Operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, announced the arrest of 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Awka, Anambra State.

The anti-graft agency disclosed on its X (formerly Twitter) handle that the arrest followed credible intelligence linking the suspects to fraudulent internet activities.

It stated that the all-male suspects were arrested in a sting operation at Commissioners’ Quarters, Dr. J. O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State capital, and that items recovered from them included six exotic cars, laptops and mobile phones.

“They will be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement added

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the recruitment of 500 teachers by the State Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to boost learning.

Naija News reports that Commissioner for Education, Emmanuel Iyamu, made this known upon assumption of office in Benin on Wednesday.

Iyamu, who was sworn in on Monday by Okpebholo following his confirmation as Commissioner by the state’s House of Assembly, urged all qualified Nigerians to apply for the teaching job.

While reiterating the importance placed on the education sector by the Okpebholo-led administration, the new Commissioner stated that the recruitment would be done in tranches, stressing that “it is meant to fill the numerous vacancies in public schools.”

Iyamu also stated that the recruitment is strictly merit-based

He added, “Government is committed to ensuring that all public schools in Edo are adequately staffed by qualified teachers.

“The era of having two or three teachers in a school is gone and I am calling on qualified Nigerians
to apply.”

Meanwhile, Okpebholo has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his love for the Edo people, assuring him of continued support ahead of the 2027 Presidential polls.

Governor Okpebholo stated this in his goodwill message during a food outreach by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), through its Social Investment Programme.

At the event, which was held at the New Festival Hall of Government House, Benin City, Edo State, Okpebholo said the electorate in Edo State will give the President 100 percent of their votes in the 2027 presidential election for remembering the vulnerable in the State.

The RHI food outreach began on the 8th of March, 2024, and about seven States, including Edo, have benefited from the initiative so far. The other States include Kano, Benue, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and Gombe, while States like Kwara, Kogi, and Abia are next in line.

Governor Okpebholo commended the First Lady of Nigeria and Chairperson of RHI, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her love and motherly role in ensuring that the people of Nigeria enjoy the dividends of democracy.

He noted that the initiative of the First Lady would not have been successful without the support of President Tinubu, assuring him that the people of Edo State will support him for a second term if and when he decides to run.

Dora Chichah, wife of a suspended Catholic priest from the Diocese of Warri, Delta State, Rev Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe, has recounted how she met her husband.

Recall that the Catholic Diocese of Warri suspended Oghenerukevwe for allegedly contracting a secret marriage in the United States without completing the formal process of being released from his priestly vows.

The Diocese clarified that Oghenerukevwe had requested on November 30, 2024, to be released from all canonical obligations associated with Holy Orders.

However, the Diocese said it reached out to him, “asking for the required documents to begin the process, but the priest went on to marry without completing the procedure.”

Photos of the wedding, which took place in Dallas, Texas, have since gone viral.

Speaking during a live testimony session at Pastor Jerry Eze’s Streams of Joy International Church in Dallas, Dora shared her journey.

In a video reposted on Monday by a Catholic missionary priest, Fr. Kelvin Ugwu, Dora introduced herself as a single mother of three who had prayed for a husband for over nine years

“What God cannot do does not exist. We dey pray, e dey show. My name is Dora, and I’m giving my testimony from Streams of Joy, Dallas.

“Indeed, the lord has shown me mercy. Since 2020, I have been on this altar, believing God for a life partner. I’m a single mother of three and I have been believing God for over nine years for a divine settlement. I kept on praying. I said, God settle me,” she stated.

Dora added, “In July 2021, Pastor Jerry said the Lord has heard you; he said the Lord allowed all that has happened happen to take you to your wealthy place. He is your salvation. In your waiting time, He will build your character.

“I kept praying. Anytime Pastor Jerry says women in their 30s, women in their 40s, receive your husband. I would dance and I would pray and I was believing God.”

“In 2024, I heard God clearly to relocate from where I was to Dallas, Texas.”

Dora said she reconnected with Daniel, someone she knew growing up in the same area, and they quickly exchanged contact details.

“He told me stories about how he has been praying for four years for discernment in his vocation. And in my own case, I had been praying too. He said he had been fasting for three months, asking God to give him the woman for him,” Dora revealed.

The relationship progressed swiftly, culminating in their wedding.

“In three months, we had gone through the marriage class. Within three months, we did the traditional wedding; we did the court. And the white wedding in Streams of Joy, Dallas,” she said.

While Dora did not address Daniel’s status as a Catholic priest during her testimony, the video package featured pictures of her and Daniel during their wedding.

PUNCH Online reports that a woman claiming to be Daniel’s biological sister, Mary Okanatotor, defended the marriage, stating it was the best decision for her brother.

“He did not do a secret marriage as he wrote to the Diocese to inform them of his decision,” she said in a social media post.

