Category: Nigerian Tribune

The High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi, has directed that two men, Ali Bala and Yusuf Umar Anka, remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until 8 September 2026, when their bail application will be entertained.

It would be recalled that the anti-graft agency had arraigned the duo over an alleged £110,000 and N500 million fraud.

The defendants were specifically arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, stealing and retention of stolen property.

According to the anti-graft agency, Ali Bala and Yusuf Umar Anka allegedly conspired to disguise the source of stolen funds.

One of the counts reads: ‘That you, Ali Bala (a.k.a. Barrister Ahmed) and Yusuf Umar Anka, sometime in 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conducted financial transactions involving proceeds of your unlawful activities to disguise the source of the stolen £110,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Thousand Pounds Sterling), and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1)(b)(i) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.’

But the duo had pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against them. Following their plea, the counsel for the prosecution, H.U. Kofarnaisa, asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility.

However, the counsel for the defendants informed the judge of a pending bail application and asked the court to hear the application.

In his ruling, Justice Ogunjobi set 8 September 2026 as the date to entertain the defendants’ bail application, ordering that the duo be remanded in the custody of the anti-graft agency.

Six children allegedly abducted by a suspected child-stealing and human trafficking syndicate have died in captivity, while 17 others have been rescued by the Oyo Police Command.

The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, disclosed this on Monday during a press conference in Ibadan, where the command paraded suspects arrested in connection with the alleged criminal network.

According to the commissioner, the syndicate, allegedly headed by a 50-year-old herbal trader identified as Adegoke Popoola, popularly known as Orente, operated across Oyo and other states.

The deceased children were identified as Musharaf Lawal Tajudeen, two; Greatness Adeagbo, five; Sainat Amoo, two; Taiwo Usman, two; Daniel Solomon Olayinka, seven; and Miracle Olaniyi, four.

The 17 rescued children include Ifakunle Ifagbenro, three; Musibau Olasupo, five; Sulaimon Osamo, seven; Murina Fidaus, three; Aminat Yusuf, three; Taiwo Olamilekan, three; an infant male aged nine days; Rafiat Waheed Babalola, two; Quwiyat Alade, five; Rejoice Divine, three; Alhaji Divine, five; Eniolorunda, three; Victoria, three; Isoma Prince, three; Roqeeba, four; Boluwatife Odedeyi, three; and Ireoluwa Elizabeth Olapade, seven.

Abimbola said the children were allegedly taken from churches, social gatherings, homes, and other public events using different methods.

He said the investigation began after a petition dated July 29, 2026, was submitted by Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, from the Sogade area of Ariyo, Ibadan.

The petition, according to him, alleged conspiracy, cyberbullying, threat to life, and defamation of character, and was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad on August 3.

The police chief said investigators later discovered that the petitioner was allegedly linked to the disappearance of a three-year-old boy, Ifakunle Ifagbenro, during a masquerade festival in Oyo.

He said the child had accompanied his father to his father-in-law’s family compound for the event, while Popoola had arrived two days earlier to assist with preparations.

Abimbola said Popoola offered to carry the child during the festival, after which she allegedly disappeared with him.

The matter was subsequently reported at the Atiba Police Divisional Headquarters in Oyo.

According to the commissioner, photographs and video recordings from the event showed Popoola carrying the child, while digital evidence and statements from witnesses further linked her to the boy’s disappearance.

Popoola was arrested on August 4 and allegedly admitted attending the festival and leaving with the child.

The commissioner said her statement became a breakthrough in the investigation, leading detectives to uncover what they described as a wider child-trafficking network.

He said Popoola allegedly confessed to participating in the stealing of more than 15 children, mostly between the ages of two and seven, from churches, parties and other events within and outside Oyo State.

She reportedly identified one Adekanbi Janet, also known as Hosanna, as an associate in the alleged operation.

Abimbola said Adekanbi was subsequently traced to Mowe, Ogun State, where police rescued four children aged between two and four years and recovered two pregnant young women.

According to him, Adekanbi admitted knowing Popoola for about 10 years in connection with the alleged stealing and sale of children, although she denied involvement in the disappearance of Ifakunle.

The commissioner said investigations showed that some of the children were allegedly kept in custody while arrangements were made for their sale, while the pregnant women were allegedly housed until they gave birth.

Information obtained from Adekanbi reportedly helped detectives locate Ifakunle, who was rescued around the Gbagi area of Ibadan on August 20.

The investigation subsequently extended to Delta State.

Abimbola said a police team travelled to Agbor on September 2, where four children allegedly stolen from Oyo State were rescued from suspected buyers.

