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Okonjo Kidnap: $1 billion Ransom Demand Dismissed by Law Enforcement
According to Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, the Commissioner of Police, these demands were not to the knowledge of the police.
Foreign news agency, reported that someone, possibly one of the kidnappers, had made the demand in a phone call on Monday. However, there was no way of confirming the genuineness of the phone call.
“We have to identify the source of the call. Anybody can make spurious calls and demands,” said Delta State Police spokesman, Sergie Ezegam, without giving details of who was contacted or what was demanded.
“We still don’t know the reason for her abduction. What we know is that this is a crime, the woman’s life is in danger and we are making frantic efforts to rescue her.”
The mother of the Finance Minister was kidnapped on Sunday afternoon from her home in Ogwashi-Uku by eight men who invaded her husband’s palace.
Not long after their arrest, the police disclosed that they had already obtained valuable information about the kidnappers and were hot on their heels.
“We have been able to rescue about 40 victims before,” Aduba said.
Also, the Chief Superintendent Frank Mba, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, said that detectives were working on certain clues and was secure in the knowledge that there will soon be a breakthrough in the investigation.
He also said that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had directed Aduba to do everything possible to make sure that the wife of the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku was released soon.
The police spokesperson also appealed to the people of Ogwashi-Uku to provide information to the police to assist them in the investigation, while assuring them that their queen would soon be released.
Meanwhile, there was anxiety at the Ministry of Finance over the abduction with mixed feelings observed among the workers. While lower cadre staff discussed the abduction in gatherings in hushed tones, the senior workers went around their normal activities.
The development did not also stop normal work from being carried out in the seven-storey complex of the ministry, which also houses the Budget Office of the Federation, as people with business transactions completed them in good time.
The Minister of Finance was said to have reported briefly to work early in the morning. However, she was in a pensive mood.
Her spokesperson, Paul Nwabiakwu, could not give any comments as calls placed to his phone went unanswered.
Also, the Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has enjoined the people of Ogwashi-Uku and the Okonjo royal family not to take the law into their hands.
He stated this on Monday when he visited the family, saying that law enforcement agencies were already gathering information which will enable them track down the criminals and ensure her safe return.
He charged the community leaders, vigilance groups to remain calm and not to take any action that may prompt the kidnappers to act in rash manner.
“Please do not get involved in rumours mongering and trading stories that will not help law-enforcement agents. Only information that will help in her rescue is needed now,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a stakeholders group in the state, The People’s Movement, has condemned the kidnap, calling it barbaric and unreasonable.
The leaders in a statement signed by the Director of Communications of the People’s Movement, Mrs. Ibifuro Tatua, said they were disgusted at the “Gestapo” like manner in which the kidnappers we
The pull of market forces which moved the hands of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to N880 per litre in Lagos and N935 in Abuja appears to be a source of torture to independent markets.
Biztellers reports that the latest price review on Easter Monday saw NNPC retail outlets in Lagos drop from N925 to N880, while those in Abuja adjusted from N950 to N935.
The NNPC Ltd’s price reduction came barely a week after the Dangote Refinery lowered its ex-depot price from N865 to N835 per litre.
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In addition, the $20bn refinery also directed its partners like MRS, Heyden, and Ardova to sell a litre of petrol at the rate of N890 instead of N920 in Lagos, N900 in the South West, N910 in the South-South, and N920 in the North East.
Consumers can smile because with the reaction, the NNPC Ltd’s new price in Lagos is N10 lower than what the Dangote Refinery is selling at, which might lead to another reaction, as the price war between the two companies.
Though some NNPC Ltd’s retail outlets were observed selling at the old rate in Lagos, it was gathered that they were given the liberty to exhaust old stock before adjusting to the new prices.
Market sources are of the view that the current price war was ignited by the Federal Government’s implementation of the Naira-for-crude policy.
Gold soared to a record high of $3,500 an ounce on Tuesday, as mounting fears over a potential U.S. recession and escalating tensions between President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve drove investors toward the traditional safe-haven asset.
The precious metal briefly touched an all-time high of $3,500.10 an ounce before retreating slightly to trade at $3,467.87.
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The rally marks the latest in a string of record-breaking gains for gold, fueled by a weakening U.S. dollar, sharp declines across global stock markets, and growing concerns over the health of the world economy.
Market sentiment took another hit this week after President Trump ramped up his trade war with China, slapping fresh tariffs on the world’s second-largest economy and intensifying fears of prolonged economic disruption.
Gold has surged more than 30 percent since the start of the year as investors seek refuge from mounting market volatility.
“The rally reflects ongoing recession fears in the U.S. economy and heightened political tensions, especially as President Donald Trump continues to attack Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell,” said Rania Gule, senior market analyst at trading group XS.com.
Concerns about the Fed’s independence were further stoked Monday, when Trump publicly lashed out at Powell on social media, branding him a “major loser” for not cutting interest rates — a move the president has repeatedly demanded.
The sharp criticism follows Trump’s recent suggestion that he might attempt to remove Powell from his post.
Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation from the board on Monday, marking a significant moment in the organization’s history.
Schwab, who has been at the helm of the WEF for over five decades, confirmed he was stepping down from his position as Chair and leaving the Board of Trustees with immediate effect.
“I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect,” Schwab said, noting that the decision comes as he approaches his 88th year.
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His resignation follows his stepping down as executive chairman in 2024, when former Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende took over the day-to-day operations.
In response, WEF appointed Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe as interim chairman while a search committee was formed to find a permanent successor.
The WEF board lauded Schwab’s immense contributions, acknowledging his “outstanding achievements” over his 55-year leadership tenure.
“At a time when the world is undergoing rapid transformation, the need for inclusive dialogue to navigate complexity and shape the future has never been more critical,” the WEF stated.
“Building on its trusted role, the Forum will continue to bring together leaders from all sectors and regions to exchange insights and foster collaboration.”
Schwab, originally from Ravensburg, Germany, founded the precursor to the WEF, the European Management Forum, in 1971.
The first meeting drew fewer than 500 participants, but over the years, Schwab expanded the gathering into a prestigious platform that now attracts thousands of influential figures.
The Davos summit has become synonymous with global power brokers, offering opportunities for high-level networking, discussion, and collaboration on issues affecting the world.
Under Schwab’s leadership, the WEF grew to include regional meetings and established centers dedicated to pressing global topics such as cybersecurity, climate change, and financial systems.
The organization continues to uphold its mission of “improving the state of the world” by fostering dialogue and cooperation.
However, the WEF and Schwab have not been without their critics. Many argue that the forum has become a venue for corporate elites to exert influence over governments, with the term “Davos Man” often used to describe the affluent attendees.
Schwab has also faced the ire of conspiracy theorists, particularly following his promotion of the “Great Reset” following the COVID-19 pandemic.
These theorists have spread misinformation, alleging that Schwab and the WEF are part of a global elite aiming to control the world, with even Elon Musk weighing in on social media, claiming Schwab “wants to be emperor of Earth.”
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