The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has suspended six prominent members of the party, including the party’s only elected governor, Alex Otti of Abia State. 

This decision was contained in a statement issued by the faction’s National Secretary, Umar Farouk, in Abuja, on Wednesday.  

He said, “Recall that last Friday, 2nd of May 2025, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party set up a five-man Disciplinary Committee headed by the Deputy National Chairman, Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the National Secretary and three others to investigate Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, and any other party members over allegations of anti-party activities.

“The Disciplinary Committee has concluded their assignment and has submitted their report to the party leadership. The National Executive of the party met today, May 7th, 2025, and after exhaustive deliberation in line with powers donated to it by the Party Constitution, has ratified the recommendation as submitted by the Disciplinary Committee.

“Consequent upon that, the following members of the party have been suspended from the party and all its activities, indefinitely and with immediate effect. 1. Dr Alex Otti; 2. Senator Ireti Kingibe; 3. Senator Darlington Nwokocha; 4. Hon. Victor Afam Ogene; 5. Hon. Amobi Ogah; 6. Hon. Seyi Sowunmi.”

“By this suspension, these former members of the party will no longer act for and on behalf of the party. All concerned institutions, including the Nigeria Governors Forum, the National Assembly, INEC and security agencies, among others, are to take note.

The party also clarified that Nenadi Usman was not included in the suspension list because she is not a registered member of the Labour Party, but merely a supporter of its 2023 presidential candidate.

“We are aware that she is a member of the Obidient Support group that worked and is still working for the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. We will therefore not honour her with any sanction being not a member of the party,” the statement added.

“She should also tell Nigerians how she acquired her radio station in Kaduna, all her properties all over Nigeria and abroad, and her companies in Cameroon, including her plantations. Nenadi Usman lacks the moral capacity to commence any probe or even talk about corruption,” the statement added.

Reaffirming its position on political independence, the Labour Party declared that it will not enter into any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Finally, the party has since taken a position on the issue of coalition, and we want to reiterate that the party is not interested in any overtures by any group or persons to go into any coalition or merger,” the statement added.

“Like we have earlier stated, the protagonists of the coalition, those driving the agenda, lack the capacity, character and competence to midwife such a political arrangement. These are people who have failed to manage one political party; how can they manage an amalgam of political parties and their varied interests? The Labour Party intends to prosecute the 2027 general election as a standalone party, and no further discussion will be entertained on this matter.”

Gunmen suspected to be armed herders, on Tuesday evening, killed a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, identified as Akaabo Johnson and three other people during an attack on the Mbatsada communities in the Mbalom and Mbasombo council ward in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to the native, the suspected armed herders invaded the communities around 4:35 pm on Tuesday in a commando way and shot indiscriminately, resulting in the death of four people.

The Chairman of Gwer-East LGA, Timothy Adi, who confirmed the incident in a telephone chat on Wednesday, said the attack was unprovoked.

Adi, who decried the activities of armed herders in the council, said that the Tuesday attack was the second within the last two weeks.

He said that security men had been deployed to the area to secure the boundary lines of the local government area, in a bid to prevent further attacks.

Adi said, “Four dead bodies among them an APC elder in the ward were recovered and there bodies taken to St. Gregory Hospital morgue.

“I urge residents, particularly the youth, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to relevant security agencies.

“We must remain united and steadfast. This attack is a tragedy, but we will not allow fear to rule us. Governor Alia is not resting—plans are underway to put an end to these unprovoked attacks.”

The chairman commended Governor Hyacinth Alia for his prompt intervention and timely support that had facilitated the rapid deployment of security forces to contain the situation.

Efforts to get the Benue Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, to confirm the development were not successful as her phone rang out, and she has not responded to text messages sent to her cellphone as of the time of filing this report.

In a dramatic twist to the legal battle involving popular gospel music executive, Ezekiel Onyedikachi, better known as EeZeeTee, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dropped its initial allegations of fraudulent conversion of gospel singer Mercy Chinwo’s earnings and instead arraigned him for non-disclosure of his company’s financial transactions.

The EFCC had earlier accused the Chief Executive Officer of EeZee Global Concept Ltd of misappropriating proceeds belonging to Chinwo.

