₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government on Wednesday held a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps in Abuja, where it addressed the allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria and also rejected the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern, insisting that the country didn’t target any group on the basis of faith.

Speaking at the diplomatic briefing in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, stated that claims of religious persecution misrepresented the country’s legal and social framework.

Ahmed said Nigeria’s national laws were religion-neutral and designed to protect all communities equally. He emphasised that there was no offence of blasphemy in the national legal framework, adding that Shari’a laws applicable in some northern states applied only to Muslims and operated under the supervision of the secular judicial system.

“Christian and Muslim institutions continue to operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence,” he said.

Also, addressing journalists in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, faulted the US designation of Nigeria, describing it as a product of “misrepresentation and misinformation.”

According to Idris, terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes in the country are not religiously motivated.

“Criminal activities and terrorism do not target any particular religious group. This is not about religion, it is about crime,” he maintained.

The minister stated that since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, security agencies had neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists, arrested over 17,000 suspects, and rescued more than 9,850 abducted persons, including women and children.

He said, “Since May 2023, when he (Tinubu) took office, Nigeria’s security agencies have neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists through sustained operations, and they have arrested over 17,000 suspects who are now undergoing interrogation and prosecution for various offences.

“Also, more than 9,850 people abducted by these terrorists, including women and children, have been rescued and reintegrated with their families. It is important to note that the menace of terrorism in Nigeria does not exclusively target any religious or ethnic group. “

He added that the President was engaging diplomatic channels to address the concerns raised by Washington and to correct what he described as a “misjudgment of Nigeria’s reality.”

“The Government of Nigeria remains open and willing to work closely with the international community, including the United States and other partners, to achieve the shared goal of completely eliminating terrorism and violent extremism on Nigerian soil. The President has pledged to ensure that all those making the country unsafe are permanently removed.

He added, “Regarding the current misrepresentation of Nigeria’s security situation by the United States, President Tinubu is taking the lead in addressing all areas of misunderstanding through diplomatic and political channels.

“While we welcome collaboration, assistance, and partnership from all foreign allies, including the United States, Nigeria is not denying that we face serious security challenges. We invite all our partners and friends to join us in understanding our situation and supporting our efforts to eliminate this menace.”

Keyamo writes Trump

In a related development, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, wrote to US President Donald Trump to counter claims of targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.

In a letter posted on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Keyamo said he felt compelled to respond “as a Christian and as a public official.” He argued that Nigeria was being wrongly portrayed as a country where Christians were under systematic attack, adding that even President Tinubu’s immediate family members are Christians.

According to Keyamo, the narrative of Christian genocide is exaggerated and misleading, and should not form the basis of foreign policy decisions.

The minister, recalling his background, noted that he had spent much of his professional life advocating for the rights of the downtrodden, a commitment, he said, earned him the Global Human Rights Award in Washington in 2017 from the United States Global Leadership Council, chaired at the time by Dr. Reuben Egolf.

Keyamo intimated Trump of Tinubu’s record of religious tolerance, pointing out that despite being a Muslim himself, the President’s wife, Oluremi Tinubu, is a pastor in one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches, and his children practising Christians.

He said, “President Tinubu is a known moderate, who, during his time as Governor of Lagos State, regularly invited Christian pastors for prayers and worship sessions at the Government House. He would be the last person to either adopt the killing of Christians as a state policy or condone such acts.”

Olurode warns FG

Meanwhile, a former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Lai Olurode, has urged the Federal Government to tread cautiously in its engagement with the US.

In a statement on Wednesday, Olurode advised that diplomacy, rather than emotional or defensive patriotism, should guide Nigeria’s response to the US designation and Trump’s recent comments.

Warning that it may be “suicidal to walk into America’s death trap,” Olurode, a former Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos, said Trump could “even be angry with the truth.”

Suggesting specifically how the FG should respond to the listing of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, Olurode added, “In his response to Mr Trump’s provocative moves, President Tinubu’s government should display decorum and respect for the most powerful country in a unipolar world. Nigeria shouldn’t turn itself into a theatre of war, which it is luring itself into.

“Simultaneously, I urge Nigeria’s elites to sink their differences and mobilise national sentiments behind the government of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu. If Nigeria goes under, there will be no country for the pursuits of our diverse aspirations.

“There seems to be no country that can stop America. We should be diplomatic rather than being emotional or displaying morbid patriotism. President Trump can be angry with even the truth. So far, our government has acted with caution and with the consciousness that America can kill Nigeria’s fly with a sledgehammer. It is suicidal to walk into America’s death trap.”

Enang advises govt

Former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, on Wednesday cautioned the FG against taking hasty or ill-considered actions following the United States threat.

The development generated intense debate across Nigeria, particularly after former U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted as threatening tougher measures if Washington’s concerns are ignored.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Enang said the matter carried serious foreign policy implications and should not be handled through spontaneous or uncoordinated reactions by government officials.

“This is a diplomatic issue that must be treated with utmost caution,” he warned. “Not every government official should make statements capable of inflaming the situation or misrepresenting Nigeria’s position.”

Enang, a former Special Adviser to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), advised that the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Intelligence Agency, and the leadership of the National Assembly should jointly craft a unified national response.

He also proposed that both chambers of the National Assembly convene a joint sitting to adopt a coordinated resolution to ensure, as he put it, that Nigeria speaks “with one national voice.”

Turning to domestic concerns, Enang lamented the financial pressure on the Federal Government, describing it as “fiscally overstretched” while states and local governments enjoy increased allocations from the Federation Account.

“The truth is that the Federal Government is broke,” he said. “It cannot meet its constitutional obligations because its share of national revenue is too small relative to its responsibilities.

“State governments are celebrating higher allocations, but the Federal Government that generates and disburses these funds is borrowing just to feed its children.”

The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business described the current revenue allocation formula as “obsolete,” arguing that it no longer reflects the scale of federal responsibilities.

“Today, the Federal Government funds the army, police, DSS, civil defence, road safety, and several other agencies, yet it receives just about half of the national revenue. It makes neither fiscal nor moral sense,” he said.

Nigerian Air Force

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on Wednesday, summoned all Air Component Commanders from ongoing operations nationwide, directing them to intensify the tempo of precision air strikes.

Aneke specifically directed the commanders to fly smarter and strike harder against terrorists, insurgents, and armed criminal gangs.

A statement on Wednesday by the Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said top operational commanders from every theatre of conflict — from the forests of Zamfara to the riverine enclaves of the Niger Delta and the rugged terrain of the North-East were present.

Ejodame said the air chief noted that the days ahead demanded agility, precision, and intelligence-driven warfare.

“We must fly smarter and strike harder, not only to neutralise threats but to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians. Every mission must reflect professionalism, purpose, and patriotism,” he was quoted as saying.

Aneke noted that the evolving nature of threats across theatres required synchronisation of air, land, and maritime operations to achieve joint mission success.

“Our operations must be intelligence-led, coordinated, and focused. We will continue to work closely with the sister services and other security agencies to ensure a united front in the fight against terrorism and criminality,” he said.

The senate has approved the sexual harassment of students (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2025, which prescribes up to 14 years’ imprisonment for educators convicted of sexually harassing students in tertiary institutions.

Lola Ashiru, the deputy senate leader, who stood in for Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, presented the bill, earlier passed by the house of representatives, for concurrence on Wednesday.

Ashiru said the legislation seeks to protect students from sexual misconduct and abuse within academic environments while providing a clear legal framework for enforcement and punishment.

He said the bill also aims to uphold ethical standards in tertiary institutions and preserve the student-educator relationship built on authority, trust, and respect for human dignity.

According to the law, “any person who commits any of the offences or acts specified in clause 4 (1), (2) and (3) of this bill is guilty of an offence of felony and shall, on conviction, be sentenced to an imprisonment term of up to 14 years but not less than 5 years, without an option of a fine.”

It states that offenders under clauses 4 (4), (5) and (6) are liable to imprisonment of two to five years without an option of a fine.

The bill also provides that a student who alleges harassment may pursue civil action for breach of fiduciary duty, with the standard of proof aligned with civil proceedings.

The legislation outlines offences, including demanding sexual favours, making unwanted sexual advances, inducing others to commit harassment, and inappropriate physical contact.

It provides that marriage between the educator and the student is the only defence and that consent is not acceptable where a power imbalance exists.

The bill states that complaints may be filed by the student, a relative, guardian, or any concerned party, with reports submitted to the police, the attorney-general, and the institution’s independent sexual harassment prohibition committee.

During the debate, some lawmakers proposed that the scope of the bill be expanded beyond academic institutions.

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, said the provisions should apply to workplaces and wider social environments.

“We can use one stone to kill all the mad birds,” Oshiomhole said.

“There is no need to limit sexual harassment to students. It should include workplaces and any other location, because the evil is the same. We should craft the law in such a way that it has a universal application.”

Titus Zam, a senator representing Benue north-west, described the bill as too restrictive, arguing that it should not be confined to universities.

Anthony Ani, senator representing Ebonyi south, said harassment occurs in every sphere of society. “It is everywhere,” he said.

