Category: PM News

Veteran Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has spoken about his marriage of over two decades, describing it as a union directly ordained by God.

The 51-year-old rapper shared the intimate details during an interview on the Olofix Podcast, where he emphasized that the secret to a long, peaceful life is to marry only one wife.

According to the “Mr Lecturer” crooner, God specifically prepared his wife for him, and it would be foolish for him to allow another woman bear a child for him.

Eedris, who has been married since 2004, said the divine nature of his marriage became even clearer when his wife donated one of her kidneys to save his life during his health crisis.

He said:

“I met my wife on September 18, 2003. We got married on December 11, 2004. And based on what God told me to do, that is how I take my action.

Now, 20 years later, God said, ‘I am not done with you yet.’ You had a covenant with me. This is 21 years later.

od gave me my own wife, not another person’s wife. Why will I be stupid to let another woman give birth to a child for me again?”

While acknowledging that African culture and Islam permit polygamy, the rapper argued that equal love among multiple wives is simply impossible.

He added:

Veteran Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has spoken candidly about his marriage of over two decades, describing it as a union directly ordained by God.

The 51-year-old rapper shared the intimate details during an interview on the Olofix Podcast, where he emphasized that the secret to a long, peaceful life is to marry only one wife.

According to the “Mr Lecturer” crooner, God specifically prepared his wife for him, and it would be foolish for him to allow another woman bear a child for him.

Eedris, who has been married since 2004, said the divine nature of his marriage became even clearer when his wife donated one of her kidneys to save his life during his health crisis.

He said:

“I met my wife on September 18, 2003. We got married on December 11, 2004. And based on what God told me to do, that is how I take my action.

Now, 20 years later, God said, ‘I am not done with you yet.’ You had a covenant with me. This is 21 years later.

od gave me my own wife, not another person’s wife. Why will I be stupid to let another woman give birth to a child for me again?”

While acknowledging that African culture and Islam permit polygamy, the rapper argued that equal love among multiple wives is simply impossible.

He added: “Truly, we are Africans. You are allowed to be polygamous in nature. Even Islam says if you love women equally, you can marry as many as you can.

But let us be sincere — it is not possible to love women equally. You can only love one woman.

nd as men with wisdom, if you want to live long, make sure only one woman gives birth to your children. If you want to live a sweet life, make sure it’s only one woman.”

Eedris Abdulkareem has been celebrated for openly appreciating his wife, who played a crucial role in helping him survive a life-threatening illness in 2022.

Nigerian woman who claims she is a “well-known model and actress” has been granted a fresh hearing in the UK after an immigration judge ruled that her asylum case was not properly analysed.

Identified only as OO, the woman is asking for protection in Britain, arguing that her “celebrity status” and involvement in the End SARS movement put her at risk if she is deported to Nigeria.

According to Daily Mail, OO told the court that she “coordinated and attended a demonstration in support of the End SARS movement in October 2020,” insisting that this makes her a target. She also claimed that the danger is heightened because she is the “daughter of a local politician.”

The Home Office had initially rejected her claim in 2023 after discovering she lied about her salary on her UK visa application. But the Upper Tribunal ruled that the first judge did not properly assess all the evidence.

A court document quoted by Daily Mail stated:

“The essence of her protection claim was that she has a well-founded fear of harm on return to Nigeria because she coordinated and attended a demonstration.”

The judge also questioned how her claimed fame was handled, noting that her description of being a “celebrity model and actress in Nigeria” was “vague and limited,” but still needed deeper assessment.

Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge David Kelly criticised the earlier ruling, saying:

“It is axiomatic that a fact-finder must not reach a conclusion before surveying all relevant evidence.”

He added that because the tribunal failed to compare OO’s claims with background information about the End SARS protests, “it is impossible to say the error was immaterial to the outcome.”

As a result, the entire decision has been set aside and the case has been sent back for a complete rehearing before a different judge.

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has appointed National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu to lead the Nigerian side of the newly constituted US-Nigeria Joint Working Group.

The US-Nigeria working is as part of steps to deepen collaboration in tackling security challenges in the country, Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the composition of the Joint Working Group was part of the agreement reached during the recent trip to Washington, DC, by a high-level Nigerian delegation led by Ribadu.

“Ribadu is to lead the Nigerian side of the Joint Working Group, supported by a multi-stakeholder team comprising senior officials from relevant government establishments,” Onanuga said in the statement.

