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FG Spends $1m to Evacuates Stranded Nigerians from Russia

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Geoffrey Onyeama
  • FG Spends $1m to Evacuates Stranded Nigerians from Russia

Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, said Federal Government spent one million dollars to evacuate 355 Nigerian football fans stranded in Russia after the 2018 World Cup.

Onyeama made this known on Monday in Abuja while fielding questions from newsmen, and said that the evacuation was done in two batches of 155 persons and 200 persons.

He said that the second batch of 200 fans was returned to the country along with 17 Ghanaian football fans also stranded in Russia on Sunday.

He stated that the money spent on the exercise was huge, particularly in the hard times in the country, and urged Nigerians to travel out of the country in a regular and legal manner.

According to the minister, by airlifting the 17 Ghanaians, Nigeria has again brought to the fore, its `Big Brother’ role in Africa.

He said the Ghanaian authorities had appreciated the gesture through its Minister of Foreign Affairs as the returnees were transported to Ghana on Monday

He recalled that the first batch of 155 fans, including a nursing mother, were evacuated from Russia after the Mundial in July,

The Nigerian mission in Russia had said that some of the fans initially profiled to be evacuated absconded and urged them to report at the mission as the government had made provision for their return.

Onyeama explained that the evacuation of the stranded fans followed a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to Onyeama and his Aviation counterpart, Hadi Sirika, to immediately evacuate the stranded Nigerians back to the country.

“A week ago, we learnt that there was another huge number of Nigerians stranded and Russian authorities were going to take very strong measures.

“And again, the President directed that another plane should be made available to go and bring them back.

“They were 200 of them that were brought back on Sunday at a cost of one million dollars to the country,” he said.

He said that the exercise was a clear indication of Buhari’s determination to safeguard Nigerians and the interest of Nigerians wherever they may be compromised in the world.

Onyeama said the his Ghanaian counterpart, Shirley Botchway, who visited him earlier on Monday, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for bringing back the 17 Ghanaian fans.

He said that the stranded fans expressed depressing and frustrating times as some of them recounted that they were scammed by travel agents “by cancelling their return tickets”.

“We will, however, take the matter up with the travel agents; we will get to the bottom of the matter.

“It is very depressing and very annoying because we have a lot of challenges in our countries and the few resources we have, we want to utilise it on Nigerians.

“It is not to spend money to bring back people who just act in a very irresponsible fashion.

“We really have to work hard to stop this manner of trying at all cost to get to European countries in an irregular manner,” he said.

(NAN)

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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Government

Donald Trump Projected To Occupy White House, Congratulated By Nigerian President

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President Trump Signs Executive Order In Oval Office Of The White House

There is an indication that the former President of the United States of America, Donald Trump may become the 47th President of the US.

Trump became more confident in his political comeback in American history after securing his third battleground victory on Tuesday evening by clinching Pennsylvania, bringing him closer to a White House win.

The 78 presidential candidates of the Republican Party already won 266 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris of the Democrat Party.

Trump reversed his 2020 losses in the crucial states of Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — running up big margins among his white rural and working-class base while making significant inroads among ethnic minorities.

Addressing supporters in Florida, Trump claimed victory, saying his performance is unprecedented in the history of the country.

He promised to help the US to heal, stressing that the country needs help very badly.

He also assured citizens of fixing critical infrastructure and other necessary areas of the country.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday extended his congratulations to Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States of America.

Tinubu expressed his eagerness to strengthen the ties between Nigeria and the United States amid the complex challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world.

His congratulatory message was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Identifying synergy and cooperation with the US government as a means of fostering economic prosperity, the President of Nigeria noted that the relationship would promote peace, and address global challenges that affect their citizens.

He said Trump’s victory reflects the trust and confidence the American people have placed in his leadership.

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EFCC Nabs Ex-Delta Governor, Okowa, For Alleged N1.3trn Fraud

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governor-ifeanyi-okowa-of-delta-state

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion.

Sources with the EFCC revealed that Okowa visited the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday before he was subsequently detained by officials.

The N1.3 trillion reportedly represents the 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

It was gathered that Okowa was at the Port Harcourt office of the Commission following an invitation from investigators probing the allegations against him.

The former governor was said to have been apprehended no sooner than he arrived at the anti-graft office.

Okowa was also accused of failing to account for the funds, as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed was used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

Sources said the former governor reportedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the country’s major banks, representing an 8% equity stake, to support the offshore LNG project.

The funds are alleged to have been misappropriated for other purposes.

They noted that investigators are also examining the alleged diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State.

Okowa was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2023 election.

He was the governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023 and was succeeded by Sheriff Oborevwori, the incumbent Governor.

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest but declined further comment on the matter.

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FG Frees Minors Remanded For Protesting Hunger In Nigeria

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Some minors who joined the nationwide #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria have regained their freedom.

Their release followed the striking out of the treason charge against them by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Investors King had reported that the Federal Government through its security agencies arrested and preferred treason allegations against the minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

However, President Bola Tinubu had directed the release of the minors owing to the outrage that greeted their arrest, prosecution and incarceration.

Carrying out the presidential directive when the matter resumed on Tuesday, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, made an application for discontinuation of the case.

Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), premised his application on provisions of Sections 174(1), (b), and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He informed the court that the AGF had officially taken over the case file, saying the Federal Government no longer has interest in the case against the protesters.

The DPPF also applied for the proceeding to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266 (b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act.

Counsel to the defendants, including Mr Femi Fanala, SAN, did not oppose the application.

To this end, Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charge against the protesters who were minors.

Recall that the judge had last Friday admitted the 114 protesters arraigned by the police to N10 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

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