Category: Business Day

Afrobeats star Davido has accused House of Representatives member, Hon. James Faleke, of mounting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission over the Osun State governorship election.

In a post on X on Saturday as collation was still ongoing, Davido, who is nephew to incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, alleged interference in the process.

‘James Faleke, stop putting pressure on INEC to change Osun election result. Respect the wishes of Osun people. We don’t want Oyetola and AMBO,’ Davido wrote.

The singer urged Faleke to respect the choice of Osun voters and rejected any move to favour former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO.

The outburst comes amid heightened tension in Osun as results from Saturday’s governorship election trickled in. INEC is yet to make a final declaration.

As of press time, neither Hon. Faleke nor INEC had responded to the allegation.

Voter inducement emerged as the most widespread integrity concern during Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, with reports or allegations recorded in 14 of the 25 local government areas monitored by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID).

The organisation said the reports, which represented 56 percent of the 25 LGAs covered in its late-afternoon assessment, varied in form and level of verification and should not be treated as confirmed cases of vote-buying across all the affected areas.

CJID, through its Election Analysis Centre, monitored the election using a network of reporters, observers, analysts, researchers, fact-checkers and media practitioners.

The election was conducted across 30 LGAs, 332 wards and 3,763 polling units, with 2,339,233 registered voters. Of this number, 1,906,390, representing 81.5 percent, collected their Permanent Voter Cards.

According to the organisation, allegations of voter inducement were followed by technological challenges, intimidation and security incidents as major concerns during voting.

It said 11 of the 25 LGAs monitored reported difficulties involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), connectivity or delays, while six LGAs recorded intimidation or interference involving observers, voters or party agents. Five LGAs reported security-related incidents or tensions.

BVAS delays, but no systemic failure

CJID said BVAS generally functioned during the election, although technical problems were recorded in several locations.

The challenges included facial authentication difficulties, connectivity problems, processing delays and devices requiring restarts.

However, the organisation said the problems largely resulted in delays rather than complete breakdowns.

‘CJID had not recorded evidence of a systemic BVAS failure capable of disrupting voting across the state,’ it said.

It added that the significance of the technical challenges would become clearer during the reconciliation of results, particularly when accreditation figures are compared with the number of ballots cast.

Voting continued beyond the scheduled closing time in some polling units where voters were already on the queue, while other locations had commenced ballot reconciliation, sorting and counting.

CJID said the transition from voting to counting was largely orderly across the locations it monitored.

Election-day violence relatively limited

The security situation was considerably calmer than the violence recorded during the campaign period, according to the organisation.

Despite pre-election concerns over possible flashpoints, CJID said it had not recorded widespread election-day violence by the close of voting.

It, however, reported localised incidents involving threats, assault and interference with journalists, observers and polling agents in Irewole, Atakunmosa West, Ife Central and Ilesa East.

The organisation said such incidents remained significant because they could affect the ability of independent observers and journalists to document the electoral process, particularly during counting and collation.

Alleged payments of up to N50,000

The most widespread concern was possible voter inducement.

CJID said reports from Iwo and Ilesa East included allegations of payments ranging from N20,000 to N50,000 per voter, while its reporters in Boluwaduro and Ola-Oluwa observed voters discussing alleged payments.

In Irewole, a reporter reportedly overheard an individual asking voters whether they had collected their money.

CJID said the geographic spread of the reports made voter inducement a significant issue in assessing the integrity of the election, while stressing that the individual reports remained at different stages of verification.

Attention shifts to collation

With voting largely completed, CJID said its monitoring had shifted to the reconciliation, counting and collation of results.

It said observers would be assessing whether accreditation figures correspond with ballots cast, whether used, rejected and unused ballots are properly reconciled and whether party agents can observe the counting process.

It also said polling-unit results must be accurately documented before transmission to collation centres.

Early disagreements over ballot validity were reported in Ejigbo, although CJID said such disputes did not in themselves constitute evidence of irregularity.

The organisation said how such disputes are resolved and documented would become increasingly important as the results move through the collation process.

