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Controversial activist, Verydarkman has taken to social media to apologize to the Nigerian police.
His apology comes after his unauthorized use of the Nigerian police uniform.
Recall that he had taken to social media som days ago to declared himself a social media police sanitizing the e-streets while wearing police uniform.
Following the display, the police cautioned him.
Reacting, he apologized and said:
“Back from the police station where I was interrogated based on the post I made wearing a costume that the police claim is similar to theirs, didn’t intend to impersonate the police in anyway and I tender my unreserved apologies to the Nigeria police force and the office of the inspector general of police and also I will like to use the medium to tell the general public to always seek permission from the police or other law enforcement agencies before using anything that might look like their uniform,you might want to use it for good but there are others that might want to use it for bad,so it’s good to get full approval before using anything that might seem impersonating @nigeriapoliceforce and also shout out to my lawyer @adeyanjudeji who is always ready to stand”
Singer, Tiwa Savage has made a confession.
She revealed that the Nigerian music industry might have its own version of Sean Combs, aka Diddy, the American music executive who is alleged to be involved in s3x trafficking.
Tiwa stated this during a recent interview with The Beat 99.9 FM, Lagos.
“I think Nigerian music might have our own Diddy moment,” she hinted.
Recall that federal officers seized supplies that they say were intended for use in orgies known as “freak offs”, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil during the raiding of Diddy’s Beverly Hills mansion in March.
Following Diddy’s arrest by Homeland Security in September on suspicion of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and interstate transportation for prostitution, the rapper became a global villain.
Diddy denied all the charges, entering a not-guilty plea on 17 September. However, his bail request was rejected twice.
Recently, Nigerian content creator-turned-singer, Oluwadolarz alleged that gay music executive demanded sex from him before he could promote his song but he refused.
After the news went viral, Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy dared him to name the gay music executive but he didn’t.
Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, a final-year student of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for internet fraud.
Ekanem was jailed on Wednesday, October 30, by Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
The development follows his arraignment by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on seven counts bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and impersonation.
One of the counts reads: "That you, Henry Nathaniel Ekanem on or about 17th September, 2024, at Choba in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of Twenty Two United states of America dollars ($22) from Diana Roskov by fraudulently representing yourself as Coran Capsha, manager of the singer, Chris Stapleton, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud- Related Offences Act 2006.”
He pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, A. Abubakar called witnesses, tendered some documents as evidence which were admitted by the court and marked as exhibits. He thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.
F. T. Fred-Boufini, counsel for the defendant did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution. However, she prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that the defendant was a first-time offender with no previous criminal records.
However, Justice Mohammed convicted and sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment on each of the seven counts or an option of fine of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000) payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The judge also ordered that all the phones recovered from the convict be forfeited to the government, being proceeds of crime.
A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega has begged President Bola Tinubu not to do all the things the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF asked him to do.
Jega warned Tinubu not to allow his government plunge the country into a long-term problem.
The former INEC boss gave this advice while speaking at the ongoing 2024 Annual Directors’ Conference with the theme, ‘Good Governance as a Catalyst for Economic Recovery, Growth, and Development’, organised by the Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria, CIoD.
He also called for a reform of the leadership recruitment process, saying the major challenge confronting Nigeria is that most of the leaders are not prepared for leadership.
The Bretton Woods institutions have been accused of advising President Bola Tinubu on present economic policies, especially the removal of subsidy from PMS as well as the floating of the naira, which have plunged the country into inflationary pressures.
The hardship in the country has been blamed on the ‘anti-people’ policies suggested by the World Bank and IMF.
But the IMF’s African Region Director, Abebe Selassie, had, at a briefing on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington DC, US, claimed that the organisation did not advise Tinubu to remove fuel subsidy.
“The decision was a domestic one. It was President Tinubu’s decision. We don’t have programmes in Nigeria. Our role is limited to regular dialogue, as we have with other nations like Japan or the UK,” he said.
Jega advised Nigerians to pay serious attention to nurturing and entrenching democratic governance, rather than merely good governance, as being promoted by the World Bank.
“This is the only way to place Nigeria on a sustainable trajectory of what I call ‘People-oriented development processes.’
