US soldier Travis King, who fled from South to North Korea before being returned home, will plead guilty to desertion and other charges, his lawyer has said.
The army filed 14 charges against Mr King for the illegal crossing in July 2023. He plans to enter a guilty plea to five charges, including desertion and assault, as part of a plea deal. "He will plead not guilty to the remaining offenses, which the Army will withdraw and dismiss," his lawyer Franklin Rosenblatt said in a statement to BBC News.
His plea and sentencing hearing will take place on 20 September at a military base in Fort Bliss, Texas.
"Travis’s guilty plea will be entered at a general court-martial," Mr Rosenblatt said in an emailed statement on Monday.
"There, he will explain what he did, answer a military judge’s questions about why he is pleading guilty, and be sentenced."
Mr King is grateful to support from his family and friends and to all those who did not "pre-judge" him based on the allegations, the lawyer added.
Charges expected to be dismissed as part of the plea deal include possession of child pornography.
Pvt King has been in the army since January 2021 and was in South Korea as part of a unit rotation when he crossed into North Korea.
Prior to that incident, he had served two months in detention in South Korea on charges that he had assaulted two people and kicked a police car.
He was released from custody on 10 July - eight days before he crossed the country's border with Pyongyang.
His release deal was brokered by Swedish officials, who brought Pvt King to North Korea's border with China.
Little is known about how he was treated in North Korea, why he fled there in the first place, and why Pyongyang expelled him. The US has said it made no concessions to secure his release.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that the widespread poverty in Africa is man-made and not an act of God.
Obasanjo made this statement on Monday at the opening ceremony of the FESTAC Africa Festival at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, Kenya.
The former head of state remarked that, given the continent’s abundant resources, there is no reason for its poverty.
He said, “Africa has no reason to be poor. Our poverty is not an act of God. We are steeped in poverty due to our poor mentality. We need to wake up because we have a wealth of resources.
“If you look back in history, you will see that whenever others needed to get work done, they came to Africa to transport black people to the so-called New World to make others rich. And that hasn’t stopped. The slave trade led to colonialism. We enrich others while remaining impoverished. We need to awaken.
“Structural adjustment was the idea of the World Bank. However, I disagreed because we lacked the structure. What exactly were we adjusting? They were simply deceiving us.”
Obasanjo also expressed nostalgia at the return of the Festival of Arts and Culture, whose second edition was held in Nigeria during his tenure as military head of state in 1977. The first edition of the widely acclaimed festival was held 11 years earlier in Dakar, Senegal, in 1966.
Recalling his experience when the festival was held in Nigeria 47 years ago, the former president said, “I am here to express my appreciation and thanks, first to the governor of Kisumu County, Anyang Nyong’o, for hosting FESTAC here and contributing to what I call a renaissance and rebirth of FESTAC. I feel a bit emotional because, as you heard, the first festival was held in Senegal in 1966, and there was no other for 11 years.
“Nigeria agreed to stage another edition of the festival in 1975. Despite preparations, a change of government led some people to suggest cancelling it. However, I insisted that we should proceed and successfully hosted it.”
He added that the event attracted black people from all over the world, including Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the United States, and was a success.
Obasanjo also acknowledged that the event was suspended for over four decades because “it was left entirely in the hands of the government.”
Returning as a democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007, Obasanjo commended Yinka Abioye, Chairman of FESTAC Africa International, for his tenacity and commitment.
He said, “At this juncture, I would like to commend Yinka (Abioye) for his efforts and determination in reviving FESTAC during my lifetime.”
At one point in his speech, Obasanjo called on former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga to join him on stage. “My brother, come and join me on stage. You cannot bring me here and then abandon me,” he joked.
Calling for support for Odinga’s ambition to become Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Obasanjo said, “At FESTAC ’77, black people who were marginalised and exploited came together. Sadly, that marginalisation continues. I believe it will persist until we unite. The renaissance of FESTAC is part of the process of unification.
“Unless the AU as a continental organisation achieves success with the continental free trade agreement, we won’t progress. The AU itself needs reform. How can they develop programmes and wait for the European Union to provide funding? I was appointed as the AU’s High Representative for the Horn of Africa (a region in East Africa consisting of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia). When appointed, the AU had no funds for me to perform my role.
We waited for the US, EU, Germany, and other countries to provide money. Due to my connections, I approached the head of the African Development Bank, who provided some funds, enabling us to achieve progress in Ethiopia. Yet, the AU could not provide even that $500,000.
“We need individuals who understand Africa’s problems and the role the AU should play. I believe Raila Odinga is that person. He understands Africa’s issues because we have worked together on these problems before.”
He also stated that although Africa has achieved political liberation, it has not yet attained economic freedom.
“That’s why we need someone like Odinga to lead the AU and provide the reform and leadership necessary to achieve economic liberation for Africa,” he added.
Further, he advised African leaders to stop accepting Western ideas that do not work for the continent.
He said, “We have everything needed to create wealth. No one will do it for us. We must do it ourselves. If we don’t act, we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Our youth are restless, unhappy, bitter, angry, unemployed, and dissatisfied.
“They cannot wait for a long-promised future. They want action now. If we fail to deliver, we will be in trouble. However, we can meet their needs because we have the capability.”
Nigerian-born UFC star Israel Adesanya, popularly known as the Last Stylebender, has claimed that most ladies living in Lagos are hookers, widely known as “runs girls”.
