Category: Happenings

Former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a 16-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bello, alongside co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, was arraigned before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.

The charges, marked CR/7781, include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully acquired property.

The EFCC alleges that Bello misappropriated state funds to acquire multiple properties, including: No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).

Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).

More so, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque  Business Solution Limited.

A Florida man who allegedly impersonated tech billionaire Elon Musk online to befriend and scam a 74-year-old Texas woman out of $250,000 USD on the promise of a $55 million return was arrested and charged with grand theft last week.

After arresting Jeffrey Arthur Moynihan Jr., 56, the Bradenton Police Department said in a news release that “the actual sum could be much higher” as the victim’s 80-year-old husband “told investigators his wife gave ‘Elon Musk’ approximately $600,000.”

The Florida police were put on to the case after being alerted by authorities in Frisco, Tex., according to Scripps News and multiple other news outlets. Police there were investigating a complaint about a woman who’d given a large chunk of money to someone posing as the world’s richest man and had traced the funds to accounts in the western Florida city.

Detective Jim Currulla of Bradenton PD’s dedicated elder fraud unit took over the case and financial records led him to Moynihan and his business, Jeff’s Painting and Pressure Washing, LLC.

Police discovered that the victim and “Musk” connected on Facebook in 2023 and exchanged messages over several months, during which time police allege Moynihan used the real Musk’s social media posts to help dupe the woman.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that Nigeria’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.3% in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, down from 5.3% in the first quarter (Q1).

According to the NBS, the unemployment rate reflects the percentage of the labour force—comprising both employed and unemployed individuals—who are jobless but actively seeking work and available to take up employment.

According to the report released on Monday, November 25, “The unemployment rate for Q2 2024 was 4.3%, showing an increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to the same period last year.

The unemployment rate among males was 3.4% and 5.1% among females. By place of residence, the unemployment rate was 5.2% in urban areas and 2.8% in rural areas. Youth unemployment rate was 6.5% in Q2 2024, showing a decrease from 8.4% in Q1 2024.”

President Bola Tinubu says he won’t rest until Nigerians feel the positive impact of his reforms in their pockets and enjoy a better standard of living.

The president said this while reacting to the newly released third quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report by the National Bureau of Statistics. Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.46 per cent, compared to the 3.19% growth recorded in the second quarter, according to the NBS.

A statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare stated that the growth in GDP showed that President Tinubu’s quest for a more robust boost in the economy and, by extension, a better standard of living for all Nigerians is on course.

Tinubu said his administration has not and will never forget his promise of a $1 trillion economy by 2030. “Once the economy is rebased by early 2025 to capture its dynamism and record significant changes that have occurred in different sectors, the country will be on its way to shared prosperity.

I am excited by the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics that our economy grew in the third quarter more than last quarter and even beyond projected estimates.

While I welcome this development, the latest figure also shows the much work that needs to be done.

We won’t rest until Nigerians feel the positive impacts in their pockets and experience a better living standard. My administration remains committed to the welfare of our people,” Tinubu said.

The Acting Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, has appealed for a higher budgetary allocation for the Nigerian Army to fulfil its constitutional duties and provide adequate accommodation for soldiers.

Oluyede made this appeal during a condolence visit by the Senate Committee on Army, led by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, on Monday in Abuja. He noted that the army recruits about 15,000 personnel annually but lacks sufficient housing to accommodate them.

According to him, “I need to reiterate that Nigeria belongs to all of us, and without your support, it would be very difficult for us to secure Nigeria. So I want to appeal to you, the very eminent personality of Nigeria, to just please support us and make our job very easy so that we can help secure Nigeria as much as possible.

Well, over time, we’ve had situations where the resources that are attributed to the Nigerian Army keep dwindling. So, I think this is a very good forum for me to appeal that, maybe in considering next year’s budget, a few very important issues should be noted as it affects the Nigerian Army.

First, the Nigerian Army. For instance, in the last couple of years, we’ve been recruiting about 15,000 personnel. But I can tell you that not a single support has been given in terms of their accommodation. So, I can just imagine if, at some point, if we’re able to checkmate all the security challenges, where will those people retire to? It’s something that gives me sleepless nights.

So, I want to appeal to the National Assembly to please consider these very critical issues, as well as other combat enablers that can help us do our job better, especially in areas of technology, so that we can help secure Nigeria.”

