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Nigerian Government to Hire External Auditor for N2.7 Trillion Fuel Subsidy Review

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The Nigerian government has unveiled plans to hire an external auditor to review the N2.7 trillion fuel subsidy claims made by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The goal is to assist the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) in determining the actual amount owed by the government to NNPCL for fuel subsidies.

According to official records, a forensic audit will focus on NNPCL’s claims from 2015 to 2021.

It aims to verify the N2.7 trillion withheld by NNPCL, with the Director of Home Finance stating that the OAuGF is still working on the matter.

Additionally, the Ministry of Finance’s Procurement Department has already put measures in place to hire an external auditor, who will support the OAuGF in conducting the review.

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In the same meeting, the Chairman of the Commissioners’ Forum and Head of Finance from Ekiti State recommended that the audit period be extended to December 2023, given that the audit process has yet to begin.

This suggestion followed the initial proposal to launch the audit four months earlier during the Federation Allocation Accounts Committee’s April 2024 meeting.

Initially, NNPCL claimed that the government owed a total of N6 trillion for fuel subsidies. However, this amount was reduced to N2.7 trillion after a previous audit conducted by KPMG.

The forthcoming audit will cover six years to ensure accuracy and transparency in reconciling the subsidy claims.

This latest development follows the “subsidy is gone” declaration made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 30, 2023.

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Shortly after this announcement, NNPCL’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, informed reporters that the Federal Government still owed the company N2.8 trillion in outstanding subsidy payments.

According to Kyari, NNPCL has been covering the cost of petrol subsidies through its cash flow, as the government has been unable to make payments.

He highlighted that despite budgetary provisions of N6 trillion in 2022 and N3.7 trillion in 2023 for fuel subsidies, the Federal Government has not made any payments to NNPCL.

The company has had to absorb the cost, which is now an unsustainable financial burden.

Kyari emphasized that the government still owes NNPCL around N2.8 trillion and that the company cannot continue to carry the financial strain of the subsidy regime much longer.

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The decision to engage an external auditor is seen as a crucial step towards resolving these financial discrepancies and determining the accurate amount of subsidy claims owed to NNPCL.

The audit is expected to shed light on the actual amount of debt and could potentially influence future subsidy policies and financial arrangements between NNPCL and the government.


 

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US President, Donald Trump Announces New Travel Ban List, Affecting Multiple African Nations

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United States President, Donald Trump released a list of countries considered to be on a travel ban to the US. It can be noted that half of the African countries have made it to the list.

The travel ban list is divided into 3 categories, Yellow, Orange and Red. The categories are all different stages with the red being an immediate effect ban.

Under the Red Category are Somalia, Libya, and Sudan. While ‘Orange’ (visas sharply restricted) are Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan.

The countries under ‘Yellow’ are given 60 days to address concerns before ban. These countries include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Zimbabwe


 

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Nurse Explains How Mohbad Got Sick and Died After Receiving Injection at Home

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An auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, recently testified before the coroner investigating the death of Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad. The hearing took place at the Magistrate Court in Ikorodu, Lagos, on Saturday, where Ogedengbe gave a detailed account of the events leading up to Mohbad’s death.

Ogedengbe explained that she completed her nursing training at Cornerstone Hospital in Akute, Ogun State, from 2014 to 2017. She worked at the hospital for a year before relocating. She stated that on September 11, 2023, a client named Ayobami Sodiq, also known as Spending, contacted her to treat a friend who had injured his hand. Spending suspected that a piece of glass was stuck in the wound.

Due to traffic, Ogedengbe couldn’t attend to the patient that day but went the next day, September 12, around 2:30 p.m. When she arrived at Orchid Estate in Lekki, she realized the patient was Mohbad. She met Mohbad, his wife, and Ayobami in a room.

Ogedengbe said Mohbad’s right hand was swollen. After confirming that he had an ulcer, she decided not to give him a diclofenac injection and instead administered 4ml of paracetamol and 1ml of water intravenously. She also gave him a diluted 10ml ceftriaxone injection for pain and to treat any bacterial infection.

While receiving the ceftriaxone, Mohbad said he felt like vomiting. Ogedengbe stopped the injection, and Mohbad went to the toilet to vomit. When he returned and sat on the floor, Ogedengbe noticed goosebumps on his body. Mohbad’s wife said this was a normal reaction and suggested pouring water on him to help.

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His wife took him to the bathroom and began pouring water on his head. Meanwhile, Ogedengbe and Ayobami went to find a pharmacy to get hydrocortisone and saline infusion for the allergic reaction. The first pharmacy didn’t have the medication, but they found it at a second pharmacy around 3 p.m.

While at the pharmacy, Ayobami received a call saying Mohbad was convulsing. Ogedengbe told him to arrange for Mohbad to be taken to the hospital. By the time they returned to the house, Mohbad had been moved outside, and the hydrocortisone and saline infusion couldn’t be administered.

Since no vehicle was available, a neighbour offered to drive them to the hospital. Ogedengbe sat in the front with Mohbad’s wife, while Mohbad, Ayobami, and Mohbad’s brother, Adura, sat in the back. Heavy traffic slowed them down, so Mohbad was transferred to a motorbike while Ogedengbe ran behind it.

It took about 20 minutes to reach the first hospital, where the staff initially hesitated to treat Mohbad. They eventually performed CPR, but the doctor pronounced Mohbad dead. Ogedengbe informed the doctor about the medications she had given Mohbad.

Darosha, another friend, arrived and insisted on taking Mohbad to another hospital. Mohbad’s wife accompanied Darosha while Ogedengbe and Ayobami followed in an Uber. At the second hospital, the medical team confirmed there was no pulse. The doctor spoke with Ogedengbe and then consulted Mohbad’s family members, Darosha and Spending.

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They stayed at the second hospital for about an hour before returning Mohbad’s body to the house around 8 p.m. Later that night, Ogedengbe, Ayobami, Mohbad’s lawyer, and Ogedengbe’s cousin went to the police station at Orchid Lekki to report the death and seek a death certificate. The police advised them to visit Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah for a police report.

Ogedengbe’s testimony was followed by a cross-examination from the lawyers representing Mohbad’s family, his wife, and the state government. The case was adjourned to March 21, 2025, for further hearing.


 

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Corps Member Faces Threat from NYSC Official After Criticizing Tinubu

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A corps member serving in Lagos State has raised the alarm after allegedly receiving threatening messages for criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a viral TikTok video, the corps member, known as @talktoraye, expressed frustration over the rising cost of living and economic hardship under Tinubu’s government. She openly called out the president, describing him as a terrible leader and questioning what steps the government was taking to address the country’s worsening economic situation.

She also complained about the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, saying it hasn’t been helpful since she spends more than the allowance she receives.

“If more Nigerians speak up about what we’re facing, maybe things will change,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s any other president as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.”

She described how the cost of food and essentials keeps increasing every week, leaving her overwhelmed. “I went to buy foodstuff, and everything has gone up again. A crate of eggs now costs N6,500. It makes no sense because I remember when eggs were N800,” she said.

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She also mentioned the rising cost of utility bills and transportation. “After shopping, I got home to find out the security and NEPA bills have doubled. It’s crazy. Every penny I make goes into paying bills. Even taking an Uber with a friend now costs N25,000. Why is everything so expensive?”

After the video gained attention, the corps member said she started receiving threatening messages, allegedly from NYSC officials. She later posted another video where she was reportedly on a call with an NYSC official who scolded her and demanded that she delete the video.

“Are you normal? Keep quiet and take down that video,” the official allegedly told her.


 

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