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Your criticism of Tinubu administration out of vengeance, not patriotism, Bwala tells El-Rufai
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Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has accused former Kaduna Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of pursuing a “vengeance mission” rather than acting out of patriotism in his recent criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Bwala made the assertion in a response to El-Rufai’s earlier post on his verified X handle, @BwalaDaniel, on Thursday.
Bwala, while expressing admiration for El-Rufai, questioned the motive behind the former Governor’s statements and actions.
He said: “My worry however is the motive behind your statements and actions; they are not borne out of patriotism, but need for vengeance. The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.”
The presidential aide also reminded El-Rufai of their shared history within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting they played significant roles in Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
Bwala emphasized that his support for Tinubu predates the recent political developments, stating, “with respect, I am not a latter-day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as the candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 elections.”
He further highlighted the ideological differences within the party during its formative years, recalling that while El-Rufai was from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) faction of the APC, he (Bwala) was from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) faction.
“Before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party amongst other things to protect the interest of Asiwaju, whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics,” Bwala stated.
Bwala urged El-Rufai to abandon what he described as “melodramatic activities” and return to the APC to resolve any grievances he may have.
“I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think is your grievances like a dignified man that you are,” he advised.
The presidential aide also reaffirmed the APC’s position as the dominant political party in Nigeria, describing it as “the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country.”
He added: “So if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party.”
In a heartfelt appeal, Bwala called on El-Rufai to return to the fold, saying, “please senior, come home; you have toiled all nights.”
The exchange between the two prominent APC figures has sparked reactions from political observers with many speculating on the implications of El-Rufai’s criticisms for the ruling party’s unity.
[TheNation]
Eezee Conceptz replies Mercy Chinwo, ‘Keep crying, no child of God destroys another with lies’
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The Chief Executive Officer of EeZee Conceptz, Ezekiel Onyedikachi popularly known as EeZeeTee has dispelled what he described as a deliberate attempt by gospel music artist Mercy Chinwo to destroy his record label with lies and emotional blackmail saying that no real child of God destroys another with lies.
In a video shared on multiple media platforms on Tuesday, Mercy Chinwo accused EeZeeTee of threatening to destroy her career and subject her to servitude during her period with his label.
Reacting to some of the allegations made by Chinwo, EeZeeTee stated that it was sad that someone who claims to be a child of God and also a gospel artist would descend so low as to want to destroy another person with lies.
He said: “It’s heartbreaking that you can go to this extent to tarnish the credibility or tarnish the image of someone. You had promised that you would destroy my reputation and the organization. Well done.
When you’re done achieving it, I hope you get a crown in heaven.
“I mean, all of those extreme words, extreme usage of words just to make it look like, I mean, it is stupidity for us not to allow you go for an event because every time you go for a meeting and you’re blessed, we share in that blessing.
“How would we sabotage our investment? We need to be a little more intelligent with the narratives we’re presenting. We do not, in the desperation to damage the reputation of someone, begin to now put ourselves in a critical light, especially to those who are very logical in reasoning and can pull one or two.
“The question is this, are we going to carry strife in our hearts, bitterness in our hearts, resentment in our hearts and go everywhere, you know, acting like we’re doing ministry and kingdom?
” How does it feel to think that because I’m portraying and pushing out, you know, reconciliation and peace, it means that I am weak? What would you say to someone whom you say is more like a boss, more like a father to you, that you have now got contact, you deal with me?
“God has helped us with this office and we’re privileged to come in here neither by association nor by marriage. This is God’s calling and anybody who says, I will deal with you and I will kill you, is not contending with me but with God who has called me. Same with her. I can never boast to say, ‘I made you, I’ll kill you,’ I didn’t make you.
“I was privileged to have housed the platform where you found expression and this cannot be discredited. Let me ask you a question. What is the profit or crown given to a child of God who sees another one go down? It is not what anyone should be proud of.