Jega reiterated that while it is good to engage the World Bank and other organizations, “we should not swallow hook, line, and sinker what they bring to us”.
“We must be very careful in terms of what measures they have suggested to us because if we don’t do that we may advertently or inadvertently fall into greater medium and longer-term problems even if we think we are seeing short-term benefits from that kind of engagement,” he stressed.
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested three female Inspectors over alleged extortion of motorists at the Rumuokoro area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
This came after the social media was awash with complaints of the actions of the female operatives in the area.
The police said they were arrested on Tuesday following a coordinated monitoring patrol by men of the Commissioner of Police team.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Iringe-Koko said the illegal activities of the officers were captured on video by a mobile phone, providing clear evidence of their actions.
While condemning the actions of the operatives, she described it as unprofessional especially as they were not in uniform, pointing out that they had been detained and awaiting appropriate disciplinary measures.
The statement reads, “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested three of its officers following a coordinated monitoring patrol by operatives from the Commissioner of Police team, CP Monitoring Unit, on October 29, 2024.
“The operation, conducted under the Rumuokoro Flyover around 3 pm, led to the arrest of Inspector Sarah Anendei, Inspector Caroline Promise, and Inspector Christiana Jatau, who were caught engaging in a corrupt practice against innocent motorists under the flyover.
“Two of the officers, Inspectors Caroline Promise and Christiana Jatau, were found conducting this unprofessional behaviour while out of uniform, further contravening police standards.
“Their misconduct was captured on video by a mobile phone, providing clear evidence of their actions.”
The PPRO stated that during the immediate on-site investigation, the operatives searched the officers and recovered the money taken from the motorists, marking a swift response in upholding ethical practices within the Rivers State Police Command.
Continuing, she said, “The officers are currently detained and awaiting appropriate disciplinary measures.
“The Rivers State Police Command reaffirms its commitment to professional integrity and assures the public that any personnel found violating the principles of service will be held accountable.”
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasized the importance of integrating local cultural values into Nigeria’s democratic framework, stating that such an approach could enhance the effectiveness of governance in the country.
Speaking on Wednesday during a valedictory event in Abeokuta for the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University, Prof. Chinedum Babalola, Obasanjo argued that adopting local cultural principles would help overcome the limitations of Western liberal democracy.
Obasanjo highlighted the communal values traditionally upheld in African societies, which emphasize collective decision-making and mutual support.
The former president voiced his skepticism about the suitability of Western democracy for Nigeria, pointing out that the system has struggled to meet the country’s unique socio-political needs.
He said, “I have always been talking about Western liberal democracy; it is not working for us; it is not even working for those who gave it to us. The British were complaining. We must rethink democracy.
“We must bring our own culture into democracy. African culture does not talk about opposition; it talks about communalism; you come together, reason together, iron it out, and then you work together.”
Obasanjo stated that there should be consequences for doing wrong, adding that there were Nigerians all over the world holding key positions.
He added, “Nobody will do it for us; we have to do it for ourselves, and we can do it. I believe there are people everywhere; you just need to look for them.
“Look at today; the two major development banks in Africa are headed by Nigerians; the number two woman in the United Nations is a Nigerian—Amina Muhammed; so we have people.
“They are Nigerian from different parts of Nigeria; we have people. These are people who can contribute to the changes the nation requires.”
A report has indicated that efforts to evacuate Nigerians from Lebanon by the Federal Government have been stalled.
Despite initial announcements of an evacuation plan, Nigerian in the crisis-ridden country are currently stranded.
The evacuation efforts were initiated in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East after Iran’s missile attacks on Israel on October 1, 2024.
However, a report by Punch states that low registration numbers and reluctance among Nigerians in Lebanon complicated the process.
The evacuation efforts were initiated in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East after Iran’s missile attacks on Israel on October 1, 2024.
The current crisis began when Iran launched a barrage of 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel, in retaliation for the assassination of Iran-backed militant leaders.
The missile attack, which targeted key sites in Israel, sent Israelis scrambling to shelters, raising concerns of a wider regional conflict.
Although the Israeli Defense Forces managed to intercept many of the missiles, the incident heightened instability in the region, including Lebanon, which borders Israel and has its internal security challenges.
