Afternoon Recap: El-Rufai arrest drama, Otedola projects naira may hit ₦1,000/$, other top stories
Security agents attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at Abuja Airport amid discussions about the naira's potential decline against the dollar.
In a dramatic incident at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, security agents reportedly tried to apprehend former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai upon his return from Cairo, Egypt. El-Rufai resisted the attempt, demanding a formal invitation to the authorities. This situation comes against the backdrop of heightened political tensions in Nigeria, reflecting the ongoing struggles regarding governance and accountability in the country.
Meanwhile, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has projected that the Nigerian naira may depreciate to below ₦1,000 to the dollar before the year ends, attributing this potential decline to the anticipated full operational capacity of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Otedola's comments highlight the significant economic challenges facing Nigeria, particularly the impact of exchange rates on the broader economy and the influence of local industrial developments on currency stability.
In other notable news, a judge has recused himself from a high-profile ₦213 billion asset forfeiture suit involving former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami among others, raising questions about judicial independence in sensitive cases. Additionally, the recap mentions a tragic accident in Lagos where a man died after a truck collided with their car, serving as a grim reminder of the ongoing issues related to road safety in Nigeria.