“I think that we are at the point where we should be truthful and sincere. There is a consistency of lies and pretence. What do you expect of someone who can perfectly imitate the voice of a child and it sounds so real like she’s a child? She’s a fantastic actress.
‘Keep acting, keep crying. They pray with these songs a lot. So they can’t believe that somebody who is singing worship to God can lie.
“We understand all of that. But the truth is constant. No matter how far lies run, it takes just one truth to catch up with it.
“This is an attack on the body of Christ. Only a stupid person would by their hand destroy what God has helped them to be.”
The Real Issue
EeZeeTee further stated the real issue between him and Mercy Chinwo was about reconciling their accounts which he had made several attempts to resolve even through some respectable men of God but that his peaceful gestures were misconstrued as weakness and sign of guilt.
He said: “For more than two years, there’s been quite a lot of challenges and disputes behind the scenes. I had not felt or seen the need to come out to discredit any of my artists. I feel it’s stupid to put down your products. It doesn’t make any sense.
“Why would you want to sabotage your investment? Only stupid people will destroy what God has used them to build. But when it got to a point where it became a gross dimension of intimidation, my life being at risk, still for the love of the body of Christ, I made efforts to see how this would be resolved.
” I met a pastor of mine who is Apostle Eugene Ogwu. I was a baby drummer from his church, Abundant Life Evangelical Mission in Port Harcourt, regarding this matter. We had a meeting with Mommy Ezekiel, the wife of our father, Christian Pentecostal Mission, regarding this matter.
“I was privileged to meet Bishop Humphrey Erumaka regarding this matter. I also went to meet Bishop Mike Okonkwo, our big daddy, regarding this.
“But what did I hear? He’s running everywhere to meet these people. Now he’s very scared. What is he scared of? Why is he running around? And I’m like, well, the Bible says we should follow peace with all men.
“This is a prescription of the scripture. Let us deal with these issues internally. It makes no sense that we would choose to wash our dirty linen outside.
“But every time I put forward my approach towards a peaceful resolution, it was communicated like weakness. It looked like this guy was a weak person. Until I heard a statement that made me sad.
When one of the pastors said to me, stop bothering about the body of Christ. We will deal with you and the body of Christ will be okay. Then I knew that it was a scripted, orchestrated conspiracy and witch-hunting.
“I don’t have issues with people wanting to open their labels. I mean, we have thousands of talents all over within the Christian space. But you need not put one down for yours to go up.”
On the allegation that he was the person who first took the matter to court, EeZeeTee said: ” Around March, all my accounts were frozen.
I couldn’t trace where it was coming from. Until somehow, I got confidential information that it was a few sets of persons who were doing this. They didn’t want the public to know. Because it had been planned to look like the law enforcement agencies were investigating on their own.
“That was kept private. They tried to cover it, but it was revealed. This is a document that shows the petition that was written.
“I mean, she has come out to say that I went to court first. It beats my imagination how one would deny a document, deny her signature on every page of the document, and also deny the living witnesses to the execution of that document. This person we’re talking about is someone who is a fantastic actress. She has a lot of strength with, you know, portraying a victim personality to the world.
“Talent is beautiful, but talent is not enough. How do you say I took you to court? When did the court come in? The dates are there. So look at the dates when the petition was written.
“I was kept in Ilorin, not in Lagos. Why Ilorin? That’s a completely different state out of the place of competent jurisdiction. And then I was detained for nine days.
“Why did I stay that long? Because I needed to write on the statement what they wanted me to write. And I have to negotiate. The same catalogue that they are saying is not the battle.
“It’s not about the catalogue. The same thing was the reason I was detained for nine days. When I came out of detention, I didn’t go public.
“I didn’t bother to talk about it. I didn’t want to come outside to give an impression, to say these ladies who sing about Jesus everywhere.”
On allegation of refusing audit
Reacting to the allegation that he refused to allow an audit of his business dealing with Mercy Chinwo, EeZeeTee said: “I have never been opposed to a financial audit. Never. All I have just said is, let’s have a neutral, unbiased entity. Professional who understands all of the navigations within the ecosystem of the music industry.