In response to the situation, the Federal Government activated its emergency evacuation protocols, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinating efforts alongside the National Emergency Management Agency, the Department of State Services, and other key agencies.
These agencies worked closely with the Nigerian mission in Lebanon to ensure that citizens who wished to be evacuated were safely brought home.
Giving updates on whether the Federal Government would evacuate the Nigerians in Lebanon despite the reduced tension in the country, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb Eche Abu-Obe, simply stated that the “situation is under observation.”
‘Rivers State Will Suffer’ – Fubara Meets Tinubu’s Minister, Appeals Court Ruling Stopping Allocations
AFOLABI
The Rivers State Government has filed an appeal against a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from distributing federal allocations to the state.
Recall that on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Abuja Federal High Court declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly contradicted Constitutional provisions.
She criticized Fubara’s ongoing receipt and use of monthly federal allocations since January, calling it a Constitutional violation that cannot be permitted.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the implementation of an unauthorized budget by Fubara amounted to a severe breach of the 1999 Constitution.
The ruling also prohibited the CBN, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Zenith Bank, and Access Bank from granting Fubara access to funds from the Consolidated Revenue and Federation Account.
In delivering her judgment on the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2024, Justice Abdulmalik stated that the four-member House of Assembly faction supporting Fubara, which he cited to validate what she termed an “unlawful budget,” had already been invalidated by the Federal High Court and the Abuja Court of Appeal.
The court reaffirmed that the Amaewhule-led Assembly remains the lawful legislative body, as ruled by the Federal High Court and upheld by the Court of Appeal.
On Wednesday, the Government House in Port Harcourt saw heightened activity, with various groups, government officials, Peoples Democratic Party supporters, and other stakeholders gathering, resulting in significant traffic in the vicinity.
A widely circulated video captured a closed-door meeting at the Government House involving Finance Minister Wale Edun and other officials with Governor Fubara.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, confirmed an appeal has been filed and expressed confidence that the Appeal Court would overturn the judgment.
He stated that signs indicating the likely outcome were clear, and they remain calm, having already challenged the Federal High Court’s decision.
He told The PUNCH, “We saw this judgment coming the way it did when the trial judge refused 23 council chairmen as joinders, refused the state to change their lawyer and refused our objection challenging jurisdiction of the federal high court.”
Johnson added, “The judgment has already been appealed and l believe that the Court of Appeal will upturn the judgment. We are not panicked and there is no cause for alarm.”
Johnson cautioned that if the Court of Appeal upholds the judgment, local government employees would be impacted.
He said, “If it is anything to reckon with it will impact negatively on the civil servants at the third tier of government, it will affect teachers’ salaries and all that that are attached to the council salaries.
“So, I can imagine how anybody would advocate for the stopping of funds that will bring development to the local government councils and also pay those who work in the council.
“It’s a legal problem and you cannot take it out of the court, particularly when you are a defendant. That is not how the law operates. This matter is one that the court will give justice to. So, let us stop all these shenanigans because it is not going to take us anywhere. It is the state that will suffer and in this case the local government staff.”
Igbos Have Been Marginalized, Creating 6th State In Southeast Will Calm Agitation – Ned Nwoko
AFOLABI
The lawmaker representing Delta North in the Nigerian Senate, Ned Nwoko, has maintained that the Southeast has been marginalized and creating a 6th state will assuage their agitation.
Naija News reports that Ned, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, pointed out that the Southeast is the only region with five states, unlike other regions, except for the Northwest, which has seven states.
The lawmaker expressed confidence that the Federal Government would create another state out of Delta State to give the South-South a 7th or a 6th for the Southeast.
Ned Nwoko added that the people of Anioma in Delta State are proudly Igbos and would become the 6th state of the South East.
He said, “The creation of Anioma State is very possible. The need is for self-determination. Let me tell you this, I represent 9 local government areas.
“My constituency is made up of 9 local government areas. Out of this 9 lgas, 6 of them are oil and gas producing. We’re predominantly agricultural people. Some of it has been devastated by oil pollution.
“But to have a state is something we have been clamoring for for over 50 years. We the Aniomas are proudly Igbos.
