“FC Porto Manager Dismisses Injury Concerns for Zaidu Sanusi After Comeback Win”

FC Porto manager, Sérgio Conceição, has played down concerns about Nigerian international Zaidu Sanusi suffering another injury. Sanusi was substituted early in Porto’s 2-1 comeback victory against Vitoria Guimaraes, raising worries among fans due to his recent injury history.

Despite drawing level for Porto with a goal, Sanusi was replaced by Galeno in the 55th minute. Conceição addressed concerns about Sanusi’s health, stating that the substitution was a precautionary measure after a strong tackle.

Conceição mentioned, “He suffered a strong tackle, was in difficulty, and before that, I felt he wasn’t at his best. We shouldn’t forget the time he was out, the two games he played after the injury, and picking up competitive rhythm is never easy.”

Acknowledging Sanusi’s goal, Conceição praised his performance but emphasized the need for caution and credited the tactical substitutions made during the match.

Sanusi’s recent injury history has led to his exclusion from the Nigerian national team for the World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, providing him with ample time to rest and regain full fitness.

Naira experiences a 22.1% decline as the equities market sees a turnover of N45.3 billion.

The Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) witnessed the naira’s depreciation by 22.1%, reaching N996.75/$. The total turnover in the market fell by 7.4% week-to-date to $545.89 million, with trades occurring in the N700 to N1,100/$ range.

In the forwards market, exchange rates dropped over the past month: three-month (-10% to N890.19/$), six-month (-10.3% to N918/$), and one-year (-9.5% to N969.18/$).

Analysts at Cordros Capital anticipate slight improvement in FX liquidity conditions, expecting a potential easing of local currency pressures. They emphasize the importance of sustained actions by policymakers and the watchful eyes of foreign investors on FX developments.

On the equities market, a turnover of 2.5 billion shares valued at N45.3 billion was recorded in 32,815 deals. This marked an increase from the previous month, with the financial services industry leading in volume and value.

Top equities, including Japaul Gold and Venture Plc, FBN Holdings, and United Bank for Africa Plc, accounted for a significant portion of the total equity turnover volume.

Gains were observed in BUA Cement, FBNH, and Seplat, contributing to a 0.9% increase in the all-share index (ASI) and market capitalization, closing the week at 70,849.38 and N38.925 trillion, respectively. Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns stood at +2.3% and +38.2%, respectively.

Sectoral performance varied, with the oil and gas, industrial goods, and banking indices recording gains, while the insurance index depreciated.

Investors are advised to consider fundamentally justified stocks, given the market’s recent rally, and experts anticipate a potential mix of profit-taking and bargain hunting in the coming weeks.

Group Urges Tinubu To Cancel Promotion Exams For Perm Secs Over Controversies, Indicts HoS

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to immediately ‘cancel and review’ the recently conducted promotion exams from Directorship cadre to Permanent Secretary over controversies and irregularities.
A civil society organization, Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) raised the alarm in a press statement signed and issued by its Convener, Femi Lawson at the end of an extended executive meeting Friday in Abuja.
The accountability watchdog says it is calling for total cancellation of the entire process after keenly following the recently concluded promotion exams from Directorship cadre to Permanent Secretary and having seen it was marred with controversies, interest and underhand dealings.
The group also accused the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Dr. Folasade Yemi- Esan of attempting to plant her stooges and having a hidden agenda to influence the outcome of the exercise from inception.
Adding that most of the qualified Directors had expressed lack of confidence, bias, non-transparency and no trust in the Examiner Committee which was set up by the Head of Service.
It will be recalled that, 85 Directors from 5 states of the federation under two zones, namely North Central and North East zone sat for promotion exams on the 6th of November, 2023, with results released on the 7th of November, 2023.
Part of the statement reads: “It was reliably gathered that long before this exercise, there has been complaint about the composition of the Examiners, as most of them are stooges of Head of Service under whose authority this exam was conducted with hidden agenda to influence the outcome from inception.
Most of the qualified Directors has expressed their lack of confidence, bias, non-transparency no trust in the said Examiner Committee because it was opined that, the Head of Service has interest in who to make pass the said exam, but despite this the exam was still conducted under serious controversy of lack of independence of the Examiners body set up by the Head of Service.
As a result of this long time controversy and lack of trust in the exercise, 4 of the qualified Directors refused to show up, nor write the said exam. Just as observed, out of the total number of 85 that eventually sat for the test, only 20 were listed to have passed the so called exam with 50% above while the rest were said to have failed.
This outcome further shows the level of failure and unpreparedness of the Directors, and one wonders why some of those that passed had a record of several attempts before passing the Directorship cadre exams, but surprisingly some of them passed this at one sitting.
This further buttresses what was earlier raised by the absentee directors and others that sat for the exam for sake of following laid down rules.
We will recall that the entire Examination process started during Oransanye period as Head of Service, and ever since the system has been adopted. But we noticed that there is no Year this was done that is not marred with controversy bringing the entire process to serious disrepute. The renewed hope mantra must review this, and ensure that best practices are restored to the entire process.
As a watchdog of the society, ensuring that the nation gets it right from inception of this regime we thus call for total cancellation of the whole exercise and if to be re- conducted a consulting firm should be made to set and supervise the entire exam process. By doing so, there will be transparency and trust in the said process and the nation will be the one to benefit.
This we believe will go in line with the marching order of performance given by President Tinubu during the Ministers retreat and the newly laid down performance index rule.
As concerned members of the society, we issue this statement as a Pre-warning for the entire exercise to be reviewed before we call for mass action to press home our demand and call for public accountability and transparency in conduct of public activities as seen in the recently concluded exercise,” the statement read.

