1.A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu’s plea for an order directing involved parties, including Governor Godwin Obaseki and the House of Assembly, to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of his impeachment suit. Shaibu, through the suit, aims to thwart the state House of Assembly’s efforts to impeach him.
2. The Senate Joint Committee on Army, Navy, Defense, and Air Force convened a meeting on Wednesday, March 20, to address the recent killing of soldiers in Delta State. The session aimed to investigate the tragic deaths of military personnel that occurred last Thursday in the Okuama community of the Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
3. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has successfully cleared the $7 billion foreign exchange (FX) backlog inherited by Governor Yemi Cardoso, fulfilling a significant pledge upon his appointment and bolstering confidence in the economy. Acting Director of Corporate Communications at the CBN, Hakama Sidi Ali, confirmed the settlement of all valid FX backlog claims in a statement on Wednesday.
4. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori disclosed yesterday that Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, where Army officers and men were killed, is now deserted. Describing the incident as unusual, he expressed difficulty in reaching any of the community leaders.
5. The National Assembly passed the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, following separate considerations by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund.
6. The naira demonstrated resilience against the United States dollar on Wednesday, experiencing significant gains at both the official and parallel markets. At the parallel market, the naira closed trading at 1,410/dollar, while it stood at N1,492 at the official Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market.
7. The Kwara State Police Command successfully rescued PengChao Zhang, a Chinese national, from his abductors in a forest within the state after spending 10 days in captivity. Zhang, also known as Williams Kaka among his business associates, was rescued on Tuesday by police operatives following extensive searches and investigations by the Police Tactical Team and local vigilantes.
8. President Bola Tinubu urged members of the National Assembly to exercise restraint in summoning heads of ministries, departments, and agencies before parliamentary committees. He made the appeal on Wednesday during a Ramadan fast-breaking event with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the House leadership.
9. Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda, revealed his decision not to negotiate with bandits, emphasizing that he didn’t want to convey government helplessness. Radda advocated for state policing as part of measures to address insecurity, stressing the need for governors to take charge of security in their respective states.
10. Properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in an early morning fire that engulfed buildings in the Dosumu area of Idumota, Lagos Island, on Wednesday. The fire, believed to have originated from the second floor of a four-storey building, quickly spread to four others.
