A Federal High Court on Friday granted bail to social media critic, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), after his arraignment on charges of impersonation.

VeryDarkman was granted bail set at N2 million with two sureties, each required to post an equivalent amount. Additionally, the court ordered him to surrender his international passport and any other form of identification.

His arraignment followed the release of a viral video where he appeared in a police uniform, a move the Nigeria Police Force condemned as unauthorized.

Police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, previously stated that an investigation had been launched into the video, which featured VDM referring to himself as “CSP VeryDarkMan” and Nigeria’s “number one online police officer.”

The police’s formal objection to the use of official uniforms and insignia without authorization highlights the seriousness of the case, and the court’s conditions aim to restrict further actions that could misrepresent or misuse official identities.

The bail terms released by VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, reads, “Two million, two sureties in like terms. Sureties to deposit international passports, sureties to provide means of Identification. Sureties to depose to affidavit to provide the defendant during trial at all times.

“⁠Prosecutor to verify sureties’ address. Sureties to provide utility bills, defendant to depose to affidavit to be available at all times during trial. Sureties to reside within the Court’s jurisdiction, particularly Abuja municipal.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has shed light on the recent arrest of popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky.

Bobrisky was apprehended on Thursday night at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

He was allegedly trying to leave Nigeria for London amid ongoing bribery accusations.

Following his detention in Lagos, Bobrisky was subsequently moved to Abuja for further questioning.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, speaking with SaharaReporters on Friday, confirmed that Bobrisky was arrested after he failed to respond to a formal invitation from the Commission.

According to Oyewale, Bobrisky’s arrest is tied to an alleged bribery case, and the EFCC sought his cooperation to identify officials he claimed to have bribed.

The EFCC spokesman said, “We arrested him last night and we took him to Abuja because our team investigators are in Abuja.

“He was trying to run away from mentioning those he said collected bribe from him. We have sent him invitation but he refused to honour our invitation and he was trying to leave the country.

“This was why we arrested him. We want him to come and mention the names of the official involved in the bribery but he has not shown up.”

When asked if Bobrisky would face bribery charges, Oyewale indicated that no official decision had been made on that matter yet.

In a similar event earlier in October, Naija News reported another arrest of Bobrisky as he tried to escape to Benin Republic.

The popular crossdresser was taken into custody by Customs at the Seme border during a standard passport inspection, just hours before he was scheduled to testify before a Senate inquiry panel concerning multiple accusations.

The allegations arise from a circulated voice recording by social commentator Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed he paid EFCC officials ₦15 million to have money laundering charges against him dropped.

Although the EFCC has refuted these claims, it has formed a committee to look into the allegations.

During a press conference on Thursday, the Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, indicated that Bobrisky might face additional charges from the commission if the allegations against the EFCC were proven to be false.

Uwajaren emphasized that an individual could be prosecuted for providing misleading information to the EFCC, especially for making baseless accusations against the commission.

Pa Bibire Lamidi, the owner of the collapsed building in Ibadan, Oyo State, lost five of his children and grandchildren in the tragedy.

Some of the patients of the Octogenarian as also died when the  building collapsed. 

The one-storey building located at Jegede, Olunloyo, Ona Ara Local Government Area collapsed around 2am on Thursday.

The incident also left many occupants struggling for survival on hospital beds.

The Oyo Police Command said those rescued suffered varying degrees of life threatening injuries and receiving medical attention.

One of Pa Lamidi’s wives Alh. Yidiatu Lamidi, in an interview with reporters, said: “I was not there when the incident occurred. My husband told me that he just finished toileting when he suddenly saw the house collapsing. 

‘His children and grand children were among the victims.  My husband treats  mentally ill and other patients. Five of his children and grand children have died in the incident. Some of his mentally ill patients also lost their lives.”

When asked if the building had shown any sign, she said: “The house showed no sign of weakness.  This looks like a spiritual attack.”

Pa Lamidi was still receiving medical treatment as of press time.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed that the immediate past Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, is still under probe though a preliminary report has been submitted to President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu suspended Edu in January 2024, following a national outcry over an alleged N585 million scandal.

EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja during a press briefing on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

According to Olukoyede, an interim report about the embattled former minister had been submitted to the President in order to take actions.

He added that there is still a gamut of documents to be cross-checked regarding her dealings when she held sway in the ministry.

He further assured Nigerians that the agency would get to the root of the matter.

Olukoyede, who was represented at the briefing by the Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, while reeling out his achievements in the last one year, said many pending cases would be completed in due time.

“I don’t know the outcome. But I believe that we have submitted a (preliminary) report to the president. And I believe that we are still on the matter,” he said.

“The last time I checked, we mentioned the number of bank accounts that we were monitoring. We were looking at about 140 accounts. And we know it takes time to look into and get the required information."

Singer Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rude Boy, and his wife Ivy Ifeoma have welcomed their first child together, Imani Ugomma Okoye, in the United States.

On Thursday, Paul shared a video on Instagram, expressing his joy: “This past month and a few days have been the most joyous and overwhelmingly sweet period of our lives.”

The couple reportedly welcomed their baby on Sunday, 29 September 2024.

Rude Boy married Ivy in a traditional ceremony in May 2024 after his divorce from his first wife, Anita Okoye.

The newborn is Paul Okoye’s fourth child, as he has three children from his previous marriage to Anita.

Click the link below to watch video:

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has announced his intention to “step aside” following a significant defeat of his party in the recent general elections, as indicated by preliminary results.

Naija News understands that the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has governed the diamond-rich nation since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, faced a challenging electoral outcome.

While the official results from Wednesday’s election are anticipated to be released by the electoral commission later on Friday, initial counts reveal that three opposition parties have collectively secured at least 31 out of 61 seats in the national legislature.

According to Botswana’s electoral regulations, the first party to achieve 31 seats will be declared the victor and will have the authority to appoint its candidate as president.

“I wish to congratulate the opposition on their victory and concede the election,” Masisi told journalists during a press conference Friday morning, adding it had been “a good journey”.

Masisi, who took office in 2018, said he would “begin all administrative work to facilitate the transition.”

“We are quite happy to retreat into being a loyal opposition and to hold the government accountable,” said the 63-year-old leader who had been confident of securing a second term.

The opposition coalition, Umbrella for Democratic Change, which leans towards the left, has obtained over 24 seats, as reported by party official Mike Keakopa to AFP.

The coalition is striving to achieve a total of 31 seats in order to secure a definitive victory.

Should this be validated, their candidate, Duma Boko, a human rights attorney educated at Harvard, would assume the presidency.

Additionally, the other two opposition parties, the Botswana Congress Party and the Botswana Patriotic Front, collectively garnered approximately a dozen seats.

Federal civil servants in 12 government ministries, departments, and agencies may encounter delays in receiving their salaries between October and December 2024, findings by The PUNCHshowed.

This delay is attributed to the exhaustion of the budget for personnel costs by the agencies, a situation prompted by the recent approval of the new minimum wage.

A notice sent to public servants working with the Voice of Nigeria disclosed the new information.

The circular issued by the Director of Finance for Director-General, Jack Odeh, on October 22, 2024, titled “Notice of Delay in October 2024 Salary,” explained that the delay was caused by the payment of the 40 per cent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance which was not initially included in the 2024 budget.

It further stated that personnel costs from the month of October to December 2024 will be augmented from the Service Wide Vote, hence a slight delay in the payment of salaries.

However, the Director of Press at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, said the issue in question had an impact on not more than 12 MDAs, though he did not provide the specific names of entities involved.

The notice read, “Consequent to the Federal Government implementation of the minimum wage in September 2024, and the non-inclusion of the 40 per cent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance in the 2024 budget, the Voice of Nigeria personnel budget has been exhausted.

“VON’s personnel cost from the month of October to December 2024 will therefore have to be augmented from the Service Wide Vote. We regret to inform the staff and management that there will be a slight delay in the payment of salaries for the period of October to December 2024.

“This is due to the ongoing process of augmentation, which requires necessary approvals from relevant authorities for VON and other ministries, departments and agencies involved. Please take note.”

Members of staff who spoke to our correspondent confirmed the situation.

A VON reporter confirmed that a circular was sent that salaries for the next three months will be delayed.

