Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu has approved the gazetting of targeted, investment-linked incentives to accelerate Shell’s proposed Bonga South West deep-offshore oil project, signalling a renewed push to unlock jobs, foreign exchange inflows and large-scale oil and gas investment. The President directed his Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, to ensure the incentives are promptly gazetted in line with Nigeria’s existing legal, regulatory and fiscal frameworks. Speaking while receiving a Shell delegation led by Global Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan, Tinubu said the incentives were deliberately structured to be disciplined, targeted and globally competitive. According to him, the goal is to attract…

Manchester United have said midfielder Casemiro will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season. The 33-year-old joined from Real Madrid for £70m in 2022 and has made 146 appearances. He scored the opening goal in the 2023 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle as Manchester United finished third in the Premier League in his first season. But last year he was mentioned by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who told BBC Sport some players were “not good enough” and “overpaid”. The Brazil international said: “I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire…

Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted Victor Ogiemwonyi and his firm, Partnership Securities Limited, for stealing ₦953,535,861.57 and $80,000. The conviction was delivered on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, following a prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1. Ogiemwonyi and his company were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on stealing, contrary to Section 285(1), (9)(b) and (c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The EFCC told the court that the defendants unlawfully converted the funds entrusted to them, causing significant financial loss to the…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of Kayode Are as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States. Are, who hails from Ogun state, was among four nominees whose postings were confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson. Ayodele Oke was posted to France; Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, was appointed high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom (UK); while Usman Dakingari, former governor of Kebbi, is the ambassador-designate to Turkey. Tinubu is scheduled to visit Turkey for a state trip next week. “In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged…

A South Korean court has sentenced former prime minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his role in the declaration of martial law under ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, marking a watershed moment in the country’s legal reckoning with the crisis. Han, 76, becomes the first former cabinet minister convicted on criminal charges directly linked to the December 2024 martial law episode — a ruling legal experts say could shape the outcome of other high-profile trials still under way. The Seoul Central District Court found that Han was instrumental in creating the appearance of a legitimate cabinet meeting that…

Former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, has admitted in open court that she was cautioned by investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before writing statements used in her ongoing corruption trial. Oyo-Ita made the admission on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, while testifying as the first defence witness in a trial-within-trial before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja. The proceeding was convened to determine the admissibility of statements she earlier disowned, alleging they were obtained under duress. The former top civil servant is standing trial alongside two aides, Garba Umar and…

The Supreme Court has dismissed a long-running suit seeking a retrial of Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to late military ruler Sani Abacha, over the 1996 murder of Kudirat Abiola. Kudirat Abiola, wife of detained democracy icon Moshood Abiola, was assassinated in Lagos on June 4, 1996. Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan, an aide to Kudirat, were accused of orchestrating the killing and were arraigned by the Lagos State Government on charges of conspiracy to commit murder and murder. In January 2012, the Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced both men to death. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over N1.23 billion recovered from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited to the Enugu state government over an abandoned smart schools project. The funds were handed over on Wednesday, following a petition alleging fraud in the construction of 22 smart schools awarded to the construction company by the Enugu state government. In a statement on Wednesday, the EFCC said the money was recovered after investigations revealed that Sujimoto failed to execute the project despite receiving over N2.28 billion as advance payment. According to the EFCC, the petitioner said the contract completion deadline elapsed…

Simeon Amadi, chief judge of Rivers, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to probe Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, citing a court order. The Rivers state house of assembly had asked Amadi to set up a seven-member panel to investigate Fubara and Ngozi Odu, his deputy, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct. In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, Amadi said his hands were “fettered” by court injunctions. Amadi said his office had been served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of 177 Christian worshippers abducted by bandits in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru Local Council of Kaduna State, as outrage grows over initial official denials of the incident. In a statement issued in Abuja, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, criticised the early dismissal of the abduction by the police, describing it as deeply troubling and harmful. He said the response sowed confusion, heightened fear and unfairly cast doubt on the credibility of victims, their families, clergy and eyewitnesses who raised the alarm. Okoh stressed that in crises of this…