A retired Brigadier General of the Nigerian Army, Uwem Harold Udokwe, was tragically murdered during an armed robbery at his residence in Sunshine Homes Estate, Abuja, in the early hours of Saturday.

According to reports, the late Brigadier General was attacked by three suspected armed robbers who invaded his home.

During the robbery, the assailants reportedly demanded jewellery and took the general’s pistol before fatally shooting him.

The attack marks the third such incident at the general’s residence, intensifying concerns about security in the area.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Udokwe’s death.

The command spokeswoman,  SP Adeh Josephine, issued a statement confirming the commencement of a discrete investigation aimed at apprehending those responsible for the heinous act.

Commissioner Igweh expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased and assured the public that the police are committed to delivering swift justice.

He emphasized the command’s dedication to enhancing the security landscape of the nation’s capital by adapting strategies to combat evolving criminal activities effectively.

The National Assembly’s Sergeant-At-Arm, Air Commodore S.A Zakari (retd.), also confirmed the general’s death, providing additional details about the tragic event.

According to Zakari, the general’s wife reported that this was the third attack on their home.

The statement released by the police reads, “According to Pastor Awe, his neighbour, the robbers injured one of the estate guards. That one was taken to the jospital at Abacha Barracks along with Brig Gen H Udokwere rtd N/5575, the victim. While the injured guard was being treated at Abacha Barracks Hospital, the General was referred to the National Hospital Abuja.

“Air Cdre MM Igho informed Air Cdre SA Zakari rtd of the incident at 0810 hrs. Zakari dashed to NHA to support the family. Zakari met Pastor Awe (the neighbour) with the victim’s wife, son and other neighbours. Air Cdre Zakari was told Gen Udokwere was dead and the corpse was at the National Hospital morgue.

“Zakari met the wife, calmed her down and reported the issue to Maj Gen Dr Okereke. The Comd NAOWA Hospital sent an ambulance to retrieve the body of the late General Udokwere to NAOWA Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

“Gen Hashim, the neighbour, has taken the family to his house for his wife to handle Mrs Udokwere. However, Mrs Udokwere insisted she must see her husband. Contact was made with the Cse Mates (NDA 15th Cse) and Brig Gen KA Kareem was tasked to visit the family which he did. The family will decide the next line of action regarding the funeral.”

A year after the leadership of the opposition Labour Party was separated with the incumbent National Chairman, Julius Abure and the Deputy National Chairman of the party (South), Lamidi Apapa laying claim to the mantle of leadership, both camps have agreed to sheath their swords and work together.

Loyalists from both camps were torn apart in April 2023 following a court judgment restraining Abure and three others from parading themselves as national officers of the party. 

But Abure fought back fiercely to retain his seat with the help of the parent body, Nigeria Labour Congress, under the leadership of its National President, Joe Ajaero.

The embattled LP chairman, however, fell out of favour with the NLC following a contentious national convention held in Anambra that returned him and all his loyal members of the National Working Committee to office three months ago.

Despite a series of picketing at LP secretariats nationwide and other threats by the unionists amid calls for an expansive and inclusive convention that should start from the grassroots, Abure did not budge.

The action subsequently compelled the NLC Political Commission to void the new leadership and set up a transition committee, saddled with the task of engaging stakeholders of the party and conducting a fresh convention in 90 days.

A source at the LP national secretariat, who preferred anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, explained that Abure felt the urgent need to close rank with the Lamidi Apapa’s faction following the open revolt and media war from its Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi as well as the pressure from the NLC.

“It is the only logical way for him to have a united front against the threat of the NLC in particular. I believe you already know Abure has a long history with Lamidi Apapa and Abayomi Arabambi before now,” the source explained.

When The PUNCH contacted the Apapa’s camp, the factional spokesman, Abayomi Arabambi, confirmed the development.

Arabambi told our reporter that they had no problem with Abure from the outset because they knew he was being influenced and misled by some leading officers of the NLC.

He said, “We are together to stop all those political hawks from taking over our party. We thought they (NLC) were fighting for a just cause. But it is very obvious they only want to take over our party and we are not going to accept that. We in the Lamidi Apapa group are not lawbreakers like those who supported Abure in disobeying the court order. I have said this several times on air.

“It was because of this threat that Abure extended an olive branch for all of us to bond together. It was obvious that these people were not only with him to fight us but to take over the control of the party. So we cannot be outside and allow some people to take over our party. That was why Abure asked us to come together in the party’s interest.

