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Major Seun Fadipe (retd), a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Lt-Gen Oladipo Diya, has recounted how the late ex-military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, escaped a planned abduction in Enugu State in 1997.
Fadipe was the CSO to Diya who was the Chief of General Staff, the then de facto vice president of Nigeria under the military administration of Abacha. Fadipe was a guest on the Friday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.
Fadipe recalled how Diya and his co-travellers planned to abduct Abacha and force him to resign in Enugu but the then head of state caught wind of the development and aborted the trip at the last hour.
He said, “There was a coup, whether it was now a phantom one or it was a setup, it’s immaterial now because that’s the problem I had with my boss until he died. I was a major, if I wanted to be involved in a coup as a major, it would be a violent coup because there was no way I would do a palace coup because I had a lot of seniors ahead of me. I never planned any coup, I never intended to plan any coup but I got involved through my boss.”
“As of that time, Abacha was doing well but because he wanted to transmit to a civilian regime, things went haywire.”
Fadipe said it would have been easy for Diya and his co-coup plotters to take over in Abuja and control things from the nation’s capital but “maybe it was just providence or he (Abacha) got some information because all his advance parties had gone to the airport” yet he aborted the trip at the last minute.
“On the 9th of December 1997, we got to the office, and after the pleasantries with my boss, the ADC left. Once the ADC leaves, I will give my boss the security briefing for the period and after, he said: ‘Are you sure all is well?’ That was before the bomb attempt on the 13th of December 1997. That was the first time he told me directly that something was in the offing.
“A day before then, the Chief of Army Training Conference just took off in Enugu, and Abacha, being the C-in-C was supposed to open the event. The man had left the Villa and then on his way to the airport, all of a sudden, the man came back.
“So, after some time, my boss called me and told me that the man aborted his trip and he was back in the villa. My boss was a bit worried. I don’t know what was going on at that time. So I asked my boss to be on standby maybe the guy would still go back but to my surprise, that never happened.
“In the evening, Ishaya Bamiyi (then army chief) came to General Diya’s office. So, we were wondering, the chief of army staff, what’s he doing here? He was supposed to be in Enugu. So when he (Bamiyi) left, my boss called me and asked me to call him General Adisa Adisa.
“By then, Adisa had been removed as the Minister of Works and Housing. I called General Adisa and he came in almost immediately, this time around he was almost in mufti. So, on his way out, the man was asking me some questions but he discovered I was not privy to it.
“The next morning, my boss told me and a few security people: ‘If Oga had travelled yesterday, he would have been arrested and there would have been a change of government’. I just knew I was in trouble. He said if he (Abacha) had gone to Enugu, he would have been abducted and forced to resign and there would have been a change of government.”
Fadipe said he didn’t betray his former boss, stressing that he never disclosed any of the coup plans to the authorities.
“There was no way I would have betrayed my boss. A lot of things happened when we came out of detention; he was trying to malign me and all of that but I just know he was a man that was struggling to survive,” he said.
Fadipe and Diya, alongside over 200 others were arrested for treason and detained after the failed coup plot in 1997. Diya was tried by the military tribunal and was handed the death penalty but he was pardoned, alongside Fadipe, and others, by Abacha’s successor, Abdusalami Abubakar, after the sudden demise of Abacha in 1998. Diya died in March 2023 at the age of 78.
Veteran comedian Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, and his wife, Mary Bassey Akpobome, have shared adorable photos of their triplets as they celebrate their first birthday on Friday, January 24, 2025.
The couple, who welcomed their sons in 2024, revealed their faces for the first time in a heartfelt social media post.
Expressing her gratitude on Instagram stories, Mrs Akpobome praised God for His faithfulness, describing motherhood as a divine blessing. She also reaffirmed that “God is always on time” while wishing her boys: King Aaron, King Alexander, and King Andrew, a happy birthday.
Ali Baba also took to Instagram stories to share glimpses of the triplets.
NIGERIAN NI
President Bola Tinubu has commended the Finish government for the arrest and detention of Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa.
The President also described Ekpa’s arrest as well deserved.
Tinubu said his government has zero tolerance for actions and statements that could lead to divisiveness among citizens.
The Nigerian President spoke when he received the Letters of Credence from the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Sanna Selin, at the State House.
He said the Finnish authorities intervention was timely, because it safeguarded the nation’s integrity and mitigated an action that threatened peaceful coexistence.
Tinubu also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of the European Union, Mr Gautier Mignot, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Algeria, Hocine Mezoued.
Speaking at the brief ceremony, Tinubu said, “I must thank you for your record on safeguarding human rights in our country with the trial of Simon Ekpa.
