Author: Abimbola Daniels

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered a combined sum of N27,184,357,524.52 and $19,084,419.33 from three different money laundering cases, as further efforts are being made by the anti-graft agency to recover more illicit funds. The anti-graft agency said it would soon make public, details of its ongoing probe of some former governors, ex-ministers, and several government officials across the federation, following the receipt of several petitions. This newspaper reports that the anti-graft agency is also carrying out ongoing investigations into some monumental procurement fraud involving some officials of the Federal Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Agriculture.…

JUSTICE Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, convicted two members of a group of pipeline vandals for the murder of seven operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS). The duo, Clement Ododomu and Tiwei Monday, were convicted after Justice Oshodi found them guilty of a 10-count charge of murder and possession of firearms contrary to Sections 223 and 298 (3) of the Criminal Law, Cap. C. A Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015. The court found Ododomu (first defendant) guilty of conspiracy to murder, murder and possession of firearms with intent…

THE National Examinations Council, on Tuesday, released the results of the 2023 Internal Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination with a record of 61.60 per cent of candidates scoring five credits and above, including English and Mathematics. However, the examination council disclosed that 93 schools were found to be involved in whole-school (mass) cheating while 52 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting during the examinations. The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while announcing the release of the results of the examination. Wushishi said the erring schools would be…

NO fewer than 310 Lagos State citizens who went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem have been evacuated after Palestinian group HAMAS’ Saturday morning surprise attack on Israel. Sharing photos of the indigenes at baggage reclaim Tuesday, presumably upon their arrival, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu posted on X, “I’m happy to announce that we have successfully airlifted and returned all three hundred and ten (310) citizens who went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Israel. “I want to thank you all for your concern and I must also express my joy to our Ministry of Home Affairs for a job well done. We pray…

THE Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square annex, Igbosere, Lagos island has convicted and sentenced to death by hanging, a suspended Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Vandi for the murder of Lagos-based lawyer Mrs Omobolanle Raheem. Justice Ibironke Harrison held that the prosecution, the Lagos State Government, has proven the case against the convict beyond all reasonable doubt. “The court finds the defendant guilty on one count of murder. You will be hanged by the neck till you are dead.” the judge held. On January 16, the Lagos State Government arraigned Vandi before the court for…

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, said it intercepted eight trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice and others worth N1.76 billion in September. The acting Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Mr Adewale Adeniyi, said this at a news conference on Friday in Lagos. Adeniyi said the seizures took place at various times and locations within the border corridors of the five South-West states. He added that the unit generated N72.8 million in revenue through meticulous documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on those that paid lesser amounts than the appropriate customs duty.…

MANY petroleum products depots are currently deserted due to lack of products caused by foreign exchange rate volatility, as the landing cost of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, has increased to N720/litre, oil marketers said on Thursday. Petroleum products’ dealers also stated that filling stations were shutting down daily in large numbers, as it was becoming increasingly tough to run the business. They said this could lead to widespread fuel scarcity in coming months. It was further gathered that the landing cost of PMS into Nigeria had increased to N720/litre, up from N651/litre in August this year. Speaking at…

THE Nigeria National Chess Championship (NCC) is the biggest and most important chess event in Nigeria. It is the determinant of the Nigeria National Chess Champion and the Nigeria National Women’s Chess Champion. Hundreds of players and thousands of visitors participate in this annual chess event which runs for eight days. Orchid-Lekki Chess Club (OLCC) hosts the Nigeria National Chess Championship on behalf of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF). In the last three years, the quality and influence of the Nigeria National Chess Championship has improved and grown significantly, leading to faster development of the sport in Nigeria. The championship…

THE Lagos State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has affirmed the return of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected governor of the state. In a unanimous judgment read by Justice Mikail Abdullahi on behalf of the three-man panel on Monday, the tribunal held that the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate Olajide Adediran lacks merit, and the same is accordingly dismissed. In reaching the verdict, the court first dwelt on the preliminary objections raised by the parties before considering the issues raised for determination. The tribunal entertained the question of whether it had the competence…

THE Lagos State Governorship Election Petition sitting in Ikeja has described candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 election, Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor, as “busybody”. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election. Dissatisfied, Jandor and Labour Party’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vovour had headed for the tribunal. While ruling on the petition of Jandor that Sanwo-Olu was not qualified to contest the election because he was improperly nominated and supported by his party, the tribunal held that it could not decide on…