Two suspects, identified as 48-year-old Christopher Joy and 53-year-old Rosemary Jesse, were arrested and allegedly confessed to involvement in the alleged child-trafficking business.

The commissioner said the development confirmed the interstate nature of the suspected network and indicated that children were allegedly being moved out of Oyo State.

He further disclosed that investigators uncovered an alleged ritual dimension to the activities of some members of the network.

According to him, a suspect allegedly told investigators that whenever a child died while in their custody, the body was sold to suspected ritualists.

The revelation reportedly led to the arrest of Muritala Fasasi, an Alfa, and Yakubu Azeez, a herbalist, who police alleged had confessed to involvement in the use of the bodies for ritual purposes.

Abimbola said one of the principal suspects, known as Orente, also allegedly told investigators that she had stolen 13 children before her arrest.

The suspect reportedly said she targeted homes and other places where children could be taken without immediate detection.

She allegedly told investigators that the children were sold for between N500,000 and N600,000 and claimed to have been involved in the business since October 2024.

The commissioner said the suspect also described how she allegedly gained the trust of parents during traditional and spiritual gatherings before taking children away.

In one instance, she allegedly claimed to have approached parents of children living with disabilities under the guise of offering treatment before taking the children.

Abimbola appealed to parents and guardians whose children had gone missing to visit the Police Command Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, to help identify the rescued children and facilitate their reunification with their families.

He said the command was working with other security and government agencies to determine the full structure of the suspected network, locate other missing children and establish the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.

The commissioner assured that anyone found culpable would face the law.

He urged parents and guardians to report missing children immediately and exercise caution when dealing with individuals claiming to be traditional or spiritual healers, particularly those seeking to separate children from their families or take them to undisclosed locations.

Abimbola also appealed to members of the public with useful information about the suspected network to contact the police, assuring them of appropriate confidentiality.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons and dismantling criminal networks operating in the state.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday declared a zero-tolerance policy for anti-party activities in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aiyedatiwa, who dismissed allegations that he was sponsoring some APC members and candidates to defect to opposition parties, said he had never directed any candidate to contest an election on another platform.

The governor spoke on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting with the APC’s 18 local government and 203 ward chairmen in Akure, where he charged them to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

He described the ward chairmen as critical to the party’s electoral success, noting that elections were ultimately won at polling units located within the wards.

‘Elections are won at the polling units. And the polling units are right there in the ward. And you are the ward chairmen. Very, very important. You are occupying a significant role in party structure,’ he said.

Aiyedatiwa directed ward chairmen and secretaries to hold regular meetings and bring party leaders together to deliberate on party affairs, particularly mobilisation for the forthcoming elections.

He, however, warned that such mobilisation must not be accompanied by anti-party activities.

‘I have zero tolerance for anti-party. I have never engaged in anti-party in my life,’ the governor declared.

He described those accusing him of anti-party activities as ‘naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers’, insisting that his political history demonstrated his loyalty to the progressive political family.

The governor recalled that at a time when the Labour Party was in government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was dominant in Ondo State, particularly in his senatorial district and local government, he chose to join the Alliance for Democracy (AD), later ACN, despite the party being out of power.

He also recounted his political experiences between 2010 and 2020, including his emergence as deputy governor and the 2019 APC primary election, saying the experience taught him the importance of respecting party leadership and its decisions.

According to him, although he won the 2019 primary, the result was overturned by the party leadership in Abuja, which, he noted, remained supreme.

He said he had also supported aspirants in the past in accordance with decisions reached by the party leadership after consultations, stressing the need for discipline, loyalty and respect for party decisions.

The governor consequently rejected allegations that his administration was sponsoring APC members to defect to the PDP or other political parties.

‘So, no to anti-party, that’s what I’m trying to say. Let’s support Mr President and all the candidates of our party,’ he said.

Aiyedatiwa also expressed appreciation to party leaders for their positive assessment of his administration’s projects and programmes, describing their commendations as encouraging.

He said the feedback would spur his administration to accelerate the completion of ongoing projects across the state.

Earlier, the APC State Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, called for total loyalty to Governor Aiyedatiwa and the party, describing loyalty to the governor as the party’s leader as ‘the right thing to do.’

Kolawole urged the local government and ward chairmen to support all APC candidates, saying the governor had directed the party to work towards securing 100 per cent support for its candidates in 2027.

He warned that the party would not tolerate anti-party activities, alleging that it had gathered intelligence on acts of disloyalty by some members.

The chairman said those found culpable would face the consequences at the appropriate time.

Kolawole expressed confidence that the APC would win the 2027 presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

He commended Aiyedatiwa for activating the various organs of the party, including the State Executive Committee, Caucus and Elders Council.

