₦airaland Forum

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has restrained the Inspector-General of Police and six other police authorities and officers from arresting, detaining, harassing, intimidating or threatening Chief Francis Chukwubuikem Onyekachukwu over a commercial and civil transaction.

The court also ordered the unconditional release and return of an SUV belonging to Onyekachukwu’s wife, which was removed from his residence at No. 10A Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, on September 22, 2026.

Justice Y. Halilu made the orders on October 21, 2026, while granting an ex-parte application filed by Onyekachukwu and Niger Green Dredging International Ltd. in suit number CV/4647/2026.

The judge restrained the first to seventh respondents, their officers, agents, servants and privies from interfering with Onyekachukwu’s personal liberty, dignity and freedom of movement in connection with or arising from the commercial and civil transaction between Niger Green Dredging International Ltd. and Royal Technergy Frontier Ltd.

Justice Halilu also barred the police respondents from further invading, barricading, occupying or interfering with the applicant’s residence or his peaceful possession and enjoyment of the premises, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

On the vehicle, the court directed the first to ninth respondents to unconditionally release and return forthwith the SUV belonging to the applicant’s wife, which was removed from his residence on September 22, 2026. The directive is to remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The court further restrained the first to seventh respondents from intervening in or compelling the applicants to refund, repay, account for or otherwise settle any sum arising from the commercial transaction between the two companies.

Justice Halilu also directed the first to seventh respondents to preserve the status quo ante regarding the applicant’s residence and personal liberty pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The respondents include the Inspector-General of Police, Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Police Service Commission, Divisional Police Officer, Ikoyi Police Division, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Chukwuma Ihebom of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, and Superintendent of Police Elvis Ibe of the FCID, Abuja.

Others are Prince Donald Okoroike, Managing Director of Royal Technergy Frontier Ltd., and the company.

The judge granted the applicants leave to serve the originating process, other court processes and hearing notices on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respondents by substituted service through the Inspector-General of Police at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja.

The orders followed an ex-parte motion dated October 9, 2026, and filed on October 12, 2026. The applicants were represented by Terk aa J. Aondo, SAN.

The orders are interim, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed reports that the Federal Government plans to introduce a fuel tax when the economy stabilises, describing them as “fake news” and insisting that the levy is not on the government’s agenda.

Oyedele, in a post on X on Tuesday, said his remarks during an interview with ARISE News had been misrepresented. He maintained that introducing a fuel tax under the prevailing economic conditions would be insensitive to Nigerians following the removal of the petrol subsidy.

The clarification followed reports suggesting that the government would introduce the levy when the economy stabilised and income levels improved sufficiently for citizens to accommodate it. Oyedele insisted that his comments should not be interpreted as an announcement of a government plan to impose an additional tax on fuel.

During the interview, conducted on the sidelines of the 2026 International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, the minister explained that introducing a fuel tax while petrol was subsidised would have been counterproductive because the government would effectively be paying the tax itself.

Oyedele said the priority should be to grow incomes faster than prices rise rather than suppress prices. He argued that improved incomes and economic stability were essential to prosperity and the growth of the middle class, adding that introducing a fuel tax under the current circumstances would be insensitive to Nigerians.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has won international recognition for his leadership of the Group of 24 (G-24) and advocacy for reforms aimed at addressing the economic challenges confronting developing countries.

The recognition came during the 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, where Oyedele led discussions on development financing, sovereign debt sustainability and reforms to the global financial system.

IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Senior Managing Director, Axel van Trotsenburg, representing World Bank President, Ajay Banga, joined other G-24 governors in commending Oyedele’s leadership of the group’s discussions.

The commendation underscored Nigeria’s growing participation in global economic policy debates, particularly on the need to make development financing more accessible and affordable for emerging economies.

The recognition was reinforced during a meeting between Banga, Oyedele and Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at which the World Bank president acknowledged Nigeria’s reform progress.

According to reports from the meeting, private capital inflows into Nigeria rose from about $300 million in 2023 to nearly $6 billion in 2026, reflecting improving investor interest in the country.

Beyond the diplomatic engagements, Oyedele used his position as G-24 chairman to draw attention to the rising debt-servicing burden on developing economies, warning that mounting obligations were limiting resources available for infrastructure, social services and job creation.

He advocated a more responsive international financial system, including affordable concessional financing and faster mechanisms for resolving sovereign debt crises.

Oyedele also highlighted Nigeria’s experience with fuel subsidy removal, foreign exchange liberalisation and tax reforms as part of the country’s efforts to strengthen macroeconomic stability and improve public revenue.

His interventions are backed by considerable professional experience. Before his appointment as minister, he spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he rose to become Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader, developing expertise in taxation, public finance and economic policy.

However, the international commendations do not remove the challenges confronting Nigeria’s economy.

Despite the reform measures, households and businesses continue to face pressure from living costs, while unemployment, weak purchasing power and infrastructure deficits remain significant concerns.

The increase in capital inflows is encouraging, but its long-term impact will depend on whether investments generate jobs, expand productive capacity and improve economic opportunities. Similarly, stronger revenue mobilisation must translate into better public services without imposing excessive burdens on vulnerable citizens.

Oyedele’s performance in Thailand therefore represents an important diplomatic achievement and an opportunity to attract investment and strengthen international partnerships.

Ultimately, his success will be measured not only by international recognition but also by the extent to which Nigeria’s economic reforms deliver tangible improvements in the lives of its citizens.

A renowned economist and former International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank expert, Dr. Ifediora Amobi, has described the economic policy expertise of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, as a national blessing, urging the Federal Government to sustain reforms while ensuring that their benefits reach ordinary Nigerians.

Amobi, a former adviser during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and former Howard University professor of economics, said Oyedele’s appointment reflected President Bola Tinubu’s ability to identify and deploy professionals with the technical knowledge required to manage Nigeria’s economic challenges.

He particularly commended Oyedele’s presentation of the Federal Government’s economic reform scorecard, which outlined the fiscal gains, costs and potential economic damage the reforms were intended to prevent.

“The reforms were necessary to reposition the Nigerian economy, but the immediate impact on households and businesses cannot be ignored. What is important now is to sustain the reforms while implementing measures that will provide relief and stimulate economic activity,” Amobi said.

The economist also praised Oyedele’s contribution to the government’s tax reform programme, noting that improved revenue mobilisation, the closure of fiscal loopholes and stronger accountability were essential to building a more resilient economy.

He urged the minister to focus on long-term revenue growth, plugging fiscal leakages and creating incentives for private-sector investment.

According to Amobi, the ultimate test of the reforms is whether increased government revenue translates into better infrastructure, employment opportunities, improved social services and a more competitive business environment.

He also called for targeted measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the effects of rising living costs, stressing that macroeconomic improvements must be accompanied by tangible benefits for citizens.

Oyedele’s credentials provide a basis for the confidence expressed in his leadership.

Before his appointment to the cabinet, he spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), rising to become fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader. His experience covered taxation, fiscal policy, business strategy and policy design.

He holds a Higher National Diploma in accountancy and finance from Yaba College of Technology and a degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University. He also attended executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University and Harvard Kennedy School.

Before becoming minister, Oyedele chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which developed proposals to simplify taxation, reduce multiple taxation and improve revenue collection. Four tax reform laws were signed in 2025.

His role in the government’s broader economic programme has also involved explaining the fiscal implications of petrol subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.

In August 2026, Oyedele said the reforms had helped avert a deeper economic crisis by improving public finances and strengthening external stability.

Reuters reported that investors and international lenders had welcomed aspects of the reforms, although Nigerians continued to face significant cost-of-living pressures.

Amobi’s endorsement highlights the importance of technical competence in economic management, while placing responsibility on the government to translate fiscal gains into improved living standards.

Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited promoter, Leno Adesanya, has vowed to protect the company’s rights and interests in the long-running dispute over the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, saying the legal battle is not over despite the recent arbitration ruling in favour of the Federal Government.

Adesanya said his legal team was reviewing the decision of the arbitral tribunal and would advise on the appropriate next steps, signalling that the company could pursue other legal options.

“The battle is not over. My lawyers are currently reviewing the decision of the arbitral tribunal and will advise on the appropriate next steps,” he said in a statement on Friday.

He said the company remained committed to protecting its rights and interests in relation to the Mambilla project, which has been at the centre of a prolonged legal and contractual dispute.

“We remain committed to protecting our rights and interests in relation to the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project. We will make a further statement after our legal team has completed its review of the award,” Adesanya said.

The statement came a day after the Federal Government announced victory in the nearly nine-year international arbitration dispute over the project.

The government said an International Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce, ICC, in Paris, France, had rejected claims brought by the company.

The Presidency said the final award, issued on September 17, 2026, had removed what it described as a major legal obstacle to the development of the 1,500-megawatt project.

President Bola Tinubu described the decision as clearing what he called the “single biggest legal hurdle” that had stalled the project for years.

But Adesanya’s response indicates that the ruling has not ended the company’s legal efforts, with his lawyers now examining the award and determining the available options.

