Operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun have arrested a popular Ikorodu-based Islamic scholar, Alhaji Afeez Uthman for allegedly hypnotizing and duping a US-based man of over N105 million.

The Islamic scholar was arrested alongside his wife, Alhaja Mushirafat Kekelomo, a herbalist and three other accomplices, who allegedly took part in the fraud.

Parading the suspects before newsmen on Monday, August 7, 2023, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the zone, Muhammed Ali, said the alfa also abducted his victim’s wife and children and kept them in his house for about thirteen years.

“On July 17, 2023, Mr Animashaun Oluwasegun also known as Afeez Uthman brought a petition of Criminal conspiracy, compelling action by intimidation obtaining by false pretence, threat to kill, suspected ritualist, stealing, criminal charms and conducted to cause to breach of peace against one Alhaji Afeez Uthman Imole Ayo and Alhaja Mushirafat Kekelomo Salaam, Saheed Ajayi Uthma Temidayo Rashmon and others at large,” Ali stated.

"Based on the petition, the Assistant Inspector General of Police detailed detectives from the Zonal Anti-Piracy Unit who immediately swung into action and got the suspects arrested namely (1) Alh. Afeez Uthman Imoleayo, (2) Mr. Ramon Temidayo Uthman (3) Saidi Ajayi (4) Alhaja Monsurat Salami (5) Kikelomo ‘f’ and others who are still at large who conspired, abducted the complainant’s wife and children through which the total sum of One Hundred and Five Million Naira (105,000,000.00) was obtained with a written threat to kill the complainant and his family members

"The principal suspects, Alh. Afeez Uthman Imoleayo and his cronies also falsified the complainant’s children’s birth certificates and also compelled the complainant to relinquish all his properties to him,” the AIG added.

“Consequently, when the principal suspect, Alh. Afeez Uthman Imoleayo was interrogated, he admitted the allegations against him for obtaining the alleged sum of One Hundred and Five Million Naira (N105,000,000.00,”

He also converted Model 2004 Chevrolet Rain Blazer SUV valued $9,700 USD equivalent to Five Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N5,600,000.00) and abducted the complainant’s wife and three children for twelve years, changed their vital documents such as birth certificates etcetera belonging to the complainant in connivance with his wife Alhaja Kikelomo and one Saidi Ajayi, his driver.

"The modus operandi of the suspect is by pretending to be a prayer partner with his victims as he is a strong member of an Islamic society called Ansarullai Youth at Ikorodu, Lagos.

"He uses spiritual concoction to bath and drink with the pretence that it will pave the way for his victims, and also make them take an oath that they should not disclose to anyone

"In the interim, investigation is still ongoing, suspects will be charged to court of competent jurisdiction, at the end of investigation, please.”

The 43-year-old Islamic scholar, however, denied the allegation levied against him, claiming that the victim voluntarily donated the said money for his religious activities.

“I did not force him (the prosecutor) to give me the money”

He also admitted that the victim changed the name on all his family’s vital documents to his but denied forcing the US-based man to do so.

“I was not happy when he changed the names on his property as well as the surname of his children and wife to my name,” the alfa said.

Senator representing Abia south, Enyinnaya Abaribe has said that the sit-at-home order given by Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, has become a scheme for making money.

Appearing in an interview on Channels Television, Abaribe said Ekpa and his cohorts have refused to reverse the order because they are making profits from it.

He said;

“Last week, there was a hand-written message from him (Kanu). Of course, the man who is profiting from it, who is far away in Finland, denounced it and put more conditions saying they will never stop it until we (south-east leaders) see him in Finland.

“We can now see that because they profit from this, they are not going to stop it because it has become a money-making venture.

“We have seen adverts on the internet asking people to contribute money for the liberation of Biafra. Now, what do we do? We have to engage the government because there are also some subsisting issues on the ground.

“The court had granted him his freedom and the government applied to the same appeal court for stay of execution and appeal to the supreme court. The supreme court has not taken any decision.

