Author: Staff Editor
A retired judge of the Federal High Court and former Second Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo (Rtd.), has thrown his weight behind the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify lawyers eligible to vote in NBA elections, describing it as a necessary step towards ensuring transparency and restoring confidence in the association’s electoral process. Justice Taiwo made his position known in a statement titled, “Let the Truth Be Told! My Take on the Election Crisis That Is Ongoing in the NBA,” in which he also asserted that he had foreseen the…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a notice of appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging the judgment of Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, which found the Commission liable for defaming former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye, over a social media publication relating to an alleged $6 billion Mambilla Power Project fraud. The notice of appeal was filed on Friday, July 10, 2026, by counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, SAN. In the appeal, filed in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, the EFCC expressed dissatisfaction with “the whole of the judgment…
The schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been rescued. According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the victims were freed through the efforts of security agencies. “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, have been rescued by our security agencies,” Onanuga said. He disclosed that eight members of the kidnapping gang were arrested during the rescue operation and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). Onanuga said the rescue operation did not involve any exchange or concession to the…
Nwabuoku’s ₦868.465m Fraud: Appeal Court Dismisses Bail Application for Lack of Merit
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday, July 10, 2026, dismissed the bail application filed by the convicted former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, for lack of merit. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, had on Monday, March 23, 2026, convicted and sentenced Nwabuoku to 72 years’ imprisonment at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja, for laundering ₦868,465,000 (Eight Hundred and Sixty-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand Naira). He subsequently appealed the judgment and sought to be admitted to bail on health grounds pending the…
The Senate has approved a total of ₦403.1 billion for the Nigerian Police Trust Fund to strengthen policing and support the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and other security challenges across the country for two consecutive years. The upper chamber approved ₦170.1 billion for the Police Trust Fund’s 2025 fiscal year, as well as ₦233 billion for the 2026 fiscal year. The approved 2026 budget covers personnel costs, capital projects, and overhead expenditures aimed at enhancing the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Lawmakers expressed optimism that the funding will improve the provision of critical equipment, infrastructure, training and other…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, July 9, 2026, arraigned the leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on allegations of money laundering. Bodejo was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering involving $2.33 million. At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, drew the attention of the court to the 12-count charge dated June 24, 2026, and filed on June 25, 2026, urging the court to allow the defendant to take his plea. The judge granted the application. Count one of the…
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has remanded the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his bail application. Umar was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday on a four-count charge bordering on conferring an undue advantage on himself while serving as Chairman of the CCT. The former CCT chairman pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him by the anti-graft agency. Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mshelia, prayed…
Court Admits Emefiele’s EFCC Statements, Dismisses Objections in Alleged $4.5bn Fraud Trial
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on Thursday overruled objections by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the admissibility of extra-judicial statements he allegedly made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), holding that the statements are admissible in evidence. In his ruling, Justice Oshodi held that Section 4 of the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, relied upon by Emefiele’s counsel, did not warrant a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the statements. The court agreed with the prosecution that a trial-within-trial was unnecessary because none of the statements sought…
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, convened a strategic meeting of the nation’s anti-corruption agencies at the Commission’s corporate headquarters in Abuja. The roundtable was aimed at fostering a stronger and more enduring framework for collaboration and synergy among the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to achieve better outcomes in the fight against corruption, economic crimes and financial crimes in the country. The meeting was attended by the Director-General…
EFCC Arraigns Former MD of Port Harcourt Refining Company Over Alleged ₦1.32bn Money Laundering
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, arraigned Mr. Ahmed Adamu Dikko, former Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/360/2026 and dated June 22, 2026, was filed by the Commission’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN. It listed Dikko and Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited as the first and second defendants, respectively. Dikko, who led the Port Harcourt Refining Company for about four years, pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts…