Category: Nigerian Tribune

Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Osasele, the General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, located on Okun Ajah, Ogombo Road, Lekki, Lagos, has been ordered to be remanded in custody by a Federal High Court in Lagos following his arraignment on charges of unlawful dealing in illicit drugs.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa gave the remand order on Thursday after the cleric, also popularly known as Abbas Ajakaiye, pleaded not guilty to a single-count charge of allegedly trafficking a colossal amount of 900 kilogrammes of ‘Ghana Loud,’ a potent strain of Cannabis Sativa.

In addressing the court, the counsel for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), M. I. Erondu, revealed that Prophet Osasele was apprehended on August 3, 2024, at Ajah, Lagos, in connection with the prohibited substance.

The agency asserted that the General Overseer’s alleged actions contravene Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and are punishable under the same Act.

The charge, marked FHC/L/682c/2025, specifically accused Osasele, ‘alias Abbas Ajakaiye,’ of dealing in 900 Kilograms of Ghana Loud, a Strain of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine, heroin and LSD, without lawful authority.

Following the cleric’s denial of the allegation and his not guilty plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the commencement of the trial.

However, the defendant’s lawyer, Mimido Nyiew, countered by informing the court that a bail application had been filed and served on the prosecution.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after hearing submissions on the bail request, granted the General Overseer bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in the like sum.

The court further stipulated stringent conditions for the surety, requiring them to swear to an affidavit of means and provide verifiable evidence of ownership of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

Despite the bail being granted, the judge ordered that Prophet Osasele be remanded at the NCoS facility until he is able to fulfil the stipulated bail cconditions.

The matter has been adjourned to November 18, 2025, for trial.

Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly called Odumeje, has ignited a storm of controversy across social media with a blistering critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he flatly described as ‘a businessman rather than a president.’

In a viral video that has drawn widespread attention and diverse reactions, the often-controversial cleric, who goes by the moniker ‘Indaboski,’ argued that the true measure of a leader lies in their commitment to national development and the welfare of their citizens, a standard he believes is unmet by the current administration.

Odumeje starkly contrasted President Tinubu with several global figures he hailed as exemplary nation-builders, including former US President Donald Trump, Burkina Faso’s leader Ibrahim Traoré, and China’s President Xi Jinping.

According to him, these figures represent true leadership dedicated to elevating their respective countries.

‘I don’t know who’s calling Tinubu president. Tinubu is just a businessman. If you want to talk about a president, call Trump, Ibrahim Traoré, Xi Jinping, and many others, they are all true leaders.

‘Leaders are people who develop their country so that their children and citizens can benefit, but the ones we have in Nigeria are busy acquiring wealth for their own children,’ he was quoted as saying.

Lamenting the country’s dire situation, Odumeje accused the political elite of focusing solely on amassing wealth for their personal families while neglecting the growth and prosperity of the nation.

He concluded his sharp condemnation by redefining Nigeria’s globally recognized status. Despite the popular tag of being the ‘Giant of Africa,’ the Prophet asserted that the country has devolved into what he bluntly called a ‘giant of f@ilure not a Giant of Africa.’

The fiery remarks from the influential cleric are expected to continue driving debate over the priorities of the current Nigerian leadership and the overall state of the nation.

The All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC), has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Bankers’ Committee for their role in revamping and reopening the National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

AFRIMA described the restoration of the 1976 landmark as a major step in preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage and boosting the arts sector. The project, led by the CBN and Bankers’ Committee, was inaugurated during Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary celebrations.

AFRIMA President and Executive Producer, Mike Dada, called the development a milestone for Nigeria’s creative industries.

‘The National Arts Theatre has played a crucial role in nurturing African creativity, serving for decades as a hub for music, theatre, film and cultural festivals. Its revival speaks volumes about Nigeria’s vision and the dedication of stakeholders like the CBN and the bankers’ committee to supporting the creative economy,’ Dada said. ‘This is not just a building restored, but a renewal of cultural confidence and an investment in future generations of Nigerian and African talent.’

Dada also congratulated Nigeria on its 65th independence anniversary, commending the country’s resilience and leadership in music, film, fashion, and digital culture.

‘On behalf of the International Executive Committee of AFRIMA, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Nigeria as the country marks 65 years of independence. Nigeria remains a vital partner to AFRIMA and a key pillar of Africa’s cultural identity. Its creative energy continues to inspire not just the continent but the world,’ he added.