“We are here to fight those people who want to use the Labour Party to foment trouble and destabilize the country. That is what we are against. Nobody is contesting or running for any election now. We know the next race is in 2027. Why should we now be seeking ways to bring the nation down? We are averse to that.”

He added, “I also want you to know that there is nothing like Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign here anymore. It has been dissolved. Everybody has reverted to former governorship and presidential candidate. We don’t want disinformation at the Labour Party.

“Again, you recall that there was a crisis in APC and the PDP. Yet, the warring parties came together and resolved it. So what stopped us from resolving ours? When you are fighting, there is no permanent enemy. It is all about permanent interest.”

Efforts to get Abure to react to the report were unsuccessful.

But the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, also confirmed the reunion, saying there was nothing out of place for Abure to extend olive branches to aggrieved members of the party.

He said, “Labour Party is united. We do not have a division in the sense that as a party that came out of the election hugely successful with a lot of results to show, several people would want to have a stake in the Labour Party. The implication is that a lot of stone-throwing and interest will begin to manifest. But the Labour Party has a constitution and it has a rule completely spelt out.

“Anybody that tries to go out of it will get his hand burnt because the law will not support what you are doing just as the NLC is doing. Besides, we have never seen the Lamidi Apapa people as having their camp because there’s only one camp. That is the one led by Julius Abure.

“Of course, they have the right to be aggrieved and take positions that are not aligned with the interest of the party. But as soon as they discovered it was not the right way, I think they took the better decision to begin to retrace their steps. That is what we have seen.”

He stated further, “Many people who were involved in anti-party activities in the past are beginning to discover that the laws are not on their side. The best thing is to retrace their steps and return to the fold.

“So many other persons have indicated interest in returning to the party. LP does not have any problem with that. Our doors are wide open. If you are out in the cold and you need shelter in the Labour Party, we will bring you back and shelter you.

“The distinguished gentleman you just mentioned (Arabambi) is still our member. He has also recognised Julius Abure as the only national chairman. The party is coming together and I can tell you that the party is a lot more united now than ever.”

The Federal Government has allocated a substantial ₦14.77 billion for the repair and maintenance of the presidential air fleet over the past 11 months.

According to Punch, these funds were disbursed in 11 tranches from 16th July 2023 to 25th May 2024, utilizing the State House headquarters transit account designated for the Presidential Air Fleet Transit Funds.

This financial outlay comes at a time when the National Assembly is considering the approval for the purchase of two new aircraft for the presidential fleet.

The decision follows revelations that the President’s primary aircraft, a 19-year-old Boeing 737, along with several others in the fleet, have become dysfunctional due to age and wear.

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has been instrumental in pushing forward these plans, having included the procurement in its technical subcommittee report.

The potential cost for acquiring two new state-of-the-art aircraft is estimated by experts to be over $623.4 million, or approximately ₦918.7 billion.

The report read in part, “The committee is of the strong and informed opinion that considering the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and recognising the dire consequences of any foreseen or unforeseen mishap that may arise as a result of technical/operational inadequacy of the Presidential Air Fleet, it is in the best interest of the country to procure two additional aircraft as recommended. This will also prove to be most cost-efficient in the long run, aside from the added advantage of providing a suitable, comfortable and safe carrier befitting of the status and responsibilities of the offices of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In recent times, there has been serious contention about the state of the air fleet despite enormous government resources spent on it during past administrations.

The unavailability of the president’s jet has seen President Bola Tinubu charter private jets, and Kashim Shettima abandon international trips.

The Vice President on May 6, 2024, abandoned his trip to the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit due to a technical fault with his official aircraft.

The Vice President was scheduled to represent the President, who had to board a commercial aircraft to Saudi Arabia after his main luxury jet was taken for rehabilitation and a second aircraft he was travelling in developed a technical snag in The Netherlands.

The Presidency currently maintains a fleet of six aircraft, namely a Boeing 737, a Gulfstream G550, a Gulfstream GV, two Falcon 7Xs, and a Challenger CL605, as well as six helicopters— two Agusta 139s and four Agusta 189s.

Buhari’s government spent ₦62.47bn for the operation and maintenance of PAF during his eight-year tenure.

Though Buhari promised to reduce the size of the fleet as part of his pledge to cut the cost of governance, checks reveal that his administration failed to live up to this promise.

In the 2016 budget, ₦3.65bn was allocated for the PAF, but this rose to ₦4.37bn in the 2017 fiscal year.

In 2018 and 2019, the allocation almost doubled, amounting to ₦7.26bn and ₦7.30bn, respectively. Closer observation showed a slight drop by ₦503.75m in 2020 when ₦6.79bn was budgeted for the fleet.

