Fidelity Bank supports Temile Development Company to boost Nigeria’s Gas Revenues

In what has been termed a significant milestone in the advancement of Nigeria's domestic gas industry and the generation of gas revenues, Temile Development Company Ltd -a key indigenous player in the oil and gas industry- recently commissioned a 23,000 cubic meters ultramodern Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Carrier.

Named ‘Alfred Temile 10’, the vessel was part-financed by leading Nigerian bank -Fidelity Bank Plc- and was commissioned at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea. Dignitaries at the event included the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari,OFR; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,OON; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Luke Ekpo; the Charge D’Affairs Ad Interim of the Embassy of Nigeria in South Korea, Ambassador Ferdinand Nwonye; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe; amongst others.

Hushpuppi petition to review 11-year prison sentence fails at US Appeal Court

Hushpuppi had appealed to the court for a review and ostensibly reduced his 11-year sentence, citing his sterling behavior during his stay in jail.

The efforts of the convicted internet fraud kingpin, Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi, to reduce his 11-year sentence has met a brick wall as the Appeals Court for the Ninth Circuit in Los Angeles, United States has dismissed his application.

Abbas had 2022 convicted for money laundering and a series of online scams in tens of millions of dollars.

However, after reappraising his chances of success, he raised the motion to appeal the sentence. The motion was filed in November 2022, two weeks after Judge Otis Wright sent him to jail. 

The convict had enrolled in prison educational courses and also taken an active role in cleaning prison facilities, becoming one of the correctional facility’s top toilet cleaners, in a bid to earn a lighter sentence.

Still, the appellate judges remained implacable in their decision to deny his appeal.

The judgment was made on January 19. It was announced by Molly Dwyer, the court’s clerk, on behalf of the appellate judges.

It was not immediately clear whether he would file a fresh case to keep the hopes of his early release alive since his lawyers, John Iweanoge and Louis Shapiro, had already pulled out before the dismissal.

The denial for sentence appeal came days before Nigerians were dismayed by a viral video that seemingly showed someone believed to be Mr Abbas holding a feast with others inside what was reported as his detention facility at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

Emir Endorses The Alternative Bank in Kano

The arrival of Nigeria's largest ethical bank, The Alternative Bank, has been endorsed by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, as the bank opens its first stand-alone branch in the ancient city. The Emir made the remarks during the launch of the bank, describing it as a transformative force that will significantly impact individuals and businesses in the state.

Speaking during the inauguration of The Alternative Bank's newest branch, the Emir declared that the bank's presence in Kano marks the dawn of a revolutionary era in banking, marking a transformative shift in the financial landscape of the state.

Former Miss Commonwealth Nigeria, Queen Aderinoye Christmas, Declared Wanted For Drug Trafficking

Former Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture for 2015/2016 and founder of Queen Christmas Foundation, Ms. Aderinoye Queen Christmas, also known as Ms. Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye, has been declared wanted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

It was learnt that the ex-beauty queen fled her Lagos residence when NDLEA personnel raided her apartment at Oral Estate in Lekki on Wednesday, January 24 following credible intelligence that she deals in illicit substances.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy.

According to Babafemi, 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic weighing scale, large quantities of drugs packing plastics, a black RAV 4 SUV marked Lagos KSF 872 GQ, and her picture frame among others were recovered from her home.

Lagos PDP Urges Swift Action on Abduction of Chairman, Philip Aivoji

The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urgently calls upon security agencies and government authorities at all levels to intervene promptly and secure the release of our Chairman, Mr. Philip Aivoji.

Ex- MTN Staff Files Motion to Compel MTN to Deposit Judgment Debt and Interest to Court of Appeal

The former expatriate staff of the MTN Group, Mr. Paul Odunewu, has filed a further-reply-affidavit and written address dated December 28, 2023, at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in support of his application praying the Court  for an Order to compel the telecommunications giant  MTN,  to deposit with  the Court the judgment debt and accrued interest as ordered by the National Industrial Court Nigeria (NICN), Akure Division.

In a judgment delivered by Honourable Justice Oyejoju Oyewunmi on September 17, 2017, the trial Court had found that the termination of the employment of the former Network Group Operations Manager on February 28, 2006, was wrongful and malicious; and had ordered the company to pay Mr. Odunewu’s entitlements including share options valued at $13,144,512.00.

