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A Nigerian televangelist recently acquitted of multiple rape charges has been rearrested on immigration offences, South African police said on Saturday.
Read Also: How my mother’s lover raped me — 12 year old victim narrates ordeal
Timothy Omotoso was released last month, nine years after he was jailed to be tried on charges of raping and sexually assaulting several young women from his church.
His acquittal drew anger across South Africa after the judge found that, while the pastor’s explanations appeared improbable, state prosecutors had mishandled the case against him.
Immigration authorities and police arrested Omotoso in the town of East London on Saturday morning, “just after church”, police commissioner General Fannie Masemola told journalists.
“He will be facing charges related to violations to the Immigration Act and he will appear in court on Monday,” he said.
The 66-year-old pastor at the Jesus Dominion International (JDI) church based in South Africa was arrested in 2017 on 32 charges, including rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Several young women, some of whom were still in school at the time, testified that they were handpicked by Omotoso, who would pray for forgiveness after each encounter with them.
In April, Eastern Cape High Court judge Irma Schoeman criticised the prosecution’s handling of the case, saying the state had not proved beyond reasonable doubt its case against Omotoso and two assistants, who also faced charges.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape and gender-based violence in the world.
Over 42,500 rapes were reported in the 2023-24 financial year, according to police statistics, amounting to more than 116 rapes per day.
Residents and businesses in Jabi District, parts of Life Camp, Kado District, Aire Gas, Total Marble, Royal Ceramic, Artoland Rice, Faku Agro, Zohgfu along Kaduna Road, and neighbouring areas are currently experiencing an ongoing power outage due to a technical fault affecting the local feeders.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) confirmed the disruption in a statement on Saturday.
AEDC claims that the feeders that provide power to these areas are being impacted by the technical fault.
“We regret to inform you that the ongoing power outage is due to a technical fault affecting the feeders serving these locations,” AEDC said.
The company, however, assured customers that its technical team is working tirelessly to restore power as quickly as possible.
“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to serve you better.”
[Guardian]
The Labour Party led by Bar. Julius Abure has set up a five-man committee to review alleged anti-party activities of Abia State Governor Alex Otti and other erring party members.
The communique after the NEC jointly signed by Abure and the national secretary, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, said the committee was given two weeks to submit its report.
This was part of the resolutions reached at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which held in Abuja yesterday.
The communique added, “NEC reviewed the anti- party activities of Dr. Alex Otti, the Abia State governor and other erring members and consequently sets up a disciplinary committee as follows:
“Dr. Ayo Olorunfemi- Chairman; Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim- Secretary; Barr. Kehinde Edun- Member; Mrs. Dudu Manuga- Member; and Barr. Callistus Ihejiagwa- Member.”
The NEC also declared that the party is not and will not be part of any coalition towards the 2027 general election.
“The party will rather continue to rebuild, reposition, re-strategize, reconcile, strengthen, drive its programs and policies, win more members towards winning the 2027 General Elections,” it stated.
The party however rallied support for its candidate for the November 8, 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election Chief George Moghalu.
The NEC reiterated its support and confidence in the Abure-led NWC elected at the 2024 National Convention.
It also commended the Supreme Court for “standing on the sound principle of the supremacy of political parties, and the sanctity and bindingness of decisions taken by the validly convened recognized organs as created by the Party’s Constitution, in its decision delivered on 04/04/2025.”
[Leadership]
There appears to be a growing trend on the political scene where, holding past and serving public officials to account is being challenged by their family members.
In the last few years, family members, especially sons and daughters of political leaders, rush to defend the policies, actions and utterances of their fathers and sometimes even insult those that call on them to account for their stewardship.
Ignoring the fact that their fathers by the nature of the offices they hold or have held are answerable to the public and are liable for scrutiny, they give the impression that it is wrong for people to criticise or say anything that goes contrary to their perceptions.
The trend has become worrisome as more children of privilege have imbibed the trait, overlooking the fact that their fathers held or are holding such offices with the full retinue of media aides and spokesmen that ordinarily, are tasked with the responsibility of responding or explaining issues concerning their principals.
Emboldened by the quiescence of their parents, they are increasingly inserting themselves into all manner fray, trying to shape public narratives and, in some cases, throwing punches against perceived political enemies of their parents.
Armed with social media handles from Facebook to X to Instagrams, they issue statements and foist their opinions on the public sometimes as Weekend Trust has observed.
It was observed that though they most times go overboard in the reactions, lashing out at personalities, rather than focus on issues, their fathers have not been seen reprimanding them, which according to sources is why the trend rather than abate is gaining currency.
A former aide to one of those whose children are quick to react on behalf of their father, told our correspondent that the parents condone it.
He said, “from my experience I can tell you that their fathers condone it. If their fathers had told them to stop, they wouldn’t be going about it all the time but since they have continued, it tells you that they not only condone but are subtly encouraging them.”
Renowned journalist and columnist, Sam Omatseye once had an exchange with the sons of the former governor of Kaduna State Malam Nasir El-rufai and wrote that it is bad enough if the head of the family cannot keep “a storm out of the family”.
He wrote: “His wife, Hadiza laid a charge at Bashir, the politician’s son who has been out of joint in his language. Bashir was taking on President Tinubu over the infantilism of Obasanjo’s tirades. A miffed Hadiza fired a poser at Bashir: “Would you say this if your father was in government?”
Not so in the past
In the past, children of political office holders like presidents, governors, ministers, local government chairmen and other appointees took the back seat when their parents were in office, allowing them to serve their tenures without poking their noses in what transpired at the official level.
They were mostly seen and not heard in public and mainly at occasions like marriages, birthdays or naming ceremonies.
A son to a former head of state was reported to have been given a reprimanding glance by his father when he exculpated the latter over the annulment of June 12, 1993 elections as newsmen threw the question at his father in his presence.
