Four Nigerian Banks Among Global Top 500 Banking Brands

First Bank of Nigeria ranks 320 in the 2016 top 500 banking brands ranking published by the Banker Magazine of Financial Times Group.

The bank moved up the scale 16 places from 336th position in 2015 to retain its number one banking brand ranking in Nigeria for the fifth consecutive year.

A press release from the country representative of the Banker Magazine in Nigeria, Kunle Ogedengbe, added that three other Nigerian banks also made the ranking.

They are Guaranty Trust Bank which moved to 389th position, Zenith Bank at 392nd, and United Bank for Africa at the 447th position.

Access Bank that made the ranking at 496th position in 2015 dropped from the 2016 ranking.

According to The Banker magazine, Nigeria has the highest brand value increase of $249m among the five countries in Africa that made the ranking.

Egypt moved up by $239m; Togo gained $134m while South Africa and Morocco lost $878mn and $213m.

The top 10 banks in the world are Well Fargo (USA); ICBC (China); China Construction Bank; Agricultural Bank of China; Chase (USA); Bank of China; Bank of America; Citi (USA); HSBC (UK); and Barclays (UK).

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BUSTED: NDLEA Uncovers Global Hard Drugs Syndicate

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a popular businessman (names withheld), alleged to be leader of an international drug trafficking organisation, who recruits and sponsors couriers to China, Malaysia, Turkey and Italy.

The arrest of the 37-year-old suspect reportedly followed the agency’s discovery of three laboratories used for the illegal production of methamphetamine in his home town in Anambra State.

Addressing journalists yesterday on the arrest described as the latest outstanding operational success recorded by the anti-narcotic agency, the Chairman/Chief Executive, NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, disclosed that surveillance indicated that the suspect shuttled between his country home and Isolo, Lagos State, residence.

He said: “He hides under the cover of motorcycle parts business in running a drug cell that has international affiliation.

“He specialises in recruiting and sponsoring drug couriers to China, Malaysia and Turkey. He also pays his couriers an average of $5,000 per trip.

“The suspect has two Nigeria international passports and one Ghanaian passport, all bearing his photographs with different names. Two other passports belonging to suspected drug couriers were also seized.

“He hired one Raphael, who is a professional methanphetamine cook to work for him. He pays him N500,000 for his service and N700,000 for the purchase of precursor chemicals per production circle.

“The production capacity per cycle is 14kg. As a result of the indicting surveillance report, he was arrested in his home country.”

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