Speaking in a video shared via his official social media handle on Monday, Adesanya said Lagos ladies like showing off, but proceeds of prostitutes are financing their lifestyles.
However, the former UFC welterweight champion urged them to be nice and friendly instead of being proud.
Speaking in Yoruba, Adesanya said, “Lagos women like to feel themselves and are proud. Most of you are runs girls. I know the meaning of runs girls now. Kobo kobo, ashewo.
“You want to show off. Keep posing and showing off. Nonsense. Just be nice, be friendly, say hi.”
Recall that Adesanya arrived in Lagos last Wednesday to a warm reception after his fourth-round submission loss to South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis in their middleweight title showdown at UFC 305 in Perth on Saturday night.
TINUBU PRIVATIZES SECONDRY EDUCATION: PARENTS TO PAY N380,000 PER STUDENT.
Since it is from Tinubu, it is not news. Not doing so by him would have been a news item.
Perhaps it is another form of tax on secondary education to enable him to raise enough money to buy new planes for Akpabio and Speaker Abbas for all the " SUPPORT" in shortchanging Nigerians and destroying Nigeria.
NIA: THE INEVITABLE RETURN OF AMBASSADOR EKE AYODELE AS DG NIA & SUDDEN "RESIGNATION"AHMED RUFA'I By Mahdi Shehu
1. Ahmed Rufai from Katsina state resigned as DG NIA yesterday, a post he has been holding since April 2017. He was the most influential of all Buhari's appointees and the luckiest of all appointees.
2. His reported resignation today was short of FULL DISCLOSURE and deliberately underplayed for reasons below.
3. In April 2017, in a deliberately designed sting operation to create a vacuum by force and subterfuge at the NIA, initiated by Sabiu tunde and two other northern cabals, Magu, the then Efcc Chairman using an insider informant from NIA operations unit, was drafted to invade the lagos operational office of the NIA, Which he forcefully broke into and removed $43m and £34m.
4. $ 10M was allegedly reported to have been "stolen" out of the "recovery" when it was taken for custody at the CBN by an NIA accounts staff who was silently transfered out. Don't ask me if the $10m was returned.
5. Even before the report of the presidential investigation was submitted and in spite of the existing court case instituted by Ayodele Eke, Buhari was misled into appointing Ahmed Rufai as the New DG NIA. As a reward, Tunde Sabiu, who was never a member of the intelligence community, was rewarded with the post of Assistant Director at the NIA while still holding the post of PA to C in C and posted to the villa. To date, he is a staff of the NIA just to give him a soft landing.
6. Eke Ayodele, who was suspended in April 2017 by Buhari, pending the outcome of investigation, went to court to contest his indictment arising from Magu's raid.
7. In 2023, the court cleared Ambassador Eke Ayodele from any wrongdoing and ordered that he be reinstated back to his seat as DG NIA being a statutory tenure appointment with constitutional flavor
8 The court order came before the elections, and removing Rufai and reinstating Ayodele may be a spoiler for the APC in the North, particularly aware of the role expected to "be played" by Ahmed Rufai in the 2023 presidential election.
9. Even after "declared" winner, Tinubu " retained" Ahmed Rufai in " appreciation" to his role but behind the scene assuring Eke Ayodele of his plans to implement the court order that restored him to his seat.
10. As we await the formal return of Eke Ayodele as the DG NIA, we allow the public to make all the insinuations. rightly or wrongly , particularly on Ahmed Rufa's tenor, particularly as katsina state, his home state became decimated by bandits, kidnappers, and state treasury looters from 2015 to date.
11. The Sardaunan katsina can now return home after a " job welldone" and help to save his Emir, (who is undersiege from the young and delicate Turk), his benefactor, who took away the Sardauna title from Sadiq kaita, a full royal blooded young man and handed over to Ahmed Rufai on a " platter" of Gold.
12. Welcome back, Ambassador Eke Ayodele, and don't witch hunder anybody but rather return Good against the evil done to you. Because your return is not by your power but God's will. If you return evil for evil, your days will be counted.
NIA: THE INEVITABLE RETURN OF AMBASSADOR EKE AYODELE AS DG NIA & SUDDEN "RESIGNATION"AHMED RUFA'
1. Ahmed Rufai from Katsina state resigned as DG NIA yesterday, a post he has been holding since April 2017. He was the most influential of all Buhari's appointees and the luckiest of all appointees.
2. His reported resignation today was short of FULL DISCLOSURE and deliberately underplayed for reasons below.
3. In April 2017, in a deliberately designed sting operation to create a vacuum by force and subterfuge at the NIA, initiated by Sabiu tunde and two other northern cabals, Magu, the then Efcc Chairman using an insider informant from NIA operations unit, was drafted to invade the lagos operational office of the NIA, Which he forcefully broke into and removed $43m and £34m.
4. $ 10M was allegedly reported to have been "stolen" out of the "recovery" when it was taken for custody at the CBN by an NIA accounts staff who was silently transfered out. Don't ask me if the $10m was returned.
5. Even before the report of the presidential investigation was submitted and in spite of the existing court case instituted by Ayodele Eke, Buhari was misled into appointing Ahmed Rufai as the New DG NIA. As a reward, Tunde Sabiu, who was never a member of the intelligence community, was rewarded with the post of Assistant Director at the NIA while still holding the post of PA to C in C and posted to the villa. To date, he is a staff of the NIA just to give him a soft landing.