However, in a surprise move, the anti-graft agency, on Wednesday, filed an amended eight-count charge at a Federal High Court in Lagos, focusing instead on regulatory breaches concerning foreign exchange transactions and failure to report company earnings.

According to the new charges, EeZeeTee is alleged to have conducted unauthorized foreign exchange deals and failed to submit necessary disclosures to the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) between 2022 and 2023.

During this period, the company reportedly received a total of $255,436 in its corporate account.

One of the charges reads:
“That you, Ezekiel Onyedikachi and EeZee Global Concept Ltd, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, not being an authorized buyer of foreign currency appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria under Section 5(1) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, CAP F34 LFN 2004, negotiated a foreign exchange transaction to wit: the naira equivalent of the sum of $52,895 with Mr. Oladotun Olaobaju Mureke.”

The commission also accused EeZeeTee and his company of engaging in another forex transaction amounting to $18,775 with one Gift Ugochi Christopher, without using the official foreign exchange market.

Upon arraignment, EeZeeTee pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Lead defence counsel, Chief Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), informed the court that a bail application had already been filed and served on the EFCC.

He urged the court to grant bail in liberal terms, revealing that parties were in active discussions to resolve the matter amicably out of court.

However, EFCC prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, opposed the bail plea and requested that the defendant be remanded in custody pending determination of the application.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, presiding over the matter, sought clarification on how the defendant appeared in court. In response, the EFCC’s counsel claimed an arrest warrant had been issued.

But Ojukwu countered, stating that his client had been granted administrative bail by the EFCC and had willingly appeared in court.

He further argued that the EFCC had not provided any evidence of a formal invitation that his client ignored.

Following arguments from both sides, Justice Aneke adjourned ruling on the bail application to May 9, 2025.

In the interim, he ordered that EeZeeTee be released to his counsel.

Tension heightened shortly after the court session when EFCC operatives made an attempt to rearrest the defendant at the court’s entrance gate.

The situation, however, was brought under control following the intervention of a senior EFCC official, allowing EeZeeTee to depart peacefully.

Blessing Agbebaku, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly has said his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) is to retain the benefits of the speakership position, for the development of his constituency.

Agbebaku, representing Owan West constituency, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made this known during the plenary on Wednesday where he disclosed that his defection was not driven by personal gains but by a commitment to the welfare of those who elected him.

The Edo Speaker further noted that politics is all about the interest of the people who gave him the mandate to represent them at the State House of Assembly.

The Speaker added that there was also a need to have opposition in the House, while reaffirming his commitment to unity within the Assembly.

He said, “I want to formally let this House know that yesterday, the Speaker of this House, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, defected to the APC.

“My decision was not about party allegiance but rather about the growth, development and progress of my area.

“As a Speaker, if I throw away this position because of the party, the position that would enhance development in my area, it means that I am not ready to serve my people. My constituents were in support of my decision.

“I spoke about some of the projects the governor took to my area yesterday, and the people of Owan West are very happy.

“On that note, I took that decision, and I think to a large extent, my people are happy about it.

“We are all working with the governor to take the state to the next level so that the people will enjoy the dividends of democracy. So, the issue of party affiliations should not arise. To me, there is no party in this House.”

An 18-year-old apprentice has allegedly impregnated 10 girls in just five months, including his master’s daughter and a salesgirl in Anambra State.

Reports say he was first sent to learn a trade under a master, but within three months, he got both his boss’s daughter and a salesgirl pregnant.

This, however, led to his dismissal from the apprenticeship.

The state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a live video on social media on Wednesday.

Obinabo said the situation got worse after he returned to his village.

She said, “I want advice from the public because this one is beyond my capacity.

“This boy was sent to learn a trade at the age of 18 and three months of apprenticeship, and he impregnated his master’s daughter and his salesgirl. He was sent packing. Two months after that, he impregnated eight other girls in the village.”

Obinabo also said the boy’s mother came to her office to report the issue.

According to her, the mother said, “‘Anytime I see a girl coming towards our house nowadays, my heart would jump, please, I need help.'”

Obinabo said, “This matter is beyond me, the reason I want the public to help me come up with a solution. Is it spiritual?”

She said she asked the boy how he was able to convince the girls.

“I asked the boy the magic he uses in luring the girls to bed, but he told me he always tells them that he loves them and would like to marry them any time he acquires wealth.

