News
EXCLUSIVE: EFCC set to interrogate sacked DSS boss Daura
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is preparing to interrogate the sacked Director General of the Directorate of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, over an alleged N17bn scam, Daily Trust learnt yesterday.
Daura, who was sacked by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo following the siege to the National Assembly by DSS operatives, is being interrogated by the police.
EFCC sources told Daily Trust that operatives of the anti-graft agency on Tuesday evening visited the police facility at Guzape Abuja where Daura was being held preparatory to receiving him.
“It is expected that the former DSS boss will be handed [to the EFCC] over by the police for further interrogation to explain how the N17 billion traced to the headquarters of the DSS was utilized,” said one of the sources at the anti-graft agency.
The money, it was further learnt, was left behind by the Daura’s predecessor Ita Ekpeyong. It was alleged that Ekpeyong received N20 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the end of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Ekpeyong, it was also alleged, converted N17 billion into United States of America (USA) dollars, which he left behind when he handed over to Daura.
The funds were reportedly traced by EFCC investigators as a fall out of discoveries after the $43 million linked to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) was found stashed at a private apartment inside Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos.
EFCC sources said operatives of the commission had been working on the investigation report that indicted the management of the DSS, but that the investigation was frustrated by Daura.
DSS agents, on the orders of Daura, prevented EFCC agents from arresting Ita Ekpeyong and sacked DG of NIA Ayo Oke on November 21, 2017, to prevent the investigation.
“So now is a good time to get Daura to answer questions in connection to the investigation earlier started,” sources said.
Daily Trust reports that Osinbajo met again with the new acting DG of DSS Matthew Seiyefa and the acting EFCC chairman Magu shortly after presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday.
The acting president had earlier on the day Daura was sacked met separately with Seiyefa and Magu. It is however not clear if the visits had anything to do with the impending interrogation of the sacked DSS boss.
Meanwhile, Seiyefa has formally taken over at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja.
Seiyefa held an inaugural management meeting with directors and senior officers yesterday where he promised to constitute a team that would steer the leadership of the agency.
Daily Trust reports that the Senate refused to confirm the appointment of Magu as substantive chairman of the EFCC based on two DSS reports sent to the lawmakers by Daura.
EFCC freezes bank accounts of Benue, Akwa Ibom
The EFCC has also frozen bank accounts of Benue and Akwa Ibom state governments.
Attempts to get EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, yesterday to explain why the accounts were frozen, failed.
However, sources said the accounts were frozen after the EFCC made efforts to invite some officials of government to make statements on suspicious transactions on the bank accounts, but invitations were not honoured.
Lawyers said that the EFCC is enabled by the Money Laundering Act to enforce freeze orders on bank accounts being investigated by the commission, but the orders can be challenged in court by any individual or government.
They said when the EFCC froze Ekiti State account, the governor Ayo Fayose went to court to lift, but the anti-graft agency eventually won at the Court of Appeal.
Governors condemn freezing of govt accounts
Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari has described the freezing of the account of the Benue State Government by the EFCC as unlawful.
Yari spoke yesterday when he met with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
“The freezing of any account of the state government, whether Benue or anywhere, is unconstitutional and is not right. That is shutting down government. Government must spend, most especially Benue that is facing insecurity challenges.
“Well, we don’t know why the EFCC took the action. But if indeed EFCC has frozen the account, from my point of view, it is wrong.
“But I believe this government will not sit down and oversee unlawful operations happening from the security agencies.
“From what happened yesterday, someone can understand that this government is following due process and laws of Nigeria.
“EFCC’s action in Benue is something that should be reversed,” he said.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
-
News1 week agoEid: Oseni Calls for Vigilance, Lauds Security Operatives
-
Politics6 days agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
News1 week agoOyo Abduction: SWEGOP Demands Swift Rescue of Pupils, Teachers
-
Politics1 week ago
2027: Sowore Declares War on Corruption, Clinches AAC Presidential Ticket
