Latest News
ECOWAS Court Orders Nigerian Govt to Release Man Detained 16 Years Without Trial, Pay Him N20m
AFOLABI
The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has announced the killing of 60 bandits who invaded Mansur Village in Alkaleri Local Government Area.
According to him, the incident occurred two weeks ago and also claimed 21 lives.
During a condolence visit to Mansur Village on Thursday, Governor Mohammed revealed that 21 deaths included 13 vigilante members and 10 civilians.
“As they inflicted serious loss on us, over 60 of them died too in the fierce battle. So the loss is not only that our people have been killed. Our security forces also decimated over 60 of them. This shows the chivalry and courage of our people. Despite their superior firepower, we were able to contain them through these young and able-bodied vigilantes and security agencies,” he said.
Governor Mohammed consoled the community on behalf of the federal government, assuring that they would be assisted.
“We are here on behalf of the government to commiserate with this community, especially the communities of Alkaleri, Gwana, Duguri, Yelwan Duguri, and parts of Bauchi Local Government.
“I want to convey to you the commiseration of the Federal Government, especially the Office of the National Security Adviser. We are going to get a lot of assistance to enable you to work with strength and encouragement,” he stated.
He disclosed that each family of the deceased vigilantes would receive ₦5 million, while ₦3 million would be given to each family of the dead civilians. Additionally, ₦20 million would be provided to support logistics for vigilante operations in the area.
Mohammed also revealed plans to recruit over 2,100 vigilantes across the state before the end of the year, starting with 300 to 500 personnel from the most affected communities.
“These people have come to the wrong place. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for our people to live. Definitely, we will do everything. If it comes to a point where I have to throw away this ‘Babanriga’ and join you, I will join you, In Sha Allah,” he added.
The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, has announced the killing of 60 bandits who invaded Mansur Village in Alkaleri Local Government Area.
According to him, the incident occurred two weeks ago and also claimed 21 lives.
During a condolence visit to Mansur Village on Thursday, Governor Mohammed revealed that 21 deaths included 13 vigilante members and 10 civilians.
“As they inflicted serious loss on us, over 60 of them died too in the fierce battle. So the loss is not only that our people have been killed. Our security forces also decimated over 60 of them. This shows the chivalry and courage of our people. Despite their superior firepower, we were able to contain them through these young and able-bodied vigilantes and security agencies,” he said.
Governor Mohammed consoled the community on behalf of the federal government, assuring that they would be assisted.
“We are here on behalf of the government to commiserate with this community, especially the communities of Alkaleri, Gwana, Duguri, Yelwan Duguri, and parts of Bauchi Local Government.
“I want to convey to you the commiseration of the Federal Government, especially the Office of the National Security Adviser. We are going to get a lot of assistance to enable you to work with strength and encouragement,” he stated.
He disclosed that each family of the deceased vigilantes would receive ₦5 million, while ₦3 million would be given to each family of the dead civilians. Additionally, ₦20 million would be provided to support logistics for vigilante operations in the area.
Mohammed also revealed plans to recruit over 2,100 vigilantes across the state before the end of the year, starting with 300 to 500 personnel from the most affected communities.
“These people have come to the wrong place. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for our people to live. Definitely, we will do everything. If it comes to a point where I have to throw away this ‘Babanriga’ and join you, I will join you, In Sha Allah,” he added.
Justice Dorcas V. Agishi of the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has sentenced four Chinese nationals to 20 years in prison each for engaging in illegal solid mineral mining.
The convicts — Liang Quin Yong, Wang Huajie, Zhong Jiajing, and Long Kechong —were apprehended on March 8, 2025, at the JLM Mining Company site in Jos following credible intelligence reports on their suspected involvement in illegal mining activities.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the four men separately on a one-count charge each, bordering on illegal dealings in solid minerals without lawful authority, contrary to Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983.
According to court documents, each of the defendants was arrested around the Dura Rayfield axis of Jos on March 9, 2025, where they were found unlawfully purchasing mineral resources without the necessary approvals or licenses.