“This problem is beyond me because of the boy’s age and the number of pregnant girls involved; that’s why I need help to solve it.”

Obinabo did not mention the name of the boy, his mother, or their community, but she called on the public to suggest solutions.

Nigeria comedian and actor Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY, has opened up about his recent invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations relating to the abuse of the Naira.

In a post shared on his Instagram page on Wednesday AY disclosed that he was invited for questioning on Monday, May 5, regarding the public spraying of both local and foreign currencies during a recent social event, a practice considered a violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria regulations on currency mutilation.

He wrote, “I am grateful to God for His mercy and guidance. On Monday, I was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding an incident involving the public spraying of both local and foreign currencies, an act that has been classified as an offense related to the abuse of the Naira.

The comedian expressed appreciation to the EFCC and relevant authorities for their understanding and for granting him a pardon after it was confirmed that the money sprayed was not tied to any criminal or illicit activity.

“I want to sincerely thank the EFCC and all authorities involved for their understanding and for granting me pardon based on confirmation that the money being sprayed is not linked to the proceeds of crime or any form of illicit funds.

“This experience has been a valuable lesson, and I am personally committed to promoting awareness about the proper respect and care for our national currency.

“To my friends, family, and the general public: We all know that spraying money at public events is a practice common in Nigerian celebrations, especially during weddings, funerals, and parties. It is generally considered a cultural tradition rather than a criminal act. But let me attach some slides to this post on the DOS AND DON’T.

“It is important to understand that mutilating or abusing the Naira—whether by spraying, tearing, defacing, or mishandling—is not just a cultural practice but also a violation of Nigerian law. Such acts undermine the integrity of our national currency and can have serious legal consequences.

“Let us all strive to uphold the dignity of our currency, which is a symbol of our nation’s sovereignty and economic stability. Respect for the Naira is respect for Nigeria’s future.

“Together, we can promote responsible behaviour and foster a culture of patriotism and integrity.”

Recall that popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, also confirmed on her Instagram page on Tuesday that she was contacted by the EFCC while she was in the United Kingdom and honoured the invitation upon her return to Nigeria.

She appeared before the EFCC on Monday, May 5, 2025, where she was reportedly quizzed over certain aspects of her daughter’s recently concluded wedding ceremony.

Both public figures have since pledged to use their platforms to educate Nigerians about the legal implications of currency abuse, particularly the public spraying, tearing, or defacing of the Naira, acts that are punishable under Section 21 of the CBN Act, 2007.

The Federal Government says Nigeria has so far lost more than N1.3 billion to the outbreak of Tuta absoluta, commonly known as the tomato leaf miner or “Tomato Ebola” in three states.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said this at the ongoing four-day capacity-building workshop for financial institutions on Wednesday in Abuja.

The workshop is organised by HortiNigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Plc.

Kyari said the outbreak had consequently led to the surge of a 50-kilogramme basket of tomatoes from N5,000 to N10,000 and approximately N30,000, thereby exacerbating food inflation and straining household budgets.

According to him, the states where the losses were recorded include Kano, Katsina and Kaduna.

He explained that tomato ebola had underscored the fragility of the country’s horticultural systems, adding that the invasive pest could decimate tomato crops within 48 hours, leading to catastrophic yield losses.

According to him, this crisis highlights the urgent need for integrated pest management strategies, investment in resilient crop varieties and enhanced support for farmers to safeguard the country’s food supply chains.

He said, “Tomatoes and peppers, essential ingredients in virtually every Nigerian kitchen, serve as baseline commodities for daily cooking.

“When the prices of these staples spike, they set off a chain reaction that affects the cost of meals across homes, restaurants and food vendors.

“According to the 2024 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), tomatoes led the food price index with a staggering 320 per cent year-on-year increase, followed by peppers and other produce.

“These spikes disproportionately affect low-income households, underlining the urgent need for more stable production, better storage and accessible finance across the horticulture value chain.”

The minister said horticulture, often described as the “sleeping giant” of Nigerian agriculture, held immense promise that the country must awaken.

According to him, in doing that, we must ensure access to sustainable and well-structured financing.