He noted that Nigeria’s role as host of the 9th AFRIMA Awards has further amplified African music globally and strengthened unity across the continent.

AFRIMA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting African music, nurturing young talent, and advancing culture as a driver of pride and development.

The South-West coordinator of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM), Alhaji Abass Olaniyi, has dismissed Reno Omokri’s recent appeal for the South West and the North to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, saying that the region will not ‘reward monumental failure with another mandate’.

Omokri, in a statement, had urged the two regions to show solidarity with Tinubu, likening the plea to the North’s decision to back former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 despite his poor performance in office.

He also claimed that Tinubu had expanded Nigeria’s GDP and launched infrastructure projects in the North.

But reacting in a statement, Olaniyi accused Omokri of political deception and manipulation, stressing that governance is about competence, not ethnic reciprocity or emotional blackmail.

‘Our people are too politically conscious to reward hunger, poverty, and economic collapse with fresh endorsement’, Olaniyi said.

He argued that the economic record of the APC-led government was catastrophic, noting that Nigeria’s GDP, which stood at over $570 billion in 2014, had shrunk to less than $300 billion, representing almost a 50% contraction. He said this went beyond a recession and was more than economic depression, citing soaring inflation, unemployment, and poverty as evidence of Tinubu’s poor performance.

Olaniyi dismissed Tinubu’s claims of GDP growth as ‘a mirage created by currency devaluation that leaves Nigerians poorer than ever’, adding that ‘Nigerians don’t eat GDP statistics; they eat food, and under Tinubu food is unaffordable’.

Positioning Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the South West’s political alternative, Olaniyi described him as a credible leader with the vision, global exposure, and economic acumen to unite the North and South based on fairness and competence.

‘The South West cannot tie its destiny to a sinking ship. Across Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti, the conversation is already tilting towards Gbenga Hashim. He represents the hope and new beginning that Nigeria desperately needs’, Olaniyi said, in contrast to Tinubu’s poor performance.

He also urged Northern leaders to resist divisive appeals and instead align with genuine progressive forces committed to rescuing Nigeria from years of misrule.

‘2027 is a defining year. Nigerians must rise above deception and sentiment to embrace competent leadership. The South West is ready to lead that change, and Gbenga Hashim is the rallying point’, he said.

A neurosurgeon, Professor Olufemi Adeleye, stated that the use of motorcycles and other single-occupant transport for mass transit is a brain-numbing, dangerous practice that should be urgently stopped to reduce the increasing cases of brain injury from road crashes in Nigeria.

Professor Adeleye, in his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Adversity, Neurosurgery, Innovations: Ibadan’ at the University of Ibadan, stated that motorcycle crashes have overtaken motor vehicle crashes as the most frequent cause of brain injury in recent decades, exacting a heavy toll on the limbs and lives of people, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

According to him, ‘the victims are the young, productive members of the population, often the riders themselves. They suffer severe brain injuries, which many times require surgical operations that they cannot afford; as a result, they simply perish.

‘For, as it turns out, they are actually not making any sustainable living whatsoever from this brain-numbing, infernal trade. Hence, they languish in the emergency rooms of hospitals, unable to raise the funds for even the basic medical tests and investigations required, let alone the surgical operations.’

‘For instance, the in-hospital cost of all that is involved with basic remedial brain surgery in an average situation is about 1 million naira, more or less.

The donor said that requiring patients to pay out-of-pocket for hospital care is a harmful health-financing model that burdens people who are already very impoverished, living on less than 50 cents a day, and called for it to be phased out.

‘Surely, parents who live on less than 50 cents a day may, if necessary, be encouraged-even urged-to find a way to personally bear the cost, the $10 expense of those childhood diseases; although they would not receive all the help or aid they need when faced with the misfortune of caring for a child with brain cancer or similar serious illnesses,’ he added.

Professor Adeleye also encouraged fostering a spirit of invention in medical care despite the resource-challenged environment in Nigeria, rather than being carried away by high-tech gadgets, saying, ‘we should always focus on how to simplify, at least for now. Think global, act local.’

He added, ‘We should arm ourselves with the most up-to-date, cutting-edge knowledge and skills in our trades and disciplines, and then steer our minds toward finding ways to simplify them for local acceptability, relevance, and affordability. Many tools, gadgets, and pieces of equipment used in healthcare institutions are products of advanced technologies, which often make their deployment logistically challenging in low-resource areas.

