Category: PM News

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Apo, on Wednesday rejected attempts by Abuja-based lawyer Victor Giwa to halt his ongoing trial for forgery and impersonation.

The court also restrained Giwa and his associates from making public comments about the case.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, while ruling on several pending motions, dismissed a series of applications filed by the defence, holding that the court has jurisdiction to continue hearing the matter and that due process had been followed throughout the proceedings.

Giwa and his co-defendant, Ibitade Bukola, are standing trial over allegations of forgery and impersonation involving Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Awa Kalu.

Prosecutors alleged that forged documents were used to mislead the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) into withdrawing a criminal case earlier instituted against Giwa at the FCT High Court in Maitama.

At the resumed hearing, Eristo Asaph and Saleh Nafisa appeared for the Inspector-General of Police, while Farouk Akambi represented the first defendant. Ogbu Aboje appeared for the second defendant, and Levi E. Nwonye held a watching brief for the nominal complainant.

In one of the key rulings, the court dismissed Motion M/7/57/25, which sought to terminate the case on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction, affirming that the court was competent to entertain the matter.

Another application, Motion M/12210/25, which sought to strike out the charge for allegedly failing to disclose sufficient material evidence, was also dismissed. The court held that service on the first defendant was proper and adequate.

Justice Onwuegbuzie further rejected Motion M/14379/25, which requested his recusal and the transfer of the case to the FCT Chief Judge over allegations of bias.

“I have gone through the application, and there is no iota of truth in it,” the judge ruled. “He who asserts must prove. All steps taken so far follow due process. The court is not biased; we stand for justice at all times.”

The court also dismissed an application seeking the temporary release of the first defendant’s international passport for medical travel abroad, citing insufficient documentary evidence in support of the request.

However, the judge granted an application restraining Giwa, his agents, or associates from making further statements about the case in the media, including on social media platforms, newspapers, and television broadcasts.

On the prosecution’s application seeking the revocation of the first defendant’s bail, the court declined the request, holding that bail could only be withdrawn upon clear evidence of misconduct.

Citing the case of Ameh Obute and 5 Others v. State, Justice Onwuegbuzie observed that although the defendant’s conduct appeared unprofessional, it had not reached the threshold required for the revocation of bail.

“If the misconduct continues, we will look into it,” the judge warned.

The court also refused an application by the prosecution seeking leave to amend the charge, ruling that the proposed amendment introduced a separate offence that ought to be filed independently.

The Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, According to Alake, a total of 6,465,667 residents have been enrolled in the residency database, comprising 4,058,333 adults and 2,407,224 children.

The commissioner described the Lagos Identity Card Project, popularly known as LAG ID, as a major component of the state government’s strategy to improve governance efficiency and public service delivery under the THEMES development agenda.

He explained that the initiative was designed to provide government with a reliable and comprehensive population database capable of supporting planning, policy implementation and effective allocation of resources.

Alake noted that the agency operates an open framework that allows government institutions and private sector partners to independently participate in the system while leveraging a centralised data-sharing infrastructure.

The commissioner added that the initiative would further expand opportunities linked to the Lagos Residents Card and deepen the state’s digital transformation drive.

Speaking on security and digital enforcement, Alake disclosed that the state’s Safe City initiative had significantly increased digital traffic enforcement across Lagos.

He revealed that about 86,000 traffic violations were tracked within a few months, bringing the cumulative figure to about 737,000 recorded cases.

On technology-driven governance, the commissioner highlighted the role of Art and Technology Lagos, an annual conference organised by the Eko Innovation Centre in collaboration with the Lagos State Government.

According to him, the conference brings together technology stakeholders, policymakers, innovators and government officials to drive conversations around the development of a smarter and digitally connected Lagos.

Alake also stated that Lagos currently leads the country in data protection compliance, revealing that the state now has 109 certified data protection officers responsible for ensuring compliance and safeguarding residents’ data.

“With technology, the state government has been able to know that an average 250,000 visit monthly,” he said.

“When we see our daily visitors on our online platform we are able to tell how many people are visiting our platforms, what they are clicking on and what they are using.

“Some of the services they are related with so we have backend analytics to tell us the number of visitors. I think the back end analytics is very robust and we respond to questions very quickly,” Alake added.

