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Afrobeats artiste, Davido, has revealed that he and his wife, Chioma, are taking a break from childbearing.
The father of 5 said he is not ready to have more children, stressing that Chioma deserves a break to pursue her career after three children.
The Omo Baba Olowo hitmaker disclosed this in a recent episode of Ride Along With Darryl.
He said, “I don’t want more children now. Me and my wife are taking a break. She needs to get out to work. She wants to do a lot of things like opening her restaurant and launching her spices. I feel she deserves a couple of years off after having 3 kids.”
DAILY POST recalls that the couple welcomed a set of twins, a boy and a girl, in 2023, a year after they lost their first son, Ifeanyi, in a swimming pool accident.
[DailyPost]
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the extradition of Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly known as Killaboi, from Doha, Qatar, where he will face prosecution for the alleged murder of 21-year-old Miss Augusta Onuwabhagbe, a first-class student at Lead City University, Ibadan.
Nnayereugo, who was declared wanted by police in October 2023, arrived in Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday following coordinated efforts by the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Ministry of Justice, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja, and judicial authorities in Qatar.
In a statement on via X (formerly Twitter), Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, explained that the extradition followed “a petition from the family of the deceased, submitted through their legal representatives dated 29th September 2024.” The case was assigned to INTERPOL NCB Abuja for investigation.
According to police findings, Nnayereugo allegedly murdered Onuwabhagbe at his residence at 24A Abiola Apooyi Street, Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos on July 13, 2023 before fleeing the country.
The victim was a promising student with a first-class academic record at Lead City University.
Authorities said the suspect later released an online video purporting to confess to the crime — a move the police described as “a deceptive strategy to derail investigative efforts.”
The police also confirmed that after the suspect was declared wanted by the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on October 13, 2023, an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his global apprehension.
Nnayereugo was arrested in Freetown, Sierra Leone on October 20, 2023, under a false identity, “KANU PRINCETON SAMUEL,” but escaped from custody during a prison break on November 26, 2023.
“Further intelligence gathering revealed that the suspect continued to evade law enforcement, traversing multiple regions including West Africa, East Asia and the Middle East, under forged identities before eventually relocating to Doha, Qatar on 24th January, 2025,” the statement added.
The police said he lived in Qatar under the alias “TOURE ABDOULAYE” and used a forged Guinean passport to secure illegal employment and conceal his identity.
“Through robust international cooperation and the use of advanced biometrics, INTERPOL NCB Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB Doha, confirmed his identity, leading to his arrest by Qatari authorities in February 2025,” the statement noted.
His extradition was secured after an official request was approved by Qatari judicial authorities, following due process coordinated through the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the international collaboration that led to the suspect’s return, describing it as a testament to global cooperation against trans-border crimes.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, while recognising the strength in the synergy amongst nations to curb trans-border crimes, commended the diligence of INTERPOL NCB Abuja and extended sincere appreciation to the Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Government of Qatar, INTERPOL NCB Doha, and the Nigerian Embassy in Qatar for their invaluable collaboration in securing the fugitive’s return,” the statement read.
Egbetokun also assured the public that the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to ensuring justice in the case, stating, “The Inspector-General of Police further assured the general public of the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to ensuring that the suspect faces diligent prosecution, as part of the NPF’s dedication to justice and the safety of all Nigerians.”
In October 2023, the Lagos State Police Command declared Nnayereugo wanted for Onuwabhagbe’s death.
At the time, the state police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, described him as “26 years old, approximately 5’9 ft tall and hails from Abia State. He is dark in complexion and speaks English, Igbo and pidgin English fluently.”
[TheNation]
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially announced a change in the commencement date of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, now scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 24, 2025, instead of the previously slated Friday, April 25, 2025.
This development was disclosed in a statement signed by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, and shared on the Board’s official X handle on Saturday.
“The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is now set to commence on Thursday, April 24, 2025, instead of the previously scheduled date of Friday, April 25, 2025. This adjustment has been made to accommodate essential commitments by the Board and its partner agencies,” the statement partly read.
In preparation for the exam, JAMB also announced that prospective candidates can now print their Notification Slips, which contain crucial details such as the examination date, venue (centre), time, and other instructions necessary for a smooth examination experience.
“What’s included in the Notification Slip: Examination date, venue (centre), time, other essential details necessary for successfully sitting for the examination,” the statement further explained.
Candidates are encouraged to begin printing their Notification Slips starting Saturday, April 19, 2025 (Today).
“Candidates are encouraged to print their Notification Slips starting today, Saturday, April 19, 2025. This will provide ample time for logistical arrangements to access their assigned centres within the chosen examination towns,” it added.
To print the examination slip, candidates are required to: “Visit www.jamb.gov.ng, click on ‘2025 UTME Slip Printing.’ Enter your registration number and click on ‘Print Examination Slip”, the statement advised.
JAMB strongly urged candidates to visit their assigned centres ahead of time.
“It is strongly advised that candidates print their slips and familiarise themselves with their examination centres at least one or two days before the examination date. This preparation will help ensure a smooth experience on exam day,” the Board said.
The Board reiterated that no candidate would be posted outside their selected examination town.
“Examination Schedule: To reiterate, the 2025 UTME will begin on Thursday, April 24, 2025. Candidates are advised to print their Examination Notification Slips at least a day before the exam to confirm their examination dates and locations, making it easier to access their centres on the day of the examination. Please note that candidates will be assigned to centres within their chosen examination towns; no candidate will be placed in a centre outside their selected town”, the statement concluded.
[Punch]
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has voiced his strong disapproval of the rehabilitation work carried out on the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, describing it as substandard and unsafe.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Saturday, Keyamo announced that the federal government decided to shut down the airport’s runway for two weeks starting April 22, 2025, to address critical safety concerns.
“Dear compatriots, we have been compelled to take this decision to close the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, for two weeks starting from April 22nd, 2025, in order to carry out major repair works on it, he stated.
The minister noted that although the airport underwent a significant year-long rehabilitation in 2019, the core issue of waterlogging was never effectively resolved. According to him, this oversight has led to persistent cracks and potholes on the runway, which now threaten the safety of passengers.
“Unfortunately, when we came to the office, we discovered that the waterlogged part of the runway was not properly constructed to take care of the problem, leading to constant cracks and potholes on the runway. These obviously put the lives of the travelling public at great risk,” he said.
Keyamo, who visited the site personally, said he was totally displeased with the contractor’s work.
“I personally visited the airport some months after assuming office and expressed my total displeasure with the work done by the contractor,” he revealed.
Keyamo said that despite ongoing palliative repairs, the condition of the runway has worsened to the point where the cracks have turned into “craters,” prompting the urgent closure.