6. Eke Ayodele, who was suspended in April 2017 by Buhari, pending the outcome of investigation, went to court to contest his indictment arising from Magu's raid.
7. In 2023, the court cleared Ambassador Eke Ayodele from any wrongdoing and ordered that he be reinstated back to his seat as DG NIA being a statutory tenure appointment with constitutional flavor
8 The court order came before the elections, and removing Rufai and reinstating Ayodele may be a spoiler for the APC in the North, particularly aware of the role expected to "be played" by Ahmed Rufai in the 2023 presidential election.
9. Even after "declared" winner, Tinubu " retained" Ahmed Rufai in " appreciation" to his role but behind the scene assuring Eke Ayodele of his plans to implement the court order that restored him to his seat.
10. As we await the formal return of Eke Ayodele as the DG NIA, we allow the public to make all the insinuations. rightly or wrongly , particularly on Ahmed Rufa's tenor, particularly as katsina state, his home state became decimated by bandits, kidnappers, and state treasury looters from 2015 to date.
11. The Sardaunan katsina can now return home after a " job welldone" and help to save his Emir, (who is undersiege from the young and delicate Turk), his benefactor, who took away the Sardauna title from Sadiq kaita, a full royal blooded young man and handed over to Ahmed Rufai on a " platter" of Gold.
12. Welcome back, Ambassador Eke Ayodele, and don't witch hunder anybody but rather return Good against the evil done to you. Because your return is not by your power but God's will. If you return evil for evil, your days will be counted.
EFCC ARRAIGNS MAN FOR ALLEGED N600m, $50,000.00 INVESTMENT FRAUD IN LAGOS
The Lagos Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, August 19, 2024, arraigned one Ayodele Toyosi for an alleged investment fraud before Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.
The defendant was arraigned alongside his companies, Reaprite Global Limited and Agrorite Limited, on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N600,150,000,00( Six Hundred Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) and $50,000.00( Fifty Thousand United States Dollars).
Investigation revealed that the defendant allegedly defrauded a number of persons on the pretence that he had an interest-yielding investment in agricultural export.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ayodele Toyosi, Reaprite Global Limited and Agrorite Limited, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the aggregate sum of N200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira only) belonging to one K. C. Akoson Investment Limited and Kenneth C. Maduakor by dishonestly representing to them that you will help them transfer the said money to their importers in China whereas you expended the money for your personal use and committed an offence contrary to Sections 278(1) (b) (f) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.”
Another count reads: “That you, Ayodele Toyosi, Reaprite Global Limited and Agrorite Limited, sometime in June 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the aggregate sum of N300,000,000.00 (Three Hundred Million Nara only), belonging to one K. C. Akoson Investment Limited and Kenneth C. Maduakor by dishonestly representing to them that you will help them transfer the said money to their importers in China, whereas you used the money to purchase a property known as Plot 17 Pinnock Beach Estate, Anyiran Town, Eti Osa Local Government Area, Lagos and committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the offence.
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, G. C Akaogu, prayed that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC custody for continuation of the investigations of other petitions pending against him.
Responding, the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, prayed the court to remand the defendant in the Ikoyi Correctional facility.
He also sought a date for the hearing of the bail application.
After listening to both counsel, Justice Lawal adjourned the matter till August 21, 2024 for the hearing of the bail application and also remanded the defendant in Ikoyi Correctional facility.
Mexican government accuses El Chapo’s son of kidnapping cartel boss ‘El Mayo’ and handing him to the US
The Mexican government is issuing an arrest warrant for the jailed son of Sinaloa Cartel founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, alleging he kidnapped a fellow narco boss and flew him straight into the waiting arms of US law enforcement a month ago.
In an announcement Wednesday, the Mexican Attorney General’s office confirmed it is issuing charges against Joaquín Guzmán López, who is in US custody in Chicago.
“An order of apprehension is being prepared alleging kidnapping and illegal deprivation of liberty of an individual on national territory in order to hand them over to authorities in another country,” Mexico’s Attorney General wrote in the statement.
The office also said investigators have secured the vehicles and property believed to have been used in the act. Though they did not elaborate, they also stated the air strip where the flight originated has been identified.
The announcement comes about a month after Guzmán López – one of El Chapo’s sons, known as the “Chapitos” – flew in a private plane to a small airfield near El Paso, Texas, along with the notorious 76-year-old narco boss Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. Both were taken into custody by US law enforcement on longstanding charges of running one of the most powerful narcotics trafficking organizations in the world.
The cartel is thought to be responsible for the trafficking of vast amounts of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the US. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said the arrests strike “at the heart of the cartel that is responsible for the majority of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, killing Americans from coast to coast.”
The surprise arrest raised questions about why they took that flight and what happened beforehand. Mexican officials have said they believe Joaquín Guzmán López made an agreement with his imprisoned brother Ovidio before the flight, but an attorney for Ovidio told CNN the claim was “a complete and utter fabrication.” Ovidio Guzmán López was extradited to the US in 2023 and is awaiting trial on drug and money laundering charges.
Zambada claimed he was ambushed and kidnapped by Guzmán López at a ranch outside Culiacan, Sinaloa, the day of his arrest.