The commissioner further disclosed that the state had completed about 3,000 kilometres of fibre optic duct infrastructure extending to areas such as Alimosho, Ikorodu and Ibeju-Lekki.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for his highly anticipated summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting comes at a pivotal moment, with discussions set to cover key issues, including the ongoing conflict in Iran, trade relations, and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

While the formal talks are scheduled for Thursday, Trump received a grand welcome in Beijing, with a military honour guard, a band, and thousands of youths chanting “Welcome” as Air Force One touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Ambassador Xie Feng, and other senior officials were present to greet the U.S. president.

Trump, in remarks made before his departure from Washington on Tuesday, downplayed any differences with Xi over the Iran conflict and suggested that “good things are going to happen” during the visit.

The U.S. president also expressed optimism about his relationship with Xi, stating that the two nations, as “the two superpowers,” would continue to work together.

With both leaders preparing to discuss a wide range of issues, the most pressing topics include the ongoing crisis in Iran, trade agreements, and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which China strongly opposes. Trump indicated that trade discussions would be a major focus, and that he would address an $11 billion arms deal with Taiwan, the largest ever approved by the U.S. government.

In the lead-up to the summit, China made it clear that the Taiwan issue remains a “red line” in U.S.-China relations, with Beijing warning against further interference in the self-governing island’s defence.

The summit comes at a delicate moment for Trump, as his domestic approval has been affected by rising tensions over Iran and inflation linked to the ongoing conflict. Nonetheless, he is seeking to secure agreements with China, including the purchase of more American goods such as soybeans, beef, and aircraft, in an attempt to boost U.S. exports.

Trump’s visit is also expected to cover broader economic issues, including the potential establishment of a U.S.-China trade board aimed at resolving lingering disputes following the trade war that flared up last year.

In addition to trade and Taiwan, Trump is expected to raise the possibility of a three-way nuclear arms pact involving the U.S., China, and Russia, which would set limits on nuclear weapons across all three nations’ arsenals.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, The judgment, delivered by Justice James Omotosho, followed months of trial initiated by the The court convicted Mamman on all 12 counts filed against him, ruling that the EFCC successfully proved allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and illegal cash transactions beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Omotosho sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment on 10 counts, while he received additional jail terms of three years and two years on separate counts. The sentences are to run consecutively, effectively amounting to 75 years behind bars.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of several assets, including foreign currencies and four Abuja properties linked to the former minister.

According to the EFCC, large sums released for the projects were allegedly diverted through Bureau de Change operators who converted the funds into foreign currencies before handing them over to the former minister.

Prosecutors also accused him of making a cash payment of $655,700, equivalent to about 200 million, for a property in Abuja without using a financial institution.

The conviction marks a major escalation in the high-profile corruption case. Earlier in the trial, the court had dismissed Mamman’s no-case submission and directed him to enter his defence after ruling that the anti-graft agency had established a prima facie case against him.

During the judgment, Justice Omotosho criticised the former minister for allegedly enriching himself instead of contributing to solutions in Nigeria’s struggling power sector.

“Rather than creating a legacy to tackle the epileptic power supply in the country, the defendant was living large at the expense of ordinary citizens,” the judge held.

Mamman was absent in court during both his conviction and sentencing. Following his failure to appear, the court issued a warrant for his arrest and directed security agencies to work with Interpol to ensure he is apprehended.

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, to participate in the annual Africa CEO Forum, one of the continent’s biggest gatherings of political leaders, investors and business executives.

The Nigerian leader landed in Kigali on Wednesday shortly after concluding his visit to Kenya, where he attended the 2026 Africa-France Summit.

The summit brought together African heads of state, global investors and international partners to discuss economic growth, trade and development across the continent.

During his stay in Rwanda, Tinubu is expected to hold a series of high-level meetings with leading African and global business figures. Discussions are likely to focus on investment opportunities,

economic cooperation, infrastructure development and strengthening partnerships between governments and the private sector.

The Africa CEO Forum is known for bringing together policymakers and major industry players to explore ways of boosting economic development and attracting foreign investment into Africa.

This year’s event is expected to feature conversations on technology, energy, finance, manufacturing and regional trade.

Before arriving in Rwanda, Tinubu had travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, earlier in the week for the Africa-France Summit, which was jointly hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.

A video shared online captured the moment the Nigerian president arrived at Kigali International Airport ahead of the forum.

CAF has introduced new rules after a controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Morocco.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the organization admitted there were problems in how the match was handled, especially with refereeing and match management.

He said these issues caused the confusion and controversy during the final.

In the final match in Rabat, Senegal originally beat Morocco 10 after extra time and were declared champions. However, the result was later overturned by CAF’s appeal committee.

Morocco was then awarded the title after disciplinary actions were taken against Senegal, following a protest during the match over a late VAR penalty decision.