‘Let us gain all the necessary foreign exposure, not just to become local champions, but also to look forward to returning home with an eye for simple measures and tools that are more appropriate for our environment.’

Abia Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has demanded a written retraction, public apology, and the sum of N100bn as compensation from Hon. Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, also known as Iyierioba Chikamnayo, over a series of ‘defamatory and malicious’ publications he made against him on Facebook.

In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by his counsel, Dr. Sonny Ajala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Otti accused Chikamnayo of persistently making ‘unjustified demonic online defamatory posts’ against him on his Facebook account titled ‘Iyierioba Chikamnayo.’

The publications, which include posts captioned ‘Alex Otthief is a confirmed criminal and disaster!’ posted on September 22, 2025, and ‘Fighting Promax!!!!’ on September 21, 2025.

Others, such as ‘Old or new Abia?’ shared on September 14, 2025, ‘Sabbath Message’ on September 13, 2025, and ‘Alex Otthief is a confirmed criminal and congenital liar = looting governor!’ on August 15, 2025, were cited as examples of libelous attacks against the governor.

Ajala of Deeplaw Associates said, ‘Our client for the avoidance of doubt is the only Governor and Chief Executive of a State within the 36 States of Nigeria who bears the name Alex Chioma Otti, thus no effort is required by members of the public to link all your spiteful, false and defamatory attacks to our client either by direct name calling or by other variant of the name Alex Chioma Otti by way of caricature, pun, simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia and/or metonymy.’

The SAN affirmed that Otti’s integrity has remained sterling over the years, citing his ‘distinguished career’ in the banking sector, where he rose to become Managing Director/Chief Executive of Diamond Bank Plc before venturing into politics.

The letter recounted how Otti was confronted with the post on September 29, 2025, while in Abuja attending the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Abia State’s Attorney-General.

Ajala said Otti’s attention was called to Chikamnayo’s Facebook wall, where he found ‘a cocktail of disparaging publications calculated to instigate public hatred against him.’

Ajala, in the letter, stressed that his client ‘unequivocally denies in their entirety your malicious defamatory materials published online,’ adding that ‘he (Otti) has no criminal indictment whatsoever or conviction by any court of law and thus declares unequivocally that the content of your online publications generally and specifically. as blatant falsehood.’

The SAN further argued that Chikamnayo’s actions amounted to ‘unquantifiable mental torture, depression, denigration, brutal destruction of his reputation built over the decades’ and ‘utterly disfigured and diminished our client’s standing in the eyes and estimation of right-thinking persons.’

Governor Otti’s demands include a written retraction of all defamatory posts to be published on the same Facebook wall as well as in four national dailies, namely ThisDay, Punch, The Nation, and National Ambassador Newspapers.

It also requested a written apology to be published on the same Facebook wall, compensation of N100bn for reputational damage, and an undertaking to cease from any further defamatory publications.

Ajala warned: ‘Take very careful notice that should you fail, refuse, and/or ignore to comply with our demands as contained herein within seven (7) days from the delivery of this letter. we shall without further recourse to you seek legal redress for the appropriate remedy against you for your malicious online libelous publication against our client graphically recounted herein.’

The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku and the Majority Leader in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunji Oshati, have appealed to the protesting youths of Ireakari Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to remain calm and hopeful, assuring them that the government has not neglected their plight.

The Commissioner explained that the Ireakari axis was mentioned at the last State Executive Council meeting under the Operation Emergency Road Construction programme, and expressed confidence that the roads in Idoani, Idogun, Imeri and Afo communities would soon be attended to as a matter of urgency.

Ajanaku noted that both the state and federal roads serving the communities, including the Ipele-Idoani-Isua road and the Oba-Ikun-Afo road, have already been brought to the state government’s attention. He said remedial works and major interventions would commence as soon as the rainy season subsides.

He stressed that the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa will never abandon any part of the state in its developmental agenda, adding that the OUR EASE Agenda remains a guiding principle to ensure that every citizen enjoys the dividends of democracy.

‘The government of Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is responsive and people-oriented. I want to assure our people in Ireakari that they have not been forgotten. Their concerns are already on the table, and as soon as weather permits, the road rehabilitation programme will extend to their axis,’ Ajanaku said.

On behalf of the state government, he further urged the youths to remain peaceful and continue to engage constructively with the government, stressing that their sacrifices and patience would soon yield positive results.

The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Command, Gbenga Agun, has reportedly died on Thursday in Benin.