He also reaffirmed the company’s continued interest in the Mambilla project, saying a further statement would be issued after the legal review is completed.

The project, located in Taraba State, was originally conceived as a 3,050MW hydroelectric power plant before its planned capacity was reduced and later rescoped to about 1,500MW to improve its financial viability and bankability.

When completed, the project is expected to significantly increase Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity and support efforts to address the country’s persistent power supply challenges.

Sixty years after death,
Sir Louis Philip Odumegwu Ojukwu remains a name that refuses to disappear from Nigeria’s business, educational and philanthropic history.

From the transport company he founded to institutions he helped build, and from scholarships to the family values he enforced, the imprint of the Nnewi-born business mogul continues to be felt long after he died at Nkalagu in the then Eastern Region on September 13, 1966.

This year, as family members, friends and associates mark the 60th anniversary of his death, the emphasis is not expected to be on elaborate ceremonies.

Rather, the family says the year-long commemoration will be low-key,
intending to reflect the values that defined the man — enterprise, education, discipline, service and philanthropy.

According to one of his grandsons and a Director of Ojukwu Transport Limited, Dr P. Ike Ojukwu, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, the family has booked Mass in his memory, while other activities will be spread across the year.

“Sixty years is a long time,” he said, explaining the decision for a relatively modest commemoration.

But six decades have done little to diminish the institutions and initiatives associated with the late business mogul.

OTL, the company he founded, is part of the anniversary programme. So too is the University of Nigeria.
Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu Hall at the Enugu Campus was named in his honour.

The annual Sir LP Odumegwu Ojukwu prizes for the best graduating students in the Faculty of Business Administration and the Department of Estate Management/Surveying are also being sustained.

The prizes have been revised upwards this year, with the current winners urged to contact OTL.
The university authorities have been notified.

For the family and the Company, maintaining such initiatives is more meaningful than simply looking back at the achievements of their patriarch.

Plans relating to a proposed memorial hospital, scholarships and other charitable obligations are also being addressed as part of the continuing effort to preserve his legacy.

Ojukwu's connection with the University of Nigeria was rooted in the early history of the institution.

The University,a brainchild of the late Right Honourable Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, The Owelle of Onitsha, who was a close friend of Ojukwu. Its establishment was funded mainly by the Eastern
Nigeria
Regional Government, with Ojukwu, who served as chairman or director of several government agencies and Chairmanof The African Continental Bank playing a significant role in the mobilisation of funds.

In recognition of his contributions, the University of Nigeria conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws, LLD, degree on him in the early 1960s.

But the story of Ojukwu is not simply the story of a wealthy businessman who occupied influential positions.
For those who knew him, his greatest legacy may have been the way he deployed his resources and influence to build people.

Born in 1909 and from Umudim, Nnewi,
Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu was the sixth of the 10 sons of Ojukwu Eze Okigbo and the only son of his mother, Ukonwa's four children.
His sisters became
Mrs Nwosu,
Mrs Okoli and
Mrs Obi.

Following the death of their parents,
he gladly took on responsibility for his sisters,
especially the education of his two younger sisters while still struggling in his late twenties.

One incident illustrates the importance he attached to education.
When his youngest sister performed exceptionally well in her annual examinations, the young Ojukwu wrote to her principal requesting double promotion.
The request, beyond recognising her academic ability, was also intended to reduce the total expenditure in school fees.

That combination of discipline and investment in education became a recurring feature of his family life.
He instructed that his wards should be supported until “Ubulu fa emechie” — the brain closes or shuts down.

He sponsored or trained at least one of most of his brothers' children but imposed an obligation on the beneficiary after completing the training: like his own children, the beneficiary was expected to support and train another relative in addition to responsibility for their own mothers.

His expectations of his own children were no less demanding.
A poor report card could invoke his fury, while success brought overwhelming joy and pride.

Although his sons lived and attended school on Lagos Island during their primary and secondary school years, he insisted that their holidays were spent with his sisters in Nnewi, Onitsha or Port Harcourt, or with his cousin, Felix Okonkwo, popularly known as Okonkwo Kano, in Kano.

Family members remember a man who could be strict with money because he understood the value of hard work, yet was generous when it came to education and the welfare of those under his care.

Known in his younger years as LP — Louis Philip — he elected to use his Igbo name, Odumegwu when knighted by the Queen in the early 1960s. He reportedly made the choice in part to avoid a clash with the appellation of his friend, the Chief Justice, Sir Louis Mbanefo.

Sixty years on, the memories remain remarkably consistent. Surviving relatives, friends and associates describe him as honest, disciplined, energetic, kind, strict and generous — but above all, a man who believed that education was one of the most enduring investments a person could make.