The match also had serious problems, including security clashes in the stadium and accusations of unfair behavior, such as claims that Senegal’s goalkeeper was distracted by ball boys and opposing team officials.

Motsepe said CAF has completed a full review of what happened and has now introduced new rules to prevent similar issues in the future.

The reforms focus on improving VAR use, better referee training, stronger security planning, and clearer disciplinary procedures.

CAF also said it wants African football to be judged by high standards of fairness and integrity.

The situation has caused criticism from some football figures. Former England international Nigel Reo-Coker said the incident made African football look bad internationally.

Senegal’s football authorities called the decision to strip them of the title unfair and described it as “robbery.”

They have taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will make the final decision. CAF has said it will accept whatever ruling CAS gives.

CAF says the new changes are meant to ensure such a chaotic final does not happen again.

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano

Former Deputy Governor of Kano state Abdullahi Gwarzo has bowed to pressure by Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf and other All Progressive Congress (APC) stakeholders and chieftains to step down his senatorial ambition for the Deputy Senate President, Dr. Barau I. Jibrin.

Governor Yusuf resolved the lingering political dispute within the APC in Kano North Senatorial District after a series of meetings with party stakeholders, at Government House, Kano.

This was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

The reconciliation effort received the intervention and support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The meetings led to a consensus arrangement between Hon. Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo (ATM) and Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin.

As part of the agreement reached, ATM Gwarzo officially withdrew his senatorial ambition in support of Senator Barau ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a formal withdrawal letter submitted to the party leadership, ATM Gwarzo reaffirmed his loyalty and commitment to the APC.

Speaking after the meeting, ATM Gwarzo described himself as a loyal party member who would always respect the collective decision of the party leadership.

He said he could not reject the appeal and intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

According to him, the three leaders worked tirelessly to ensure peace and consensus within the APC in Kano State.

Responding, Senator Barau said ATM Gwarzo had demonstrated maturity, respect and a strong sense of mutual understanding.

He added that they had always remained friends and political associates.

The Deputy Senate President assured that they would continue to work together for the unity and progress of the APC.

Governor Yusuf commended both leaders for showing sacrifice, understanding and commitment to the unity of the party.

He said the resolution would further strengthen the APC in Kano and across the country.

The Governor also reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue, reconciliation and inclusive leadership among party members and stakeholders.

Confirming his withdrawal on his verified Facebook page, ATM Gwarzo who is the immediate-past Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development wrote: “In deference to His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GCFR, and His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusuf, Executive Governor of Kano State, and following extensive consultations with all concerned, as well as critical stakeholders at the National, State, and Zonal levels, I have reached the decision to step down my senatorial aspiration in the overall interest of unity, progress, and the comprehensive success of our great party in the 2027 general elections.

“I wish to sincerely appreciate the overwhelming support, goodwill, prayers, and encouragement extended to me throughout this journey by constituents, political stakeholders, youths, women, elders, the Ulama, and the resilient members of our new media support community. Your loyalty, sacrifices, steadfastness, and belief in our shared vision have been deeply inspiring and profoundly appreciated.

“I remain humbled by the confidence reposed in me and profoundly grateful for the solidarity demonstrated at every stage of this aspiration.

“May I also specially acknowledge and appreciate His Excellency, Kashim Shettima, GCON, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Abubakar Bichi, and Hon. Baffa Babba Danagundi, whose wisdom, guidance, experience, and counsel have remained invaluable throughout this period.

“Their leadership, encouragement, and commitment to the growth, unity, and stability of our great party continue to serve as a source of inspiration and direction.

“I remain fully committed to the ideals and aspirations of our party, and shall continue to contribute toward its growth, stability, and electoral success at all levels.”

Earlier, Governor Yusuf had resolved the Kano Central Senatorial tussle where former Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, emerged as the APC consensus candidate for the zone.

By Ayorinde Oluokun

Police operatives have arrested 24 suspected members of the dreaded Aiye Confraternity cult gang during a planned initiation ceremony in Ile-Oluji town, Ondo State.

Ondo Police Command spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimon announced the arrest of the suspected cultists in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the suspected cultists were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Cultism Squad of the Command on Saturday, 10th May, 2026

The operatives, he said, acted on credible intelligence that the suspects, all males, had converged from different parts of the State and beyond for initiation rites and a secret cult meeting in a bush concealed within Ile-Oluji town.