Fake results, AI content pose new risk

CJID also identified misinformation as a growing concern as the election moves into the results phase.

Of seven election-related claims it had verified by the time of its assessment, three were found to be true, three false and one unproven.

The claims covered alleged candidate withdrawals, imported voters, arrests of suspected political thugs, rigging, voter inducement, violence and the alleged snatching of electoral materials.

The organisation also detected manipulated content, including AI-generated images presented as evidence of events purportedly occurring during the election.

It warned that genuine developments, unverified allegations and fabricated content could circulate simultaneously during collation.

CJID said it would continue monitoring fabricated results, altered result sheets, premature victory claims and misleading representations of events.

It said while the basic mechanics of voting functioned across most monitored locations and the election avoided widespread violence or systemic BVAS failure, concerns over voter inducement, localised intimidation and procedural consistency remained.

‘The credibility of the eventual result will depend on whether accreditation and ballot figures reconcile, polling-unit results are accurately documented, party agents and observers can scrutinise the process, disputes are transparently resolved, and results remain consistent as they move through successive levels of collation,’ it said.

A cabin crew member of United Nigeria Airlines, Francisca Ogbuagu, has been commended for her composure and professionalism in handling an unruly passenger mid flight.

In a commendation letter, dated 11th August 2026, written by Dr. Everest Okpara, Chairman of Everight Diagnostic Ltd, and addressed to the Management of United Nigeria Airlines, titled ‘Commendation for Exceptional Customer Service -Miss Uche Francisca Ogbuagu,’ he said that he was writing to formally commend Ogbuagu for the exceptional professionalism, composure, and customer service she demonstrated during a recent flight.

Describing the incident he witnessed, Okpara said Ogbuagu had to manage a difficult interaction with a passenger who was extremely rude and unruly towards her. He noted that despite the challenging nature of the encounter, which had to do with adherence to aviation rules, she remained calm and composed throughout.

He further stated that she maintained a respectful tone, exercised considerable restraint, and responded with a professionalism and courtesy that impressed the few passengers seated nearby, even in circumstances that could easily have provoked a less measured reaction.

He said what stood out most to him was her ability to remain focused on her responsibility to the passenger and to the airline’s policy, without allowing the passenger’s conduct to compromise the quality of her service.

He said: ‘ I witnessed Miss Ogbuagu manage a particularly difficult interaction with a passenger who was extremely rude and unruly towards her. Despite the challenging nature of the encounter, which had to do with adherence to aviation rules, she remained remarkably calm and composed throughout. She maintained a respectful tone, exercised considerable restraint, and responded with a professionalism and courtesy that impressed the few passengers seated nearby, even in circumstances that could easily have provoked a less measured reaction.

‘What particularly stood out was her ability to remain focused on her responsibility to the passenger and to the airline’s policy, without allowing the passenger’s conduct to compromise the quality of her service. Her communication was measured, her demeanour remained courteous, and her overall handling of the situation demonstrated an impressive level of emotional intelligence, self-control, and maturity.

‘As someone who regularly interacts with professionals across different service environments, I recognise that these qualities are not merely desirable in the aviation industry; they are fundamental to delivering a truly excellent customer experience. Cabin crew members are often the most visible representatives of an airline, and their conduct in difficult moments can significantly influence a passenger’s perception of the organisation.

‘ I therefore consider it important to bring Miss Ogbuagu’s positive conduct to the attention of management. Employees who demonstrate this level of professionalism deserve to be commended and encouraged.

Please accept my sincere commendation of Ogbuagu for the exemplary manner in which she handled the situation.

‘I hope that this commendation will be formally conveyed to her, and that her conduct will stand as an excellent representation of the values and service standards that United Nigeria Airlines seeks to uphold.’

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) are exploring stronger collaboration between academia and the private sector to translate Nigerian research and innovation into commercial products, jobs and economic opportunities.

The partnership was discussed during a working visit by the TETFund National Research Fair and Exhibition Committee to the ACCI on Thursday in Abuja, where stakeholders stressed the need to move research beyond academic publications to practical solutions for industry and the wider economy.