“Part of the resolution is that we are going to engage everyone. We are going to engage the government at the same time on how we can make a solution that is favourable to all.”

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has constituted a committee on Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER).

The committee, the commissioner for information and orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said it was in accordance with the governor’s promise made during a state wide address to the people of the state.

The committee, he said, was saddled with the implementation of various palliatives for the citizens of Oyo State, in the light of the hardship caused by the subsidy removal.

The committee is headed by the chief of staff, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, while the secretary is the commissioner for Budget and economic planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde.

Other members included the commissioner for finance, Mr Akinola Ojo; commissioner for agriculture and rural development, Bar. Olasunkanmi Olaleye; commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Mr Segun Olayiwola.

Also in the committee were are Oyelade; the special adviser, labour matters, Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo; senior executive assistant, general duties, Chief Bayo Lawal; theexecutive assistant, finance, budget, economic planning, Alhaji Kolawole Gafar.

Other members of the committee are the commissioner of police, Sunday Odukoya (rtd); senior special assistant, special duties, Miss Ololade Ajibola.

as Akpabio adjourns plenary till September 26

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Monday night unveiled the list of Chairmen of Senate Committees of the 10th Senate.

Some of the fresh lawmakers made it to leadership of Committees tagged as juicy/ Grade A Committees. The beneficiaries include; Senators Adams Oshiomhole, (Interior); Sarafadeen Ali (INEC); Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (NDDC) and Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (Army).

Chairmen of the other Committees are former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, (Defence); Aminu Tambuwal (Housing); Godiya Akwashiki (Airforce); Senator Fatai Buhari (Aviation); Senator Osita Izunaso (Capital Market); Senator Cyril Fasuyi (Establishment); Senator Seriake Dickson (Ecology/Climate Change); Senator Jide Ipinsagba (Petroleum Downstream); Senator Aliyu Wadada (Public Accounts); Shehu Kaka (Special Duties); Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Works); Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (Appropriations); Senator Sani Musa (Finance), and Senator Tokunbo Abiru (Banking).

Former Kebbi State Governor, Adamu Aliero will chair Land Transport. Also announced as Chairmen were; Senator Gbenga Daniel (Navy); Senator Barinada Mpigi (Niger Delta); Senator Mohammed Monguno (Judiciary); Senator Ireti Kingigbe (Women Affairs); Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Privatization); Senator Mustapha Sabiu (Agriculture); Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Communications); Senator Usaini Babangida (FERMA); Senator Ya’u Sahabi (Cooperation & Integration/NEPAD); Senator Shuaibu Salisu (ICT/Cyber Crimes).

Senator Isa Jubril will chair Customs Committee; Senator Elisha Abbo (Culture and Tourism); Senator Victor Umeh (Diaspora & NGOs); Senator Lawal Usman (Education); Senator Yunus Akintunde (Environment); Senator Ibrahim Bomai (FCT); Senator Sani Abubakar (Foreign Affairs); Senator Harry Banigo (Health); Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari (Water Resources); Senator Enyinaya Abaribe (Power), and Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Local and Foreign Debts).

Checks revealed that Senator Yemi Adaramodu who was announced last month as Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs will also chair the Committee on Youths and Sports.

Akpabio announced adjournment of plenary till September 26, 2023 for the lawmakers to observe their annual recess.

Shehu Sani, the former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central has alleged that ex-governors nominated for ministerial appointments by President Bola Tinubu represent the latter’s liabilities.

Festus Keyamo, the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has dismissed reports that he collected bribes from job seekers during his tenure in office.

Keyamo made the denial on Monday while speaking during the ministerial screening on the floor of the Senate, chaired by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The ministerial nominee from Delta State said he didn’t benefit from the Public Works Programme during his tenure at the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Keyamo emphatically stated that the record of the beneficiaries of the N52bn Public Works scheme which was requested by the 9th Senate is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and can be downloaded to ease accessibility to verify the information as provided.