ACAMB Elects New Executive Committee to drive its next phase of Growth

 

…as new President harps on collaboration

L-r: ACAMB Exco; Financial Secretary, Halima Isha of JAIZ Bank; Treasurer, Morolake Philip-Ladipo of Wema Bank; Vice President (VP)1, Oze K Oze of FirstvBank; President, Rasheed Bolarinwa of Polaris Bank; VP2: Tolulope Onipede of Guaranty Trust Bank; General Secretary, Jide Sipe of ECOBANK; Assistant General Secretary, Iyke Iheagwam of Access Bank; Publicity Secretary, Omede Odekina of United Bank for Africa (UBA); and Social Secretary, Ozena Utulu of Heritage Bank at the ACAMB Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election of New Exco, held at CIBN House, Lagos.

US determined to remain strong security partner for Nigeria -Blinken

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the United States is determined to remain a strong security partner for Nigeria, whose military is backed by the U.S., Britain and other allies in a long war against Islamist insurgents.

Blinken also discussed challenges to democracy and security in the region during his meeting on Tuesday with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a visit that comes after last year's coup in neighboring Niger, one of a series of coups or attempted power grabs over the past few years in West and Central Africa.

Blinken said that he discussed how it is vitally important there be a focus on ensuring civilians are protected and humanitarian considerations.

On the Issue of Israel's war with Gaza, Blinken's Nigerian counterpart Yusuf Tuggar said there was commonality between their countries on a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel

 

How Kuda missed projection despite raising $20m valuation in 2023

Babs Ogundeyi, Kuda’s co-founder and CEO announced that the bank had reached almost N56 trillion in transaction value and seven million retail and business customers since its launch in 2019. Despite this success, the figure falls short of the fintech’s projections for the year, according to a TechCrunch report.

Early last year, Kuda pitched for a new cash injection. While it had five million users, it predicted a doubling of the figure by the end of 2023. Eventually, the bank raised an estimated $20 million in the middle of 2023, however, the bridge round closed at the same $500 million valuation it achieved in 2021 when it raised a $55 million Series B round.

King Charles diagnosed with enlarged prostate

As the royal prepares to attend hospital within days to be treated for the condition, King Charles is said to have been at his private residence in Balmoral when he was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate.

Fidelity Bank to Promote young Writers Nationwide with Its Read2Lead Initiative

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives designed to empower Nigerian youths with quality education, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has launched a creative writing competition for secondary school students dubbed Read2Lead.

Themed Read2lead, the three-stage competition would see secondary school students hone their reading and writing skill while competing for millions of naira in cash rewards, a book publishing deal, and the chance to have their school library renovated by the bank.

At the end of the 3 staged competition, the star prize winner would go home with N2 million cash, a book publishing deal worth N2 million and another N2 million to upgrade his/her school’s library; the first runner-up will receive a N1.5 million cash prize; and the second runner-up will be awarded N1 million.

The first stage of the Read2Lead initiative, tagged, “The National Writing Showdown”, would see participants from across Nigeria compete for a coveted spot among the top 150 writers through a creative writing task. Successful students would thereafter move to the second stage known as “The Sweeta Writing Mastery”, where they would be tasked with writing an alternate ending for one of the selected books they would be asked to read. In the third and final stage themed, “The Author's Workshop”, the top 30 participants would participate in an immersive writing boot camp which would be anchored by experienced writers and facilitators who would also select the top three finalists.

To sign up your child or ward for the initiative, please visit www.fidelitybank.ng/readtolead .

Registration ends on January 31, 2024.

US to return $8.9m looted under Jonathan to Nigeria

A Royal Court in Jersey, United States, has reportedly ruled that stolen assets worth £6.9m ($8.9m) be repatriated to Nigeria.

The said assets were allegedly diverted by Nigerian government officials in 2014 under the guise of purchasing arms to fight Boko Haram terrorists.

According to BBC, the court ruled that the money, deposited in a Jersey bank account, was likely stolen by officials in the Nigerian Government in 2014.

Controversies had surrounded the purchase of weapons in the fight against insurgency with the then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, being accused of diverting funds meant for security equipment during Jonathan’s administration.

Globus Bank Staff Commits Suicide With Snipper

A 32-year-old marketing staff of Globus Bank, Amarachi Ugochukwu, was found dead at its branch in Ikorodu, Lagos.