They pleaded "guilty" when the charges were read to them, following which EFCC counsel, M.O. Arumemi and F.A.I Asemebo prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
"Satisfied that the prosecution has proven the case beyond reasonable doubts, Justice Agishi found the defendants guilty and sentenced the four Chinese to five years imprisonment each or to pay a fine of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira only) each for unlawful purchase and possession of mineral resources."
The judge also ordered that the convicts be deported from Nigeria and banned from re-entering the country.
All proceeds of crime are to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria while Liang Quin Yong is to forfeit the sum of N134,874,769.01 (One Hundred and Thirty Four Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira, One kobo) which formed the proceeds of the unlawful purchase of the mineral resources.
However, Justice Agishi orderd the forfeiture of the entire mineral resources recovered in the course of investigation and the sum of N16,300,000 (Sixteen Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) as administrative fine for failure to report a financial transaction within seven days to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) as provided under Section 11(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All the convicts bagged their imprisonment when they were arraigned before the court for illegal dealing in solid minerals.
They pleaded guilty to the charges and were convicted
Nigerian Actor, Yemi Ayebo Reveals How Piracy Of His 1993 Film ‘Yemi My Lover’ Left Him Broke
AFOLABI
Yemi Ayebo, the Nigerian actor who is widely recognized for his role in the 1993 Yoruba classic Yemi My Lover, has opened up about facing financial challenges despite the film’s popularity and success.
‘Yemi My Lover‘ is a fantasy romance that tells the story of a young man who falls in love with a beautiful woman from a mystical water spirit lineage.
The film gained widespread attention and success, earning recognition as a standout in the Yoruba film scene.
In an interview with YouTuber Mr LilGaga, Ayebo attributed his lack of profit to widespread piracy and limited promotion due to the analog era.
He claimed 90% of the film’s earnings were lost to pirates who illegally distributed and screened it across Yoruba-speaking regions.
He also alleged that industry marketers worsened his situation by “waging war” against him for sidelining them, going as far as printing and selling their DVD copies without his consent.
“I was the one who wrote and produced the movie in 1993. The movie cut across the country, especially the Yoruba-speaking part, but I didn’t make any money from it; 90% was gotten by piracy,” he said.
“I didn’t profit from that film because it was created during the analog era. There was no social media then, so I didn’t have the opportunity to promote it widely.
“The awareness was low, and I was struggling, doing the little I could to promote it. As a result, the movie was pirated, and the marketers were not pleased with me because I handled the marketing myself.
“The marketers waged war against me, which marked the beginning of my problems with them.
“Since then, I’ve been struggling. Both pirated and original copies of the movie circulated. People were printing and selling it without my consent.
“Back then, there was no way to combat piracy due to limited means of communication. Across all Yoruba-speaking regions, the film was being distributed illegally, and people profited from it.
“Some even rented halls to screen the movie and charged people to watch it. Meanwhile, some marketers printed the DVD covers and distributed them, while I was in my office selling what little I could.”
Ayebo said he handled all the marketing and promotion himself due to limited industry knowledge.
He said the small returns he made went into buying a car, setting up a modest office, and covering other basic expenses.
“In the film industry, there’s supposed to be a division of labour, but I did everything myself due to my limited knowledge,” he added.
“I produced ‘Yemi My Lover’ with about N50,000 to N60,000 and only made a small amount back. I don’t own a house, I rent an apartment. So, from the money, I bought a camera, rented an office, hired a few staff, and got a car. That was all.”
The filmmaker also revealed that his financial struggles deepened in 1996 after he was falsely accused and detained, describing it as a “major setback”.
“There was a time in 1996 when I was in my office on Lagos Island, and a guy came to my office with soldiers,” he added.
“I was taken to Alausa, Ikeja, where we met a major, and I was falsely accused, beaten, and the major asked that I should be killed.
‘However, some of his colleagues stopped him, and I was locked up. Some of my boys were also arrested. Before I could resolve the case, I spent almost N500k, and that issue was a major setback for me. Things haven’t been the same since.”
Ayebo revealed that he is currently facing financial difficulties, adding that getting jobs in the industry has been tough due to a lack of connections.