The former minister, therefore, apologized to the Senate for any misunderstanding surrounding the obscurity of information around the fund disbursement.

Earlier, some lawmakers during the screening challenged Keyamo for refusing to honour invites by various committees in the 9th Senate and 9th House of Representatives led by Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila respectively.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in his petition charged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to suspend Keyamo’s screening until he acknowledged that the Senate can summon and question any Minister and his/her Ministry.

The development eventually saw lawmakers in the Senate proceed into closed-door plenary after a rowdy session.

Upon resumption of the screening, Keyamo apologised to lawmakers for his actions and was later screened and confirmed.

It seems to me, with due respect, to every party concerned, that while we are all obsessed with the contemporary, topical issues of Ministerial nominations, the likely conflict with Niger and the noted desperation of the Northern Senators and Elders Forum, as well as others across the country, to prevent same, in addition to the concerns about palliatives and the rising cost of living, or the unresolved battle with organized Labour (NLC, TUC), we may be overlooking something that may be relevant to the health and the future of Nigeria. I identify this hereunder as the menace and terror of Prophets – those self-appointed owners of direct telephone access to God and who on a daily, unrelenting basis inflict upon this community, what they claim to have heard from God. They expropriate the claim that God speaks to them alone, and that whatever they hear from God is the gospel truth. There is no mechanism to double-check. They don’t provide any data reports of their telephone conversation with God. They simply tell us this is what “my father told me”, and the rest of us are all expected to obey blindly. We are the multitude of orphans, whose Heavenly fathers, just in case everyone has a father in Heaven, may have been denied telephone access to the earthly realm and hence, the rest of us have to depend on their own God whom they covet with so much proprietorial control. The problem is the lack of accountability and the fact that nobody really knows who speaks to these so-called spiritual fathers.

I am convinced that this is one of those issues that we must begin to interrogate. To prepare the background, we do not deny the fact that Nigeria is one of the most religious countries in the world. Several studies place us amongst the top ten in the world. but compared to these other countries, anyone at all can agree that Nigeria is one country where religion has been most divisive and centrifugal. Over time, we have fought and experienced intra--religious and inter-religious wars. Religion is so ubiquitous in this country, there is hardly any street corner or community where you will not find either a mosque or a church. Many of these places of religious worship may start at a mushroom level, but they may soon grow into big oak, with adherents trooping in and out, claiming to be persons of faith, seeking the grace and eye of God. Religiosity has become so widespread, Nigerian Christians now organize services on Fridays to compete with Muslims, and on Sundays, Muslims reciprocate by holding worship services during church time. The result has been the unending conflict between Christians and Muslims who constitute on the average, on both sides of the equation, between 45 - 59% of the population, and a minority percentage of African traditional worshippers clamouring for space and recognition, as seen in the recent crisis in Osun State whereby Osun traditional worshippers were told pointedly that they could not and would not be allowed to celebrate their Isese festival in Kwara State because it is an Islamic State.

Section 10 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution states clearly that there shall be no state religion in any part of the Federation. The law does not recognize any such thing as an Islamic state, even with the strange mongrel of the adoption of the Sharia in 12 states of the North, operationalized in those states as a criminal orthodoxy, completely against the spirit of the Constitution. Section 38 guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of thought, religion and conscience. Nigeria has Muslims and Christians almost in equal proportion, with animists constituting a small percentage of the remaining balance. If a country’s wealth were to be judged by the religiosity of its people, and their open demonstration of passion for God, Nigeria should be the wealthiest country in the world. Everywhere you turn in this country, there is religious piety on display. There is a church or a mosque in every corner. Every day, there are people proclaiming the call to prayer and the muezzin heralding the beginning of every dawn. And yet the bigger question is: why is Nigeria so religious, so prayerful and yet so poor? Max Weber in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism had tried to draw a link between capitalism and religion, especially the Protestant ethic. The opposite is the case in our country. The Protestant ethic appears not to be working here. The Weberian concept of religion and prosperity has failed us, because the basic fundamentals have never been allowed to grow. And those fundamentals do not grow by accident. What we are left with is religion without the work ethic that can generate prosperity, nor the righteousness that exalts nations. What we are left with is religion as opium, superstition, a grand game of illusion and mind control, underlying Nigeria’s development crisis.

