Category: PM News

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, has arrested 92 suspects over alleged involvement in internet fraud in Benin, the capital of Edo State.

The suspects were arrested at various locations in the Edo State capital on Monday, September, 29, the spokesperson for the agency, Dele Oyewale said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the suspects were arrested following information about their involvement in internet fraud.

He added that 11 vehicles and different makes of mobile devices were also recovered from the suspects by the EFCC operatives.

The statement by Oyewale reads, ‘Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 92 suspected internet fraudsters in Edo State.

They were arrested in a sting operation on Monday, September 29, 2025 at various locations within Benin City, Edo State.

Their arrest was based on credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in computer related crimes. All the lawful procedures of arrest were followed in the course of the arrest

Upon their arrest, 11 vehicles and mobile devices were recovered from them.

Preliminary investigations by the Commission linked the suspects with various forms of internet-related fraud

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has also arraigned one Godslove Munachiso Obiwuru, a 26-year old Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, suspect before Justice M. T. Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.

He was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering.

Count one of the charge reads: ‘That you, Godslove Munachiso Obiwuru ‘M’ sometime in 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, retained 0.042 Ethereum (digital currency) equivalent to $50 (Fifty United States Dollars) in a Binance wallet account with the address 0xD62C9DA42BDe76a7Be113ABA225456C57320A569 which you know or reasonably ought to know, is a proceed of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 20 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022′.

He pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the two counts. In view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, ASE I A.Y Abdullahi prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the Correctional facility.

However, the defence counsel, Abel Anih, prayed the court for a short date to enable him file an application for bail before the court.

The matter was thereafter adjourned for hearing of bail application while the defendant was remanded at the EFCC custody.

The defendant was arrested on August 5, 2025, following a petition by the FBI alleging that the defendant was involved in auctioning a cryptocurrency account takeover scheme.

According to the petition, in November 2022, a Coinbase cryptocurrency belonging to a citizen of the United States of America was compromised, leading to the theft of 90,410.126 Gold Retriever Tokens (GLDN), worth approximately $307,394.00, at that time.

Further investigation by the FBI revealed that part of the stolen cryptocurrency funds were transferred to a Binance account belonging to the defendant.

However, preliminary investigations by operatives of the Special Task Force of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Commission, revealed that the defendant received cryptocurrency, allegedly stolen from two different victims.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on his 60th birthday celebration.

In his congratulatory message released on the 1st of October, the President described Abbas as a worthy partner in government and in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.

While affirming that the House under Abbas has passed many impactful pieces of legislation, the President commended the Speaker’s deep knowledge, wisdom, and openness.

‘Speaker Abbas has displayed uncommon capacity as a leader of equals. His drive for integrity, excellence and selfless service has proved helpful in maintaining stability in the House. I rejoice with the family, friends and associates of this fine lawmaker and leader of men on this milestone. I also congratulate the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State for picking Abbas to represent them in the House of Representatives since 2011,’ he stated.

President Tinubu also prayed for many more years and good health for Speaker Abbas.

Troops of 6 Brigade in collaboration with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Taraba have arrested two fake police personnel with cannabis consignments in two vehicles.

A statement on Wednesday by Lt. Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations 6 Brigade, said the arrest was made in Wukari.

‘Acting on credible intelligence, troops alongside NDLEA personnel intercepted and apprehended two fake policemen at Takum Junction in Wukari Local Government Area.

‘The suspects, who were dressed in mobile police uniforms, were found with two Toyota Hilux vehicles loaded with substances suspected to be cannabis.

‘Preliminary investigation revealed that none of the occupants are serving policemen.

‘The cannabis-laden vehicles were traced to have been loaded from Akure, Ondo State, and were heading towards Adamawa State before interception.’

According to him, the occupants of the second Hilux abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on sighting the troops.

‘A total of 1,134 blocks of cannabis were recovered from the two vehicles. Both the suspects and the recovered exhibits have been handed over to the NDLEA office in Wukari for further investigation and prosecution.’

The Commander 6 Brigade, Brig. Gen. Kingsley Uwa, who commended the troops and NDLEA operatives for their synergy and resilience, reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to ensuring that Taraba remained unsafe for criminals.

Uwa urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance ongoing operations across the state.

President Bola Tinubu, in his national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, on Wednesday reflected on the country’s journey since 1960, outlined the progress achieved under his administration, and unveiled fresh commitments on the economy, security, and youth empowerment.

Below are 20 key takeaways from his address:

1. Tinubu honoured Nigeria’s founding fathers and mothers, recalling their vision of a united, prosperous nation leading the black race.