“At least the modus operandi within that ecosystem. I want this audit to happen. Because that’s the only way I would also be vindicated.
“But we also need to check your books. You can’t go to equity when your hands are not clean. Check our books. And then we check your books. And whoever is owing would balance of themselves. Whether you like it or not, obligation is an obligation.
I can’t bully a bully
On Mercy Chinwo’s allegation of being bullied, EeZee Tee said: “Regarding the allegation of a bully and all of that, anyone who knows this person we’re talking about will know that you cannot bully a bully. You can find out from her roots, you can find out who she’s been, and those who work with her closely.
“This is just an attempt to assassinate the character of someone. Let’s not go away from the real thing. If you say you’re a true child of God, and I am the one that is the problem, and I have financial fraud as you have called it, can you tell the public that you’re willing to subject your accounts to an audit, by an independent audit? Let’s make these things easy.
“We are willing to bring out our books. All the other artists, she said, refuse to comply with audits. The audit they carried out was based on the documents we made available.
“If there was anything that was done by the label that you didn’t like, you go to courts, the courts will order us to come. We will bring our books.
“There are no courts that will order us to bring the books that we will not bring. We’ll bring our books and whoever is owing who would pay up.”
On paternity allegation
On the allegation by Mercy Chinwo that he was behind the partnership rumours of her child, EeZeeTee said: “It beats my imagination that in all of this, as sensitive as a case of a paternity saga, that’s what you want to use to put false allegations on my head.
“I hope you have enough evidence to prove that allegation that you have made because it is totally disappointing.”
Immediate-past Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has reaffirmed that his stance on the President Bola Tinubu-led administration would not have changed even if he were still part of the government.
El-Rufai’s response came after the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, questioned whether the former governor would have been critical of the administration if he held a cabinet position.
LEADERSHIP reports that el-Rufai had described governance and opposition in Nigeria as a “national emergency” at a conference in Abuja on Monday.
He also criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for its lack of internal democracy, stating, “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”
His remarks drew sharp criticism from the APC, which accused him of treachery and claimed that el-Rufai was undermining the government and the party he helped build.
Reacting to El-Rufai’s comments, Bwala took to his X handle, querying if the former governor would have expressed the same views if he were part of the government:
“My senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a Ji soron Allah mana.”
El-Rufai on Thursday responded to Bwala via his X handle, dismissing suggestions that he ever sought a ministerial role in the Tinubu administration and criticising what he described as “latter-day converts” to the government.
“Good morning, #BwalaDaniel, I was cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. The pathetic manner all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility.”
He further stated that had he remained in the Tinubu government, his criticisms would have remained unchanged.
“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I will say or do the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder, and the government that emerged from it—first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998.”
El-Rufai also took a swipe at some pro-government voices, alleging that certain individuals were being paid from security votes to defend the administration’s actions online.
“I am only responding to you because I still think you are a decent person who may need a job, and not in the class of Wendell Simlin and that Kaduna pretender that our voters retired in 2019—these clowns are political mercenaries that receive humongous monthly stipends from the security vote to be the first to jump on X and other platforms to defend everything the Asiwaju government does or fails to do, no matter how indefensible it may be.”
Ending his statement, he advised the presidential aide to put his loyalty to ‘God and country’ above political allegiance.
“Enjoy your special adviser position, my brother, but remember that allegiance to God and country comes first in the human scale of accountability, before any person or authority,” el-Rufai said.
The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested a man and his girlfriend for solemnising their marriage at Banana Restaurant on Zoo Road, Kano.
The board’s Deputy Commander General of Operations, Dr Mujahideen Abubakar, confirmed the arrest to PUNCH Online on Thursday, stating that Hisbah personnel raided the restaurant on Wednesday night following a tip-off.
“It’s very unfortunate to tell you that the solemnisation of the purported marriage was conducted in the restaurant by friends of the man without the consent of the parents of the couple,” he said.
He warned that the board would not fold its arms and allow some undesirable elements to continue to violate the shari’a in the state.
According to him, the board had since launched a manhunt for all the guests who participated in the illegal solemnisation of the marriage.
“We arrested the couple. We are trailing friends of the groom who fled the restaurant after our personnel stormed the place,” he added.
The deputy commander said the couple violated all the marriage conditions, which is a flagrant violation of the Shari’a.
Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communications to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday cautioned a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai after labelling him a “latter-day convert.”
The former governor, who is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, has been in the news recently for calling out the party over its lack of internal democracy and active party structures.
“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” El-Rufai said at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday.
Before now, Bwala had challenged El-Rufai if he’d keep to his remarks if he were serving in the Tinubu government, which the former governor affirmed.
In a series of tweets via his X handle Thursday, while responding to Bwala’s tweet, El-Rufai noted his non-interest in serving in the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
“I was cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. The pathetic manner all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility,” he tweeted, among others.
However, responding to the tweets, Bwala cautioned that he and the ex-Kaduna governor were instrumental in Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
“With respect, I am not a latter-day Asiwaju supporter. We both played our roles in his emergence as the candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 elections. And before then, whilst you were from the CPC extraction of APC, I was from the ACN, which explains why I worked with Comrade Oshiomhole when he chaired the party amongst other things to protect the interest of Asiwaju whom at the time you people vowed to retire from politics,” Bwala stated.
The president’s spokesperson, who stated his respect for the APC chieftain, spoke of his worry behind El-Rufai’s “statements and actions,” saying, “They are not borne out of patriotism, but need for vengeance. The opposition sees that singular element of vengeance as a veritable tool for your recruitment.
“I still think you don’t need all these melodramatic activities or a vengeance mission. Come back and resolve whatever you think are your grievances like the dignified man that you are.
“Our party APC as of today remains the only organized party with identifiable structures across the country. So, if you are looking for any symbol of democracy, it is still in your party. Please senior, come home; you have toiled all night.”
During an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme in November 2024, Bwala, who served as a spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council, denied lobbying to serve in the ruling APC government.
“No, I didn’t lobby. The last time I was here, I told you when I met him (President) that I had made up my mind to support his cause.
“Since that January after I appeared on your programme, I have been doggedly pursuing that cause. Maybe he saw that and also saw the commitment in it. But it is something that the President knows I have loved, and still love when I supported him in the primaries.
“Whatever was his consideration is what I don’t know. But I know that the honour that the President bestowed on me is what I am very grateful for. I am also very committed to ensuring I don’t disappoint Mr President and the Nigerian people.”
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai on Thursday noted that if he were still in the President Bola Tinubu-led government, his stance on remarks about the administration would remain unchanged.
This was in his response to the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala.
El-Rufai had described the state of governance and opposition in the country as a “national emergency” at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria on Monday.
The former governor also lamented the lack of internal democracy and active party structures within the All Progressives Congress, saying, “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.’
In its response, the ruling APC knocked El-Rufai, as it accused him of treachery over how he had been dragging the Federal Government and the ruling party recently.
This prompted Bwala’s question to the APC chieftain via his X handle, saying, “My Senior brother if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position?
“History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat. Haba Mallam, a Ji soron Allah mana.”
On Thursday, the former governor, via his X handle, asserted his stance, as he called out “latter-day converts” to the Tinubu administration for insisting he wanted to serve as a minister in the current government.
“Good morning, #BwalaDaniel, I was cabinet minister 22 years ago and was clear to Asiwaju that I was not interested in any position in his future government. The pathetic manner all of you latter-day converts to the Tinubu government make an issue of something that I never wanted in the first place is perhaps a reflection of the level of your moral flexibility.
“If I had remained in the Tinubu government, I will say or do the same on the tragedy within a party I was a founder, and the government that emerged from it – first in private sessions with those concerned, and then go public if no remedial actions are taken. Go and check my public service record from 1998.