“Nigeria is indivisible. We have been through turbulent times and we don’t want to promote terrorism.
“I am a child born into activism, but not divisiveness. We need cohesion and cooperation to bring about development. Our watchword is stability and cohesion to move the country forward.
“The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has informed me. I know what the rule of law means. The rule of law safeguards our democratic credentials, morals and values. We must respect the rule of law.”
The President noted that the ambassador’s priorities, including ICT, agriculture and education, will directly impact the country’s development.
“Nigeria is undergoing a series of necessary reforms to stimulate growth and prosperity. Thank you also for the humanitarian support in the North-East. I believe that we can work together,” he added.
The Ambassador of Finland extolled Tinubu for his courage in initiating reforms that will benefit the economy and ensure prosperity in the future.
“Simon Ekpa has been hindering bilateral relations. The cooperation between our two countries is going very well now, and the National Security Adviser has been providing all the
evidence,” the ambassador noted.
Indications emerged on Friday that the 2025 Appropriation Bill will no longer be passed by the National Assembly at the end of January 2025.
According to the Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi, the House leadership has approved the extension of the 2025 budget defence to give the Standing Committees sufficient time to conclude ongoing budget engagements with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
He said: “The House of Representatives has announced the postponement of its plenary resumption, previously scheduled for Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
“The new date for resumption is now set for Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
“This development was communicated to Honourable Members through an internal memorandum issued by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, Esq., on the directive of the House Leadership.
“The postponement is necessary to allow Committees sufficient time to conclude ongoing budget engagements and defences with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“This measure ensures a thorough and comprehensive approach to legislative responsibilities.
“The House remains committed to fulfilling its legislative mandate for the benefit of Nigerians and appreciates the understanding of all stakeholders,” he said
A woman in Eswatini, Dumsile Dludlu, is facing up to three years in prison after she was remanded for allegedly snooping through her husband’s WhatsApp account without his consent.
The act, which contravenes Eswatini’s Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act of 2022, was condemned by Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi at the Mbabane Magistrates Court.
Dludlu pleaded not guilty to the charge of unauthorised access but admitted to insulting her husband. She stated in court, “I did insult him, but it wasn’t as severe as what’s in the police statement.”
The police statement had described her insults as more severe than Dludlu acknowledged.
Dludlu’s trial is set to resume on March 10, 2025.
The Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act criminalises the unauthorised access of digital devices, and violators face fines or imprisonment of up to three years.
The Act aims to protect individuals’ digital privacy and prevent unauthorised intrusions into personal communication.
Meanwhile, Eswatini Communications Commission CEO, Prince Mvilawemphi, has warned that accessing a partner’s cellphone is now considered a criminal offence in the country, with fines reaching up to E300,000
The Nigeria Labour Congress has said the Federal Government is prioritising revenue generation over the welfare of citizens by supporting the recent 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariffs.
The tariff hike, announced by the Nigerian Communications Commission on Monday, will see MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile charge more for calls and messages.
The move, the first in 11 years justified by the need for telcos to cover inflation and the high cost of operations of over 300 per cent, has sparked outrage among citizens, with the NLC particularly calling for protest.
Speaking on Arise TV on Friday, the Labour Union president Joseph Ajaero criticised the government for aligning with telecom companies while Nigerians grapple with the rising cost of living.
Ajaero, who leads a workforce earning less than $50 monthly as minimum wage, expressed concern that the government is neglecting its regulatory responsibilities and acting as though these private telecom companies are public enterprises.
“These corporate entities will be smiling to the bank while poverty among Nigerians continues. That’s the challenge we face now. We hear the minister speaking as if these are government-owned businesses.
“When you increase tariffs by 50 per cent, aside from the taxes the government may collect, it’s seen as a way to boost government revenue. This has been the same approach even in the power sector.
He warned that the tariff increase would disproportionately affect low-income earners, many of whom already struggle to cover basic living expenses.
“Government officials often say that higher tariffs are good, but this only pushes the people further down the poverty line. This is where we disagree. The government has not acted as a proper regulator to strike a balance between corporate interests and the welfare of the people.
“The government needs to strike a balance. For someone earning N70,000, paying over N10,000 on this tariff increase alone is significant. How will they afford transportation, housing, and other basic needs? It’s not realistic because, in reality, there’s no housing that costs N10,000, and transportation costs are equally high,” Ajaero said.
The NLC president also criticised the government’s reliance on imported telecom and power equipment, arguing that local production of essential components like cables and meters could reduce costs.
The NLC chief urged the government to encourage local manufacturing rather than passing the cost of importation onto consumers.