The fact that he never made such interventions on behalf of his father again since that incident showed that the latter did not approve of his outburst.
The children of General Sani Abacha, especially Ibrahim, who died in a plane crash were also visible during the reign of their father, but hardly interfered in explaining or defending the policies of their father even when he was one of the most criticised leaders.
It was years after the father had passed on that his children, especially one of his daughters, Gumsu, went to her X handle to eulogise the late military head of state. She also goes there from time to time to clarify issues she perceives as wrongly ascribed to her father. She tweeted recently that, “Maza even in death, you are their biggest competition,” while the family issued a statement when former military president, Ibrahim Babangida launched his book and blamed Abacha for the annulment of June12, 1993 elections. Even one of the grand sons of the late head of state, Raees A Abacha joined in the fray in a tweet titled ‘My grandfather saved the life of a coward’ that, “if the lifespans of these two consequential figures were reversed this treachery would never be discharged by General Abacha.”
During the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 to 2007, his son, Gbenga, became highly visible but the younger Obasanjo was not known to respond to criticisms about his father’s actions or utterances while in office. Ironically, his daughter, Iyabo, even after going into active politics by becoming a commissioner in Ogun State and later senator, did not defend her father, but even castigated him in public accusing him of all manner of things.
Buhari’s daughter, Zarah was initially enthusiastic about blowing her father’s trumpet in the early days of his administration but later went cold in that regard indicating that she had a second thought about that course of action.
The current trend
Since the swearing in of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president, two of his children, Alhaja Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and his son, Seyi, have been quite active trying to project the image of their father.
Children of other serving public officials office holders like governors, ministers and former have also joined what has become the fad.
Alhaja Folashade Tinubu-Ojo
Known as the lyaloja General of Lagos State, the daughter of President Bola Tinubu, Alhaja Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has been active, projecting the image of her father.
At a time, she called on Nigerians to be patient with her father over the economic hardship in the country and urged the people to keep hope alive, saying the economic downturn is a global phenomenon which is not limited to Nigeria.
She made the call while speaking with newsmen at the 2024 Mawlid Nabiyy of the Lagos State chapter of Aljamahatul Qadiriyyah Islamic Movement where she was turbaned lya Adinni of Qadiriyyah in Nigeria and Africa.
She said, “My message to all Nigerians is to please exercise a little more patience. Everything will be alright; it’s just a matter of time. We need to keep our hope alive. There is an economic downturn all over the world, and not in Nigeria alone. But we pray Allah will see us through.”
Seyi Tinubu
Seyi has been particularly vocal in defending his father’s administration and against political opponents.
During a youth engagement programme in Yola, Adamawa State, the president’s son proclaimed his father as the greatest leader Nigeria has ever had.
His words: “It was never politics, but they keep coming for me, they keep coming for my family, they keep coming for your father, they keep coming for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the greatest president in the history of Nigeria”.
Bashir and Bello Elrufai
Two of the sons of former governor of Kaduna, Bello and Bashir have been the most fervent in defence of their father.
They take utterances and actions they perceive to be against their father personal and are not diplomatic in their choice of words when reacting.
Recently, Bashir went after Governor Uba Sani, when the probe of his father’s administration over alleged mismanaging of about N423 billion by the Kaduna State House of Assembly was made public. Describing the move as political intimidation, the outspoken Bashir alleged that outside forces were teleguiding the probe.
The younger El-Rufai repeatedly brought President Tinubu under his fury in an outburst saying the IMF and World Bank could not save the president, and his strategies in controlling Lagos cannot work in Nigeria and even made veiled reference to a very influential person in government by calling him the name of a notorious Columbian war lord, Pablo Escobar!
When Governor Sani said his father left a huge debt profile and that he inherited a debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion and 115 contractual liabilities from the el-Rufai administration Bashir responded by saying the administration of Uba Sani is suffering from incompetence and mismanagement.
His words: “The current administration in Kaduna is building a banquet hall for N7bn and is lamenting about debt left by the previous administration. These guys have realised that they are wholly incompetent and the only way to mask the nonsense is to deflect,” he wrote on his X page.
He continued: “From a governor who is always sleeping in Abuja to a litany of incompetent aides who were only rewarded for foolish political reasons.”
His brother, Bello, who is a member of the House of Representatives has also not been reticent.
He upbraided the Kaduna State House of Assembly when it established a committee to investigate financial dealings, loans, grants, and projects implementation from 2015-2023 in Kaduna State.
Bello, in messages to the House of Assembly, which he later deleted gave the Speaker of the House, Yusuf Liman, a sharp edge of his tongue. But the House of Assembly reacted, describing Bello’s utterances as disheartening.
The Assembly said in a statement: “It is disheartening that a federal lawmaker, entrusted with representing the people, would resort to such behaviour attempting to obstruct the lawful functions of the state Assembly. The Kaduna State House of Assembly wants to reassure the good people of Kaduna State that it remains steadfast in its commitment to serving without fear or favor”.
Efforts to speak with Bashir El-Rufai were unsuccessful as he neither answered his calls nor responded to a text message sent to his line. He also did not return calls put across to him.
Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed
Similarly, Shamsudeen Bala Mohammed, son of Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, recently rose to his father’s defence, joining the growing list of politically vocal offsprings.
Shamsudeen called out former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, for allegedly working against his father’s re-election in 2023, adding that its time to “settle scores”.
There was an allegation that after the turbaning ceremony of the former governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, at the Bauchi Emir’s Palace that the deputy governor of Bauchi State, Auwal Jatau was slapped by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar.
Following the development, Shamsudeen Bala, in a post on his Facebook handle, ridiculed Yusuf Tuggar.
He also shared posts on the alleged slap by other Facebook users believed to be his father’s political supporters.
Our correspondent made several attempts to speak with the Shamsudeen, but it did not yield fruit.
