BEATRICE Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a United Kingdom’s prison and has subsequently returned to Nigeria. This newspaper reports that a reliable source confirmed her return on Wednesday, marking the end of her six-year prison sentence for her involvement in a puzzling organ harvesting case. Recall that Beatrice, her husband Ekweremadu, and medical doctor Obinna Obeta were convicted in the United Kingdom last year for conspiring to exploit a young Nigerian boy for organ harvesting. The boy, who had been hawking in Lagos, was allegedly lured to the UK under false pretences…
Author: David Akonuche
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AN officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was tragically killed, and another seriously wounded, after suspected internet fraudsters, known as Yahoo Boys, opened fire on anti-graft operatives in Anambra on Friday. The operatives, dispatched from the EFCC’s Enugu zonal office, were on a mission to apprehend the suspects when the violent confrontation occurred. The ambush led to the immediate death of one officer, while another was critically injured and remains hospitalized. Authorities have detained a male suspect in connection with the attack, though his identity has not yet been disclosed. Details about whether the suspect has legal…
THE Court of Appeal Abuja has reiterated that Julius Abure remains the National Chairman of the Labour Party. A three-member panel of the appellate court in a judgement delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgement of November 13, 2024, which recognises Abure as national chairman subsists and has not been set aside by any court. Justice Barka made the declaration while delivering judgment in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve…
HONOURABLE Chidi Nwogu has extended congratulations to the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, on his second tenure’s first anniversary as governor of the state. In a statement, Honourable Chidi Nwogu said, it’s an established fact that the Uzodimma’s leadership has been characterised by patience, wisdom and a commitment to peace, which are key components in resolving conflicts and promoting unity in Imo state. “It’s a special pleasure to join you in celebration of this memorable day and to offer thanks to the Almighty God on your first anniversary of your second term in office, my brother, His Excellency, Governor…
FORMER Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro has narrated how a non-existent court order prevented him from contesting in the just concluded Ohanaeze Ndigbo election in Enugu. Mike Okiro an aspirant for the post of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt explained that the false court order was said to have been issued at the Enugu High Court. He said the non-existent court order peddled in some sections of the media was what the Election Screening Committee relied on to bar him from screening and subsequent non-participation. According to the former IGP ” In the evening…
GOODS worth hundred of millions of naira were destroyed in a midnight fire outbreak at Ahịa Mgbede, situated opposite the New Motor Spare Parts Market in Nnewi, Anambra State. The inferno, which began in the early hours of Tuesday, left several shops in ruins, with goods and properties reduced to ashes. The tragic incident has plunged the affected business owners into agony and despair. Eyewitnesses said the fire raged for several minutes before firefighters arrived, while victims and sympathizers struggled to salvage what they could. One of the victims, identified simply as Uche, narrated the devastation saying “We arrived this…
THE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has completed the transfer of regulatory oversight to four states. The states are Enugu, Ekiti, Ondo, and Imo, which are now fully responsible for the regulation of their electricity markets. NERC made this known on its X handle on Monday, noting it has begun the transfer of regulatory oversight to 10 states as of 10th January 2025. NERC stated: “As of January 10, 2025, #NERC has commenced the transfer of regulatory oversight to 10 states. Once the transfers are complete, the states will be responsible for regulating their electricity markets. “The 10 states are:…
A MIDNIGHT bomb explosion occurred in Umuneke community, Mbieri in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. This newspaper learnt that the explosion, which occurred at a newly completed family house on Saturday night, reduced the house to rubble though no casualty was recorded. A source, Iyke Njoku, said, “The sound was massive as well as the bang. We waited a while and when we didn’t see any movement or hear screams, we decided to check, only to see the house in rubble. “When our neighbours from neighbouring villages called to ask us the cause of the sound, that…
THE Nigeria Police Force said a contractor has been arrested for perpetuating a ₦1.09 billion procurement fraud in Enugu State. This was disclosed by the NPF Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi in a statement late on Friday. Adejobi was responding to published reports that the Enugu State government’s account was hacked, and the sum of N1.09n bn was stolen by hackers. The NPF clarified that the money case was procurement fraud, not a cyber breach. The statement, however, added that the money had been recovered from the contractor after an arrest. Adejobi did not, however, mention the name of…
JUSTICE Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja has made an order of interim freezing and forfeiture of the sum of over ₦228.4 million linked to former Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, to the Federal Government on allegations of money laundering. Ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by the Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Fadila Yusuf, Justice Nwite also directed the Commission to make publication of the order on its website and Daily Trust Newspaper. According to Justice Nwite’s order, interested parties should show cause within 14 days of the publication of the order.…
THE presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has debunked rumours of him being arrest, describing it as “recurring fake news. Some social media posts had claimed that the former Anambra State governor was arrested in Abuja. But in a post on his X handle late on Wednesday, Obi said the claims are entirely false and stated that he is currently at his home in Onitsha, Anambra State. He recalled how similar “lies” had been circulated last September that the Department for Security Services (DSS) invaded his home while he was in Rwanda. The Labour…
THE detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has opposed the request by the Federal Government for the resumption of his trial, insisting that the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, must recuse herself from the matter. Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, revealed his client’s position in a post on X on Tuesday, rejecting the Federal Government’s bid to reopen the trial. Kanu, who is being prosecuted on seven counts of alleged treasonable felony and terrorism, was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extraordinarily rendered to Nigeria. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. At the last…
A STATE High Court sitting in Enugu has issued an interim injunction restraining apex Igbo socio-political group Ohanaeze Ndigbo from entertaining the candidacy of former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, as an aspirant or contestant in the January 10 election to the office of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. This followed a motion filed by Chimenu Amadi for himself and on behalf of the Indigenous Igbos of Rivers State asking the court to restrain Okiro from contesting the Presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for the fact that he’s an indigene of Imo State and only indigenes of Rivers State are…
AT LEAST five people have been reported dead, and several property, including two banks, were destroyed in a petrol tanker explosion that rocked Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State. The tragic incident occurred along Old Asaba-Lagos Road on Sunday afternoon, leaving a trail of destruction and injuries, with property worth millions lost to the inferno. Sources revealed that the explosion was triggered when a petrol tanker overturned while navigating a turn near First Bank in Agbor. “We were told that the petrol tanker fell by the First Bank in Agbor when the driver tried to make a…