Ajaero criticised officials who defend the tariff hike on the grounds of inflation and operational costs, describing their arguments as a pretext to boost government revenue while neglecting the plight of Nigerians.
“The justification for this increase—citing inflation, cost of living, and importation of equipment—doesn’t hold when there’s potential for local production. Why are we importing cables and other materials that can be manufactured locally?
“For instance, even for metering, we’re importing cables. These are items we could produce domestically, but instead, we rely on imports and then blame rising costs on currency value and importation expenses.
“Where did we go wrong that ordinary Nigerians must always bear the brunt? We need to rethink these policies and ensure that people aren’t left struggling to survive while corporations thrive,” he lamented.
On Wednesday, the union issued a statement warning of potential collective action, including a nationwide boycott of telecom services, to compel the government and the NCC to reverse the decision.
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers will today engage the telecom regulator seeking a possible reversal of the 50 per cent telecom tariff hike to 10 per cent.
Hundreds of transgender federal prisoners face uncertainty and fear after President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating transfers to facilities based on biological sex rather than gender identity.
The move has sparked concerns, particularly from legal advocates who warn of the dangers these inmates may face in male prisons.
“It’s going to be incredibly dangerous,” said attorney Moira Meltzer-Cohen, who represents Donna Langan, a transgender woman serving a life sentence for bank robbery, as quoted by DailyMailUK.
Meltzer-Cohen fears a “bloodbath” if trans inmates are forced into male prisons.
The order, signed on Trump’s first day in office, states the government will recognise only two sexes and restrict “intimate spaces” like bathrooms and dorms to biological sex. Federal funding for transition-related healthcare has also been halted.
Sandra Gant, a federal public defender, revealed that her office was alerted after a trans client was segregated for transfer to a men’s prison. “She is terrified,” Gant shared, calling for legal strategies to challenge the policy.
Rhonda Fleming, a female inmate in Texas, welcomed the decision after her failed legal battle to exclude trans women from women’s prisons, citing fears for her safety. Fleming claimed some male inmates fake gender identities to serve sentences in women’s facilities.
The Bureau of Prisons, which oversees approximately 1,500 trans women and 750 trans men, has yet to decide on placements for inmates who have undergone gender-affirming surgeries, citing additional security concerns.
The executive order, part of Trump’s broader rollback of protections for transgender individuals, faces potential legal challenges from groups like the ACLU.
The Controller General (CG) of Corrections has addressed a communication to all State Controllers of Corrections and the Federal Capital Territory Commands, soliciting the submission of lists detailing all qualified prisoners and inmates within their jurisdictions for consideration of presidential pardon.
Naija News reports that this directive was issued by the Acting Controller General of Corrections (CGC) for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche.
Recall that Nwakuche assumed this role on December 16, 2024, following the retirement of Haliru Nababa and his subsequent appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
According to SaharaReporters, the directive to compile a list of eligible prisoners for pardon was contained in a memo obtained by the media house dated January 17, 2025, bearing the reference number NCoS 848/C. I/VOL. 1/288.
The memo, titled ‘Re: Request For List Of Prisoners/Inmates Eligible For Presidential Pardon/Clemency Nation-Wide,’ indicates that factors such as advanced age, health conditions, and duration of incarceration will be considered in determining eligibility for clemency.
It reads, “I am directed to write and request you to as a matter of urgency, furnish the office the Controller-General of Corrections with list of ALL qualified prisoners/Inmates in your Command for Presidential Pardon/Clemency.
“For avoidance of doubt, Inmates other than Nigerian Prisoner-citizens deported to the Country, must have been convicted or awaiting trial for Federal offences only.
“Note that in determining eligibility, regard shall be had to the following criteria: Old age – (60 years and above); ill-health, likely to terminate in death; young persons, 16 years and below; long term convicts who have served 10 years and above with good record; long awaiting trial persons in custody for 10 years and above; convicts serving 3 years and above and have less than 6 months to serve; awaiting trial persons (ATPs) who have been in custody for 3 years and above for minor offences and ATPs who must have stayed longer than sentence that would have been imposed.”
‘Your Bahaviour Has Become Embarrassing’ – Late Alaafin Of Oyo Family Threatens To Drag Queen Dami To Court
AFOLABI
The family of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has warned the monarch’s ex-wife, Queen Dami, against defaming his name at every provocation while granting an interview.
This comes a few days after Queen Dami, in a recent interview with Nigerian journalist, Esabod Aboderin, over his issue with ex-lover, Portable, referenced the late Alaafin.
Part of her statement reads, “When I was in the Palace, the king didn’t allow us to work but I was selling fabrics online without his knowledge. Concerning Alaafin’s daughter who came out to say my son is not for the king, we never liked each other when I was in the palace, and that was why she came out to lie against me. I am ready to have a DNA test done on my son.”
