Category: Nigerian Tribune

Two Nigerians resident in the United States, Chijioke Timothy Odimegwu and Harafat Mogaji, have been sentenced to a combined 189 months in federal prison for their roles in an international cyber-intrusion scheme that defrauded businesses of more than $2.4 million.

The US Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, David Waterman, announced the sentences, according to a statement issued by the district’s Public Information Officer, MacKenzie Tubbs, on Tuesday.

Tubbs said the two defendants, who were residents of Delaware, were sentenced on September 25, 2026, after being convicted for their roles in the scheme.

According to the statement, Odimegwu and Mogaji were serving in the US Air Force when they and their co-conspirators targeted businesses across the country for nearly two years through email-spamming and phishing campaigns.

The conspirators allegedly used the campaigns to steal usernames and passwords from employees’ email accounts and subsequently used the stolen credentials to facilitate fraudulent transactions.

They also allegedly used spoofed email addresses designed to mimic those of victims or their business partners to communicate with businesses and redirect payments to bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy.

Tubbs said Odimegwu and Mogaji, working with co-conspirators in the US and abroad, fraudulently diverted more than $1.68 million in a wire transfer from a victim in Iowa City, Iowa, to a bank account in Chicago controlled by the conspiracy.

They also diverted more than $720,000 sent by a victim in Ohio to an account controlled by the conspiracy, she said.

‘These are in addition to many other attempts Odimegwu and Mogaji made to divert wire transfers made by businesses in Iowa and across the country,’ Tubbs said.

The defendants were also accused of harvesting financial information from victims during their spamming and phishing campaigns.

The stolen information allegedly included financial account numbers, personal identification numbers, credit and debit card numbers and other financial details.

Tubbs said the stolen information included credit card details belonging to a non-profit organisation in Pella, Iowa.

According to her, the defendants also purchased stolen financial information from their co-conspirators and exchanged the information among themselves.

‘They would then use the stolen information to make and attempt financial transactions without their victims’ knowledge or authorisation,’ she said.

Tubbs added that the defendants attempted to use the stolen information to make purchases involving victims across the country.

Odimegwu was sentenced to 111 months in prison and ordered to pay $366,617.59 in restitution.

Mogaji received a 78-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $995,680.45 in restitution.

Both defendants were taken into custody following sentencing.

After serving their prison terms, Odimegwu and Mogaji will each be placed on three years of supervised release.

The Minority Leader of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying the Federal Government has not delivered the level of development Nigerians expected in its three years in office.

Magaji, who represents Bodinga North Constituency under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks on Tuesday in Sokoto while speaking with journalists on the performance of the Federal Government, particularly in the northern region.

The lawmaker said that, despite the resources available to the Federal Government, he had yet to see sufficient progress to warrant celebration.

‘As far as I am concerned, as a serving legislator, if we are talking about progress in terms of leadership in our country, I can say without any fear of contradiction that I have not seen any progress under the Tinubu administration,’ he said.

Magaji also said he had not seen any significant development in the North that could be described as worthy of celebration under the present administration.

He called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to address the country’s infrastructure deficit and other development challenges.

According to him, the projects being cited by supporters of the administration should be considered against the huge resources available to the Federal Government.

He cited the proposed Trans-Sahara road linking Illela in Sokoto State to Badagry in Lagos as one of the major projects being highlighted by the administration.

‘The only thing people are talking about is the Trans-Sahara road from Illela to Badagry. We need more than that, considering the huge resources available to the present administration,’ Magaji said.

The lawmaker also expressed concern over the security situation in Sokoto State, claiming that insecurity had affected most of the state’s 23 local government areas.

He said only Sokoto North and Sokoto South remained relatively free from the security challenges affecting other parts of the state.

‘What is happening now in Sokoto State is terrible. Out of the 23 Local Government Areas, only two are not vulnerable to security threats.

‘Apart from Sokoto South and Sokoto North Local Government Areas, none of the remaining 21 LGAs is safe,’ he said.

Magaji said the security situation had forced residents of affected communities to abandon their homes and relocate to safer areas.

He disclosed that he was currently accommodating more than 20 displaced persons at his four-bedroom residence.