A close family member who promised to speak with him for him to explain why he blasts those opposed to his father did not succeed, as he did not get back to our correspondent as at press time.
Mohammed Atiku
When Shamsudeen accused Atiku of working against the interest of his father, it was not the former vice president’s media office that reacted, rather it was the son of the former Vice President, Mohammed, who is also the chairman of Atiku Support Organisation (ASO) that intervened.
Mohammed threw a counter accusation, saying Shamsudeen’s father never supported Atiku in his political career. The younger Atiku in a statement, said comments by Shasuddeen reek of arrogance and an exaggerated sense of relevance.
Adam Tuggar
The alleged slapping of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar by Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, also pitched Adam against Shamsudeen, accusing him of spreading falsehood.
“I am not surprised, considering he once abused and trolled highly respected individuals like Atiku Abubakar, simply because they had political differences with his father”, the younger Tuggar added.
Explaining in a statement posted on his official Facebook handle, Adam Tuggar, noted that he normally doesn’t engage in political discussions on cyberspace, but that, “The recent shameful act by the spoiled brat son of the Bauchi State Governor and his media dogs has compelled me to throw some tantrums.
He added: “Your father has more pressing issues to address. He should focus on the affairs of Bauchi State instead of diverting the masses’ attention by fabricating and spreading such stories in the media. No wonder you indulged in this act of stupidity”.
Efforts to reach Alhaji Shamsuddeen Bala Mohamed and Alhaji Adam Yusuf Maitama Tuggar for comments proved abortive, as political associates and the aides working for their fathers were skeptical in giving our reporters their phone numbers.
Our Bauchi State correspondent contacted several people, including political associates of the governor and the foreign affairs minister in his efforts to obtain the contacts, but to no avail.
Nigerians react
This trend, among several other cases, has dominated the political recently raising concern in the polity.
Political analysts are divided on the implications of this development. While some argue that these persons have every right to engage in political discourse, others warn that this emerging culture risks turning governance into a dynastic affair—one where influence is inherited, not earned. The bigger question is: should the children of public officials wield this much political capital when they themselves hold no mandate from the people?
This phenomenon appears to be gaining traction in the age of social media, where political engagement often plays out in real time and in full public view.
Chairman of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Professor Hassan Saliu, views the development as a natural consequence of unchecked privilege and long-standing access to power.
He questions the sudden wealth of many of these young figures, suggesting that their affluence is often tied to the political access of their fathers.
“Some of these boys are billionaires in dollars and other hard currencies,” he said, pointing out that their involvement is rarely accidental. In his view, the lack of restraint from their fathers often signals tacit approval, and in some cases, active grooming. “They are preparing their children for a higher role and soon, we are going to have George Bush, seniors and juniors in Nigeria,” he warned.
He noted that in the past, political children operated quietly and were mostly underground. “Even during the military era, the children were not seriously involved,” he said, though he acknowledged that they benefited through access to contracts and state patronage.
On the long-term implications, he noted, “What do you expect from them when ministers, commissioners and other top government functionaries bow down before them? We have essentially opened a new chapter and entering into another phase of Nigerian politics with the scope constantly expanding. In a political environment where nothing else is working, politics become the only game in town, drawing all manner of people into the cycle.
“We started seeing this under the late Moshood Abiola through his son Kola, but because he was not sworn in as the president, we couldn’t see the shape it would have taken. But now that we see people in power and their children have become “Mike Tysons” boxing their parents’ perceived political enemies, we will then wait and see.
“There is little we can do to checkmate it because of the nature of politics in Nigeria. Nigerians want somebody with influence and resources and these children have them in abundance to play around with. Hereditary politics is emerging in Nigeria and with the poor economic environment, how many people will be able to resist the resources that these children throw about during electoral campaigns in their quest to capture political power”, he added.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Kwara State, Salman Jawondo (SAN) shares a similar concern, but frames it from a legal and ethical standpoint.
He argues that while the law may not restrict these children from participating in politics, their behavior speaks volumes about a decaying political culture. “It is very unhealthy and unethical and even bad for the families involved,” he stated.
According to him, this trend reflects poor upbringing and an inability to handle the public scrutiny that comes with political life. “The first thing it shows is that these children are not well trained and they are not matured,” he stressed.
Jawondo warned that it could lead to dangerous outcomes, saying, “Nobody can predict the end as it may gradually lead to physical attacks.”
Seyid Hassan Cisse, a lecturer in politics and governance at the Kwara State University, believes the growing influence of politicians’ children is symptomatic of a vague and fragile democracy. He pointed out that, constitutionally, they are free to speak, but their prominence is magnified by their parentage. “There is no constitutional provision for the office of the son of the president or governor,” he noted, cautioning that their actions must be diplomatic, logical, and within the bounds of civility.
“In checkmating it, we have to be careful of the provision of section 33 to 43 of the constitution promulgated for civil liberty and fundamental rights of the citizens”, he submitted.
He added that this growing visibility may be part of a strategic agenda: “In the light of the concept of ‘political abracadabra,’ this could be a strategy with a salient aim they intend to accomplish and not necessarily to attack their father’s opponents.”
On whether this is a failure of parenting, Cisse argued, “There is no saint politician in the world. The reality is that the tussle for power does not require somebody to be a saint.” However, he insists that parents must play a role in guiding their children, adding, “At any rate, I think the parents should come in to curtail this kind of attitude.”
Analysts are of the opinion that if left unchecked, this trend could erode meritocracy, breed a sense of political entitlement, and entrench elite dominance.
[DailyTrust]
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kebbi State is making frantic and last-minute efforts to prevent the planned defection of three serving senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, DAILY POST learnt.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the senators: Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), are expected to formally declare their defection to the APC on Tuesday.
This follows a high-level meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The lawmakers were led to the meeting on Friday by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje and are reportedly set to defect alongside a large number of supporters, including serving and former PDP executives across all three senatorial districts in the state.