That belief may ultimately prove to be among the most durable parts of his legacy. For while the businessman died six decades ago, the institutions bearing his name, the people he helped educate and the values he passed down continue to tell the story of a man whose influence survived his lifetime.

LAGOS — A new trade union, the Amalgamated Union of Wharf Truck Owners of Nigeria, has been formally inaugurated with a pledge to unite operators in the sector and provide a collective voice in policies affecting port logistics and transportation.

The union, which secured registration from the Registrar-General of Trade Unions on July 27, 2026, inaugurated its national officers yesterday in Lagos.

Speaking at the ceremony, the National President, Comrade Adeyemi Bamidele, said the emergence of the union marked a new chapter for wharf truck owners, who he described as critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime, transport and logistics sectors.

Bamidele said the movement of cargo from the nation’s ports depended significantly on efficient road transportation, stressing that delays in cargo evacuation, port congestion and inefficient logistics had direct consequences for businesses and the wider economy.

He said the union was established to provide a legitimate platform for organising and representing wharf truck owners, particularly those involved in the transportation of crude oil, raw materials and allied products.

According to him, the union would promote professionalism, discipline and improved operating conditions while advocating the lawful interests and welfare of its members.

Bamidele called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to consult the union when formulating policies affecting wharf trucking.

“We seek partnership. We seek consultation. We seek fairness. We seek an efficient and transparent operating environment,” he said.

He added that policies affecting the sector should take into account the practical experience of operators, noting that challenges confronting truck owners affected businesses, livelihoods, families and the movement of goods.

The union president pledged to establish peaceful relationships with government agencies, port authorities, terminal operators, freight forwarders, shipping companies and other stakeholders.

He also declared that the union would oppose injustice, touting and extortion in the sector.

However, Bamidele said the union would pursue members’ interests within the law, stressing that legitimate grievances must be addressed through dialogue and institutional engagement.

“Our commitment to defending the interests of our members shall never be an excuse for lawlessness,” he said.

He called on members to reject division and personal rivalry, saying the strength of the union would depend on unity, discipline, accountability and effective organisation.

Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, represented by the Director of Trade Union and Industrial Relations in the ministry, Amos Falonipe, charged the new union to operate as a partner in progress and shun confrontation with government and employers.

Dingyadi said the registration of the body came with responsibilities, urging its leadership to resolve disagreements through dialogue.

“We are not registered to fight anybody. We are not registered to fight our stakeholders. We are registered to work together as partners in progress,” he said.

The minister urged the union’s leaders to familiarise themselves with the Trade Unions Act and their constitution, while ensuring that members were adequately informed about their rights and responsibilities.

He also charged the executives to strengthen membership, maintain proper records and ensure transparency in the management of union funds.

Dingyadi directed that the union’s accounts be properly kept and audited annually, while elections must be conducted in accordance with its constitution and established procedures.

The newly inaugurated officers include Bamidele as National President; Yekeen Olawale Rilwan, Deputy President; Alli Mohamed, Vice President; Prince Adeniji Olisola, General Secretary; Gbadebo Michael, Assistant General Secretary; Alhaji Awolola Saheed, Treasurer; Lawal Shina, Financial Secretary; Okelola Omogbolahan John, Publicity Secretary/Public Relations Officer; Olowokere Muyudeen, Welfare Officer; and Adeshina Saheed, Organising Secretary.

The Ex-Officio members are Aderoju Tobiloba, Afeez Olalekan and Agoro Salam.

Bamidele said the union would focus on building a strong membership base and an accountable leadership structure capable of earning the confidence of government, employers and other stakeholders.

‘I’m living in fear’ — Woman begs court to stop alleged police harassment


ABUJA — A woman, Doris Ojuederie, has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, that she is living in constant fear of arrest and detention, following alleged harassment by the Nigeria Police Force over a dispute connected with her planned marriage.

Ojuederie and her fiancé, Ifeanyi Ezenwaogene, are seeking protection from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP; Nigeria Police Force, NPF; Commissioner of Police, FCT Command; Police Service Commission, PSC; Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Galadimawa Police Station; and three officers attached to the National Cybercrime Centre, NPF-NCCC.

Also joined as a respondent is Mrs Fibiawari Jonathan, whom the applicants accused of allegedly instigating the police actions against them.

In an ex-parte application filed through their counsel, Terkaa Aondo, SAN, the applicants asked the court to restrain the respondents from arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating or otherwise interfering with their liberty, movement and private life pending determination of the substantive suit.

