Author: Damilola

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced Roberts Orya, a former managing director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to a combined 490 years in prison over a N2.4 billion fraud. Justice F. E. Messiri delivered the judgment on Thursday, February 5, 2026, after finding Orya guilty on all 49 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Orya, who was first arraigned in 2021, faced charges including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and advance fee fraud. The offences were linked to his time as managing director of NEXIM…

US President Donald Trump has drawn widespread criticism after posting a video on social media that depicts former president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as monkeys. In the early hours of Friday, Trump shared two posts on his Truth Social account reviving allegations of irregularities in the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Joe Biden. Biden previously served as Obama’s vice-president between 2009 and 2017. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton to win the presidency in 2017, was denied a second term after losing the 2020 election to Biden. The one-minute video features Phil Waldron, identified as a cybersecurity…

The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on John Odigie-Oyegun, a former national chairman of the party and ex-governor of Edo, to repay what it described as outstanding loans and unpaid membership dues amounting to more than N150 million. The party said the alleged financial obligations were accumulated during Odigie-Oyegun’s years in the APC, including the period he served as the party’s pioneer national chairman. Odigie-Oyegun, who headed the APC between 2014 and 2018, recently defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as part of a broader opposition alliance preparing for the 2027 general election.…

The United States has denounced the deadly assault on communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, as varying casualty figures from the incident continue to fuel outrage at home and abroad. Although the Nigerian Police Force said 75 people were confirmed killed in the attack on Woro and Nuku communities, local accounts and international observers have suggested the number of victims may be far higher. In a statement posted on X on Friday, the US Mission in Nigeria described the violence as “horrific,” noting that more than 160 people were feared dead, with many others still missing. “The…

A former British building contractor has told a London court how his company renovated and managed high-end properties allegedly used by Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, as her bribery trial continues at the Southwark Crown Court. Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, her brother, on five counts related to the alleged receipt of bribes. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty. On the fifth day of proceedings, Tony Mulcahy, a former director of Bear Rock Construction Ltd, gave evidence that his firm undertook extensive refurbishment work between 2011 and 2014…

A 59-year-old man who planned to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in September 2024 has been sentenced to life imprisonment, just weeks after the plot was uncovered ahead of the US election. Ryan Routh was convicted in September of attempting to kill Trump, who was then the Republican presidential candidate. The case marked the second assassination attempt against Trump in the tense months leading up to the election that ultimately returned him to the White House. At Wednesday’s sentencing, Judge Aileen Cannon imposed a punishment of life in prison plus an additional seven years, following a…

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Bayo Ojulari, has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a vital stabilising force in Nigeria’s energy sector, especially as the national oil company grapples with difficulties running its ageing refineries and meeting local fuel demand. Ojulari made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during a fireside chat titled “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future” at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026. He said the operation of a functional, large-scale local refinery has eased the pressure on NNPC to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply across the country. According to him, the…

A former chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, has been admitted to a hospital in Abuja after he reportedly collapsed on Tuesday. Emmanuel Nweke, his media assistant, said the incident occurred just outside Maina’s office. According to him, Maina lost his footing while trying to enter the building, struck his head on the staircase and passed out. Maina’s health had been a recurring issue during his trial. At one point, he was brought to court in a wheelchair by prison officials, prompting the court to order a medical assessment by senior correctional authorities. In December…

The Senate on Tuesday initiated steps to alter the 1999 Constitution to allow the Federal Government receive a bigger portion of funds from the Federation Account, citing the growing burden of national responsibilities shouldered by the centre. The move comes against the backdrop of renewed arguments over fiscal federalism, as labour unions, civil society organisations and opposition voices have questioned why increased allocations to states have not resulted in better living conditions for Nigerians. At present, the revenue allocation formula gives 52.68 per cent to the Federal Government, 26.72 per cent to the 36 states and 20.60 per cent to…

A Nigerian socialite, identified as Nzube Henry Ikeji, has been accused of impersonating the Crown Prince of Dubai to allegedly defraud a Romanian businesswoman of more than $2.5 million through a romance and humanitarian investment scam. The allegation is detailed in an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which traced the scheme to an online interaction that began about three years ago. According to a documentary published by OCCRP, the Romanian woman, identified as Laura, was first contacted on LinkedIn by an account claiming to belong to the Dubai Crown Prince. The impersonator reportedly expressed interest…