“I did not turn myself in, and I did not come voluntarily to the United States,” he said. “To the contrary, I was kidnapped and brought to the U.S. forcibly and against my will.”
Jeffrey Lichtman, Guzmán López’s defense attorney, told CNN the Mexican government should be embarrassed for bringing forward these charges against his client.
“The corrupt Mexican government has made more of an effort over the last three weeks to prosecute the alleged kidnapping of Mayo Zambada, the biggest drug dealer on the planet, than to actually locate and prosecute Zambada over the past 40 years,” [/b]Lichtman said.
[b]“I’m sure the many thousands of Americans killed by Zambada’s fentanyl will rest easier knowing that the person allegedly responsible for bringing him to justice in America has instead been charged with kidnapping and treason in Mexico,” he added.
It’s unclear how the Mexican government will actively seek to prosecute its kidnapping case against Guzmán López in the face of an extensive and ongoing investigation led by the US Department of Justice targeting the Sinaloa Cartel’s global enterprise.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has repeatedly expressed frustration with the US government’s involvement in this case and requested more information on the dramatic arrests of both Guzmán López and Zambada. Both remain in US detention after pleading not guilty to drug trafficking.
Nigerian music superstar, Damini Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy has described the country as “collateral damage” in a candid reflection on the nation’s current state.
Speaking in an interview with Tidal on Friday, the African Giant shared why the country’s cultural diversity has become a bane against its growth.
The Grammy-winning artist also expressed his concern over the socio-political challenges facing Nigeria, emphasising that the nation and its citizens often suffer the consequences of poor governance and external influences.
Burna Boy’s remarks highlight his continued outspokenness on issues affecting Nigeria, as “he urged for more accountability and better leadership to prevent the country from being treated as expendable in global and local affairs.”
His comments have sparked discussions across social media, with many echoing his sentiments about the need for change.
Burna Boy shared his thoughts about how Nigeria as a country came to be during the interview with Tidal.
He noted that Nigeria as a country was never meant to exist and it is “nothing but the result of a bad business enterprise entered into by the British”, nothing “but the collateral damage of a business deal gone south.”
He noted that “the area called Nigeria was first known as the Niger Area before the Royal Niger Company acquired it.
“After it was acquired, the Royal Niger Company decided to amalgamate the North and South as against running them as separate entities, and it was at this point that the country Nigeria was birthed.
The Afro-fusion star noted that “when the amalgamation was going to happen, the Niger Company and the British who sold Nigeria didn’t take into consideration those living in the region.
“The two entities that sold and bought the Niger Area, the people living there were nothing but collateral damage.”
APC crisis: NBA asks Okocha to apologize to justices of Rivers State High Court
The leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Rivers State has called on Tony Okocha, the sacked Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state to issue an immediate apology to Justices Sika Aprioku, C.N. Wali, and G.O. Ollor of the Rivers State High Court following his alleged derogatory remarks about the judges.
The chairpersons of the eight NBA branches in Rivers State issued a statement accusing Okocha of denigrating the Rivers State judiciary by referring to it as a “supermarket” after he was dismissed by a judgment from Justice Aprioku in a suit filed by an APC chieftain.
The statement, jointly signed by NBA Port Harcourt Branch Chair Cordelia Eke, Isiokpo NBA Branch Chair Cashmia Ofurum, and six others, emphasized that the judges are apolitical and adhere to a strict code of conduct that limits unnecessary public interactions.
The NBA criticized Okocha for using offensive language that undermines the judiciary and the legal profession, suggesting instead that he should have “pursued an appeal.”
The statement also urged “litigants and the public to avoid harassing judges and to focus their efforts on legitimate legal channels.”
‘This is precious’ – Botswana president Masisi on discovery of world’s second largest diamond
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi looks at a large diamond discovered in Botswana at his office in Gaborone on August 22, 2024. – The 2492 carat diamond was discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana of Lucara Diamond Company. Botswana is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds, which constitute its main source of income, representing 30% of GDP and 80% of its exports. (Photo by Monirul BHUIYAN / AFP)
A massive 2,492-carat diamond — the second largest in the world — has been discovered in Botswana, the Canadian mining company that found the stone announced Thursday.
The diamond was discovered in the Karowe diamond mine in northeastern Botswana using X-ray detection technology, Lucara Diamond said in a statement.
Lucara did not provide an estimation of the value of the find. In terms of carats, the stone is second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905.
“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” Lucara president William Lamb said in the statement.
This find was “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed” and detected using the company’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology installed in 2017 to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds, the statement said.
The managing director of Lucara Botswana, Naseem Lahri, presented the translucent stone, which is the size of a palm, to President Mokgweetsi Masisi at his office later Thursday.
“I’m told this is the largest diamond to be discovered in Botswana to date and the second in the world,” Masisi said, congratulating the company on the find. “This is precious.”
Botswana is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds which are its main source of income, accounting for 30 percent of GDP and 80 percent of its exports, according to International Monetary Fund figures.
The arid and sparsely populated country, home to around 2.5 million people, was poor at the time of its independence from Britain in 1966.
Diamonds were discovered a year later and today the country is the world’s largest producer by value, the IMF says.
Lucara says it pays a royalty of 10 percent of the gross sales value of diamonds produced from Karowe to the government, regardless of whether the diamond is sold rough or polished.