Other members of the joint working group include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Bernard M. Doro, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed and the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr Kayode Egbetokun.

The statement from the presidency further indicated that Ms Idayat Hassan of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Mr Paul Alabi of the Embassy of Nigeria in the US will serve as the secretariat.

“President Tinubu has urged members of the Joint Working Group to work assiduously with their US counterparts to ensure smooth operationalisation of all agreements across sectors,” the statement concluded.

The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to reform and strengthen the regulation of private education, as it convened a major public hearing on the draft Lagos State Policy on Non-State Schools (LSPNS), a framework designed to raise standards, improve oversight, and harmonise operations across the rapidly expanding private school sector.

The session, held at the NUT Pavilion in Alausa, Ikeja, brought together about 200 education stakeholders, including proprietors, NGOs, faith-based organisations, parents, homeschoolers, tutorial centres, virtual schools, and education professionals.

Participants engaged directly with provisions of the draft policy, offering recommendations aimed at ensuring quality, equity and sustainability across non-state schools.

Speaking at the forum, the Chairman of the Committee and Director of Private Education and Special Programmes at the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Dr Sulaimon Ogunmuyiwa, affirmed that the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, is committed to delivering a policy that reflects the interests of all stakeholders while strengthening the State’s education ecosystem.

Ogunmuyiwa assured school owners of transparent and unbiased evaluation processes, noting that the objective is to create an environment where quality education thrives alongside viable school operations.

He said the Committee will conduct a thorough review of submissions and present its recommendations professionally to the Commissioner, who will forward the final draft to the State Executive Council for approval and subsequent assent by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

He added that all substantive inputs aligned with the policy’s goals, quality, fairness, and long-term sustainability, would be incorporated into the final document.

The Committee Secretary and Head of the Research Unit at OEQA, Mr David Ojelade, described the hearing as “a pivotal moment in Lagos’ educational advancement”.

He noted that non-state schools now play a central role in expanding access to education, easing pressure on public schools, and providing innovative learning options, making a harmonised regulatory framework essential.

According to Ojelade, the LSPNS has been crafted to align with national standards, clarify institutional responsibilities, and foster deeper collaboration between government and non-state actors.

He said the hearing reflects Lagos’ commitment to transparency, fairness, and inclusive participation in policy formulation.

The Southern Region Lead for the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), Dr James Fadokun, praised Lagos for its leadership in education reform, describing the State as a model for the entire South-West.

He commended the government’s seriousness in advancing the policy, despite its federal origins, and expressed confidence that concerns raised would be addressed in the best interest of learners.

He further applauded Governor Sanwo-Olu for prioritising education under the THEMES+ Agenda, particularly the emphasis on education and technology.

Throughout the hearing, stakeholders submitted oral and written recommendations, with several calling for a review of tax obligations on private schools to curb the challenge of multiple taxation affecting proprietors and parents.

Others advocated special consideration for charitable, non-profit and faith-based institutions that operate primarily to support government efforts.

Some participants also proposed that the State permit private schools to obtain approval as specialised institutions, such as science, arts or commercial-focused schools, to strengthen excellence and streamline operational mandates.

Once adopted, the Lagos State Policy on Non-State Schools is expected to significantly enhance oversight, improve learning outcomes, and stand as a model for effective governmentstakeholder collaboration in safeguarding the interests of the Nigerian child.

Stakeholders in attendance included private school associations, homeschoolers, tutorial centres, virtual and online schools, NGOs, faith-based organisations, parents, educators and members of the media.

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, ordered the remand of a 38-year- old man, Desmond Udochukwu, at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, pending legal advice, following a charge of alleged defilement of his 12- year- old niece.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs C. M Kushanu did not take the defendant’s plea. She ordered him to be remanded in custody, pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

She, consequently, adjourned the case until Dec. 11, for mention. The defendant, a trader, who resides at 32, Unity Crescent , Irawo, Ajegunle, Lagos, is charged with defilement.

The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji alleged that he committed the offence in September, at his residence. Ademigbuji said that the victim, a 12- year old girl was acting strange in the class, and her teacher who studied her mood, interrogated her

The prosecutor said that the victim consequently, narrated to her teacher, how her uncle, the defendant who she lives with, has been sexually molesting her.