The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has announced a reward of ₦5 million and a bungalow for an award-winning Math teacher, Kayode Adewale, who was recently shortlisted for the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

Adewale, known for integrating technology with local language instruction at Imagbon/Imaka Comprehensive High School in Ogun State, secured a spot among the top 50 finalists for the global award. 

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Abiodun lauded Adewale’s contributions to education and named him Ogun State Education Ambassador. The governor promised to honor Adewale with a bungalow in any location of his choice within the state, alongside a ₦5 million cash reward.

The statement said, “As a state that prides itself on being the education capital of Nigeria, we are immensely proud to celebrate one of our own, Kayode Adewale, a visionary educator who has earned a place among the Top 50 teachers globally in the prestigious Global Teacher Prize.

“This US $1 million initiative by the Varkey Foundation, supported by UNESCO, recognizes educators who have made extraordinary contributions to transforming lives and communities through education.

“Kayode Adewale, a mathematics teacher at Imagbon/Imaka Comprehensive High School, Ogun State, has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to educational excellence.”

Adewale, an alumnus of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, has previously won the Ogun State Best Teacher Award in 2020.

Abiodun emphasised that Adewale’s international acclaim in 2025 exemplifies the values of selflessness, innovation, and dedication in education.

The statement added, “A proud alumnus of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun — Nigeria’s premier institution for teacher training and one of the top 10 globally — Kayode’s innovative teaching methods and dedication to transforming education have earned him local and international acclaim.

“Today, as a government committed to fostering excellence, we are proud to honor Kayode Adewale as the Ogun State Education Ambassador. To commemorate this achievement, we will provide him with a bungalow in any part of Ogun State of his choice. Additionally, we will support him with a cash prize of ₦5,000,000 to further inspire his outstanding work in education.

“His humility and unwavering dedication to uplifting his community through education are truly commendable.”

See Photos below:

The Jigawa State Government has revealed that properties worth a staggering N5 billion were destroyed during the nationwide protests in August 2024.

Chairman of the fact-finding committee on the protest, Barrister Bello Fanini, disclosed this while presenting the committee’s report to Governor Umar Namadi at the Council Chambers of the Government House in Dutse on Tuesday night.

Fanini, who also serves as the state Commissioner for Justice, stated that the destroyed properties belonged to the federal, state, and local governments, as well as private individuals.

He further explained that the committee had outlined recommendations aimed at preventing such incidents in the future.

In response to the report, the governor expressed appreciation to the committee for their dedication and assured that the government would carefully review and implement the recommendations.

He stressed the need to protect lives and property across the state.

In a related development, Governor Namadi called on public and political officeholders to uphold their oath of office and allegiance while performing their duties. This charge came during the swearing-in ceremony of five newly appointed special advisers at the Government House in Dutse.

The new advisers are Sai’du Umar (Food and Nutrition), Bala Abdulkadir (Special Duties), Musa Sha’aibu (Revenue), Ado Mai Unguwa (Trade and Investment), and Uzairu Nadabo (Export Processing Zone II).

Speaking on behalf of the appointees, Bala Abdulkadir expressed gratitude to the state government for the opportunity to serve. He pledged that the advisers would carry out their responsibilities with dedication and integrity.

Meanwhile, the governor has inaugurated the Livestock Reform Implementation Committee, which he chairs. The committee aims to advance one of the administration’s 12-point agendas focused on improving livestock farming in the state.

The committee’s secretary, Auwalu Shehu, alongside other members drawn from the agricultural sector and key stakeholders, has been tasked with implementing reforms to boost the livestock sector.

The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, on Wednesday, began a three-day warning strike over unpaid salaries, allowances, and other demands.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the President of ARD FCTA, Dr George Ebong, said the strike followed the expiration of the three-week ultimatum issued last year.

Recall that the association issued a 21-day ultimatum to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on December 23, 2024, to meet its demands.

Speaking on behalf of doctors in the territory, Dr Ebong condemned the neglect of hospitals and doctors’ welfare in the nation’s capital.

He stressed that doctors in Abuja had become abandoned projects and called on the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to intervene to prevent an indefinite shutdown of hospitals.

According to him, the decision to embark on the three-day warning strike was a result of a Congress meeting held by its members on Tuesday.

“The three-day strike is being implemented across all government hospitals in Abuja, including Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama, Kubwa, Zuba, Kwali, Abaji, Nyanya, and all other hospitals in Abuja.”

“We gave the government an ultimatum to meet our demands, and after that, we met with them and held several dialogues. They pleaded for two weeks, but after that elapsed, nothing has been done. Not even the minimum thing. We expected them to pay the six months of unpaid arrears to doctors.”

“Honestly, doctors have been abandoned. Just as the roads are being constructed, the welfare of doctors should be considered by the minister,” he said.

He added that if nothing is done regarding the doctors’ demands after the three-day strike, they would conduct an appraisal.

“If nothing is done, we will go on an indefinite strike. We want the Minister of FCT to solve this problem to prevent an indefinite shutdown of hospitals in Abuja,” he stated.

