Good morning dear esteemed readers! ÑHere is a clear and concise summary of the major developments from Nigeria this morning, covering key government confirmations, policy changes, and international actions.
1. US Imposes Visa Ban Over Religious Freedom Violations: The United States has imposed a visa ban on individuals who have directed, authorized, or supported violations of religious freedom in Nigeria and other countries. The restriction may also affect their immediate family members.
2. Senate Confirms Ex-Defence Chief as New Minister: The Senate has confirmed former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), as the new Minister of Defence, following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu.
3. FEC Approves 2026-2028 Economic Framework: The Federal Executive Council has approved the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, projecting a national growth rate of 4.68% and allocating total federation revenue of N50.74 trillion among federal, state, and local governments.
4. Senate Clears Ambassadorial Nominees After Rigorous Screening: The Senate has cleared three ambassadorial nominees after a tense screening session focused heavily on issues of national security and competence.
5. Defence Minister Rules Out Negotiation with Terrorists: Newly confirmed Defence Minister, Gen. Christopher Musa, stated that there should be no negotiation with or payment of ransom to terrorists, emphasizing the need for a unified national database to effectively combat insecurity.
6. CBN Removes Cash Deposit Limit, Raises Withdrawal Cap: The Central Bank of Nigeria has removed the limit on cash deposits and increased the weekly cash withdrawal limit across all channels to N500,000 from the previous N100,000.
7. National Assembly Demands Naming of Terrorism Financiers: Both the Senate and House of Representatives have called for the public naming and prosecution of terrorism financiers in Nigeria as a critical step to address the country’s security crisis.
8. Court Warns EFCC Boss Over Seized Properties: A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a warning to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged continued failure to comply with a judgment ordering the release of 27 wrongly seized houses.
9. Three Killed in Lagos Road Crashes: Three persons—a policeman, a firefighter, and a scavenger—lost their lives in two separate road crashes that occurred on Wednesday in the Trade Fair and Ilubirin areas of Lagos State.
10. Wike Appoints New Aide on Development Control: The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has appointed Mr. Mukhtar Galadima as his Senior Special Assistant on Development Control and Planning.
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Disclaimer
This news summary is a condensed digest of reports from various Nigerian news outlets
