Super Eagle Alex Iwobi has emerged as Fulham’s most influential attacking force this season, leading the team’s goal contributions chart with six involvements – three goals and three assists in 13 Premier League appearances, as they prepare to host Brighton & Hove Albion at Craven Cottage on Thursday (today).

The Nigeria international reached a significant milestone in his last home game, netting his 25th Premier League goal in Fulham’s 4-1 defeat to Wolves at Craven Cottage, before following up with another crucial contribution by providing his third assist of the campaign in the subsequent 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

Marco Silva’s side salvaged that point against Spurs in North London last weekend in a match that ended in eventful fashion for captain Tom Cairney, who was sent off late in the game. Silva was left frustrated after the match, insisting his Fulham side “deserved to win.”

The £22m summer signing from Everton sits joint-second in Fulham’s scoring charts alongside Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson, with all three having netted three times.

Mexican striker Raúl Jiménez leads the way with four goals in 13 appearances, while Andreas Pereira, Adama Traoré, Rodrigo Muniz, Reiss Nelson and Cairney have each contributed one goal.

In the creative department, Iwobi’s three assists put him level with left-back Antonee Robinson, with only Spanish winger Adama Traoré having created more goals (four) for the Cottagers this term.

Smith Rowe and Jiménez have registered two assists each, while goalkeeper Bernd Leno, Kenny Tete, Rodrigo Muniz and Reiss Nelson have one apiece. This places Iwobi and Jimenez as the joint-leaders in goal contributions for the Cottagers with the Mexican also on six.

The Cottagers, who have slipped to 10th in the Premier League table, will be hoping Iwobi can maintain his impressive form when they face Brighton. Fulham have enjoyed facing the Seagulls in the Premier League, winning four and drawing four of their last eight meetings in the top flight, including their last encounter in March which ended in a 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

Notable players yet to open their scoring accounts include defensive stalwarts Calvin Bassey and Robinson, who have featured in all 13 matches. Summer signings Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic are also searching for their first goals, having made 10 and nine appearances respectively.

Since making his Premier League debut for Arsenal in 2015, Iwobi has consistently proven his quality across 265 league appearances. The midfielder netted 11 times for the Gunners before adding six more during his stint with Everton. His spell at Fulham has been particularly productive, with eight goals already registered in his first two seasons.

The 28-year-old’s versatility has made him an indispensable asset in Silva’s setup, excelling in various midfield roles while maintaining his attacking output. His 25 Premier League goals place him eighth among Nigerian goalscorers in the competition’s history, trailing Victor Anichebe (27) but still some distance from record-holder Yakubu Aiyegbeni’s impressive haul of 95 goals.

While the likes of Wilson (three goals in nine games) and Smith Rowe (three goals in 13 appearances) have matched Iwobi’s scoring record, neither has matched his creative output. Traoré, despite leading the assist charts with four, has only managed one goal in his 12 appearances.

The statistics highlight Iwobi’s dual threat as both scorer and creator, making him the standout performer in Fulham’s attack this season. His consistency and ability to influence games have been crucial for the Cottagers, who will be looking to climb the Premier League table in the coming weeks, starting with Thursday’s clash against fourth-placed Brighton.

With several players yet to make significant attacking contributions, including new signing Timothy Castagne, Fulham will be hoping their Nigerian talisman can maintain his impressive form while others look to increase their offensive output as they aim to improve their midweek record, having won just one of their last six league games played on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois has expressed his desire for a rematch with Anthony Joshua, despite being scheduled to defend his title against Joseph Parker in February.

“As a fighter, I would love to get in the ring and put the final touches on our rivalry,” Dubois told Mirgor.

“But as it is, I’m just really excited to get out there and defend that belt again. I’m sure a rematch with Joshua could happen in the future, who knows? So yeah, I’m just ready to continue on my journey.”

The champion’s eagerness for a second bout comes after his spectacular knockout victory over Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September. However, the former two-time world champion won’t return to action until at least May 2024, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn.

Joshua, who has amassed over $200m in career earnings, making him one of boxing’s highest earners, could pursue a different path to heavyweight glory. The WBC has approved a fight between Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel for their interim title, with the winner potentially facing the British-Nigerian.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed this development, stating, “The WBC has received a formal request to sanction this fight for the interim title, and we will accept it. We’ve been clear and transparent in supporting the best possible matchups, especially in the heavyweight division.”

Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised Joshua to hold off on other fights and wait for a mega-bout with Tyson Fury before retiring.

“He should wait for the big fight against Tyson Fury,” Khan told New Zealand Daily.

“They’re both such big names and I think he should call it a day after that.”

The proposed Fury bout could materialise under the Riyadh Season banner, with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh expected to make a lucrative offer should Fury fail to reclaim his title from Oleksandr Usyk in December.

Joshua’s financial success has been remarkable, earning $75m from fights in 2024 alone, second only to Canelo Alvarez in yearly earnings. His paydays include a $65m purse for the Andy Ruiz Jr rematch in Saudi Arabia and over $40m for his two encounters with Usyk.

With one fight remaining on his Riyadh Season contract and multiple options available, including the WBC interim title route and potential mega-fights with Fury or Dubois, Joshua’s next move could significantly impact the heavyweight division’s landscape.

The Senate, on Tuesday, approved the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) with new borrowings of N9.22 trillion also approved.

The new borrowings consist of domestic and foreign borrowings, were also approved.

The approval was sequel to presentation and adoption of the report of Joint Committee on Finance, National Planning and Economic Affairs at plenary in Abuja.

The report was presented by the Chairman of committee, Sen. Sani Musa (APC-Niger).

The highlights of the approved recommendations of 2025-2027 MTEF/FSP include: approval of projected oil benchmark prices of $75.3 per barrel for 2025, 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.

The senate also approved the three-year projection for domestic crude oil production, which had a significant increase from 1.78 million barrels per day in the preceding year to 2.6, 2.1 and 2.35 for 2025, 2026 and 2027.

It equally approved the projected exchange rate of N1,400 to one dollar for 2025, 2026 and 2027 fiscal years, subject to review in the early 2025, based on monetary and fiscal policies.

The upper legislative chamber approved the projected inflation rates of 15.75 per cent, 14.21 per cent and 10.04 per cent for 2025, 2026 and 2027.

It further approved the projected Gross Domestic Product (GPD) growth rate of 4.6 per cent, 4.4 per cent and 5.5 per cent for 2025, 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.

Given the criteria on review of framework for revenue and expenses, the approved 2025 budget proposed spending stood at N47.9 trillion, of which N34.82 trillion was retained.

New borrowings, which stood at N9.22 trillion, consisting of domestic and foreign borrowings, were also approved.

While debt service was valued at N15.38trillion, pensions, gratuities and retirees’ benefits stood at N1.443trillion, and fiscal deficit at N13.08 trillion.

The senate approved the projected capital expenditure of N16.48 trillion, exclusive of statutory transfers which stood at N4.26trillion, while sinking fund was projected at N430.27 billion.

Another approval was the projected total recurrent non-debt of N14.21trillion and special intervention for recurrent and capital of N200 billion and N7 billion.

It further approved issuance of promissory note programme and bond issuance to settle outstanding claims and liabilities of the Federal Government to state governments.

The senate also approved a quarterly investigative hearing with revenue generating agencies to track their compliance with Fiscal Responsibility Act and reprimand clear contravention of the act.

The upper legislative chamber equally approved that Committee on Finance and Customs initiate an investigative inquiry into operations of import duty exemption certificate programme, with focus on import waivers, its impact on revenue losses by the Federal Ministry of Finance and Nigerian Customs Service.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks after the passage of the expenditure framework, commended members of the joint committee and other lawmakers for their legislative inputs, leading to the approval of the 2025, 2026 and 2027 MTEF and FSP.

(NAN)

The Nigerian Police Force has disclosed how a group of police officers corruptly obtained ₦43,160,000 from a cargo worker at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja last year.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the NPF Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Ogunjobi, the incident occurred in August 2023 and found Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, all of whom work at the Zone 7 Headquarters, guilty of the crime.

Officers, led by Inspector Esther Okafor and instructed by DSP Peter Ejike, wrongfully arrested Andrew Ejah, an employee of FATFAD Cargo Nigeria Limited, who was transporting ₦74,950,000 for clients.

According to Ogunjobi, the police detained Ejah without authority at Zone 7 Headquarters in Abuja and intentionally misrepresented the recovered money as ₦31,790,000. The authorities also requested a share of the proceeds to close the case.