“With a diamond of this magnitude, I can see roads being built,” said Masisi, as he posed for pictures with the huge stone.
– ‘Will likely see more’ Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe’s largest online diamond jeweller, 77 Diamonds, confirmed it was the largest rough diamond to be unearthed since the Cullinan Diamond, parts of which adorn Britain’s crown jewels.
“This discovery is largely thanks to newer technology that allows larger diamonds to be extracted from the ground without breaking into pieces. So we will likely see more where this came from,” he said.
Before the find was announced on Thursday, the largest diamond discovered in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone mined by Lucara at the Karowe mine in 2019 and named Sewelo.
Lucara found a 1,174-carat diamond stone in Botswana in 2021 using the same X-ray technology.
The mine started production in 2012 and has since then sold 216 diamonds for more than $1 million each and more than 11 single diamonds for more than $10 million each, it says.
The diamond mining industry has been hurt by lab-grown versions and weaker spending.
“Diamond prices are going through a difficult time now,” Masisi said.
“But every diamond is precious and valuable. We have to optimise and get the best price for this diamond.”
The Financial Times newspaper reported that people close to Lucara, who were not identified, estimated the stone could be worth upwards of $40 million.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has slammed the retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, saying there’s nothing the ordinary Nigerians will celebrate during his tenure as CJN.
DAILY POST reports that Ariwoola has retired as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, having clocked the age of retirement.
HURIWA described Justice Ariwoola’s tenure as one of the most disappointing in the history of the nation’s judiciary, citing nepotism, alleged corruption, and a blatant disregard for the principles of fairness and justice as the defining characteristics of his leadership.
According to HURIWA, Justice Ariwoola’s tenure left the judiciary in disarray, significantly tarnishing its credibility.
“One of the most troubling aspects of his time in office was the introduction of nepotistic practices in the appointment of judges,” HURIWA said in a statement signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator.
The association highlighted the appointment of Justice Ariwoola’s brother, Adebayo Lateef Ariwoola, as the head of the audit department at the National Judicial Council (NJC), a role that directly answers to the Chief Justice, who is also the Chairman of the NJC.
This situation, the group argued, presents a clear conflict of interest and raises serious questions about the integrity of the NJC’s financial operations.
Beyond this, the association condemned Justice Ariwoola’s involvement in securing a judicial appointment for his son, Olukayode Ariwoola Jr., as a Judge of the Federal High Court.
“This move, which was met with widespread public outcry, exemplifies the deeply entrenched culture of nepotism that has taken root under Justice Ariwoola’s leadership,” it added.
“Justice Ariwoola’s actions have set a dangerous precedent, encouraging similar behavior among other judicial leaders.
“For instance, the Chief Judge of Abuja, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, following in Justice Ariwoola’s footsteps, appointed his daughter, Maryam Baba-Yusuf on the bench as a judge of the Abuja High Court and allegedly included the daughters of influential politicians, former governors, and ministers among the newly appointed judges.
“The implications of these actions are dire for the Nigerian judiciary. A federal court judge recently remarked that in Nigeria, it is nearly impossible to become a Federal High Court judge without connections to powerful individuals.
“This underscored the extent to which corruption has polluted the judicial appointment process,” HURIWA further alleged.
A Coroner’s Court in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State has ordered substituted service on key witnesses in the ongoing inquest into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad
These include Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley; Samson Eletu aka Sam Larry; Mohbad’s sister-in-law, Karimot Ogunbayo; Boluwatife Adeyemo aka Darosha and Mohbad’s lawyer, Oluwasanmi Falade.
The nurse who was said to have treated the deceased during the period, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, and the driver who drove him to the hospital, Fidelis Esanbor, were also on the list. Magistrate T. A. Sotobi granted the application by Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, to serve a witness summons on additional witnesses through a reputable national newspaper and social media.
The Aloba family’s legal team in a statement signed by Monisola Odumosu and sent to PUNCH Metro on Thursday said the order was granted during the court’s sitting on August 16.
The legal team said it also sought an order of the coroner’s court to issue Witness Summons on interested persons as witnesses to give evidence on the connection and circumstances leading to Mohbad’s death.
“Magistrate Sotobi, sitting at the Ikorodu Magistrate court Friday 16 August 2024 agreed with the legal team of Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, that the new witnesses should be served via substituted means in a reputable national newspaper and social media to ensure prompt attendance of the new witnesses.
“The application, which was argued by the legal team led by Mr Wahab Shittu SAN (leading Emmanuel Oroko Esq., Miss. Monisola Odumosu, Emmanuel Sadoh, Dr. A.R. Ahmed, Oluyemi Osalusi Esq., Wole Ariyibi and Sadiq Kamo) representing Mr Joseph Aloba, sought an order of the coroner’s court to issue Witness Summons on interested persons as witnesses to give evidence on the connection and circumstances leading to the death of late Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), who died in suspicious circumstances on September 12, 2023. Mr. Joseph Aloba also asked for an order to issue Witness Summons against Nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, Boluwatife Adeyemo (A.K.A Darosha), Karimot Titilayo Ogunbayo, Barr. Oluwasanmi Falade (Mohbad’s lawyer), and Fidelis Esanbor (driver), Azeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley), Balogun Samson Eletu respectively, to give evidence of what they know in connection and circumstances leading to the death of Mr Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba (Mohbad), in suspicious circumstances on the 12th day of September 2023 on a date convenient and to be determined by the coroner,” the statement read.