2. He noted Nigeria’s significant progress since Independence, including vast improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

3. From just 120 secondary schools in 1960, Nigeria now has over 23,000, and 274 universities.

4. Despite challenges-civil war, dictatorships, and political crises-Nigeria has endured and remained united.

5. Tinubu described his administration as committed to continuing the ‘unfinished nation-building business.’

6. He said his government inherited a collapsing economy and chose tough reforms over complacency.

7. Removal of fuel subsidies and multiple exchange rates redirected resources to education, healthcare, security, and infrastructure.

8. He declared: ‘The worst is over. Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief.’

9. GDP growth in Q2 2025 was 4.23%, Nigeria’s fastest in four years.

10. Inflation dropped to 20.12% in August 2025, its lowest in three years.

11. Non-oil revenue exceeded ?20 trillion by August 2025, a record-breaking achievement.

12. Nigeria’s external reserves climbed to $42.03 billion, the highest since 2019.

13. Trade surplus reached ?7.46 trillion in Q2 2025, with non-oil exports making up 48%.

14. Oil production rebounded to 1.68 million barrels per day, alongside renewed local refining of fuel.

15. Tinubu said the naira has stabilised, with forex reforms ending arbitrage and multiple rates.

16. Over ?330 billion was disbursed to eight million vulnerable households under social investment.

17. Security forces are ‘winning the war’ against Boko Haram, IPOB/ESN, banditry, and kidnapping.

18. Tinubu praised Nigerian youths as the nation’s ‘greatest assets,’ citing NELFUND loans of nearly ?100 billion for students.

19. Initiatives like Credicorp, YouthCred, and iDICE are expanding credit and innovation opportunities for young Nigerians.

20. He closed with a message of hope: ‘The dawn of a new, prosperous, self-reliant Nigeria is here.’

The Federal Government has announced that the Dangote Group will reassign workers who were earlier removed from their jobs at the refinery.

This follows an agreement reached between the company and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, the affected workers will be posted to other Dangote companies and will not lose their salaries.

He said:

‘After reviewing the disengagement process, it was agreed that the management of Dangote Group should begin reassigning the workers immediately.

No worker will be punished for their role in the dispute between Dangote and PENGASSAN.’

The minister added that PENGASSAN had agreed to call off its strike after both sides reached a compromise.

He also reminded the parties that union membership is the right of every worker under Nigerian law.

The dispute began when PENGASSAN accused the refinery management of unfairly transferring and dismissing union members, and replacing some Nigerians with foreign workers.

The union said these actions violated labour laws and reduced job opportunities for locals.

The refinery, however, denied these claims, saying the changes in its workforce were only due to operational needs and had nothing to do with union activities.

The disagreement escalated when PENGASSAN stopped the supply of gas and crude oil to the refinery, raising concerns about the effect on Nigeria’s energy supply.

The Federal Government stepped in, warning that the standoff could harm the economy and energy security, and later helped both sides reach an agreement.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa has resolved the lingering labour dispute at the Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

The minister had summoned parties to the industrial dispute that left the Polytechnic located on the banks of River Nun in Bayelsa to shut down since July 11 to a mediatory meeting on Sept. 29.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), learnt on Wednesday that after exhaustively listening to the workers’ representatives, management, Alausa fixed a resumption date of Oct. 6.

Chairmen and Secretaries of the three unions in the polytechnic, the Rector and Governing Council Chairman attended the meeting held in Abuja.

The unions are Non-Academic Staff Union, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in the polytechnic.

NAN also gathered that the minister directed the governing council to set up a fresh panel to investigate sundry allegations levelled against the Rector by the unions.

The panel was mandated to report its findings in three weeks.

The meeting followed a joint petition to the minister over suspension of a governing council meeting to resolve the labour dispute on the grounds of insecurity.

The workers had in the petition submitted that the claim of insecurity was a ploy to avert pending probe of allegations against the Rector as there was no security threat in Bayelsa to warrant suspension when the council members were already in town for the meeting.

The unions had said that only the suspension, pending investigation of the Rector Dr Agbabiaka Lukman, will guarantee industrial harmony to the institution.

The workers had kept the institution under locks for alleged violation of the Polytechnic Act by the Rector who took the three unions to court over labour disputes whereas the governing council was statutorily mandated under the Act to handle labour-related matters.

When contacted for an update on the face-off, Mr Nimizuo Pereseigha, Public Relations Officer of the tertiary institution declined comments.

As Nigeria celebrates its 65th Independence Anniversary, a South-West chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent steps toward revamping the nation’s economy and tackling unemployment, especially among graduates.

