• Emefiele Suspended by President Tinubu, Currently Held in DSS Custody
• Zamfara Govt Recovers Over 40 Official Vehicles After Raid of Matawalle’s Home
• ‘I’d Have Slapped Kwankwaso If I Met Him at Aso Villa,’ Says Ganduje
• Wike Commends President Tinubu’s Suspension of Emefiele from CBN
• Burna Boy Set to Perform at UEFA Champions League Final

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss

Emefiele Suspended by President Tinubu, Currently Held in DSS Custody

President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive action by suspending Godwin Emefiele from his position as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The announcement was made by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, in a statement released on Friday.

In the statement, Bassey stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, CFR, from office with immediate effect. This is a sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy. Mr. Emefiele has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of the investigation and the reforms.”

This development comes shortly after President Tinubu assumed office, highlighting his commitment to addressing the issues within the financial sector. It is worth noting that the CBN’s recent naira swap has faced significant criticism, adding to the urgency for reforms.

Under the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, new banknotes were introduced to combat challenges such as vote-buying, insecurity, and inflation. However, the withdrawal of the old notes just weeks before the elections resulted in a cash crunch and drew widespread criticism from prominent figures in the country.

State governors even took the matter to court, with Tinubu himself expressing dissatisfaction with the implementation of the policy. As the then-presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu advocated for the coexistence of both old and new notes, emphasizing the negative impact the policy had on the people and the informal sector.

During his inauguration, President Tinubu reiterated his concerns about the naira swap policy and pledged to review it. He acknowledged that the policy was harshly implemented by the CBN, especially considering the significant number of unbanked Nigerians.

Tinubu stated, “The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.”

Furthermore, reports indicate that the battle for Emefiele’s freedom has escalated, as the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday.

Prior to Emefiele’s suspension, the DSS had sought an order to arrest him, accusing him of financing terrorism, engaging in fraudulent activities, and committing economic crimes of national security significance. However, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice J.T Tsoho, denied the DSS’s application.

Zamfara Govt Recovers Over 40 Official Vehicles After Raid of Matawalle’s Home

In a recent development, the Zamfara State government has successfully recovered more than 40 official vehicles from Bello Matawalle, the immediate past governor of the state.

The recovery was made following a raid conducted at Matawalle’s residences in Gusau and Maradun LGA, including his hometown. The announcement came through a statement issued by Suleiman Idris, the governor’s spokesperson, on Friday.

According to Idris, prior to the raid, the state government had issued a directive to Matawalle and his deputy, urging them to return all government assets within a period of five working days. However, their failure to comply with the directive prompted the police to obtain a search warrant and carry out the operation on Friday morning.

“The Zamfara State Government has clarified the operation conducted by the Nigeria Police Force, which resulted in the recovery of vehicles that were looted by the former State Governor, Bello Mohammaed Matawalle,” stated the spokesperson in the released statement.

He further explained, “In the early hours of Friday, the Nigeria Police Force raided the residence of the former governor, impounding over 40 vehicles. The police action was based on a court order, and a search warrant was obtained for the operation. It should be recalled that the Zamfara State Government officially communicated to former Governor Bello Matawalle and his deputy, requesting the return of all missing vehicles within five working days.”

The spokesperson continued, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the raid, saying, “We also lodged an official complaint with the police regarding the overriding public interest in the wasteful looting of valuable assets, including official vehicles. Consequently, the police sought a search warrant from the court, which was duly granted, leading to the raid on Matawalle’s residence in Gusau, Maradun Local Government, as well as an undisclosed hideout. A total of over 40 vehicles were recovered, including three bulletproof vehicles and eight SUVs.”

Emphasizing the government’s commitment to recovering all assets belonging to the people, Idris stated, “Our collective determination is to rescue and rebuild Zamfara. The recovery of the proceeds of crime and public assets is a crucial part of our rescue mission.”

Idris also urged the people of Zamfara to remain calm, assuring them of significant improvements in security and the resolution of water scarcity issues in the state.

In the March governorship election, Dauda Lawal emerged victorious, unseating Bello Matawalle by securing 377,726 votes in Zamfara State.

‘I’d Have Slapped Kwankwaso If I Met Him at Aso Villa,’ Says Ganduje

Abdullahi Ganduje, the immediate past governor of Kano, made a statement on Friday, disclosing that he would have slapped his predecessor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, if they had crossed paths at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Ganduje’s comments came after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, where they discussed the security situation and the ongoing demolition exercise in Kano.

The former governor explained that he visited the villa to report Kwankwaso to the president, highlighting that some of the demolitions were carried out based on his predecessor’s directives.

Governor Abba Yusuf, who assumed office on May 29, had directed security agencies to revoke the sale of public properties that occurred during Ganduje’s administration. Yusuf clarified that the properties were obtained and constructed illegally, emphasizing that the revocation was not an act against the previous administration.

Furthermore, Governor Yusuf stated that the demolition exercise aimed to fulfill his campaign promise of “restoring” the urban development master plan of the city.

Several structures, including the Haji camp, Daula Hotel, and shopping complexes near the Eid Prayer Ground in Kano, have recently been demolished.

Expressing concern over the demolitions, Ganduje cautioned against potential religious or tribal conflicts, citing the displacement of numerous traders who were left without shelter and means of livelihood.

Ganduje argued that the demolition was conducted “illegally” without proper investigation or prior notice in accordance with the provisions of the land use act. He highlighted that a technical committee was established, and their report was submitted to the executive council, which approved the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project. However, the new government, under Kwankwaso’s directive, demolished the building without any investigation or notice. The matter is currently in court.

The former governor informed the president about the situation and submitted a petition to Usman Alkali, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), accompanied by video evidence of the subsequent looting and vandalism.

Describing the current governor as a “stooge” to Kwankwaso, Ganduje mentioned that one of the affected developers has filed a lawsuit against the government, demanding compensation of N10 billion.

During their simultaneous visits to the Villa, Ganduje and Kwankwaso did not meet inside. When asked if the issue had been resolved, Ganduje candidly stated, “I know that he (Kwankwaso) is in the building. But we did not meet inside. I would have slapped him if I met him inside.”

Wike Commends President Tinubu’s Suspension of Emefiele from CBN

Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, has expressed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Godwin Emefiele from his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Late on Friday, Tinubu announced the suspension of Emefiele and instructed him to immediately hand over the responsibilities to Folashodun Shonubi, the bank’s Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate).

In response to the news, Wike, who had been a vocal critic of Emefiele’s policies, particularly the Naira redesign, commended the President for his bold and timely action.

Additionally, Wike’s media team released a statement revealing that the former Rivers State Governor also praised President Tinubu for approving uniformity in the retirement age and pension of judicial officers across the country.

According to Wike, the President’s decision will bring about a fresh wave of vitality to the nation’s judiciary.

Wike further expressed his satisfaction, along with other members of the G5, that President Tinubu is demonstrating focused and exemplary leadership that will guide the country towards prosperity.

Burna Boy Set to Perform at UEFA Champions League Final 

Fans of the renowned afrobeats artist, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, are eagerly awaiting a thrilling performance as the UEFA Champions League final match between Manchester City and Inter Milan takes place today in Istanbul, Turkey.

Providing a sneak peek into Burna Boy’s preparations, his sister, Nissi, shared video clips on her Instagram page earlier this week, showcasing the entertainer getting ready for his performance.

In addition to the football excitement, Burna Boy and several other Nigerian artists have received nominations for the prestigious 2023 BET Awards, scheduled to be held on June 25, 2023, in California, United States of America.

Alongside Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Asake, and Ayra Starr are all vying for accolades at the highly anticipated event.