“We have been carrying out constant palliative works on it, but the problem has not abated, and the cracks on the runway are becoming craters,” he added.
While apologising to the public for the inconvenience, Keyamo assured that flight operations would be rerouted to neighbouring airports during the repair period.
“We sincerely apologise to Nigerians over this development as the airport is our major international gateway in the Southeastern part of Nigeria.
“In the meantime, scheduled flight operations to Enugu will be diverted to other neighbouring airports. We are going to work tirelessly to meet the timeline in order to mitigate the inconvenience this closure will cause the travelling public,” he said.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced the temporary closure in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah.
[Opinion nigeria]
Buba Galadima, a former political ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari, in this encounter, laments that all those who are in power in the country are only concerned about themselves rather than the people.
He says we should forget the 2027 general elections because the votes would not count unless Nigerians rise up and demand an amendment to the Electoral Act.
He also cautions President Bola Tinubu to be wary of those around him, saying they may pull down his government, even as he bares his mind on the emergency rule in Rivers State, hunger in the land, among other issues.
Excerpts:
How would you assess your party APC after almost 10 years in office?
I’m no longer in APC. When Buhari was still in power, he set up a committee under Bola Tinubu, who is now the President, to remove my name from the Board of Trustees of APC and to remove my name from the National Caucus of APC because he said I talked too much, and that I looked at him in the eye and said my mind. When I saw that it was what the president (Buhari) liked that was going to happen, I just left the party for them. But let me tell you something, there is nothing anybody can do except one thing.
It is for us to come together and ensure that we get a proper Electoral Act that will ensure that everybody’s vote counts. That’s the only thing we can do. If we can’t do that one, then let’s forget it, because if Nigerians don’t come together, some people will continue to write the results of the election.
The way we are going presently, votes are not counting in Nigeria.
If we don’t amend the Electoral Act, the courts will continue to give everything to them, like they did in Edo. Somebody won an election, they gave the result to another person and the courts affirmed it. Look at what happened in Kano. Everybody knows that it’s the responsibility of the governor to approve the appointment of an Emir. He doesn’t appoint, he approves and gives suggestions. But somebody wants to install an Emir from Abuja, and nobody is talking. So, why should I waste my time talking?
Look at what is happening in Rivers. An unelected person will uproot an elected person. Look at what is happening in the Senate. An elected Senator will uproot an elected senator.
I say, whose fault is it now? It’s our fault. Nigerians allow them to have their way and if you are talking, and they catch you, they put you underground, like the one I tasted. Does poverty or hunger know a Yoruba man or an Igbo man or Hausa man? We are all in it. So, we have to remove certain sentiments and work for the good of the system, not for an individual.
We have to do that, we have to come together and fight for a better society, fight for a better system, where justice would prevail, irrespective of whatever.
If it affects the Igbo man, we all should shout that it’s not good. If it affects the Hausa man, we all should come around to say this. The point is that what happened to an Igbo man can happen to a Hausa man and a Yoruba man.
So, you are talking about our unity as a people…
That’s what I’m saying. Do we believe in that? Unless we believe that it’s okay. Some people were killed in Edo.
We must find out who did that. It doesn’t matter where they are. Human lives were wasted. Human lives are sacred and you can’t just waste lives like that. We should all talk about it and find the culprits and punish them, whether it affects you, whether it doesn’t affect you, you need to handle it. Look at Plateau State, people are being butchered. If we keep quiet or keep playing politics with human lives, it will keep spreading.
What do you think of what happened in Edo?
I wasn’t in the country, so I didn’t even know the details. I just saw the video while I was outside the country. But my point is that it doesn’t matter to whom it happened. When something bad is done to anybody, it is our responsibility to condemn it and seek justice. But when these people in power all over know that they can divide us by religion, by tribe, by section, by where you come from, by state, then, we are out. They will do what they want. Democracy was not built based on religion or tribe. It was built on certain principles which are sacrosanct.
But the opposition is not strong enough to tackle these issues…
How can the opposition be strong when they don’t have money to face the government? When all the money is in the control of those in power and not the people, not the country, how can they be strong? I went to the hospital outside the country and I almost shed tears. I went for treatment, for the evaluation of an operation done on me in October 2023. Hospitals in Nigeria are just graveyards; when you go there, you are waiting to be buried. You talked about the opposition; many are decamping to the APC.
Do you think that they are decamping because the APC is doing well? You and I don’t have money, but they have and it doesn’t satisfy them. They want to win and get more money. Have you seen what we are seeing? That they are strengthening the oppressors?
If they are in the office, even what they get is more than what your whole community can get. But they are still not satisfied.
They want to rush there to steal more. I just got back from a trip. I landed in Kano and drove to Abuja and I learned that during the Sallah, there was a fight between the Emir’s bodyguards and some people. And somebody died.
Now the Police are inviting the Emir. Do you think it is right to invite the Emir who was riding on a horseback, one kilometre away, to ask him what happened, and why somebody was killed during his procession? Nobody is talking. Can the IGP invite the Oba of Lagos when somebody is killed during an event where the Oba is present? But it is okay, it is Kano, let them go and kill themselves.
It may happen to me one day, or it may happen to my Emirate. The police planned to cause commotion in Kano so that they could declare a state of emergency.
That was what they wanted to do by banning the Durbar. They invited the Emir on a Tuesday before Sallah and if the Emir reported on Tuesday, they would have brought the other one from Mecca who went for the Lesser Hajj to come and plant him so that the commotion would start. That was what they planned to do.
Does the Federal Government have powers over the choice of traditional rulers?
Some people have powers over the Chief Justice of the Federation. Ganduje removed an Emir because he was the governor of Kano; if another person becomes the governor of Kano, doesn’t he have the right to remove the person that Ganduje also put there? He didn’t remove him because he committed any offence. He removed him because of politics. Now they want to force people to be killed.
They want to invite the Emir and enthrone another one by force. That is why they came to the Court of Appeal for the court to swallow its vomit. Even when they thought that what the Governor did was right, they said the implementation should wait until the Supreme Court makes a pronouncement.
Is that correct? Supreme Court? How many people? Is it not a decision of a few men under the influence of the government? I’m over 70; I speak the truth at all times. Inviting the Emir of Kano to a police station is wrong.
How can the government right the wrongs?
All these things are based on one issue, justice. Because if there is justice and there is a human feeling, everything will fall in place. Our leaders must be compassionate about the sufferings of the people.
Some people cannot afford to eat one meal per day. That should be their concern. But it looks like those who claimed we voted for them are only concerned about what they will get from governance rather than how much sacrifice they can make on behalf of the people. Governance in multi-ethnic and religious societies, communities like Nigeria, need 24-hour surveillance.
