1.The organized private sector has voiced alarm over the escalating incidents of looting targeting trucks transporting food and raw materials, cautioning that such actions could precipitate an industrial shutdown nationwide. Gabriel Idahosa, President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, warned that the prevailing economic challenges were fostering an atmosphere of lawlessness.
2. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has suggested that Nigeria seek assistance from the Zimbabwean government to address the country’s unprecedented inflation rates. Citing Zimbabwe’s successful emergence from a similar economic crisis, Obasanjo believes Nigeria could benefit from valuable insights offered by the Southern African nation.
3. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has implicated banks in approximately 70 percent of financial crimes occurring in Nigeria. Ola Olukayode, Chairman of the EFCC, made this revelation during the 2023 Annual Retreat and General Meeting of the Association of Chief Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria held in Abuja.
4. The House of Representatives has called for the apprehension of top executives of Binance Holdings Limited amid allegations of fraud. Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange platform, stands accused of exploiting the Nigerian currency, Naira, resulting in its depreciation.
5. The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun corps, has apprehended 67 individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. Working in collaboration with the police, army, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Amotekun corps conducted operations leading to the arrests over the past two weeks.
6. Suspected bandits have reportedly carried out attacks in Kwande and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State, resulting in multiple fatalities, including a soldier. The assaults occurred in various communities between Saturday and Sunday, prompting concerns over escalating insecurity in the region.
7. A tragic accident involving an articulated vehicle along the Zaria-Kano Expressway has claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals, with 28 others sustaining injuries of varying severity. The Federal Road Safety Corps attributed the accident, which occurred at Tashar Yari Village on Monday morning, to factors such as overtaking, speeding, and overloading.
8. The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has denounced the recent looting of a warehouse in Gwagwa-Tasha by hoodlums as a criminal act. Following an assessment visit to the site to evaluate the extent of damage, Mahmoud condemned the unlawful behavior perpetrated by the perpetrators.
9. President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja following a two-day state visit to Qatar at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Upon his arrival at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Tinubu was welcomed by senior government officials led by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
10. The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned a fresh N1 billion lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government until March 18 for a hearing. The adjournment, announced by Justice James Omotosho, follows a request from the defense counsel, who indicated they had not yet received the necessary legal documents.