Ojuederie, in an affidavit before the court, alleged that she was arrested and detained on August 6, 2026, after officers attached to the NPF-NCCC arrived at her residence in Jabi, Abuja.

She claimed that her mobile phones were seized for forensic examination and that she was pressured to write a statement despite requesting the presence of her lawyer.

According to her, she was also compelled to apologise to Fibiawari before being released on bail following the intervention of her lawyer.

She alleged that the pressure did not end with her release, claiming that police officers had continued to invite and threaten her.

She told the court: “Since I left the station on the 6th of August, 2026, the Police ... have been calling me persistently threatening to arrest, seize my phones, International Passport and detain me.”

Ojuederie further alleged that the police threatened to confiscate her international passport and impose an international travel ban on her.

She said the alleged threats had left her living “in constant fear” of another arrest and had affected her freedom of movement.

The applicant claimed that the dispute followed a disagreement involving Fibiawari, whom she said she had introduced to Ezenwaogene.

She alleged that Fibiawari subsequently developed an interest in her fiancé and that she reported the matter to Fibiawari’s husband after discovering what she described as an affair between them.

Ojuederie also alleged that armed police officers, accompanied by Fibiawari, visited her residence on July 10, 2026, in an attempt to arrest her.

Ezenwaogene was also allegedly invited and harassed by the police over the dispute.

The applicants argued that the matter was substantially civil and matrimonial in nature and did not warrant the alleged coercive police actions.

Their counsel urged the court to protect their fundamental rights under Sections 34, 35, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution.

Counsel argued that the purpose of an interim injunction was to “maintain the status quo” and prevent the substantive suit from being rendered nugatory.

The applicants, however, clarified that the proposed order would not prevent the police from investigating “any genuine criminal offence disclosed by credible evidence” or acting in accordance with due process.

They consequently urged the court to grant the interim orders in the interest of justice.

ABUJA — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has said justice and integrity will continue to guide his personal and professional life as he marked his 62nd birthday on Monday.

Ubani, who currently chairs the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Electoral Reform Committee, expressed gratitude to God for what he described as His faithfulness, mercy and guidance throughout his life's journey.

Reflecting on his years in the legal profession and Christian ministry, the former Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch said every milestone he has attained was made possible by God's grace.

"Justice and integrity remain my guiding principles as I continue to serve God, the legal profession and humanity," he said while reaffirming his commitment to ethical leadership, nation-building and community service.

Ubani, a former NBA Vice President and former Chairman of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL, also serves as Legal Adviser to the President of the Senate, Assemblies of God Nigeria, as well as to several corporate and charitable organisations.

The first Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Ikwuano, Abia State, he reiterated his resolve to continue promoting justice, the rule of law and good governance.

He also appreciated his family, friends, colleagues and associates for their prayers and support over the years, expressing optimism about greater opportunities to continue serving God and society.

LAGOS — Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, on Tuesday officially received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Law from Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, bringing to fruition a decades-long academic ambition marked by personal sacrifice, family responsibilities and moments of profound grief.

Ubani, who was also recognised as the best graduating PhD student in Law, said the achievement came after years of determination, resilience and unwavering commitment to learning despite numerous setbacks.

Speaking after the conferment of the degree during the university's convocation ceremony, the senior lawyer recounted how he had initially planned to proceed for a PhD immediately after obtaining his master's degree but was persuaded by friends to defer the plan in the hope of studying abroad.

According to him, the advice ultimately delayed his academic pursuit for many years.

"I wanted to start my PhD immediately after my master's degree, but some friends advised me to wait and study abroad. Looking back now, I believe I would have completed the programme much earlier if I had followed my original plan," he said.

Ubani explained that marriage and the demands of raising a family further postponed his academic aspirations as he prioritised the education of his children.

He said he chose to focus on ensuring that his children completed their university education and postgraduate studies before returning to pursue his own doctorate.

"When my children had completed their master's degrees, I felt it was time for me to return to school and accomplish a dream I had always cherished," he said.

The senior advocate noted that returning to academic life after several years away from the classroom came with its own challenges, particularly while combining a busy legal career, family commitments, religious engagements and rigorous doctoral studies.

He revealed that one of the most difficult aspects of the programme was dealing with statistics and research methodology.

"Statistics was a major challenge for me at the beginning. I wondered why it was necessary, but I later understood its relevance to research and my thesis. I had to devote serious attention to it," he said.

Ubani's academic journey was also interrupted by personal tragedies. He disclosed that the death of his father forced him to temporarily withdraw from the programme for several months, while the passing of his mother occurred at the critical stage when he was preparing to commence his thesis.

As the only son of his parents, he said the responsibilities associated with both losses posed significant challenges to completing the programme.

