This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Ejike Ndiulo, head of Corporate Communications, Air Peace, on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to Ndiulo, the decision is necessary because NiMet is the agency responsible for issuing CNH (Current Nowcast of Hazardous Weather) reports, critical for safe landings, especially during this season of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
He said without these reports from the control tower, flight safety could not be guaranteed.
“As a safety-first airline, we have chosen to act responsibly by suspending operations until NiMet resumes full service.
“We understand this may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologise. Passengers will be contacted with updates and options for rescheduling,” he said.
The staff of NiMET on Tuesday commenced an indefinite strike over the condition of service and other demands.
News
NCC Reacts to Claims of Ejecting NDC from Abuja Building
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has denied throwing out Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NDC), from its building in Abuja.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman (EVC) of NCC
NCC made the denial while reacting to a video on social media claiming it forcefully ejected NDC with gunmen.
NCC explained that the building was only cleared ahead of a presidential visit.
It said ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit, only NCC officials were accredited to have access into the building.
In a statement signed by Dr. Henry Nkemadu, director of Public Affairs, NCC said: “The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been drawn to a video making the rounds on social media alleging that the Nigeria Diaspora Commission (NDC) was thrown out of the NCC building.
“It is, therefore, important that the general public is acquiesced with what really transpired with regard to the incident leading to the evacuation of the Diaspora Commission from the NCC building.
“Following the completion of the NCC building at Mbora, Abuja designated as NCC Annex and the acute shortage of accommodation space for the staff of the Commission in the NCC Head Office at Maitama, Abuja, the Board of the Commission directed the decongestion of the Head Office Building.
“Some of the departments of the NCC had started moving to the new Office Complex of Five (5) Floors when discussions were held between the NCC and the Diaspora Commission to enable the Diaspora Commission also to utilize any free offices within the Complex.
“The fifth floor allocated to NDC had to be used to accommodate other departments from the NCC Headquarters to ease the congestion. NCC’s offer to house the NDC was predicated on the long-held position of the NCC that agencies of government will achieve more through strategic collaboration, partnership, synergy and sharing to the extent allowed by relevant laws.
“During this period, the NCC secured approval for the commissioning of the Office Complex by the President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari and the launching of four important projects of the NCC and the renamed Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMC&DE):
”The projects include the launching and unveiling of the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2020-2025; the commissioning of the Communications and Digital Economy Complex; the launching of the Emergency Communications Centre and Toll-Free number 112; and flag-off of the Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training.
”These important projects were a culmination of extensive collaboration between NCC and the other parastatals of the FMC&DE and fittingly, the Complex was renamed the COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL ECONOMY COMPLEX in tandem with the new drive of the Federal Government towards a digital economy.
“The NCC has not withdrawn the offer but had hiccups arising from the preparation for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to inaugurate the Communications and Digital Economy Complex and launch of other projects relating to the mandate of government.
“The Board and Management of the NCC took a decision to ensure that every activity in the building was in line with the Federal Government’s digital agenda.
“Incidentally, after the offer of the office spaces to the NDC, the Director General, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa had not visited the Complex to take possession of any of the offices and also the Commission had not started using any of these spaces as offices.
“As is usual in ensuring security and accountability before, during and after presidential visits, the building had to be cleared to allow for only known and identifiable persons to have access within the Complex. Therefore, the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, could not have sent armed men to drive the staff of the Diaspora Commission out of the Communications and Digital Economy Complex.”
NCC disclosed that all properties belonging to NDC have been “safely warehoused” in some of the offices in the Complex.
“At this time, only NCC staff were accredited to have access within these premises, as required by the security officials. All the property belonging to the Diaspora Commission are safely warehoused in some of the offices in the Complex.
“This is contrary to the position of the Director General of NDC that the removal of her Commission from the building was punitive. This is not the correct position and we agree with her that there are always challenges in every human activity but the unforeseen challenges that arose in this case are not different but require understanding of all concerned,” NCC added.
A federal high court in Abuja has granted permission to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and detain six Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) promoters over allegations of investment fraud to the tune of over one billion dollars.
Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, gave the order following an ex parte application moved by Fadila Yusuf, counsel to the EFCC.
In the application by the EFCC, the six suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo and Chukwuebuka Ehirim.
The commission sought an order of the court for a warrant of arrest of the defendants.
They also prayed the court for “an order remanding the defendants in the custody of the complainant/applicant pending the conclusion of investigation of the alleged offences and possible prosecution”.
Yusuf said that the defendants are at large and a warrant of arrest is required to arrest the defendants for proper investigation and prosecution of this case.
In the affidavit in support of the motion, the EFCC said preliminary investigation into the intel revealed that the defendants “using their company ST Technologies International Limited, promoted another company Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) by making adverts and lured unsuspecting members of the public to invest crypto cryptocurrencies on the CBEX investment platform”.
The EFCC said the defendants promised an unrealistic return on investment of up to 100 percent.
“The victims were made to convert their digital assets into a stablecoin of USDT for onward deposit into the suspects’ crypto wallet,” Yusuf said.
“The victims were initially given full access to the platform to monitor their investment.
“Following the deposits valued at over $1 billion by the victims, the CBEX investment platform became inaccessible to them, and they could no longer withdraw from the investment made.
“The victims later discovered that the said scheme is a scam.
“During the course of investigation, it was discovered that the said ST Technologies International Limited, though registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), it was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for investment purposes.
“It was also discovered during the investigation that the defendants had moved out of their last known address in Lagos and Ogun states.”
The anti-graft agency said obtaining a warrant of arrest was necessary in order to place the defendants on a watch list, enabling authorities to trace and apprehend the suspects to face the charges brought against them.
Nwite granted the request for a warrant of arrest and remand, adding that the order was necessary to enable the commission to apprehend the defendants and conclude its investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learned counsel for the applicant,” Nwite said.
“I have also gone through the affidavit evidence with exhibits thereto, along with the written address.
“I am of the view and I so hold that the application is meritorious.
“Consequently, the application is granted as prayed.”
Earlier in April, reports emerged that CBEX users could no longer withdraw their funds.
On Monday, angry investors stormed and looted the office of Smart Treasure (ST Team), an affiliate of CBEX, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The EFCC recently confirmed receiving multiple complaints about the platform.
Dele Oyewale, the commission spokesperson, assured affected investors that efforts were underway to recover their funds.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is pleased to announce the inaugural meeting of the Startup Consultative Forum, scheduled for Monday April 28, 2025 This milestone event marks a significant step in deepening stakeholder engagement within Nigeria’s growing startup ecosystem.
The Forum will serve as an interactive platform for startup founders, innovators, ecosystem enablers, and intermediaries to actively shape national policies that foster growth, attract investment, and drive digital innovation.
Convened under the framework of the Nigeria Startup Act (NSA), this initiative reflects the government’s commitment to making startups not just stakeholders but key contributors in building an enabling environment for innovation.
The meeting will emphasize collaborative dialogue, with a primary focus on nominating and selecting representatives for the National Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Startup Council)—Nigeria’s highest advisory body for the startup ecosystem. Decisions from this Forum will lay the foundation for inclusive policy development, amplifying the voices of Nigeria’s tech and innovation community.
NITDA invites all Labelled Startups, Verified Entrepreneurial and Innovation Support Organisations, Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, and other relevant stakeholders to join the Forum and actively participate in the nomination and voting process.
Join us in shaping the future of digital innovation in Nigeria. Together, we can build a thriving ecosystem that supports and celebrates the pioneering spirit of Nigerian startups.
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