‘Even at my residence, a four-bedroom apartment, I have to host more than 20 people under my roof.

‘This has become an odd situation because during the tenure of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, only seven out of the 23 LGAs were vulnerable to security challenges,’ he added.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has urged Nigerians to embrace unity, tolerance and brotherly love as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Spokesman of the party, Prince Christopher Odianarewo, on Thursday, said the anniversary provided an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence and reaffirm their commitment to building a better nation.

The Lagos PDP commended Nigerians for what it described as their resilience, courage and determination in the face of economic and social difficulties confronting the country.

It said many citizens were currently grappling with rising living costs, declining purchasing power and other economic pressures, which it attributed to policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal and Lagos State governments.

The party, however, said the anniversary should not be defined solely by the challenges facing the country, stressing the need for Nigerians to focus on their shared identity and common destiny.

It called on citizens to promote tolerance, compassion and responsible citizenship, while rejecting hatred, division and attempts to exploit ethnic, religious, regional or political differences.

‘Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our diversity should be a source of strength, not division,’ the party said.

The opposition party also called for a society in which justice, democratic values, economic opportunities, security and human dignity would be accessible to all Nigerians.

It urged citizens to remain peaceful and actively participate in the democratic process, saying the future of the country should be shaped by Nigerians through their voices, participation and constitutional rights.

The Lagos PDP reaffirmed its faith in the Nigerian people and the country’s future, while expressing hope that Nigeria would continue to prosper as ‘one indivisible nation, united in brotherly love and under the guidance of Almighty God.’

Professor of reproductive endocrinology and Secretary-General of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS), Oladapo Ashiru, has raised concerns over the severe threat environmental toxins pose to fertility and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes.

Speaking at the recent 2nd African Federation of Fertility Societies (AFFS) and the 16th Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH) conference in Abuja, Prof Ashiru urged clinics to assess and support couples through preconception cleansing before they begin fertility treatments.

Prof Ashiru, who also serves as the President of the Africa Reproductive Care Society and Chairman of the MART Group of Health Services, warned delegates that everyday exposure to contaminated air, water, food and soil introduces endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that directly damage sperm, eggs and developing embryos.

According to the presentation, routine semen analysis fails to explain an estimated 30 to 40 per cent of male-factor infertility. Prof Ashiru revealed that hidden complications – such as sperm DNA damage, oxidative stress and epigenetic changes – are increasingly responsible for failed embryo development and lower live birth rates.

Data cited at the conference highlighted several alarming trends, including sperm damage: sperm DNA fragmentation levels above 30 per cent significantly reduce blastocyst formation during IVF.

Seminal cadmium doubling can increase sperm DNA fragmentation by roughly 8 per cent.

On chemical and pesticide risks, agricultural workers exposed to organophosphate pesticides face a 50 per cent higher risk of sperm abnormality. Occupational exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates is directly linked to low sperm concentration and poor semen quality.

Similarly, exposure to air pollution in the 90 days leading up to semen collection drastically reduces sperm motility.

A prospective study in China found that couples living within 500 metres of a major road suffered a 15 per cent lower live birth rate per IVF cycle.

Prof Ashiru emphasised that environmental infertility is both a global crisis and a severe local issue in Nigeria.

He specifically pointed out the high-risk exposures faced by communities in Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta, who contend with constant oil spills and severe air and water pollution.

He noted that international bodies, including the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), have recognised these toxic threats, urging obstetricians and gynaecologists worldwide to address them actively.

To combat these challenges, Prof Ashiru shared compelling clinical findings from the MART/MARTLIFE Detox Clinic in Lagos.

The clinic utilises a preconception detoxification approach based on Modern Mayr Therapy, which integrates lymphatic drainage, infrared sessions, hydrotherapy, oxygen-based therapies and antioxidant supplementation to prepare patients with a history of toxic exposure or unexplained IVF failure.

A study published in Global Reproductive Health compared 131 patients who underwent this detoxification protocol with 87 who did not.

The results demonstrated a clear statistical advantage for detoxified patients across all major success metrics.

