Category: PM News

An Abuja High Court on Thursday granted the request of Mike Ozekhome to take permission from his ongoing forgery trial to travel to the UK for medical reasons for six weeks.

The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) arraigned Ozekhome and his co-defendant, Ponfa Useni, on 12 counts of forgery and impersonation, which stemmed from a messy battle over property ownership in the UK.

Ruling on the application for release of Ozekhome’s passport, Justice Chizoba Oji ordered that he must return his international passport to the court on or before Aug. 26.

It came to the judge’s knowledge on Tuesday that the prosecution had withheld and failed to deposit the defendants’ passports as part of the bail conditions the court granted in February.

This prompted the court to order the prosecution to present the passports in court unfailingly on Thursday.

The prosecution, adhering to the court’s instruction, produced the international passports of the defendants.

After the defendants confirmed that the passport produced belonged to him, the judge asked the prosecution counsel, C.L Asonta, to confirm again if there was no objection.

Asonta stated there was no objection but requested a condition: that Ozekhome should submit his international passport ‘within three working days upon his return.’

The court ruled, ‘having considered the motion and no objection, I hereby grant the request and temporary release of the first defendant’s international passport to enable him to go for his medical trip.’

Justice Oji held that Ozekhome’s six-week request starts from July 9 and ends on Aug. 20.

Justice Oji then adjourned trial until Sept 28 for continuation.

Ponfa, the second defendant, is the son of the late Lt-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, who was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the military regime of the late Sani Abacha.

?The prosecution in the charge, alleged that the defendants conspired in 2020 and made ‘a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani.

The prosecution further alleged that Ozekhome helped Ponfa to impersonate Tali Shani in 2020.

EFCC claimed that together, they allegedly created a fake ‘Irrevocable Power of Attorney’ to help Ozekhome claim the property.

They however, denied all the allegations against them.

Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, will remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission after the anti-graft agency secured a court warrant to detain him for an initial 14 days.

The fresh court backing marks a major escalation in the certificate forgery scandal that forced Mr Nnaji out of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet and has continued to follow his political comeback plans.

According to Premium Times, the commission obtained the remand warrant to allow investigators hold the former minister for interrogation ‘in the first instance,’ with a possible extension if the agency requires more time.

Mr Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after arriving from Enugu aboard a chartered flight.

He was picked up with the assistance of operatives of the State Security Service and later handed over to the ICPC.

The commission confirmed the arrest in a statement by its spokesperson, John Odey, who said the former minister had been taken to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja for further investigation.

‘He was apprehended with the assistance of the State Security Services and subsequently handed over to the ICPC for further investigation,’ Mr Odey said.

‘The commission assures the public that the matter will be pursued diligently in accordance with the law.’

According to the ICPC, Mr Nnaji’s arrest followed an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja after he allegedly failed to honour repeated invitations from the commission.

Investigators are questioning him over allegations that he forged a University of Nigeria, Nsukka degree certificate and an NYSC discharge certificate, both of which were reportedly submitted during his ministerial screening in 2023.

The former minister has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He also denied the existence of the arrest order, even though he later filed an appeal against it at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on 18 June.

The latest remand warrant now gives the ICPC legal authority to keep him in custody while it presses ahead with the investigation.

The scandal began after an investigation revealed Mr Nnaji’s academic records and reported that the former minister claimed to have graduated from UNN in 1985.

But the university, in response to a Freedom of Information request, reportedly confirmed that although Mr Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he did not graduate and was not issued the certificate in his possession.

The NYSC also reportedly disowned the discharge certificate linked to him.

Before the records were released, Mr Nnaji had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop UNN and its officials from releasing his academic records. He later applied for an out-of-court settlement.

Mr Nnaji resigned from office three days after the investigation was published, but the controversy did not end with his exit from government.

Calls for his prosecution grew louder, with critics arguing that resignation was not enough for allegations involving forged credentials submitted for a federal appointment.

In March, an investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, reportedly found that Mr Nnaji forged both his degree and NYSC certificates.

The case has also taken a political dimension.

Mr Nnaji was recently reported to have moved quietly from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party, where he emerged as governorship candidate of a faction backed by Nyesom Wike ahead of the 2027 elections.

But with the ICPC now armed with a remand warrant, the former minister’s legal troubles have entered a more serious phase.

What began as a damaging certificate scandal has now become a full criminal investigation, with investigators no longer chasing Mr Nnaji from outside the room.