The move has rattled the state chapter of the PDP.
Our reporter gathered that on Friday night that the PDP State Chairman, Usman Bello-Suru summoned an emergency meeting of party stakeholders in a bid to halt the looming political exodus.
A source at the meeting disclosed that members weighed multiple strategies, including the possibility of obtaining a court injunction or making personal appeals to the lawmakers.
However, the consensus was to engage the senators directly and urge them to stay and strengthen the party at a critical time.
“Several options were explored, including legal steps, but it was agreed that the best approach would be to convince them to remain in the PDP and continue building what they’ve helped to establish over the years,” the source said.
However, efforts to reach the senators have proven difficult.
“Since the defection news broke, they have stopped picking calls from the party chairman,” the source added.
This crisis comes just weeks after the same PDP chairman, Usman Bello-Suru, issued a public statement dismissing rumours of defection within the party.
He said then, “In a swift reaction to the insinuations that some members of the PDP in the state are making arrangements to defect to the ruling party, I assure our members that PDP remains one indivisible entity that will continue to play an opposition role in the state.”
The unfolding events appear to contradict that reassurance, especially with a high-profile figure like Senator Aliero, a former two-term governor of Kebbi, ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and sitting senator, at the centre of the planned defection.
Aliero is no stranger to political cross-carpeting, having previously left and rejoined the PDP.
Some party members, however, remain stoic in the face of the crisis.
“If they decide to leave, life goes on,” a senior PDP chieftain told DAILY POST.
“PDP is like a military barracks, soldiers come, soldiers go, but the barracks remains,” he said.
Should the defections go ahead as expected, the APC’s numerical strength in the 10th Senate will rise to 68, while the PDP will be reduced to 30.
[DailyPost]
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has directed the immediate ban on the sale of petrol in filling stations across Bama Local Government Area, including Bama town and Banki.
The directive followed consultations with security agencies as part of ongoing efforts to address security challenges in the area.
Malam Dauda Iliya, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Maiduguri.
“I have directed the immediate ban on the sale of petrol in Bama town, Banki, and other parts of Bama Local Government Area with immediate effect,” Zulum said.
He warned that anyone found violating the directive would face the full wrath of the law.
“Let me make it clear, there will be no sacred cows in the enforcement of this ban.
”Security agencies have been given strict orders to clamp down on any filling station or individual contravening this directive. Anyone found culpable will be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
Zulum reiterated his administration’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in the state and called for the support and cooperation of residents in the ongoing fight against insurgency.
The governor has consistently implemented measures aimed at cutting off supplies to insurgents and curbing their mobility in conflict-affected areas.
(NAN)
A former Governor of Kano State and the National Leader of Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso has slammed some key members of the New Nigerian Peoples Party in Kano State, who recently defected to All Progressives Congress, describing their actions as betrayal of the the movement and party.
Kwankwaso made the remark at his Miller Road residence in Kano on Friday evening when he received hundreds of supporters from Takai Local Government who refused join the All Progressives Congress.
Recall that Senator Abdulrahman Kawu, who represents Kano South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, recently defected to the APC along with some federal lawmakers from Kano State.
Even though Kwankwaso did not mention their names, he said,” Kano South is a lesson. Voters rejected superghetti, N200 and Atamfa (wrappers) and were patient to vote for the NNPP.
“But those who won the election among us decided to abandone the masses and join those who do not have the masses at heart but are only after what they will get for themselves and their families.
“There is no worse political sin than leaving the party that gave you the opportunity and support but later you abandoned the party. This is the highest level of betrayal,” Kwankwaso said.
He, therefore, advised the youth to be wary of such politicians who are not after their well-being but rather they are after their pockets.
The former governor, who appreciated the decampees for “taking the courage to return to their base, said all those who betrayed Kwankwasiyya would regret their actions sooner or later.
“Fighting Kwankwasiyya is not an easy task, they will not know until when they engage in the fight.
In his remark, the state NNPP chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa thanked the decampees for taking the right step and assured them that the party would treat them equally.
The occasion was witnessed by the Senator representing Kano Central, Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, former Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Falali and chairman of Takai local government, Ibrahim Faruruwa among others.
[Punch]
Louis Prevost is still reckoning with what just happened in his family.
His little brother, Robert Francis Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s history, an incredible fate for a boy from Chicago who dreamt of becoming a priest.
“We knew from a very early time, maybe when he was five or six, he was going to be a priest. There was no doubt in my mind,” Prevost, 73, told AFP from his home in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“When we played games, as kids, he liked to play priest a lot. I thought: ‘what the heck? Priest?’
“He bought Necco wafers, little candy discs, and he’d pretend those were communion and give it to all our friends the yard,” Prevost recounted with a smile.
“We were teasing him when he was six years old: ‘you’re gonna be the Pope.’ And he didn’t like that.”
On Thursday, after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Prevost recalled feeling nervous because he felt the cardinal chosen to be pope would be his brother.
He turned on the TV, trying to calm down during the prolonged wait got the announcement.
When Cardinal Dominique Mamberti said his brother’s name at the Vatican, Prevost burst with joy.
“I was in the bed, sitting down. It’s good thing I was because I probably would have fallen over,” Prevost said.
“When I thought: ‘My brother’s the Pope. You’re kidding me.’ My mind was blown out of this world, it was crazy, ridiculous. So excited.”
– ‘Out of reach’ –
Now with the initial excitement subsiding, he is left wondering how his youngest brother’s new role might affect their personal relationship.
“This could be bad for the family. Will we ever see him again? Will we ever get to talk to him like brothers again? Or will it have to be all official? How are you Holy Father, blah, blah, blah. It opens up a lot of questions,” Prevost said.
“He’s still there, but he’s out of reach. We can’t just pick up the phone and call him. Now it’s got to be really special when you get to call the Pope,” he added.