“So, we have to come up with a law that is very encompassing, that takes care of sexual harassment in its entirety. This sexual harassment goes both ways.”

Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, who presided over the plenary, noted that the bill had already been passed at the lower chamber and was only before the senate for concurrence.

Jibrin also said existing legislation already addresses workplace harassment.

The bill was adopted and passed for third reading.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Belém, Brazil, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the leaders’ summit ahead of the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30).

The high-level meeting, convened by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in collaboration with global partners, will take place from November 6 to 7 in Belém, the capital of Pará state, located in the Brazilian Amazon.

The main COP30 negotiations, scheduled to be held from November 10 to 11, will bring together heads of state, development partners, and business executives to discuss practical pathways for accelerating global climate action.

This year’s conference, themed ‘Climate action and implementation’, will focus on adaptation, forests, biodiversity, and climate justice

In a statement on Tuesday by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media and communications (office of the vice-president), said Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement during the plenary session.

He will also outline the country’s climate priorities and ongoing efforts to meet its commitments under international climate agreements.

After his engagements in Belém, the vice-president will travel to Brasília for a reciprocal visit to his Brazilian counterpart, Geraldo Alckmin, who paid a three-day working visit to Nigeria earlier in June.

President Tinubu had earlier said Nigeria’s focus ahead of COP30 is to harness climate financing opportunities for climate-resilient projects and related interventions that align with the country’s development goals.

This year’s COP30 taking place in the Amazon — one of the world’s most critical carbon sinks — underscores the urgency of protecting tropical forests and preserving biodiversity as part of the global response to climate change.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr John Nwabueze as the Tax Ombudsman.

The appointment is said to be in line with the provisions of the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025,

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the appointment in a statement on Tuesday, saying it was part of Tinubu’s ongoing tax and revenue reforms.

“The appointment aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to implementing far-reaching and sustainable reforms in the tax and revenue administration framework,” the statement read.

Nwabueze, from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, has held several key positions in the public and private sectors.

He previously served as Managing Partner of a tax advisory firm, Technical Adviser to the Joint Senate Committees on the Federal Capital Territory and Finance, and Technical Adviser to the Chief Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Onanuga said Nwabueze “brings extensive professional and public service experience to the new job.”

The new Tax Ombudsman holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Finance from Walden University, Minneapolis; a Master’s degree in Accounting from Strayer University, Washington D.C.; and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Mathematics from the University of Jos.

Tinubu congratulated Nwabueze on the appointment and expressed confidence in his ability to deliver.

“President Tinubu congratulates Nwabueze on this appointment and expresses confidence in his capacity to discharge the responsibilities of his office with integrity, diligence, and utmost professionalism,” Onanuga said.

According to him, the Office of the Tax Ombudsman was established “to strengthen transparency and accountability within the tax system, enhance confidence in tax administration, and provide a structured mechanism for the fair and impartial resolution of disputes between taxpayers and revenue authorities.

“The Office shall be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints relating to taxes, levies, regulatory fees, customs duties, excise matters, and other related issues, in accordance with extant laws and regulations.”

Before now, tax-related complaints were largely managed by agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and state revenue boards.

The statement added that the move was aimed at safeguarding the rights of taxpayers.

“The Tax Ombudsman is further mandated to ensure that disputes are managed in an efficient, impartial, and non-adversarial manner, thereby safeguarding the rights of taxpayers against the arbitrary or abusive exercise of authority by tax officials,” it added.

The creation of the Office of the Tax Ombudsman marks a continuation of Tinubu’s fiscal and tax reform agenda, which has been driven by the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee chaired by Taiwo Oyedele.

The committee, inaugurated in August 2023, was mandated to harmonise Nigeria’s tax system, reduce multiple taxation, improve revenue generation, and raise the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio. It also aims to simplify tax compliance and strengthen public confidence in revenue administration.

The establishment of a Tax Ombudsman through the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, is part of the Federal Government’s plan to improve accountability and fairness in tax administration.

A 16-year-old student of Chrisland Schools, Naomi Olayinka, has emerged as the top in the World in English as a Second Language at the 2024 Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations.

Olayinka’s recognition by the Cambridge Assessment International Education follows her outstanding performance in the June 2024 IGCSE examinations.

Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, the visibly elated teenager described the news as surreal, saying her success was a product of faith, discipline, and the support of her teachers and parents.

“Honestly, I was completely speechless at first. It didn’t even sink in right away. When I finally realised what it meant, I just felt so grateful to God, to my teachers, my parents, and everyone who supported me. It was such a surreal moment, and all I could think about was how the hard work had really paid off,” she said.

Naomi follows in the footsteps of Mmesomachukwu Okonkwo, a 2023 Chrisland High School, VGC alumna, who achieved the same Top in the World recognition in English.

“It feels amazing to be part of such a proud legacy. Chrisland has always inspired us to aim for excellence, and knowing that others before me achieved this gave me confidence that it was possible too. I feel honoured to continue that tradition, and I hope my success encourages others as well,” Naomi said

She added that her love for English stemmed from its power to connect people and convey ideas.

“I have always loved how English allows people to express their thoughts and emotions so beautifully. I believe it is a way of thinking and connecting with people,” she said.

While preparing for the examination, Naomi said she maintained a consistent study routine that combined structured practice with leisure reading.

“I set aside time every day to read, write essays, and review past questions. I also made sure to read novels, articles, and newspapers to expand my vocabulary and understanding,” she explained.

The journey, however, was not without challenges.

“There were times I felt overwhelmed balancing all my subjects and responsibilities. Sometimes I doubted myself, too. But I learned to take things one step at a time and reminded myself to trust the process. My parents and teachers encouraged me constantly, and prayer gave me strength when I felt tired or unsure,” she said.

As the Assembly Prefect, she said she learned valuable lessons in leadership and time management that supported her academic excellence.

Reacting to the development, the Director of Schools, Chrisland Schools Limited, Mrs Ayoola Akinyeye, said Naomi’s success reflected the school’s long-standing commitment to nurturing globally competitive learners.

“At Chrisland, excellence is not an exception—it’s our default. Every year, we present hundreds of students for national and international examinations, and a remarkable number consistently achieve distinctions and awards that place them among the best in the world,” she said.

“While ‘Top in the World’ has room for only one, our record of multiple outstanding results each year shows that sustained excellence across large numbers is our true distinction.”

Also speaking, the Executive Head of Schools (Communications) and Regional Head of Abuja and VGC Schools, Dr. Olajide Onigbogi, said the school’s record of global recognition is the result of an intentional culture that integrates discipline, professionalism, and love for learning.

“Excellence at Chrisland isn’t accidental but intentional. It’s the product of discipline, professionalism, and love for learning, woven into the very fabric of our system,” he said.

A major milestone has been recorded in Ondo State’s industrialisation drive as Backbone Infrastructure Ltd has secured funding commitments exceeding $50bn for the development of a 500,000 barrels-per-day refinery and the Sunshine Free Trade Zone in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

The funding was facilitated through a joint venture agreement between BINL and NEFEX Holdings Limited of Canada, marking one of the largest single private sector investment packages targeted at Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas industry.

In a statement issued by the company on Monday, the investment follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between BINL and the Ondo State Government, through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency, in July.

The company said the project is expected to transform Ondo State into a key refining and export hub in the Niger Delta corridor.

The statement read, “Following the successful execution of the Memorandum of Understanding between Backbone Infrastructure Ltd and the Ondo State Government, through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency, for the construction of a 500,000 barrels-per-day refinery and the development of a 1,471-hectare Sunshine Free Trade Zone in the Ilaje area of Ondo State in July, Backbone has secured project funding exceeding $50bnfor both projects through a joint venture agreement with its partner, NEFEX Holdings Limited of Canada.”

The statement added that a team from BINL, led by its Chairman and former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani, is scheduled to visit Akure today for meetings with state government officials and a courtesy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The visit will also include site inspections, stakeholder engagements, and consultations with host communities, including a royal audience with the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Obateru Akinrutan.

According to BINL’s Vice President for Corporate Services, Wale Adekola, the partnership with NEFEX Petroline, an engineering, construction, and energy infrastructure firm with operations across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, will fast-track the technical and financial groundwork needed to commence construction.

Their speciality also includes port and infrastructure development, petrochemical trading and supply, investment, and project management.

“With operations across the Middle East, Europe, North America, and beyond, NEFEX Petroline combines the advantages of a global network with deep local understanding. The firm maintains partnerships with leading global financial institutions to secure multi-currency credit lines and liquidity support for large-scale operations,” Adekola said.

‘’Our partnership with NEFEX opens the next chapter for the commencement of BINL Refinery development, ‘’ the BINL executive added.

He added that the BINL-NEFEX partnership represents “the next chapter” in the company’s refinery development efforts, with plans to also collaborate with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to ensure seamless integration into Nigeria’s oil value chain.

The refinery, upon completion, is expected to meet local demand for petroleum products, provide feedstock to industries, and export refined products to international markets. It will also include storage facilities, loading bays, terminals, and a network of internal roads, according to the project brief.