Kyari, who identified horticulture as the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, flowers, and ornamentals, described it as far more than a sub-sector of agriculture.

According to him, it is a dynamic engine for rural transformation, job creation, improved nutrition and trade diversification.

”With increasing urbanisation and growing awareness of healthy diets, consumer demand for fresh and diverse produce is rising rapidly. Horticulture is well-positioned to meet this demand,” he added.

He added that in spite of the challenges in the horticulture sector, it remained one of the most promising frontiers for agricultural transformation.

He noted that, unlike staple crop farming, horticulture offered higher value per hectare, ideal for smallholder commercialisation, shorter production cycles and allowing multiple harvests annually.

He further said that the sector had greater labour absorption, creating year-round employment, especially for women and youth, strong linkages to processing, packaging, retail and export markets.

“The sector also offers climate resilience through protected cultivation and irrigation systems, urban food access through peri-urban farming and logistics integration.

“Horticulture is a high-impact, high-return opportunity sitting at the intersection of agriculture, health, industry, and trade,” he emphasised.

The minister listed key contributions of the sector to the country’s agricultural transformation as diversification of agricultural production and incomes, food and nutrition security, employment and youth engagement.

Other contributions, according to him, include import substitution and export potential, climate adaptation and resilience, as well as urban market integration.

Kyari explained that the sector enabled smallholder farmers to diversify their production portfolios and earn steady incomes outside traditional grain cycles.

“Crops like tomatoes, pineapples, cucumbers, citrus and plantains have huge domestic demand and are increasingly becoming important commercial crops.

“On food and nutrition security, horticultural crops are rich sources of vitamins A, C, iron, zinc, and folate nutrients vital for child development, maternal health and disease prevention.

“Scaling up their production and affordability is key to ending malnutrition in all its forms,” he added.

He urged financial institutions to map and understand the horticulture value chain from seed to shelf.

He further urged them to move beyond generic lending and develop tailored products that aligned with the specific stages of the value chain.

He also urged them to develop fit-for-purpose financial products, including seasonal credit lines, equipment leasing, invoice discounting, and trade financing.

Horticulture is not only a farming activity; it is a vibrant agribusiness ecosystem with scalable investment opportunities that can drive inclusive growth and food system transformation in Nigeria.

“Together, we can unlock the power of horticulture to nourish our people, build wealth and drive inclusive, sustainable growth.

“By building your capacity and investing wisely in the horticulture value chain, you are not just financing crops, you are financing livelihoods, nutrition, resilience, and inclusive growth and sowing the seeds for a healthier, wealthier, and more resilient Nigeria,” he further said.

NAN

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said politics remains a game of interest, but interest of all concerned must be factored in any political move.

Naija News reported that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, in its last meeting in Ibadan, dissociated the party from any coalition ahead of 2027.

Speaking with the Nation, Makinde said the party was not well informed on what it stands to benefit from coalition to unseat the current administration.

“Politics is a game of interest. You must be interested; you must have alignment with the wider organs of your party before you go out to meet other people. If you remember in 2019, even here in Oyo State with my election, we went into coalition with parties. But, the organs of the party in Oyo State and myself, as the candidate of the party were in agreement. And when we became successful, it was not difficult for me to cede positions to parties that were within that coalition. That was possible because we followed the process.

“We didn’t just wake up and say me as xyz in the party, just draw the party into any arrangements when the party organs do not have clue on what you are doing. They have no clue of what is in this coalition for them. They also have no clue whether this is personal or you are doing this in the best interest of the party and the people of Nigeria. Those are critical,” he said.

The Governor of Oyo refuted that the governors opposed the coalition move because they were working for President Bola Tinubu‘s second tenure.

While not dismissing the rights of individual members of the party to associate with any group, he said the party has yet to be informed what it would gain from the coalition.

“I totally disagree with those insinuations. First, there must be a process. If the managers of the party, the organs of the party are going into a merger or coalition, there’s a need for the managers of the party to know. But, it is still within the right of individuals to associate with whoever they want to associate with. But, as a party, we haven’t gotten there,” he stated.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said that it has recorded a significant breakthrough in its fight against transnational organised crime with the arrest of two international wanted fugitives: Felix Omoregie alias “Eghosa Johnson Omoregie,” a suspected ringleader of a human trafficking syndicate wanted by Belgian authorities, and Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje, a key member of a Dubai-based armed robbery gang.

