Today’s Headlines: Nigerian Court Orders Government to Account for Abacha Loot, Tinubu Emerges as ECOWAS Chair

Today’s Headlines: Nigerian Court Orders Government to Account for Abacha Loot, Tinubu Emerges as ECOWAS Chair

The Federal High Court in Abuja, in a landmark judgment, has ordered the disclosure of the spending details of about $5 billion Abacha loot by the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.

The court ordered the government of President Bola Tinubu to disclose the exact amount of money stolen by General Sani Abacha from Nigeria, and the total amount of Abacha loot recovered and all agreements signed on same by the governments of former presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan and Buhari.

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu was unanimously endorsed Sunday by West African leaders as the new chairman of the regional economic group, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Tinubu was endorsed by the leaders at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.

Tinubu, who is the latest entrant into the exclusive club of Heads of State in West Africa, enthusiastically accepted the honour, on behalf of Nigeria, with a solemn pledge to bear the responsibility of the office and run an inclusive administration of the regional organisation.

The Nigerian leader, however, warned that the threat to peace in the sub-region had reached an alarming proportion with terrorism and an emerging pattern of military takeover that now demand urgent and concerted actions.

The recent 40 per cent hike in the exchange rate for cargo clearance at the seaports and the increase in tariff on imported cars by a terminal operator, Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited, has led to about 70 per cent drop in the sale of second-hand imported cars.

It was reported last week that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Customs Service had taken the ongoing foreign exchange reforms to the maritime sector with a 40 per cent increase in the exchange rate used for calculating the import duty.

The NCS had a few weeks ago raised the exchange rate used for the calculation of import duty from N422.30/dollar to N589/dollar.

The development, which has led to a corresponding 40 per cent increase in import duties on imported cargoes, including vehicles, has caused anxiety among operators in the maritime sector with clearing agents, freight forwarders and importers calling for an immediate reversal of the policy.

The Osun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday berated Governor Ademola Adeleke over the people he nominated for appointment as commissioners.

The party in a statement by its chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said it was offensive to the sensibilities of Osun people that Adeleke would nominate the wife of his elder brother, Mrs Adenike Adeleke, as a commissioner.

Lawal who said the governor was guilty of nepotism, added that nominating only two women out of 25 nominees was against Adeleke’s campaign promise to women in the state.

He charged the people not to expect any miracle from the Adeleke administration through his new commissioners, saying people do not give what they don’t have.