Tag: USA

Lagos: FBI pursues Yahoo Boy for defrauding U.S. President Trump of 2025 inauguration funds

Aminu Imam
FBI pursues

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize property belonging to Lagos-based fraudster Ehiremen Aigbokhan for stealing more than ₦460 million in funds meant for U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration. The FBI is also actively pursuing an arrest warrant for Aigbokhan in connection with a cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted a donor intending to contribute to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. According to legal filings, Aigbokhan and his co-conspirators carried out a sophisticated fraudulent operation using the notorious Business Email Compromise…

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Iran’s bombing: US lawmakers call for Trump’s impeachment 

Aminu Imam
US lawmakers call

There are calls for US President Donald Trump to be impeached over his “unconstitutional” move to bomb top nuclear facilities in Iran. Democrats have responded with uproar to the US attacks, but President Trump also faces criticism from within his own party, including prominent Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has spoken against the strikes. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, was among the US politicians to respond to Mr Trump’s announcement of “successful” attacks on Iran. “The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorisation is a grave…

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Cybercrimes Act: US, EU Envoys urge reform

Aminu Imam
EU US

 …Warns of threat to free speech Diplomatic envoys from the United States, United Kingdom, Finland, Norway, and Canada have called on the Nigerian government to urgently reform the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, warning that its vague provisions are being misused to suppress free speech and threaten democratic accountability. In a joint Democracy Day statement issued yesterday, the diplomats praised Nigeria’s 26 years of uninterrupted democratic rule but expressed deep concern over the increasing application of the Cybercrimes Act to target journalists, activists, and citizens expressing dissent online. The statement was…

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US remittance tax threatens Nigeria’s FX inflows

Aminu Imam
FX inflows

Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings face a new threat as the US Congress considers a 5% tax on diaspora remittances. The proposed bill, introduced by House Republicans, targets money transfers abroad and could reduce funds sent to countries like Nigeria. The tax, payable by senders and collected quarterly by the US Treasury, exempts verified US citizens and remittances sent through authorized channels. A final House vote is expected before May 26. The US remains the world’s top source of remittances, with $79 billion sent abroad in 2022. Nigeria received $20.1 billion,…

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U.S. Court orders release of seized $6m arms funds to Nigeria

Aminu Imam
U.S. Court orders

Nigeria has successfully reclaimed over $6 million from the United States  (US) government, following a prolonged legal battle spanning nearly a decade. The funds were originally seized in 2014 after an arms broker, Dolarian Capital Inc. (DCI), attempted to supply military equipment to Nigeria without the necessary U.S. government license. The U.S. authorities cited a violation of the Arms Export Control Act, leading to the seizure. On December 23, 2024, the U.S. District Court for Eastern California ruled in favour of Nigeria, issuing a permanent order of forfeiture and confirming…

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ExxonMobil proposes $10bn investment in Nigerias Deepwater oil

Aminu Imam
ExxonMobil proposes

U.S. oil supermajor, ExxonMobil, has proposed an investment of $10 billion in Nigerias deepwater oil resource development. According to the spokesman and senior special assistant to the Vice-President, Stanley Nkwocha, in a statement issued yesterday, Vice-President, Kashim Shettima welcomed ExxonMobil’s proposed $10 billion investment in Nigeria’s deep-water oil operations, describing it as a clear testament to the administration’s economic reforms and investment-friendly policies, said the statement. Recall that Shettima, on Wednesday, held a high-level meeting with ExxonMobil executives on the sidelines of the on-going 79th Session of the United Nations…

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US Elections: New York Times asks Biden to leave presidential race

Aminu Imam
NY Times on Biden

Americas most influential newspaper, The New York Times, called in an editorial on Friday for President Joe Biden to step aside and allow another Democrat to challenge Donald Trump for the White House in November. Describing Biden as the shadow of a great public servant, the newspapers editorial board which is separate from its newsroom said Thursdays debate between the president and Trump proved the 81-year-old failed his own test. His determination to run again is a reckless gamble, it said, adding: the greatest public service Mr. Biden…

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US military eyes West Africa as Plan-B after ouster from Niger

Aminu Imam
Flintlock 2018 Training in Agadez, Niger

A top U.S. general is making a rare trip to Africa to discuss ways to preserve some of the U.S. presence in West Africa after the Republic of Niger decided to kick-out the U.S. military in favour of partnering with Russia in a major setback for Washington. Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, told reporters before landing in Botswana on Monday for a gathering of African Chiefs of Defense, that he was going to speak with several partners in the region. I do…

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US Congress members visit Binance employee detained in Nigeria, seek his release

Aminu Imam
Binance employee

Two United States (US) members of Congress, Representative French Hill and Representative Chrissy Houlahan, visited detained American citizen and Binance employee, Tigran Gambaryan, at the Kuje Detention facility on June 19th 2024 and have posted a video on social media calling for his release, according to a statement. Announcing the visit on his X account, Representative Hill  (Republican), said, Yesterday, @RepHoulahan and I visited with US citizen, Tigran Gambaryan, in Kuje Prison in Nigeria. We found him suffering from the conditions there, as he has malaria and double pneumonia, and…

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Five US researchers foresee Nigeria becoming a failed State in 2030

Aminu Imam
US Researchers

A group of five United States of America (US) academics have authored a research work on: “Failed State 2023, Nigeria – A Case Study”, and revealed that Nigeria, as an independent country, can fail for number of reasons. The academics, Col Christopher J. Kinnan, Daniel B. Gordon, Col Mark D. Delong, Douglas W. Jaquish and Col Reuben S. McAllum, who are both Staff of Center for strategy and technology (CSAT), Air University Maxwell Air Force Base , Alabama 36112, USA, came up with the occasional paper series established by the…

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