Similarly, the 1,471-hectare Sunshine Free Trade Zone will host industrial clusters, logistics facilities, and residential zones, positioning Ondo State as an emerging industrial hub in Southwest Nigeria.

The $50bn project could significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported refined fuel, conserve foreign exchange, and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

It also aligns with the Federal Government’s push to attract private capital into critical infrastructure, especially as the country seeks to replicate the Dangote Refinery model and expand its refining capacity.

BINL, which operates offices in Abuja, London, and Zug, Switzerland, said its corporate social responsibility framework will focus on education, skills development, and infrastructure projects in host communities.

Adekola commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his “visionary leadership” and commitment to attracting credible investors. “We commend the governor for opening the state to genuine partnerships and creating the right environment for both local and international investors to thrive,” he said.

The refinery and free zone project, expected to span several phases, could redefine the economic landscape of Ondo State, making it a key energy and industrial hub in Nigeria’s South-West region.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has announced that applications for the student loan scheme have surpassed one million, marking one of the largest uptakes for a government-backed social intervention since the beginning of the Tinubu administration.

In a statement on Sunday, the Director of Strategic Communications, Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the milestone was achieved less than a year after the programme was launched on May 24, 2024.

He described it as evidence that the scheme is gaining strong national traction and public trust.

According to the agency, over N116bn has so far been disbursed to students across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria, covering both institutional charges and upkeep allowances.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, said the milestone reflects the success of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda in expanding access to higher education.

“Crossing the one-million mark represents more than data; it symbolises renewed hope for a generation of Nigerians determined to rise above financial barriers to education,” Sawyerr said. “It is a testament to visionary leadership, sound policy design, and the collective effort of all stakeholders driving this transformative agenda.”

NELFUND reiterated its commitment to continuous improvement in service delivery, ensuring that “every qualified Nigerian student, regardless of background or location, can access education funding with transparency, efficiency, and dignity.”

The agency emphasised that the student loan programme is non-discriminatory, benefiting Nigerians across religious and ethnic backgrounds, and helping to promote unity through equal learning opportunities.

“NELFUND remains focused on ensuring that no Nigerian is denied the opportunity to learn, grow, or contribute to national progress because of financial limitations,” the statement added.

Mohammed Ma’aji, a colonel regarded by investigators as the coordinator of the alleged plot to topple Nigeria’s democracy, was a security adviser to Timi Sylva in the 2015 Bayelsa state gubernatorial election, TheCable understands.

Sylva’s residences in Abuja were recently searched by investigators and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Julius Bokoru, his special assistant on media and public affairs, has denied reports linking the former minister of state for petroleum resources to the botched coup.

In a statement, Bokoru described Sylva as “an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat” who has consistently supported President Bola Tinubu.

Ma’aji, who is said to be “very close” to Sylva, coordinated security for the former governor in the December 5, 2015 election.

Sylva, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 86,852 votes, losing to Seriake Dickson, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 134,998 votes.

He previously led Bayelsa state as a PDP governor between 2007 and 2012, with his first election cancelled in 2008 by a tribunal.

He won a fresh election and did one term before he was denied a second term ticket by the party, with Dickson preferred to him.


‘MA’AJI KEEPING MUM’

It is still unclear to investigators if Ma’aji was the mastermind of the foiled coup, but he is believed to have played a central role.

His major role, it was alleged, was to recruit junior officers.

But he is also accused of providing the funds and logistics, fuelling speculation that he might have been bankrolled by a politician or politicians with significant war chest.

Ma’aji served in the oil-rich Niger Delta region for years.

TheCable understands that he has refused to co-operate with investigators so far, preferring to keep mum on all the allegations.

Officers junior to him have made “significant statements” to the special investigative panel set up by the military authorities.

Forensics have been conducted on Ma’aji and his wife, with their Abuja house searched by the investigators.

A throve of information has reportedly been unearthed on the couple’s accounts and a number of landed property, military sources told TheCable.

WHO IS MOHAMMED MA’AJI?

Not much is known about the army officer from Niger state.

Ma’aji, born in 1976 to Nupe parents, was a member of regular course 47 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

TheCable understands that he was commissioned in 2000 as a second lieutenant, rising through the ranks to become a colonel in 2017 after attending the Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course (PSLC) at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau state.

Ma’aji served as commanding officer (CO) of the 19 Battalion in Okitipupa, Ondo state, before was posted to Koko, headquarters of Warri North LGA, Delta state, in 2017.

In January 2021, he became the CO of Delta Safe following a transfer from the Depot, Nigerian Army, in Zaria.

Meanwhile, a former US Mayor, Mike Arnold, publicly challenged the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, accusing him of failing to use his influence to halt jihadist violence in northern Nigeria.

In an open letter circulated on X, Arnold questioned the Sultan’s past role as Nigeria’s Defence Attaché in Pakistan, drawing a link between his service years and the later spread of jihadist tactics in northern Nigeria.

The Sultan had served as Nigeria’s Defence Attaché to Pakistan from 2003 until his ascension to the throne in 2006. During this time, he was also accredited to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan.

In his post, Arnold queried, “How do you explain that the tactics of global jihadist groups, previously unseen in Nigeria, began in your caliphate after your return from Pakistan? Where are the fatwas against these killings? What have you done to protect your citizens and subjects?”

He further alleged that over $9bn worth of minerals were looted yearly from territories under the Sokoto Caliphate’s influence, warning that the Sultan could face international criminal scrutiny if he failed to address the allegations.

When contacted, the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, reacting through its secretary, Alhaji Saidu Maccido, said, “The Sultan will not bring himself down to respond to such allegations again. The Federal Government has responded to the allegations, and I even recall that the Nigerian Senate also passed a resolution on it. Responding again will only make them feel important.

“The Sultanate Council remains focused on promoting peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and truth. We will not be distracted by baseless accusations.”

Maccido reaffirmed the Sultanate Council’s commitment to peace, unity, and national stability, urging Nigerians to ignore divisive and inflammatory narratives.

Twelve northern governors, prominent traditional rulers, and senior judges are at the centre of a looming diplomatic storm as the United States Congress considers a bill that could impose far-reaching sanctions on them over alleged complicity in what American lawmakers describe as a “Christian genocide” and systemic persecution under Nigeria’s sharia and blasphemy laws.

This follows the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by President Donald Trump and his instruction to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to act without delay.

On Friday, Trump, in a post on Truth, lamented that thousands of Christians were being killed in Nigeria and asked Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into the matter and report back to him.

The Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, designates Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious persecution.

The bill proposes direct sanctions against public officials and religious authorities accused of promoting or tolerating violence against Christians and other religious minorities.

In December 2020, the US Department of State designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for the first time ever due to what it termed systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, violent Boko Haram attacks, and frequent ethno-religious conflicts exacerbated by the judiciary system.

Under the bill, introduced on September 9, 2025, the US Secretary of State will, within 90 days of its passage, submit a report to Congress listing Nigerian officials, including governors, judges, and monarchs who have “promoted, enacted, or maintained blasphemy laws” or “tolerated violence by non-state actors invoking religious justification.”

The sanctions, to be implemented under Executive Order 13818, the US government’s Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability framework, could result in visa bans, asset freezes, and financial restrictions for those found culpable.

One of the highlights of the bill is the implementation of Sharia law in northern Nigeria, which it termed the blasphemy law, and believed to be against the Christian population.

Sharia, derived from Islamic jurisprudence, has long existed as a system of personal, moral, and communal regulation among Muslim communities in northern Nigeria.

The major turning point came between 1999 and 2000, shortly after Nigeria’s return to civilian rule, when several northern states, beginning with Zamfara under Governor Ahmad Sani Yerima, expanded Sharia’s jurisdiction to include criminal law and public morality.

Within two years, about 12 northern states had adopted similar Sharia-based penal codes and established parallel Sharia courts alongside existing secular courts.

The affected states include Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, and Gombe.

However, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Adamawa, though with significant Muslim populations, still operate under the conventional secular legal system, with Sharia limited only to personal status matters such as marriage, inheritance, and family issues for Muslims, rather than criminal or public law.

Recently, the Sharia Council announced moves to establish its presence in parts of the South, beginning with Oyo and Ogun states.

The development sparked tension as both Christian and Muslim groups clashed over the perceived introduction of Sharia in the two states.

The tension, however, eased after the council clarified that it was not setting up a court of law but rather arbitration panels to mediate Muslim-related disputes and offer non-binding advice.

Cruz, while defending the bill, said Nigeria’s leadership had “institutionalised sharia law and enabled jihadist violence.”

“Religious persecution and violence against Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria is endemic.

“Since 2009, over 52,000 Christians have been murdered, 20,000 churches and faith institutions destroyed, and dozens of villages wiped out. The federal and state governments have failed to act, and in many cases, they are complicit.”

The bill underscores that since the adoption of sharia law in Zamfara State in 2000, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, nearly all 19 northern states had adopted blasphemy provisions in their legal codes.