Over time, Nigerians have been co-opted into this web of delusion, whereby they blame God for everything, rather than locating our woes in the province of the failures of man. Having been failed by themselves, and by their leaders, Nigerians are quick to resolve every situation by declaring that “It is the way God wants it”. Who knows the mind of God? Who knows what God wants? The most recent demonstration of this is the humiliating rejection of Dr Mariam Shetty as the Ministerial nominee from Kano. She had woken up in the morning, dressed up gaily, looking forward to being screened by the Senate like others before her, only to be told upon arrival at the National Assembly, that her name had been replaced. Nobody had the decency, not even the President who nominated her, to make a phone call or send an emissary to stop her from being publicly embarrassed. If she had been given prior notice of the latest development, she would have stayed back. But nobody thought of her feelings as a human being. And how has she responded? She says as a person of faith, she leaves everything in the hands of God, and calls on her supporters not to despair. She is not alone.

When accidents occur, hops are dashed, and lives are lost needlessly, Nigerians are quick to blame God. There are many Nigerians who have trooped into politics, seeking even the highest offices in the land, because their shamanist had seen a vision that they would one day become the President of Nigeria. They borrow money, print posters, hire thugs to steal ballot boxes, and when they fail, they fight tooth and nail, because they are convinced that the God whose voice their spiritualists told them had sealed their fate in Heaven does not fail. While various religious denominations in the country are guilty, the biggest culprits are the Pastors of the Pentecostal variety who preach progress, prosperity and capitalism without the underlying ethics. Many of them are doing more harm than good. I use the word, “many” in order not to generalize. There may well be a few true preachers of the word who speak the truth and are genuinely moved by the spirit but we are indeed genuinely in the season of religious charlatanism, in a country dominated at an alarming rate by the tribe fictionalized by Wole Soyinka in The Trials of Brother Jero (1963), and Requiem for a Futurologist (1983) as cunning liars who hold the country down. The tribe has not reduced, rather it has flourished, in Soyinka’s lifetime, before his every eyes - the agony of those who think for society.

What I find perplexing is the manner in which these prophets expropriate and openly claim the omnipotence and the omniscience of God, who they claim to represent on earth. What stupefies is how they try to run a government of the world with their spiritual pronouncements, something not even the United Nations has been able to do, and which the free range of globalization has not made possible. Every day, I am astounded by the unending deluge of Pastors, Prophets, Prophetesses, men and women of God, some of them with churches small like the Lord’s manger or big like the Wembley stadium who claim to know the future and determine the fate of men. The more annoying part is that they have in their grips, at their fingers, a captive audience of believers who propagate their propaganda, and this sadly, includes a number of local media outlets who seem to base their profit margin on the reportage of prophecies by their favourite Pastors. They not only report the prophecies, they authenticate them subsequently and some of these publications have been turned into the PR wings of prophets and prophetesses. One of my favorite books on journalism is Francis S. Merrill’s Responsible Journalism. The manner in which some media outlets feed and water the propaganda machinery of end-time, Pentecostal churches is nothing short of irresponsible journalism. When a Pastor makes a so-called prediction, how does that amount to a statement of fact? Who verifies it? Which media house has a phone call to God? And yet, daily, we are inundated with reports of how this Prophet or Prophetess made this prediction two months ago and how it had come to pass. Where is the audit or regulatory body to determine that? The propaganda is often based on a press release by an aide to the Prophet.