According to him, it was a 41.2 per cent pregnancy rate in detoxified patients against 31 per cent in non-detoxified patients, while 27.5 per cent against 21.8 per cent in clinical pregnancy rate, and 23.7 per cent against 15 per cent for live birth rate.

Prof Ashiru explained that this therapy successfully eliminates heavy metals and nutritional toxins, boosts mitochondrial quality and shields reproductive cells from the damaging effects of EDCs.

‘Every couple deserves to begin their journey to parenthood in the healthiest possible environment,’ Prof Ashiru stated. ‘Toxins in our air, food and everyday products can affect sperm and egg quality long before conception, yet they are rarely discussed in the fertility clinic. Assessing exposure and supporting the body before treatment gives couples a better chance of a healthy pregnancy.’

Concluding his address, the IFFS Secretary-General called for an aggressive, combined push for public advocacy, clinician education and expanded research into how environmental exposures dictate fertility outcomes.

He advised individuals planning a family to consult qualified fertility specialists regarding their occupational exposures, diets and lifestyles.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a suit challenging the emergence of former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, held in a judgment on Wednesday that the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, filed by an aggrieved PRP presidential aspirant, Mr Yakubu Kingsley, was statute-barred.

The judge upheld the preliminary objections raised against the competence of the suit by Duke and the party and further held that the suit, being a pre-election matter, was filed in violation of the provision of Section 285(9) of the Constitution.

Justice Umar said, having been filed on June 10, 16 days after the results of the PRP’s presidential primary election conducted on May 25 was made public, it was statute-barred and faulted Kingsley’s contention that the 14-day limit allowed by the Constitution for the filing of pre-election cases ought to start counting from June 6 when the party’s appeal committee wrote to him to communicate its decision, rejecting his appeal.

The judge proceeded to decline jurisdiction, holding that the suit, having been found to be statute-barred, robbed the court of the requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine it and however, he proceeded to also determine the suit on the merits and equally dismissed it on the grounds that the plaintiff failed to prove his case.

He faulted the plaintiff’s argument that Duke was validly returned as PRP’s presidential candidate in the May 25 primary election, having allegedly not been a registered member of the party when the PRP submitted its membership register to INEC on May 4.

Justice Umar held that the issue of membership of a political party is an internal affair of the political party, which is non-justiciable and over which the court lacked jurisdiction.

The judge also faulted the plaintiff’s claim that Duke did not comply with the party’s guidelines, was ineligible to participate in the primary election and ought not to have been cleared to contest, having allegedly failed to physically appear for screening at the party’s national secretariat.

He noted that while Kingsley referred to the PRP’s guidelines, which he claimed Duke violated, he failed to produce the said guidelines before the court as required.

Justice Umar rejected Kingsley’s claim of over-voting during the primary election in states like Bauchi, Kwara and Gombe, holding that he failed to prove over-voting as required by law.

Kingsley had, in his originating summons, urged the court to determine whether Duke was validly returned as the party’s presidential candidate in the May 25 primary election, having allegedly not been a registered member of the PRP when the party submitted its membership register to INEC on May 4.

He prayed for a declaration that Duke was ineligible to participate in the primary election and ought not to have been cleared to contest, having allegedly failed to physically appear for screening at the party’s national secretariat.

The plaintiff also prayed the court to set aside the results from Bauchi, Gombe and Kwara states over alleged over-voting and declare him the PRP presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

He further sought an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise Duke as the party’s presidential candidate and to, instead recognise him as the PRP’s flagbearer.

Former governor of Rivers State, former Minister of Transportation and Vice Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, on Wednesday defended plan by ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to reintroduce what he described as production subsidy.

Amaechi spoke at the ADC National Women’s League Inauguration and Unveiling of ADC Women 1-10 Votes initiative in Abuja.

‘The greatest asset you have is that the presidential candidate has said, I will bring back subsidy. We are not saying we are putting back consumer subsidy. We say we are putting back production subsidy,’ he said.

He explained that production subsidy would mean supporting local refiners by supplying crude at reduced cost to bring down price of fuel, which he said affects transport, food and other costs.

He illustrated the impact of fuel subsidy removal on the cost of haircuts, transport and kerosene, arguing that reduction in fuel price would have ripple effect on cost of living.

