News
Corruption: Buhari Suspends NBC DG, Kawu
The Presidency has suspended the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu.
Sources in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation said Modibbo reportedly got the suspension letter during the week but had been battling to have it reversed.
“I have confirmed from the relevant department, it is true that the DG of NBC, Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, was ordered to be suspended by the President (Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) following series of petitions and allegations against him,” a source in the SGF office stated.
Yet, another source said he was asked to “step aside” following investigation of the petitions against him.
The suspension came many months after an ongoing prosecution of Kawu by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission for alleged corruption.
Consequently, the Director (Broadcast Monitoring), Armstrong Idachaba, was said to have been directed to act pending the outcome of the case.
When Saturday PUNCH visited the NBC on Friday, the issue was being discussed in hushed tones among staff members.
But when contacted, the spokesperson for NBC, Ekanem Antia, told our correspondent that he would not speak on the issue as according to him, he did not have details of the allegation.
“I am not aware (of it), as we speak now. I don’t have any document on my table to confirm (it). But we will issue a statement if at all it is true. The office is still working; we are all in the office. Everybody is in their department,” he said.
Several calls later put across to him didn’t go through as his telephone line indicated that it was switched off.
Last year, a civil rights organisation under the aegis of Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance, said it had made a fresh discovery of 16 illegal slots of radio licences approved by the NBC DG.
The organisation had alleged that while six slots were for his private company, Word, Sound and Vision Multimedia Limited, another 10 were approved for companies which did not apply or were not on the list approved by Buhari.
The chairman of CACOBAG, Alhaji Toyin Raheem, who raised the issue in a statement issued in Abuja, claimed that a former SGF was one of the 10 beneficiaries of the radio licences recently doled out by NBC.
The CSO asked the Presidency to direct anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and ICPC to investigate its findings.
But Antia had said the allegations were not new as the same group had petitioned ICPC.
The ICPC had urged the Federal Government to suspend Kawu and 32 other public officers/civil servants undergoing corruption trial at the time.
The commission had arraigned Kawu and two others, Dipo Onifade and Lucky Omoluwa, on alleged N2.5bn fraud.
They are being prosecuted on 12 counts for allegedly conspiring with one another to use the position of Kawu to confer a corrupt advantage on Omoluwa, his friend and associate, for which they pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.
The anti-graft agency also charged Kawu for allegedly deceiving Mohammed to sign the deal.
The embattled NBC boss allegedly asked Mohammed to approve payment of N2.5bn to Pinnacle Communications Limited owned by Omoluwa as “Seed Grant” under the Digital Switch-Over Programme of the Federal Government.
The suspended DG has however denied the allegations.
The Punch
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