Umar Bindir, Chairman of the TETFund Research Exhibition and Technology Fair 2026 Committee, said the visit was aimed at facilitating a deliberate partnership between Nigeria’s knowledge system and industrial sector.

He said the initiative was designed to ensure that research produced by Nigerian institutions was applied to solve local problems and create economic value.

‘The reason why we are here is to facilitate a deliberate partnership between the knowledge system of Nigeria and the industrial system of Nigeria so that we can be able to see our knowledge working for us,’ Bindir said.

He said the desired outcome was for Nigerians to increasingly use locally developed knowledge and technology to deliver infrastructure, produce goods and create employment.

‘It would be nice that if this particular partnership works, we will now start seeing Nigerian roads designed, constructed, operated and maintained by Nigerians. We would love to see milk being produced, processed, packaged by Nigerians. We want to see jobs created all over Nigeria using Nigerian technology and knowledge. We want to see young people creating wealth in various sectors using Nigerian knowledge,’ he said.

Bindir said Nigeria had a substantial research and industrial ecosystem capable of supporting the initiative, citing more than 300 universities and over 600 institutions coordinated by the National Board for Technical Education, alongside institutions under the National Commission for Colleges of Education.

According to him, the TETFund initiative is intended to bring these institutions closer to businesses and industry organisations so that research can respond more directly to economic needs.

He said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that the inspection of facilities at ACCI marked the commencement of engagements ahead of the Research Exhibition and Technology Fair scheduled for later in November.

Earlier, Adesoji Adesugba, 1st Deputy President of ACCI, said the Chamber welcomed TETFund’s deliberate inclusion of the organised private sector in its programmes.

Adesugba said the value of research was ultimately realised when knowledge was translated into products, enterprises and jobs.

He said ACCI, as the voice of businesses in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs, was ready to strengthen collaboration with TETFund through the organised private sector, led by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).

Adesugba highlighted the Chamber’s existing partnership with Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, as an example of how academia-industry collaboration could produce practical outcomes.

According to him, ACCI and the university have jointly developed a Gemology and Jewellery Making curriculum, while the institution has established what he described as the first and only Department of Geology and Gemology, with 150 students currently enrolled.

The Chamber is also involved in entrepreneurship development training, undergraduate research activities, the Farm to Table Agricultural Innovation Programme and a Digital Innovation Centre initiative.

Adesugba said the partnership was designed to ensure that university research topics addressed actual industry needs rather than remaining largely academic.

He, however, called for TETFund support for the establishment of a world-class Gemology Laboratory and Jewellery Making Centre at Yakubu Gowon University.

Such a facility, he said, would provide hands-on training, support certification and testing, and help Nigeria add value to its gemstones and other mineral resources instead of exporting them in raw form.

‘It is worth recalling that this collaboration between the Chamber and the University traces its roots to the tenure of Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah in 2022, and it aligns squarely with what TETFund itself is working to achieve. The link is therefore natural and complementary. What TETFund is championing at the national level, the University and the Chamber are already practising on the ground.

‘It is against this background that I make a specific request of this distinguished Committee. There is a pressing need for a world class Gemology Laboratory and Jewelry Making Centre at the Yakubu Gowon University. Such a facility would anchor the Gemology Curriculum, provide hands on training, support certification and testing, and position Nigeria to add value to its gemstones rather than exporting them raw.

‘The University, working with the Chamber, will be approaching TETFund formally in this regard. I therefore respectfully appeal to the Committee to use its good offices to support TETFund funding for the development of this much needed facility, in line with the mandate of academia and industry collaboration and in support of the work that the University and the Chamber are already doing together,’ Adesugba said

He said the proposed centre would complement TETFund’s broader objective of strengthening collaboration between universities and industry while supporting Nigeria’s efforts to derive greater economic value from its natural resources.

The engagement also included an inspection of ACCI facilities, including the Chamber’s Business Enterprise and Skills Training Centre (BEST Centre), as stakeholders explored opportunities for deeper collaboration between research institutions and the private sector.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the integrity of its assessment processes and safeguarding the interests of every candidate, and advised the general public to refrain from unverified social media speculation.