Many of these Prophets and Prophetesses are taking us for a ride, more so as they are not subjected to any form of integrity test, not even by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). In the world of faith, anybody can just claim that he or she has heard the “Word” or has been called by the “Heavenly Father” and in a moment of self-induced epiphany start speaking in “tongues”. People have the freedom to worship their God the way they want, but they have no right to force others to go to Heaven in their own prescribed manner. In fact, there are people in this country, shocking as this may sound, who would rather go to Hell, if Hell exists hereafter and is not just a city in Europe and the US. The temerity of the shamanists/futurologists, hiding under the banner of God is what we deplore. Since the 2023 general election process in Nigeria began, there has been a plethora of predictions by men and women of faith. Many of them have constituted themselves into an alternative electorate. Hence, during the elections, they launched a trade in determining who would win or not. And after the elections, they have created their own spiritual election petition tribunals, from where they dictate to lawyers what to do and what not to do, with jejune, often commonsensical predictions about what the tribunals may come up with. They claim to have embarked on weeks of fasting or gone on a retreat to a Mountain and that “their Father” has spoken to them about everything from Ukraine to the Maghreb and the Ascension Island, and on the basis of their grand imaginings, their media allies ask us to believe, even when clear facts dictate otherwise.

I have seen, for example, cases of some Pastors predicting what would happen to election petition judges in the Presidential election if they do not rule out Tinubu because of a civil forfeiture and certificate issue in the United States. Obviously, some silks may be relying on the shamanists in their moves in this particular case, and thus disregarding basic principles of international civil litigation. It is elementary knowledge that as a general rule, Forum court does not apply foreign criminal law when it is not pleaded or proven directly or indirectly. Whatever conviction was done abroad has no relevance here. Our Constitution does not have a foreign court in mind. Matters that may be relevant would include marriage, divorce, or monetary awards in a foreign land, but even then, such cases must be registered in our laws, that is lex fori. Criminal offences are local offences, except where another country initiates a fresh trial within its own jurisdiction but even that could raise questions of status, subject, characterization, forum, capacity, double jeopardy and/or public policy. Our prophets, sitting down in their ecclesiastical shrines, after a few days of self-imposed fasting and having no firm knowledge of the facts, beaten black and blue by hunger, simply make divine, legal pronouncements based on metaphysical illusions. In their courts, there is no right of appeal once their God has spoken!

They have done enough damage already at private levels misleading many, breaking up homes, destroying lives, fouling up Nigerian politics with their unverifiable visions. On the positive side, they have done almost equal good, giving hope to the hopeless, and the millions of troubled souls in the land. Nonetheless, they must be restrained from taking over the governance process. Their expanding influence in the public space through the abuse of traditional and social media spaces, and unfettered access to the corridors of power, must be curtailed. This is without prejudice to their rights under Sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution, but is it possible to restrict them to the private value of religion, their denominations and the communities they relate with? These merchants of illusion are gradually usurping the functions of state institutions. Many of them give court rulings without regard to either the law or the facts of the case. They say they are moved by the spirit and they have a captive audience. No country should subject itself to being ruled by the capricious movement of unseen spirits and their earthly mouthpieces!

It is all the more disturbing because many of these Pentecostal pastors and prophetesses do not even base their pronouncements on the Scriptures. They sound more like motivational speakers, common sense maestros and closet newspaper editorialists. They have large followings. They must be told to stay within their areas of concern and avoid politics. Quite a surprise, none of them could offer a clear prediction on yesterday’s defeat of the Super Falcons by the Lionesses of England in what could have been a historic and extraordinary upset in the on-going Women’s World Cup. I won’t be surprised though if one of their media allies shows up, before weekend, to report that Prophet XYZ had predicted the outcome of the match since January 2000! When will the Church of Nigeria self-regulate and check the influence of the fortune tellers in cassock? Not even Friedrich Nietzsche’s Zarathustra was this ambitious.

