General News
ACTRESS IYABO OJO SPEAKS OUT AFTER EFCC INVITATION
Nigerian Actress, Alice Iyabo Ojo, has spoken out after being invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a video of her daughter’s wedding where guests were spraying Naira and foreign currencies.
In a statement, Iyabo Ojo said she recently had an experience with the EFCC in Nigeria after receiving an invitation letter while she was in the UK. Upon her return, she visited the EFCC on May 5, 2025, where she was asked several questions relating to her personal bio data, career, work experience, and companies, amongst others.
Iyabo Ojo said the EFCC officials showed her videos extracted from her daughter’s wedding where guests, including colleagues and friends, were spraying Naira and foreign currencies. “I was asked if I knew this was illegal, and I explained that I thought only abuse or mutilation of the Naira was an offense,” Iyabo Ojo stated.
The EFCC officials clarified that spraying money, including on people’s bodies, is prohibited. Iyabo Ojo said she was surprised to learn that spraying any currency, including Dollars, is also not allowed. “After questioning, I was allowed to leave the same day, but my personal lawyer, O.I. Salami stood in for me as I may be called upon again,” Iyabo Ojo added.
Given this experience, Iyabo Ojo strongly advised against spraying any currency in Nigeria to avoid issues with the EFCC. “Perhaps it’s time to reconsider this long-standing tradition. Let’s prioritize caution and avoid any potential problems,” Iyabo Ojo cautioned.
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned the hearing of the bail application of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to March 31, 2026, following his arraignment on alleged corruption-related charges.
El-Rufai was on Tuesday brought before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and arraigned before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa.
During the proceedings, the former governor was docked on one count out of a 10-count charge filed by the anti-graft agency. The charge, according to his counsel, Ubong Akpan, relates to alleged deposits into a domiciliary account and the monetisation of earnings.
El-Rufai was arraigned alongside a co-defendant, Joel Adoga.
Despite pending applications earlier filed before the court, Justice Aikawa proceeded with the arraignment and subsequently adjourned the matter to March 31 to consider all outstanding applications, including the bail request.
No bail application was moved or granted during Tuesday’s session.
Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, Akpan maintained that there was nothing unusual about the proceedings, adding that the defence team was yet to be served with processes relating to other potential charges.
The case is expected to resume on the adjourned date for hearing of the bail application and other pending matters.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has introduced an urgent, coordinated strategy to safeguard food security across West Africa and the Sahel, as global economic disruptions and rising oil prices continue to threaten agricultural production.
The decision followed an extraordinary virtual meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Agriculture held on March 23, 2026, where regional leaders assessed the growing risks to food systems.
The high-level meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture under Commissioner Kalilou Sylla, brought together key regional institutions, development partners, and financial stakeholders.
Participants—including representatives from the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel—reviewed the impact of rising fertiliser costs, driven by global market volatility and increasing energy prices, on agricultural productivity across the region.
Deliberations resulted in the adoption of a medium- to long-term operational framework aimed at strengthening food sovereignty and building resilience within regional food systems.
Key measures outlined in the plan include the immediate establishment of regional agreements to secure strategic fertiliser supplies, as well as the creation of emergency reserves to cushion the effects of future price shocks.
The ministers also approved the introduction of liquidity swap mechanisms through central banks to address foreign exchange constraints faced by importers—an intervention expected to improve access to critical agricultural inputs.
“Our collective response underscores the urgency of safeguarding food security in the face of external shocks,” Sylla said, noting that enhanced regional coordination and targeted interventions would help sustain agricultural production and protect vulnerable populations.
The initiative highlights ECOWAS’ commitment to deepening regional cooperation and implementing sustainable solutions to emerging threats to food security across West Africa and the Sahel.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday paid a Sallah homage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
The visit formed part of activities marking the Sallah celebrations, as top government officials and political leaders paid courtesy calls to the President.
During the meeting, President Tinubu also received members of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, a key political body in Lagos State.
Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council
The engagements provided an opportunity for discussions on national issues and strengthened ties between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The Sallah homage is a long-standing tradition in Nigeria, where political leaders and stakeholders visit the President and other top officials during major Islamic festivities.