Prevost hopes his other brother, John, will be able to give him some answers when he visits Rome from their hometown of Chicago.
He thinks his brother’s papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place.
“Whether he has the ability to settle, like the Gaza thing or the Russia and Ukraine conflict, who knows? But I’ve seen him take two warring parties and make peace in five minutes between them,” Prevost said. “He’s got a gift to communicate to people and make them open their eyes.”
He also hopes having an American pope will revitalize the Catholic Church in the United States.
“When he comes to America, he’s going to speak English, not Latin or Spanish or Italian,” Prevost said.
“People will understand what he’s saying. They’ll see him, they’ll realize he’s one of us.”
AFP
Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has ruled out ever contesting for public office or accepting any government appointment in Nigeria, citing a desire to remain untainted by the corruption often associated with politics in the country.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Utomi said he is focused solely on future generations’ well-being and has no interest in contracts, appointments, or political ambitions.
“Let me state clearly, I will not run for public office, I will not accept an appointment, contract by any government in Nigeria. My only concern is the well-being of the next generation.
“I have lived my life decently without government money or stealing anybody’s thing. I want to take that away from people who talk nonsense like, ‘Oh, he is looking for contract,” he stated.
Utomi also spoke on the relevance of a shadow government structure, saying it provides a democratic platform for citizens to demand accountability from those in power.
“Nothing can be more democratic than a group of citizens coming together to find a structured way of asking the government to be more accountable. What could be more democratic than that?” he asked.
He urged Nigerians to engage with the findings of Afrobarometer, a long-running public opinion survey that has tracked sentiments about democracy across African countries since 1999.
“I usually pre-phase this conversation with what we’ve done to the African. There are Afrobarometer readings, an annual survey that has been going on since 1999, of how Nigerians, Africans generally, in every country, with all kinds of details. I mean all kinds of details,” he said.
“I want all Nigerians and who really want to understand what has happened to our country to go and study the Afrobarometer readings.
Citing the data, Utomi noted that while many Africans still value democracy, they are becoming increasingly frustrated by its failures across the continent.
“It states that Africans still love democracy, cling to it but they are tired because their democracies are not working.
“Any serious democrat has to read this data, longitudinal data showing that people are fed up with what we call democracy,” he said.
[Vanguard]
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has pledged to investigate allegations of financial misconduct involving Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defense, following a petition submitted by the All Progressives Congress Young Leaders Alliance (APC-YLA).
The allegations accuse Matawalle of embezzling over N528 billion during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State.
The assurance came during a protest held on Friday at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where APC-YLA Convener, Mohammed Ireji, and other demonstrators demanded the reopening of the corruption case against Matawalle.
Ireji questioned the delay in probing the former governor, citing previous petitions submitted to the EFCC, including those by the APC Akida Forum on May 3, 2024, and a follow-up on September 30, 2024.
While receiving the petition, the EFCC’s Acting Director of Security, Idowu Adedeji, said, “We have received your petition and we will submit it accordingly.”
The protesters called for immediate action, highlighting the commission’s previous successes in investigating and prosecuting other high-profile figures, including former Minister Betta Edu, former Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, and former Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State.
The allegations against Matawalle include the misappropriation of N290 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), N133 billion from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), and an unexplained N105 billion loan taken during his governorship.
Ireji emphasized that these were not mere speculations but backed by concrete facts and figures.
“We are here today to formally request that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reopen the investigation into the corruption allegations against Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the State Minister for Defense. We have gathered facts and figures regarding Bello Matawalle’s alleged embezzlement of billions of Naira,” Ireji said during the protest.
The protest highlighted the growing concerns about selective justice and political interference in the EFCC’s anti-corruption efforts. Ireji challenged the commission
“If all these former governors and ministers were not above the law and the EFCC, who would shield Matawalle from investigation?” he asked.
The APC-YLA lauded the EFCC’s past achievements but urged the commission to demonstrate the same determination in probing Matawalle.
“We have lauded the performance and resilience of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leadership in its fight against corruption without bias many times,” Ireji noted.
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•Identifies alleged stolen child during immunization
•Accused doctor opposes claimants’ request for DNA test, enjoys cover from police
When she was told sometime in April 2021,during her ante-natal registration at Divine Rain Maternity Clinic, that she was carrying a twin pregnancy,32-year old Mrs Eunice Bright Ekwok’s joy knew no bounds.
For,she only paused momentarily to contemplate how she would be able to cope in raising the expectant babies with her husband, Bartholomew Bright Ekwok, who had no stable income job.
Since she has been told her fate,Mrs Ekwok demanded for a copy of the scan result to take home but the doctor,Timothy Zeje blatantly turned it down, He told her the rule in the hospital forbids that, insisted that the result can only be put in her file in the hospital.
She got home and disclosed what she had been told in the hospital by the doctor to her husband. At first,the husband wanted evidence for what he had just heard and so,he asked the wife to present the scan result. When she could not present it and instead told her husband the rule of the hospital, the 34-year old wanted to rush to the private medical facility to meet the doctor for an explanation. But his wife’s insistence that it wasn’t necessary to pursue the scan result made him suspend his action. They later prayed about the doctor’s disclosure and resigned to fate. With this,Mrs Ekwok started preparing herself towards the day she would give birth.
Each time she went for a follow-up check at the hospital, located at Sauka area of Abuja,the expectant twin mother would engage the medical doctor of how she was happy for the news he broke to her earlier about the status of her pregnancy. She had no inclination that she would unknowingly share her twins with the doctor who had been married for years without a child in the union. Ahead of hospital plans,he told Mrs Ekwok that her wife was pregnant and she could have conceived almost the same time with her.
When the pregnancy was due,Mrs Ekwok gave birth in the hospital through a cesarean section,though in an unconscious state. Neither the husband nor any of her relatives was in the labour room during the session,it was only the doctor and the hospital’s nurses.