He also praised the governor for approving regular ward meetings to strengthen the party at the grassroots and for increasing the allowances of ward and local government chairmen by 100 per cent.

He added that the allowances of state party executives had also been increased.

Speaking on behalf of the 18 local government chairmen, Oluwadare Fadumo commended the governor for what he described as unprecedented support for local councils and their people.

Fadumo said the administration’s projects and empowerment programmes had positively impacted market women and youths, while the increase in allowances for party chairmen had generated excitement among party members.

‘We want to thank you because this is the first time this is happening in the history of politics in Ondo State,’ he said.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has attributed the growing success of Nigerian-owned companies expanding into global brands to the economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Shettima said indigenous companies such as Flutterwave, Moniepoint and Andela were leveraging the gains of the administration’s reforms across various sectors to expand their operations and strengthen their businesses.

The Vice President spoke on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation from Flutterwave, led by its Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Olugbenga Agboola.

Flutterwave is a Nigerian fintech company that provides payment infrastructure for global merchants and payment service providers.

Shettima assured the Flutterwave team of the Federal Government’s continued support for the company’s operations within and outside Nigeria.

‘We have to support and promote our own. We have to make our companies stronger,’ he said.

The Vice President said Flutterwave’s success could be attributed to its ability to develop indigenous solutions to address African challenges, particularly in the digital payments sector.

According to him, the company had demonstrated how Nigerian firms could develop solutions capable of competing on the global stage.

Earlier, Agboola told the Vice President that Flutterwave’s goal was to achieve massive growth over the next few years and consolidate its position as a leading payments and banking company in Africa and globally.

He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, Shettima and the Federal Government for the confidence reposed in the company, describing it as a strategic signal of the government’s support for Nigerian businesses.

‘Your Excellency, it’s my honour to be here today. Like I said, our goal is to partner with you and your team to reason how we can do more to advance the administration’s amazing economic agenda that we have seen working right now in the country. We want to be a part of that positive story,’ Agboola said.

He added, ‘We are very much a Nigerian company. I’m very much Nigerian. Nigeria is our home. And everybody here, as you can see, they’re all Nigerians. Our goal is to ensure that we do our best to help move Nigeria forward.’

The meeting was also attended by the Chief Executive Officer of Stanel Group, Stanley Uzochukwu, and other senior management staff.

Tension is mounting among academic staff of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) following the alleged payment of only half of their August salary, a development that has renewed concerns over the funding of Nigeria’s public universities.

While academic staff were said to have received 50 per cent of their August salary, non-academic workers of the institution were reportedly paid their full salaries for the month.

The development, which came without prior notification to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has reportedly left many lecturers, particularly those servicing loans obtained from the university, in severe financial difficulty.

Some affected lecturers were said to have been left with little or nothing after deductions, at a time when families are making preparations for the resumption of schools later this month.

The development also comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s recent payment of five months’ salary arrears to university workers as part of the implementation of agreements reached with ASUU.

However, sources within the university community said the Federal Government’s inability to release regular subvention to the institution had placed additional financial pressure on the university management.

It was gathered that the university resorted to its internally generated revenue (IGR) to pay the half salary to academic staff for August.

The situation has consequently triggered fresh concerns over the sustainability of relying on universities’ internally generated funds to meet recurrent obligations traditionally supported by government funding.

In an attempt to calm the situation, the UNIBEN branch of ASUU issued an ‘important notice’ to members after meeting with the university administration over the salary issue.

The union said management had assured it that further payments would be made.

According to the statement signed by the branch Secretary, Dr L. O. Aimiyekagbon, members were assured that ‘more alerts will come soon,’ adding that there was therefore ‘no cause for alarm.’

The union urged members to remain calm while awaiting the outstanding payment.

Speaking on the development, the branch Chairman, Dr Enaruna Edosa, described the half-salary payment as a surprise but disclosed that management subsequently paid professorial allowances to deserving academic staff three days after the salary payment.

Edosa said he was optimistic that the remaining half of the August salary would be paid, based on assurances from the Vice-Chancellor.

‘I believe the Vice Chancellor that the outstanding half salary will be paid,’ he said.

The development has, however, raised questions about the implementation of the Federal Government’s agreements with university-based unions, particularly where funding responsibilities are transferred, directly or indirectly, to individual institutions.

University workers have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate funding of public universities, arguing that irregular government releases could undermine the ability of institutions to meet salary obligations and sustain academic activities.

For the affected UNIBEN lecturers, the immediate concern remains when the balance of their August salary will be paid, especially as the new academic session and associated financial obligations draw closer.