Approximately two weeks following the military assumption of power in Niger, the individuals behind the coup have designated Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a former economy minister, to serve as the nation’s new prime minister.

A spokesperson for the military junta conveyed this announcement via television during the late hours of Monday.

Previously, Mr. Lamine Zeine held the position of economy and finance minister for several years within the cabinet of the ousted then-President Mamadou Tandja in 2010. More recently, he has been employed as an economist at the African Development Bank in Chad, as reported by a Nigerien media source.

In late July, the military overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and suspended the country’s constitution, impacting its populace of 26 million.

During Mr. Bazoum’s tenure, Niger stood as a vital ally of the Western nations in combating the advancement of Islamist extremist groups in the Sahel region.

An ultimatum extended by ECOWAS to the coup orchestrators, urging the reinstatement of Mr. Bazoum, lapsed on Sunday.

In a subsequent development, the prime ministers representing the ECOWAS member states will convene in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on Thursday. The purpose of this meeting is to deliberate on the future course of action.

There was a mild drama on the floor of the Senate on Monday over the ministerial nominations of President Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reports that Senators from South East had protested against Tinubu’s non-adherence to the principle of federal character and provision of the law in his ministerial appointments.

Senator Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District, who moved the motion which was stepped down by Akpabio, explained that Tinubu’s ministerial appointments violate the provisions of the Federal Character Commission Act which provides that in sharing any position, the President must take cognizance of zones, states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said despite the provisions of the law, the South East lawmakers are worried that apart from the appointment of a minister from each of the five states in the region, no other minister was appointed from the zone on the basis of representation from geopolitical zones, whereas the other five geopolitical zones got an additional minimum of two ministers each from their zones.

The five ministers appointed from the Southeast zone are Uju Ken Ohaneye (Anambra state), Uche Nnaji (Enugu state), David Umahi (Ebonyi state), Dr Doris Uzoka (Imo state) and Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (Abia state).

The Senator said while other regions got additional ministers apart from the one appointed from each state in the regions, the Southeast did not get any additional ministerial appointments.

Nwoye said, “I am not happy about it at all. That is why senators from the Southeast – 15 of us in number – wanted to move the point of order since Friday on Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of the flagrant violation of that section.

“That section points out the fact that in sharing any position, you must take cognizance of zones, you must take cognizance of Federal Character in anything you are doing.

“Then, Federal Character Commission Act, 2004, laws of the federation states very clear in Section 5(a) (b) Part 3, Section 4(b) Part 1 of the Federal Character Commission Act, that in doing any appointment, be it ministers, you must take cognizance of states, FCT or Zones.

“Zones in this subject matter is geopolitical zones. So, the Southeast zone was not given one person in terms of geopolitical zones, while other zones, Northwest has three additional from the zone, making it 10.

“Northeast has two, making it eight because they have six states. North Central has extra two added to the six states they have, making it eight. Southwest has extra three added to six states they have making it nine. South South has extra two added to six states they have, making it eight. Southeast has none.

“They only gave us based on states. It is not fair. It offends the principle of Federal Character. It violates that section of the Federal Character – FA 5(b) Part 3, 4(b).

“That is why we have been angling for a motion but from point of order to motion, but the Senate President in his wisdom, for reasons best known to him decided that he wants to go and take it up with President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu privately instead of moving the motion.

“We prefer to move the motion, if it fails, it fails because other senators, we spoke to them individually and they saw the reason that it is not fair. Maybe it was an oversight. So, we are appealing to him by the sense of the motion that was stepped down, for him to see reasons to reflect Federal Character Act and respect that provision and appoint two extra ministers from the Southeast to represent the zone because it is very clear in the laws of the federation.

“And it is not fair that out of six geopolitical zones we have in Nigeria, five zones have their own from two, three but only Southeast doesn’t have any. It is not fair.”

In his response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stepped down the point of order raised by Nwoye and promised to meet with the President over the grievances of the South East lawmakers.