Author: Opalim Lifted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited Subomi and Wahab, the sons of Razaq Okoya, the billionaire industrialist, for interrogation over alleged abuse of the naira. In the invite signed by Michael Wetkas, acting director of the Lagos directorate of the EFCC, the anti-graft agency directed the duo to report to the head, special operations team at the 15A Awolowo Road office of the commission by 10am on Monday, January 13, 2025. The Okoya brothers have been in the news for “abusing the naira” in a promotional video for a new song. The video — which featured a…

David Moyes said it is “great to be back” after being appointed Everton manager for a second time. The 61-year-old Scot has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at Goodison Park following the sacking of Sean Dyche on Thursday. Everton are 16th in the Premier League – one point clear of the relegation zone – with only three wins from 19 games this season. “I enjoyed 11 wonderful and successful years at Everton and didn’t hesitate when I was offered the opportunity to rejoin this great club,” said Moyes. “Now we need Goodison and all Evertonians to play their part in getting…

Wahab Shittu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says successive Nigerian governments have struggled to prosecute Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum, due to complex extradition procedures. The Nigerian and US governments signed on Friday an asset return agreement on $52.88 million recovered from the Galactica assets. The assets were linked to Alison-Madueke and her associates. Speaking on Channels TV on Friday, Shittu said “legal and extra-legal hurdles” remain a significant challenge in the extradition of the ex-minister of petroleum. “You know the extradition procedures of getting somebody who has taken flight from one country to another involve legal compliance…

A joint committee of the national assembly says the Nigerian borders of the country are open owing to the amount of commodities that are smuggled in. The joint panel of the house of representatives and senate committees on trade and industries took the position on Friday when Jumoke Oduwole, minister of trade, appeared before it to defend the 2025 budget proposal of her ministry. In August 2019, the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari closed the country’s land borders to stop the illegal importation of drugs, arms and agricultural products into Nigeria from neighbouring West African countries. In December 2020,…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed the sum of N126 billion for its 2025 budget. The Chairman of the Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the presentation while defending the 2024 budget implementation before the National Assembly on Friday. He pleaded with the National Assembly to approve the 2025 budget which is nearly three times the size approved last year. “Our proposal for 2025; the Commission requires the sum of N126 billion. So, we will like the support of the National Assembly members to ensure that we are adequately funded for the responsibilities we are required to discharge, and…

Champions Bayer Leverkusen battled past hosts Borussia Dortmund 3-2 with two goals from Patrik Schick on Friday to move within a point of leaders Bayern Munich with a sixth straight league win. In a frenetic opening the visitors struck three times in the first 19 minutes as they enjoyed a perfect start to the year with the league resuming following a three-week winter break. Dortmund, who twice cut the deficit, had fielded a largely makeshift team due to flu and injuries in what was their first home loss of the season. It’s really cool obviously to see it kind of…

Graham Potter suffered defeat in his first game as West Ham boss as Aston Villa came from behind to reach the FA Cup fourth round. Two goals in five second-half minutes from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers completed the hosts’ comeback, although the Hammers were furious referee Tim Robinson incorrectly awarded a corner in the build-up to Onana’s leveller. Lucas Paqueta’s ninth-minute opener had the visitors deservedly ahead but Potter’s new side were unable to hold on in the second half. It had looked like Potter, only officially appointed on Thursday and with one training session to prepare, would make…

Robert Menendez, the disgraced former US senator from New Jersey, should spend at least 15 years in prison following his corruption conviction, after he betrayed voters by putting his office “up for sale” in exchange for bribes, US prosecutors said. The recommendation was filed on Thursday night in Manhattan federal court, a week after Menendez’s lawyers pleaded for leniency, citing the 71-year-old’s age, decades of public service, charitable works, devotion to family, and financial and professional ruin. Probation officers recommended a 12-year prison term, which Robert Menendez’s lawyers described as an effective “death sentence.” Robert Menendez, a Democrat who spent…

Donald Trump has been sentenced to an “unconditional discharge” in a case of hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star. An unconditional discharge means the US president-elect does not face any fines, probation, or jail time. Juan Merchan, presiding judge, handed the anti-climatic sentence on Friday, ending a case that has dragged on for nearly a year. Merchan described the case as “truly extraordinary”. “Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” he added. The president-elect was first indicted in March 2023 by the Manhattan district attorney on state…

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, has commended the ruling of the court of appeal in Abuja that barred the federal high court in Kano from adjudicating over the Kano emirate legal battle. In June 2023, the high court nullified all actions by the Kano state government repealing the Kano Emirates Council Law of 2019. Before then, the Kano house of assembly had passed an amended bill to repeal the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Muhammadu Sanusi II as emir in 2020. However, the high court ordered the…