Moyosola Adesina, the head of public affairs at WAEC, Yaba, Lagos, made this known on Thursday, in a statement on behalf of the head of national office.

‘The council has observed with concern the recent wave of public commentary, particularly from content creators and social media commentators, questioning the accuracy and credibility of the recently released results of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2026.

‘While the council welcomes constructive scrutiny as part of its accountability to candidates, parents, schools, and the wider public, it wishes to state unequivocally that this year’s results were produced through the same rigorous, transparent, and quality-assured processes that have guided the Council’s operations for decades,’ the statement read in part.

Besides, the council explained that the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026, was conducted strictly in line with WAEC’s established standard operational procedures and in keeping with relevant educational policies in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education.

‘While the council recognises that anxiety surrounding examination outcomes is normal, especially for candidates whose expectation is to proceed further to the next level of their academic pursuits, careful consideration must be applied to discountenance unverified claims on the release of results,’ WAEC noted.

To provide clarity and reassurance, WAEC emphasises the following: rigorous quality assurance that every candidate’s script undergoes a multi-tiered system of marking, moderation, and auditing.

‘These processes are guided by standardized marking schemes and overseen by vetted subject experts to ensure objective and fair scoring. Transparent review channels: WAEC maintains clear procedures for addressing queries or grievances.

‘Guidance on query resolutions is available via the council’s offices nationwide and online channels for information dissemination (our website remains www.waecnigeria.org and our X and Facebook accounts remain @waecnigeria),’ the council emphasised.

Moreover, WAEC reiterated its unwavering commitment to preserving the integrity of its assessment processes and safeguarding the interests of every candidate thereon.

‘Members of the public with concerns are advised to refrain from unverified social media speculation and instead contact the council directly through its offices or verified communication channels,’ the statement read.

Dan Etete, Former Petroleum Resources Minister, has challenged an account detailing the death of former military Head of State Sani Abacha. Etete demanded medical, security, and documentary evidence to substantiate claims that the former ruler suffered a cardiac arrest in 1998 at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Etete dismissed the narrative built on the recollections of former State Security Service officer Dennis Amachree as an unsubstantiated story published 28 years after the event. Speaking on the claims, Etete stressed that the death of a sitting Head of State required verifiable evidence rather than memoir-based accounts. He noted that Amachree provided no post-mortem reports, interrogation records, flight details, or official documents.

The controversy follows excerpts from Amachree’s memoir, DSS @40: My Journey Behind the Shield. Amachree claimed Abacha suffered a coitus-induced cardiac arrest at 4:05 a.m. on 8 June 1998.

In a statement titled ‘Twenty-Eight Years On, Still No Evidence,’ Etete questioned how Amachree could offer precise details without official records. Etete demanded to know the identity of the woman allegedly involved, questioning why security authorities allowed her to leave Nigeria.

Hamza Al-Mustapha ,Former Chief Security Officer, also refuted the narrative, describing Amachree’s account as false. Al-Mustapha claimed to possess closed-circuit television footage disproving the allegations.

Etete noted that this version of events never surfaced during past official inquiries when key witnesses were alive. Etete clarified that he spoke as a former cabinet member who knew Abacha personally, describing the narrative as unverified and driven by cheap publicity.

Amachree, an Assistant Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Lagos SSS Command in 1998, maintained his version of events in his memoir. He stated that a woman stayed with Abacha after her sister returned to a hotel.

Amachree claimed the woman panicked after discovering Abacha was unresponsive, arranged transport through a guard, and flew to Lagos. He maintained that SSS operatives located and interrogated her, where she allegedly stated Abacha died of natural causes while they were together.

I have always believed that if you are not reading, you are not really prepared to be a writer. As a teenager, I read a lot of books and considered reading one of my favourite things to do. I still do. I read then as if my life depended on it, and like I always say, my dad, the irreverent Mr Alfred Amodu, gave me an edge over other children my age. By nine years old, I was in his library all the time, and when I got older, libraries and bookshops became a fun pastime. Today, I could be lost in a bookshop for two hours and still be hungry for more.