However, the monarch family, in a letter via the Instagram page of his daughter, Aminat Adeyemi, warned Dami against mentioning their father’s name again in any interview or online publication and threatened to take legal action against her.
The family also stated that Dami was not the only widow of the late king, and her behaviour has become increasingly embarrassing and unacceptable.
The letter memo, which was written with the letter headed paper of the late Alaafin of Oyo but not signed by anyone, has the caption, “On behalf of the ADEYEMIS’ Dammy be warned ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ officialqueen_dami Okó melo lówà nidi bàbá yen abi…dey play ▶️ To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
‘I’m Being Scapegoated By Government’ – Agunloye Links Obasanjo, Buhari To Mambilla Power Project
AFOLABI
Former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has accused ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of spreading falsehoods to obscure his involvement in the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
Agunloye, who served under Obasanjo from 2002 to 2003, is currently facing a seven-count charge brought by the Federal Government over allegations of fraud in the $6 billion Mambilla project contract.
In a statement released on Friday, Agunloye, now the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), alleged that Obasanjo is deliberately distorting facts about the project.
Naija News reports that he also accused Obasanjo of feigning ignorance about the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract signed during his administration, saying, “Obasanjo later distorted the facts in public and judicial settings to shield himself from scrutiny.”
Agunloye further suggested that his current legal troubles stem from personal conflicts involving Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Leno Adesanya, the owner of Sunrise Power Company.
He said, “The government seeks to use me as a scapegoat to portray systemic corruption to the arbitration panel and undermine Sunrise’s claims. Challenges stem from personal conflicts between President Obasanjo and two of his associates: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Leno Adesanya, owner of Sunrise Power Company.
“Obasanjo feigned ignorance of the BOT contract during his presidency and later distorted the facts in public and judicial settings.
“The arbitration in France arose from actions taken by successive administrations, particularly under President Buhari. In 2017, then-Minister of Power Babatunde Fashola bypassed a 2012 agreement signed under President Goodluck Jonathan with Sunrise and awarded the contract to another company.
“Despite advice from the Chinese government to resolve the dispute amicably, the FGN failed to honour two settlement agreements, leading Sunrise to return to arbitration.
“The government is spreading misinformation and using me as a pawn to divert attention from the actions of its own officials and four former presidents who handled the project over two decades.”
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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at solidifying the United States’ position as a global leader in cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI).
The order prohibits central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and establishes a working group to develop clear regulations for the crypto industry.
This comprehensive directive outlines a framework designed to foster innovation, eliminate regulatory uncertainty, and safeguard individual financial sovereignty.
Following the announcement, Bitcoin (BTC), the world’s largest cryptocurrency, surged by 3%, reaching the $105,000 mark in Friday’s trading.
One of the most notable aspects of the executive order is the proposal to create a national crypto reserve. This “digital asset stockpile” would consist of cryptocurrencies seized by federal law enforcement agencies.
While Trump has previously suggested the idea of a national Bitcoin reserve, the order does not prioritize BTC alone. Instead, it includes U.S.-developed altcoins, indicating a broader approach to digital asset adoption.
Reflection on the crypto market
The crypto industry welcomed the announcement, having urged the administration to provide clear support during Trump’s early days in office.
- As of 6:40 am Nigerian time, Bitcoin was trading at $104,971, up by 2.8%, after reaching an intraday high of $106,820. Ethereum also saw a surge, rising 5% to $3,376. The global cryptocurrency market capitalization increased by 2.65%, reaching $3.61 trillion.
- Other major altcoins followed suit, with Solana rising by 4%, XRP by 1%, Dogecoin by 1.3%, Cardano by 3.5%, and Chainlink by 5.2%. Additionally, Tron and Avalanche experienced gains.
- The volume of stablecoins now stands at $189.11 billion, accounting for 91.79% of the total 24-hour crypto market volume, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
In the past 24 hours, Bitcoin’s market capitalization surged to $2.079 trillion. Currently, Bitcoin’s dominance in the market is 57.49%, with BTC’s 24-hour trading volume rising by 73.5% to $100.98 billion.
What you should know
Also on Thursday, President Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, declaring his intention to make America “the world capital of AI and crypto.” These comments marked the first direct mention of cryptocurrency by the President since his inauguration.
He emphasized that an increase in domestic oil and gas production would secure U.S. manufacturing dominance and establish the country as the global leader in artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency.
Industry insiders had grown concerned by the lack of a direct mention of crypto by the President since being sworn in on Monday. Bitcoin prices rose following the mention, further boosted by the news that Senator Cynthia Lummis was confirmed as chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets.