When contacted by the supposed money owners, the cops stated that the amount they had seized from the apprehended suspect was N31,790,000. They demanded a portion of the funds to jeopardise the investigation and suppress the case.

Outraged by their acts, the money owners petitioned the Force Headquarters in Abuja, and the case was referred to the IGP Monitoring Unit for investigation.

During the procedure, the officers recovered N31,790,000 in cash, claiming that this was the whole amount recovered from Andrew Ejah during his detention.

Following extensive investigations and a series of trials before duly constituted disciplinary panels, NPD stated that it was discovered that the officers took photographs of the suspect and the sacks of money at the point of arrest but claimed the phone they used was damaged and subsequently lost in an attempt to conceal their misconduct.

However, forensic information revealed that the policemen planned to steal a portion of the money, totalling N43,160,000, and tasked one of them with moving the cash out of the FCT for hiding until the heat subsided.

They then used a variety of techniques and gimmicks to hide their traces. One example is the dissemination of this misleading narrative and misinformation throughout numerous internet blogs and newspaper platforms.

“The Nigeria Police Force is concerned about recent media reports claiming that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, is protecting a cartel accused of smuggling suspicious new banknotes from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The NPF unequivocally rejects these charges, describing them as unfounded and orchestrated attempts to destroy the IGP’s image and the Force’s integrity.

“They then used a variety of techniques and gimmicks to hide their traces. One example is the dissemination of this misleading narrative and misinformation throughout numerous internet blogs and newspaper platforms.

“The event at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on August 26, 2023, has been thoroughly examined. The officers involved—DSP Peter Ejike (a lawyer in charge of the Zone 7 Legal Section), Inspector Ekende Edwin, Inspector Esther Okafor, and Sergeant Talabi Kayode, all from the Zone 7 Headquarters—were found guilty and sentenced appropriately.

“These policemen have been suspended after being found guilty of significant misconduct, tampering with exhibits, abuse of office, corrupt practice, unauthorised duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. The movement of such a large sum of money by the supposed cargo company could have been probed and handled professionally by the police, but the officers were consumed by greed and thus acted criminally and unprofessionally.

“It is important to highlight that the circulating false narrative is sponsored misinformation created by mischief makers who seek to divert attention away from the illegal conduct of police personnel by seeking to link concerns with the Inspector-General of Police. The policemen involved will face prosecution once all legal and administrative procedures have been completed,” according to the statement.

The NPF requested the public and media to stop disseminating this false narrative, which aims to tarnish the Inspector-General of Police’s reputation.

It stated that such misinformation weakens public trust and distracts from the current administration’s ongoing attempts to modernise the police force by removing unprofessional individuals.

Suspected internet fraudsters have allegedly shot a collaborator over a disagreement arising from the sharing of N94 million proceeds from an online scam.

The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday at Okhoro road in the Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.

The victim was said to have been driving in his Sport Utility Vehicle when the gunmen who drove in another vehicle accosted him.

A source on Tuesday said the gunmen ordered him out of his car and shot him at a close range.

The source described the victim as “Aza Man”, a code name by internet fraudsters for a person who provides bank account for receiving proceeds of Internet fraud.

According to the source, the Aza man ran into trouble after he reneged on agreement with other members of the syndicate on the sharing formula for the N94 million realised from a scam.

“While the Aza man was promised a certain percentage of the amount upon the payment, he refused and instead retained the fund to himself.

“He refused to share with the group,” the source said.

Meanwhile, when contacted, SP Moses Yamu, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Edo on Tuesday confirmed the shooting.

He noted, however, that “investigation had commenced, with the aim of arresting the perpetrators.”

Yamu added that the victim was undergoing treatment at a medical facility in the state.

(NAN)

Deposit Money Banks in the Federal Capital Territory have increased their maximum over-the-counter withdrawal limit to N50,000 per day, findings by The PUNCH have shown.

A survey conducted by our correspondent on Tuesday revealed that banks, including Guaranty Trust Bank and Zenith Bank, have increased the withdrawal limit, enhancing it from N5,000 that was allowed to customers last month.

At the GTBank branch located along the airport road, customers were allowed to withdraw N50,000 over the counter but a limit of N20,000 at its Automated Teller Machines.

An official who spoke to our correspondent said the bank is now in possession of more cash and that is the reason why the limit was increased.

“We now have more cash and that is why we are giving out more money. Simple.”

