Author: Opalim Lifted

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), has denied allegations that he is a fraudster, saying the court should determine the controversy surrounding the disputed agency. Speaking on Thursday during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels TV programme, Adeyemi said he is not a con artist, contrary to how the Presidency has portrayed him. “I’m not a con artist. Let the court decide on the matter,” he said. The Presidency had accused Adeyemi of forging documents, including an appointment letter, to present himself as the head of a non-existent government agency. Questioning…

The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, continued on Thursday at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, with an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness alleging that the release of $6.23 million for a foreign election observer mission was “pure theft.” The prosecution’s 14th witness, Commissioner of Police Okpoziakpo Eloho, told Justice H. Muazu that investigations showed the entire sum was released by the CBN on Emefiele’s instruction without sufficient details to justify the payment. Led in evidence by EFCC Director of Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness said investigators reviewed…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the arrest of Uche Nnaji, the former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The former minister was subsequently handed over to the ICPC. Providing an update on the arrest, Demola Bakare, ICPC’s spokesperson, said in a statement that the commission had sent invitation letters to the former minister through multiple channels, including his residential addresses in Abuja and Enugu. Bakare said that despite being served through…

The Federal Government has clarified that no decision has been made to replace the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) khaki uniform with locally made Adire fabric, following widespread reports triggered by comments from the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande. Earlier, Olawande said the government was considering replacing the current khaki uniform with Nigerian-made Adire as part of efforts to promote local products and revive the country’s textile industry. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the minister said Adire and other locally produced textiles could help keep government spending within the country while supporting local manufacturers. His comments came…

The UK’s Home Office has introduced reforms that will require some asylum seekers to pay around £10,000 (about ₦18 million) to become eligible for settlement. The bill was introduced in Parliament on Tuesday and sets out new powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who have received asylum support, such as subsistence payments or accommodation, provided they have sufficient funds. Asylum seekers have not typically been required to pay to obtain settlement, and this is not a global norm. However, Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary (not Home Secretary), said asylum seekers in the UK have become a…

Nearly two decades after the death of legendary Ugandan musician Paul Job Kafeero, court-ordered DNA tests have confirmed that only four of the 25 people claiming to be his children are biologically related to him, bringing a major inheritance dispute closer to resolution. The celebrated Kadongo Kamu musician died in 2007 at the age of 36, leaving behind a multi-billion Ugandan shilling estate comprising land, houses and music royalties. Since his death, rival claims over his estate by women and children alleging to be his family have been the subject of prolonged legal battles. According to Ugandan media reports, Kafeero’s…

The Presidency has accused Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi of using forged government documents to mislead the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation into opening a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account for what it described as a fictitious government agency. In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of a non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), also referred to as the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). According to the statement, the Office of the Chief of Staff to…

The death toll from flooding in Côte d’Ivoire has risen to 59, more than quadrupling the figure announced earlier on Wednesday. Amadou Coulibaly, the government spokesperson, announced the new toll after a cabinet meeting, describing the numbers as “particularly high” this year. Coulibaly said the search was continuing, adding that authorities feared the death toll could rise further. He urged residents to follow safety guidelines and leave areas designated by the government as high-risk zones. Just hours earlier, the death toll had been put at 12. Belmonde Dogo, Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Social Cohesion, said the continuous rainfall that began…

Folarin Balogun scored and was later sent off as the United States, US advanced past a lacklustre Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara to reach the last 16 of the World Cup. Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side produced a display brimming with energy and creativity and more than merited their victory, which was sealed when Malik Tillman’s late free-kick doubled their lead. However, it took another moment from Balogun to set them on their way against a pragmatic opponent, who, until the 24-year-old was dismissed just after the hour mark, exhibited little attacking intent. Having reacted quickest to steer Tillman’s deflected pass past…

The Presidency has accused Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi of forging an appointment letter and falsely presenting himself as a presidential appointee to head a non-existent government agency. In a statement issued on Wednesday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Adeyemi claimed to be the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the Federal Government said does not exist. The statement followed allegations by Adeyemi that the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, demanded a ₦400 million bribe. According to Onanuga, the Office of the Chief of Staff petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS)…