[Nairametrics]
The Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku has stated that she is ready to step down from her position if her leadership is no longer needed.
Speaking on Thursday evening while fielding questions during an interview on Television Continental, Kuku stated that she has stepped on toes and is ready to step on more toes to do her job properly.
She, however, stated that if her methods of leadership are no longer working she is ready to resign from her position.
She said, “I have stepped on toes and I am still stepping on toes and I know that I need to do that with caution but definitely not at the jeopardy of the airport system.
“If I have to, I will step down, I will resign if I see that it is not working but what is important is to make sure that I do what is right.”
She also responded to criticisms that have greeted her claim that ₦580bn is required to fix obsolete runways across the country.
Kuku who confirmed the barrage of critics questioning what FAAN needed such a humongous amount for, appealed to all who care to understand the need for the money to find out what it takes to take care of aviation infrastructures
She said, “I would like to clarify two things; First we have a number of runways in Nigeria today, we have mentioned to you that there are 22 airports that are owned by the Federal Government and we also support some that are state-owned.
“I also made specific reference to airports with runways that have exceeded their lifespan. The average lifespan of a runway is about 20-25 years and a lot of our runways in Nigeria have actually exceeded that time. Meaning that we had them for 30 to over 35 years.
“What it means is that we have to reconstruct those runways. The N580bn that I initially mentioned was for over 17 runways and it is not just runways but also includes some perimeter fencing and so on.
“I have seen commentaries where people asked what we would be needing those monies for. Just look it up in Google to understand what it means to build runways, taxi expansion and all that is needed to be done.”
While speaking on what she had done within her first 100 days in office, Kuku topped her achievement with the level of sanity that has been restored to Nigerian aerodromes in the last 90 days.
“We have spent too much time talking about the decay and it is time for us to start fixing things and that is exactly what we are doing. And what is more critical is the continuity, meaning that wherever we stop, somebody needs to pick that up and that is the biggest challenge that we see. Because we have a new administration we tend not to complete or continue old projects.
“Now to what we are doing; I think what to do is to block some immediate gaps which is what we have done. If you have been a traveller in the last 90 days, you will observe that the airports are cleaner and more friendly in terms of the atmosphere,” she said.
[NaijaNews]
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has described the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as a politician with double loyalty, saying such a character is shameless and sets a dangerous precedent in Nigerian politics.
The governor stated this in a statement signed by Mukhtar Gidado, his
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, reacting to Wike’s recent media chat where he knocked Mohammed’s opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills
Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, said Wike’s incoherence often made it difficult to discern any substantive points.
The statement read, “Chief Wike’s ascendancy in politics is a testament to the opportunities provided by the PDP, yet, he now gleefully undermines the very foundation that nurtured him. It is disheartening that a man who owes so much to a party that stood by him in his political journey has chosen to be a willing tool in its denigration.
“Unlike Wike, who thrives on drama and divisiveness, Sen. Bala Mohammed has always understood that politics is not a game of self-serving theatrics but a platform to serve the public good. Wike’s erratic behaviour and opportunistic alliances expose him as an unreliable and fair-weather friend—traits that alienate even those who once stood by him.”
The governor said that Wike’s recent media outburst was yet another reminder of his transactional approach to politics, where personal ambition eclipsed loyalty, principles, and collective interests.
Governor Mohammed stated that Wike’s attempt to question his opposition to President Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills was not only baseless but hypocritical.
“While Wike accuses others of insincerity, he has seamlessly transitioned from being a self-proclaimed PDP stalwart to an ardent supporter of the APC government. He now advocates for the re-election of the same APC administration in 2027, all while continuing to claim membership in the PDP. This chameleonic behavior raises serious questions about Wike’s credibility and moral compass.
“Nigerians are not deceived by Wike’s antics. They see a man willing to undermine his party for personal gain, a man whose loyalty shifts as quickly as his alliances. By contrast, Sen. Bala Mohammed’s opposition to the Tax Reform Bills reflects a principled stand aimed at ensuring inclusive governance and accountability. His constructive interventions have already led to significant adjustments in the reform process, underscoring the importance of meaningful dialogue over hollow rhetoric.
“Chief Wike’s dual loyalty—if it can even be called that—is a dangerous precedent in Nigerian politics. His shameless oscillation between PDP and APC undermines the moral fabric of democracy. Politics must be guided by principles, not by personal whims. Wike’s behavior, reminiscent of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where roles blur and values vanish, exemplifies the kind of amoral politics that erodes public trust and damages national unity,” the statement added.
[DailyPost]