You have to make a real sacrifice for you to speak to all shades of opinion to find out exactly how things go and how they can work out. This is not obtainable now because all those in power are only concerned about themselves rather than about the people. That’s our problem.
Are we going to endure this till 2027?
Our issue is that we, as a nation, must sit down and define a minimum code of behaviour for all our leaders. Unless we do that, it will continue for eternity. That is why people like me, who are above 70, are almost giving up. There is this adage in Hausa that says when you are talking about the thief, also talk about those who try to catch the thief. We are all the same. Once somebody gets his minimum requirement for one day, he can forsake you.
So, they don’t even care about those who fight for them as long as they can get a stipend from those who oppress them. The people have not decided what they want from the leaders. If they decide to bring a change for the better, they could do that.
And the change for the better does not mean that you will support somebody from your religion, somebody from your tribe or somebody from where you come from. No! You make a universal minimum good for all the people. And you fight for it. Nobody, no military, no police, no judiciary can overturn the will of the people when we stand together. If we say that this is wrong and it must stop, it should stop.
We have two other arms of government apart from the executive, like the legislature and the judiciary. Those seem to be failing too..
Not that they seem to be failing. They have buckled to the executive. When these very arms of government work, everybody does their little bit. Our problem is multifaceted, and we have a division. I saw, just now, one foreigner berating the Middle Belt Forum on the position they released on the killings in Edo. The foreigner was damn right that what is wrong is wrong even if it was done against your enemy.
The Middle Belt Forum was happy that they did that to these people because they should remember that Deborah was killed in Sokoto. Was it these people who were killed in Edo that killed Deborah? We should have condemned Deborah’s issue as well as condemned this one in Edo. So, what kind of country or what kind of people do we have in Nigeria? And they said they are a regional bloc fighting for justice.
Justice means that even if an injustice is committed against your enemy, you fight for him. When you finish and obtain justice for him, you can continue your quarrel. So, we are the architects of our problems. I am getting fed up. I can’t see the Nigeria I dreamt of.
What is your take on what is happening in Rivers and the declaration of an emergency rule?
Is there any one single person except Nyesom Wike who supported what is happening in Rivers? No, I’m asking whether you know anybody.
There’s this video released by the Emir of Muri berating politicians in Taraba.
Yes, Abbas Tafida, the Emir of Muri. You need to listen to that one. When you listen to him, you now find out whether the politicians are okay. He said you sit down, all of you, and say you promulgate a law called your constitution to guide your conduct. And you had come together to form a political party because you all believe in one thing. Then, as idiots, when we quarrel, you go to another person who was not a participant in the formulation of the constitution to interpret the constitution for you.
Are you well? That’s what the Emir of Muri said. Look, there is something wrong with us, but you, the mass media, you carry the greatest burden. You are divisive; you should sit down and agree never to mention religion, never to mention tribe and never to mention where somebody comes from. Talk of Nigeria and talk of justice for all and Nigeria will be different. But you are promoting these things by reminding people that they belong to a certain tribe, they belong to a certain religion, they belong to a certain section, they belong to this or belong to that. We can’t run a country like that. If we keep having emergency rule because of the way it is now, if they extend the emergency rule to Kano, that means Nigeria is finished. But I believe common sense may prevail because they should know that there are certain things they ought not to do. It’s not everything that suits you that can in the end benefit you.
Look at what is happening in the Senate. The Senate is not deliberating on what will benefit the people anymore. We left that issue several years ago. Everybody knows Godswill Akpabio. If you don’t know him, go and ask Victor Attah, who was his Governor when he was a Commissioner. I don’t need to tell you anything. You should know better.
Are you saying nobody knows where Nigeria is headed?
No, we are going somewhere. I may not be around when we get there but we are going somewhere. Something has got to reach its elastic limit before it breaks. It happened in Ghana one day. They became a saner society. It happened in Iran during Reza Pahlavi. They are sane people now. It happened in the Soviet Union. So, things must reach their elastic limit. All this useless power that you see, just wait one day. It’s just that we don’t have patience.
What happened in those places was a revolution…
I don’t want to mention the word revolution. Leave that word to Omoyele Sowore. He can educate you better on that.
Sowore?
Yes. He is my role model. He is a courageous young man just like Malema of South Africa. I wish there would be a free and fair election. If there is a free and fair election, Sowore can win the election and come to the National Assembly. Then he becomes a Malema, a conscience of the nation. But how can he, now under these circumstances? When he doesn’t have what to give, or maybe he has, but he doesn’t give.
There is this belief in many quarters that the North is not happy with Buhari, Tinubu or the APC. How true is it?
Well, you read them in the newspapers. You read them on social media. You will get their mood. Have you gone to see the social media on this invitation to Emir Sanusi to come and see the Inspector General of Police? Have you seen what people are doing in Kano now? The Nigeria of today is not the Nigeria of yesterday. People are becoming conscious and we are only appealing to them and educating them more about their rights. But at the appropriate time, when hardship brings them together, they can react in a manner that you cannot control. This is a prophecy that I am giving.
The people have only one way out, they must stand up for their rights. For the government, my advice is that they should not joke with the feelings of the people because they are in control; they feel nothing can happen to them and that could be foolishness.
If all of us come out, they will all run away including the IGP and the defence corps. They will run, tell them I said so. They have nothing, they have only one life. The gun which the police and military are carrying is something anyone can buy in the market now.
Can the IGP invite the Oba of Lagos on something that the Oba doesn’t know about? How can he? We know what happened. We know who did that. We know who met who to make that decision. The IGP was given an instruction and he was following an unlawful instruction. You should go and find out from General Theophilus Danjuma after the Gideon Orkar coup when he said the military is not obliged to carry out illegal orders. He should be reminded.
Why is the IGP so interested in Kano that some idiots would give him instructions to cause problems for Tinubu?
The IGP is being teleguided by the people that we know. It’s not Tinubu himself. They are working for a state of emergency in Kano. It will consume all of them, including himself. Let him remember Tafa Balogun. There is nothing in Nigeria that doesn’t have a history. I’ve never seen an IGP like this.
Could it be Ganduje who is doing this?
The IGP knows those who give him instructions. I don’t need to say it publicly, everybody should know.
How do we get out of this now, because it’s creating another problem?
My parents told me something, that anybody who is in power should be working for peace. No rich man wants a fire to break out. No peaceful man wants violence. That’s what my parents educated me on. And I think they are right. How can a rich man set fire to his house? If it’s not controlled, it can explode.
Look at what is happening in Rivers, the explosion of gas pipelines, and oil pipelines. If such a thing starts happening, Nigeria is finished. And who caused it? You know that those that the gods want to destroy, they first make mad. They don’t know that when they do what they did in Rivers, this will happen. And who is the loser? But I have only one thing to tell the President: he should be very careful with certain people around him. They are trying to destroy him and destroy his government.
Anybody who is his friend will pray for a peaceful Nigeria. It is only a loyal person to him that wants a peaceful Nigeria. The person causing the commotion in Rivers does not like Tinubu and his
[OPinion Nigeria]
For those who are willing to relocate to United States of America legally and effectively, it is important to ascertain their eligibility for an immigrant visa.
If you do not have a family member and you want to permanently move to the United States of America, here are seven ways you can relocate to America the right way.
1. Student Visa
If you have no one to sponsor you and you have good grades, search for universities in the U.S to see which ones offer a scholarship to international students, and you can apply to these schools and relocate.
If you get it, you can study in the US and later find a US employer who can hire you to work in the US. Depending on the category, they may file a green card for you, and you can stay there.
2. Already in the US on a visitor’s visa
If you are already in the US on a visitor’s visa and have a credible fear that you will be harmed in your country or you think someone will hurt you, you can apply for asylum. With this, you do not need a family member, you just need to have a credible fear.
3. Already acquired a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree in the STEM category
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. You can reach out to the U.S employer and see if they will hire you during the H1B forthcoming process.
4. PHD Degree or Extraordinary Ability Green Card
If you have a PHD Degree and you have good scholarly writings, you can apply for a National Interest Waiver, that also gives you a green card. There are a lot of geniuses who do not know how to use this, seemingly ignorant of the opportunity, but you can leverage it if you are qualified.
Similarly, if you are a star in your country and you have received an award or a medal, there is something called the Extraordinary Ability Green Card.
5. U-Visa
If you are in America on a Visitor’s visa or on a student’s visa, and you witness a crime or you are a victim of a crime not committed by a spouse, just by anybody, you may qualify for the U-Visa.
6. VAWA
If you are in the United States and your spouse is stopping all filings for you and you are being abused, you can actually, because of the abuse, file for VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) and get a green card.
7. Religious Visa
If you are in the United States via a visitor’s visa, you can also apply for a religious visa. With this, you go from obtaining a visitor’s visa to a religious visa. Eventually, after a while on the visitor’s visa, you get a green card, but for the religious visa, be careful because you have to work for a religious entity outside of the country and one inside the United States.
4-skills test (reading, writing, listening, speaking):
Skilled Worker Visa
Health and Care Worker Visa
Student Visa
Start-up / Innovator Founder Visa
Scale-up Worker Visa
High-Potential Individual Visa
Minister of Religion Visa
Temporary Work (International Agreement route)
Speaking and listening only:
UK Citizenship
Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
Partner / Parent Visa
International Sportsperson Visa
Representative of an Overseas Business
Approved SELT providers:
Pearson
Trinity College London
IELTS SELT Consortium
PSI Services (Skills for English UKVI)
LANGUAGECERT
UK test centres:
Pearson
Trinity College London
IELTS SELT Consortium
LANGUAGECERT
Overseas test centres:
Pearson
IELTS SELT Consortium
PSI Services (UKVI)
LANGUAGECERT
Tests can be booked via provider websites, with availability usually within 28 days. Booking details must match the applicant’s ID exactly.
Accepted ID documents:
Passport
UK BRP or BRC
EEA National ID (if applicable)
Government-issued photo ID (outside UK only)
Photocopies or emergency documents are not accepted. After testing, candidates receive a SELT reference number linking their result to their application.
The Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 strengthens the legal framework of the Nigerian capital market, enhances investor protection, and introduces critical reforms to promote market integrity, transparency, and sustainable growth under the supervision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, the recent crash of a Ponzi scheme, CBEX, is a litmus test on the SEC’s resolve to handle similar occurrences.
The sudden crash of CBEX, a digital investment platform accused of running a Ponzi scheme that allegedly bolted away with over ₦1.3 trillion (about $850) of depositors’ funds, has thrown many Nigerians into a quandary.
CBEX had promised the gullible Nigerians to double their invested funds within a month, but failed to honour its obligations, sending shock waves running through the spine of thousands of Nigerians, who now face financial ruin after the collapse.
The development sparked widespread reactions, with users expressing frustration, criticism, and concern. Many were reported to have stormed the CBEX office in Oyo State to destroy its belongings.
When it started, CBEX claimed to be a global platform linked to a government-owned business in China. However, Beijing Equity Exchange, in a statement released in 2024, denied any affiliation with the Ponzi scheme. It also claimed to operate offices in Canada and has ties with China. These were never substantiated; rather, CBEX displayed certificates online, such as a US FinCEN registration, while no real branches existed outside Nigeria. Business Insider Africa estimates that about 250,000 to 300,000 Nigerians invested their money in CBEX.
This would have raised a red flag for discerning investors to withdraw their patronage, but that did not happen due to greed and get-rich-quick syndrome.
Following its collapse, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it would collaborate with Interpol to track down the masterminds, including those possibly hiding overseas.
In the aftermath of the sad development, Chief Economist at SPM Professionals, Paul Alaje, has advocated investment education, highlighting that Nigerians have lost an estimated ₦4.8 trillion to pyramid scams since the collapse of MMM in 2016. “Since MMM in 2016, Nigerians have lost approximately 4.8 trillion to pyramid scams. The pyramid scam is a scheme designed to rip you off of funds. It is only a pyramid scam that promises more interest than the IMF and World Bank put together in a month and sometimes in a week,” Alaje said.
Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) clarified that neither CBEX nor its affiliates were granted registration by the Commission at any time to operate as a Digital Assets Exchange, solicit investments from the public, or perform any other function within the Nigerian capital market.
“Preliminary investigations carried out by the Commission have revealed that CBEX engaged in promotional activities to create a false perception of legitimacy, to entice unsuspecting members of the public into investing monies, with the promise of implausibly high guaranteed returns within a short timeframe.
“CBEX has failed to honour withdrawal requests from their subscribers and abruptly closed their physical offices, amid mounting complaints,” the SEC stated.
The SEC emphasised that under the provisions of Section 196 of the Investments and Securities Act 2025, the Commission would collaborate with relevant law enforcement agencies to take appropriate enforcement action against the CBEX, its affiliates, and promoters.
“The Commission uses this medium to remind the public to REFRAIN from investing in or dealing with any entity offering unrealistic returns or employing similar recruitment-based investment models.
“Prospective investors are advised to VERIFY the registration status of investment platforms via the Commission’s dedicated portal: www.sec.gov.ng/cmos before transacting with them”, the SEC added.
SEC Director General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, had recently said the Commission is launching a more forceful and coordinated enforcement regime against unregistered and illegal “phony” investment schemes, otherwise known as Ponzi schemes. He said that with the newly enacted Investments and Securities Act, 2025 (ISA 2025), the Commission now has enhanced powers to prosecute Ponzi schemes and their promoters.
According to the SEC, investigations were ongoing on CBEX, adding that promoters of the failed scheme will not go scot-free. Agama said the new law has given the Commission more powers and blocked loopholes in emerging areas of virtual and digital assets.
“The ISA 2025 has given the Commission the legal backing to provide clarity, ensure investor protection, and enhance market confidence, especially in new and previously unregulated segments such as digital asset exchanges and online foreign exchange platforms,” Agama said. He said that while the apex capital market regulator would continue to support innovations in finance and investments, the Commission would maintain strict oversight in line with its enhanced investor protection mandate. “We welcome innovation, but it must occur within a regulated environment that protects investors and maintains the integrity of our market,” Agama said.
He recalled that the SEC had even with the limited scope of the repealed Act, maintained extensive surveillance and was able to shut down a number of Ponzi schemes, with some of the promoters, like Fahmzi Interbiz, jailed for defrauding Nigerians. The ISA 2025 gives the Commission more powers to deal with issues, stressing that the Commission will ensure that promoters of such schemes are not allowed to operate.
Indeed, the performance of the Nigerian capital market has been reinvigorated for sustainable growth in line with global best practices. The market has been modernised with a stronger regulatory framework for financial market infrastructures (FMIs), ensuring stability and reducing systemic risks, notwithstanding the global headwinds occasioned by the Donald Trump tariff war.
Indeed, the Nigerian capital market has been enhanced by the Investments and Securities Bill (ISB) 2025, recently assented to by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. The landmark legislation, which repeals the Investments and Securities Act No. 29 of 2007, has been described as a major boost to capital market regulation in Nigeria. It strengthens the legal framework of the Nigerian capital market, enhances investor protection, and introduces critical reforms to promote market integrity, transparency, and sustainable growth.
The enactment of the ISA 2025 reaffirms the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as the apex regulatory authority of the Nigerian Capital Market to regulate the market to ensure capital formation, the protection of investors, and the maintenance of a fair, efficient, and transparent market and reduction of systemic risks. It introduces transformative provisions to further align Nigeria’s market operations with international best practice.
Speaking on key highlights of the Act, Director General of the SEC, Dr. Emomoitimi Agama said, “The Act enhances the regulatory powers of the SEC in a manner comparable with benchmark global securities regulators. These enhanced powers and functions ensure full conformity with the requirements of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Enhanced Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (EMMoU), enabling the SEC to retain its “Signatory A” status and enhancing the overall attractiveness of the Nigerian capital market.”
One notable aspect of the ISA 2025 is the recognition of digital assets as securities, providing a legal framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) and Digital Asset Exchanges. For the first time, virtual assets and investment contracts are formally classified as securities under Nigerian law. This brings VASPs, Digital Asset Operators (DAOPs), and Digital Asset Exchanges under the SEC’s regulatory purview, providing a clear legal framework for digital assets.
The new Act provides for “Enforcement Against Illegal Investment Schemes”. It expressly prohibits Ponzi Schemes and other unlawful investment schemes, while prescribing stringent jail terms and other sanctions for the promoters of such schemes. To ensure that illegal fund managers are not allowed to fleece unsuspecting Nigerians of their hard-earned funds, the Act stipulates an express prohibition of Ponzi/Pyramid Schemes and other illegal investment schemes. The Act stipulates that promoters and operators of any entity engaged in a prohibited scheme commit an offence and are liable on conviction to a penalty of not less than N20,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 10 years or both. This is a transformative step for the capital market, reflecting a commitment to building a dynamic, inclusive, and resilient capital market.
Similarly, salient provisions of the Act address existing restrictions in respect of funds raising from the capital market by Sub-Nationals and their agencies to allow for greater flexibility. State and local governments can now raise funds through the capital markets for public projects like infrastructure or healthcare.
This reduces their reliance on federal allocations or debt, fostering economic development at sub-national levels while increasing transparency in fund utilisation.
Furthermore, transparency in securities transactions has gained traction in the market as the Act introduces the mandatory use of Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) by participants in capital market transactions. This stipulation is designed to improve transparency in the conduct of securities transactions.
In the same vein, ISA 2025 introduces a stronger regulatory framework for financial market infrastructures (FMIs), such as clearing houses and central depositories, ensuring stability and reducing systemic risks in Nigeria’s capital markets. It creates a legal framework for commodity exchanges and warehouse receipts, allowing for more structured commodity trading and agricultural financing. This is particularly important for Nigeria’s agricultural and mining sectors, which were not well-integrated into the capital market under the ISA 2007. Under the new law, public companies must obtain SEC consent before engaging in mergers, acquisitions, or issuing securities.
The Act mandates that no public company shall undertake schemes, transactions, arrangements, or issue securities related to corporate actions and restructurings without prior approval from the SEC. The idea is to ensure that corporate restructuring activities comply with market regulations and enhance transparency.
Some other provisions of the Act include Comprehensive Insolvency Provisions for Financial Market Infrastructures, which introduce provisions that exempt transactions facilitated through or otherwise involving Financial Market Infrastructures from the application of general insolvency laws.
Management of Systemic Risk – introduces provisions for the monitoring, management and mitigation of systemic risk in the Nigerian capital market. Expansion of the Category of Issuers to the Public – The Act expands the categories of issuers, as a key step towards the introduction of a wide range of innovative products and offerings as well as the facilitation of “commercial and investment business activities”, subject to the approval of the Commission and other controls stipulated in the Act. Classification of Exchanges and inclusion of provisions on Financial Market Infrastructures – The Act classifies Securities Exchanges into Composite and Non-composite Exchanges. A Composite Exchange is one in which all categories of securities and products can be listed and traded, while a Non-composite Exchange focuses on a singular type of security or product. There are also new provisions on Financial Market Infrastructures such as Central Counter Parties, Clearing Houses, and Trade Depositories.
Comprehensive Insolvency Provisions for Financial Market Infrastructures – The Act introduces provisions that exempt transactions facilitated through or otherwise involving Financial Market Infrastructures from the application of general insolvency laws. Management of Systemic Risk – The Act introduces provisions for the monitoring, management and mitigation of systemic risk in the Nigerian capital market. Expansion of the Category of Issuers to the Public- The Act expands the categories of issuers, as a key step towards the introduction of a wide range of innovative products and offerings as well as the facilitation of “commercial and investment business activities”, subject to the approval of the Commission and other controls stipulated in the Act. Strengthening the Investments and Securities Tribunal – The Act amends some key provisions in the repealed ISA 2007 on the Composition of the Tribunal, constitution of the Tribunal, qualification and appointment of the Chief Registrar, as well as the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to enhance the ability of the Tribunal to discharge its mandate optimally.
The capital market expert said the enactment of ISA 2024 is a welcome development that promises to modernize Nigeria’s investment and securities laws, improve regulatory oversight, protect investors, and support emerging financial technologies.
According to Prof Uche Uwaleke, Director of the Institute of Capital Market Studies at the Nasarawa State University Keffi and President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, “For achieving this feat, the National Assembly Committees on the Capital Market, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and indeed the entire Capital Market community in Nigeria deserve a pat on the back.
“It bears repeating that the ISA 2025 ensures a more transparent, efficient, and competitive capital market consistent with global standards set by the IOSCO. This should strengthen investor confidence, enhance market integrity, encourage foreign investment, and ensure that Nigeria retains its “Signatory A” status under IOSCO’s Enhanced Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (EMMoU).
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has declared that he will not support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, should he choose to run again in 2027.
Naija News reports that Fayose, who has been outspoken about his disagreements with Atiku, reaffirmed his position during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television on Friday.
“I publicly worked against Atiku, and I am saying for the second time, if Atiku comes again, I will work against him. It is time to learn our lesson,” Fayose stated, making it clear that his stance remains unchanged.
Fayose attributed much of the party’s current crisis to the decision to zone power to the North for the 2023 election, following an eight-year term by a Northern president.
“After eight years of a Northerner, it is the turn of a Southerner, which could involve someone from the East, South West, or South South,” he explained.
He pointed out that the decision to return power to the North, made by some leaders within the party, was the root cause of the internal problems within the PDP.
“Those who gave or zoned power back to the North caused all these problems,” he said, emphasising the need for respect for zoning agreements.
Fayose also stressed that while personal preferences for politicians like Nyesom Wike or Peter Obi could vary, there should be an unwritten, respectful understanding regarding the power shift.
“You don’t have to like a Nyesom Wike or a Peter Obi, but there should be an unwritten, respected gentleman’s understanding of powershift,” he noted.
Reflecting on his actions during the 2023 election, Fayose reiterated that he had worked against Atiku’s candidacy, a decision he said was made for the good of the country.
“Don’t get it wrong. I worked against him (Atiku) 100 per cent. Nigeria is bigger than the PDP, APC,” he said, asserting that his actions were driven by national interest rather than personal animosity.
Fayose also addressed the issue of party discipline within the PDP, stressing the need for accountability and adherence to zoning agreements.
“The party must be equitable, the party must be accountable. The party or parent that is irresponsible will produce irresponsible children, they will produce rebellion, they will produce anger,” he remarked, emphasising that internal democracy and fairness were essential for the party’s success.
Looking ahead, Fayose said, “After Asiwaju’s(Bola Tinubu) tenure, if God gives him a chance at a second term. Let a Southerner come out, we as leaders at that time, I will be over 70 or about 70, I will come out straight that a Southerner can not be the President of Nigeria.”
More details have emerged on how promoters of the fraudulent Ponzi scheme, Crypto Bridge Exchange, aka CBEX, convinced hundreds of thousands of investors to put money into the trading platform.
CBEX, a digital investment platform, offered investors 100 per cent profit after 30 days of purported AI trading.
No fewer than 600,000 Nigerians reportedly invested in the scheme and lost N1.3tn after it collapsed on Monday.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that the promoters of the platform operated under a company registered as ST Technologies International Limited.
ST Technologies was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on September 25, 2024, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering on January 16, 2025.
Copies of the certificates were obtained by our correspondents. One of the documents was titled, ‘Certificate of Increase in Issued Share Capital of ST Technologies International Limited Company Registration No. 7955973.’
It read, “The Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission hereby certifies that pursuant to the resolution and notice of increase in share capital dated 4th December 2024, and presented for filing on 5th December 2024, in respect of the above-named company, the increase in share capital from N1,000,000 to N201,000,000—by the creation of 200,000,000 ordinary shares of N1 each and preference shares of N0 each—has been registered with the commission. Given under my hand at Abuja this 17th day of December 2024.”
Similarly, the EFCC’s certificate of January 16, 2025, stated, “ST Technologies International Limited has been duly registered in accordance with the provisions of Section 17(2)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, and any other applicable law or regulation.”
Some of the victims, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, said the registration certificates gave them confidence that the scheme was authentic.
“They were also doing charity, hospital outreach, paying hospital bills… it was a coordinated approach,” an investor who asked not to be identified said.
A check on the CAC’s website confirmed that the company remained active, though Saturday PUNCH could not access the names of its board of directors.
Open-source intelligence platforms such as NgCheck, B2BHint, and Finelib did not display the company’s address, board members, and other critical information.
A video clip from a Nigerian television station, ITV, identified one Adefowora Abiodun as the leader of ST Technologies International Limited, while another official, Oluwanisola Adefowora, was introduced as the company’s representative in Nigeria.
In the footage, the duo encouraged Nigerians to invest in the scheme and invite others to join, claiming it would help improve their standard of living.
“With the help of ST, you will not lose money. All you need to do is just to follow the order. They give advice; go in that direction. They are a group of analysts based in the United Kingdom,” Adefowora said.
The video was recorded on February 10, 2025 during the inauguration of the firm’s Abuja office attended by a crowd.
The Telegram groups
Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that promoters of the scheme maintained different Telegram groups for users.
Our correspondents had access to three.
The first group, ‘ST Customer Support,’ had 144,460 members.
The other group, ‘Newcomer Advance Group,’ had 58,186, while the third platform, ‘ST Signal Group IV,’ had 87,864 members as of the first day of the crash.
However, all the Telegram accounts were locked following the crash of the platform on Monday.
Saturday PUNCH observed that the administrators of the groups used mostly UK mobile numbers with animated pictures for their profiles. They did not use their real photos.
Two of the administrators’ usernames were @Mentor_LaurafxWilsonn, @Maiy_Aditiii).
As of the time of filing this report, members of the ST Signal Group IV had reduced to 83,792, while those of ST Customer Support and Newcomer Advance Group had reduced to 137,085 and 54,809, respectively.
Also, the accounts had been flagged ‘Scam’ by Telegram following reports of fraud from the victims.
EFCC begins de-registration
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the Ponzi scheme was registered under the name of ST Technologies.