He, however, credited Professor Owolabi for encouraging him to persevere whenever he contemplated abandoning the programme.

"She kept calling and urging me to come back and complete the PhD. Her encouragement was instrumental to my eventual success," he said.

Despite the setbacks, long hours of travel, professional obligations and family demands, Ubani completed the programme and emerged as the best graduating PhD student in Law.

Looking ahead, he said he intends to take up a teaching role in a university and work towards attaining the rank of professor.

According to him, he has already published seven scholarly articles in reputable journals and plans to expand his academic contributions in the coming years.

Ubani stressed that knowledge remains more valuable than material wealth, adding that PhD holders are trained to interrogate ideas, solve problems and contribute meaningfully to societal development.

"A PhD teaches you to think critically, question assumptions and provide solutions to societal challenges. It is not just about earning a degree but about contributing to knowledge and human development," he said.

He added that obtaining the doctorate would not mark the end of his academic journey, expressing his determination to continue learning, researching and contributing to legal scholarship.

Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, has urged the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, to halt any attempt to enforce a court judgment that is currently the subject of an appeal, warning against what it described as an unlawful repeat execution of a warrant over disputed properties in Lagos.

In a letter dated May 8, 2026, the company alleged that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, and her legal representatives were making moves to execute a warrant of possession based on a 2022 judgment delivered by Justice A.M. Lawal in Suit No. LD/1539/2012.

The firm maintained that the judgment remains under appeal and should not be enforced pending the determination of appellate proceedings.

OTL further stated that the properties in dispute had earlier formed part of a separate judgment delivered on June 1, 2018, by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji in Suit No. LD/794/2011, which it said was fully executed in accordance with the law.

According to the company, the execution of the 2018 judgment covered five properties located at 4 Macpherson Avenue, 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, 13 Ojora Road and 30 Gerrard Avenue, all in Ikoyi, as well as 32 Commercial Avenue, Yaba.

It explained that the exercise was carried out with the participation of the Lagos State Police Command and the Sheriff's Department, with all required legal procedures, including the issuance of Form O, duly complied with.

The company also recalled an incident on May 1, 2025, when it alleged that operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command took over one of the properties at 4 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, in the presence of lawyers said to be representing Bianca Ojukwu.

OTL claimed the action was based on misleading information and noted that petitions it submitted to police authorities in August 2025 and January 2026 on the matter had yet to receive any response.

Giving an update on ongoing court proceedings, the firm said that during a recent hearing in a Form 49 contempt proceeding arising from the same Suit No. LD/1539/2012, the presiding judge informed parties that the case file was unavailable and might have been transmitted to the Court of Appeal.

The matter was subsequently adjourned until June 22, 2026.

The company warned that any attempt by law enforcement agencies or court officials to carry out a fresh execution of the warrant while issues relating to the matter remain pending before both the courts and the police would be unlawful.

OTL therefore appealed to the IGP to intervene and prevent what it described as a repeat execution of the warrant on the affected properties pending the resolution of all outstanding legal issues.

The company also renewed its demand for the release of property it said had been seized in connection with the dispute.

By NAILAND ADMIN


Actress Doris Ogala is facing renewed scrutiny after appearing at the June 12 protest in Abia State, despite repeatedly claiming she was medically unfit to attend her cybercrime trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Her presence at the protest has intensified questions surrounding the authenticity of the medical reports she submitted to delay her arraignment.



Ogala is being prosecuted by the Federal Government on allegations of cyberstalking, cyberbullying, dissemination of false information and attempted extortion involving Lagos based cleric Pastor Chris Okafor.

She has failed to appear in court on multiple dates, with her lawyers insisting she was receiving medical treatment and unable to stand trial.

However, videos and photos circulating online showed her actively participating in the Democracy Day protest, addressing demonstrators and moving without any visible medical limitations. Her appearance came less than 72 hours after prosecutors challenged the credibility of the medical documents she had submitted to excuse her absence in court again.


Doris Ogala previously claimed on Facebook that she underwent surgery on April 20, 2026, just three days before her scheduled arraignment on April 23.

She presented an unverified medical report through her lawyer, yet resumed online activities almost immediately after the court adjourned the matter to June 9,2026 and showed no signs of medical distress.

On June 4, 2026, she posted a photo of herself in a wheelchair, claiming a medical emergency. Prosecutors argued that the post was intended to prevent the court from issuing a bench warrant.

When she again failed to appear on June 9, 2026 her lawyer submitted another medical report stating she had recently been discharged and was receiving outpatient care.