Writing became my thing from when I was seven years old. My reading self polished my writing self. Over the years, I have read countless books, and my writing got better while my vocabulary expanded.

To be a good writer, you really must be a voracious, if not good, reader.

When I first got my hand on Francine Prose’s book Reading Like a Writer, I knew I had found a gem of a book. Here is truly a book to guide any writer on the sort of books they should be reading to polish their craft. I had already written two books when I found it, but it spoke to me. Books were lined up that I had already read and others I aspired to read, while there were others I had never heard of. Francine’s book is like mining for gold – every single page is a treasure trove. There is Anton Chekhov’s book, Anna Karenina, Shakespeare’s King Lear, and other such delicious books. Every writer and aspiring writer must, as a matter of course, get their hands on this absolutely gorgeous and educative book.

I still get lost in a bookshop, and I am still collecting books, and I am so grateful to be able to write like I do. A column in Businessday every Friday and another now rested in Sunday Trust titled Five Favourite Books with Eugenia Abu. I am still writing keynotes and preparing to deliver two new books.

Writing is beautiful if you have the flow, but that glow can be stultified if you are not reading. So let’s talk about my reading style, which has enhanced my writing. Let’s get into it.

I started writing for the papers in the early eighties, contributing feature articles to the Guardian Newspapers, then one of Nigeria’s top-notch newspapers. But before I started doing that, I used to soak up columns and feature articles in various newspapers. I followed many columnists, especially in the weekend newspapers. You could find me after lunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon with four Nigerian newspapers. I am devouring them. I was galvanised by the columnists of the eighties, from Dele Giwa to Dan Agbese, Ama Ogan to Sully Abu, and Sonata Olumhese to Ndaeyo Uko, and we also had Stanley Macebuh and Edwin Madunagu. Of course, there was Professor Oyewole Tomori, who wrote incredible stuff in the papers. A virologist and a humour merchant. Then there were Professor Wole Soyinka, Eddie Iroh, May Ellen Ezekiel, and so many others. I read them all and in between decided what kind of columnist I was going to be in the future. I was inspired, encouraged, and galvanised.

The books I read over time were eclectic. I read a lot of biographies and non-fiction books, and I also read fiction.

Before I finally wrote my first book, ‘In the Blink of an Eye’, in 2007, I had gone through a gazillion books. But I was also hanging around writers and writing clubs. Association of Nigerian Authors, Abuja Writers Forum and Abuja Literary Society. I was also attending book events and launches by other writers. While writing a book, you must hang around your tribe for inspiration. I still do. Support another writer; show up. Read what they wrote and how they wrote it.

I am currently working on my third and fourth books, and I have returned to Francine Prose’s phenomenal book Reading Like a Writer. I am currently reading two books as they speak to me. Each one reminds me of the books I am writing. Both are non-fiction, as my books are going to be. The stories are great, and the style of the authors is insanely hilarious. The first is by award-winning non-fiction writer Giles Milton, ‘When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain’. History’s unknown chapters. This is a reread. By jove, I could have written this book! When you are writing, it’s wonderful to return to a book you had read two years before and be re-inspired. The second is a new acquisition gifted to me by my daughter Sophia. This book by Milly Goldsmith, ‘Things I Told My Notes App: A Secret Diary of an Oversharer’, could easily have been written by me. My style of writing and speaking is buried deep in a book by a kindred spirit far ashore. It assures you that you are on track, and as conversational as your new book is, it works.

I am delighted that my tome of a book is a good read because I read it from someone who sounds somewhat like me. I can tell you that reading gives you new ideas, pushes you forward, and crystallises your own unique ideas.

Read like a writer if you want to be a writer or consolidate your writing. Read a book that is not even your style. You never know what you might find. Read widely; read biographies, autobiographies, columns, science fiction, fiction books, travelogues, and cookbooks. Who knows where you would find your node. Enough said!!!!

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has called for stronger support from courts, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to expand the use and effective implementation of non-custodial measures in Lagos State.