In a statement to journalists, Ajadi expressed concern over the persistent decline of the economy despite Nigeria’s abundant resources and democratic governance.

He urged the Tinubu-led administration to seize the independence milestone as a moment of reflection and accountability.

‘President Tinubu should use this occasion to look back and tell Nigerians what he has done in the past two years to improve their lives. The condition of the average Nigerian is pitiable, and there is a pressing need to rescue citizens from the terrible state of things,’ he said.

Ajadi, who congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary, lamented that the country has regressed since independence.

According to him, Nigeria’s past economic glory stands in stark contrast to the present hardships faced by its people.

‘In the 1970s, the Naira was stronger than the British Pound and the US Dollar. The economy was booming, agriculture brought in foreign exchange, and jobs were waiting for graduates even before they completed school. Sadly, today’s reality is the opposite,’ Ajadi noted.

He questioned how the nation had descended into such economic decline, stressing that the government must urgently fashion out policies to strengthen the Naira, improve livelihoods, and provide sustainable employment opportunities for the youth.

‘Years back, the Naira was stronger than the CFA and Ghanaian Cedi, but now the reverse is the case. After 65 years of independence, Nigeria remains like a toddler. This is a sad story for our nation,’ he added.

Two men identified as Ibrahim Suleiman Umar and Tijani Adam Goni have been remanded by Federal Capital Territory High Court after pleading guilty to charges bordering on alleged involvement in a N4.8 million job scam and forgery of employment letters.

The two suspects who duped their victims with promises that they can get them employed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before Justice B.M. Bassi on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, and forgery.

According to the ICPC, the duo, in June 2021, conspired to defraud two unsuspecting job seekers of N4.8 million under the guise of securing employment for them at the two organisations.

One of the counts reads:

‘That you, Ibrahim Suleiman Umar (m) and Tijani Adam Goni (m), on or about the month of June 2021 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretences and with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain by false pretences the sum of N4,800,000.00 (Four Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) from Saifdeen Yakub and Aminu Abubakar under the pretence that you will secure employment for them at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.’

Investigations by ICPC further revealed that the accused persons forged employment letters purportedly issued by both CBN and FIRS, as well as a document titled ‘Final Document List’, which they presented to their victims as genuine.

Their offences contravene Section 1(1)(a) and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, as well as Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.

When the charges were read, both defendants pleaded guilty to all five counts. Justice Bassi consequently ordered their remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter to 29th October 2025 for continuation of hearing.

Meanwhile, the first defendant in the case, Mohammed Mustapha, remains at large, with efforts ongoing to apprehend him and bring him before the court to face justice.

Nigerian media personality and reality TV star, Phyna, has called out Dangote Group for being negligent and irresponsible towards her sister’s death.

Phyna on her Instagram page expressed her grief for the loss, claiming that the death was calculated and planned.

Phyna also revealed that Dangote Group did not fulfill their promises after her sister was hit by one of their trucks. She claimed the company only paid part of the hospital bills and left the family to pay the rest.

‘The bills from Auchi down to Irrua were covered by the family; no refund has been made. Also on Sept 13th, the day of burial, Dangote groups did not pick up all calls made to them from us, as we were told the bills were not paid, but they claim it was, the mortuary was also covered by the family. In the time of all the troubles, @dangotegroup said to the public that they’ve paid all hospital bills. The only bill Dangote covered was Lagoon Hospital,’ she said.

The Nigerian Association of Social and Resourceful Editors (NASRE) has condemned in strong terms the brutal killing of Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu, a news anchor with Arise News Television, who was reportedly murdered by suspected robbers at her residence in Katampe, Abuja.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Femi Oyewale, NASRE described the incident as ‘barbaric and senseless,’ noting that the slain journalist was a promising professional whose life was cruelly cut short.

‘Her death is not just a personal tragedy to her family, colleagues, and friends, but also a huge loss to the Nigerian media and to the nation at large,’ the association said.

The editors’ body urged security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime and ensure they face the full weight of the law. It warned that failure to bring the killers to justice would embolden criminals and further endanger the lives of citizens.

NASRE also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to step up efforts in protecting life and property across the country.

‘Citizens cannot continue to live in fear within their homes and communities. The government must match words with action by strengthening intelligence, policing, and prosecutorial mechanisms that deter such violent crimes,’ the association stressed.

While commiserating with Maduagwu’s family, her colleagues at Arise News, and the broader media fraternity, NASRE prayed for her soul to rest in peace and demanded that justice should not be delayed.