Meanwhile, Point of Sales operators have stated that an increase in the withdrawal limit would not reduce their service charge.

Currently, POS operators charge N800 for a withdrawal of N20,000 and N2,000 for a withdrawal of N50,000.

An operator, Faith, said a steady supply of cash would reduce service charges and not a one-time compliance by banks.

He said, “How will I reduce my charges because banks are now giving N50,000? Let it be stable first, then it would reduce.”

The British Government is set to deport popular pastor, Tobi Adegboyega, to Nigeria after losing his case against deportation at the immigration tribunal.

PUNCH Online reports that the UK government had shut down his church, SPAC Nation, after investigations exposed a misuse of funds by the church leadership.

It was gathered that the UK authorities closed the church after Adegboyega failed to properly account for more than £1.87 million of outgoings and operating with a lack of transparency.

However, according to The Telegraph, an immigration tribunal ruled that he should be deported back to Nigeria after investigations.

After arriving on a visitor’s visa in 2005, Adegboyega has lived in the UK unlawfully ever since.

In 2019, the pastor applied for leave to remain under ECHR’s right to a family life.

His application was initially dismissed by a first-tier immigration tribunal before he appealed.

Having been married to a British woman, the pastor claimed deportation would breach his right under the European Convention of Human Rights to a family life and failed to consider his community work with SPAC.

His legal team described him as a ‘charismatic’ community leader of a large, well-organised church who had ‘intervened in the lives of many hundreds of young people, predominantly from the black communities in London, to lead them away from trouble’.

Politicians including former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and senior figures within the Metropolitan Police had ‘lauded’ his work, he claimed, but no testimony by them was submitted to the court.

However, the Home Office contended ‘all is not as it seems’ and dragged him before an immigration tribunal.

However, according to the judgment as quoted by The Telegraph, the tribunal said evidences against the Nigerian pastor were taken to consideration.

The judgment reads, “Various manifestations of [Mr Adegboyega’s] church have been closed down, by either the Charity Commission or the High Court, because of concerns over its finances and lack of transparency.

“Former members of the church have alleged that it is a cult, in which impoverished young people are encouraged to do anything they can to donate money, including taking out large loans, committing benefit fraud and even selling their own blood.

“It is alleged that the church leadership lead lavish lifestyles and there have, it is said, been instances of abuse. The [Home Office’s] case before us was that all of this needs to be taken into account when evaluating whether [Mr Adegboyega] is in fact of real value to the UK.”

Speaking at the tribunal, Adegboyega said that claims that his chruch was a cult was unfounded and attacks on him and the church were politically motivated.

He also maintained no one had ever faced criminal charges over his church’s finances, adding that his deportation would breach his human rights.

However, the tribunal was told the Charity Commission concluded “there had been serious misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charity which was sustained over a substantial period of time.”

The tribunal also found Adegboyega’s evidence to be “hyperbolic in many instances’ and had ‘sought to grossly inflate his influence.”

The tribunal concluded, “We are not satisfied that the good work that SPAC Nation undertakes generally would collapse or even significantly suffer should the appellant be required to leave the UK.

“Weighing all of the foregoing in the balance we conclude that the decision to refuse leave to remain was wholly proportionate.

“Mr Adegboyega seeks to rely on family and private life relationships, all of which have been established whilst he was in the UK unlawfully, and which would survive his return to Nigeria.

“The interference would therefore be limited, and lawful in all the circumstances.”

The Senate has suspended action on the tax reform bills currently before it.

It further instructed the Committee on Finance to stay action on the public hearing pending the time the agitation in the public space is addressed.

The Senate further constituted a special committee to meet with the executive branch and work with the Federal Government to resolve the issues surrounding the tax reform bills.

This was made known by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided during the plenary on Wednesday.

There have been a lot of controversies surrounding the Tax Reform Bills since its introduction to the National Assembly.

The bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 and Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.

Northern governors have rejected the bills, describing them as anti-democracy.

Following this, the National Economic Council requested that the tax reforms bill be withdrawn from the NASS for more consultations.

Amidst the controversy, Senator Shehu Buba (APC, Bauchi South) in an interview with British Broadcasting Service, Hausa Service said Northern Senators agreed to recall the Tax Reforms Bills.

He said, “These bills are complex and require thorough review by tax policy experts.”