The allocation surged to ₦12.55bn and ₦12.48bn in the 2021 and 2022 fiscal budgets, respectively, before the ₦8.07bn allocation in 2023.

Meanwhile, checks by Punch using GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal Government’s spending, showed that Tinubu approved the disbursement of ₦14.77bn within one year of assuming office.

The amount is separate from expenses incurred during foreign and local trips by the President, Vice-President and other officials.

₦1.52bn was approved in July 2023 for maintenance and was followed by a payment of ₦3.1bn in August.

The next tranche was paid in November 2023 with a disbursement of ₦1.26bn. The government also paid ₦2.54bn in March 2024, ₦6.35bn in April 2024 and ₦1.27bn last month.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has opened up on while he did not challenge his removal as the Emir by the former governor of the state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in March 2020.

Sanusi, a former governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, who spoke in an interview with Sun Newspaper, explained that he is one of hundreds of princes of the Emirate and therefore doesn’t have fundamental right to be an Emir.

Asked why he didn’t challenge his dethronement by former Governor Ganduje, Sanusi said, “A number of reasons. I have told you that I don’t have a fundamental right to be an Emir. I am one of hundreds of princes. God chose me. And if God says I should leave, for me, I take it that God knows better than me why I had to leave. Okay, let’s say I go to court. Let me even say this; I just got a letter that said I had been dethroned for insubordination.

“I had never been queried for insubordination,” he explained.

“The details of the insubordination were not given. I had not been given any chance to defend myself. So, it was clear that the state and the federal governments had both decided that it was time for me to go. Okay?”

He revealed that even if he had gone to court and the court returned him, he wouldn’t have been able to work with the administration of Governor Ganduje.

“So, let’s even assume that the court said I should come back. Do you think I was looking forward to working with that government? Would I have been happy as an Emir in the last three years working with that government? You’re under a governor. The law gives him the power to be on top of you. He has said he doesn’t like you. He has made it clear he does not like you. If I come, he would just make my life miserable.

“It was going to be one story after the other. One fake story, one social media insult after another, and in my position, I won’t be able to respond. So, for me, I had a happier life in Lagos with my friends, publishing my book, doing my Ph.D, doing my UN work, doing my Tijaniya work, than sitting here in a constant fight with the government.

“Secondly, look at the Emir of Gwandu, who was removed under Obasanjo. How many years now? Almost 20. The state High Court said he was illegally removed, return him. So, there was an appeal. The Court of Appeal said he was illegally removed, return him. It is at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has not yet spoken out about him. I mean, do I have 20 years to fight in court to come back to a throne?

“So, for me, I had been Emir for six years, alhamdulillah. I had done what I did. At least, the only reason I would have gone to court is if they had removed me on an allegation that harmed my reputation because the only currency I have is my integrity. So, if they had accused me of fraud or something, I would have had to go to court to clear my name, but they said insubordination.

“So, the governor was asked, what are the reasons for insubordination? He said, sometimes he is invited to meetings, and he does not come. For every well-meaning Nigerian who saw that story, who saw that news, I don’t even need to defend myself because if you are going to remove an Emir and the only reason you can have is that you invite him for some meetings that he does not come, then nobody takes you seriously. Everybody knows that this was not the reason. So, I always felt that if it was God’s will that I come back, if not, I’ll go and continue my life.

“So, I didn’t go to court to challenge my removal. I went to court to challenge their attempt to keep me in exile and under house arrest to enforce my fundamental human rights but I did not go to court to challenge the removal because I didn’t even have to because it was self-evident on the face of it that this was just a political act. So, that was why I didn’t challenge it.”

Sophia Momodu has accused singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, of harassment and neglect of his parental responsibilities to their daughter, Imade Adeleke.

The accusation was made in a statement issued by her legal representatives.

This followed a suit filed by Davido seeking unrestricted access to their daughter.

The singer claimed to have fulfilled his responsibilities towards Imade, including paying her school fees and providing transportation and accommodation.

However, Sophia refuted the claims saying Davido had not fulfilled his financial responsibilities to Imade since 2022.

The statement read, “Sophia ended the relationship with David in July 2022. Since then, David has repeatedly threatened to make Sophia’s life miserable if she does not make herself available to him sexually.

“Sophia has never denied him the opportunity to see his daughter. He has not reached out on special occasions such as her birthday or Christmas for the past two years, which has left his daughter distressed and questioning why her father has cut contact with her. Despite this, David posts images of her on social media to falsely portray himself as a supportive and active father.