The offence contravenes the provisions of section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Thursday expelled Kogi House of Representatives member, Hon. Leke Abejide from its fold over alleged acts of indiscipline.

The expulsion of Abejide representing Yagba constituency of Kogi was announced by the National Working Committee (NWC) of ADC at the end of its meeting held at the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary, ADC, said in a statement that the NWC ratified the decision of the Kogi State Executive Committee of the party to expel Hon. Leke Abejide from the party for various acts of indiscipline.

“The party reaffirmed that it would not tolerate any acts of indiscipline from its members as it seeks to build a party governed by discipline, character, and integrity.

Abdullahi said the party also directed the leadership of ADC in Kogi to ensure that all vacant positions in the ward, local governments, and state executives of the party are filled in accordance with the approved transition guidelines that were earlier issued.

He said this will be pending the congresses whose timeline would be announced soon.

Abejide, the only elected member of the party in the National Assembly has refused to recognize the ADC NWC led by former Senate President David Mark.

The Kogi lawmaker had insisted that his faction of the party is the authentic one in spite of the recognition of the faction led by David Mark by INEC.

As such, he will surely reject his expulsion from the party.

Apostle Johnson Suleman has fired back at Rev. Isaac Omolehin after the cleric accused the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and several churches of “persecuting” him and Apostle Arome Osayi for “speaking truth to power.”

Suleman, in a recent sermon, dismissed Omolehin’s claims and described them as dishonest, reckless and unbecoming of a senior minister of the gospel.

He said a member of his church had shown him a clip where Omolehin alleged that PFN was fighting him, insisting that no such persecution existed.

According to Suleman, Omolehin’s entire outburst was built on falsehood.

” Nobody is fighting you,” he said. “Your presentation is wrong. You can’t come out with a holier-than-thou attitude and claim everybody else is wrong. It all depends on the kind of ministers you meet.”

Suleman cautioned the preacher against turning the church into a political battlefield.

“God is not looking for activists. You can’t call out the church the way you call out the government. The church is not a political system,” he warned.

He also berated Omolehin for alleging that PFN owed him a refund for an $8,000 business-class flight ticket he reportedly purchased while attending a church event.

Apostle Suleman questioned why a man condemning wealthy pastors would choose to fly business class, insisting the figures being quoted by Omolehin were inflated.

“They should refund you because you flew business class? Yet you insult those who have private jets. Why didn’t you fly economy? Stop the gimmicks. Who are you deceiving?”

The apostle went further to dispute Omolehin’s currency conversion claims.

“You bought a ticket for $8,000 and now say they should refund you 16 million. Sir, with all due respect, $8,000 has never been 16 million. You just lied,” he said.

Omolehin had earlier sparked controversy after publicly accusing PFN and top church leaders of resisting reforms and benefitting from what he described as “rot” within the Nigerian church.

“PFN and many churches are persecuting me and Apostle Arome Osayi because we are speaking truth to power,” he claimed.

He further alleged that church leaders who “have bought airplanes and made money from the rot” were trying to silence him.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a compensation suit filed by former Binance Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, against the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged “prolonged detention” in Nigeria.

Delivering judgment, Justice Umar Mohammed ruled that the court could not, under the guise of Gambaryan’s fundamental rights claims, “interfere” with the prosecutorial powers of Nigerian authorities in investigating suspected foreign exchange violations and alleged money laundering involving Binance, Nairametrics disclosed

Ambaryan had sought costs against the NSA and EFCC, claiming his detention caused “immense hardship and emotional stress” to him and his family. AAccording to his lawyers, Gambaryan, an American citizen, visited Nigeria on February 26, 2024, with Nadeem Anjarwalla to meet government officials as representatives of Binance.

He was later detained despite not being a board member of the company. His legal team argued that:

“The unlawful detention of the applicant (Gambaryan) by the respondents from February 26, 2024, to February 27, 2024 and from March 12, 2024, to April 8, 2024 has caused immense hardship and emotional stress to the applicant, his wife, children, and other members of his family.”

However, the EFCC and NSA countered that Gambaryan had been remanded during the relevant period, with EFCC counsel Olanrewaju Adeola describing the suit as “a gross abuse of court process.” Adeola referenced ongoing proceedings in Suit and Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/138/2024 — Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Binance Holdings Ltd and Anor, which involve allegations of money laundering and foreign exchange violations.