They further asked the court that upon the grant of the orders, to grant leave to serve the witness summons to be issued on the new witnesses by substituted service by causing the said witness summons to be published in any reputable national newspaper within the country as the only viable means of service of the witness summons.
The legal team stated that efforts to get these witnesses served witness summons through the court have been unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, the coroner’s court also granted the application to recall Mohbad’s wife, Wunmi, and the IPO in charge of the case, ASP Muhammad Yusuf.
A lawyer, Akinpelu Ogunbona, who argued the application on behalf of Ibrahim Owodunni aka Primeboy, stated that there were new issues both Wunmi and the police needed to shed light upon to give a clear picture of what killed the singer.
According to the statement, their request to be called by Akinpelu A. Ogunbona Esq. is to make clear some ambiguous statements regarding the fight the singer’s wife alleged happened in the house.
The coroner accordingly adjourned for the order to be complied with and the witnesses to be brought to court on the next adjourned date.
Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.
Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.
His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.
The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.
Mr Babalola expressed grave concern over the hunger crisis in the country, condemning Mr Tinubu’s approach to addressing the hunger.
Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of the Afe Babalola University, says President Bola Tinubu’s administration is plunging Nigeria into poverty and turning citizens into beggars with its palliatives initiative.
During his visit to Prestige Sisters League over the weekend, Mr Babalola expressed concern over hunger in the country, condemning Mr Tinubu’s approach to addressing the crisis.
“It is wrong for the government to be sharing garri, beans and rice as palliatives. They are turning the people into beggars. The government that is giving the people rice and beans is leading us to poverty,” Mr Babalola said.
He added, “The government is discouraging people from working, whereas the government must provide an enabling environment for people to work and feed themselves.”
The legal expert attributed the hunger crisis in Nigeria to the government’s failure to ensure safety, barring citizens from engaging in agricultural activities.
Mr Babalola said, “The duty of the government is the welfare of the people. The problem we have now is that people cannot move freely. They have abandoned the farms. People are being killed on their farms, and everybody wants to stay where they are safe. It is because the government has failed in this regard that we have hunger.”
In August, protests erupted across Nigeria, lasting ten days, as citizens voiced their discontent over economic hardship worsened by soaring food prices under Mr Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking on the nationwide demonstration, the legal luminary said, “The protest was genuine, and the government should listen to them (demonstrators).”
Mr Babalola’s critique mirrors the Financial Times editorial of July, which dismissed Mr Tinubu’s policies as “disjointed” and detrimental, driving millions into poverty.
emmanuel596: Uba was a very wicked and terrible person... He died with a lot of debts and has destroyed Many organizations, he borrowed Soo much from Amcon and many banks and couldn't pay but when he became a senator he proposed a bill to shutdown Amcon(Asset Management Company Of Nigeria)citing that the organization has outlived it's purpose. Also lured dr cosmas maduka of coscharis into standing surety for him to secure more loans and defaulted which has put Dr cosmas in huge trouble and debts but Uba covers all his shit with philanthropy and fake empowermets.
Let's learn to describe people for who and what they are weather dead or alive.
LG election: Labour Party secures most votes without candidate in Bauchi
The Labour Party in Bauchi State has secured the highest number of votes in the Bogoro councillorship election held in Lusa B Ward of Bogoro Local Government Area, despite not fielding a candidate.
Consequently, the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC, declared the candidate from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lucy Ahmadu Yusuf, who came in second place, as the winner and the newly elected councillor representing Lusa B Ward.
Announcing the results at the collation centre in Bogoro, the returning officer, Daniel Gambo, stated that the Labour Party, without a candidate, garnered 2,200 votes. PDP’s Lucy Ahmadu Yusuf, closely followed with 2,168 votes.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mbam Masoyi, came in third in the election with 275 votes.
Presidential jets: Ex-Ogun govs unite against Chinese company, tag firm scammer
Two former governors of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun and Gbenga Daniel, have vowed to support Federal Government’s efforts to recover the national assets seized by a French court.
A Chinese firm, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Company Limited, had got judgment from the court, which led to the seizure of three presidential jets– a Dassault Falcon 7X, a Boeing 737 and an Airbus 330.
In 2007, the Ogun State Government entered into a joint venture agreement with Zhongshan and another company to create the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company.
But in the first half of 2016, the agreement between the parties broke down, leading to Zhongshan filing lawsuits in Nigerian federal and state courts to seek reinstatement of its contractual rights, which failed.
However, after taking the case before the French court, the company was awarded damages. The court prohibited Nigeria from moving or selling three presidential jets until the Chinese firm was paid the $74.5m awarded by the court.
The former governors, in separate statements on Saturday, described Zhongshan as a scammer, adding that there was no basis for the company’s claims to compensation.
Amosun, in a statement he signed on Saturday, said Nigeria should not give Zhongfu (also called Zhongshan) any listening ear, as doing so would amount to encouraging “an unlawful entity without locus standi to appropriate our common patrimony.”
He insisted that there was no basis for negotiation.
He said, “At different levels, government is a continuum and the various segments of events leading to this unfortunate situation occurred before, during and after our administration.