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kano State Command, have arrested four suspected illicit drug dealers in the Gaida area of Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects were apprehended during a covert operation carried out by operatives of the Corps’ Counter Terrorism Unit, based at Dorayi Babba in Gwale Local Government Area.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi, a copy of which was made available to the press in Kano.

According to the statement, the arrest followed credible intelligence received by the security agency regarding suspected illicit drug activities in the area.

The suspects were identified as Abubakar Abdullahi, 35; Rabiu Baffa, 25; Aminu Lawan, 35; and Ibrahim Idris, 33, all residents of Gaida, Kumbotso LGA.

Items recovered from them included four sachets of Pregabalin 300mg capsules, popularly known as ‘PG’; dozens of Diazepam tablets, locally referred to as ‘Fara’; three tubes of Oshin Solution, also known as ‘Sholisho’; three big packs and 20 parcels of suspected marijuana.

The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Agalama, cautioned members of the public, particularly youths, against the illegal sale, distribution and abuse of illicit drugs.

Agalama described drug abuse as a serious threat to public safety, security and the well-being of society, particularly among young people.

He said the four suspects and the recovered exhibits would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Command, after preliminary investigation by the NSCDC.

According to him, the handover would enable the NDLEA to conduct further investigation and take necessary legal action.

Agalama also reiterated the commitment of the NSCDC Kano Command to collaborating with sister security agencies and other stakeholders to combat drug-related offences and activities capable of undermining peace and security in the state.

He urged members of the public to continue providing security agencies with credible information on suspected illicit drug activities, assuring them that such information would be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has described his Allied Peoples Movement (APM) counterpart, Seyi Makinde, as qualified to become Nigeria’s president.

Obi made the declaration on Monday at the inauguration of Makinde’s presidential campaign office in Abuja, where he called for greater unity among political actors ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former Anambra governor said the contest should not be driven by desperation or political hostility, but by the desire to build a better country.

‘We want a Nigeria of unity, inclusion; we have a candidate who is contesting for President today, my dear brother Makinde. Is he qualified to be President? Yes, he is qualified,’ Obi said.

He also pledged to support whoever emerges as the winner of the 2027 presidential election, provided the victory was achieved through a free, fair and credible process.

‘What we are doing today, for us, is not about desperation, but we want Nigerians to make their choice. All of us should come together to build a new Nigeria. We can’t continue the way we are going; our people are hungry and poor.

‘Whoever wins genuinely from a free, fair, and credible election, we will all work together to save this country from collapse,’ he said.

Obi urged politicians to move away from politics centred on personal disagreements and instead focus their energy on addressing the challenges confronting Nigerians.

He said his presence at the inauguration was intended to demonstrate solidarity and promote a new approach to political engagement.

‘That’s why I’m here to show solidarity and assure you that we are changing the system, we don’t want politics of quarrel, politics of disagreement. Let our quarrel be to feed our people, we want a Nigeria where the child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,’ Obi added.

He said the country needed political leaders capable of putting the welfare of citizens above personal and partisan interests, stressing that Nigerians should be allowed to freely choose their next president.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) has charged newly inducted HR professionals to prioritise competence, continuous learning, ethical conduct, and measurable impact as they take on greater responsibilities in their ministry and communities.

The charge was given by the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, at the Institute’s 72nd Induction Ceremony, held virtually, where a total of 57 professionals from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) were inducted.

The new inductees, comprising one through the Executive Route and 56 through the HR Practitioners’ Route, reflect the Church’s commitment to strengthening professional competence and excellence among its workforce.

Mallam Gobir, at the event themed ‘Building High-Impact Competencies for Effective Service and Ministry’, described the induction as not just an admission into a professional body, but a call to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the HR profession, their ministry, and society.

According to him, the changing nature of work makes continuous learning, professional development, and adaptability essential for HR professionals seeking to remain effective and relevant.

On the theme of the event, Mallam Gobir drew a distinction between being busy and being impactful, stressing that competence, character, and service must come together to produce meaningful results.

He urged the new inductees not to be overly focused on titles and positions, but to concentrate on the value they bring to their organisations.

He further reminded the inductees that their CIPM qualification carries responsibilities beyond professional recognition, urging them to uphold the Institute’s standards, maintain their membership in good standing, participate actively in CIPM activities, and commit to continuous learning and development.

The Guest Speaker, Dr. Oluyemi Adeosun, stressed the importance of competence as a foundation for effective service and professional excellence.

He described competence as the combination of knowledge, skills, and behaviour that enables individuals to perform a role consistently and to a high standard.

‘Ministry requires more than passion. It requires competence, character, and capacity. Passion may inspire the calling, but competence enables effective delivery,’ he said.