The prosecution countered with evidence showing she had been engaging in political activities, contradicting her claims of being unfit for court.

After Tuesday’s hearing, she falsely claimed online that the judge had struck out the case. In reality, Justice Aluko warned her legal team that she risks arrest if she fails to appear at the next adjourned date in October.

Her sudden public appearance at the June 12 protest, despite her repeated medical excuses, has raised further concerns about the legitimacy of her claims.

Proceedings at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday shifted focus to the credibility of a medical claim by actress Doris Ogala, as her absence stalled her arraignment on alleged cyberstalking and related offences.

Ogala is facing a four-count charge filed by the Federal Government under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024. The charges border on alleged publication of nude and intimate images of a cleric, identified as Okafor, without consent; dissemination of false allegations including rape, ritual practices and involvement in a death; transmission of harmful electronic messages; and attempted extortion.

At the hearing before Justice Akintayo Aluko, prosecuting counsel, Tolulope Mokuolu, applied for a bench warrant to compel the defendant’s appearance, citing her absence despite being duly served with hearing notice.

“My Lord, the defendant is absent in court despite being duly served. We apply for a bench warrant to compel her appearance,” Mokuolu said.

However, defence counsel opposed the application, informing the court that Ogala had undergone surgery on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and was currently recuperating in Abia State. He added that an affidavit explaining her medical condition had been filed and was before the court.

“My Lord, the defendant is indisposed, having undergone a medical procedure. She is presently recovering and unable to attend court. We urge the court to refuse the application,” the defence counsel submitted.

The prosecution, however, challenged the claim, insisting that no prior notice of the alleged surgery was given and that the affidavit relied upon was not served on the prosecution.

“My Lord, we were not served with the said affidavit, and no notice was given of any medical condition. The hearing notice gave eight clear days, which was sufficient time to notify the court and counsel,” Mokuolu argued.

He further questioned the authenticity of the medical report, noting that it did not emanate from a government hospital.

“The medical report being relied upon is not from a government hospital, which is the standard requirement. There is no way to verify its authenticity on the face of it,” he added.

Justice Aluko, in his remarks, faulted the defence for failing to notify the prosecution and properly serve the relevant processes.

“The defence should have informed the prosecution ahead of time and ensured that the affidavit was duly served,” the judge said.

Despite the concerns raised, the court declined the application for a bench warrant, holding that in the interest of justice, and given that the affidavit was already before it, the request would be refused.

Following the ruling, the prosecution urged the court to impose stricter conditions to ensure the defendant’s appearance at the next sitting.

“My Lord, we urge the court to direct that any medical report must come from a government hospital and that the defence should be held responsible if the defendant fails to appear at the next adjourned date,” Mokuolu submitted.

Ruling, Justice Aluko directed that the defendant must present a comprehensive and verifiable medical report from a government hospital and ensure that same is served on the prosecution before the next hearing.

“The defendant must present a verifiable report from a government hospital, same to be served on the prosecution before the next date. She must also be present in court for her arraignment,” the court held.

The matter was adjourned to June 9, 2026, for arraignment.

Anuku community in Kanje District of Awe Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, has been thrown into turmoil following a violent incident that reportedly left one person dead, several others injured and scores displaced.

Raising the alarm, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Terkaa Aondo, condemned what he described as a brutal assault on residents, citing accounts from the community that Moses Utim, 37, was killed during the attack.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the violent attack on unarmed residents of Anuku community,” Aondo said, adding that the incident resulted in “loss of lives, injuries and displacement of residents.”

The senior lawyer linked the unrest to disputed mining activities in the area, alleging that IVAGOM Integrated Solutions Ltd had commenced operations on farmlands belonging to locals without consent or compensation.

“Available information indicates that mining operations commenced on farmlands belonging to members of the community without their consent, adequate compensation, or regard for their means of livelihood,” he stated.

He further cited reports that armed individuals invaded the community on April 18, 2026, destroying homes and forcing residents to flee.

“Reports indicate that armed individuals attacked unarmed residents, inflicting injuries, destroying property and forcing men, women and children to flee their homes,” Aondo said.

The SAN also pointed to claims that security personnel were present during the incident, raising concerns about the protection of civilians.

“The reported presence of security personnel without effective intervention raises serious concerns about the protection of lives and property,” he added.

According to him, access roads leading out of the community were allegedly blocked in the aftermath, worsening the plight of fleeing residents.

“The subsequent blockade of access roads leading out of the community further compounds the situation,” he said.

Aondo stressed that the allegations require independent verification but warned that the reported developments raise serious constitutional and human rights concerns, including the rights to life, dignity, movement and property.