“Our administration assumed office on May 29, 2011. Very shortly after we took office, two different sets of Chinese companies, Messrs China Africa Investment FXE and Zhongfu International Investment FXE laid claims to management rights over the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone.
“The business dispute and rivalry between the Chinese concerns soon became fierce, grounded seamless business activities and threatened public peace and safety within the zone and neighboring communities.
“There were claims and counter-claims as to who between the two was the lawful representative of the original joint venturer, Guangdong Province, China, and consequentially who had the right to manage the zone.
“Zhongfu International Investment FXE, pretending to be a concerned and genuine tenant and zone stakeholder, volunteered very damaging and destructive information about the official representatives of Guangdong Province, the Joint Venturer and lawful zone managers, China Africa Investment FXE, and subsequently requested to be appointed as interim zone managers.”
The politician noted that on March 15, 2012, the state government appointed Zhongfu as an interim zone manager.
He said the decision was to prevent unwholesome development in the zone pending the completion of a fact-finding exercise.
However, the former governor said the state later discovered that Zhongfu’s claims against China Africa were lies.
According to him, Zhongfu’s actions were aimed at de-marketing China Africa and converting state-owned assets of Guangdong Province in China.
Amosun added that after receiving a diplomatic note from the Government of China dated March 11, 2016, the state government discovered that China Africa was the rightful investor.
“After due consultation with the relevant organs of government, we gave effect to the request of the Chinese government.
“We do recall that Zhongfu International Investment FXE approached Nigerian courts in different jurisdictions to ventilate its legal and business rights. They lost all their four cases in court.
“We also consulted with and took advice from the State Security Services and the supervising agency, NEPZA, on the best way to proceed. Accordingly, we served Zhongfu International Investment FXE with a formal termination notice dated 27 May, 2016,” he noted.
Amosun insisted that a final judgement delivered on March 29, 2017 indicated the matter was a trade dispute between two Chinese entities without connection with either Ogun State or the Federal Government.
He noted that attempts by Zhongfu to petition different authorities in Abuja failed, as his administration defended its actions at all levels before leaving office in May 2019.
“It is not true that our administration sent police or any security agent to harass, intimidate, or beat anyone. If there was any such situation, it must have been from among the disputing rivals in the bid to outdo one another. Security agencies can further investigate the allegation and uphold the truth.
“Nigeria should not give Zhongfu International Investment FXE any listening ear as doing so would amount to indulging and, encouraging an unlawful entity without locus standi to appropriate our common patrimony.
“Stemming from the above, this matter of Zhongfu International Investment FXE should be treated the way Nigeria treated the P&ID case. There is no basis for negotiation.
“I am ready to work with the agencies of government in any capacity to ensure that Nigeria is not scammed by Zhongfu International Investment FXE, or any other entity.
“Like every Nigerian, we are concerned that a purely business dispute between two Chinese nationals and corporations have now degenerated into an unlawful attempt to appropriate Nigeria’s sovereign assets. This is unacceptable to all people of goodwill and must not be allowed to stand,” he stated.
On his part, Daniel said he was ready to provide documents that would help the Federal Government pursue the case against the Chinese firm.
The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District also promised to help President Bola Tinubu to find “a diplomatic resolution to the national embarrassment.”
Daniel described the legal conundrum as a sensitive matter involving collective national assets and commonwealth which every Nigerian should be concerned about.
“We need to also appreciate that this matter is before various courts in several countries and it is subjudice for anyone to speak on them.
“However, let us emphasise once again that the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone project still exists and several Nigerians are working there as we write, just as there are several companies still doing their legitimate businesses,” he added.
FG warns states
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has warned the 36 state governments against entering foreign or international negotiations without the input of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stated this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja amid the contractual dispute between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan.
Tuggar emphasised the importance of registering international arrangements with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Federal Government to avoid similar issues in the future.
The minister noted that the Ogun State Government’s agreement with the Chinese company was made without the knowledge of the Federal Government, which resulted in the seizure of national assets.
He stressed that foreign negotiations required experienced individuals with necessary skills and training, and sub-national actors should not engage in such agreements alone.
The statement added, “This is part of the problem when sub-national actors like state governments take it upon themselves to go into agreements, go into international arrangements, without recourse to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without recourse to the Federal Government, and then when it goes awry, we are left with the problem to deal with.
“That is why it is always important that such arrangements should be registered with the mission there, with the embassy, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with the Federal Government.
“This is something that Ogun State, under a different administration, not this governor, entered into that we’re not aware of. All we know is that they’re going after Nigerian assets. That’s why, really, foreign or international negotiations are not the purview of sub-national actors.
“You should always have those that are experienced in such an area that have the necessary skills and the necessary training to negotiate these sorts of agreements.”
The lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Gbenga Daniel, has urged President Bola Tinubu to explore diplomatic channels to resolve the issues surrounding the Ogun Free Trade Zone (FTZ) deal.
Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese firm, obtained a court injunction to ground three presidential jets belonging to the Federal Government in Europe. The PUNCH reported that the company is also moving to seize other Nigerian assets in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and six other countries.
The firm has initiated legal proceedings in eight jurisdictions worldwide regarding the dispute. These countries include Belgium, Canada, France, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands, according to documents obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.