“We’ll be the 6th Ndigbo State. The fact is that the Federal Government is going to create one State. They’re going to create the state to assuage the Igbo because they’ve been marginalised.
“South East is the only part of Nigeria that is marginalised. South East is the zone in Nigeria with just 5 states. Others have 6 states except for North West that has seven.
“You don’t call that being marginalised? And if you listen to the youths who are agitating in IPOB or ESN, what are clamoring for?
“They’re talking about being marginalised. And one of the ways they’re being marginalised is having fewer states than others.
“And we, the Igbos from the other side of the river, they call us Bendel or Western Igbo, if we have a state that could become the 6th state in the South East or seventh state in the South South, the fact is that an average Igbo person will feel, ‘okay, something has been done for us’.”
Globacom has appointed Ahmad Farroukh as its new chief executive officer. This strategic move follows the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) initiative to enhance corporate governance within the telecom industry.
Farroukh is set to spearhead a significant transformation at Globacom, which is also in the process of restructuring its board.
He began his career in 1995 as the CEO of Investcom Group in Lebanon, a company later acquired by MTN Group.
His extensive experience includes roles as managing director of MTN Ghana and regional director for West Africa under Investcom, an MTN subsidiary. From 2006 to 2010, he served as CEO of MTN Nigeria and was appointed CEO of MTN South Africa in 2014.
In 2015, Farroukh became the CEO of Mobily, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest telecom operator, a position he held until 2017.
He joined Smile Communications Nigeria Limited as Group CEO in 2019 prior to his appointment at Globacom.
Farroukh holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from the Lebanese American University and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in New York, USA.
[Leadership]
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How Emefiele Ordered Me To Transfer Funds To A Relative’s Account – Witness Reveals In Court
AFOLABI
A former secretary in the office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), John Ogah, has revealed how his former boss, Godwin Emefiele, directed him to transfer funds to a close relative.
While testifying yesterday in an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Ogah clarified that Emefiele and his spouse, Margaret, were not shareholders in three companies purportedly owned by them.
The witness provided this information during cross-examination as the trial of Emefiele and one Henry Omoile for alleged abuse of office and money laundering continued.
Ogah explained further on Wednesday that the transfers were made from three companies: Comec, Limelight, and Amswin Resources Limited.
However, during cross-examination by Emefiele’s attorney, Olakekan Ojo, SAN, the witness clarified that neither Emefiele nor his wife, Margaret, held shares in the three companies in question.
“The first defendant and his wife were not shareholders in the three companies linked to them,” he said.
Ogah provided the court with his interpretation of beneficial ownership of shares, emphasizing that it was consistently documented.
However, he admitted to the court that he did not present any documentation proving their status as shareholders in the three companies.
The witness indicated that he maintained records during his tenure as secretary to the former CBN governor, noting that these records were intended for reference purposes.
When questioned about whether he had shared the records with the EFCC while in custody, he stated that he had not shown any documents to the EFCC.
Additionally, the witness confirmed that there was no written correspondence between him and Emefiele, according to the information he provided to the EFCC.
He mentioned that approximately 99 percent of the instructions he received from Emefiele were not documented in writing.
During cross-examination by the second defence lead counsel, Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, the witness acknowledged that he is both a director and a shareholder of a construction company.
“The company has account with Zenith Bank but I am not a signatory to it. My name is not on the mandate form when the account was opened,” he said.
A suspected member of a ‘One chance’ syndicate was reportedly lynched around the NYSC junction, along the Kubwa express way in Abuja on Tuesday.
Witnesses, who spoke to City & Crime, said the suspect arrived the area around 2 am in a gulf car, in company of two others from the Dutsen-Alhaji junction, on the same express way.
A member of the United Hunters Society of Nigeria in Kubwa, Muhammad Sani, while speaking to our reporter, said the two other members escaped from the scene immediately their vehicle hit a road barrier.
Also speaking, a security guard with one of the filling stations in the area, Sulaiman Yunusa, said a stolen motorcycle being driven by one of the robbers, was recovered at the scene, before the vehicle was set ablaze by the mob.
He said one chance activities are becoming rampant along the express way, with some of them stealing goods from trucks parked along the road during the night hours.
Our reporter, who visited the scene, later in the morning, saw how scavengers were dismantling their abandoned vehicle after it was set on fire.
He was told that the remains of the suspected robber were taken to the Kubwa hospital morgue by the policemen, after they were alerted on the incident.
Spokeswoman for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent, could not be reached for comment on the incident.
[DailyTrust]
Oil marketers have renewed their interest in purchasing refined petroleum products from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a $20 billion facility, following a recent statement by Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group.
That Dangote had highlighted that despite the refinery’s production, oil marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) were continuing to import fuel rather than sourcing it locally.
Expressing his concerns after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Dangote called on NNPCL and marketers to stop importing and start purchasing directly from his refinery. “We have the products they need,” he emphasized, urging them to step forward.
In response, representatives from the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have stated their willingness to purchase directly from Dangote’s refinery.
PETROAN President, Billy Gillis-Harry, mentioned that the association had reached out to the refinery, seeking a business meeting to establish buying terms and logistics.
However, PETROAN claims that despite their efforts to arrange a formal meeting, the refinery has yet to finalize discussions, leaving marketers without access to purchase.
“We’re ready to patronize Dangote,” Gillis-Harry told The PUNCH, but noted they need a formal agreement to proceed.
Abubakar Maigandi, National President of IPMAN, expressed similar frustrations. He stated that despite paying N40 billion through NNPCL for fuel from the refinery, members encountered delays when attempting to load products, with some trucks waiting as long as four days.
Dangote has indicated the refinery’s capability to meet local demand, stating that it has sufficient reserves to supply the country for over 12 days without imports.
Yet, IPMAN insists that direct engagement with independent marketers would help streamline access and avoid such delays.
Meanwhile, it has been disclosed that Dangote refinery is currently prioritizing sales to marketers with import licenses, likely due to the facility’s location within a free trade zone.
Marketers without these licenses, including IPMAN members, are awaiting approvals from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to begin their own direct purchases.
IPMAN’s Vice President, Hammed Fashola, stated that their license application process is ongoing, with all necessary documents for storage capacity submitted.
Once the import license is granted, Fashola assured that IPMAN would disclose additional operational details to the public.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday, expressed his indifference towards the Federal High Court’s decision stopping the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, from releasing state allocations.
This is as the governor said his approach to the crisis, in adherence to the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, empowered his opponents.
While Governor Fubara expressed no regrets for seeking peace, he acknowledged that this approach may have inadvertently empowered his opponents.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a ruling on Wednesday halting the CBN from releasing monthly financial allocations to the Rivers State Government.
The ruling cited a violation of the 1999 Constitution regarding the presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice Abdulmalik stated that the disbursement of monthly allocations by Governor Fubara since January of this year constituted a breach of the Constitution.
Speaking during a special thanksgiving service aimed at celebrating his administration’s resilience amid recent political turmoil, including an arson attack on the State House of Assembly on October 29, 2023, Fubara assured Rivers people that his administration would continue to disburse payments to contractors and ensure timely salary payments to workers starting tomorrow (on Thursday).
Governor Fubara confirmed that allocations for the 23 Council Chairmen would also be processed, as the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee, JAAC, procedures have been finalized.
He encouraged his supporters to maintain their resilience, emphasizing that challenges can be overcome.
Reflecting on his administration’s achievements, Governor Fubara noted that despite initial skepticism regarding the longevity of his government, he has successfully led for over a year, conducted local government elections, and maintained a full cabinet despite attempts to destabilize his leadership.
He highlighted ongoing projects throughout the state, countering criticisms regarding his administration’s capacity to deliver.
Fubara referenced recent accolades positioning Rivers State as a leader in financial accountability and transparency.
In recounting the violent incident from October 30 of the previous year, characterized by the governor as an assassination attempt, Fubara attributed the assault to political adversaries who allegedly ambushed him following a legal withdrawal related to the Martin Amaewhule group, a decision influenced by an intervention from President Bola Tinubu.
While Governor Fubara expressed no regrets for seeking peace, he acknowledged that this approach may have inadvertently empowered his opponents.
[DailyPost]