Amaechi urged wives of governors and women leaders to put pressure on their husbands to work for victory.

‘If anybody tells you that men are not controlled by their wives, they are lying. My wife controls me,’ he said.

He said if ADC wins the presidential election, party will fight to win governorship seats as well, as the President cannot govern without governors.

He announced a plan to visit Delta, Edo and Cross River states for mobilisation, saying he would dress simply to identify with ordinary Nigerian.

He charged women to return to their states and mobilise at ward level.

‘This one to 10 is small. If you bring 2,000 votes per ward, you are bringing 17 million votes. We have won the election,’ he said.

Amaechi said the struggle to take power requires women at forefront, recalling role of women in liberation of South Africa and in APC’s campaign to unseat previous government.

He said economic hardship has worsened since he left government, citing figures on out-of-school children and illiteracy.

‘By the time I left government as minister, there were between 10 and 12 million out-of-school children. Today, there are 20 million. 80 percent from the North,’ he said.

He said there are 92 million illiterate Nigerians, with 80 percent from North, describing figure as higher than under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amaechi accused President Bola Tinubu administration of worsening cost of living, referencing fuel price increase and food importation.

He said importation of rice undermines local farmers empowered under the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria during Buhari administration.

He also criticised the display of wealth by children of political leaders, asking Nigerians to question sources of wealth.

Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants seeking the governorship ticket of the Nyesom Wike-backed main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, has declared himself winner of the party’s legitimate primary election, rejecting the official result that declared Prof Isa Ali Pantami the winner and gubernatorial candidate in the 2027 general elections.

The fresh primary election, conducted by the PDP on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, under the leadership of the Hon Johnbull Tiemlong Shekarau Committee, ended with the declaration of Isa Ali Pantami as the party’s governorship candidate.

However, speaking to journalists shortly after the announcement of the results, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki claimed that Isa Ali Pantami was legally ineligible to contest, citing a previous court decision as the basis for his position.

According to him, ‘Based on the court judgment which indicated that Isa Pantami was not eligible to contest, I believe that I am the actual winner of this primary election.’

He claimed that, ‘Since I came second in the election and secured the legitimate members’ votes, it is my right to be declared the winner.’

Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki further maintained that Isa Ali Pantami was a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when the PDP screening committee initially screened the aspirants for the original primary election held on 26 May.

He insisted that the fresh primary should have been contested only between him and the third-place candidate, Usman Aliyu Garry.

Vowing to challenge the outcome, Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki said he was prepared to pursue all available legal avenues to reclaim what he considers his rightful victory.

‘I am ready to go to court, even up to the Supreme Court, to reclaim my victory,’ he said.

The dispute follows a previous lawsuit filed by Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, which resulted in the cancellation of Isa Ali Pantami’s initial victory and an order for a fresh primary election.

As Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki prepares to return to court, the legal status of the PDP’s governorship candidate in Gombe State remains subject to further legal determination.

In the same vein, Usman Aliyu Gary, another of the aspirants, has dismissed the conduct of the fresh primary elections as a mere exercise in futility, saying it was against the principles of fairness and justice.

Speaking during a press conference in Gombe, he claimed that there was no valid conduct of the primary elections because of the participation of Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami in the exercise.

According to him, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami was not qualified to participate in the fresh primary elections because, as of the time the aspirants were screened for the May 2026 primary elections, he was not a member of the PDP.

He expressed his determination to pursue legal means to challenge the process, stressing that he is the legitimate person to be declared the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP.

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed sorrow over reports that three persons died in a stampede at the Niger State Government House after a crowd gathered amid reports that N10,000 would be distributed.

Reacting on Wednesday through the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku commiserated with the families of the deceased and called for care for the injured persons.

‘Three Nigerians reportedly went to Government House and did not return home. I mourn them with their families. I pray for those who were injured and call for their immediate care,’ Atiku said.

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He said the incident reflects economic pressure on households and called for the distribution of support to be organised with dignity and the safety of people as a priority.

Atiku called on Niger State Government to establish the full circumstances of the deaths, publish account of how gathering was announced and managed, and provide support to bereaved families and injured persons.