The call was made on Tuesday at a one-day sensitisation workshop on non-custodial measures for civil society organisations and stakeholders in Lagos, organised by the Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), in partnership with the NCoS and with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme.

Representing George Daramola, controller of Lagos State Command, a senior NCoS official said the introduction of non-custodial measures under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 had expanded the agency’s mandate beyond incarceration.

The measures include community service, probation, parole, restorative justice and other sanctions ordered by courts.

Victoria Dare, deputy controller of Corrections, Non-Custodial, NCoS Lagos State Command, said the shift was intended to move the justice system away from a predominantly punitive approach towards rehabilitation and reintegration.

‘Non-custodial measures added to the mandate of the Nigerian Correctional Service in 2019, through the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019. It’s an additional mandate given to the Nigerian Correctional Service,’ she said.

Dare said the objective was to find ways of managing offenders that could produce better outcomes than simply keeping them in correctional facilities.

‘It’s just to look at the various ways that we can manage an offender and get that actual results. Not only to keep people in a place where results cannot be achieved,’ she said.

She said non-custodial measures could also help address congestion in correctional facilities while supporting the rehabilitation of offenders.

‘Both laws recognise that not every offender needs to be sent to prison,’ Dare said.

Under community service, offenders are assigned unpaid work for the benefit of the community, with NCoS officers responsible for supervision and reporting to the courts. Dare said the service currently has placement centres in Lagos where offenders carry out community service.

The NCoS official, however, identified inadequate operational resources as a major constraint to effective implementation in Lagos.

She said the non-custodial unit needed working tools for offenders, including brooms, rakes, cutlasses, hoes and mopping sticks, as well as office equipment, furniture and logistics vehicles.

Jennifer Madu, representing PRAWA in Lagos, said the organisation’s Non-Custodial Solutions Project, supported by RoLAC and International IDEA, was aimed at promoting a more equitable and effective justice system by reducing over-reliance on incarceration.

She also disclosed that advocacy by PRAWA had contributed to the establishment of parole boards in at least eight states, with persons recently released on parole in Edo and Abia states.

According to Madu, the project also provides support for offenders after release, including starter packs, skills training and assistance to existing businesses to facilitate reintegration.

‘We’re also looking to see improved access to justice and reduction in custodial sentences and finally we are looking to empower offenders for effective reintegration,’ she said.

The workshop sought to increase awareness among stakeholders on the legal framework and practical application of non-custodial measures while strengthening collaboration among the NCoS, courts, civil society organisations and other justice-sector institutions.

The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned one Lawal Babale Musa before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Dele Oyewale, head, Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency in a statement said Musa was arraigned on a fifty-seven-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents, and stealing to the tune of N56, 491, 000.00 (Fifty-six Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand Naira).

Count one of the charges reads: ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or between 2nd November, 2022 to 22nd July, 2024 at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, converted to your own personal use, total sum of N56, 491, 000.00 (Fifty-six Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand Naira) from Ibrahim Shuaibu the sums meant for Hajj pilgrimage through Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna and thereby committed an offence of stealing by conversion contrary to Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.’

Count two reads: ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 10th day of November, 2023 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, forged a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt Number: 0013041 in the name of Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of Forgery of document contrary to Section 465 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.’

Another count of the charges reads, ‘That you, Lawal Babale Musa ‘M’ on or about 2nd of February, 2024 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, uttered a Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency Receipt with Receipt Number: 012654 to one Jibril Adamu with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine and thereby committed an offence of uttering of document contrary to Section 468 and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State. 2000.’

The defendant pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the count charges when they were read to him.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Bashir Shamsuddeen prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

Counsel to the defendant, Kehinde Adegbola informed the court that he had filed a motion, praying the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.

Justice Adetujoye thereafter adjourned the matter till August 17, 2026 for hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant in Agodi Correctional Centre.

Musa’s journey to the Correctional Centre started when he approached one Ibrahim Shuaibu under the pretext that he worked for the Kaduna State Government and could help facilitate the 2023 Hajj Pilgrimage.