Tribune Online gathered that the NSCDC Commander slumped at an event organised by a peace ambassador in Benin, where he was expected to be honoured with an award of excellence.

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It was learnt ýthat Agun, who was a guest speaker at the event organised by the International Association of World Peace Advocates, reportedly slumped shortly after delivering his keynote address.

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ýA source told Tribune Online that the Agun was immediately rushed to the Military Base hospital located on Airport Road for medical attention.

He said late Agun was confirmed dead at the hospital by the doctor on duty, who, according to him (the source), confirmed that the Commandant was brought In Dead (BID)

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ýEfforts to get a response from the state command was unsuccessful, as calls to the Command’s spokesperson, Mr Efosa Ogbebor, were not answered.

Big Brother Naija Season 10 took a dramatic turn on Thursday as one of the housemates, Adewale Faith, simply known as Faith, was disqualified from the reality TV show.

The disqualification was announced by Big Brother while addressing the housemates, citing repeated violations of the show’s rules.

According to Big Brother, Faith’s recent altercation with another housemate, Sultana, breached the code of conduct guiding all housemates.

In a now-viral video on social media, he engaged in physical violence with Sultana, forcefully dragging a bucket from her until she fell.

Faith becomes the first housemate of the season to be disqualified, cutting short his journey for the ?120 million grand prize.

Big Brother Naija, which premiered its 10th season earlier this year, now has nine housemates competing for the ultimate prize.

Tribune Online reports that Faith, a few weeks ago, described fellow housemate Imisi as a threat to his progress in the competition.

During a conversation with Mide and other housemates, Faith explained that his strained relationship with Imisi had made it nearly impossible for them to work together effectively.

‘Imisi is a threat to my success,’ Faith said, drawing gasps from the housemates.

Former Minister of State for Defence and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said Nigeria will reclaim its rightful place as giant of Africa under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He equally joined millions of Nigerians all over the world to celebrate Nigerian 65th Independence Day Anniversary.

In a statement personally signed and issued to newsmen by Senator Obanikoro, reads in part: ‘As Nigeria marks her 65th Independence Anniversary, I, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, join millions of compatriots across the globe in celebrating the remarkable journey of our beloved nation a journey defined by sacrifice, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of our people.

‘Sixty-five years ago, our founding fathers, with uncommon courage and conviction, reclaimed our sovereignty and entrusted us with the sacred responsibility of nationhood. Since then, Nigeria has faced trials that would have broken lesser nations.

‘Yet, time and again, Nigerians have demonstrated an unyielding capacity to rise above adversity, to endure, and to hope. It is this resilience that continues to define us as a people.

‘Today, our democracy stands firm after 26 unbroken years, our diversity remains our greatest strength, and our sons and daughters excel across the globe in every field of human endeavor. These are testaments to the enduring greatness of Nigeria.

‘At 65, we must reflect on how far we have come and reaffirm our collective determination to build the Nigeria of our dreams.

‘The task before us is to transform our challenges into stepping stones for national renewal, and to place the prosperity of our people above all else.’

Senator Obanikoro, who also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his bold reforms, called for a vibrant private sector and as well urged Nigerians to see themselves as stakeholders in building the country.

‘I commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his bold reforms and unwavering commitment to repositioning our economy, restoring global confidence, and deepening hope for all Nigerians.

‘While the path of renewal is never easy, I am confident that under his leadership, Nigeria is poised to reclaim her rightful place as the giant of Africa and a beacon of black excellence in the world.

‘However, beyond government’s efforts, I urge Nigerians to pursue the coming years with a collective approach.

‘No nation has ever achieved true greatness on the back of government alone; development thrives only where there is synergy between the public and private sectors.

‘A vibrant and stronger private sector, working in harmony with government, will serve our nation best and accelerate our journey to prosperity.

‘Individualism does not pay, and government cannot do it alone.

‘Every Nigerian must see themselves as a stakeholder in the project of building our country. I therefore call on all citizens to remain consistent, resilient, and committed in everything they do, for it is our shared efforts that will shape the Nigeria of tomorrow.

‘As we celebrate, let us remember that nation-building is a shared responsibility. Our unity, resilience, and shared optimism remain the greatest assets in our march to greatness.

‘May the Almighty continue to guide our leaders, bless our people, and preserve our nation for generations to come.

‘Happy 65th Independence Anniversary, Nigeria!’ He stated.