The trial of the alleged N3 billion fraud charge brought against Ali Bello, nephew of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, and three others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been adjourned to May 30 and 31.

When the matter in the suit marked ABJ/CR/573/2022 (FRN Vs. Ali Bello and 3 others) was mentioned for hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution, led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, called their first witness Mr Nicholas Oyemomoni, from the American International School, Abuja.

The witness could not, however, complete his testimony as the defence team, led by Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, objected to documents, that the EFCC sought to tender in evidence through the witness.

He, however, prayed the court to allow him to raise the objection in the final written address while admitting the documents provisionally.

Counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, objected on the ground that the documents could not be provisionally admitted.

Aliyu, therefore, asked the court to allow him to address his point of objection to the documents before the documents would be admitted in evidence.

Based on health grounds, he asked the court to allow him to argue his objection at the next adjourned date.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu consequently adjourned the matter to May 30 and 31, 2023 for the continuation of trial.

The court had on 20th February granted bail to Ali Bello, alongside three others, in the sum of N500 million.

The Imo State Police Command on Tuesday said security operatives had driven out Eastern Security Network agents from their camp in the Ubah Ages/Izombo tropical forest in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.

A statement signed by the spokesperson of the command, Henry Okoye,
reads:  [We acted] on carefully gathered actionable intelligence that members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militia affiliate (ESN), whose modus operandi is guerilla-like operation, that is, they unleash surprise terror attacks and go into hiding in their criminal hideout, have once again reassembled and formed a camp in Ubah Agwa/Izombe tropical rain forest in Oguta LGA of Imo State.

The hoodlums opened fire when they saw police operatives but were driven back by the operatives’ superior firepower and skilful use of positional shooting that forced them to run with varying degrees of bullet wounds.

Okoye asserted that a concerted operation is in high gear to catch the fleeing suspects

The statement further revealed: Three automatic pump-action guns, 31 live rounds of ammunition, 59 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, one police hand grenade, IPOB/ESN insignia, blue and black police uniforms, police cap, police belt, military camouflage uniforms, black Tiger 150 motorcycle, red Daylong motorcycle, black KYMCO motorcycle, silver Honda Lady’s motorcycle and black travel bag were discovered in the dislodged terrorist camp and shrine.

While praising police officers and soldiers involved in the operation for their bravery, Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed Barde directed operatives of the Imo State Police Command to continuously raid criminal hideouts and seize illegal weaponry.
He expressed gratitude to Imo citizens for their steadfast support and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to eradicating crime and criminality in the state.

he stated, Well-meaning citizens of the state are urged to be cautious of the people who live in their communities and to report any person spotted with or treating bullet wounds to the local police station or by calling the command’s emergency numbers, 0803773600 or 08098880197.

Nigerian superstar, David Adeleke, aka Davido, released the visuals for his hit song ‘Unavailable’ featuring South African singer, Musa Keys on April 11, 2023.

While the director of the Zulu-themed video, Dammy Twitch was lauded for his artistic prowess, the video has been widely criticized for introducing Davido as the King of Afrobeat.

In the opening moments of the video, a female voice could be heard saying (in a mix of isiZulu and English), Greetings. You are listening to Timeless FM. After a long time of wondering, where is he? And what is he doing? I’m here to confirm that the King of Afrobeat is back baby!

I’m talking about Davido. He’s back with a brand new album. And I’m talking hit after hit. Thank you Davido. Thank you.

Afrobeat vs Afrobeats

The terms afrobeat and afrobeats have long been conflated. While they may appear similar both in writing and pronunciation, they are two distinct genres.

According to Wikipedia, afrobeat (without an “s”) is a West African music genre that involves the fusion of traditional musical styles such as fuji, folk, highlife and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion.

Afrobeats on the other hand is less of a style per se, and more of an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that takes in diverse influences and is an eclectic combination of genres such as hip hop, house, jùjú, afrobeat, R&B, highlife and soca.

The National Association of Emerging Artists (NAEA) has expressed displeasure with the promoters of the ‘Gangs of Lagos’ movie.

NAEA said it was disappointed with the portrayal of artists as “criminals” by the producer and director Kemi Akindoju and Jade Osiberu.

The group made this known in a statement recently released by its spokesperson, Unadey Jones.

The statement partly read, “Casting artists as criminals have harmed the pop cultural fabric of Nigeria and upholded harmful musician stereotypes.

The director cast singers Chike, Pasuma, and Zlatan Ibile in gangster roles in the movie.