He is now in custody, under court-backed detention, and facing the questions he allegedly avoided for months.

A Commissioner of Police in the Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Okpoziakpo Eloho has described the release of $6.23 million purportedly for foreign observers of Nigeria’s 2023 election by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN on the instruction of its former governor, Godwin Emefiele as ‘pure theft.’

Eloho said this while testifying as the 14th prosecution witness in the trial of Emefiele, before Justice H. Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja on Thursday, July 2, 2026

The Police Commissioner said the money was released by Emefiele for the purpose of foreign election observer mission with no further details attached.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel and Director, Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, Abuja, stated that ‘The entire money was released. We saw the approval of the governor’

Eloho told the court that the purpose of the release was simply to steal. ‘It was pure theft. It was stolen, otherwise obtained under false pretence,’ he said.

He identified Exhibit PD5, which he told the court is a presidential directive on Foreign Election Observer Mission, adding that the finding of his investigative team was that the money was rereleased to carry out fraud and not for the purpose stated in the memo. ‘Our finding with regards to PD5 is that it is all fraud,’ he said.

On the bright side, he disclosed that the investigation team was able to make recoveries of about $800,000 from the alleged stolen fund. ‘I can’t remember the figure, but it was about Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars,’ he said.

During his cross-examination by defence counsel, Mathew Burka, SAN, the witness affirmed that it was Emefiele, who as the governor, has dominion over CBN funds. He identified Exhibits PD1 to PD7 and disclosed that a special investigator interviewed Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, adding that while the letter in paragraph one of Exhibit PD3 purportedly emanated from Mustapha, the former SGF, he stated, said that the signature on Exhibit PD6 did not belong to him.

He further disclosed that the person who collected the $6,230,000 was one Jibril Abubakar, adding that Exhibit PD4 is a copy of identification card, belonging to Jibril Abubakar, but that ‘the staff ID card number does not belong to him. He is not a staff of the SGF, that is what the investigation revealed.’

When asked by the defence counsel if due process was followed in the release of the funds or not, the witness replied in the negative. ‘This document is from the governor to the Director Banking Services; protocol was not followed. I presume that the procedure would have been for the document to follow through the deputy governor,’ he said.

Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till July 3, 2026, for continuation of trial.

The Police Command in Niger has confirmed the killing of 18 people following a land dispute in Angwan-Baago community, Katako District, Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday.

He said the crisis, which began on Monday, escalated on Wednesday.

According to him, suspected armed men, on Monday, shot dead a 25-year-old man, Ibrahim Musa, in Godoro village.

He said that some local vigilantes, popularly known as Yansakai, in a suspected reprisal attack, blocked the road and killed a 28-year-old man, Bashir Mazi.

Abiodun explained that the initial attack, which was linked to a lingering land dispute between two tribes in the area, escalated into further violence, resulting in the deaths of 16 additional people and bringing the total death toll to 18.

‘On 30/6/2026 at about 2 p.m., a report was received from the Katako District area of Rafi LGA indicating that on 29/6/2026 at about 11:30 p.m. at Godoro village, suspected armed men fired gunshots at one Ibrahim Musa, 25, who died on the spot. As a result, a group of Yansakai blocked the road and killed one Bashir Mazi, 28. This attack was allegedly linked to a lingering land crisis between two tribes in the area,’ the police spokesperson said.

He added: ‘Furthermore, on 1/7/2026 at about 10 p.m., a report was received indicating that 15 persons were burnt to death in a two-bedroom flat at Angwan-Baago via Godoro village, while one other person was also killed at another location, bringing the death toll to 18.’

Abiodun said a reconciliation committee led by officials of the local government council was working with security agencies to address the crisis.

He added that joint security operatives comprising the Police and the military had been deployed to the area to restore peace.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that three Lagos State-owned universities could face another round of industrial action if the state government fails to implement the 2025 agreement reached between the Federal Government and ASUU.

The warning was issued on Thursday during a press conference held at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).

The universities affected are Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and LASUSTECH.

ASUU said it is ready to support any action taken by its branches in the three institutions if the Lagos State Government continues to delay the implementation of the agreement, six months after it was signed.

Speaking at the briefing, ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Adesola Nassir, said lecturers in the affected universities are becoming frustrated and uncertain about the government’s commitment to their welfare.