“Right now, I’m broke and don’t have much. Things aren’t easy,” he said.
“The movie industry is all about connections; you’ll struggle financially if you’re not well-connected. I need more connections to get back on my feet.”
Mr. Opesusi Oluwafemi, father of 19-year-old Faith Opesusi Timileyin, who tragically took her own life after scoring low in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), has revealed that she d!ed after ingesting rat poison.
Recall that Faith, who intended to study Microbiology in the university, took her own life after seeing her UTME results.
Opesusi told BBC Pidgin on Thursday that the daughter was devastated after discovering that she scored just 146.
“My daughter scored very high in last year’s JAMB result. This year, they gave her 146 and that was what made her drink rat poison.
“She was devastated and disappointed when she saw her results,” he said.
According to him, the daughter did not open up. “If she had opened up, we would have consoled and told her that there is hope.”
Recall that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede on Wednesday admitted that there were errors in the just concluded 2025 UTME.
Oloyede, who broke down in tears while addressing journalists on Wednesday, apologized to affected candidates.
The errors, according to Oloyede, affected at least 379,997 candidates.
Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro has reacted to the mass defections from other political parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the reason is because many of the politicians want to go to a place their sins would be forgiven.
Recall that former presidential running mate of the PDP, Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and all PDP members in the House of Representatives from Delta State, defected to the APC.
Similarly, three PDP senators from Kebbi State defected to the APC.
In an interview with AIT’s ‘Focus Nigeria’, Moro said those party members who defected to the APC have sinned and are looking for forgiveness.
He said, “When history unfolds, we are going to have the privilege of knowing the main reasons why people are moving from PDP to the ruling party.
“It has always been the practice though, people don’t want to stay outside the corridors of power and so they quickly begin to realize that in the opposition, they won’t be getting as much as they want to get.
“Some of them who have been helmsmen at their various levels in the states, LGs, and Senate certainly have more reasons than Mets the eyes to moving to the ruling party.
“Don’t forget that a chieftain of the APC at one point said, if you move from your party to the APC, your sins are forgiven – so given the antecedents of some of the characters that are moving now – you can only conclude that they are only attesting to this assertion.
“They have sins and are looking for forgiveness, politically, these displaced persons may be going to the ruling party to ask for forgiveness, but is it in the interest of this country? Is it in the interest of democracy? Is it in the interest of the political development of this country that people continue to move from one political platform to the other?
“Where have principles taken flight to? Where has value taken flight to? You were elected on the platform of a political party and as the Supreme Court ruled, its political parties that people vote for, then you suddenly decide that you want to move to another political party which is predicated on the nebulous excuse that you are doing that in the interest of your constituency.”
UTME Failure: Your Tears’ll Make Sense If You Resign – Atiku’s Aide to JAMB Registrar, Oloyede
AFOLABI
Paul Ibe, a media aide to former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has called for the resignation of the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
Speaking on Thursday, he said the tears shed by Olayede was meaningless especially since he refused to resign following the massive failure in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
Ibe said Oloyede’s tears while admitting JAMB’s errors would be valid if he resigns.
On Wednesday Oloyede admitted to errors which affected the performance of students in the 2025 UTME.
Oloyede admitted this during a press briefing in Abuja where he wept over the error.
Out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat for the examinations, over 1.5 million scored below 200 out of the maximum 400 marks.
Oloyede said candidates affected by the error will begin getting text messages from Thursday.
Affected 379,997 candidates in the five states of the South East and Lagos are expected to participate in resit exams.
“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” Oloyede said.
Responding to Oloyede’s tears, I’ve posted on Facebook: “The apologies of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede is accepted. But his hot professorial tears will not raise Tmilehin Faith Opesusi, the 19 year-old, who committed suicide on account of this mess. His tears would only make sense if he had resigned honourably.”
Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, has sent a warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the senator, the party must work against repeating the missteps that led to its defeat in the 2023 general elections, particularly its failure to zone the presidential ticket.
Speaking during an interview on African Independent Television (AIT), Senator Moro responded to concerns raised by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who cautioned that the PDP could face a more catastrophic defeat in 2027 if it fails to zone its presidential ticket to the South.