States such as Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto, and Katsina have drawn global outrage for death sentences imposed over alleged blasphemy, while even southern states like Oyo and Ogun, both with Sharia panels, may now come under investigation.

Concerns raised

However, the implementation of Shari’a law has raised concerns about human rights and religious freedom following the reported suppression of non-Muslims through restrictions on public worship, construction of churches, and celebration of religious festivals for traditional religionists.

Also, converts from Islam to Christianity and other religions have alleged persecution, harassment, and even violence, while blasphemy laws are often vaguely worded, allowing for arbitrary interpretation and enforcement. This has enabled mobs to take the law into their own hands, resulting in violent and deadly consequences.

There was national outrage in May 2022 after Deborah Samuel, a second-year student of Home Economics at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was killed after being accused of blasphemy against Islam. She was stoned and set ablaze by a mob of her fellow students. The perpetrators were not brought to justice.

Usman Buda, a butcher in Sokoto, was lynched by a mob after being accused of blasphemy, sparking widespread outrage. In 2021, a water seller in Bauchi State was beaten and burned to death for alleged blasphemy.

A similar fate befell Bridget Agbahime, 74, who was beaten to death in Kano in 2016, after she was accused of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

In designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” Trump cited alleged severe violations of religious freedom, particularly the persecution of Christians. He claimed that Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, with thousands of Christians being killed by radical Islamists.

Trump warned that the US would take action, including potential military intervention, if Nigeria didn’t address the issue.

The US President also threatened to halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria should the Tinubu administration fail to end the alleged persecution and killing of Christians.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians,” he said.

If passed, the Act would compel the US to impose targeted sanctions on officials enforcing Sharia or blasphemy laws; blacklist Nigerian actors complicit in religiously motivated violence, and maintain terror designations for Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa as Entities of Particular Concern.

Echoing Trump’s threat to invade Nigeria, the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, signalled readiness to take military action over alleged killings of Christians in the country.

In an X post on Sunday, the top official said the US Department of War is preparing for action if Nigeria fails to protect Christians.

“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Hegseth wrote.

Under section 3, titled, ‘Designations and amendments related to the International Religious Freedom Act,’ the draft bill says the US Secretary of State shall ‘’Designate, for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom— (1) the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern; and (2) Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa as Entities of Particular Concern.’’

The designation was based on a report hinged on section 402(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and section 301(a) of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016.

CAN blames leaders

The Christian Association of Nigeria has blamed the lack of courage by the nation’s leaders in addressing killings and violations of human rights as a reason for the threats of intervention by President Donald Trump over alleged Christians’ genocide in the country.

Chairman, Northern CAN, Rev John Hayab, who spoke with The PUNCH on Sunday, said Trump’s warning was another opportunity for the Federal Government to correct the wrongs in governance and deal with all those perpetrating violence across the country under the guise of religion.

Hayab, who affirmed that members of the Christian community in the North were victims of the killings, said Trump’s call was for President Bola Tinubu’s government to show courage and take responsible action to stop killings in the country.

Hayab said, “The reason why we are where we are today is the lack of courage by leaders to take decisive action and stop those who violate the rights of fellow citizens, hiding under religion or whatever identity.

“The Nigerian government should just take advantage of this opportunity and stamp its foot to correct where there is wrong; stamp its foot to speak the language of unity, stamp its foot to tell those who have been hiding under religion to torment fellow citizens that they no longer have a space in Nigeria.

“Trump is simply saying there are killings in Nigeria, which is true. Stop it, and that ends it. Take action, and that ends it. It is a matter that requires attention. And I think someone should act responsibly, correct it, and you will see that the rhetoric will change.”

He expressed belief that Trump would not suddenly deploy US troops to invade Nigeria, adding, “It’s a call for correction. It is a call to do what is right. Trump will not just ask the army to come and start fighting Nigeria. We are being killed. We are being denied certain rights and privileges. We are not treated well as citizens. We are not given the respect we’re supposed to get as citizens of our country. And we have to speak out. We were speaking out to our government.

“As a Christian community, when this matter came up, we spoke our minds. All we wanted the world to know is that we truly are suffering.

“And it is published in newspapers, which can be read all over the world. Thank God, agencies that are involved in promoting human rights and religious freedom across the globe read our complaint and took up action and possibly got the attention of some people in America, and what has happened is happening.”

Military investigation into the alleged coup plot has reportedly uncovered a trail of N45 billion disbursed from the bank accounts of the Niger Delta Development Commission to some politically exposed persons and the soldiers detained in connection with the rumoured conspiracy to topple President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Earlier this month, Sahara Reporters reported that 16 Nigerian Army officers were detained for allegedly planning a coup d’etat to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.

The online newspaper had linked the alleged coup to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day by the Federal Government.

However, the military, in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, denied the report linking the detention of the16 military officers to a failed coup.

Multiple reports on Tuesday stated that some Nigerian Army personnel raided the Abuja residence of ex-governor Timipre Sylva, also a former Minister of State for Petroleum, in connection with the alleged coup plot currently under investigation by the Defence Intelligence Agency.

Sequel to the discovery, the Defence Intelligence Agency investigators grilled some top NDDC officials about the sources of the fund, beneficiaries and how it was utilised.

The development has set off panic alarms at the NDDC headquarters over alleged links to the financing of subversive activities.

The Federal Government had also denied the coup plot against Tinubu’s administration. The Defence Headquarters described reports of a coup attempt as “false, misleading, and malicious” and stated that 16 military officers in custody are being investigated for professional misconduct, not a coup plot.

While details of the interrogation of the NDDC officials remain unclear, investigators are said to be scrutinising a series of high-value transactions carried out in recent months allegedly linked to politically-exposed persons.

They include a shoreline project awarded to a former governor in the South-South to the tune of N45bn, some of which allegedly found its way to the account of some of the detained officers.

Security sources with knowledge of the ongoing probe confirmed that the interrogation of the NDDC top shots was “part of a broader intelligence-based inquiry into the movement of public funds.”

Sources in the NDDC disclosed to The PUNCH that many top officials are apprehensive that the development may trigger a broader probe into the commission’s financial dealings.

They affirmed that the invitation of the top NDDC executives had triggered widespread anxiety among senior officials.

According to one insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “Since the news broke about the interrogation of the top shots, the atmosphere here has been uneasy. Many directors are being cautious about their movements and communications.”

Some executive directors who maintain close administrative ties with the embattled NDDC top shots are said to be worried about the development.

The development has sparked intense speculation within the commission, with staff expressing concern that the investigation could widen and implicate other senior officials.

The NDDC spokesperson, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, declined comments when asked about the quizzing of the commission’s officials.

Meanwhile, Sylva has denied alleged involvement in the coup plot.

His Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Julius Bokoru, said the rumour in some quarters is the handiwork of ‘’desperate and self-seeking politicians trying to actualise their ambitions in 2027.’’

On Wednesday, The PUNCH reported how Sylva’s Abuja home was raided by Defence Intelligence Agency operatives probing the controversial plot to forcefully change the government.

During the raid, which took place on Saturday, the operatives arrested Sylva’s younger brother, Paga, who is his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs and also took his driver into custody.

The former Bayelsa governor and All Progressives Congress chieftain was outside the country during the operation.

The media aide disclosed that the operatives did not remove anything from Sylva’s Abuja residence during the operation, noting that the two men that were arrested have yet to be released from custody.

Bokoru explained that no reason was provided for the raid. He further clarified that the former governor’s Yenagoa residence was not raided by the operatives.

He confirmed that Sylva and his wife, Alanyingi, were out of the country at the time.

Explaining their absence, Bokoru said Sylva was in the United Kingdom for routine medical checks and would soon be on his way to Malaysia to attend “a professional conference.”

He said, “It’s not true. It is the handiwork of people in the state APC who are concerned about their governorship ambition in 2027,” he stated.

“Those doing this are in the state APC. It is about the 2027 governorship ambition. They are appointees of the Federal Government and instead of focusing on their work, they are playing local toxic politics.

‘’Such wicked politicians took their desperation to a nauseating level following Sylva’s intimidating political presence and credibility that had continued to expose their self-serving ambitions and evil agenda.”

Bokoru also said Sylva’s driver, as well as his younger brother, Paga, who were whisked away by the operatives on Saturday, were yet to be released from custody.

He disclosed that the operatives of the Defence Headquarters did not remove anything from Sylva’s Abuja residence when they raided it last Saturday.

However, a close associate of Sylva told The PUNCH that several parts of the house were damaged following Saturday’s raid.

He said, “Expensive doors were destroyed while a number of other household appliances were ransacked and scattered during the raid but nothing incriminating was found.”

He dismissed allegations linking the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to Sylva as part of the coup plot.

Ogbuku was the Chief of Staff to Sylva while he was Bayelsa governor.

When contacted, Ogbuku denied he was arrested. In a short message to our correspondent, he said, “I’m not aware of such. Just the way you are seeing it is the same way I’m seeing it too on social media.”

Earlier, in a statement on Wednesday, titled, ‘Setting the record straight on recent false reports about Sylva,’ Bokoru denied Sylva’s reported involvement in the alleged coup plot.