Justice Umar highlighted that criminal charges in the case remain pending and that Gambaryan appeared for arraignment before Justice Emeka Nwite. The judge also noted that Gambaryan’s bail application was denied due to being “a flight risk.”

“Fundamental rights are not absolute,” the judge ruled, noting they may be curtailed when circumstances require. He added: “No court has the power to stop the investigative powers of the police or EFCC.”

The court further held that Gambaryan provided no evidence of immunity from prosecution under Nigerian law, dismissing his application as an abuse of court process.

Renowned Islamic scholar and one of the foremost leaders of the Tijjaniyya movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, has died.

Reports of his passing began circulating early Thursday, and several public figures later confirmed the development.

A former presidential aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, announced the scholar’s death in a post on X.

“It is with a heavy heart and complete submission to the will of Allah that we receive the news of the passing of our revered leader, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi,” Ahmad wrote, praying that Allah forgive the cleric’s shortcomings and grant him Jannatul Firdaus.

The deceased’s son, Sayyadi Ali Dahiru Usman Bauchi, also confirmed the news, telling Daily Trust that the scholar “has returned to his Creator.”

“We are all from Allah and to Him we shall return. It is time for Sheikh to rest. We thank Almighty Allah Sheikh’s life was well spent,” he said, adding that he was currently in Madinah and unable to confirm whether the burial would take place in Abuja or Bauchi.

As of the time of filing this report, the family and the Bauchi State Government have yet to issue an official statement.

More details to follow

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPS) has urged the National Assembly to withdraw the proposed amendment to the Customs, Excise and Tariff Bill, warning that the draft legislation is inconsistent with President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal reform agenda and could destabilise key sectors of the economy.

Represented by NACCIMA, MAN, NECA, NASME and NASSI, the OPS presented its position at a public hearing on Thursday, 27 November 2025, shortly after the bill passed its second reading.

The group argued that the proposed amendments contain substantial economic, legal and administrative flaws that risk derailing ongoing reforms under the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform initiative.

According to the OPS, Nigeria’s excise regime has become increasingly fragmented, with new levies introduced without a coordinated assessment of their cumulative effects on production, investment, exports, backward integration, employment, and inflation.

It warned that the current bill, if passed, could negate the administration’s economic stabilisation efforts without delivering meaningful public health improvements.

While reaffirming its commitment to supporting government revenue and health objectives, the OPS maintained that excise policies must be holistic, harmonised and context-appropriate, ensuring that they do not undermine industrial growth, affordability or investment.

The group noted that the proposed amendment introduces “mathematical, legal and administrative contradictions”, including the controversial clause prescribing a “20% levy per litre of retail price”, which it described as unworkable and inconsistent with global best practice.

It cautioned that an aggressive or poorly designed levy could impose significant costs on businesses and consumers, reducing capacity utilisation, increasing prices, and deepening poverty at a time when households and small enterprises are already struggling.

Industry players also warned that the bill could weaken the beverage value chain–a major non-oil revenue contributor and one of Nigeria’s largest employers.

Higher taxes, they argued, would raise production costs and shrink margins, potentially reducing VAT and CIT collections and placing further pressure on medium-term FAAC revenues.

“The non-alcoholic drinks sector is a critical economic stabiliser, supporting 1.5 million jobs, driving backward integration under NSMP II, and contributing 4045% of gross revenues as taxes, yet it already operates under severe macroeconomic strain,” the OPS noted.

The group further criticised the National Assembly for progressing the bill without proper alignment with the Ministry of Finance, the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, FAAC, and other key institutions.

It stressed that the bill contradicts the President’s priorities of stability, predictability, simplicity, and non-disruptive tax reform.

Citing global and domestic evidence, the OPS argued that steep or ambiguous Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) taxes in low-income economies often produce job losses, MSME contraction, reduced government revenue, and no clear public health gains, while accelerating the shift to informal markets and widening inequality.

The group added that excessive taxation risks shrinking Nigeria’s formal sector, reducing VAT and CIT collections, weakening state revenues, and undermining the administration’s ease of doing business agenda.

The OPS said it remains open to further engagement with lawmakers, fiscal authorities, and civil society stakeholders to ensure that any changes to the excise framework support investment, job creation, and long-term revenue stability.