He questioned how the government expects universities to achieve high standards and global recognition when lecturers’ welfare issues remain unresolved.

Nassir also said it was disappointing that Lagos State, often called the ‘Centre of Excellence,’ had not implemented the agreement while some other states had already begun doing so.

According to him, the delay is affecting staff morale and could lead to declining academic standards, poor staff motivation, and disruption of academic activities.

The union also raised concerns over unresolved issues in LASU and LASUED, including the dismissal of some union officials and the alleged victimisation of the ASUU chairperson at LASUED.

ASUU said the Lagos State Government should be held responsible if the universities eventually embark on strike action.

The union called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently intervene, conclude discussions with ASUU branches in the affected institutions, and implement the 2025 agreement to prevent a crisis in the state’s university system.

The pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has commended President Bola Tinubu for in its words, ‘re-engineering Nigeria to a nation that everyone would be proud of’

The group said this on Thursday while reiterating its call for a restructured Nigeria to reflect the true federalism status.

Afenifere made this known in a communique issued after its meeting at the residence of its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti on Thursday in Akure.

The group noted that some of the steps the Tinubu’s administration had taken were geared towards re-focussing the country on the path of progress.

‘We believe that restructuring will greatly assist and hasten the realisation of noble objective hence our consistent advocacy for it.

‘Thus, while we took note of the steps being taken by Mr President on restructuring, we are urging him to do more,’ the group said.

Afenifere also commended the gallantry of soldiers and commiserated with families of those who have lost their lives in the process of defending the nation.

It urged the government to further strengthen the nation’s security network with more equipment, morale boosting, enhancement of kinetic and non-kinetic security measures, among others.

‘Government and security agencies, including the military, should look inward as insecurity continues to fester because there are internal collaborators.

‘Such searchlight should also be beamed on local communities as there are collaborators among them as well.

‘By the same token, sponsors of illegal mining should also be profiled as there seems to be allegations that people are being forced out of their lands only for mining to be taken place in the area almost immediately after the people were displaced by bandits,’ it stated.

Afenifere also congratulated the Federal Government for sending the State Police Bill to the National Assembly and the readiness of the lawmakers for prompt attention towards the bill.

It, however, frowned at some clauses in the bill that wanted to make state police an appendage of the federal police.

Similarly, Afenifere condemned allegation of harassment by the new recruits of the Nigerian Army Osogbo depot on students of Osun State University, calling for thorough investigation and punishment for those culpable.

The group urged the security agents to expedite action in rescuing the abducted school pupils and teachers at the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Operatives of Kwara Police Command have arrested three suspected members of notorious Eiye Confraternity cult gang over alleged involvement in the abduction and subsequent murder of Sodiq Durodola Olaniyi a 29-year-old student of Kwara State Polytechnic.

SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the spokesperson for Kwara Command in a statement on Thursday said the suspects identified as Adeoye Babatunde Alimi (23), alias ‘Solar’; Bernard Kayode (25), alias ‘KK’; and Owoyemi Bashiru (27), alias ‘GDP, were arrested after a thorough and painstaking investigation by operatives of the state’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

The Police spokesperson said acting on credible intelligence and sustained investigation, VCRU operatives on Monday, 29th June 2026, conducted coordinated tactical operations on identified cult hideouts within Ilorin metropolis, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are members of a violent cult group allegedly responsible for the abduction of Olaniyi, an indigene of Oyo State who had been missing since 4th June 2026.

‘During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their respective roles in the crime and disclosed that the victim was executed by members of the cult group after his abduction,’ Ejire-Adeyemi said.

The Kwara Police Command spokesperson added Investigation further revealed that the criminal gang comprises 12 members, with nine other suspects currently at large.

She said tactical efforts have been intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang, dismantling of the criminal network and recover the corpse of the victim.

‘The suspects presently in custody are also assisting investigators with useful information regarding other violent crimes allegedly perpetrated by the group within Ilorin metropolis. Investigation is ongoing, and all persons found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law upon the conclusion of investigations,’ the spokesperson concluded.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that candidates with disabilities are not given special cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on inclusive higher education in Abuja, the Chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, said candidates with disabilities take the same Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as other candidates.

According to him, they answer the same questions and are assessed using the same admission standards as every other applicant.

‘We do not lower standards for these candidates. They sit for the same UTME, answer the same questions and are assessed by the same standards as every other candidate,’ he said.