Describing such warnings as “assumptions,” Senator Moro nonetheless acknowledged their significance, particularly considering Wike’s influential role in the formation of the G5 governors, a group that had opposed the party’s 2023 zoning arrangement.
“Those are assumptions. But coming from the minister who played a key role in the formation of the G5, I am sure the party will take serious political note of that warning,” Moro said.
The Senate Minority Leader stressed the need for the PDP to reflect on its past mistakes, warning that the party cannot afford to continue down the same path and expect different results.
“There’s no doubt that if the PDP continues to make the same mistakes that presumably led to our current predicament, the outcome will likely be the same,” he stated.
Quoting Albert Einstein, Moro noted, “We cannot keep doing the same thing the same way and expect different results,” adding that failure to learn from history could have dire consequences for the party.
“I believe the PDP should take that warning seriously, regardless of who it’s coming from and make the necessary corrections to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated. As the saying goes, ‘Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’”
The House of Representatives is seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians.
The bill proposed by the House has passed second reading.
The bill, jointly sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Daniel Ago, was presented during Thursday’s plenary.
While leading the debate, Ago explained that the legislation aims to boost citizens’ participation in elections, arguing that it could help reduce voter apathy if it successfully passes all legislative stages.
However, Mark Esset, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party representing Akwa Ibom State, expressed reservations.
He argued that merely mandating citizens to vote would not be sufficient to reform the electoral system.
“We shouldn’t build on a shaky foundation,” Esset stated.
“Many Nigerians abstain from voting because they doubt the credibility of the process. If we’re going to make voting compulsory, we must also ensure that people believe their votes truly count,” he added.
Temilade Openiyi, the world-damous Nigerian Grammy award-winning singer, who is popularly known as Tems, has revealed that quitting a digital marketing job to pursue music was not easy.
The ‘Love Me Jeje’ hitmaker, in a recent conversation with Billboard, explained that despite the fears of quitting her job, she was confident in divine direction, especially as she felt digital marketing was not her destined career.
Tems said she waited six months after quitting her job before releasing her first single, ‘Mr Rabel,’ which gained some traction.
She said, “[I quit my digital marketing job because] it got to a point where I couldn’t take anymore. It was really dawning one me like, it’s now or never. I was just putting it off until I developed faith that God will see me through wherever I go.
“I quit my job in January 2018, I released ‘Mr Rabel’ six or seven months after I quit my job. Spiritually, I was aware that digital marketing wasn’t my path, I need to leave this place right now. It felt really like, life or death. It was like this can make or break your destiny, and you need to make a decision right now. I chose to quit and it worked out.”
Tems gained prominence after she was featured on Wizkid’s 2020 global hit, ‘Essence,’ which peaked at No.9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2022, she became the first African artist to debut N0.1 on the Billboard HOT 100 chat, through Future’s song, ‘Wait 4 U,’ which featured her and Drake. The song also won a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap the following year.
In Febuary 2025, Tems won another Grammy for her song, ‘Love Me Jeje’, for Best African Music Performance
More...
38-year-old Nigerian National Arrested In South Africa With Over R1 Million Cash And Stolen Bank Cards
AFOLABI
A 38-year-old Nigerian man, identified as Seriki, has been arrested in South Africa after authorities discovered a large sum of cash and multiple bank cards in his possession.
The suspect was arrested by members attached to the Provincial Operational Command Centre in Parklands, Cape Town on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
The provincial police spokesperson, Captain Frederick van Wyk, said the officers were armed with information about drug dealing and descended on a residence in Holly Crescent in Table View.
“A search ensued, which led to the discovery of a substantial amount of foreign and South African currency in excess of R1 million (N88m). Not only did the members find the cash, but also a bag with bank cards belonging to various people," van Wyk said.
“The occupants of the residence could not provide a valid reason for possessing the items, and the 38-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession of suspected stolen property and conspiracy to commit cybercrime.”
The suspect will be appearing in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, May 15.