‘There must be no attempt to blame victims for seeking help. The question for those in authority is how three lives came to be lost at gates of government, and what will be done to ensure it never happens again,’ he said.

He said tragedy, coming ahead of Independence Day, calls for efforts to make life more affordable and ensure safety in distribution of government support.

The Federal Government has set a new agenda for the Ministry of Youth Development, directing its management and staff to move beyond organising programmes to delivering measurable results that improve the lives of Nigerian youths.

The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring open the Ministry’s Management Retreat, with the theme, ‘Consolidating Youth Development Priorities: Delivering Results, Strengthening Partnerships, and Expanding Impact.’

Olawande said the theme reflected the Ministry’s commitment to sharpening its priorities, strengthening strategic partnerships and expanding the impact of its interventions across the country.

He said every policy, programme, expenditure and partnership of the Ministry must ultimately answer the question: ‘What difference are we making in the lives of Nigerian youth?’

According to him, the Ministry’s performance should be measured by tangible outcomes such as jobs created, businesses established, skills acquired and improved access to funding and markets.

The minister also identified the recently launched National Youth Data Bank as a critical tool for strengthening evidence-based decision-making, policy formulation, and the design and implementation of youth development programmes.

He called for stronger and more result-oriented partnerships, urging the Ministry to assess collaborations based on their contribution to job creation, skills development, entrepreneurship and other opportunities for young people.

Olawande further tasked the Ministry’s departments and agencies with improving coordination, stressing that ‘planning must connect with budgeting, budgeting with action, and action must produce measurable results.’

He said the retreat should produce clear decisions on priorities, responsibilities, timelines, partnerships and measurable indicators of success.

The minister urged participants to openly identify existing gaps and agree on practical solutions, stressing that the Ministry must build an institution that listens, responds, works collaboratively and takes responsibility for its results.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Maryam Keshinro, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Olaniepekun Adebayo, said the retreat provided an opportunity for the Ministry to review its performance, identify gaps and develop practical measures for delivering better results for Nigerian youths.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to collaborating with the Ministry, particularly in the areas of skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and the productive engagement of Nigerian youths.

Representing the Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms Rinsola Abiola, Marshal Adiole stressed the importance of strategic planning, effective monitoring and evidence-based decision-making in advancing youth development initiatives.

Similarly, the representative of the Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Ms Sharon Dimanche, A’isha Dahiru, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the Ministry in promoting opportunities, inclusion and sustainable development for young people.

Also speaking, Ogo Ifeoma Akabogu, who represented the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry (BOI), Dr Olasupo Olusi, said the bank remained committed to supporting youth entrepreneurship, improving access to finance and promoting the growth of youth-led businesses.

The Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, Hon Aliyu Idris Zakari, stressed the need for meaningful youth participation in governance and decision-making, while commending the Ministry’s efforts to advance youth development.

The annual retreat was attended by directors, heads of units and other management staff of the Ministry.

Archbishop of the Church of God Mission International (CGMI), Most Reverend Margaret Benson-Idahosa, has donated a solar-powered borehole to the Oko Correctional Centre Service (CCS), in Benin City, Edo State.

The project, inaugurated as part of activities marking her 83rd birthday, is to provide a more dependable water supply to the facility, which accommodates more than 1,500 inmates and personnel.

Representing the Archbishop at the inauguration, Bishop Wale Ajayi said the intervention was conceived to support the correctional centre and improve the living conditions of inmates, as well as the working environment of correctional officers.

The Assistant Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Zonal Headquarters, Zone G, Controller Mosue Oizuajemen, described the project as timely, saying inadequate water supply had been a major challenge at the facility.

Oizuajemen explained that the high cost of diesel and fuel for pumping water, compounded by irregular electricity supply, had made it difficult to maintain consistent water availability, and noted that the solar-powered system would provide a more sustainable alternative.

She said the intervention would make a significant difference to the centre, given the large population dependent on its water infrastructure, while commending Benson-Idahosa for her continued support for the welfare of inmates and correctional personnel.

The assistant controller-general recalled that the archbishop had previously provided borehole water to the facility, describing the latest gesture as a meaningful contribution towards ensuring access to water and improving humane conditions at the centre.