Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, addressed a recent death threat made by an unidentified cleric in Bauchi, who targeted her due to her Christian faith and criticized the Muslim/Muslim ticket that brought her husband to power. Despite the threat, Mrs. Tinubu, aged 64, expressed her lack of fear towards death during a visit to Bauchi, stating that she’s lived a full life. Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed condemned the threat as a “national embarrassment” and assured Mrs. Tinubu of her safety in the state, promising to take action against the cleric responsible. Mrs. Tinubu was in Bauchi to inaugurate ICT and educational facilities as part of her role as the National Chairperson of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
2. Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, was suspended by the Senate, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, for three months due to allegations of N3.7 trillion budget padding. This decision followed a contentious session where various durations of suspension were proposed, but ultimately, three months were settled upon. Ningi had claimed discrepancies in the 2024 budget, alleging a bias against the North, which sparked controversy. However, he later clarified his statement, emphasizing that a portion of the budget lacked project allocations. Senator Opeyemi Bamidele criticized Ningi’s actions, labeling them as a “civilian coup” aimed at undermining Akpabio’s leadership. Bamidele emphasized the need for stability within the Senate and denounced attempts to disrupt Akpabio’s tenure as Senate President.
3. The launch of the Nigerian Students Loan Scheme by the Federal Government has been postponed indefinitely, according to Akintunde Sawyer, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Originally scheduled to commence on Thursday, the postponement is due to ongoing corrections required for the launch to proceed smoothly. President Bola Tinubu signed the bill to establish the Students Loan Fund (SLF) in June 2023, with an initial plan to start between September and October 2023. However, delays pushed the start date to January 2024. Despite assurances from President Tinubu to leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that the scheme would commence once expanded to include vocational studies, no specific date has been provided for the launch.
5. The Nigerian Naira strengthened by 0.90 percent against the dollar on Tuesday, attributed to increased supply at the official foreign exchange market. At the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the dollar was quoted at N1,603.38, compared to N1,617.96 on Monday. Dollar supply increased by 27.09 percent to $122.18 million. In the parallel market, the naira appreciated by 0.81 percent, with the dollar selling at an average rate of N1,605. The naira’s appreciation was linked to heightened demand following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Rate hike. Despite concerns outlined in a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), predicting a stabilizing naira towards the end of 2024, with a forecasted rate of N1,770:US$1 by year-end, and N1,817:US$1 by 2025, it warned of potential fluctuations due to various economic factors.
6. On Tuesday evening, March 12, 2024, a fire engulfed the popular Wuse market in Abuja, causing chaos and halting business activities. The cause of the fire is unknown, and firefighters are currently on the scene conducting rescue operations. Some vehicles in the car park have been burned, and sections of the market have been set ablaze, allegedly by irate youths protesting the killing of a suspect by a police officer. Policemen have barricaded the entrance to the market to prevent further entry.
7. Nigerian reality TV star and socialite Iyabo Ojo took to Instagram to celebrate the birth anniversary of her daughter Priscilla Ojo who clocked 23 today. The actor referred to her daughter as her “jewel of inestimable value,” expressing her love and pride in her. Iyabo also mentioned that they are about to paint Lagos blue for the occasion, suggesting that the birthday celebration theme involves denim attire.
