaries.

This was disclosed by the spokesperson of the Ondo Government Doctors Forum, Omolayo Olubosede, while addressing journalists in Akure, the State capital.

The doctors have placed a five-point demand before the state government, including the immediate payment of full salary arrears and the replacement of doctors who left service.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/why-ondo-doctors-are-on-indefinite-strike

The China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) has said that it has linked the Lagos-Ibadan rail tracks to the ever-busy Apapa port in Lagos.

This information was contained in a tweet by the construction company on Monday, CCECC. The company said that the connection was done on January 25.

The company, which has been handling the Lagos-Ibadan rail project said it connected the rail tracks to the port with the “successful pouring of the last 25-meter monolithic track bed superstructure of Apapa Port Break Bulk Line.”
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/lagos-ibadan-rail-now-connected-to-apapa-port-ccecc-says

Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez has tested positive for the Coronavirus, the club said on Tuesday.

The 73-year-old, who is tested regularly, is self-isolating and without symptoms.

The news came on the day Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane returned to training after he tested positive on Jan. 19.
Read the full story here: https://matrixliveng.com/real-madrid-president-tests-positive-for-covid-19