He mentioned that promises made regarding the accoutrements allowance had not been fulfilled.

“This allowance, meant for the tools we use daily to serve Nigerians, has also been delayed indefinitely. Management assured us this money would be paid, but to date, nothing has been done. These broken promises make it harder for us to trust the system.”

“Imagine passing a promotion exam years ago, in our case, 2-5 years ago, taking on the responsibilities of your new role, but still being paid for your old position. This is our reality. Doctors who have earned the title of ‘consultant’ are still treated as senior registrars, with no formal recognition or financial benefits. It is a slap in the face to our hard work and commitment.”

“Since 2021, there has been an increase in our hazard allowance — an increase approved due to the high risks we face daily. From COVID-19 to Lassa fever, we work on the front lines, often at great personal risk. Yet, here in the FCT, we are still owed 13 months of arrears,” he emphasised.

The minister of communications, innovations, and digital economy, Bosun Tijani, has said the recent increase in tariffs by mobile network operators (MNOs) was a sequel to the global inflation and rising cost of operation.

Tijani said this while briefing journalists after a closed-door budget defence session on Tuesday with the National Assembly joint committee on information, communication, and technology.

According to him, telcos have struggled with high operating costs and global inflationary pressures for several years.

The minister said the government was committed to ensuring the sustainability of the telecommunication sector and the protection of Nigerians’ interests.

“The hike in price is based on inflation globally. This is a sector that has not increased prices for a long time; what the government has been doing is managing the situation. They have been crying out for a long time that they are struggling with the cost of diesel. This is not a problem that is unique to Nigerians.

“We will ensure that MNOs can continue to deliver the best quality services to the people. The NCC is doing a lot of tracking now to ensure that the quality of the services people will get is of good quality,” he noted.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is enmeshed in another internal scandal as an officer in charge of Kaduna Zonal Office’s exhibit room allegedly absconded with over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits.

Earlier in January, the country’s flagship anti-corruption agency said it had detained 10 officers in Lagos over theft of operational items they could not account for.

Although the commission did not disclose the specific items stolen by the officials, DAILY NIGERIAN findings revealed that they stole gold bars worth over N1billion as well as over $180,000 and about GBP 140,000.

In the latest scandal, DAILY NIGERIAN exclusively gathered that a member of staff of the commission, simply identified as Polycarp, vanished into a thin air when he failed to account for “over $30,000”.

Insiders who preferred anonymity told this newspaper that the zonal director, Benedict Ubi, a couple of weeks ago ordered for an audit of the directorate’s exhibit room, following the internal heist that occurred in Lagos.

According to the sources, when Mr Polycarp received the directive that the exhibit room would be audited, he took an excuse to ease himself and fled.

“Immediately after the order for the audit was given, he took an excuse to ease himself. Efforts were made to contact him but all his telephone lines were switched off.

“This is only what the preliminary audit on foreign currency shows. There are chances that more could be uncovered after a thorough audit of the exhibit room,” said a source familiar with the development.

This newspaper learnt that the commission had launched a manhunt to trace the fleeing officer’s whereabouts.

In 2019, an official of the commission was indicted for receiving $20,000 as bribe from a business man at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos state.

Despite his confession to the crime, he was reinstated by the then acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu. The matter was not made public.

In 2021, the anti-graft agency dismissed an officer after DAILY NIGERIAN published a leaked audio in which he was heard helping suspects on how their accounts could be unfrozen and charges dropped against them.

The then spokesman for EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, described the officer as “a corrupt fifth columnist with scant regard for the values of the commission,” adding that his action was contemptuous of the Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC.

“Without prejudice to the outcome of the investigation, snippets of the audio recording clearly showed an abysmally compromised ‘officer’ dropping names to ingratiate his benefactor, a relative of a crime suspect.

“By the alleged action, the said officer is no more than a corrupt fifth columnist with scant regard for the values of the commission.”

On January 6, the commission announced the dismissal of 27 officers from its workforce for various offences bordering on fraudulent activities and misconduct.

Although the anti-graft agency made it appear recent, credible sources however said it was the total number of members of staff sacked for fraud since the establishment of EFCC in 2003.

Attempts by our correspondent to get the reaction of the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as he neither picked calls nor responded to an SMS sent to his known mobile number.

The chief executive officer of Globacom, Ahmad Farroukh, has stepped down just one month after assuming the role.

Farroukh, a seasoned telecoms executive with extensive experience across Africa and the Middle East, was appointed in December 2024.

His selection was seen as a strategic move to leverage his expertise to drive Globacom’s expansion and innovation in an increasingly competitive market.

Industry analysts suggest the resignation could be linked to internal corporate dynamics or strategic disagreements, though no official confirmation has been made.

Farroukh’s extensive career includes leadership roles at MTN and other telecom giants, where he successfully led key market initiatives.

Globacom, founded by billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga, remains a dominant player in Nigeria’s telecom sector with millions of subscribers. The company is expected to address the leadership transition in the coming weeks.