1. Following the recent rebound of the naira against the dollar, the price of a 50 kilogramme bag of rice has dropped to an average of N67,000 in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, and others, from about N90,000 in February 2024. In communities close to the borders, our correspondents gathered that the staple was selling at a much lower rate compared to what was obtained in the cities.

2. President Bola Tinubu on Monday said foreigners pump a lot of money to fund illegal mining and terrorism across Africa. The president stressed the need for African countries to strengthen regional cooperation and institution-building to address the evolving threat of terrorism on the continent.

3. The Federal Government on Monday vowed to sell off the five electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) as blackout persists. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu said banks and the Asset Management Company (AMCON), which have been managing these DisCos, having taken over because of the failure of the management to repay loans, lack the technical capacity.

4. President Bola Tinubu will today embark on an official visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for high-level discussions with Prime Minister Mark Rutte. A statement last night in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the President is visiting on the invitation of Prime Minister Rutte.

5. The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the Local Government Amendment Bill into law without the assent of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Assembly passed the Bill yesterday, despite the State High Court’s order directing the status quo on the issue of elongating the tenure of elected local government officials, which formed part of the amendment.

6. The Binance Regional Manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from a Nigerian detention facility on March 22, has been arrested in Kenya. The fugitive was reportedly arrested by Kenayan Police Service while he was hiding in the East African country.

7. The naira depreciated in its value against the United States dollar to N1,234 at the official foreign exchange market on Monday, according to data obtained from the FMDQ securities exchange. The exchange rate means the naira fell by N65 or 5.26 per cent from N1,169.99/$1 recorded on Friday.

8. In what appears to be a retaliatory cult clash, one Azeez Olaitan was reportedly killed by suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity in the Alogi area of Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State on Sunday. This is just as the Ogun State Police Command said that the window of amnesty extended to members of various cult groups in the state to surrender their arms and be reintegrated into society was still open.

9. Tragedy struck at Yar’Gwanda village in Tsanyawa local Government area of Kano State at the weekend when a 60-year-old man, Malam Danjuma, his son, Ibrahim, 35, and Aminu Gaye, also 35, died in a pit latrine while trying to recover a cellphone. One of the rescuers, Abba Alasan, 28, was, however, rescued from the latrine.

10. Controversial cross-dresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, alias Bobrisky, has appealed against the six months imprisonment imposed on him by the Federal High Court in Lagos which convicted him of charges of abuse of naira. In the appeal lodged on his behalf by his lawyer, Bimbo Kusanu, Bobrisky wants the Court of Appeal to convert the six-month imprisonment to N50,000 fine on each of the four counts he was convicted of.

The Rivers house of assembly has passed the local government amendment bill into law despite the refusal of Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, to give his assent.

On March 13, the Rivers assembly amended the “Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018 and other matters connected thereto”.

The house sent the bill to the governor for his assent but he declined.

Section 9 subsections (2), (3) and (4) of the law were amended by the lawmakers.

The amendment empowers the house of assembly via resolution to extend the tenure of elected chairpersons of LGAs and councillors, where it is considered impracticable to hold elections before the expiration of their three-year term in office.

The Rivers assembly said the amendment is to ensure that LGA elections are conducted before the expiration of the outgoing administration.

On April 16, the Rivers high court in Port Harcourt, the state capital, issued an interim injunction directing the house of assembly to maintain the status quo on the move to extend the tenure of elected LGA officials.

The order was sequel to a suit filed by Enyiada Cooky-Gam, executive chairman of Opobo-Nkoro LGA, and eight other elected council officials.

The court fixed April 22, to hear the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

However, despite the court order, the Rivers assembly on Monday passed the LGA amendment bill into law.

The bill was presented to the house by Major Jack, the majority leader.

This is not the first time the Rivers assembly will override the decision of the state governor.

In January, the Rivers assembly overrode the decision of Fubara not to assent to four bills earlier passed by the lawmakers.

In March, the assembly again overrode Fubara on the passage of some bills.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, says the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway is a misplaced priority by the federal government.

In a series of posts on his X handle on Monday, the former Anambra governor said the government should focus on completing the countless abandoned road projects across the country.

“At the forefront of my concerns is the pressing issue of numerous uncompleted roads scattered across the country many of which have become hazardous death traps and security risks,” Obi wrote.

“Most of these roads, vital for economic growth, regional connectivity, and overall development have been under construction for several years if not decades now and are unlikely to be completed any time soon due to poor and unplanned funding.”

Obi said despite the envisaged benefits of the coastal highway, its funding would “only exacerbate the problem of abandoned uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development” of the country.

He said the project may not be completed in the next 30 years and advised the federal government to prioritise the urgent needs of Nigerians.

“We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure crucial for the well-being and safety of our society, before embarking on new projects, no matter their perceived benefits,” he said.

“Let’s prioritise the urgent needs of our people and ensure that our investments serve the collective good of the nation.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years.”

Meanwhile, a week ago during an interview on Channels Television, Dave Umahi, minister of works, said the project would be completed in eight years.