The middle age woman,narrating the heart-rending experience,said some hours after she regained consciousness,she was only handed one baby instead of two since she was carrying a twin pregnancy. When she requested to see her other child,she was informed by the doctor that the other twin didn’t survive birth.
“I told the doctor that I would like just to see how the dead child look like or his bones but he refused, They told me that my baby is dead and scattered. Okay, where are the pieces and where are the bones? I asked but they couldn’t give me an explanation. Instead, they were saying why would I not be grateful for the one that survived birth and rather be asking for another baby when we were a poor couple and could barely take care of the one we have. We let go the issue at the time,”she said,sobbing.
When Mrs Ekwok went back to the hospital for check on there wound that arose from the cesarean section, she requested to see her file but she was told her File had since been burnt even as she was seeing a heap of patients’ files in one of the offices.
“When I told them I wanted to see where it was burnt and the ashes since they claimed it was just few days they did it, they asked me to go behind the building and when I got there, there was nothing suggesting that they had burnt anything. I returned to ask them why should it be only my file they would burn out of the many others in tne hospital? They couldn’t say anything.
As God would intervene for the couple to see one of their alleged lost twin sons,on one faithful day she had gone to a nearby general hospital for a routine immunization,Mrs Ekwok met her alleged son in someone’s care.
She explained that as she made to return home after being attended to, she saw the wife of the medical doctor of the hospital she gave birth coming into the facility for immunization. When she approached her for greeting,Mrs Ekwok saw that the baby the doctor’s brought was a spitting semblance of her own baby-same dreadlock and everything! She couldn’t identify between her child and the one the doctor’s wife brought in for immunization except how they were dressed.
Shocked, Mrs Ekwok,paused and reflected. She remembered that she had delivered of her child in a hospital owned by the woman’s husband. She also did not forget that she had twin pregnancy but saw only one baby after delivery. Although she was told the other child ‘scattered ‘ during birth. She became curious to know more about the child in the hand of the doctor’s wife.
“That faithful day, I went for immunization at AMAC Hospital at Besan. After they gave my baby the injection, I wanted to go home,so I was trying to put my baby on my back and immediately saw the wife of the doctor where I gave birth coming into the hospital with one of her brothers. They were bringing their children for immunization. When I saw the baby they brought, I was like, what is happening here?
The baby in my hand looked exactly like the one in their hand. I said ‘I’m so confused.’ I didn’t even know what to do again,so I greeted them and she sat down. And since it was a heat period, I asked her to remove the baby’s cap because the heat was too much. She removed the cap,I became confused the more because of the spitting semblance of the child and my baby. They have same leg, same face, same dada (dreadlock, same everything. I said ‘what is going on here’ to myself. I now concluded that my earlier intuition that my twin baby was taken away at birth and not dead as told by the doctor,”she narrated.
But instead of raising alarm alerting people at the immunization facility to her claims that she had found her missing child, Mrs Ekwok took to a Plan B option. She would find out the home of the couple in possession of her ‘twin baby’ and become a regular visitor there.
How would she do it perfectly? She confided in her husband and they hatched a plan. Following this, she went tto the doctor’s home with two of her wrappers (clothes),pretending that things had not been fine with them financially and begged that they buy the material from her as their way of assisting her family. Mrs Ekwok became a regular visitor to the doctor’s house unknown to her host that her guest was on a mission to uncover the truth about their supposed baby.
But this was when peace began to elude the doorstep of the Ekwoks,because in several attempts to find out more about the child’s origin, she and her husband have been taken to police stations and detained,taken to court and sent to prison and even openly tortured and accused of attempting to steal a child.
In all the places they have been taken to,they continued to lay claim to the parenthood of the child, insisting on conduct of a DNA to prove their case but the police allegedly, through the influence of the doctor and his wife,have blatantly turned down their request and instead, been trying to prosecute them in court for theft.
“Insisting that the child who is over two years now is theirs,the couple,called on authorities and the public to intervene so their request for a DNA can be conducted for the child in contention.
Contacted to speak on allegation by Mrs Ekwok, the accused, the doctor refused, explaining that his action was because the case was already being handled by the police, adding that it had been taken to court.
He,however, directed Vanguard to the Force Intelligence Department Abuja for more details.
“The case is already being handled by the police and it has been taken to court. If you have to investigate more about the matter,the best place to go is the Force CID,”he said.
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA,an umbrella body of practicing medical practitioners said even as the allegation was raised over a year ago, it had not been formally brought to its attention.
Spokesperson of the Abuja branch of NMA, Dr Bature Mannir,told Vanguard that he had just heard about it ,asking for time to confirm from the chairmen if such a complaint had been brought to his table. But at the time of filing this report, he was yet to respond.
Think Cross River calls for justice,vows no son of the state ‘ll be hijacked by anybody
Reacting to the development, Think Cross River, an initiative that aims to forster unity,responsibility and collective ownership among Cross Riverians, has called for justice to prevail.
The group vowed to pursue the case to its logical end ,ensuring that the child was reclaimed by his alleged biological parents.
The initiator of Think Cross River, Papa Dom Cklamz Enamhe, told Vanguard that no child of the state’s origin would be allowed to be taken away by anybody under any guise.
Enamhe, who is also the convener of Who is Who platform of Northern Cross River,said:” Mr. Bartholomew Bright-Ekwok is from Cross River State. We just got to know about the story and we have moved in.”
The elder statesman said:”We will not allow any child of Cross River extraction go out. We will not stand and watch anybody intimidate any Cross Riverian. I have briefed the governor and he is on his foot on this. The senators from Cross River State extraction are all on the same case.
“No one child of Cross River extraction will be taken anywhere. We will get back the child. We will have DNA. We will go to court. We will do the right things. We, as a community, have resolved that this matter will be sorted out properly.
