NIGERIAN NOTCH

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have shot down a Nigerien helicopter carrying unidentified passengers in Bama local government area of Borno State. It was gathered that the incident occurred near Banki town at about 10 am on Tuesday and five persons reportedly perished in the crash. An emergency source in Banki who visited the scene along the military said that the insurgents were likely responsible for the crash adding that the helicopter belonged to the Nigerein government. The military was yet to confirm the incident at the time of filing this report.  Credits: (Daily Trust)

The member representing Owerri Municipal Council in IMO State House of Assembly Hon. Solomon Anukam has demonstrated his commitment to effectively partner with the IMO State governor Sen. Hope Uzodinma to ensure the success of the reconstruction of Ekeukwu Owerri market. Speaking to newsmen in his office in owerri the IMO state capital, the member representing Owerri Municipal in IMO State House of Assembly  Hon Solomon Anukam expressed joy and thanked the governor Sen Hope Uzodinma for coming to the rescue of his people and for his quick responds to the needs, cry of the good people of Owerri Municipal area. He pointed out that many people have lost their lives and properties as a result of the demolition of the Ekeukwu Owerri market. According to Hon Solomon Anukam he said, " Indeed, the entire people of Owerri are now happy with the IMO State governor Sen Hope Uzodinma. Interestingly, his decision to rebuilt Ekeukwu Owerri market for us the people of Owerri Municipal, is a welc

The former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, on Monday returned to the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for questioning over his alleged involvement in financial misappropriation of funds under his watch. According to reports, a fresh N9.2bn was found in Fowler’s personal account from Lagos Inland Revenue Service and Alpha Beta consult in which a former governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, had also been fingered. Recall that the former FIRS boss was on November 2 invited for questioning by the EFCC over a N5bn fraud hatched in the agency under his supervision. Earlier, nine senior officials of the agency were detained by the EFCC over alleged multi-billion naira fraud in 2019. Babatunde Fowler was dismissed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 after a query for worsening tax revenues since 2015. He was also accused of a lavish lifestyle, sponsoring extravagant parties and concerts in Lagos, poor corporate management structures at

Ahead of the 2023 general elec­tions, there are fresh intrigues threatening to tear the Independent National Electoral Commis­sion (INEC) apart and completely erode its independence as a body that should serve the interest of all political parties, Daily Independent has gath­ered. This followed the formal handover by its National Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, last week, pending the Senate’s confirmation for the renewal of his tenure as chairman of the commission. Also, there are strong indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is going through a re­gime of crisis as a result of intense power play among key players within the party’s leadership cadre who have constituted themselves into strong power blocks within the context of who holds which sphere of influence, preparatory to the 2023 general elections. In this mix of power play is also a minister from the North-West geo-political zone who is angling to seek the governorship of his state in 2023. One of the signs

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has been notified by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) about the new platform it developed in collaboration with the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), to avoid having the same issues with the Federal government as ASUU is having today on IPPIS. The new payment platform will serve as an alternative to the controversial Integrated Payroll and Payment Information System. Nigerian Notch however gathered that the new platform is named University General Peculiar Payroll Payment System (UGPPPS). The minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the government would look into it and must have a “handshake with IPPIS and other payment systems in use by the Federal Government.” The new president of the union, Mohammed Ibrahim, who was accompanied by the immediate past President, Samson Ugwoke during a thank-you visit and presentation of his successor to Ngige at the weekend, explained that the u

Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi is set to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) this week, although it had not been made official. A source said the governor confirmed his defection during a meeting with stakeholders in his Uburu Ohaozara Local Government Area country home on Sunday. The meeting was attended by bigwigs including the lawmaker representing Ezra South/Ikwo federal constituency Chinedu Ogah, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Elias Mbam, State Chairman Senator Julius Ucha, Nwachukwu Eze and Senator Anthony Agbo, among others. It was however gathered that the minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu did not attend the meeting, for reasons that has not been ascertained as at the time of filling this report. Though details of the meeting were still sketchy as at last night, a source at the meeting said the governor also promised to reshuffle his executive council in December to accommodate members of the APC. “He did not give us