“I am only responding to you because I still think you are a decent person who may need a job, and not in the class of Wendell Simlin and that Kaduna pretender that our voters retired in 2019 – these clowns are political mercenaries that receive humongous monthly stipends from the security vote to be the first to jump on X and other platforms to defend everything the Asiwaju government does or fails to do, no matter how indefensible it may be.
“Enjoy your special adviser position, my brother, but remember that allegiance to God and country comes first in the human scale of accountability, before any person or authority.”
[Punch]
Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti, has stirred up a wave of controversy after revealing that his sister allegedly lost over N50 million in a cryptocurrency investment scheme.
The shocking revelation was made in a viral video posted on X (formerly Twitter), where Kuti passionately condemned the crypto market, accusing it of being a scam.
In the video, Seun Kuti expressed his frustration and disbelief at the impact of cryptocurrency on ordinary Nigerians.
He strongly criticized cryptocurrency promoters, calling them “criminals” who exploit vulnerable individuals, especially the poor.
“Crypto is a lie. You people are criminals trying to steal from poor people. It’s nothing but a wealth transfer from the poorest to the richest, just like gambling.”
“You all promote it, you push it, but it’s all about wealth transfer. You’re all part of this plan to shift wealth from the poor to the pockets of the rich.”
“There’s no freedom in crypto. More Africans have lost money to this than those who have made a profit from it,” he said.
He went on to describe the cryptocurrency system as a “scheme” designed to funnel wealth into the pockets of the wealthy, leaving the less fortunate at a loss.
Seun Kuti also shared a deeply personal account of the toll cryptocurrency has taken on his own family.
“You know how much my sister has lost to crypto. I’ve been warning her, but she didn’t listen. I can’t even tell you how much I’ve lost—over ₦50 million. My sister, my own blood sister—this is how many Nigerians have lost millions.” he added.
The video quickly gained traction online, with many social media users voicing their concerns about cryptocurrency and its risks.
Media
The number of cows slaughtered daily in Lagos State has dropped from 5,000 to 3,000, according to the Lagos State Butchers Association.
The association’s patron, Alhaji Bamidele Kazeem, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.
Kazeem said the decline was due to the country’s ongoing socio-economic challenges.
He noted that the drop in cattle slaughter began in 2015 due to the Boko Haram insurgency and worsened with the current exchange rate crisis and inflation.
“This reduction is due to numerous factors, including economic challenges, terror-related activities, and environmental concerns,” he said.
Kazeem expressed concern that the number of slaughtered cows could decline even further due to rising prices in the market.
“Previously, we could purchase a cow for between ₦400,000 and ₦500,000, depending on the breed, size, and location, but we now pay between ₦1.6 million and ₦1.7 million for a cow,” he said.
He attributed the drop in beef demand to the economic downturn, inflation, and rising cost of living.
“Banditry and farmer-herder conflicts have also contributed to reduced cattle production, affecting supply and the number of cows slaughtered in Lagos,” he added.
He warned that the decline could negatively impact meat supply in the state.
Kazeem, therefore, urged the state government, butchers, and farmers to work together to address the issue.
“All hands must be on deck to tackle these challenges and create a more sustainable industry,” he said.
The patron also highlighted the impact of climate and environmental factors on cattle rearing.
“When temperatures rise, it can cause heat stress, reducing cattle growth rates, milk production, and fertility.
“Veterinary doctors from the Lagos State Health Ministry conduct checks to ensure the cows’ health and prevent infections,” Kazeem added.
NAN
A Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Thursday sentenced two lovers, Mohammed Nazifi, 30, and Bilkisu Ibrahim, 25, to three months imprisonment each for adultery.
The police charged the lovers with a one-count charge of adultery by man and woman, to which they pleaded guilty.
Nazifi pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was a married man with little children to take care of.