Okebukola revealed that JEOG has supported 4,216 candidates with disabilities over the past 10 years. He added that about 53 per cent of them gain admission each year into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The event marked the 10th anniversary of JEOG, a group created by JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, to promote equal access to higher education for persons with disabilities.

Okebukola also said Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help make higher education more inclusive by improving learning opportunities for persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups.

He further unveiled a guide designed to help parents, lecturers and tertiary institutions support underage students admitted into universities.

He disclosed that the first group of underage students admitted under the initiative consists of 96 students below the age of 16.

A commemorative book titled A Peep into the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria was also presented at the event. The book examines the future of tertiary education in the country.

The bail application filed by former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai in the ongoing criminal proceedings instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before the High Court of Kaduna State on medical grounds was dismissed on Thursday.

The bail application, the third to be filed before Justice D. H. Khobo by El-Rufai was dismissed after the medical report presented by the former governor was disowned by the purported issuer, National Hospital Abuja.

The medical report, annexed to the application as Exhibit ‘A’ and purportedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja, claimed that the former Governor had been diagnosed with an advanced metastatic prostate cancer requiring a specialised treatment said to be unavailable anywhere in Nigeria.

However, the ICPC presented documentary evidence from the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Professor Muhammad Raji Mahmud, disclaiming the medical report.

According to the document from the National Hospital issued by the Chief Medical Director, a comprehensive search of the hospital’s electronic medical records and patient indexes revealed no hospital number, patient file, billing record, consultation history, or any evidence that the defendant had ever been treated at the facility.

The hospital further confirmed that the report was issued without the knowledge or authorisation of its management.

Relying on this evidence, the Court held that the credibility and reliability of the medical report had been fundamentally undermined, and that a document formally disowned by the very institution on whose letterhead it was issued could not serve as the foundation for the exceptional relief sought by the applicant.

With the collapse of that evidentiary foundation, the Court found no reliable and institutionally validated material facts to justify the exercise of judicial discretion in favour of bail for El-Rufai on health grounds.

In refusing the application, the Court also ordered that the Commission shall continue to provide El-Rufai unrestricted access to his personal medical physicians and shall ensure that he is escorted to any specialized diagnostic or clinical facility of his choice within Nigeria as required, throughout the pendency of the trial.

The Commission notes that this order is consistent with its existing practice and reaffirms its commitment to full compliance.

The ICPC said it welcomed the Court’s ruling as a reaffirmation of the principle that applications for bail on medical grounds must be supported by credible and verifiable evidence and determined strictly in accordance with the law.

The Commission added that it remains committed to conducting all investigations and prosecutions with professionalism, fairness and respect for the rule of law, while ensuring that every person brought before the courts is accorded all rights guaranteed under the Constitution and other applicable laws.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ogun 2027 governorship election, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has called on party members to close ranks, embrace new entrants and intensify grassroots mobilization ahead of the poll.

Speaking at the Ogun West APC Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting held on Wednesday at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Empire Ground, Ilaro, the senator said the party’s electoral success would depend on unity, inclusiveness and the active participation of every member.

The meeting, attended by party leaders and stakeholders from Imeko-Afon, Ipokia, Ado-Odo/Ota, Yewa North and Yewa South local government areas, was aimed at strengthening party cohesion and consolidating APC’s structure across Ogun West.

Addressing party faithful, Yayi urged leaders to ensure that no member is sidelined, particularly those recently defected from other political parties, stressing that every committed member should be given an opportunity to contribute to the party’s growth.

‘The strength of our party lies in our unity, not in our differences. As our party continues to grow, we must open our doors and hearts to those who have chosen to join us. Every genuine member who embraces the ideals of the APC deserves equal respect and an opportunity to contribute,’ he said.

Yayi added that the party must put aside personal interests, avoid internal divisions and work collectively to deliver good governance and achieve victory in 2027 through what he described as ‘Operation Deliver Your Polling Unit.’

The consultative meeting drew several prominent APC leaders, including the Ogun West APC Apex Leader, Chief Muftau Ajibola; the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Minister of State for Health and Social Services, Dr. Kunle Isiaq Salako; former Deputy Governor, Alhaja Salmot Badru; former governorship candidate, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade; former Speakers of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi and Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, among other party stalwarts.

The stakeholders’ meeting forms part of Senator Adeola’s ongoing consultations with APC leaders and members across Ogun West as the party steps up preparations for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.