Author: Farouk Abbas

THE Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Wednesday, adjourned trial in the alleged money laundering case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to 3rd, 24th April, and 6th May, 2024. Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the case for continuation of hearing after the first witness, Fabian Nworah, a property developer, was called to testify. When the matter was called for hearing, the Prosecution Counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that he had five witnesses to call for the day. But Justice Anenih said she could only take one witness as she had other things lined up.…

THE Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has initiated legal action against activist Omoyele Sowore over comments he made on social media, referring to Egbetokun as an “illegal IG.” Sowore is facing three charges related to Cybercrime under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024. According to the charges, filed in a suit marked FCH/ABJ/23/25, Egbetokun accused Sowore of intentionally and knowingly sending messages through his verified Twitter account, where he referred to the IG as “illegal IGP Kayode Egbetokun.” The police allege that these publications were false and aimed at causing a breakdown of law…

THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the claim by the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration was paying out N50 million to some opposition figures to destabilize opposition political parties in Nigeria. APC, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Mr Felix Morka, particularly described the claim attributed to Atiku at a conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held in Abuja as simply bogus and laughable. APC argued that Atiku’s political desperation was responsible for what it termed “the PDP’s…

FORMER Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken a hard swipe at his party, the All Progressives Congress, accusing it of abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership. Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday, El-Rufai described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency.” El-Rufai, who posted the report on his X handle on Tuesday, lamented the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the APC, saying, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC,…

THOUGH the two countries are 11,472 km apart, the United States’ foreign assistance policy has traditionally raked in significant aid to Nigeria, with the highest sum of $1.16 billion spent in 2022, and $767 million in 2024. Recall that the U.S. government announced a freeze on almost all new funding for foreign assistance programmes, with exceptions for allies Israel and Egypt. The order from the U.S. State Department at the weekend also includes exceptions for emergency food programmes, but not health programmes that supporters say provide vital, life-saving services. Humanitarian organisations have expressed shock at the directive, voicing fears that…

THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has debunked rumoured the arrest of the Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi clarified that he was invited for questioning following a petition against him. The statement reads in parts: “The Nigeria Police Force has taken note of recent claims made by Mr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, the Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, regarding his alleged arrest by police authorities. “We wish to clarify that Mr. Magaji was not arrested; instead, he was invited by…

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is worried that many students’ poor performance on campuses betrays their excellent results gotten from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), and other examination bodies suggesting possible manipulations. In a letter to secondary school teachers, private school owners and parents seen by this newspaper, ASUU asked that students should be helped by ensuring that they write senior certificate examinations themselves, and merit their grades. “We are tired of seeing students with A1 in Mathematics but cannot solve the smallest of fractions in the subject,” ASUU said in the letter. “We’re tired of seeing…

THE Statistician General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran yesterday revealed that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is rebasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), noting it is to reflect of the current structure of the country’s economy. He made this known during the Sensitization Workshop on the Rebasing of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Consumer Prices Index (CPI) Organised by BudgiT, Abuja. He said the efforts at rebasing the economic indicators are not to please anyone but to ensure accurate measurements. His said: “As we finalize this process of the rebasing of our GDP…

A FORMER presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore has arrived the Force Headquarters in Abuja to honour a police invitation. Sowore arrived at the police headquarters around 9.45 am on Monday with his lawyer and some supporters. The Nigeria Police Force summoned Sowore for questioning last week. The invitation, dated January 23, 2025 was signed by CP Ibitoye Rufus Alajide on behalf of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID). The invitation letter reads: “This office is investigating case of resisting and obstructing public officers, disobedience to lawful order, acts intended to cause…

FOUR major banks are on the brink of having their Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services cut off today due to unpaid debts to telecom operators as five others pay up. Despite a January 15, 2025, warning from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which granted operators the green light to disconnect the banks over outstanding payments, these financial giants have yet to meet their obligations, risking widespread disruption to mobile banking services that millions of Nigerians rely on daily. As of the close of work on Friday, January 24, the four banks had yet to make substantial commitments towards repaying…

UNITED Airlines has said it is working with aviation authorities in Nigeria and the United States to ascertain the cause of its recent incident. Recalled that on Thursday, a United Airlines flight from Lagos, Nigeria to Washington D.C. returned to Lagos after a technical issue and an unexpected aircraft movement. The aircraft landed in Lagos and four passengers and two flight attendants were seen at a hospital for minor injuries and have been released. In a statement by the airline, it said, “We are working with aviation authorities in the U.S. and Nigeria to understand the cause.” The Boeing 787-8…