He insisted that his principal was not involved in the planning or logistics of any coup.

The statement read, “In the past 48 hours, I have been inundated with calls from members of the press, political associates, and concerned individuals regarding a circulating report alleging that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, has “fled” the country in connection with certain purported matters.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is true that the residence of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was recently subjected to a raid by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters. During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted upon the property.

“Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently.

“It is important to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, and his esteemed wife, Her Excellency, Alanyingi Sylva, were both outside the country at the time of the incident.

“As at my last communication with His Excellency, he was engaged in a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom, after which he was scheduled to proceed to Malaysia to attend a professional conference.

“The next development I was made aware of, regrettably, were reports circulating across social media and other platforms concerning the raid on his residence.

“While the Defence Headquarters has already debunked the swirling rumours of a coup in Nigeria, it is important to state emphatically that Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, has no involvement whatsoever—either in planning or in logistics—with any such plot.

“Chief Sylva is a thoroughbred democrat, whose entire political journey has been defined by his faith in democratic processes and institutions. From the 1990s, when he was first elected into the Old Rivers State House of Assembly, to his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State, Sylva has achieved every milestone through transparent, democratic engagement and the will of the people.’’

The statement further added, “His unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a matter of public record. It remains fresh in memory how he mobilized the entire Bayelsa APC structure to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting.

“These rumours are nothing more than the handiwork of desperate and narcissistic politicians, already consumed by ambitions for 2027, who see Sylva as their last real obstacle—a man whose political presence and credibility continue to expose their dark, self-serving ambitions.”

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board has released the names of candidates shortlisted for the paramilitary agencies’ recruitment computer-based test.

This is contained in a statement by the secretary to the board, retired Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Jubril, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the agencies are the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The statement urged candidates who applied for recruitment into any of the four paramilitary agencies to visit its official recruitment portal at https://recruitment.cdcfib.gov.ng from Thursday to check if they had been shortlisted.

“From Thursday, October 30, 2025, candidates are to check if they have been shortlisted for the next stage of the exercise, as well as centres for the Computer-Based Test (CBT).

“Shortlisted candidates are further requested to take note of the venue, date, as well as time scheduled for the CBT,” he said.

The statement enjoined applicants to take note of the correct portal address highlighted to avoid being scammed.

PUNCH Online reported in August that at least 1,911,141 Nigerians applied for the Board recruitment exercise as of when the application portal closed on Monday, August 11.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has extended an olive branch to Senate President Godswill Akpabio — inviting him and other lawmakers to the inauguration of constituency projects in Kogi State.

This is coming weeks after her return from a six-month suspension.

The invitation was contained in a letter read by Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary.

“In marking my second anniversary as serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to invite fellow distinguished senators to join me for projects commissioning in Kogi State,” the letter partly read.

According to the invitation, the event will hold on Sunday in Ihima, Okene Local Government Area, with the meeting point fixed at her residence.

For lawmakers travelling by air, the senator advised that the Obajana airstrip could be used before proceeding by road to Ihima.

Akpabio responded warmly after reading the letter, saying, “Congratulations in advance.”

The gesture marks a turning point in a once-bitter rift between the two senators.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, following a heated face-off with the Senate leadership over the reallocation of her seat during the plenary.

Her protest at the time led to accusations of “gross misconduct” and a walkout that drew national attention.

She accused Akpabio of running the upper chamber with a “dictatorial hand,” while the Senate President insisted her actions breached parliamentary decorum.

Although her suspension expired in September, she only regained access to her office two weeks ago after a months-long standoff and court filings.

Since her reinstatement, Akpoti-Uduaghan has gradually resumed participation in plenary sessions — including contributing an amendment to the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill 2025 last week — but Thursday’s invitation read by Akpabio signals the clearest sign yet of rapprochement between the two camps.

Political observers see the gesture as a strategic reconciliation move by the fiery Kogi senator, whose return to the Senate had reignited debates about gender representation, dissent, and discipline within Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday said he turned down the move to install former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as his successor in 2027 because of his lack of maturity.

Obasanjo disclosed this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance.”

He revealed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai to be his successor, but he refused.

Under the Obasanjo’s administration, El-Rufai served first as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and later as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007.

While exiting power in 2007, Obasanjo backed the late President Umar Yar’Adua as his successor.

Chidoka, who was the keynote speaker at the event, recalled how El-Rufai recommended him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, a move that brought him closer to the presidency and eventually led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Addressing the gathering, Obasanjo playfully taunted Chidoka for omitting the El-Rufai story.

“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said.

Facing Chidoka, who sat among the panelists, Obasanjo asked, “No be so? Meaning is that not true?”

The former minister nodded his head in agreement.

Obasanjo went on to explain that he brushed aside the recommendation of El-Rufai as his successor because he felt his former minister needed to mature.

The former president added, “I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needed to mature. You remember? When I left the government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”

Obasanjo, however, applauded Chidoka, El-Rufai, and others for their “special attributes,” which he said were the driving forces of his administration.

Speaking further on the theme of leadership, the former president emphasized the importance of character, exposure, experience, and training as the hallmarks of good leadership.

He said, “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is an apprenticeship. But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”

Earlier, while delivering the keynote address, Chidoka blamed Nigeria’s challenges on what he described as excuses and the “politics of alibi.”

“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind. Moral conviction must translate into the everyday machinery of governance rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult.

“Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to outlive their authors,” he said.

He called for a shift from excuses to action and accountability.

Chidoka added, “We must therefore make leadership accountable not to rhetoric but to results: measure by building national dashboards and accountability systems that track every promise, every budget, every outcome. Monitor by strengthening the institutions that evaluate government performance and expose complacency.”

The convener of the symposium, Aare Olanrewaju Bakinson, said the lecture aimed to discuss the critical role effective leadership plays in shaping societies and nations.

“Leadership is not just about power; it’s about responsibility, vision, and service. As we explore this theme, we’ll examine the qualities of good governance, the impact of leadership on development, and strategies for fostering ethical leadership,” he stated.

Prominent personalities at the event were Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaibu Salis; the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola; the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege; and former Ogun First Lady, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun among others.

The company broke the news of Armani’s death on Thursday. The 91-year-old died at home surrounded by his family.

In a statement shared on its Instagram page, the firm said Armani “worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and the many ongoing future projects”.

Armani’s name became synonymous with elegance and modern sophistication. More than just a designer, he was the archetype of Italian style. He revolutionised fashion by reimagining the structured suit for a new generation, crafting a language of relaxed power dressing for women and understated elegance for men that resonated globally.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani. Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” the statement reads.

“Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects. Over the years, Giorgio Armani has crafted a vision that expanded from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and pragmatism.

“He has been driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to the present and to people. Along this journey, he established an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to connect with everyone. Always mindful of the needs of the community, he has been active on many fronts, especially in support of his beloved Milan.

“Giorgio Armani is a company with fifty years of history, built with emotion and patience. Giorgio Armani always made independence – of thought and action – his hallmark. The company is, now and always, a reflection of this spirit. His family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values.”

The statement added that his funeral rites will be held “from Saturday, September 6th to Sunday, September 7th, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Milan, at Via Bergognone 59, inside the Armani/Teatro. In accordance with Mr. Armani’s explicit wishes, the funeral will be held privately”.

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, on Tuesday paraded no fewer than 28 suspected criminals arrested in the state.

The corps said the suspects were arrested across the 18 local government areas of the state, in collaboration with other security agencies and the local vigilante.

Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the command in Akure, the state capital, the commander of the corps, Adetunji Adeleye, said they had allegedly been terrorising the state in recent times.

According to Adeleye, the suspects were allegedly involved in various crimes such as kidnapping, theft, stealing, cattle rustling, and vandalism, among others.

He said, “Today, I am parading a total of 28 suspects and I want to let you know that the criminal world is evolving.

“Therefore, Ondo State Security Network Agency Amotekun always strives to be ahead of them.

“We have now gone beyond arresting criminals and suspects alone. As we talk now, we are after their godfathers and backbones, and the reason is simple. So we are saying that until we uproot them, we won’t have total peace.

“We need the socio-economic growth of Ondo State to continue to increase. By the intervention of Amotekun Corp, the IGR of Ondo State in 2023 increased by over 500 per cent and we don’t want to relent. Hence, our fight is not against the criminals alone, but against their sponsors.

“The people we are parading today, there is a section of them that steal, kill, murder riders and dispossess them of their motorcycles. They have already made market receivers, who, within minutes, dismantle and sell to those who will later assemble and sell.

“We’ve gone after them and we’ve arrested the suspect, we’ve arrested the sponsor, we’ve arrested all the culprits. The chain of criminality had to be broken and uprooted, and that is the directive of His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to create an enabling environment for investors to bombard Ondo State.

“So today, four suspected kidnappers were arrested in the Elegbeka area. They are Kwangi, Kwanji, Kana, Kana, Sam, and Daniel, ages ranging between 18 and 27.