Jimoh said the operation to arrest the suspected cultists was executed professionally and without incident, thereby preventing what could have posed a serious threat to public peace and security in the area.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include two Aiye confraternity crested caps, substances suspected to be Indian hemp and several mobile phones believed to be relevant to ongoing investigations.

He quoted the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal as commending operatives involved in the arrest of the suspected cultists for their swift response, professionalism and commitment to duty.

“He reiterated the Command’s zero tolerance for cultism, criminal conspiracy and all forms of violent crimes capable of undermining the safety of residents in the State.

“The CP further praised the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for his visionary leadership, unwavering support to Commands nationwide, and sustained investment in intelligence-driven policing strategies that continue to enhance operational effectiveness across the country.

“He warned all criminal elements and individuals involved in cult-related activities to desist immediately, noting that the Command remains resolute in identifying, tracking and prosecuting those involved in activities capable of disrupting public order.

The Command assured that investigation is ongoing with a view to uncovering the full scope of the network of the suspected cultists and bringing all culpable persons to justice.

The Command also urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and continue to support the Police with timely and credible information to ensure lasting peace and security throughout Ondo State.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Sule revealed that the state government had doubled the monthly stipends paid to facilitators, instructors and external coordinators involved in adult literacy programmes.

According to him, facilitators who previously earned 25,000 monthly now receive 50,000, while stipends for instructors and external coordinators were increased from 30,000 to 60,000 monthly.

He added that payments covering all four quarters of 2025 had already been fully settled following a verification exercise conducted for facilitators, instructors and coordinators.

The commissioner also highlighted efforts by the state to improve adult education through literacy programmes, digital learning integration and assessment exercises targeted at measuring academic progress among adult learners.

Sule disclosed that the government increased bursary awards from 50,000 to 60,000, while scholarship grants rose from 200,000 to 225,000.

“Under the bursary scheme, 3,138 undergraduate students received 60,000 each, bringing the total disbursement to 188.28 million.

“The state also paid 26.77 million to 119 Nigerian Law School students who received 225,000 each under the scholarship programme.

“In addition, three beneficiaries under the One-Day Governor initiative received 225,000 each, amounting to 675,000.

“For postgraduate education, the state awarded 35.55 million to 79 PhD students who received 450,000 each, while 133 Master’s degree students received 350,000 each, amounting to 46.55 million,” Sule said.

The commissioner said the scholarship board also introduced a Special Scholarship for Inclusion targeted at Persons Living With Disabilities, vulnerable groups and economically disadvantaged residents.

According to him, the board has continued to automate its operations to improve transparency and efficiency in scholarship administration.

Sule further disclosed that the state entered into partnerships with private organisations and foundations to expand educational support for outstanding students.

Among the partnerships highlighted was an arrangement with RETECH to reward the top 20 scorers in the Basic Education Certificate Examination annually.

By Jethro Ibileke

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, has reiterated the Board’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve service delivery and examination administration nationwide.

Mohammed gave the reassurance on Wednesday in Benin, in a statement by the Board’s Assistant Director (Media/Protocol), Uchechukwu Olisah, to announce the commencement of the registration for the 2026 May/June In-School Certificate Examinations and the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), across the country.

The registration for the 2026 May/June In-School Examinations will close on Sunday, 31st May, 2026, while registration for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) will close on Sunday, 24th May, 2026.

Dr. Mohammed advised schools, parents, guardians, and prospective candidates to take advantage of the registration window and complete all necessary procedures before the stipulated deadlines to avoid last-minute challenges.

He further disclosed that the registration process has been simplified through designated online portals to ensure a seamless and stress-free experience for candidates and schools.

According to him, for the May/June (In-school) registration, schools are required to request slots through their respective State Offices, capture candidates using the NABTEB Biometric Software, and complete registration via the official portal at mayjune.nabteb.gov.ng.

“For the May/June (In-school) registration, schools are expected to obtain login details through the State Office, log into the School Portal, make payment, and complete registration through school.nabteb.gov.ng.

“Similarly, candidates seeking registration for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) are to request Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) through the State Offices, complete registration on the Common Entrance Portal, and finalize the process through commonentrance.nabteb.gov.ng.

“For the online NCEE registration, candidates may create accounts independently, log in, and complete registration online. Schools may also obtain login details through the State Office to facilitate bulk registration. Payments and registration completion are to be carried out through student.nabteb.gov.ng,” Mohammed said.

The NABTEB Chief Executive also urged candidates and school authorities to strictly comply with all registration guidelines and ensure accurate submission of candidates’ data.

He advised members of the public to contact the nearest State Office or visit the Board’s official registration portals for further clarification and support.