Consequently, Shuaibu informed some of his friends : Jibril Adamu, Suleiman Aminatu, Musa Haruna, Suleiman N. Abdullahi, Audu Bello, Yusuf Umaru, Saidu Musa, Idris Suleiman, Musa Yunusa and Usman Haruna who are into the business of cattle breeding and rearing within the Oke-ogun area of Ibadan Oyo State and they cumulatively paid the sum of N56, 491, 000.00 (Fifty-six Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand Naira) to Shuaibu who, in turn, transferred the money to the defendant to facilitate the 2023 Hajj Pilgrimage.

However, no one among the victims were able to attend the Saudi Arabia Hajj Pilgrimage of 2023 due to the fraudulent refusal of Musa to fulfil his promise.

The events of Tuesday morning were chaotic, especially for Air Peace travellers who were stranded due to picketing activities carried out at Lagos and Abuja airports by protesting union leaders. This singular act alone grounded over 70 daily flights and jacked up the airline’s losses to N2 billion.

While the labour unions- the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN)- justified the act, citing unpaid five percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) arrears and restrictions on worker unionisation, legal practitioners and aviation experts have pointed to constitutional boundaries that render the blockades unlawful. This comes as Air Peace management vowed to hold the aviation labour unions financially responsible for passenger compensation and possible lawsuits from the impasse.

Under Nigerian law, trade unions do not possess absolute liberty to disrupt business operations. Enakeno Precious Orogun, a legal practitioner, argued that picketing must remain peaceful and not infringe upon the constitutional rights of third parties

‘Under Section 43 of the Trade Unions Act, picketing is recognised as a lawful tool of labour engagement. However, the law explicitly mandates that picketing must remain strictly peaceful and must not infringe upon the constitutional rights of third parties. Legally, picketing cannot be used to obstruct physical entrances, prevent access to business premises, or disrupt ongoing commercial operations,’ Orogun said.

Orogun points out that aviation infrastructure enjoys special statutory protection under the Trade Disputes (Essential Services) Act:

‘The Act categorically criminalises obstruction or disruption of the smooth running of any essential services. Under the Act, essential services are defined to include transport of persons, goods or livestock by road, rail, sea or air, bringing the aviation industry under the category. Consequently, deliberately obstructing the movement of travellers transitions the action from a labour dispute to a punishable criminal offence under Nigerian law.’

A foundational point of conflict is whether external trade unions have the right to picket a business solely to force its workers to organise.

‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons… The flip side is that the right nit to associate is also protected. Freedom includes freedom from compelled association,’ Samuel Caulcrick, former Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) said.

Caulcrick, who referred to Section 40 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, said that attempting to force a non-union establishment to organise through blockades crosses the constitutional threshold from protection into coercion.

‘When unions picket an establishment solely because it is ‘not open to unionism’, they’re essentially trying to compel association. That crosses from ‘protecting members’ to ‘forcing non-members to associate.’ That’s where it becomes constitutionally shaky,’ Samuel Caulcrick, Former NCAT Rector.

Building on this constitutional principle, Orogun notes that external unions have no legal standing over non-member employees: ‘Lawful trade union action can only be initiated against an enterprise where a direct employer-employee union relationship exists. If Air Peace employees are not members of these aviation trade unions, the unions lack the legal standing to picket the carrier.’

This is reinforced by a subsisting Federal High Court Judgment (April 26, 2024) obtained by Air Peace, which explicitly barred NLC, TUC, NUATE, and police authorities from coercing workers into union membership or disrupting Air Peace operations.

Over 98 percent of Nigerian airline workers are non-unionised, and Air Peace staff have repeatedly voted against union representation.

Thousands of stranded passengers endured delayed travel plans and economic losses. Who then is legally liable under ticket conditions?

‘If Air Peace’s terms of offer explicitly incorporate a force majeure clause-absolving the carrier of liability for operational failures caused by unforeseen, external disruptions such as third-party blockades-then direct claims against the airline will fail in court… Through procedural mechanisms, the court can hold the unions financially liable for tortiously inducing the breach of contract,’ Orogun explained.