Ibrahim also begged the court for mercy, saying she had a 3-year-old child and an aged mother, who depended on her.
The Magistrate, Olatunji Oladunmoye, had previously remanded the convicts in order for them to provide a witness that would vouch for their conduct of good character.
He finally sentenced them when they could not provide any.
Oladunmoye sentenced the lovers to 3 months imprisonment each with an option of N25,000 fine each.
The magistrate said the essence of the punishment was not to ruin or destroy the convicts but to reform them.
He added that it would also serve as a deterrent to anyone who wanted to toe the same path.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that the complainant, Mr Dayabe Abdullahi of Chibiri village, Kuje, Abuja, reported the matter at the Area Command, Gwagwalada, Abuja on Jan. 16.
Yakubu said that the convicts conspired and had sexual intercourse, and both confessed to the crime in their statements.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 387 and 388 of the Penal Code.
According to him, sections 387 and 388 refer to a man or a woman subject to customary law where extra-marital sexual intercourse is recognised as a criminal offence.
“If the man or woman has sexual intercourse with anyone other than his spouse, he/she is guilty of adultery and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term. The term may extend to two years or with fine or with both,” he said.
NAN
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Azeez Oladimeji, for allegedly impregnating a 17-year-old girl, Bisola Ganiyu, who later died shortly after childbirth in the Ajuwon community of the Ifo Local Government Area.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola, who disclosed the arrest of the suspect in an exclusive statement to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday revealed that the pregnant teenager tragically died shortly after giving birth to the baby through a Cesarean Section on Tuesday.
The command stated that the young girl, who was a resident of Yeti Sofolabo Street, Baale Akinosi, was allegedly impregnated by the suspect, who reportedly abandoned her and refused to take responsibility for the pregnancy.
In a distressing report to the police on Tuesday evening, the command stated that the deceased’s father, identified as Egbekunle, disclosed that his teenage daughter was in pain and was promptly taken to a nearby maternity clinic.
While the newborn miraculously survived the arduous procedure, the police reported that the teenager succumbed to complications during treatment, despite the medical team’s efforts to save her through surgery.
Odutola stated, “The suspect impregnated a 17-year-old girl. The father accused the suspect of abandoning the girl and pregnancy.
“Following the heartbreaking incident, detectives from Ajuwon Division promptly visited the hospital. Bisola’s body was retrieved and deposited at the Life Channel Mortuary, Olambe, while the suspect, Azeez Oladimeji, has been arrested as investigations into the case continue.”
PUNCH Metro recalls a similar arrest of a 20-year-old man, Akeem Sumonu, who allegedly impregnated a 16-year-old girl in the Olodo Community of Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State.
The survivor’s mother, identified only as Christiana, had accused the suspect of violently attacking her daughter, raped her in October 2024, and later threatened her to keep it a secret.
More...
The recent 50 per cent tariff increase approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission is expected to generate an additional N1.6tn in tax revenue while driving investment in telecommunications infrastructure.
The Global System for Mobile Communications Association in a statement on Wednesday, described the tariff adjustment—the first in 12 years—as a significant step toward bridging Nigeria’s digital divide.
The policy is projected to expand 4G coverage to 94 per cent of the population and provide mobile internet access to an additional nine million people, including two million in underserved areas.
The global advocate for sustainable policy reforms in the telecommunications sector said it welcomed this decision as a major step forward for consumers and the economy.
By enabling mobile operators to invest in expanding and upgrading their networks, the tariff increase will bridge the digital divide and drive innovation across key sectors, including healthcare, education, and agriculture.
Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA, Angela Wamola, commented on the development: “This decision by the NCC is an important milestone for Nigeria’s digital future. By enabling sustainable investment, we are improving the quality of service for consumers and fostering opportunities for innovation and economic growth.
“However, to fully unlock the potential of this reform, it is critical to implement additional measures such as simplifying Right of Way permits, implementing a critical national Infrastructure plan, and reducing the mobile sector’s tax burden.
