Author: David Great

The trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his ex-Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, began on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. The duo has been accused of misappropriating N5.78 billion, including funds meant for teachers’ salaries and infrastructure projects under the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the defendants on October 21, 2024, on charges of conspiracy and theft of public funds. They pleaded not guilty and were granted bail, with the trial commencing before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar. During Wednesday’s proceedings, the EFCC presented…

The Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, ASUBEB, has issued a stern warning to teachers and school heads allegedly sabotaging Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s free and compulsory education policy. The board said six teachers have been sacked for sabotaging education in the state by charging money for sundry reasons. Dr Vera Nkiru Nwadinobi, Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, disclosed this at a press briefing in her office on Wednesday. She listed the defaulting headteachers who were sacked as Mrs Okoye Uju of Awada Primary School, Mrs Nwafor Eunice Nwanneka of Awada Primary School, Mrs Nwakaku Patience Obioma of Awada Primary School, Mrs…

The British Government is set to deport popular pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, to Nigeria after losing his case against deportation at the immigration tribunal. Recall that the UK government had shut down his church, SPAC Nation, after investigations exposed a misuse of funds by his church. It was gathered that the UK authorities closed the church after Adegboyega failed to properly account for more than £1.87 million of outgoings and operating with a lack of transparency. However, according to The Telegraph, an immigration tribunal ruled that he should be deported back to Nigeria after investigations. After arriving on a visitor’s…

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has condemned in strong terms the arrest of a lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by the Nigeria Police Force over allegations bordering on libel. A statement by the NBA President, Afam Osigwe, on Tuesday night in Abuja, lamented the alleged invasion of Farotimi’s law firm and the harassment of lawyers and staff within the premises. Osigwe described the action of the Nigeria police as a troubling breach of the rule of law and the sanctity of the legal profession. He said while the Nigeria Police Force had the authority to investigate crimes, such power must be exercised…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed allegations of a cover-up in its recent recovery of 753 duplexes and other apartments on Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja. The properties, now forfeited to the Federal Government, represent one of the most significant anti-corruption achievements in recent years. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the EFCC described the forfeiture as the result of “painstaking efforts” and actionable intelligence, rejecting claims of shielding the promoters of the estate. Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, clarified that the legal proceedings were…

The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, on Tuesday, handed over three suspects and 1,658 loaves of cannabis sativa, weighing 788kg, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The Customs Area Controller, Western Marine Command, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, who briefed newsmen on the command’s activities, handed the narcotics and suspects over to the the new NDLEA Commander, Western Marine Command, Mr Udoh Morrison. Bamisaiye said that he was pleased to handover the arrested suspects and a total of 1,658 loaves of Cannabis Sativa intercepted during three separate operations. He said that the operations, conducted in the month of…

Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have reportedly arrested human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, over allegations of defaming the Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu. Farotimi’s arrest was revealed by the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday. Sowore disclosed that Elumelu filed a petition accusing Farotimi of defamation. He called for the lawyer’s immediate release, emphasising that the police should not be used to settle personal disputes. Sowore wrote, “I just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by the Nigerian Police over…

Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi has alleged that some powerful Nigerians and legal experts are colluding with the security agencies in the country to get him abducted. He alleged that his life and that of his close associates are currently under threat, stating that the undisclosed individuals want to silence him. In a statement he signed and made available to journalists on Tuesday, Farotimi narrated how he got information on November 11 that an invitation letter from the Zone 2, Police Command, was delivered to his office. According to the lawyer, the letter requested that he should report to the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday announced the single largest asset recovery since its inception in 2003. The development followed a ruling by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on the final forfeiture of an Abuja estate measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments. According to the EFCC, the estate, located on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja, belonged to a government official. “The forfeiture of the property to the federal government by a former top brass of the government was pursuant to EFCC’s mandate…

Barcelona had started their season under new manager Hansi Flick in great form — winning 11 of their first 12 LaLiga matches, averaging over three goals per game and thrashing old rivals Real Madrid 4-0. But suddenly they seem to have hit a brick wall as they have picked up only one point in their last three matches. Defeats against Real Sociedad and Las Palmas cut Barcelona’s comfortable nine-point lead in the standings to just one and Flick is now under pressure to break the winless run against Mallorca on Tuesday. Since overcoming local rivals Espanyol 3-1 a month ago,…