“Detectives attached to our Provincial Organised Crime, Commercial Unit will investigate the case and might add more charges as the investigation unfolds,” van Wyk added
My Days Of Going Back And Forth With Nigerian Men Are Over — Feminist, Fisayo Longe Reacts To Backlash Over Her Engagement
AFOLABI
Fisayo Longe, the Nigerian fashion entrepreneur and vocal feminist, is making waves online—not for her brand or advocacy, but for her recent engagement and the buzz it's generated across social media.
The backlash began shortly after Longe got engaged and shared a teary-eyed video of the proposal. While many congratulated her, others weren’t so forgiving.
Twitter users quickly dug up her old posts, including one from as far back as 2020 where she boldly stated, “I do not rate men.”
This resurfaced tweet, alongside her history of criticizing Nigerian men and marriage, set off a chain reaction. Some users labeled her a hypocrite, mocking her shift from “anti-marriage feminist” takes to emotional engagement celebrations.
One user wrote, “This same Fisayo Longe that was a menace Feminazi and Prefect for 'Men are scm' here is getting married!?”*
Another added, “Now she’s engaged and werey even dey drop tears."
Amidst the heat, Longe didn’t stay silent. She took to Twitter to shut down the criticism with a sharp response: “Unfortunately for you all, my days of going back and forth with Nigerian men on Twitter are so over. Run it up.”
The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into a technical glitch that affected the outcome of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The House gave the order during the plenary session on Thursday, following the approval of a motion of urgent public significance put forth by a representative from Osun State, Adewale Adebayo.
The UTME is an annual assessment organised by JAMB for students aspiring to gain admission into higher education institutions in Nigeria, such as universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
This examination is a vital milestone for numerous Nigerian students, as their performance determines their eligibility for further education.
In recent years, JAMB has shifted the UTME format from paper-based to computer-based testing (CBT) to improve efficiency and minimise malpractice.
However, concerns have emerged regarding technical difficulties encountered by candidates during the examinations, including network outages, login issues, and system errors.
The reported technical malfunction in the 2025 UTME has now captured the attention of lawmakers, leading the House of Representatives to commence an inquiry.
The investigation aims to identify the underlying causes of the malfunction and propose measures to avert similar incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has reacted to the controversy rocking the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, admitted errors in the just-concluded UTME affecting 206,610 candidates in 65 centres in Lagos and 92 centres in Owerri zone, comprising 173,387 candidates in the five states of the South East.
He said, “What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” Oloyede admitted. “We set all machineries in order; regardless, there were still errors.”
He added, “206,610 in 65 centres were affected in Lagos and 92 centres in the Owerri zone comprising 173,387 candidates in the five states of the South East were affected.”
Oloyede, who took responsibility for what he described as a “sabotage” of the 2025 UTME, said the affected candidates will get text messages from the Board starting Thursday.
He also stated that affected candidates will now have the opportunity to retake the examination between May 16 and May 19, 2025
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Peter Obi urged JAMB and similar critical bodies to adopt comprehensive quality assurance frameworks, adding that these includes rigorous testing and constant auditing of technical infrastructure.
He noted that while JAMB’s swift response and willingness to own up to its shortcomings are worthy of recognition, the incident has brought to light a far more troubling reality.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the emotional and psychological toll on students, and even parents, some of whom have reportedly suffered severe trauma, and in heartbreaking cases, even death, serves as a reminder of what is at stake.
Nigerian rapper, Onome Onokohwomo aka Yung6ix has begged Nigerians to help him quit smoking.
He made the appeal in a post on X.
According to him, he has been smoking for 21 years, and his body can no longer accept it.
He wrote, “Coming out today to tell everyone I need help. I’ve been smoking for 21 years now and my body is telling me to stop. I’m trying but it’s not easy, I’ve reduced how much I spend buying weed to $600 a month and I need help to turn that to $0. Any help?”
Reacting to the post, his colleague, Phenom, revealed that he quit smoking 10 years ago with the help of his doctor and offered to share his doctor’s contact with Yung6ix.
He wrote, “10 years since I quit smoking. [I] can link you up with the doctor that helped me.”
Yung6ix responded, “Wow no way bro, so you no dey now kana all this while when we dey yarn?”