“Our child will return to the immediate family and will be back home. Poverty is not a crime. No Nigerian has a right to intimidate anybody because he is richer or because by any means, he is a professional.
“If I come to your hospital to give birth, I didn’t commit a crime. If you say one of the twins was missing or dead, where are the features? And we are taking two years and 11 months and you are still ignoring just a DNA test? We will afford it. We can afford it.
We will go through the processes.”
He promised to sponsor my education
Our mother traveled to Libya, father abandoned us
A 35-year old commercial motorcyclist, Ademola Adepetu, has been arrested for allegedly raping his lover’s 12-year old daughter. The victim who narrated her ordeal before an Akure Magistrate court said that she was locked inside a room and raped severally.
She said that her father had abandoned her and her two younger siblings, aged 7 and 3, while their mother also traveled to Libya in search of greener pastures two years ago.
According to her “Before travelling, my mother rented one-room apartment for us and left us in the care of her younger sister, who later absconded and never returned”. She blamed her parents for negligence, noting that the defendant took advantage of their abandonment.
She said the defendant lured her with promises of sponsoring her education, but ended up assaulting her sexually four times.
Meanwhile, Adepetu, has been arraigned before the court on a one-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. Adepetu who pleaded guilty insisted that the girl was 15 years old when he had carnal knowledge of her.
The defendant claimed that a 15-year old girl was old enough to “know a man.”
He also told the court that he married his first wife before the age of 12.
The police prosecutor, Martins Olowofeso, earlier informed the court that the offence was committed in Ondo town. Olowofeso said the mother of the victim, who was a girlfriend to the defendant, travelled to Libya after renting a room for her three children, then aged 10, 5, and 3.
“After the children’s mother left for Libya, the rent for the one-room apartment expired. The defendant then offered to accommodate the children and it was during the period that he began to sexually abuse the girl”, he said.
Olowofeso therefore prayed the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta prison pending advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Ruling, Magistrate Grace Alphonso, ordered that Adepetu be remanded at Olokuta Prison pending DPP’s advice. Alphonso also ordered that the three children, who were abandoned by their mother, should be taken into custody for protection and counselling.
She further ordered that the children’s mother, who is currently abroad and expected to return from Libya, be denied visitation rights upon arrival.
Alphonso therefore adjourned the case to July 24, 2025, for further hearing.
A fresh round of hostilities may have erupted between major oil marketers and the Dangote petroleum refinery as both parties jostle for dominance in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, Saturday PUNCH reports.
This follows recent revelations by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who declared that his $20bn refinery is still “fighting for survival” amid what he described as sabotage by entrenched interests and oil sector cabals resisting local refining.
He stated at a recent event that the battle with entrenched oil cabals — one that began even before the refinery commenced full operations — was still ongoing, but expressed confidence that he would ultimately prevail in securing the refinery’s future.
Findings revealed that the business mogul’s remarks were triggered by the continued importation of petrol and the reluctance of major marketers to buy in bulk from the refinery, despite its increased production capacity and improved output of petroleum products.
This comes against the backdrop that marketers of petroleum products utilising scarce foreign exchange brought in a total of 2.57 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, in 70 days between March 1 and May 9, 2025.
Saturday PUNCH analysis using an April 2025 midstream and downstream document and latest tanker vessel movement obtained from Blue Sea Maritime, showed that the marketers, who opted not to patronise Dangote, imported 755.7 million litres of petrol in March at an average of 25.19 million daily.
In April alone, petrol imports surged to approximately 1.47 billion litres, indicating sustained reliance on foreign supply.
Within just the first 10 days of May, an additional 331.33 million litres were brought into the country, underscoring the continued high demand met through importation despite ramped-up local production.
With an average of N948 per litre, importers may have spent N2.42tn on PMS imports. This is in addition to N4.51tn spent on the same purpose between October 2024 and February 2025.
Dangote had, since last year, raised the alarm that some mafias were sabotaging his refinery.
He specifically mentioned that some international oil companies were sabotaging his investment by denying the facility adequate crude supply despite the domestic crude supply obligation.
Dangote had alleged that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was issuing licences to marketers to import substandard petroleum products into the country.
To fight this, the facility approached a federal high court to stop the regulatory authority from issuing import licences to marketers.
The court is yet to rule on the request.
At a point last year, Dangote said he regretted building the refinery, saying the mafias in the oil and gas sector were stronger than those of drugs.
“In a system where, for 35 years, people are used to counting good money, and all of a sudden, they see that the days of counting that money have come to an end, you don’t expect them to pray for you. Of course, you expect them to fight back.
“And I think that is the process that we’re now really going through. But the truth is that, yes, the country, the sub-region, and also the continent of sub-Saharan Africa, need this refinery. So, you expect them to fight through non-supply of crude, non-purchase of the product, but I think it’s all temporary. We’ll get there,” Dangote stated.
But giving an update at an investor forum in Lagos last week, Dangote said the fight for the survival of his $20bn refinery was still on.
He pointed out that some individuals who “for a very, very long time” have “made a lot of money from” government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria, were the ones trying to sabotage the 650,000 barrels per day oil refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos.
“We are fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he stated.
He later clarified that those who were still fighting against the survival of his refinery were major marketers and traders, and not the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited leadership.
However, despite the business mogul’s claims, data suggests that petrol imports have significantly declined in recent months.
Latest NMDPRA data indicates that daily imports of Premium Motor Spirit fell from 44.6 million litres in August 2024 to 14.7 million litres as of April 13, 2025—representing a sharp drop of about 30 million litres or 67 per cent.
This reduction is attributed to improved supply from the Dangote refinery, Port Harcourt refinery and modular refineries.
In a major shift, the NNPCL, once a dominant importer, has also scaled back its foreign purchases, opting instead to source products directly from the refinery.
However, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, in an earlier interview, said there should be no form of discord in the downstream sector over the source of petroleum product purchase.