The staff said, “Yes, we are affected. We got a circular that our salaries for October, November and December are going to be delayed, but they didn’t give any tangible explanation.”

Another staff with the News Agency of Nigeria said the issue is true, though some persons have started receiving their salaries.

The staff said, “I haven’t seen my salary but I was informed by our colleagues that they have started paying. It lingered but they have started paying.

“My colleague even informed me that they haven’t paid the new minimum wage. There has been fluctuation since this administration started, unlike past administrations.”

Commenting on the development, Bawa said the issue has been resolved and affected civil servants will start receiving their salaries from today (Thursday).

He said, “That issue is already solved. The affected civil servants will get their salaries. We have taken care of it. For this month, any ministry that hasn’t got will get it from today. They will be paid. I don’t know precisely but they cannot be more than 12 MDAs.”

He also refuted claims that the salary delay will happen till the end of this year.

“No, it won’t be till the end of this year. We have resolved it,” he stressed.

Nollywood actress, Ufuoma McDermott, has opened up about battling kidney disease for 12 years, revealing that she also lost her younger brother to chronic kidney disease.

The thespian, in an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwu, said she cannot afford to add weight due to her health condition.

Ufuoma said she was also diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney disease last year and was told to slow down at work and rest, but she thought she had more time and negotiated with her doctors.

The actress noted that despite the warnings of her doctors, she stressed her body, and she was shortly diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease.

Ufuoma said he had thought about dying because of what happened to her brother.

The movie star added that she found her way back from Stage 4 kidney disease, and it changed how she lived her life.

Watch the video below.

Popular social media influencer, Martins Otse, also known as Verydarkman, VDM, has been detained by the Nigeria Police Force.

His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju stated this on Thursday night via a post on his official Facebook page.

According to the activist lawyer, the social media critic was arrested after honouring an invitation from the police.

He wrote, “Our client, VDM has been detained after honouring police invitation just like yesterday.

“VDM has been consistent in saying the Nigerian Police are our friends even when we all know they are not”.

This may not be unconnected to the recent use of police uniform as seen in a viral video clip.

DAILY POST recalls that the Police on Thursday last week, condemned the unauthorized use of its official uniforms and accoutrements by VDM in a video posted on his social media platforms.

The force said in a statement by its spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said it had launched an investigation into the circulating video.

Health workers under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals Association, AHPA, have suspended their seven-day warning strike effective from midnight October 31 in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, and in general public interest.

The National Chairman of JOHESU, Mr Kabiru Minjibir, said this in a communiqué jointly signed by Mr Martin Egbanubi, National Secretary of the union on Thursday in Abuja.

DAILY POST recalls that JOHESU had embarked on a seven-day warning strike on October 25, to press home its demands from the Federal Government.

It said that the decision to suspend the warning strike was taken at an emergency meeting of the Expanded National Executive Council (NEC) of the Union.

It added that the expanded NEC comprised the Presidents and General Secretaries of JOHESU affiliate unions and professional Associations, National Executive Council, NEC, members of affiliate Unions and JOHESU Chairmen and Secretaries at the State and Branch levels.

The communiqué said NEC-in-Session critically appraised the various reports and the MoU signed between the JOHESU team and the Federal Government team during the conciliation meeting held on October 29 at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“NEC-in-session after extensive deliberations resolved that the suspension of the seven-day warning strike effective from midnight, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and in general public interest.

“Time line of six weeks given to the Federal Government to meet all her obligations contained in the MoU.

“Expanded NEC meeting shall be convened upon the expiration of the six (6) weeks’ deadlines to review development and take appropriate decisions.

“Indefinite strike action shall be the next option if the Expanded NEC of JOHESU is not satisfied with the Federal Government responses to the implementation of her obligations contained in the MoU,” it said.

The demands of the unions include immediate implementation of CONHESS adjustment, payment of 25 per cent CONHESS Review arrears, payment of nine months’ salary to staff of Regulatory Agencies.

Others were the restoration of funding to Environmental Health Regulatory Council, reconstitution of Boards/Governing Councils of Federal Health Institution, commencement of the process to upwardly review retirement age of health workers, among others.