Chike, particularly, played the role of Ify, aka Panamo, a rising artist who was involved in gangsterism and was eventually killed by his gang members to cover up a secret.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has also described ‘Gangs of Lagos’ movie as a cultural misrepresentation.

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, frowned at the promoters of the movie for depicting the Eyo Masquerade as a gun-wielding villain while adorning the full traditional regalia.

Earlier, the Prince Uthman Shodipe-Dosunmu, the Apesinọla Ẹyọ Ọba Alakẹtẹ Pupa Ọkalaba Ẹkun, a cultural group, ordered the promoters of ‘Gangs of Lagos’ to withdraw the movie immediately, describing it as ethnic profiling, sacrilegious and outrageous trash.

Nigerian Afrobeats superstar, David Adeleke, aka Davido’s fourth studio album ‘Timeless’ could indeed be timeless as it has been shattering records since it dropped.

The 17-track album officially arrived on March 31, 2023, through Davido Music Worldwide, Columbia Records, and Sony Music Entertainment.

The album features guest appearances from Nigerian artists such as Asake, Fave, The Cavemen, DMW’s latest additions, Morravey and Logos Olori, as well as Grammy-award-winning Beninese singer, Angelique Kidjo, British rapper Skepta, South African music producer/DJ Musa Keys, Jamaican dancehall/reggae singer Dexta Daps, and South African rapper, Focalistic.

Despite an initial partial leak, Davido’s ‘Timeless’ album has been breaking and setting records since its release.

Highest Charting African Album In US Apple Music History

Less than 24 hours after its release, Davido’s ‘Timeless’ peaked at Number 2 on the US Apple Music Album chart, becoming the highest charting album by an Afrobeats artiste, in the process.

Biggest First-Day Streams On Spotify Nigeria

Davido’s ‘Timeless’ album broke the record for the biggest first-day streams on Spotify Nigeria set by Burna Boy’s ‘Love, Damini’.

The album garnered 4.91 million streams on its first day of release— surpassing the previous record of 1.36M by Burna Boy’s ‘Love, Damini’ (July 8, 2022).

Biggest First-Day Streams For An African Album On Apple Music

Davido’s ‘Timeless’ broke the record for biggest first-day streams for an African album in Apple Music history.

Davido is breaking global records.

The Nigerian superstar’s #Timeless had the most first-day streams ever for an African album on Apple Music,” Apple Music announced via their verified Twitter handle on Monday, April 3, 2023.

Biggest First-Day Streams On Boomplay

Davido’s ‘Timeless’ album also broke the record for the biggest first-day streams on Boomplay— the largest music digital streaming platform in Africa.

The album tallied 7.25M streams on opening day surpassing the previously set record by Burna Boy’s “Love, Damini” (3.38M).

Biggest First-Day Streams On Audiomack

Audiomack announced via their verified Twitter page on Monday, April 3, 2023, that Davido’s ‘Timeless’ has broken the record for the biggest album first-day streams in the history of the platform.

“RECORD-BREAKING: @davido’s #Timeless had over 12 MILLION streams in its first 24 hours, more than any other album on Audiomack, ever!,” Audiomack Africa tweeted.

A Lagos High Court has dismissed a “no-case’’ submission filed by a police officer Drambi Vandi, who allegedly killed Bolanle Raheem.

Bolanle was shot dead on December 25, 2022 in the Ajah area of Lagos while in a vehicle with her husband and daughter.

Vandi was arraigned on January 16 on a one-count charge of murder after shooting the 41-year old pregnant property lawyer in the chest.

On February 28, dismissed ASP Vandi filed an application praying the court to quash the charge preferred against him.

Vandi’s lawyer, Gbenro Gbadamosi said the evidence of the prosecution witnesses were inconsistent and did not link his client to the murder.

On Monday, Justice Ibironke Harrison held that the prosecution, led by Lagos Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), had established sufficient oral and documentary evidence.

The court is currently not looking at the credibility of the prosecution witnesses at this stage, Justice Harrison said.

The judge ruled, the issue now is whether a prima facie case has been made by the prosecution and not whether it has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The state closed its case on February 15 after calling 11 witnesses comprising eight police officers, including Vandi’s colleagues, two eyewitnesses and a pathologist.

Lagos Director of Public Prosecution, Babajide Martins said an interlocutory appeal would not stop the trial in line with the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Laws.

The case will resume on May 16, 2023 for the defendant to open his defence.