The Late 5: Buhari meets freed UNIMAID lecturers, Ortom raises alarm over possible herdsmen attacks, and other top stories

These are the top five Nigerian stories that drove conversation today.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos not to unfreeze a Unity Bank account with a balance of N1,902,673,399.93 belonging to Hajiya Bola Shagaya.

According to the EFCC, Shagaya received N1.9bn as “founder fees” on behalf of an organisation, “Women for Change” being spearheaded by a former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

It added that N3.3bn in the same account was realised through Shagaya’s “fraudulent activities in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.”


Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Monday raised alarm of possible renewed herdsmen attacks in the state.

The governor dropped this hint when he led the senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, and his wife, Becky, to the cemetery of the 73 victims of the New Year Fulani herdsmen attacks.

Ortom said despite the launch of Ayem Akpatuma military exercise last Tuesday, over one million cattle have come into the state.


Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of the State into law with a total budget size of N1,046,121,181,680.00.

The total budget size comprises of N347, 038, 938, 872.00 to be funded from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and N699, 082, 242,808.00 from the Development Fund for both capital and recurrent expenditure for the year ending 31st December, 2018.


President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met three University of Maiduguri lecturers and one policewoman recently freed after negotiations with Boko Haram.

The Department of State Services had on February 10 informed the president about their release.


The meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will not hold this Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to him, “This is due to the participation of President Muhammadu Buhari and a significant number of ministers at the High-Level Meeting of the International Conference on Lake Chad Basin, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, for the better part of that day.”


And now, stories from around the world…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered a daily five-hour pause in hostilities in the besieged Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, amid reports of chlorine gas attacks.

Putin ordered the humanitarian pause — from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time — to start Tuesday, in a bid to prevent civilian casualties, according to state-run news agency Tass.

The report said a humanitarian corridor would be opened to allow civilians to leave.


One of the world’s leading football coaches says he will continue to wear a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians because he is “a human being before a manager.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wore the ribbon at Wembley during the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal on Sunday, despite being charged last week by the English Football Association for “wearing a political message” — which it says is in breach of its kit and advertising regulations.

“If I broke the rules, I accept the fine,” the Guardiola told reporters after City’s 3-0 win.


Ivanka Trump does not believe the women who have accused her father of sexual misconduct, adding that it’s “pretty inappropriate” to ask her about the subject.

Asked by NBC News if she believes the accusers, Trump replied, “I think it’s a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter, if she believes the accusers of her father, when he’s affirmatively stated that there’s no truth to it. I don’t think that’s a question you would ask many other daughters.”

“I believe my father. I know my father. So, I think I have that right, as a daughter, to believe my father,” the senior White House adviser continued in the interview, which aired Monday morning.


The US Supreme Court has inflicted a blow on the Trump administration’s bid to end a programme letting young undocumented immigrants stay in the US.

The administration asked the justices whether it was entitled to shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) scheme next month.

But the high court said it would not hear the case as no appeals court has yet ruled on the issue.


The 24 qualifiers for Euro 2020 will share record total prize money of 371 million euros ($456m, £327m), a considerable increase from the last European Championship, UEFA said at their Congress in Bratislava on Monday.

The total amount is 23 percent up from Euro 2016 in France, which was the first time 24 countries made up the competition.

Each competing nation will receive 9.25 million euros simply for taking part, plus a further 1.5 million euros per win in the group phase and 750,000 euros for a draw.

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