Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said contrary to claims made by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, Nigeria did not lose $49.8 billion during his administration.

The ex-President stated this in Abuja at the launch of a book titled “Public Policy and Agent Interests: Perspectives from The Emerging World”, which was edited by former Minister of Finance, Shamsuddeen Usman.

“The Financial Reporting Council queries the expenditure of CBN because it is the Financial Reporting Council that has the powers to audit the CBN, it is not the Auditor General of the Federation.

“There were serious infractions that need to be looked at, that was the reason. Somehow, the time was short. So before we finished, his tenure elapsed, probably he would have been called back,” Jonathan said.

Sanusi served as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor between 2009 and 2014, a period that coincided with Jonathan’s time as the President.

In 2014, the then-CBN governor alleged that Nigeria had lost $49.8bn under Jonathan’s administration.

The claim attracted wide criticism and the government later set up a committee to probe the allegation.

Sanusi was asked to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence, with Godwin Emefiele appointed in his place. He went on to become the Emir of Kano, dethroned in 2020 and was reinstated a few months ago.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the sale of $20,000 to each of the eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in the country at the rate of N1,590/$.

In a circular to all Bureau De Change operators dated September 25, 2024, the apex bank said the forex would provide “additional liquidity to this segment of the foreign exchange market”.

The circular was signed by CBN’s Acting Director of Trade and Exchange Department, W.J. Kanya.

Kanya said, “To this end, the CBN has approved the sale of $20,000 to each eligible BDC at the rate of N1,590/$. This is to meet the demand for invisible transactions.

“All BDCs are allowed to sell to eligible end-users at a margin of not more than one percent above the purchase rate from CBN.

“Eligible BDCs interested in this transaction are directed to make the naira payment to the CBN deposit account numbers with them.

“Also, payment confirmation and all necessary documentation for disbursement are to be submitted at the appropriate CBN branches in Abuja, Akwa, Kano and Lagos for collection of the $20,000.”

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has lost his wife, Patience to the cold hands of death.

Her death was announced in a statement released by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong,

According to Ememobong, she died peacefully at the hospital on Thursday, September 26, 2024, surrounded by her family.

“In a devastating turn of events, Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has passed away,” he said.

“The first lady of the state died after an illness,” the commissioner for information announced in the early hours of Friday.

He said further details will be provided in due course while expressing the appreciation of Governor Eno to those who “stood by the family in this period”.

Team Lagos shone brightly at the recently concluded National Youth Games, tagged Asaba 2024, finishing with an impressive haul of 26 gold, 20 silver, and 19 bronze medals.

This outstanding performance highlights the state’s dedication to identifying and nurturing young talent, showcasing their potential to excel on both national and international stages.

The success of Team Lagos reflects the ongoing commitment of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose administration has prioritized sports development.

Under his leadership, substantial investments in sporting infrastructure and grassroots initiatives have not only fostered talent identification and development but also ushered in a new era of sporting excellence.

Governor Sanwo-Olu’s vision of transforming Lagos into Africa’s sports hub is evident through the numerous opportunities being created for athletes and sports administrators to achieve recognition at all levels.

Team Lagos’ second-place finish overall, just behind host state Delta, underscores the state’s remarkable progress.

At the closing ceremony, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to sports and talent development.

He praised Team Lagos for surpassing their previous record at the National Youth Games, improving from their 21 gold, 19 silver, and 21 bronze medal tally from the last edition.

Fatodu emphasized that Lagos State, with its stellar performance at this year’s event, especially in grassroots and talent development, is one to watch in future championships.

He expressed pride in Lagos’ dominance in the U-15 category, which the NYG focuses on, particularly highlighting the state’s future prospects in sports.

Team Lagos delivered several standout performances during the Games, including a hard-fought 10-8 victory over hosts Delta in the basketball final, demonstrating the dominance of Lagos’ female basketball team.

In boxing, Lagos swept all four available gold medals, further cementing their prowess.

In hockey, a crucial goal from Olaitan Muinat secured a gold medal for Lagos against Kaduna in the final, capping off an undefeated run.

Lagos also triumphed in the traditional sport of Abula, defeating Oyo 2-1 (16-13, 8-16, 16-14) to win gold in the female category.

Fatodu reiterated that these young talents represent the future of Lagos sports, emphasizing the state’s holistic approach to sports development, integrating both education and athletic excellence.

He added that under Governor Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, athletes are receiving top-notch support and incentives, ensuring continued success in sports talent development.

The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce tolls on major roads across the country following the completion of ongoing construction and renovation projects.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, revealed this during an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja, part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

“We have the Lagos-Ibadan (Expressway), we are completing it and we are tolling it,” Umahi said.

Other key road projects such as the Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road, and Makurdi-9th Mile, among others, will also be tolled, according to the minister.

The former governor of Ebonyi State said that the tolling system is expected to generate substantial revenue for the Federal Government.

According to Umahi, private sector investors have been engaged to provide funds for the construction of these roads, in collaboration with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Works, to ensure the effective management of the toll system.

Speaking about the Keffi-Makurdi Road, which has been completed, Umahi noted that the government is working on a paperless payment system in partnership with the Ministry of Finance.

He assured that road users will see significant improvements in safety and convenience, factors he believes will encourage public acceptance of tolls.

“For example, we are completing the Lagos-Ibadan, we are working on Makurdi to 9th Mile in Enugu State, we are working from Abuja to Lagos. These roads are going to be tolled. But we are not just tolling them, we are bringing confidence in the use of these roads.

“If people can travel at night because we are bringing security, where the response time will be 10 minutes on the entire corridor, where you have solar light permanently there and then reduce travel time, and through the tolling, the roads are maintained, then, there will be confidence because Nigerians will pay if the roads are good,” Umahi said.

The minister further explained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is treating road development as an investment, unlike previous administrations. He revealed that the current government inherited 300 damaged roads and bridges, and assured that new road construction projects would commence in all six geopolitical zones starting from October 1, 2024.

The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the Federation’s Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen to continue in his role as Head Coach of the Super Eagles, and lead the team in its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya next month.

The 58-year-old, in temporary charge of the squad he had led three times previously, steered the three-time African champions to a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic and scoreless draw with Rwanda in Matchdays 1 and 2 earlier this month.

Eguavoen and the current technical crew that also includes Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa and Tomaz Zorec will also take charge of the Super Eagles B team for the qualifying campaign for next year’s African Nations Championship, otherwise known as CHAN.

With the departure of Mr. Randy Waldrum, the Executive Committee also approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee for Coach Justin Madugu to lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.

The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.