Bloomberg: Nigeria May Suspend Import Levies on Food to Ease Inflation Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Nigeria is considering suspending import duties on staple food, drugs and other essential items
for six months to slow inflation in Africa’s most-populous nation, Bloomberg reported yesterday. The government may also waive levies on fertilisers, poultry
feed, flour and grains, according to a document seen by the news medium that has been sent to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his consideration.
As part of a plan to get its finances in order, the administration will also stop borrowing from the central bank through so-called ways and means advances.
Tinubu, who completed a year in office on May 29, is under pressure to ease the cost of living in Nigeria after inflation accelerated to 33.7 per cent in
April, the fastest pace in 28 years. Previous attempts haven’t worked. Surging prices and a Continued on page 9
Atiku Challenges Tinubu to Come Clean on Fuel Subsidy Payment... Page 8
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PDP Counters Atiku, Obi Alliance Discussions, Denies Merger Talks with Any Political Party... Page 36
FG Insists Binance Executive Complicit as 16 US Lawmakers Accuse Nigeria of Taking Him Hostage Congressmen write Biden, want urgent action
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The federal government yester-
day maintained that a Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan, had a case
to answer after US lawmakers accused Nigeria of taking him “hostage” and urged President Joe
Biden to help secure his release. Sixteen Republican congressmen, including Chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul, wrote to Biden to have the case of Gambaryan
referred to the Office of the Special Continued on page 9
Probe Panel Accuses El-Rufai of Diverting N423bn, Ex-Gov Says He Served with Integrity Accuses ex-gov of reckless award of contracts without due process Alleged authorising humongous withdrawals of naira, dollar cash with no records of utilisation, denied state of resources for development
John Shiklam in Kaduna The ad- hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded by the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has recommended that the ex-governor should be investigated by appropriate law enforcement agencies for alleged diversion of funds and money
laundering. But in a swift reaction to the committee’s report, El-Rufai dismissed the allegation as scandalous, saying he served the state with integrity. Presenting its report yesterday at plenary, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Henry Zacharia, said most of the loans obtained Continued on page 9
Int’l Human Rights Commission’s Chief Eyo souvenir for IFC boss... Managing Director, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mr. Makhtar Diop receiving a souvenir from Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Tips Enugu as 4th UN Headquarters... Page 5 L-R: Sanwo-Olu during a meeting at the Lagos House, Marina, Lagos... yesterday