the beginning of our journey towards achieving our 2024 target of 2.5 million barrels per day,” she added.

In summary, the Russia-Ukraine war has reshaped the dynamics of global crude oil flows, impacting Nigerian exports. While demand from India has decreased due to increased preference for discounted Russian barrels, Europe has seen a rise in Nigerian crude imports to fill the gap left by the ban on Russian crude. The conflict, coupled with domestic production challenges, has prompted Nigeria to explore new strategies and partnerships to revitalize its oil industry. The implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act and collaborations with financial institutions signal efforts to boost production and achieve higher output targets in the coming years.

Judiciary’s Double Standards: A Danger to Our Democracy

Ochereome Nnanna, in his piece, raises concerns about the perceived double standards in the Nigerian judiciary, particularly in election-related cases. He points out instances where pre-election matters are brought before election tribunals, contrary to established legal procedures. Nnanna expresses worry about the potential erosion of the judiciary’s credibility and calls for adherence to the principles of judicial precedence. He emphasizes the importance of upholding justice to maintain the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

Secondary School Teacher Arrested for Allegedly Raping Two Girls in Ogun State

A secondary school teacher identified as Olaniran Lateef has been arrested in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for allegedly raping two girls. Lateef, a 43-year-old mathematics teacher at Ebenezer Grammar School, was apprehended after a complaint was lodged against him. The Commissioner for Women Affairs in Ogun State, Motunrayo Adeleye, stated that a member of their team received a call from a young lady reporting the rape. The team, along with the police, visited Lateef’s house and caught him in the act of raping another girl. The suspect has been remanded at the Ogun State police command headquarters pending further investigation.

Advances in HIV Treatment Transform the Outlook for People Living with the Virus

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the cause of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, turning from a once-certain death sentence to a chronic disease that people can live with. Stakeholders at a meeting in Abuja discussed the progress in HIV treatment, highlighting breakthroughs that make the virus undetectable and untransmittable.

The meeting, organized by the United States President’s Emergency Preparedness Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in collaboration with partners, aimed to assess communication gaps and opportunities for the HIV response in Nigeria. Stakeholders emphasized the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to suppress the virus, making it undetectable and preventing transmission. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PreEP) before risky behaviors and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) after potential exposure were also discussed as preventive measures.

The stakeholders expressed optimism that addressing observed gaps and meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) targets, known as 95-95-95, could lead to the elimination of the virus by 2030. The 95-95-95 targets aim to diagnose 95% of all HIV-positive individuals, provide ART for 95% of those diagnosed, and achieve viral suppression for 95% of those treated.