These steps will be essential to accelerate digital adoption across sectors.
“It is estimated that increased digitalisation in agriculture, manufacturing, transport, trade, and the government will increase GDP by around two percentage points by 2028. This would also create nearly two million jobs and raise an additional N1.6tn in tax revenue.”
The body said the tariff increase is projected to unlock over $150m in additional investment, expanding 4G network coverage from the baseline 90 per cent to 94 per cent l of the population.
This improvement, according to GSMA, will benefit around 9 million people, with nearly 2 million expected to gain access to mobile internet services based on current adoption levels in rural areas, according to GSMA Intelligence.
“This milestone reflects the successful partnership between the Nigerian government, industry stakeholders, and the GSMA, demonstrating how collaborative policy reforms can drive economic development and digital inclusion.
“By advocating for policies that balance affordability with the need for sustained investment in infrastructure, the GSMA has played a critical role in ensuring the benefits of mobile connectivity are accessible to all Nigerians.”
On January 20, the NCC announced its approval of a 50 per cent tariff increase for telecom operators, citing rising operational costs and the necessity to maintain industry sustainability.
In a statement signed by Reuben Muoka, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, the Commission emphasised that the decision aligns with its regulatory responsibilities under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
However, the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has expressed its intention to challenge the approved tariff hike in court.
In a similar development, a document from MTN Nigeria obtained by The PUNCH has revealed that Nigeria’s telecom industry may experience a significant $870m drop in capital expenditures by 2026 as a result of 11 years of delays in tariff increases.
This decline in investments, which would have been used to expand and upgrade telecom infrastructure such as network coverage, technology upgrades, and the deployment of new services, is largely attributed to tariff hike delays.
The document revealed that in 2022, Nigerian telcos invested $1.41bn in capital expenditure, but this figure dropped to $1.16bn in 2023.
This is expected to fall even further to $0.47bn in 2024. By 2026, the investment is forecasted to remain low at $0.50bn, marking a $0.87bn shortfall compared to the baseline figures from 2022, the document showed.
This 18 per cent decline in planned capital expenditures is primarily driven by the inability of telecom companies to raise tariffs, which are crucial for offsetting operational costs and financing network expansion.
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, says President Bola Tinubu would not cede power to the younger generation without a fight.
He added that politicians often resort to extreme measures to win elections.
The former governor of Rivers spoke in Abuja at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development.
Amaechi harped on the need for political vigilance, warning that power must be fought for, urging Nigerians to always safeguard their votes if they intend to achieve a semblance of credible leadership.
“None of you here seated can defend the votes. If you have complained, complain, Nigerians have been clapping for you,” he said.
“The only way Ibrahim Shekarau became governor was because people lined up.
“It happened in Ghana before the election of the last president. Two days, a lot of us were called to intervene. But why did they do that? The people were ready to die.
“You are talking and abusing everybody. Nobody has power and will give it to you — not even me. If you want a pastor as president, go and get one.
“The politician is there in Nigeria to steal, maim, and kill to remain in power. If you think Tinubu will give it to you, you are wasting your time.”
Amaechi recounted his experience in the days leading to the 2015 presidential election — when a newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He attributed APC’s success to the determination and preparedness of leaders of the party to go the extra mile.
The ex-minister noted that former President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat only after realising that the APC was fully prepared to defend its mandate.
He asked citizens to adopt similar measures in future elections.
In October 2024, Amaechi said he is disappointed in Nigerians for their laid-back disposition to the prevailing economic hardship.
“The people should be angry. There should be protests. Not even protests against anybody but against the politicians that ‘we won’t vote’,” he had said.
The ruling APC had clapped back at Amaechi, saying he is one of those who destroyed Nigeria.
Amaechi was one of the 14 aspirants for the presidential ticket of the APC before the 2023 general election.
He polled second in the primary election with 316 votes, behind eventual winner Tinubu, who secured 1, 271 votes.