According to him, Dangote should be allowed to refine its products with the naira-for-crude deal while importers and other traders should be given a level playing field to operate.
Gillis-Harry noted that there should be facts to back up all claims, saying there will be competition in any business, pleading, however, that it should be healthy.
“I just want all players to do their business without any fight,” the PETROAN boss said.
The National Publicity Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, said the fight is just the usual competition in any business, especially when a product is doing better than others in the market.
He said, “Well, this is business. Competition abounds. There is no businessman whom people will not fight if he is doing well, especially when it is only your goods that are being produced, and the others are not being patronised because of the price. So, it is evident that every businessman wants to survive. It’s not an issue. What we can do is encourage him.
“We independent marketers are happy with him for his price slashes, although sometimes it’s against our business strategy and projections. But that is part of the business; it is profit and loss.
“You know the factor of demand and supply matter determines the market. So, if he’s talking about how people want to sabotage him, he has told us that he’s ready to fight the oil cabals, and he is in this business to ensure that Nigerians don’t suffer. So, we encourage him not to lose hope, and we independent marketers support him in all ramifications.”
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, however, raised the alarm over what it described as an emerging monopoly in the downstream petroleum sector, warning that the dominance of the Dangote refinery could destabilise the market if not carefully managed.
In an interview with TVC on Friday, the Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN, Mr Olufemi Adewole, dismissed allegations of a “cabal” in the sector but admitted the existence of vested interests among private depot owners who had invested billions of naira over the years to keep fuel flowing to Nigerians.
He said, “There is no cabal in the midstream and downstream operations as far as I am concerned, because, going by the English definition of the word cabal, it’s a negative, subversive thing. There is no cabal. But I can tell you that we have vested interests.
“My principals have vested interests in the sector. So, if they have invested over these years, billions of naira, and they have bridged the gap, even before Dangote, they were there when nobody was there to bridge the gap and ensure Nigerians get fuel. Definitely, they should have commensurate returns on their investment. So, on that, I would say there is no cabal, but there are vested interests.”
Speaking further, Adewole stressed that the Dangote Refinery, despite its massive 650,000-barrel capacity, had not been able to meet even the current reduced local consumption needs.
He argued that private depot owners continued to bear the bulk of the fuel distribution burden across the country.
According to him, stopping the importation of fuel at this stage would be “chaotic” and “dangerous,” adding that a phased strategy was more viable once multiple domestic refineries were onstream.
Adewole also expressed deep concern over what he called a “clear and present danger” of monopoly, noting that Dangote’s scale gave it excessive influence over pricing and supply channels.
“You will recall that Dangote recently took the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and a few other marketers to court. This tells you their mindset, and what they were challenging is actually the authority of the regulator, which is enshrined in the PIA, to release import licenses for marketers to import fuel. So, it gives you a picture into their mindset.
“So, the fear of monopoly is real, and we are working with other stakeholders to make sure this is not realised, and we are working with the regulators, encouraging them to do their work so that this is curtailed.”
On direct dealings with the refinery, Adewole said DAPPMAN members were not getting a fair opportunity to purchase products, alleging that the refinery preferred to sell only to selected marketers via gantry supplies, rather than bulk depot loading.
“Dangote Refinery prefers a selective approach. We have depots in Calabar, Port Harcourt and other coastal cities ready to pick in bulk—10,000, 15,000, even 20,000 metric tons—but access to load vessels is restricted.”
He also disclosed that price slashes after cargoes had left the gantry had left many marketers absorbing losses quietly, just to stay afloat.
“We didn’t come out to make noise. But we’ve been bearing the brunt, just to remain sustainable and profitable.”
Addressing the issue of pump pricing, Adewole explained that the cost of petroleum products was built on multiple layers: from crude price to refinery margins, logistics, and retail costs—highlighting the impact of operational inefficiencies and high financing costs on final prices.
“Depot operations are tough. Equipment is ageing, and capital costs are high. To import 20,000 metric tons, a marketer needs an exposure of over N20 billion. Most of this is bank-funded at high interest rates,” he concluded.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has denied media reports that the federal government has commenced the extradition process against the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa.
The AGF was earlier reported to have made the statement during the Stakeholders/Citizen Engagement Forum held on Thursday in Abuja.
But speaking through his spokesperson, Kamarudeen Ogundele, Fagbemi clarified that “the report is untrue and a complete departure from what the AGF said.”
He added, “Ekpa, a leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently standing trial in Finland for charges filed against him by the Finnish government.
“To set the record straight, what the AGF said during the question-and-answer session was that the Nigerian government had been engaging with Finnish authorities to ensure that Simon Ekpa is held accountable for his actions.
“He explained that since the crimes committed by Simon Ekpa were cross-border in nature, the Nigerian government eagerly awaits the outcome of the proposed trial in Finland to make an informed decision on the next step to take.
“The AGF appeals to the media to be circumspect and avoid reporting speculations on the sensitive matter,” the statement concluded.
THE WHISTLER had reported that Ekpa’s lawyer, Kaale Gummerus, denied knowledge of any plans to extradite him to Nigeria.
“I do not have any information that Simon Ekpa will be extradited to Nigeria. The case is still pending,” Gummerus told the BBC pidgin.
Gummerus, who recently became Ekpa’s lawyer, had said in April that Ekpa would appear in court in June 2025 for trial.
Ekpa, who parades himself as the “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic government in exile, was arrested in Lahti, Finland, in November 2024.
Finnish police accused him of using social media platforms to incite violence against civilians and authorities in Nigeria’s southeast, a region historically tied to the Biafran independence movement.
The Nigerian government had accused Ekpa of coordinating violent acts, including attacks on security operatives and enforcing disruptive “sit-at-home” orders in the southeast.
Ekpa, alongside four others, was detained for allegedly financing such activities.