THE Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal is set to deliver judgment on Monday on the petitions filed by the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and his counterpart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor. News Point Nigeria reports that, Justice Arum Ashom-led panel communicated this message to parties on Saturday. Rhodes-Vivour and Jandor are challenging the return of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 governorship elections in Lagos State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On August 12, lawyers…

AT least 34 people were killed when a contraband fuel dump burst into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria, a government official said on Saturday. “A serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji,” Interior Minister Alassane Seidou told reporters. Seme Podji is a town bodering Nigeria. “Unfortunately we have 34 deaths including two babies. Their bodies are charred because the cause of the fire is smuggled fuel.” The minister said another 20 people were being treated in hospital, including some in a serious condition. News Point Nigeria reports that, Nigeria is a major oil and…

THE Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has advised the Chairman of Arik Air, Johnson Arumemi-Ikide, to present a reasonable debt recovery plan in order to recover the airline. Managing Director of AMCON, Mr Ahmed Kuru, gave the advice at a media interactive session in Lagos State. This newspaper recalls that AMCON, the special debt recovery vehicle of the Federal Government, took over Arik Air in February 2017. The take over was part of measures to “save” the airline from “imminent collapse” citing gross mismanagement by Arik owners, and debt above N300 billion. Arumemi-Ikide, in July had attempted to reclaim…

FORMER President, Olusegun Obasanjo, says he stands by his position on the Oyo State traditional rulers whom he accused of disrespecting Governor Seyi Makinde. Last Friday, Obasanjo, at the opening of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology College of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources in Iseyin, Oyo State, stoked controversy when he humiliated monarchs in attendance at the event. He was angry that the monarchs failed to honour Makinde when he mounted the podium to speak. Obasanjo ordered all the traditional rulers to stand up, a development which has generated outrage across the country most especially in Yorubaland. The Oluwo…

AT least two persons are currently battling for life at a private hospital after a school-turned-residential building in the Ketu area of Lagos partially collapsed on Sunday. The building housing over 800 rooms with hundreds of residents known as Agboye Estate on Oduntan Street, Ketu, first caved in on Saturday afternoon following hours of rainfall that greeted most parts of Lagos. On Sunday afternoon, as residents were still trying to salvage their belongings, the building crumbled again, destroying another structure inside the compound before collapsing completely. The development sent panic across the area, forcing hundreds of families and individuals residing…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Friday nominated Olayemi Michael Cardoso as the substantive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). “President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Dr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso to serve as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate,” presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said. Tinubu also nominated persons to serve as deputy governors of the apex bank in “conformity with Section 8 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which vests in the President…

THE Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has sworn in 37 new Commissioners and Special Advisers that will join him in running the affairs of the state for the next four years. The Commissioners and Special Advisers, who took their oath of office at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa Ikeja, were asked by the governor to take their roles seriously and serve in the interest of the people. Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the state of House Assembly for the job well done during the nominees screening exercise which lasted for about four weeks. He also asked the new cabinet members to put…

NIGERIAN artiste, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka MohBad, is dead. The former Marlian record signee reportedly died on Tuesday at the age of 27. Music executive Ovie shared the sad news on his X page #Ovieo on Tuesday evening. “Confirmed. MohBad is dead. Sad, sad day,” he tweeted. Also, Nigerian rapper, Olamide Adedeji, popularly known as Olamide shared a cryptic message on his X handle. Damn! Mohbad (sic)”In another tweet, Olamide posted, “This life (sic)” An old video of Bella Shmurda saying Mohbad was battling mental health issues recently resurfaced online minutes after the reported death of the singer. Some of…

OLUBANKOLE Wellington, popularly known as Banky W and Ibrahim Obanikoro, son of former Defence Minister, have expressed hope of regaining victory following the verdict of the State National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State. The Lagos State Tribunal had nullified the victory of the Labour Party candidate, Thaddeus Atta victory; and ordered a rerun for the Eti Osa Federal Constituency of Lagos State. In the lead judgment, which was delivered late Monday night, the tribunal declared the elections inconclusive and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within…

A ROYAL Navy warship, HMS Trent, arrived in Lagos on Sunday to aid the fight against illegal activities including piracy and illicit trafficking in the sub-region. This is Trent’s second visit to Nigeria, the British High Commission said in a statement. “The visit will help deliver capacity training and support maritime security in the region,” the statement partly read. HMS Trent departed Gibraltar carrying an expert boarding team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone. HMS Trent’s mission is to support West African allies helping countries to develop capability to fight illegal crimes at sea and ensure they…