SUBSCRIBER groups have issued an ultimatum to the Nigerian Communications Commission, demanding the reversal of the 50 per cent tariff hike to 10 per cent by Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers and the Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria have also criticised the Nigerian Labour Congress for its planned protest, urging the union to focus on its core mandate of protecting workers’ welfare. While both advocacy groups recognise the financial burden posed by the tariff hike, particularly given the prevailing economic difficulties in the country, they oppose the NLC’s proposed protest…

THE Senate has alleged that some retired military generals might be responsible for illegal mining activities across Nigeria, which continue to undermine the country’s efforts to diversify its economy. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, made this allegation during the budget presentation by Senator Sampson Ekong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, to the Senate Committee on Appropriation. Oshiomhole expressed frustration over the Federal Government’s inaction, urging President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address the illegal mining crisis decisively. He compared the situation to the government’s robust measures against illegal oil bunkering in…

A UNITED Airlines flight, a Boeing 787-8 outbound from Lagos to Washington Dulles, on Thursday, declared an emergency mid-air, forcing the captain to make a compulsory return to Lagos. Having established a return track to Lagos, this newspaper gathered that the aircraft crew maintained the emergency transponder code 7700 (Emergency signal) with the control tower till it landed. The aircraft, initially bound for Washington Dulles International Airport with registered N27903, is an over 13-year-old widebody aircraft belonging to the US carrier United Airlines. It had 245 passengers, eighty flight attendants, and three pilots on board. Many of those on board…

A FEDERAL High Court (FHC) in Abuja yesterday gave an order proscribing the Lakurawa sect and other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, especially in the Northwest and Northcentral. In a ruling on the ex-parte originating summons filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the FHC Judge, Justice James Omotosho, also declared the group as a terror organisation. The judge declared: “It is hereby ordered as follows: •That an order is hereby made declaring the activities of the Lakurawa Sect and other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, especially…

A HIGH Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama heard on Thursday that the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika approved the award of contracts to a company – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited – in which his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika and son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma have interests. News Point Nigeria reports that a former Director, Procurement at Ministry of Aviation, Musa Odiniyan said this while testifying on Thursday as the fifth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Sirika, Fatima, Jalal and Al Buraq Global on a six-count charge bordering on corrupt practices. In the…

THE House Committee on Public Accounts is beaming its searchlight on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Shell Petroleum over alleged money laundering, fraudulent deductions, and other financial crimes by their staffs. The committee, chaired by Mr Mike Etaba, dropped the hint during the hearing of a petition by Maiden Systems Ltd against Sterling Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Shell Petroleum in Abuja. The lawmaker, who received the police report on the issue Wednesday, assured that justice would be duly served to all the parties concerned in the matter. Presenting the report before the committee, the representatives…

A BUREAU de Change (BDC) operator says it received over ₦22 billion from the Federal Ministry of Power, implicating the ministry in an alleged ₦33.8 billion fraud. This came to the fore during the trial of Saleh Mamman, former Minister of Power, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The trial, presided over by James Omotosho (Justice) resumed on Wednesday, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presenting its eighth witness, Abdullahi Suleman, a BDC operator. The revelations were contained in a statement signed by Dele Odewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC. According to the statement,…

KADUNA State Governor, Uba Sani, has reinstated Jonathan Paragua Zamuna, the dethroned paramount chief of Piriga Chiefdom in Lere Local Government Area, in compliance with court orders. This newspaper reports that the National Industrial Court in Kaduna nullified Chief Zamuna’s removal and deposition on 14 June 2024. Speaking to a gathering of traditional rulers on Thursday, 5 July 2024, Governor Sani affirmed his commitment to implementing the court’s judgment, which set aside the dethronement. Sani’s predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, had dethroned the monarch on 22 May 2023, just days before the end of his tenure. During the reinstatement ceremony at the…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has revealed that the efforts of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) have led to the prosecution and conviction of over 100 terrorist financiers in the last two years. Tinubu made this revelation yesterday in Abuja at the National Anti-Money Laundering, Combating Terrorism Financing and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) Compliance Summit, organised by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, Tinubu noted that through the AML/CFT strategy, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and the National Drug Control Master…