[TheCable]
United States President Donald Trump has signed a legal settlement that will result in Facebook and Instagram parent company, Meta paying out roughly $25m (£20m).
Trump in 2021 sued the social media giant and its chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg over the suspension of his accounts after the 6 January Capitol riots that year.
In July 2024, Meta lifted the final restrictions on Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in the lead-up to the US presidential elections.
Around $22m of the settlement will go to a fund for Trump’s presidential library.
The balance will be used to cover legal costs and the other plaintiffs who signed on to the lawsuit.
Meta will not admit wrongdoing. The company suspended Trump’s accounts in 2021 and said that it would ban him from the platforms for at least two years.
Following Trump’s election win in November, Zuckerberg visited his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. This gesture was interpreted as a sign of a possible warming of their previously cool relationship.
The following month, Meta donated $1m to an inauguration fund for Trump.
LEADERSHIP reports that Zuckerberg was a guest at Trump’s inauguration at the US Capitol earlier this month, seated near other global tech billionaires.
For years, Trump had been highly critical of Zuckerberg and Facebook, calling the platform “anti-Trump” in 2017.
The relationship between both parties soured further after the president’s accounts were banned. He called Facebook an “enemy of the people” in March 2024.
Twitter, which is now named X and owned by Trump ally Elon Musk, also “permanently” suspended the president from its platform.
After buying the firm for $44billion, Musk reinstated Trump’s account in 2022 after a poll he ran on the site narrowly backed the move.
Separately on Wednesday, Meta defended its $65bn investment in artificial intelligence (AI) after tech stocks were rocked in the wake of Chinese AI app DeepSeek’s sudden rise.
Zuckerberg told investors there was a lot to learn from DeepSeek, but it was too soon to have “a really strong opinion” about what the app means for the future of AI.
“If anything, I think the recent news has only strengthened our conviction that this is right thing for us to be focused on,” he added.
Many US tech stocks sank this week after DeepSeek surged in popularity, though Meta’s has bucked this trend by rising.
The stock was up in after-hours trading after it posted better-than-expected financial results on Wednesday.
However, questions remain about what advances in Chinese AI will mean for the US AI market generally considering DeepSeek’s claim it was developed at a fraction of the cost of its US rivals.
Zuckerberg said in a call to investors following the results on Wednesday that DeepSeek’s rise strengthened his conviction in his company’s embrace of “open-source” AI.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, took a different tack from many US companies by releasing an open-source AI model for free.
Zuckerberg on Wednesday said he thought that approach was important to keeping the US at the cutting edge, as countries around the world compete to become the key players in the still-emerging industry.
“There’s going to be an open source standard globally and I think for our own national advantage it’s important that it’s an American standard,” he said.
“We take that seriously. We want to build the AI system that people around the world are using.”
An American airline carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided on Wednesday with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington.
Witness reports confirmed multiple fatalities, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews search for survivors.
An Army official said three soldiers were onboard the helicopter.
There was no immediate comment on the cause of the collision. However, all operations at the airport were halted as dive teams scoured the site and helicopters while law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search for bodies.
“We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a sombre news conference at the airport on Thursday morning where she declined to say how many bodies had been recovered.
Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “When one person dies, it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”
President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”
The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred before 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while approaching an airport runway.
The crash occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.
Investigators will try to piece together the aircraft’s final moments before their collision, including contact with air traffic controllers as well as loss of altitude by the passenger jet.
American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder.
The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, manufactured in 2004 can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers.
A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National which was confirmed by pilots.
Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight.
The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.
The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.
Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Centre showed two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.
“I know that flight. I’ve flown it several times myself,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas.
He said that he expected that many people in Wichita would know people who were on the flight.
“This is a very personal circumstance,” he said.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” over the crash, saying the company was focused on the needs of passengers, crew, first responders and families and loved ones of those involved.
“It’s a highly complex operation,” said D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. “The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders.”
The U.S. Army described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
The helicopter was on a training flight. Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarisation and continuity of government planning