“On rape and fraud, we have Abiola, aged 24. We have equally on defilement, rape, and sexual assault, one Ogungbemi. And we have Tosin on assault. To the Fulani communities, their cattle were rustled and taken away from the Igbara Oke axis. We went after the Fulani that stole the cattle, retrieved the cattle, arrested the rustlers, who are Abubakar Musa and Umar Mohammed, aged 20 and returned the cows to the Fulani men.”

The Amotekun boss commended the other security agencies in the state for collaborating with it in the fight against crime and criminality.

He stated, “We are here today to let you know that the security architecture of Ondo State is firm, and the best criminals can do is to run away from this state.


“The joint patrol team in some parts of the state is still ongoing. And I can tell you this for free that we have dominated the forest. It is no longer a safe place for criminals to thrive.”

In July, the corps arrested seven suspects for various offences, including kidnapping and the theft of electronics in the state.

Adeleye said the corps recovered items worth N300 million during recent operations.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered six financial institutions to supply the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) details of transactions from January 2024 till date in the bank accounts linked to politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and his companies.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order yesterday while ruling on an ex parte application filed by IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

The application was moved by a police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki.

The Nation learnt that no fewer than 26 bank accounts linked to Sowore, including those of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and African Action Congress (AAC), among others, are being investigated.

The IGP prayed for “an order directing the banks to furnish the applicant through the Office of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit account opening package/mandate card, certified true copy of the statement of account reflecting transfers with account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January 2024 till date”.

The applicant said the order was needed because Sowore “is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering and fraudulent activities”.

He added: “The complainant had commenced an investigation into the activities of the first respondent (Sowore).

“The accounts in respect of which details were being sought are the accounts which the first respondent is using for terrorism financing and money laundering.”

In a supporting affidavit, the IGP stated that the police received intelligence that Sowore “is using the accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering, and receives financial support from a foreign partner for terrorism”.

He added that there was a need for the police to secure the order of the court to obtain the statements of the accounts to enable the office to investigate the alleged fraudulent activities of the suspects.

“The office of the complainant receives an intelligent report that the first respondent is using the accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering, and receives financial support from foreign partners for terrorism.

“The first respondent is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities.

“There is a need for the court to grant the relief sought for the investigation.

“The respondent has been using the accounts for money laundering and terrorism funding, and fraudulent activities.”

The Anambra State House of Assembly has suspended the member representing Ayamelum Constituency, Bernard Udemezue, for three months.

Udemezue was suspended over a message and content he shared on social media, which the House described as “damaging content”.

The lawmaker, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, had shared on his social media handles, alleging that his constituency, Ayamelum, is marginalised in the area of constituency allowance.

But reacting to the post, the House first passed the resolution to summon Udemezue at its plenary last Tuesday, following a matter of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Aguata 2 Constituency, Tony Muobike, and seconded by the Chief Whip and member representing Ihiala 1 Constituency, Jude Ngobili.

The Speaker, Somtochukwu Udeze, who presided over the plenary last Tuesday, referred the matter to the House Committee on Rules, Businesses, Ethics and Privileges and to report back to the House on Tuesday (this week).

And at the plenary on Tuesday(today), the House passed the resolution to suspend the lawmaker for three months.

The Anambra State Police Command has apprehended a four-man gang specialising in tricycle and phone snatching along the Awka and Ifite axis, targeting unsuspecting members of the public, particularly students.

According to a press statement released on Tuesday by the state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, operatives from the Rapid Response Squad carried out the arrest in the early hours of Monday.

Recovered items from the gang include nine mobile phones, including an iPhone belonging to a victim, one laptop, two tricycles with registration numbers LSD 464 QP and BLF 552 VH, four additional tricycle plate numbers, and a substance suspected to be a hard drug.

The statement read, “Anambra State Police Operatives attached to Rapid Response Squad Akwuzu, during night patrol on August 25, 2025, along the Agu Awka/Ifite Awka axis, intercepted a tricycle and arrested a four-man criminal syndicate specialising in robbing residents, particularly students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, of phones and other valuables.

“The suspects are: Nnaji Chidera, 19; Chijioke Mmaduabuchi, 21; Wisdom Ogbonna, 19; and Afamefuna Egbe, 20. Upon interrogation, they confessed to being part of a criminal syndicate that robs students in the Awka axis. They revealed that multiple tricycle plate numbers were used to disguise their vehicles during operations.”

The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for their swift response and warned youths to stay away from crime. He emphasised that the command would ensure offenders face the full weight of the law.

The Benue State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended former Speaker Hon. Aondona Dajoh during its plenary session.

The lawmakers also confirmed Associate Professor Ornguga and other nominees forwarded by the state governor for various appointments.

In a separate development, the Assembly lifted the suspension previously imposed on the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and several other officials.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, has announced a collection of N161bn in revenue within three weeks via the Unified Customs Management System, also known as B’Odogwu.

The Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Babatunde Olomu, disclosed this during a recent stakeholder engagement at the command, according to a statement released on Monday.

Olomu maintained that there are prospects of improvement in the B’Odogwu system even as he commended the stakeholders for their patience and understanding.

“Between August 1 and 22, 2025, the command collected N161bn using the B’Odogwu system,” Olomu explained. He expressed optimism in the capability of the B’Odogwu platform to facilitate more trade than previous ICT systems hitherto deployed by the NCS, adding that the stakeholders’ patience would not be in vain.

The Apapa Customs boss reiterated that the dedicated ICT department of the service has been working around the clock to achieve a permanent solution to the impasse.

Describing Apapa Command as a critical and strategic area for the realisation of the NCS goals, Olomu said the CGC has initiated and sustained dialogue with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council with a view to ameliorating the effects of recent downtime experienced in the course of their transactions.

Earlier, the Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone A of the service, Charles Orbih, addressed the concerns of importers, licensed customs agents, and freight forwarding companies.

“I am pleased with the maturity, patience, understanding, and support we have received from our stakeholders in the past and most recent times. Their confidence in the service’s ability to overcome and resolve all network glitches is not misplaced.

“It further underscores our shared values as patriotic Nigerians who want to see our homegrown ICT initiative thrive. Let me restate that the CGC is deeply concerned and persistently overseeing the solution process while interfacing with sister government agencies like the NSC to mediate the process of demurrage waivers with terminal operators and shipping companies,” Obih said.

No fewer than 20 suspects were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja for hacking some CBT centres.

Following this, in June, JAMB raised the alarm over candidates using Artificial Intelligence to impersonate others and falsely claim albinism as a means of cheating.

By July, data presented at the board’s 2025 policy meeting revealed that CBT centres in Imo and Anambra states topped the list of places caught engaging in finger-pairing malpractices.

Overall, 19 centres were exposed nationwide: Anambra accounted for six, Imo had four, Abia and Edo recorded one each, Kano had two, while Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu recorded one centre apiece.

In August, JAMB announced that 6,458 admission seekers were under investigation for involvement in technology-enabled examination malpractice during the 2025 UTME.

The board inaugurated a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction to investigate the cases and submit its report within 21 days.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that operators of the “miracle centres,” who usually guaranteed success to desperate candidates, contributed to the technical glitches of the exam.

“While candidates are physically present at CBT centres, hired mercenaries remain outside with remote access to the centres’ servers to write the exams on their behalf.”

He said candidates who initially logged in at centres would be deliberately logged out to enable mercenaries outside to take over.

Ahmed added that the candidates would have been instructed to remain silent whenever their systems were logged out.

He said, “While the questions are being answered by the mercenaries, we ask the candidates to time themselves for 20 or 25 minutes, then complain that their systems logged them out. During this period, we already have access to their portals and are helping them attempt the questions with mercenaries.

“By the time they notify the examiners at the centres, we are already done answering the questions for them. When they are logged in again, they will see that all the questions have been answered. They only need to click on ‘Submit,’ and that is the end.

“The only thing we use to run this is just to get the IP address and insert some codes, which are simply numeric. After that, we input the digits, and that is all. This enables us to have access to anything related to the JAMB server.”

Some operators of Computer-Based Test centres accredited by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have been alleged to be involved in large-scale malpractices during the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Investigations by Saturday PUNCH showed that the operators supplied technical information to tech-savvy individuals, who then hacked into servers and manipulated the conduct of the examination.

JAMB had in May experienced technical glitches that marred the 2025 UTME, resulting in mass failure as 1.5 million out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the exam scored below 200 out of the total 400 marks.

The development generated outrage as the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, broke down in tears on May 14 while admitting that technical errors had affected some candidates’ scores.

No fewer than 20 suspects were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja for hacking some CBT centres.

Following this, in June, JAMB raised the alarm over candidates using Artificial Intelligence to impersonate others and falsely claim albinism as a means of cheating.

By July, data presented at the board’s 2025 policy meeting revealed that CBT centres in Imo and Anambra states topped the list of places caught engaging in finger-pairing malpractices.

Overall, 19 centres were exposed nationwide: Anambra accounted for six, Imo had four, Abia and Edo recorded one each, Kano had two, while Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu recorded one centre apiece.

In August, JAMB announced that 6,458 admission seekers were under investigation for involvement in technology-enabled examination malpractice during the 2025 UTME.