The deceased was said to have died by suicide.

The sad incident occurred on Monday, January 8, 2024.

Source, the late Ugochukwu’s lifeless body and a bottle of Sniper insecticide were found in the staff toilet of the branch during the search for her whereabouts after she was discovered missing from her desk.

One of the office toilet doors was noticed to have been locked from behind and was forcefully opened, where her motionless body was discovered.

"Our CEO Not Arrested By EFCC, He's on Duty - Zenith Bank Speaks

Zenith Bank PLC, one of Nigeria's leading financial institutions, has dismissed as entirely untrue reports on the purported arrest of its Group Managing Director, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, in a section of the media.

The reports had claimed Dr Onyeagwu was arrested by the EFCC in connection with alleged fraud at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. 

The foremost lender however clarified that the GMD was neither arrested nor detained by the EFCC or any other anti-graft agency, adding that he is currently fulfilling his duties and responsibilities as the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc.

Zenith, Providus, Jaiz Bank CEOs Arrested By EFCC Over Contracts Awarded By Betta Edu

The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks have reportedly been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following their link to fraud allegations surrounding suspended and former Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu and Sadiya Umar-Farouq.

A source close to The Guardian confirmed the development saying Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu (Zenith Bank), Haruna Musa (Jaiz Bank), and Walter Akpani (Providus Bank) were arrested on Tuesday.

ACAMB Announces Burial Arrangements for Abdul Imoyo

With the permission of Imoyo Family, The Association of Corporate & Marketing Communications Professionals in Banks in Nigeria (ACAMB) is deeply saddened to announce the burial details for its distinguished Publicity Secretary, Mr. Abdul Kolawole Imoyo, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday, December 17, 2023, at First Cardiology, Ikoyi, Lagos, after a brief illness.

Mr. Imoyo, a highly regarded Corporate Media Manager and Journalist, leaves behind a legacy of excellence in the field of Corporate Ccommunications.

The burial arrangements, as communicated by the Imoyo family, are as follows:

Service of Songs:

Date: January 17, 2024

Time: 5pm 

Venue: Harbour Point Event Center, 4 Wilmot Point Road, Victoria Island, Lagos

Funeral Service:

Date: January 18, 2024

Time: 5pm 

Venue: RCCG Olive Tree Parish, Banana Island Road, Ikoyi, Lagos

Interment:

The interment is strictly private and reserved for family members and few invited guests. 

Rasheed Bolarinwa 

 President, ACAMB

Prophet TB Joshua: Five things BBC investigation said about late televangelist

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Monday said it has uncovered evidence of widespread abuse and torture by the late Prophet Temitope Balogun (TB) Joshua, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).

The BBC in its report said that dozens of former members of SCOAN including five British nationals have alleged atrocities committed by the late TB Joshua.

According to the BBC, SCOAN did not respond to the allegations but said previous claims have been unfounded.

Here are five of the allegations against TB Joshua in the two-year investigation.

Tinubu orders suspends Betta Edu over fraud allegations

Mohammed Idris, the Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation of Nigeria, issues this statement to address the widespread information circulating regarding the use of public funds by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

The Ministry of Information and National Orientation acknowledges the concerns raised by the public regarding the alleged payment of funds into a private account by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. We are aware of the narratives circulating widely and wish to assure Nigerians that the Government takes these issues most seriously.

US Charges Nigeria's Dozy Mmobuosi for trying to buy Sheffield United fraudulently

U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan unveiled criminal charges against a Nigerian fintech businessman who recently bid unsuccessfully for an English Premier League soccer team, saying he lied to investors about his companies' finances.

Odogwu Banye Mmobuosi, 45, the former co-chief executive officer of Tingo Group, was charged with securities fraud, making false U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and conspiracy in an indictment made public on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the defendant, known as Dozy Mmobuosi, falsely represented that his Tingo Mobile cellular business and Tingo Foods agriculture business were profitable, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue.

Mmobuosi sold both businesses to Tingo Group and Agri-Fintech Holdings, caused them to falsely portray the businesses as "cash-rich, revenue-generating companies," and looted millions of dollars by misappropriating cash and selling stock at inflated prices, the indictment said.

The alleged scheme occurred from 2019 to 2023, prosecutors said. Mmobuosi is at large. A lawyer for him could not immediately be identified.

Tingo Group, based in Montvale, New Jersey, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.