According to him, effective professionals must understand the competencies required for their roles, assess their current capabilities, identify gaps, and deliberately bridge those gaps through learning and development.

The Nigerian equities market extended its bullish run yesterday, with market capitalisation surging to a record N160.60 trillion, following the listing of 8.09 billion new ordinary shares of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).

The development pushed total market value higher by 0.65 per cent, significantly outperforming the 0.29 per cent gain recorded by the NGX All-Share Index, which closed at 247,699.78 points.

The latest advance lifted the market’s year-to-date return to 59.18 per cent, underscoring the strength of the equities rally despite increasingly weak breadth.

The sharp rise in market capitalisation was largely driven by the additional Dangote Sugar shares admitted to trading, rather than a broad-based appreciation in equity prices.

Monday’s trading session revealed a widening disconnect between the headline index and underlying investor sentiment. Forty-three stocks declined against only 12 gainers, producing a weak market breadth of 0.3x.

The biggest losers were led by Caverton Offshore Support Group, Omatek Ventures, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance, Sunu Assurances Nigeria and Daar Communications, while Zichis Agro-Allied , Aradel Holdings, Nascent Technologies, International Breweries and MTN Nigeria recorded the strongest gains.

Sectoral performance was equally mixed, with gains concentrated in selected sectors. The Oil and Gas Index led the advance, rising 5.90 per cent, followed by the Commodity Index, which gained 4.04 per cent, while the Consumer Goods Index rose 0.79 per cent.

These gains offset declines across the Insurance, Banking and Industrial Goods sectors.

Trading activity, however, weakened considerably. Total volume traded fell by 81.81 per cent to 407.85 million shares, while market turnover dropped 62.88 per cent to N27.25 billion.

Despite the sharp decline in volume and value, the number of transactions increased by 22.51 per cent to 52,322 deals, suggesting continued participation even as the value and volume of shares exchanged moderated.

Market analysts said the immediate outlook remains positive, particularly as foreign-investor interest could improve following Nigeria’s confirmed return to the FTSE Russell Frontier Market universe, effective September 21.

The oil and gas sector is also expected to remain a major driver of sentiment, supported by firmer crude oil prices and heightened geopolitical tensions arising from the United States-Iran conflict.

However, the breadth figures indicate that the market’s record-level performance is yet to translate into widespread gains across listed equities.

With the All-Share Index now up 59.18 per cent year-to-date, investors may increasingly focus on whether the rally can broaden beyond a relatively narrow group of stocks and sectors as the market approaches Nigeria’s return to the FTSE Russell Frontier Market classification.

For now, the NGX continues to break higher, but Monday’s session showed that the strength of the headline market masks a considerably more selective investment environment beneath the surface.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over the Federal Government’s level of domestic borrowing, noting that it may be limiting credit available to Nigerian businesses at a time of rising oil prices.

Reacting on Monday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the borrowing trend deserved public scrutiny given improvements in oil revenue in 2026.

‘At the beginning of this fiscal year, the Federal Government budgeted on an oil benchmark of $64.85 per barrel. Crude oil prices have since risen substantially above that benchmark,’ Atiku stated.

He noted that despite the higher revenue, government borrowing from the domestic market between January and August 2026 reached N24.7 trillion, which is 90.5 per cent higher than the N12.98 trillion borrowed in the same period in 2025.

Atiku said the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate had resulted in higher nominal government revenues, and asked for clarity on how the additional resources and subsidy savings are being applied.

‘What Nigerians need to know is how the increased revenues are being deployed, and why borrowing has continued to rise despite the improved fiscal position,’ he said.

The former Vice President also cited data showing faster growth in credit to government compared to credit to the private sector.

‘Credit to government grew by 43 per cent, while credit to the private sector grew by 9.6 per cent. When government takes a larger share of available credit, it can make borrowing more expensive for businesses,’ he stated.

Atiku argued that access to affordable credit is critical for manufacturers, agro-processors and entrepreneurs to expand, create jobs and reduce production costs.

‘Nigeria’s economy grows when businesses can access capital to invest, produce and employ. Government should create fiscal space for the private sector to thrive,’ he said.

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) outlined that an ADC administration would focus on fiscal discipline, cutting waste, prioritizing productive expenditure, and gradually reducing reliance on domestic borrowing.

‘After three years of economic reforms, Nigerians deserve to see the impact of subsidy savings, additional revenues and higher oil earnings in their daily lives through lower costs and more opportunities,’ Atiku added.

He called on government to provide a transparent account of revenues, savings and expenditures, and to take steps that ensure the private sector has adequate access to credit.