1. The Peoples Democratic Party, on Wednesday, demanded the resignation of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to allow an independent investigation into the alleged padding of the 2024 budget to the tune of N3.7tn. The budget padding allegation was raised by the Senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi.
2. The Federal Government is reviewing the offer of foreign assistance in the battle against kidnapping and other high-profile crimes. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the United States and other countries, which he did not name, have offered to assist Nigeria.
3. The Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday, approved N873.23 billion for the execution of three projects across the country by the Ministry of Works. Works Minister, Dave Umahi, who dropped the hint in a chat with reporters at the State House, Abuja, after the FEC meeting, listed the projects as the Obajana-Benin Road; Isheri-Ogun Road and the Outer Marina Shoreline protection.
4. Not less than ten states are paying wage awards to their workers, findings by The Nation have shown. Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Adamawa and Jigawa are part of the 15 states surveyed on Wednesday.
5. The Federal Government’s push to ensure food security in the country got a huge lift on Wednesday. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, delivered 2.15 million bags of fertiliser to the Ministry of Agriculture. The N100 billion worth of fertiliser will be distributed to farmers nationwide at no cost.
6. President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday swore in 17 commissioners of the National Population Commission, NPC. The swearing-in took place before the commencement of the week’s Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting.
7. The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, has said everyone is involved in crude oil theft in Nigeria. Kyari also said the company recorded 9000 infractions on its pipelines within one year.
8. President Bola Tinubu has directed that no ransom should be paid to kidnappers no matter the amount of pressure. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known during a briefing after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting at Aso Rock on Wednesday.
9. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday directed the immediate re-opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with Niger Republic. He also ordered the lifting of sanctions imposed on the country.
10. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said that kidnapping incidents in the nation’s capital were sometimes stage-managed by unscrupulous elements in the society. The minister stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, shortly after a closed-door meeting on security with the Senate at the National Assembly.
