Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar COVID-19 relief fraud. Oloyede, 62, who holds dual United States and Nigerian citizenship and resides in Medina, Ohio, was on 26 August handed a 56-month prison term by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko. According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, the monarch will also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $4,408,543.38…

In a significant development in an ongoing investigation, the Federal High Court in Abuja has directed six major financial institutions to provide the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) with comprehensive account details linked to prominent activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore. The order, issued on Tuesday, mandates the banks to release transaction records, including inflows and outflows, from January 2024 to the present. Justice Emeka Nwite presided over the case, granting the exparte motion filed by the IGP’s legal representative, Wisdom Madaki. The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the first and second defendants, respectively. The banks…

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has activated emergency services following the derailment of a passenger train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna on Tuesday morning. In a statement issued by the Commissioner-Designate for Information, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, the governor expressed deep concern over the incident and directed immediate intervention measures. According to the statement, the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Ministry of Local Government Affairs have been instructed to: evacuate all stranded passengers from the scene, provide emergency medical care to the injured, and offer psycho-social support to affected victims. “Governor Sani has mandated that every necessary…

A passenger train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna derailed on Tuesday morning, sparking panic among passengers and their relatives. The incident occurred along the Kaduna corridor shortly after the train departed Abuja at around 11 a.m. Witnesses described scenes of confusion, with passengers scrambling to safety as the coaches came to a halt. It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment, and no official confirmation of injuries or fatalities had been issued at the time of reporting. Security sources said military personnel were swiftly deployed to the site to assist in evacuating stranded passengers and securing the area. The…

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take firm action against his Chief Security Officer (CSO), Kunle Fagbemi, following a series of alleged incidents of harassment directed at journalists covering the governor’s activities. The latest episode occurred on Saturday at the Lagos House in Ikeja, where Mr Fagbemi was accused of verbally assaulting and obstructing members of the governor’s official press crew as they attempted to discharge their duties. In a statement issued on Monday, signed by its Chairman, Adeleye Ajayi, and Secretary, Tunde Olalere, the union expressed grave concern over…

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Ojulari, has warned that crude oil theft in Africa has escalated beyond local crime, with international syndicates now orchestrating the illicit trade. Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the Africa Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference, Ojulari said the crime was being driven by organised cartels exploiting weaknesses in national and continental security systems. “Oil theft is no longer a backyard operation. It is run by organised international syndicates who exploit gaps in state and continental security,” he said. He stressed that security had…

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to shut down major infrastructure across the country if the Federal Government fails to resolve its lingering dispute with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has again threatened to embark on a nationwide strike. NANS Assistant General Secretary, Emmanuel Adejuwon, speaking in Abuja on Monday, said the union would mobilise students for “massive protests” that would paralyse activities nationwide should ASUU proceed with its threat. “Let it be on record: if this strike is not averted, we will bring the country to a standstill until the future of Nigerian…

Retired military personnel across Nigeria have renewed their calls for an upward review of salaries and pensions for both serving and retired officers, warning that prolonged delays are worsening frustrations within the veterans’ community. The demand was raised last week during a meeting between the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and members of the Ministry of Defence’s five-man Ministerial Standing Committee on Military Veterans’ Welfare, led by retired Air Commodore Femi Oguntuyi. Although the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, confirmed the meeting, he did not disclose further details. Sources at the meeting revealed that the…

Osun State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) more than doubled in 2024, rising to N54.7bn from N25.3bn in 2023, according to the state’s Financial Statements and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024. The report, presented by the State Auditor-General, Kolapo Idris, showed that total revenue inflows for the year stood at N306.8bn. Of this, statutory allocation accounted for N159.7bn, Value Added Tax contributed N66.8bn, while capital receipts and funds from development partners totalled N25.4bn. On the expenditure side, the state recorded a total spend of N273.5bn. Capital expenditure was the largest item at N118.6bn, followed by personnel costs at…

The Federal Government on Monday launched a digital portal aimed at creating a credible database of Nigerian teachers, streamlining licensing processes, and promoting professionalism in the education sector. The platform, unveiled in Abuja by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in partnership with the UK-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, is expected to enhance transparency and efficiency in teacher management. Speaking at the launch, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as a transformative step for the sector. “Today, we are not merely unveiling a portal, we are opening a…