Felix Omoregie, the alleged mastermind of a large-scale human trafficking operations, had been declared wanted by the Belgian authorities through an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on December 19, 2023, and was arrested in Benin City, Edo State, following diligent intelligence and enforcement efforts by Police operatives. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Benin City.

Omoregie is accused of trafficking young Nigerian women—including minors—to Italy and subsequently dispersing them across Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Victims were subjected to voodoo-based oaths and psychological coercion, with fabricated debts ranging between €20,000 and €50,000 used to manipulate and control them.

A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Wednesday, said Omoregie’s criminal network involved handlers in Brussels and France who managed the victims’ activities and remitted proceeds to him.

“Following a conviction in absentia in Belgium in 2021 for multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and criminal organization leadership, Omoregie fled to Nigeria. Upon his arrest, a search of his premises revealed incriminating materials, including a photocopy of a passport intended for a planned relocation to Canada,” he stated.

ACP Adejobi also revealed that in a separate operation, the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja apprehended 37-year-old Okwudili Sabastine Ezeje at a hideout in Nsukka, Enugu State. Ezeje is wanted by authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a series of serious crimes, including armed robbery, cultism, drug trafficking, and other organised criminal activities.

“Intelligence gathered reveals that Ezeje continued to coordinate criminal operations remotely from Nigeria. He has been directly linked to several high-profile robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including an armed robbery at a grocery store in Dubai Mall, a targeted hit on Al Ansari Exchange in Jumeirah, and another heist at a Bureau de Change in Jebel Ali Village.

“The arrest was the result of strategic intelligence sharing and operational collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Dubai Police. The arraignment of Okwudili Ezeje is expected to take place shortly,” he stated.

He added that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, commended all operatives involved in the high-profile arrests for their professionalism, diligence, and dedication to upholding Nigeria’s international law enforcement obligations. “The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to enhancing its global policing partnerships and ensuring that fugitives find no safe haven within our borders,” he said. “These arrests serve as a clear message that criminal elements, no matter how far they run or how long they hide, will be brought to justice. The Force calls on citizens to remain vigilant and cooperative in the fight against organized crime, both at home and abroad.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar says the ‘Nigeria First’ policy of the Bola Tinubu administration is a public relations gimmick.

Abubakar’s position was conveyed in a press statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, his special assistant on public communication. 

On May 5, the federal executive council (FEC) approved a ‘Nigeria First’ policy aimed at prioritising the use of locally made goods and services in all government procurements. 

Abubakar said the mantra is “another tired PR stunt — designed to deceive, not deliver”.

“Nigerians have grown weary of hollow speeches. If this government is truly serious about local content and economic patriotism, it must start at the very top,” he said.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 challenged Tinubu to set the tone by replacing his Escalade car with a made-in-Nigeria vehicle. 

“We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car,” he said.

“That single act will do more to promote local industry than a thousand policy memos.” 

Abubakar also asked cabinet members to walk the talk by buying Nigeria.

“Let’s see the ministers — those shameless Rolls Royce connoisseurs — sweat it out in Nigerian-made vehicles too. Or is ‘Nigeria First’ only for the masses?” he added.

‘DOUBLE STANDARD’

The politician also criticised the president’s preference for holidays abroad.

“And speaking of double standards, it’s time Mr President shelves his love affair with Paris and London,” the statement reads.

“If he’s serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be at Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. Nigeria is beautiful — unless, of course, the president thinks otherwise.

“More importantly, the era of jetting off for medical tourism while preaching self-reliance must end.

“We demand that President Tinubu — champion of ‘Nigeria First’— conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the ₦41 billion Akwa Ibom world-class hospital built by the uncommon transformer, in Uyo.

“If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their commander-in-chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy.

“This government’s addiction to foreign luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians is the height of insincerity. True leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites — it’s setting the tone by example.”

The statement added that Nigerians deserve “real commitment, not this never-ending charade”.

On Friday, Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno south, expressed support for the federal government’s decision to ban the importation of goods that can be produced locally.

The lawmaker described the move as a “bold initiative” that could boost the economy and empower local entrepreneurs.