He claimed that northern lawmakers strongly oppose the proposed “derivation” formula in the value-added tax (VAT) distribution system, arguing that northern states would be unfairly impacted.

Also, on Tuesday, the president instructed the Ministry of Justice to liaise with the judiciary.

Speaking about these controversies, the Deputy Senate president noted that the delegation will meet on Thursday at the National Assembly to resolve all the issues that have been the cause of the uproar.

Barau said, “On the tax reform bills currently before us, we acknowledge that the Senate remains the highest legislative assembly in this country.

“The Senate comprises men and women of wisdom and experience, entrusted to legislate for the peace, stability, and development of the nation.

“The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, like similar bodies globally, serves as a stabilising force in times of difficulty or disagreement. Through dialogue and consensus, the Senate has consistently provided solutions to national challenges since 1999.”

He added, “In this regard, we have decided to set aside politics, ethnicity, and regionalism to work together on resolving the issues surrounding the tax reform bills.

“In collaboration with the Executive Arm of Government, we agreed to establish a forum to identify and address contentious areas to ensure national unity and progress.

“Before the introduction of these bills, we faced numerous challenges, including insecurity and economic issues.

“The President has been working to address these problems, and we are committed to supporting these efforts while tackling global economic challenges. We also agreed that no other issues should aggravate the country’s current difficulties.

“It has been mutually decided between the Executive and the Senate to engage the Judiciary to sort out these matters.

“the Attorney General of the Federation will be involved in discussions to identify and resolve areas of disagreement for the nation’s benefit.

“Tomorrow, the committee established by the Senate, along with its leadership, will meet with the Attorney General to address these issues.”

Barau further instructed, “Consequently, the Senate Committee on Finance has been directed to pause further actions on public hearings and other matters related to the tax reform bills until the issues are resolved.”

Members of the committee are all the leadership of the Senate including other members,  Adamu Ailero (PDP, Kebbi Central), Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North), Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa  West) Titus Zam (Benue South), Abdullahi Yahaya (Kebbi), Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Ogun West), Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) and Adetokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos East).

The Senior Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Bolaji Idowu, has debunked allegations linking him to fraudulent real estate activities and money laundering, describing the claims as unfounded and misleading.

Reports emerged on Tuesday alleging that Idowu had been detained in Abuja by operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department over his purported involvement in real estate fraud.

A police source reportedly claimed, “Pastor Bolaji Idowu, popularly known for his ‘Next Level Prayers,’ is under investigation for alleged fraudulent real estate activities and money laundering.”

It was further alleged that the cleric regained his freedom after interventions by some prominent Christian leaders. 

However, addressing the matter during his church’s daily morning prayer session, Next Level Prayers, on Wednesday,  Idowu dismissed the allegations, asserting that he neither owns nor deals in properties within Nigeria.

“I do not have any property in Nigeria. The only property I have in Nigeria is the one bequeathed to me. So, there is no property that I have or bought in Nigeria,” he told his congregation.

Idowu also refuted claims that billions of naira had been funneled into his bank accounts as part of the alleged scheme, maintaining that his financial records are transparent and open to scrutiny.

“Someone said I received billions into my account. My accounts are public; you can check if I have ever received billions in them. It is just a lot of things going on in the press, but this is not the forum to address that,” he stated.

The pastor expressed shock at the allegations, admitting that he learned about them through the media, just like the public.

“Some of these things, as you are reading them, I am also reading them,” he said.

A Magistrate Court in Ado Ekiti has ordered that Human Rights Attorney and activist, Dele Farotimi, be remanded following allegations of defaming a prominent legal figure and founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN.

Naija News reports that the activist is accused of damaging the reputation of Afe Babalola through statements made in his recently released book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.’

Farotimi, who was arraigned on Wednesday (today), pleaded not guilty to all sixteen charges brought against him.

Police prosecutor, Samson Osun, requested that the defendant be held in custody while further investigations are conducted, citing the need for maintaining public safety.

In response, the defendant’s attorney, Dayo Akeredolu, contested this request, urging the court to grant bail under lenient conditions and based on self-recognition.

He emphasized that the case is eligible for bail and that the defendant is a well-known individual who does not pose a threat.

Akeredolu also pointed out that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Nevertheless, the presiding judge, Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, decided to remand the defendant in custody and scheduled the next hearing for December 10.