By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Lamido Yuguda as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, describing him as “a square peg in a square hole.”

The confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, which cleared the nominee after a brief screening process.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Adetokunbo Abiru, told the chamber that Yuguda was qualified for the position based on his extensive experience and in line with Section 8(1) of the CBN Act.

According to him, the nominee demonstrated strong financial and monetary expertise during his screening earlier in the day and had no petitions against him.

He said the committee found him suitable and urged the Senate to confirm his nomination as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The motion for confirmation was seconded by Danjuma Goje, who declared, “President Bola Tinubu made the right choice on the appointment.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, subsequently put the question to a voice vote, with lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsing the nomination.

In his remarks after the approval, Akpabio described Yuguda as “a square peg in a square hole” and commended Bola Tinubu for what he termed a fitting appointment.

Earlier, the nominee was spared detailed questioning during his appearance before the committee, as lawmakers invoked the “take a bow and go” tradition.

Although Abiru had initially indicated interest in subjecting Yuguda to questions on monetary and fiscal policy, the move was halted by Osita Izunaso, who moved a motion to dispense with the exercise.

The motion, seconded by Sarafadeen Alli, was based on Yuguda’s prior engagements with the Senate.

Izunaso argued that the nominee was already well known to lawmakers, having been screened multiple times for key positions, including Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission and roles within the apex bank.

He said, “Mr Chairman and Distinguished colleagues, in line with our tradition, the nominee before us for the position of Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is well known to us, having screened him three different times in the past for some other very important positions like Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and member of the monetary control of CBN.

“Personally, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, I had close interaction with Mr Yuguda as DG SEC and found him eminently suitable for the position of Deputy Governor of CBN nominated by President Tinubu,” he said.

Yuguda’s confirmation comes amid ongoing efforts to strengthen leadership at the Central Bank and deepen confidence in Nigeria’s monetary policy framework.

Residents of Hayin Danmani, a community along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Bypass in Kaduna State, have decried the recurring loss of lives on the highway, threatening to stage a protest and block the road if the government does not take immediate action.

In a joint press statement, the community said many lives have been lost between 2025 and 2026, with most of the victims being residents of Hayin Danmani.

The community lamented the frequent accidents on the bypass, alleging that no concrete measures have been taken by authorities to address the situation.

“Enough is enough. We will not tolerate this anymore. Our people are being killed on the Kaduna Western Bypass, and nothing has been done,” the statement read.

“If this continues, we will not fold our arms while our people are losing their lives. The next line of action is a protest. We will mobilize our community members to come out en masse to protest and block the road until the government does the needful.”

The community cited a recent incident on Tuesday, where a young man identified as Mr. Dauda, reportedly a soldier, was killed after being hit by a trailer. He died instantly.

The recognised leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Republic of Niger Chapter (NANS-RN), has distanced itself from one Abubakar Muhammad Uwaisu, accusing him of falsely parading himself as the “National President” of the association.
In a press disclaimer issued by the association’s Secretary General, Comrade Mustapha Y. Haruna, the group described Uwaisu’s claim as “false, baseless, and a deliberate act of impersonation and misrepresentation.”

The association stated that Uwaisu “is not, and has never been” its president, urging the public, media organisations, government agencies, and diplomatic stakeholders to disregard any statements or representations made by him in that capacity.

NANS-RN further alleged that Uwaisu lacks the qualifications and institutional backing required to assume any leadership role within the body, noting that leadership within the association is based on due process, legitimacy, and the confidence of its members.

The statement also raised concerns about alleged conduct attributed to Uwaisu, including remarks directed at Musa S. Mamman, Secretary General of the Nigeria–Niger Joint Commission, whom the association described as a respected diplomat with a record of national service.

The association cautioned key institutions such as the National Youth Service Corps and the Federal Ministry of Education against engaging with Uwaisu under any official pretence, emphasising that he does not represent Nigerian students in the Republic of Niger.

Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the integrity and unity of the student body, the leadership said it would pursue all lawful measures to safeguard the association’s image.

It also urged stakeholders to verify official communications through recognised NANS-RN channels to avoid being misled.