He noted that the company listed consultancy services as its line of business, noting that the commission had begun the process to revoke its registration after discovering that it deviated from its stated operations.
“It wasn’t registered as CBEX. It was registered as ST Technologies. What they offered as a service was consultancy. When the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering discovered that the entity had veered off its registered line of business, modalities were initiated to withdraw that registration,” Oyewale said.
Asked whether the commission was closing in on the main perpetrators, he responded, “Work is ongoing. Our international partners have also begun investigations. I can assure you we will get to the root of the matter.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission also confirmed that “CBEX operates under the corporate identity of ST Technologies International Ltd, Smart Treasure/Super Technology.”
In a statement, the SEC said, “Preliminary investigations carried out by the commission have revealed that CBEX engaged in promotional activities to create a false perception of legitimacy, in order to entice unsuspecting members of the public into investing monies, with the promise of implausibly high guaranteed returns within a short timeframe. CBEX has failed to honour withdrawal requests from their subscribers and abruptly closed their physical offices, amid mounting complaints.”
CBEX marketing strategies
Sources who spoke to Saturday PUNCH said promoters of the trading platform recruited some influencers and radio presenters as brand ambassadors.
The team also established offices in some major parts of the country, including Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan, and embarked on marketing via radio and social media platforms.
Some of the radio stations that aired the Ponzi scheme programme included Orisun FM, Ile-Ife, Osun State, and three other radio stations in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Nigerian investors also embarked on marketing in schools and churches and held giveaways.
These marketing strategies enabled the trading platform representatives to convince even the poor and illiterate individuals to invest in the scheme.
In a five-minute programme promoting CBEX on Orisun FM, one of the officials claimed that the platform could lift many Nigerians out of poverty.
“This scheme is for everyone. Even those selling herbal mixtures, those selling on the roadside, and the petty traders can invest with us. Those selling pepper and those selling vegetables in the market can also join us,” he said.
“We want everyone to join us because our intention is to make life easier for Nigerian people. We want to take them from suffering and hardships,” another stated on the programme.
Acting on the backlash from netizens, the OSBC management issued a statement, saying the presenter of the programme had been sanctioned.
Top Nigerians lose money
On Friday, a video clip of popular Fuji musician, Alhaji Taye Adebisi, aka Taye Currency, lamenting his hard luck with CBEX went viral.
In the clip, Adebisi said he lost N10m to the platform and heaped curses on his associates who introduced him to it.
The Fuji star said, “On April 1, Sodiq came to my house and said Lateef, the brand manager, had collected some money and also introduced Alaba and Small London had also collected their money, and Brother Muca
“Alaba used N1.2m he stole from the stage to invest in CBEX. Brother Muca also put in his work fee of N500,000. Sodiq used the money he was saving in the band, N850,000. Lateef invested N1.4 million.”
The singer revealed that it was the success of his associates in the scheme that made him invest in it as well.
“Lateef said he used N200,000 to collect N600,000, and I got motivated. I withdrew the money I had saved with insurance, see my life in the open. I invested N10m in CBEX on April 1, but everything vanished,” he stated.
But aside from Taye Currency, Saturday PUNCH gathered that several other celebrities invested in the scheme but could not come open with their losses.
A source claimed he introduced a Divisional Police Officer to the scheme, adding that the senior police officer had been inconsolable since the collapse of the platform.
We sold property, took loans for CBEX – Victims
CBEX accepted only dollar-denominated transactions and provided referral bonuses to encourage user growth.
Saturday PUNCH gathered from some investors that the minimum trading amount was $100, which matured for cash-out with profit after 30 days.
A victim said after he opened an account with CBEX, he was asked to copy and paste the account ID and that of the person who introduced him to the Ponzi scheme into the ST Customer Support and ST Signal support groups on Telegram.
According to him, he was asked to link his CBEX account with Bybit under the pretext of preventing hackers from clearing his asset.
“I invested $312 on April 3, and as of April 15, I already had $623 in my wallet. They were giving us bonuses and the money kept increasing. I still don’t believe my money is gone,” he stated.
A serving policeman in Osun State said he sold his car and invested the proceeds, amounting to N3.2m, into CBEX.
The police inspector had earlier in March invested $300 and cashed out N783,000 after six weeks.
Gripped by the turnover, he gathered more money, sold his car, and invested the proceeds in the scheme two weeks before the crash.
“It was a stupid mistake I would never make again,” the distressed cop said.
He noted that he received bonuses in dollars for every new joiner he introduced to the platform, which made him market the scheme to many others.
“The more people I registered on CBEX, the more bonuses I got, and I wanted to continue making more money. So, I encouraged a lot of people to join. Before it crashed, nine people had joined CBEX through me. It is a shame I can’t bear now.”
Another police officer serving with the Lagos State Command disclosed that he lost N4.8m to the Ponzi scheme.
“Is it a good thing to talk about? The person who referred you to me already told you I lost N4.8m, so what else do you want to know?” said the angry policeman.
It was gathered that the police sergeant collected rent from his tenants in his house at Ikorodu and invested it in CBEX.
Also, a skit maker in Ilorin attempted suicide after it dawned on him that the platform had crashed.
According to him, he invested N23m with the hope of making N50m in six weeks.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH through TikTok on Thursday, the skit maker said, “I was convinced by my friend who joined CBEX last year and had been cashing out big time. He had made a lot of money there. I joined the platform three weeks ago and invested N23m with the hope of getting N50m in six weeks.
“CBEX used to give us bonuses every Sunday, depending on the amount you had. There was also a bonus for bringing new members.
“But the platform crashed and I don’t know how I considered taking poison. I thank God I survived because when there is life, there is hope.
“The most painful thing is that I wanted to use about N15m out of the money to buy a car, but everything is gone now.”
Another victim, who identified himself as Shola, said he took a N500,000 loan to invest in CBEX.
“CBEX was introduced to me by my friend, and I felt I stood a chance to become a millionaire within a short period. I obtained a loan from one of the money lenders, believing that I would make enough profit to pay the debt and also continue my investment after a month. I am now in debt,” Shola stated.
“I thought it wasn’t a bad idea if I sold my car, which had already developed a mechanical fault, and invested the proceeds in CBEX. I was expecting a return of about N7m, which I planned to use to buy a new car,” another investor said.
Built to fail
A United States-based Nigerian crypto investor, Ojukwu Emmanuel, said the collapse of the digital asset platform was a stark reminder of the persistent economic and regulatory vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Emmanuel said he had warned his family about CBEX’s unsustainable model before its eventual collapse.
He described the platform’s promises as “too good to be true,” and said its trading operations were built on deception.