The order was granted following a failed contract between the company and the Ogun State Government, initiated in 2007 during Gbenga Daniel’s tenure as the state governor. Responding to the controversies, the former Ogun governor, through his media office, released a statement on Saturday
He clarified that neither he nor his administration is involved in the ongoing court and arbitration discussions.
He emphasised that the issue at hand is not the terms or propriety of the agreement for establishing the FTZ, but rather the termination of a management contract.
In 2010, the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone Company entered into a contract with Zhongshan’s parent company to develop an industrial park within the free-trade zone. The agreement was terminated in the first half of 2016, leading Zhongshan to file lawsuits in Nigerian federal and state courts seeking reinstatement of its contractual rights. However, the legal proceedings were discontinued in the spring of 2018.
The statement read, “The judgments in all the courts are very clear on this matter. It is important to note that this is a sensitive issue involving our collective national assets and Commonwealth, which every patriotic Nigerian should be concerned about. “As a patriotic elder statesman who had the privilege of serving Ogun State as Governor, where he initiated several developmental projects, including the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone, and as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel is committed to assisting Nigeria, through the President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in finding a diplomatic solution to the issue at hand. He will provide the Federal Government with all available records that could assist in pursuing its case at arbitration and before the courts.”
The former governor also highlighted that the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone project remains operational, with numerous Nigerians working there, and several companies continuing their legitimate businesses.
He emphasised that, as of his handover in 2011, around 56 companies were at various stages of operation, construction, or interest in the Free Trade Zone. These efforts have led to significant development in the previously rural Igbesa area.
He concluded by cautioning against the spread of incorrect reports and misrepresentation of facts regarding the establishment and operations of the Free Trade Zone, particularly on social media. He called on the media to support the Nigerian government in finding a productive solution in the nation’s best interest, emphasising that this is not a time to play politics with the assets and integrity of the country.
“We sincerely appreciate all efforts to reach out for Otunba Daniel’s side of the story. We also seek the understanding of those who have called to commend his steadfast silence, as he works to assist the President in navigating this challenging situation,” the statement added.
NFL Star Chris Jones Offers to Pay for $1.5 Million Worth of Stolen Chicken Wings After Cafeteria Worker Is Sentenced
“My fate is in God’s hands," Vera Liddell told her lawyer shortly before the Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle posted his offer
When the Chicago defense lawyer saw reports that an NFL star wanted to put down over $1 million of his own money to get a local cafeteria worker out of prison, he thought it was a hoax.
Then, Patrick O’Byrne tells PEOPLE, he got a call from someone he understands represents Chris Jones, confirming the Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle’s tweet in which he promised: “I’ll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free.”
In a case that has since gone viral, last week, Vera Liddell, who was working as a cafeteria consultant for an Illinois school district, admitted to stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings – 11,000 cases – between July 2020 and February 2022, according to her other lawyer, Gregory LaPapa. The chicken wings were intended for underprivileged children receiving free lunches during the pandemic shutdown, he says.
(PEOPLE reached out to The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for more information, but they did not respond in time for publication.)
O’Byrne says the church-going 68-year-old woman from Cook County, Ill., who had no previous criminal record, made false orders of chicken wings, which she then resold and gambled away the proceeds.
“She’s just a little sweetheart that’s got a gambling problem,” says O’Byrne, adding: “She feels beyond terrible about this. This is totally uncharacteristic of her. It was the disease taking over.”
Records obtained by PEOPLE show that she struggled financially, filing for bankruptcy at least twice in Chicago courts in 2009 and 2016.
On Friday, Aug. 9, Liddell pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft of more than $1 million and was sentenced to 9 years in prison, according to the Cook County’s Sixth Municipal District Circuit Court clerk’s office.
Liddell – who, per the courts, was given credit for the six days she had already spent in jail – is slated for discharge Aug. 3, 2030 and will be up for parole in 2029, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections online inmate roster.
The class X felony normally carries between six and 30 years behind bars, according to her lawyers.
Shortly before she took the plea deal, O’Byrne says she told him: “My fate is in God’s hands.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 14, Liddell was admitted to Logan Correctional Facility, according to her online inmate roster.
That same day, O’Byrne learned about Jones’s post.
“I was stunned,” O’Byrne recalls. “I’ve been doing this for 42 years, and I’ve never heard of anything like this.”
O’Byrne spent a good deal of time on the phone, waiting on hold, trying to contact the Chiefs before he says he was disconnected. Then he says he got a call from someone he believes to be representing Jones.
“I hope everything works out so that we can get her out,” O’Byrne says.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
PEOPLE reached out to Jones, as well as to his agent and a spokesman for the Kansas City Chiefs to confirm the star’s intent to cover the cost of the chicken wings. Jones's representatives confirmed first to PEOPLE that they "are in contact with Ms. Liddell's attorney, gathering information on the case."
Unfortunately, her lawyers say, Jones’s offer is complicated by the fact that she has already been sentenced and placed in state custody as a convicted felon.
They have 30 days from her sentencing to submit a motion to vacate her earlier plea and request a payment of restitution instead.
FreeStuffsNG: It was a PDP Governor who signed the contract just like the P&ID criminal case. It is always PDP and that's why we will never reward PDP or its low-budget version, ElluPee, with the Presidency.
Politics › Re: Flights Of Fancy: Governors Slammed For Wasting ₦160bn On Unviable Airports by Morbeta11(m): 6:20am On Aug 28, 2024