The senior pastor of the Potters House Church, Dallas, USA slumped during the live stream of one of the church’s services on Sunday, November 24, 2024.

The incident which caused a subtle panic in the church happened while the Bishop was saying a prayer on his seat. In the live video, he was seen sweating profusely and suddenly lost consciousness. His microphone dropped and both his arms were seen twitching.

It took a few seconds for his associates and his wife, Serita, to rally around him and pray for him.

The live video also shows that an ambulance arrived on the church grounds and is believed to be for the Bishop.

 

The Federal Government says it has saved $20 billion by removing petrol subsidy and adopting market-based foreign exchange pricing.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, revealed this at an event in Abuja. Edun stated that the two subsidies were costing the country five percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“When there was a subsidy on PMS and on foreign exchange, they collectively cost five percent of GDP. Assuming GDP was $400 billion on average, five percent of that is $20 billion — funds that could now go into infrastructure, health, social services, and education.”

The real change is that no one can wake up and target cheap funding or forex from the Central Bank to enrich themselves without adding value. Similarly, profiteering from the inefficient petrol subsidy regime is no longer possible,” he said.

It must be recalled that President Bola Tinubu officially ended the petrol subsidy regime on May 29, 2023.

Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has ordered the arrest and prosecution of Mr Ndukwe Ayansi and five others for allegedly diverting materials intended for the State’s Ministry of Health.

While on his way to inspect a project, Nwifuru spotted a Toyota Dyna truck loading registers, books, and other materials from the Ministry of Health’s warehouse.

Unsatisfied with the initial explanations, the governor investigated further and uncovered that patients’ data registers, cards, and other essential documents were being moved into the truck.

It was also discovered that all the documents have been sold without government approval.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Sunday announced a reduction in its price of petrol, to ₦970 per litre for oil marketers.

The company’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, disclosed this in a statement.

He said the decision is the refinery’s way of appreciating Nigerians “for their unwavering support in making the refinery a dream come true”.

According to the statement, the move is a cut from the refinery’s ₦990 ex-depot price announced earlier this month.

“In addition, this is to thank the government for their support as this will complement the measures put in place to encourage domestic enterprise for our collective well-being,” the statement partly read.

“While the refinery would not compromise on the quality of its petroleum products, we assure you of best quality products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

We are determined to keep ramping up production to meet and surpass our domestic fuel consumption; thus, dispelling any fear of a shortfall in supply.”

Ruben Amorim had to settle for a point in his first game as Manchester United manager, as the Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Sunday.

United’s new era could hardly have got off to a better start, as Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with just two minutes on the clock. Amad Diallo played a neat one-two with Bruno Fernandes on the right flank before skipping past two Ipswich players and driving into the box, and then picked his head up to find Rashford, who stole in ahead of Ipswich goalkeeper Ari Muric to prod home.

It was not to be the start of something special, though. United struggled to create any further chances in the first half, aside from one Alejandro Garnacho effort that flashed past Muric’s far post, and they had Andre Onana to thank for maintaining their lead.

The Cameroonian goalkeeper made two crucial saves, including a miraculous shoulder block from point-blank range to deny Liam Delap as Ipswich grew in confidence.

The hosts got the equaliser they deserved two minutes before the break, with Omari Hutchinson given way too much room to shoot on the edge of the box by a lethargic Casemiro, and a kind deflection off the leg of Noussair Mazraoui helped the ball into the top corner of United’s net.

Ipswich carried that momentum into the second half, as Delap once again came close with a clever flick at the near post, only for Onana to keep him at bay again with an outstretched leg. United responded well after that, but Garnacho and Fernandes wasted good chances before Ipswich went back on the front foot.

Nollywood veteran, Stephen Alajemba, popularly known as Uwaezuoke, has claimed that it is a sin for a man to marry more than three wives.

According to him, men who marry less than three wives are at risk of my poisoned by their spouses. He spoke in a recent interview with Ugwumba TV.

He said, “It’s a sin to marry one or two wives. But if you marry three or four, you will be free from sin. If you marry one wife your life is at risk. The safety of the director is in the hands of the security.

If you marry two wives, they will conspire to p3ison you. “But if you marry three or more wives, they will all be on their own and you will only be providing for them. You will be taking turns with their meals and bedrooms.”

Earlier this year, Uwaezuoke, revealed that he experienced rejection from women and people in general while growing up due to his physical and facial appearances. The thespian said his mother told him that as a baby, people refused to carry him because he was not looking attractive.

The Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Edo State, announced on Sunday the death of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas Oleghe, who passed away at the age of 104.

In a statement from the Bishop of Auchi Diocese, His Lordship Gabriel Dunia, Monsignor Oleghe, the oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria, died at approximately 2:30 a.m. on November 24, 2024.

The statement expressed deep gratitude for the late Monsignor’s long and impactful life. It read, “With gratitude to God for a life well lived on earth, I hereby inform you of the passage of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas Oleghe, the oldest Catholic priest in Nigeria, to the great beyond at about 2:30 a.m. on the 24th of November, 2024.

He was of the Diocese of Auchi. May his lovely and gentle soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen.”The diocese further announced that the funeral for the late Monsignor will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

Less than 7 days to the ninth “Adult Harvest Thanksgiving Service” of the Celestial Church of Christ, Testimony Parish, Elerumoke, Egbeda, Iyana Ajia of Oyo State, suspected thieves desecrated the temple of God & made away with 2 large cows meant for the celebration of the thanksgiving.



The thieves had struck last Saturday after the shepherd-in-charge of the parish & other notable leaders of the church had gone to bed. Members of the various committees set up by the church were taken by surprise when they learnt of the theft.

A leader of the church identified as Oluso Ayo confirmed the incident to Saturday Tribune on Thursday. “The incident really happened. Suspected thieves invaded our church premises & made away with 2 cows meant for the harvest celebration.

The cows, which were tethered, were untied by the suspected thieves. We saw the footprints of the thieves & the cows but we cannot say the exact place the animals were taken to

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that Nigerians will need to pay for the new multipurpose national identity card, citing limited government revenue as the primary reason for the decision.

Speaking during a two-day roundtable for journalists in Lagos, Dr. Peter Iwegbu, Head of Card Management Services at NIMC said, “The payment is to ensure that the card is produced for only those who need it.”

He explained that this approach aims to avoid repeating past mistakes where physical cards were issued for free, but many were left uncollected. “In the previous attempt to issue free National ID cards, over 2 million cards were produced & many of them have not been collected till date,” he noted.

Dr. Iwegbu further stated “The government’s limited revenue is also a major factor in the decision to make Nigerians pay for the new ID card.” To get the new national ID card, Nigerians will need to make a payment, select a pickup location & then collect their card from the chosen locations.

The Senate has granted approval to the ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote in favor of the request.

The Senate presided by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, approved the loan after the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North) presented the report of the committee.

The request which was submitted by the President on Tuesday is part of a fresh external borrowing plan to partially finance the N9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year.

Tinubu had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767 trillion, the equivalent of $2.209 billion as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

The fresh loan is expected to stretch the amount spent on debt servicing by the Federal Government.

The Central Bank of Nigeria recently said that it cost the Federal Government $3.58 billion to service foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024.

The CBN report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023.

According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July.

The trend in foreign debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja on Thursday permitted a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to travel abroad with his sick mother for medical reasons.

Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court granted the ex-ministers motion in a ruling delivered on Thursday. Sirika was granted bail of N100 million on May 9, 2024, in a fraud-related case instituted against him and others by the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bail was also granted to his daughter, Fatima & son-in-law, Jalal Hamma, in the same sum. The defendants were arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court for fraudulent practices associated with the Nigeria Air project & others.

During their arraignment, the court’s registrar read out the prosecution’s amended charges against Sirika, his daughter Fatima & his son-in-law Jalal Hamma.

Al Buraq Investment Ltd, a company, was listed as a co-defendant.

One of the charges reads:  “That you, HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation between April 2022 and March 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED, whose alter ego, PROF. GABRIEL TILMANN, is your associate, by influencing the award of the consultancy contract for the Nigeria Air Start-up and the extension of the same for the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty-Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty-One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety-Seven Kobo Only), thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and punishable under the same section.” 

The Jigawa Hisbah board has seized 78 cartons of assorted alcoholic drinks in Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.

The Hisbah Commander in the state, Malam Ibrahim Dahiru, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday.

Dahiru said the drinks were seized on Thursday during an early morning raid on three bars in the area.

He explained that no arrest was made during the operation, as suspected owners fled before the arrival of the Hisbah personnel.

He said, “Our operatives raided three bars in Kazaure town in Kazaure Local Government Area, where they succeeded in seizing 78 cartons of assorted beer.

“However, no arrest was made during the operation as suspected owners and users took to their heels on sighting our men.”

The commander, who reminded people that consumption of beer remains prohibited in all parts of the state, said the command will continue to enforce
the order.

According to him, the confiscated items will soon be taken to court. (NAN)

Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator has been arrested in Finland over alleged involvement in terror-related activities.


According to report, the self-declared Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile was remanded in prison by the Päijät-Häme District Court on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.

Also, according to The Sun, the Central Criminal Police in Finland confirmed the arrest in a statement on its website on Thursday, saying four individuals were arrested on suspicion of terrorist crimes.

The police said the main suspect was arrested “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent”, while four others were arrested “for financing a terrorist crime”.

“Claims will be heard in Päijät-Häme district court today, November 21″, the statement added.

There have been calls for the arrest of the separatist following his alleged involvement in the Sit-At-Home that has relatively crippled economic activities in the Southeast.

A 33-year-old Nigerian man, Babatunde Francis Ayeni, has been sentenced to 10 years in a U.S. federal prison for his involvement in a large-scale cyber fraud conspiracy.

The scheme, which targeted over 400 individuals across the United States, resulted in a collective loss of nearly $20 million.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in a statement said court documents and testimony revealed the convict was involved in a sophisticated business e-mail compromise scheme targeting real estate transactions in the United States.

Ayeni, who was based in the UK at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April, 2024.

According to the statement, “The conspiracy was carried out by individuals operating out of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.

To carry out this scheme, conspirators sent phishing e-mails containing attachments and links embedded with malicious code to title companies, real estate agents, and real estate attorneys across the United States.

Patrick Akpoguma, a 28-year-old suspected internet fraudster, offered a $100,000 (approximately ₦174 million) bribe to the Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos in an attempt to secure his release.

The suspect is accused of multiple cyber crimes, including romance scams, identity theft, hacking, cryptocurrency fraud, ritualism, and cultism.

While speaking with journalists, the Mechanical Engineering graduate admitted to the crimes and confessed that the bribe was part of his efforts to clear his name.

“I felt too intelligent to work for a salary, which is why I turned to fraud three years ago. I’ve made over $500,000  since then. I own a house in Lagos, another in Edo State, and a GLE Benz worth ₦100 million.

Once I defraud people and feel I’ve taken enough from them, I simply walk away. I don’t leave them penniless,” he said.

Meanwhile, the assistant Inspector General (AIG) Adegoke Fayoade revealed that the investigation began on November 7, 2024 following reports from residents of Chevron Drive, Lekki, where the suspect resides.

According to AIG Fayoade: “Patrick Akpoguma admitted to being involved in what is known as romance scams and other cryptocurrency-related scams.

He meets various people online and presents himself as a notable and famous Caucasian American, such as Colonel Matt Herbert, a serving U.S. Army officer currently on a peacekeeping mission in Iran.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has instructed banks to primarily distribute cash through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

In a circular to banks on Friday, Solaja Olayemi, the acting director of the CBN’s currency operations department, cautioned banks against handing naira notes to individuals involved in the illegal sale of the currency.

The apex bank said it commenced spot checks to ensure efficient and responsible cash disbursement to the public and prevent the disbursement of mint banknotes to persons hawking naira notes.

“Please refer to the subsisting circular on mystery shopping exercise and periodic spot checks on cash distribution/disbursement activities of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs).

As you will recall, these initiatives were introduced to: 1. Monitor and prevent practices that facilitate flow of mint banknotes to “hawkers” of naira cash, thereby discouraging abuse of the Naira; and 2. Ensure that DMBs support efficient and responsible cash disbursement to the public.

For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that: a) DMBs, to whom cash seized from “hawkers” of cash is traced, will be penalized 10% of the total value of cash withdrawn on the day the seized cash was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Every subsequent offense will be charged incremental penalty of 5%. Banks found engaging in cash hoarding, diversion, or any actions that hinder efficient cash distribution, “including violations of the Clean Note Policy, will incur appropriate sanctions”.

As we approach the yuletide season, with an anticipated increase in cash demand. DMBs are advised to implement internal controls for responsible disbursement and accountability in respect of mint banknotes payouts at their outlets.

To enhance access to cash, we encourage banks to prioritize cash distribution through ATMs,” the circular reads.