“Since July 2022, David has not fulfilled his financial responsibilities towards their daughter, leaving her school fees unpaid. Their daughter’s school has contacted him multiple times regarding the fees for the 2021/2022 school term and January 2023, with no response.

“Legal counsel was sought in February 2023, resulting in David’s father, Mr Adedeji Adeleke, eventually paying the outstanding fees. Regardless of this neglect Sophia strongly maintains that the most important support David can provide to their daughter is his presence and emotional support.

“David is in a publicly known relationship, and Sophia wishes him well. She seeks to move forward in her life free from harassment and verbal abuse.”

The Lagos State Police Command said it has uncovered what appears to be a staged kidnapping involving a 20-year-old student, Collins Ikwebe, and five of his schoolmates.

The case came to light on Saturday after a distressing social media post by a friend of one of the suspects went viral.

According to the post, the friend, identified only as 888 @FlackoT on X, claimed, “Guys, I’m locked up in Ikeja Police Station. I don’t have enough time and I don’t know what to do. So, this is my only alternative. So, y’all know what happened to me.

“Someone faked his kidnapping and requested for ransom from his dad. his dad reported the case to SARS. They tracked his phone. I genuinely knew nothing about it until I reached the station.”

The X user further expressed concern about potentially facing a lengthy legal process, stating, “His dad came to the station and requested his release but they insisted on taking the case to court which could take up to three years to resolve. Oher people that were in the apartment with him are locked up as well.”

Responding to these claims, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, provided police report and details of the case.

“Following a report from his family, our investigation established that 20-year-old Collins Oluchukwu Ikwebe faked his own kidnap,” Hundeyin confirmed.

The police spokesperson revealed a complex scheme involving multiple ransom demands. “His dad received several calls from Collins’ number but with different voices giving instructions on what amount of money to be paid and methods of payment,” Hundeyin explained.

He added that over two weeks, various sums were demanded, ranging from $500,000 to as low as N30,000.

“At different times spanning two weeks, different sums – $500,000; $200,000; N2,000,000; N50,000 and N30,000 – were requested from Collins’ dad,” he wrote.

The breakthrough in the case came on Thursday, June 20, 2024, when “detectives of the Lagos State Police Command eventually busted a short-let four bedroom apartment in Lekki where Collins and five of his school mates (one male, four females) had been staying for the past 10 days,” Hundeyin stated.

While the investigation is ongoing, the police said they are working to determine the level of involvement of the other five individuals found in the apartment.

Hundeyin emphasised, “For now, none of the suspects has been exonerated.”

Talented Nollywood actress cum producer, Funke Akindele, has expressed concerns over the ‘baddies’ trend among females on social media.

Naija News reports that the movie star, in a recent interview with Arise TV, advised fans and content creators on the need to make good use of social media and positively influence lives.

Funke said she worries about the “so-called baddies” online because they have to be more than just flaunting their bodies and luxurious lifestyles.

She also advised fans to be mindful of the kind of content they consume.

She said, “I enjoy watching beautiful content, but you have to watch what you churn out. You need to focus on your brand, what you’re selling, what you want people to learn from you.

“If you’re an actor, a self-made person, what are you churning out? You must influence lives positively with the content you churn out. And for you that are watching content, are you watching to be entertained, to learn? ‘A’ is carrying designer bag and showing you on video, how sure are you that’s she’s not borrowing the bag? How sure are you she’s rich? Don’t believe everything on social media.

“I’m so worried about these so-called baddies. A baddie without showcasing what you have upstairs? We need to know what you are doing, what positive content you are doing that people would be proud of. Give us that on the table. Yes, it’s good to showcase fashion. But what do you have upstairs to show us? Are you just a baddie for mouth? Even is you are a dancer, what else do you have?”

The President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Emeka Obegolu, on Saturday, lamented the persistent surge in the price of food commodities across the country.

Obegolu said the situation, if unaddressed, would cripple small-scale businesses which are struggling to adjust to various economic reforms by the Bola Tinubu-led administration.

Recall that food inflation rose to 40.66 per cent with the country’s headline inflation rate sitting at 33.95 per cent in May 2024.

This figure is the highest historical record the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced through its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.

Obegolu in a statement in Abuja said, “The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry expresses deep concern over the persistent rise in commodity prices, which is adversely affecting small-scale business owners and escalating poverty levels in the country.

“The surge in prices of essential food items such as rice, beans, cassava flour, tomatoes, pepper, onions, and others has aggravated the plight of the average citizen, rendering basic meals increasingly unaffordable for many households.