Dr. Murphy Akpu, an Advisor on Science Systems and Services at UNAIDS in Nigeria, highlighted the transformative impact of modern medicines on the lives of people living with HIV. He emphasized that with ART, HIV is no longer a death sentence, and individuals can live as long as anyone else. The meeting brought together various stakeholders, including journalists, program implementers, affected communities, religious leaders, communication specialists, academics, government agencies, and development partners.

“DJ Khaled Confirms Burna Boy Collaboration in His Upcoming Album”

In an interview with Rolling Stone, DJ Khaled has officially announced that he is teaming up with Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy for a track on his forthcoming album. This exciting collaboration comes as DJ Khaled expresses his deep appreciation for Afrobeats and the global influence of Burna Boy in Nigerian mainstream music. Burna Boy, who has seen international success with hits like “YE,” has previously worked with prominent international artists, such as Ed Sheeran, Future, J Balvin, and more.

Burna Boy’s recent album, “I Told Them,” features collaborations with rap icons GZA and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as 21 Savage and J. Cole. DJ Khaled hinted at the partnership by sharing videos of himself enjoying Burna Boy’s music and their dinner gatherings on social media.

In the interview, DJ Khaled mentioned his plans to take a break from music after the release of his next album to explore other entertainment avenues, including filmmaking. This eagerly anticipated collaboration will mark DJ Khaled’s first collaboration with a Nigerian artist and is expected to include other big names like Drake in the upcoming album.

FG Spends N90 Billion on Presidential Air Fleets in 9 Years

The Nigerian federal government has allocated a total of N90 billion to the presidential air fleets over a nine-year period. This significant allocation has raised concerns about the government’s financial priorities and the responsible use of public funds.

During the first four years of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, N20.42 billion was allocated for the presidential fleets, which doubled to N41 billion in his second term.

In the 2023 supplementary budget proposal presented by President Bola Tinubu, the Presidential Air Fleet is set to receive an additional N12.7 billion, bringing the total allocation to N25.7 billion, including the previously approved N13 billion.

The presidential air fleet, often referred to as Nigeria Air Force One, consists of various aircraft, including Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, Falcon 7X, HS 4000, Agusta 139, and Agusta 101.

Notably, President Buhari had pledged in 2015 to reduce the cost of governance and planned to sell two luxury aircraft, but the sale process faced challenges, and preferred bidders sought to renegotiate the sales figure.

Budget allocations for the presidential air fleet have fluctuated over the years, with notable increases in 2017, 2018, and 2019, reaching N7.26 billion and N7.30 billion, respectively. A slight drop occurred in 2020 due to the global lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an allocation of N6.79 billion. However, in the years following the pandemic, the allocation increased significantly, reaching N12.55 billion in 2021 and N12.48 billion in 2022.

Experts have raised concerns about the rising budget allocation for the presidential air fleet in light of economic challenges, inflation, and unemployment. They emphasize the need for transparency and accountability in the use of public assets.

This news highlights the significant budget allocations to Nigeria’s presidential air fleet and the concerns raised by experts about the responsible use of public funds in tight economic times.

1,500 Corps Members Take Oath of Allegiance in Anambra

1,500 prospective Corps members, comprising 714 males and 786 females, have taken the oath of allegiance at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Umuawulu/Mbaukwu, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra state. The swearing-in ceremony was administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu.

Mrs. Blessing Iruma, the Anambra NYSC State Coordinator, expressed appreciation for the support of the state government and host communities. She highlighted the national focus on skills acquisition due to the scarcity of white-collar jobs and noted the NYSC’s introduction of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program.

Iruma urged the corps members to actively participate in camp activities and adjust to the new camp environment.

The Chief of Staff, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, who represented Governor Chukwuma Soludo, advised the corps members to refrain from negative behaviors like cultism, drug addiction, substance abuse, cybercrime, and kidnapping. He called on various stakeholders to join campaigns to eradicate these vices in society.

Governor Soludo pledged continued support for the NYSC’s activities in the state and recognized the scheme’s contributions to education, health, agriculture, and rural infrastructure development.

The Chairman of the NYSC governing board, Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Patrick Agha Mba, welcomed the corps members to Anambra and urged them to obey camp rules and make the most of the teachings and training during their orientation.

This news highlights the swearing-in of 1,500 prospective Corps members in Anambra and emphasizes the importance of skills acquisition and the role of the NYSC in youth development.