The board inaugurated a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction to investigate the cases and submit its report within 21 days.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that operators of the “miracle centres,” who usually guaranteed success to desperate candidates, contributed to the technical glitches of the exam.

Speaking on how CBT servers were breached, a hacker who identified himself only as Ahmed and has been in the business for 10 years, said there was little JAMB could do to curb exam malpractice because some of the centre operators were actively involved in the process.

Ahmed disclosed that centre operators released the Internet Protocol address to hackers to log into servers undetected, while mercenaries would write exams for some candidates.

Mercenaries are regarded as persons who illegally take exams for candidates.

An IP address is a unique set of numbers assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.

He said, “There are some centres that make their IPs available to hackers. With this, they are able to penetrate and gain access to questions and login details of candidates. There is no way they can monitor all the IP addresses in Nigeria.

“While candidates are physically present at CBT centres, hired mercenaries remain outside with remote access to the centres’ servers to write the exams on their behalf.”

He said candidates who initially logged in at centres would be deliberately logged out to enable mercenaries outside to take over.

Ahmed added that the candidates would have been instructed to remain silent whenever their systems were logged out.

He said, “While the questions are being answered by the mercenaries, we ask the candidates to time themselves for 20 or 25 minutes, then complain that their systems logged them out. During this period, we already have access to their portals and are helping them attempt the questions with mercenaries.

“By the time they notify the examiners at the centres, we are already done answering the questions for them. When they are logged in again, they will see that all the questions have been answered. They only need to click on ‘Submit,’ and that is the end.

“The only thing we use to run this is just to get the IP address and insert some codes, which are simply numeric. After that, we input the digits, and that is all. This enables us to have access to anything related to the JAMB server.”

An education consultant, who runs a coaching centre at Badagry, Lagos, corroborated Ahmed’s claim, saying many of the centres had compromised operators, who enabled exam malpractices.

The consultant confirmed that hackers breach servers of identified CBT centres by compromising the IP address supplied by the operators.

He said, “This would be impossible without an insider from the centres. Without an insider, there is no way we could get the IP address to get it done. These are the backdoors to this activity. These people are being paid millions of naira. The parents of these candidates have already paid everything to the centres.

“There is nothing they can do to curb this malpractice; there will always be an insider who will show how to penetrate the server. Once we gain access to the server, our candidates already pass their exams because we will do it for them remotely.”

A CBT operator based in Lagos who was also involved in the business revealed that the centres were usually aware that their servers had been compromised but would not act.

He said, “The owners of the centres know that their servers are compromised but they wouldn’t do anything about it because they are profiting from the fraudulent activities. The mercenaries are paying them huge amounts of money.

“These centres also have their contact persons in JAMB, who are like a backbone to them. The claim that JAMB’s technology is working against malpractice is not true. There are many students still being helped to pass their exams. What these people do is use the backdoor of a particular centre’s server to carry out their work seamlessly, using mercenaries to write the exams.

“JAMB is not even able to detect their faces or anything. Some of these people do not rely on insiders; they hack directly into the centre’s database.”

But JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said hacking the board’s website was not possible, adding that it did not host questions on its website.

“Our systems are locally connected. It is through a Local Area Network, not Internet-enabled. So, no one can see it anywhere. No question has ever been on our website. The examination is not internet-enabled,” he added.

He clarified that what some individuals claimed to hack was the local server of some centres in connivance with owners of such places.

Fabian said, “There is no way somebody will see our questions, because they are like a text message in speed and delivery. We transmit our questions via a model to the centres, similar to that of a text message. It is a candidate’s biometric that grants access to the questions.”

Also, the National President of the Computer Based Test Centre Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Austin Ohaekelem, while applauding the JAMB registrar for reducing exam malpractices, said not all CBT centres were involved in exam fraud.

He noted that some genuine exam glitches were being erroneously tagged as fraud.

Ohaekelem stated, “Somehow, there are still some glitches along the line either at the point of exam registration or during the exam that happened inadvertently. It is now being seen as a fraud and a deliberate act to sabotage the examination.”

Explaining the cases of JAMB’s technical glitches, the national president expressed concern over the blacklisting of innocent centres over the issues.

He said, “There is a centre in Anambra State which was registering a candidate and the network went off, but the candidate picture had been captured. Because the network had a problem, it didn’t submit.

“The next candidate came to register and the person registering the former candidate started to register the new candidate, not knowing that the details of the first candidate were still there. The picture of the second person was used on the details of the first person. It was not deliberate. They got to know at the close of registration when they wanted to print a notification slip.

“There are other issues like biometric capture where each candidate will come and the scanner is not picking it and they keep trying, and the candidates are usually apprehensive. What should be the target of what is called fraud is when a person has the intention of undermining or compromising the examination.”

Commenting on the matter, the Secretary of the Association of Tutorial School Operators in Oyo State, Ogundokun Olufunso, raised concerns over desperate tactics employed by candidates to beat the system during examinations.

Olufunso, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said some students connived with technology experts to manipulate biometrics, while others fell victim to errors beyond their control.

“Sometimes, some students, out of desperation, connive with tech engineers. Sometimes, they do biometric manipulation. Other students fall victim without doing anything because when their biometric is not accepted, they will assume such a candidate is among those being investigated, and they will not let them sit the examination.”

Olufunso stressed that while eradication of exam malpractice might be difficult, it could be reduced significantly if proper checks were maintained.

On the issue of “miracle centres,” he stated that most tutorial centres in the state had distanced themselves from such practices because of the risks involved.

He said, “I can categorically tell you that most tutorial centres are no longer involved in such things because it is risky, and we warn against it. How much will a student offer you to risk your future and career, and risk going to jail? If you go to jail, these students will continue their lives. So, all tutorial centres now have that mentality that it is better.”

He, however, urged JAMB to carry out internal reviews and ensure loopholes in its system were blocked to prevent manipulation.

Similarly, the Director of Toppers Coaching Centre, Ogun State, Emehinola Omodara, urged JAMB to re-examine its system and close loopholes that could encourage exam malpractice.

Omodara said, “You can’t come up with allegations without evidence. JAMB should go back to the drawing board and reappraise their system. They are trying, but all these loopholes should be worked on so that they can get a vote of confidence from the people.

“If they put their things in order, miracle centres will not exist. They should not be shifting blame, but look inward at their staff members and how the leakages are happening.”

Also speaking, the founder of Campusinfo Consult Limited, Taiwo Folorunsho, emphasised the need for a comprehensive upgrade of the JAMB’s technology to effectively curb malpractice and address its operational shortcomings.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) says it shared N2 trillion with the three tiers of government in July 2025.

According to a statement on Friday by Muhammed Manga, director of information and public relations, ministry of finance, the amount was disclosed at the August 2025 meeting.

The meeting was chaired by Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy.

The committee said the gross total revenue was N3.83 trillion, out of which N2 trillion was shared among the three tiers.

From the total amount, which includes statutory revenue, value-added tax (VAT), electronic money transfer levy (EMT), and exchange difference, Manga said the federal government received N735.08 billion, states received N660.34 billion, and local governments got N485.03 billion.

Also, the oil producing states received N120.35 billion as derivation, (13 percent of mineral revenue).

FAAC said N152.68 billion was given for the cost of collection, while N1.68 trillion was allocated for transfers, intervention and refunds.

VAT REVENUE INCREASED BY N9BN

The communique also indicated that the gross revenue available from the VAT for the month of July 2025 was N687.94 billion as against N678.16 billion in June, representing an increase of N9.77 billion.

“From that amount, the sum of N27.51 billion was allocated for the cost of collection and the sum of N19.81 billion given for Transfers, Intervention and Refunds,” the statement reads.

“The remaining sum of N640.61 billion was distributed to the three tiers of government, of which the federal government got N96.09 billion, the States received N320.305 Billion and local government Councils got N224.21 billion.”

FAAC said gross statutory revenue of N3.07 trillion received for the month was lower than the N3.48 trillion received in the previous month by N415.10 billion .

From the stated amount, the sum of N123.59 billion was allocated for the cost of collection and N1.66 trillion for transfers, intervention and refunds.

“The remaining balance of N1.28 trillion was distributed as follows to the three tiers of government: Federal Government got the sum of N613.805 Billion, States received N311.330 Billion, the sum of N240.023 Billion was allocated to LGCs and N117.714 Billion was given to Derivation Revenue (13% Mineral producing States),” FAAC said.

For EMTL, the committe said out of N39.16 billion, the federal government received N5.64 billion, states got N18.80 billion, local governments received N13.16 billion, while N1.56 billion was allocated for cost of collection.

The Communique added that out of N39.74 billion from exchange difference, the federal government got N19.54 billion, states received N9.91 billion, the LGAs got N7.64 billion, while the oil producing states received N2.64 billion.

In addition, FAAC said petroleum profit tax (PPT), excise duty, electronic money transfer levy (EMTL), and oil and royalties increased significantly, while VAT and import duty increased marginally.

The committee added that company income tax (CIT) and CET levies decreased.

According to the communique, the total revenue distributable for July 2025, was drawn from statutory revenue of N1.28 trillion, VAT of N640.61 billion, N37.60 billion from EMTL, and N39.74 billion from exchange difference, bringing the total distributable amount for the month to N2 trillion.

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In his opening remarks during the meeting, Edun, commended the FAAC committee for their diligent efforts in ensuring the effective allocation of resources to the various tiers of government.

The minister noted that the economic reforms embarked upon by the federal government are yielding positive results and the collective efforts will continue to drive growth and development.

The Kano State Government said it is targeting 10 million eligible voters in the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Faruk, said this on Friday while inaugurating the State Voter Registration Mobilisation Committee at the Cabinet Office, Kano.

He said the committee was a broad-based body comprising technocrats, Islamic scholars, broadcasters, business leaders and other critical stakeholders, including representatives of opposition political parties.

Faruk explained that the initiative underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring that every eligible resident of Kano had the opportunity to register and exercise their civic responsibility in future elections.

“The objective of setting up this committee is to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out of this exercise.

“Government will provide all the needed support to achieve this target,” he said.

He further directed the committee to intensify voter sensitisation campaigns across all the 44 local government areas of the state, stressing the importance of inclusive participation in strengthening democracy.

On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Ibrahim Waiya, said the committee will deliver on its mandate.

“We assure the government and people of the state that we will not betray the trust reposed in us.

“We will also work tirelessly to mobilise residents and achieve the target,” he said.

Three Nigerians based in the United States, Kamaldeen Karaole, Stephen Olamigoke, and Johnson Omodusonu, have been sentenced to more than eight years in jail for defrauding the US of $520,910 in a COVID-19 unemployment benefits fraud scheme.

This is just as one of the convicts also agreed to be deported to Nigeria upon completing his jail term.

PUNCH Metro learnt from a statement obtained from the US Department of Justice on Thursday that the trio stole, in 2020, no fewer than 168 Unemployment Insurance debit cards belonging to other people.

According to the statement, court documents revealed that between August and October 2020, the convicts, in connivance with other suspects outside the US, used the stolen debit cards and passwords to file false unemployment benefits claims.

The statement added that 98 of the cards were used to withdraw cash from various Automated Teller Machines across the US.

It read, “These cards, issued by the states of California, Arizona, and Nevada, were being periodically loaded with benefits. None of the cards belonged to the members of the conspiracy — they were all in the names of real individuals.

“To obtain the cards, other members of the conspiracy located outside the United States used stolen personally identifiable information to file numerous false unemployment claims with various state workforce agencies.

“The trio used 98 of the cards to withdraw cash from various ATMs in and around Indianapolis, often making multiple withdrawals within the span of just a few minutes. In total, they completed 529 withdrawals, stealing $520,910 in benefits.”

Following their arrests, they were arraigned on different charges bordering on conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, among others.

It noted that 24-year-old Karaole was charged with aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and access device fraud, to which he pleaded guilty.

Karaole was sentenced to four years and three months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release.

Similarly, 23-year-old Olamigoke was found guilty of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud, and was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release.

Also, 24-year-old Omodusonu of Indianapolis was found guilty of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud, and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release.

“Each defendant was also ordered to pay $520,910 in restitution.

“At the time Stephen Olamigoke entered his guilty plea, he acknowledged that upon completion of his sentence, he will be subject to removal from the United States,” the statement noted.

PUNCH Metro had earlier reported on August 6 that a France-based Nigerian, Chukwuemeka Victor Amachukwu, faced up to 47 years’ imprisonment following his extradition to the US for his alleged involvement in wire fraud, hacking, and identity theft that resulted in losses of $819,000 to victims.

According to the US DoJ, in 2019, Amachukwu, along with other conspirators, allegedly hacked into “US-based tax preparation businesses, including several businesses located in New York, Texas, and other states, by utilising spear-phishing emails to obtain access to these businesses’ electronic systems.”

The State Department has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas over alleged violation of United States laws, overstays, and terrorism-related concerns.

According to the BBC, the department said the majority of the cases involved offences such as assault, driving under the influence (DUI), burglary, and “support for terrorism”.

About 4,000 of the cancelled visas were on account of general US law violations, while between 200 and 300 others were specifically withdrawn under section 3B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which defines “terrorist activity” broadly as acts that endanger human life or violate American law.

The decision comes as part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s wider crackdown on immigration and student visas.

Although the State Department did not offer a clear definition of “support for terrorism”, the administration has recently targeted some international students who participated in pro-Palestine protests, accusing them of engaging in antisemitic behaviour.

The US resumed visa appointments for international students in June after a temporary suspension, but it directed applicants to make their social media accounts public for enhanced screening.

The State Department said the checks are aimed at identifying “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States”.

Marco Rubio, secretary of state, told lawmakers in May that the administration was determined to continue the crackdown.

He said thousands of student visas had already been rescinded since January, and more cancellations could follow.

Critics have described the revocations and tightened screening as an attack on due process.

According to Open Doors, an organisation that tracks foreign enrolments, more than 1.1 million international students from over 210 countries were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023/24 academic year.

SWITCH OFF PHONES, OTHER PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING FLIGHT TAKE-OFF AND LANDING," CAPT. NAJOMO TASKS AIR PASSENGERS

Director-General Civil Aviation, (DGCA), Capt. Chris Najomo, has tasked air passengers to ensure they switch off their phones and other portable electronic devices during flight take-off and landing.

He also directed Nigeria’s airline operators to amend their Operations Manuals to reflect this requirement and submit to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for approval.

Capt. Najomo gave these directives today during an emergency National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NCASC) meeting convened by the NCAA in Abuja.

Gunmen have killed 13 worshippers inside a mosque in Unguwan Mantau community, Malumfashi LGA of Katsina state.

The attack occurred on Tuesday morning as worshippers observed Fajr prayer.

In a statement, Nasir Mu’azu, commissioner for internal security and home affairs in Katsina, said the killing was a reprisal after community members ambushed and lynched several bandits two days ago.

Mu’azu said villages had seized three motorcycles, 2 AK-47 rifles, and rescued victims kidnapped by the bandits from Ruwan Sanyi village.

“The incident occurred when criminal elements launched a reprisal attack on the community,” the statement reads.

“The Muslim members of the community were praying in the mosque during the Fajr prayer when the criminal elements started shooting sporadically in the mosque.

“The security agencies are now on the ground in Unguwan Mantau to restore normalcy.

“Air component commander of the Forward Operating Base, Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Police Force have already deployed to clear out those bandits.

“As government, we salute the gallantry disposition of the people of Unguwan Mantau, and we are committed to fighting these bandits and ensuring safety across our communities.

“The state government extends heartfelt condolences to the families affected and reaffirms its unwavering support for community-based security initiatives while working to eliminate criminal elements from the region.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Japan yesterday ahead of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). The conference kicks off in Yokohama tomorrow.

The President, whose plane touched down at the Haneda International Airport in Tokyo at about 12:55am local time on Tuesday, was welcomed by Ambassador Hideo Matsubara, the Japanese Ambassador in Charge of TICAD.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tugga was with the President.

TICAD9, which follows after the last one held in Tunisia in 2022, will hold from tomorrow to Friday.

The conference, themed: “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa,” will focus on accelerating Africa’s economic transformation through private investment, innovation, and stronger institutions.

The President is scheduled to attend plenary sessions, hold bilateral talks with world leaders, and engage Japanese business executives, including companies with existing or potential investments in Nigeria.

TICAD, launched in 1993 by the Japanese government, is co-hosted by the United Nations, the UN Development Programme, the African Union Commission (AUC), and the World Bank.

Held every three years, it alternates between Japan and African host countries.

At the conclusion of TICAD9, the President will head to Brazil for a state visit from August 24 to 25 at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

His engagements in Brazil will include bilateral discussions with his host, participation in a Nigeria–Brazil Business Forum and the signing of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening economic cooperation.

The governing board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has approved the promotion of nine deputy directors to directors, it was learnt.

In addition, the board approved the promotion of 30 Assistant Directors to Deputy Directors, 35 Chiefs to Assistant Directors, and ratified the promotion of 169 other staff members from one grade level to the next grade level .

The newly appointed Directors include the Coordinator, Abuja Liaison Office, Mrs. Moji Jimoh; Director Internal Audit, Dr. Odunayo Ani; Special Adviser to the DG, Mrs. Nneka Obianyor; Director Procurement, Mrs. Biodun Fatade; Dr. Oma Ofodile; Ms. Gloria Anyasodo; Mr. Abdulahi Yelwa; Umar Buba and Mr. Umar Ibrahim Sidi.

While congratulating the newly promoted officers, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed Management’s commitment to staff welfare and a transparent, merit-based career progression system.

He charged the beneficiaries to rededicate themselves to excellence in service delivery.

“Our administration is committed to improved staff welfare. This promotion exercise is strictly merit-based, and we expect staff to reciprocate by rededicating themselves to higher productivity. We will continue to prioritize staff welfare, while counting on your commitment to the ideals of the Agency in helping Management actualise its mandate,” Mobereola said.