“However, on-ground observations suggest that the true food inflation rate exceeds 50 per cent, highlighting the severity of the situation and its dire impact on livelihoods.

“Experts attribute this economic hardship to the drastic depreciation of the national currency, the naira, which has significantly eroded citizens’ purchasing power.

“The resulting exchange rate volatility has disrupted businesses, increased production costs, and thwarted projections for economic growth”.

Speaking on controlling and corrective measures to be implemented, Obegolu emphasised the urgent need for government intervention to address the escalating food crisis, warning that failure to act promptly could lead to future health and state crises.

“Food is a fundamental necessity of life, and its affordability directly impacts the well-being of citizens. The escalating food inflation crisis poses a severe threat to food security and exacerbates poverty levels.

“The government must take decisive action to mitigate this crisis and alleviate the suffering of the populace,” the ACCI boss said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended two former employees of Union Bank in Makurdi for the alleged embezzlement of ₦4,199,500 that belonged to a deceased client of the bank.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, made this announcement on Saturday in Abuja.

He mentioned that the individuals, identified as Idah Ogoh and Agbo Okwute, were detained on Friday in Makurdi, Benue State.

He further stated that their capture was a direct result of a complaint filed by the bank regarding unauthorized transactions on account of the deceased, Emmanuel Azer Agenna.

Their activities were revealed when the deceased’s family sought the account balance for the purpose of probate proceedings.

“The family disputed the balance given to them by the bank and subsequently sent a complaint to the bank regarding unauthorised debits on the account,” Oyewake said.

The EFCC spokesperson further noted that based on their complaints, the bank carried out an internal investigation and its findings revealed that a debit card was procured on the deceased’s customer account on May 10, 2023.

He said that the debit card was procured by Ifah Ogoh, one of the bank’s Sales and Service Associates which the bank authorised on the same date.

“Further findings by the bank showed that the procured card by Ogoh was handed over to another Sales and Service Associate, Agbo Okwute, who eventually delivered the card to an accomplice for transfer and withdrawal of funds from the account of the deceased.

“Several withdrawals were allegedly made by the suspects through the accomplice.

“The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.

Nigeria’s elevated global profile is a testament to the purposeful and experienced leadership of President Bola Tinubu, according to Fredrick Nwabufo, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement.

Nwabufo emphasised that this achievement is not due to luck but a result of effective governance and strategic foreign policy.

Nigeria has historically been significant in global discussions due to its status as Africa’s largest democracy, most populous nation, and one of the continent’s biggest economies.

However, under President Tinubu’s leadership, the world’s focus on Nigeria has intensified for positive reasons.

Nwabufo attributed this to a broad-minded, enlightened leadership approach that enhances global perception.

Over the past year, despite facing numerous challenges, Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated driven and efficient leadership, providing clear direction and fostering stability.

Nwabufo in a post on his official X handle on Saturday stated, “Nigeria has always mattered in the chat rooms and chopping tables of global discourse — as pertaining Africa. It has always been significant as the largest democracy in Africa, and as the most populous nation and one of the biggest economies on the continent.

“But the world is paying more attention to Nigeria. It is taking more interest in the nation for good reasons. Effective domestic leadership, reinforced with a deliberate and well-designed foreign policy, reflects critically on global perception. A broad-minded and enlightened leadership at home will, by a good shot, colour the grey canvas of global disinterestedness.

“The past one year has not been without some challenges, but there has been a driven and efficient leadership with clear direction to help the nation navigate through any vortex. Reports from credible rating agencies and global financial platforms betoken stability and the return of vibrancy to critical sectors of the economy.

“Early this month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) commended the government of Nigeria for clearing 98 percent of airlines’ trapped funds, which the carriers had previously been unable to repatriate.”

According to him, the Director-General of IATA, Mr. Willie Walsh said ‘’as of April 2024, 98 percent of these funds have been cleared. The remaining 19 million dollars is due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing verification of outstanding forward claims filed by the commercial banks.’’

Tinubu’d aide continued, “And months before, in March precisely, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that it had settled valid outstanding foreign exchange obligations. On October 23, 2023, at the 29th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja, the President pledged that his administration would honour legitimate foreign exchange obligations and restore market confidence. This pledge he is following through ever so dutifully.

“There is a strong, focused, disciplined, and patriotic leadership at home, and this is influencing the global perception of Nigeria on governance.

“President Tinubu, Nigeria’s chief promoter, has brought a fine hue of respect, command, and dignity to the brand Nigeria by his audacious, candid, cerebral, and deep declarations on seminal matters as regards Nigeria, Africa, and the world around them, on important global platforms.”