“From the moment I studied CBEX’s system, I knew it was a ticking time bomb. My parents reached out to me about it, and after reviewing the platform’s processes, it was clear the system was being manipulated behind the scenes,” he said.
According to him, while some users initially made profits, the underlying structure remained a Ponzi scheme.
“They claimed an AI was trading on behalf of users, but the results were too perfect and consistent. No real market works that way. Returns were fixed—10 per cent daily—regardless of market volatility. That’s a major red flag. Someone was manipulating the system,” he added.
Emmanuel said CBEX’s polished digital interface and false claims of registration misled many Nigerians into trusting the platform.
It also shared a name with a legitimate Chinese government-backed equity exchange, further compounding the deception.
“The entire setup was designed to mimic legitimacy. From its branding to how the trades were presented, everything looked sophisticated, but it was a façade engineered to mislead.”
Emmanuel argued that Nigeria’s recurring susceptibility to such scams lay in deeper systemic problems.
EFCC knocked
Meanwhile, some Nigerians have knocked the EFCC for not alerting the public to the fraud being perpetrated by the platform.
They argued that the anti-graft agency should have listed it as one of the Ponzi companies before the platform vanished with Nigerians’ money.
On March 11, the commission released a list of 58 companies operating Ponzi schemes in Nigeria, warning the public to avoid investing with them.
But CBEX was not part of the list.
Commenting on the omission, a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, described it as a serious failure on the part of regulatory and security agencies tasked with protecting citizens from fraudulent entities.
“I believe Nigeria has enough institutions that should checkmate that kind of fraud,” he said.
Effiong questioned the capacity of agencies to identify and halt such schemes before they spiral out of control.
He urged the EFCC and other relevant agencies to act without delay, calling for international cooperation in tracking down the perpetrators.
The lawyer also emphasised the need for preventive frameworks, stating that the incident should prompt a comprehensive overhaul of how investment firms and schemes were monitored in Nigeria.
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Ibadan-based Fuji, Taye Adebisi, popularly known as Taye Currency, has narrated how he lost N10 million to a Ponzi scheme known as Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX), accusing some close associates of luring him into the fraudulent venture.
In a viral video, Taye Currency claimed he was introduced to CBEX by four of his close associates, Sodiq, Small London, Lateef and one other.
Narrating on stage during a music performance, Currency said, “You will hear how CBEX took away over N20 million from me and people close to me.
“On April 1, Sodiq came to my house and said Lateef, the brand manager, had collected some money and also introduced Alaba and one other brother to it. Alaba even used N1.2 million he stole from the stage to invest. Brother Muca also put in his work fee—N500,000. Lateef invested N1.4 million.”
The singer disclosed that the success of his band members in the scheme was what interested him, recounting how Lateef told him how his N200,000 investment yielded N600,000.
“Lateef said he used N200k to collect N600k. That was what pushed me. I withdrew the money I had saved with insurance and invested it on April 1, but everything vanished,” he lamented.
Visibly aggrieved in the footage, Currency rained curses on those who introducedthe scheme to him, saying, “If they die well, they won’t rest well.”
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will remain in power until 2031, adding that no political argument can change his position.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, Wike said Tinubu almost lost the 2023 presidential election due to policies introduced by the former All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which, according to him, were targeted at making him fail at the polls.
“Whether APC liked it or not, it was very turbulent for Tinubu to have scaled through that election.
“You could see that he could have failed the election woefully. The fuel crisis, the naira issue was terrible,” Wike said.
“No party in government would at that time bring such a policy when you know you are running an election, but everything was done and he survived it.
“That’s how you will know that there are people that, first of all, God is on their side, they also know this game and you must give it to them.”
Reiterating his support for Tinubu, Wike insisted that the South should retain the presidency until 2031 before any consideration for a power shift to the North.
“I have said it in 2023 and I’m saying it again that until 2031, when the position should go to the North, there is nothing anybody will say to me now.
“It’s not anti-party, it’s harmonious living together, you can’t tell me that it’s your own prerogative to be producing president; let’s all live,” he stated.
On the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike issued a warning, threatening to withdraw support for the party in the forthcoming FCT Area Council elections if it fails to put its house in order.
“If PDP does not put their house in order, I’m not going to support them in the area councils election. If PDP goes the way they are going, I will not support them.
“This crisis will consume this party until the right thing is being done. I have never recommended anybody to these governors but that does not mean that I don’t play any role.
“Like the governor of Bayelsa, I played a fundamental role, he can’t deny it,” he added.
The 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party, Peter has called for the prosecution of those responsible for the incarceration of Quadri Alabi, the teenager who was framed up by some area boys.
Obi made the call after he met with Alabi and his lawyers on Friday, April 18, 2025.
In a photo post shared on X, Obi said, Alabi is finally free after enduring unjust and illegal incarceration.
He also appreciated his lawyers including Inibehe Effiong, Dele Farotimi and Hassana Nurudeen for their efforts in securing the release of Alabi.
He wrote, “I listened to Quadri today, and one thing stood out clearly: his unwavering desire for education. Despite all he has been through, his only dream is to return to school and complete his education and I will make sure he gets it.
“His determination is not just inspiring; it is a call to action, and I am committed to ensuring that he gets the education he desires and deserves,” Obi added.
He stated that as a people, the job does not stop at securing Alabi’s release but also ensuring that those responsible are held accountable in line with the provisions of the law.
“In addition, we must not stop at his release. Those responsible for his illegal incarceration must be held accountable. As we strive to build a Nigeria where fairness and integrity prevail, we cannot afford to allow such acts of criminality to go unpunished.Nigerian political art prints
“I once again thank the lawyers and everyone who stood and remained unrelenting for justice.
“Together, we will build a Nigeria where education, freedom, rule of law, equity and justice, care and protection of the less privileged in our midst will stand as the foundation of our democracy,” Obi added.
The Police in Kogi State have promised to apprehend and deal with the hoodlums who attacked the family home of the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Miller Dantawaye who confirmed the attack said that no arrest has been made so far.
Recall that some hoodlums attacked the senator’s family residence in Obeiba Community, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the hoodlums thought she was at home and decided to attack her family residence on Tuesday night.
She said, “During the attack, security operatives and community members responded promptly and chased them off.
“No one was hurt. A report on the incident was quickly made at the police area command of the LGA,” Akpoti-Uduaghan stated.
Dantawaye also confirmed that the command had been fully briefed on the incident which occurred in lawmaker’s home.
“The command has been fully briefed on the unfortunate and criminal incident by the Okehi LGA Divisional Police Officer. So far, no arrest has been made.
“Investigation into the incident has begun and we shall get to the root of it. We will deal with those criminal elements that carried out the attack,” Dantawaye said.