“The sanctity of life must be preserved. The use of force in any situation that results in harm to civilians is unacceptable,” he said.

He called on security agencies to restore order and ensure the safe return of displaced persons, while urging a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.

“I call on relevant security agencies to immediately restore law and order and ensure the safe return of displaced persons,” he stated.

The senior advocate also urged regulatory authorities to examine the mining operations in the area for compliance with extant laws.

“The appropriate authorities should investigate the operations of the company to determine compliance with applicable mining laws and regulations,” he said.

He further appealed for humanitarian assistance for affected residents, including compensation for victims and displaced families.

Authorities in Nasarawa State had yet to issue an official response to the incident as of press time.

UMUAHIA — A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has questioned the rationale behind the Federal Ministry of Works’ claim that the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Road project is still being executed and funded by the Federal Government.

Ubani’s reaction followed a statement credited to the Federal Controller of Works in Abia State, Mr. Chidi Uwaeziozi, who reportedly stated that the road project remained under the supervision and funding of the Federal Government.

In a statement, Ubani said the timing of the claim had raised concerns, particularly as a competent contractor engaged through the Abia State Government had already mobilised to site and commenced work aimed at completing the long-delayed project.

According to him, the intervention by the Abia State Government became necessary following years of delays and what he described as uncoordinated construction on the road.

Ubani recalled that the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the strategic highway was awarded in 2019 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The road, he noted, serves as a major economic corridor linking Abia State with Akwa Ibom State and providing access to Cross River State and other parts of the South-South region.

He said that despite the importance of the road to commerce and transportation, the project had experienced prolonged delays, leaving several sections in poor condition.

Ubani stated that apart from limited construction activity around the Ndioru axis, particularly between Ndioru Market and Okwe, much of the road linking Umuahia through Ikwuano to Ikot Ekpene had remained in a deplorable state.

He noted that the prolonged delay in completing the project had caused significant hardship for residents and motorists who rely on the road for daily movement and economic activities.

According to him, the situation prompted repeated appeals from community leaders, traditional rulers and residents who called for urgent government intervention.

Ubani said the sustained agitation by the people of the area eventually attracted the attention of the Abia State Government, which initiated discussions with the Federal Government on how to address the situation.

He explained that the state government later stepped in to facilitate the reconstruction of the road by engaging a contractor to complete the project.

Ubani maintained that the priority for residents of Umuahia, Ikwuano and neighbouring communities was the timely completion of the road rather than disputes over which tier of government should take credit for the project.

“The important thing is that the road should be completed so that the suffering of the people who use it daily can come to an end,” he said.

He added that the Umuahia–Ikwuano–Ikot Ekpene Road remained a strategic inter-state route whose rehabilitation would significantly improve economic activities and connectivity between the South-East and South-South regions.

LAGOS — Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, a company founded by the late Sir Louis Philip Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has asked the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, to intervene in a dispute over a property located at No. 4 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, which it said has been under the control of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police since May 1, 2025.

In a letter by its lawyer, Chief O. Ugolo, SAN, acting on the instruction of a director of the firm, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Jnr., the company asked the police chief to review the circumstances surrounding the takeover of the property and facilitate its release to the company.


OTL stated that the premises were taken over on May 1, 2025, a public holiday, by officers said to be attached to the Zone 2 Command following a petition reportedly written on behalf of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.


According to the company, individuals identified as legal representatives of the minister, alongside other persons and security personnel, were present when the police assumed control of the property.

The company explained that one of its directors later arrived at the premises and presented documents indicating that a warrant of execution had earlier been levied on the property and that OTL was in possession of it with the knowledge of both the Ikoyi Divisional Police Office and the Lagos State Police Command.

However, the company said its workers were asked to vacate the premises, after which the locks were reportedly changed.


The director was subsequently invited to the Zone 2 Command where he made a statement and was asked to see the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the command.


OTL further stated that the petition which prompted police action alleged that unidentified persons had taken over the property.


The company, however, maintained that it was lawfully occupying the premises based on a court judgment.


The firm said that about ten months after the takeover, the property remains under police control while, according to it, the matter is said to still be under investigation.


Providing background to the dispute, the company said a judgment delivered on June 1, 2018, by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji of the Lagos State High Court in Suit No. LD/794/2011 affirmed its ownership of several properties in Lagos, including the Ikoyi property.


OTL stated that following the judgment, a warrant of possession was executed with the participation of law enforcement authorities. It added that a certificate of completion of execution, known as Form O, was subsequently issued in July 2022.


The company, however, noted that further legal disputes later arose over the property following another judgment delivered in 2022 by Justice A. M. Lawal of the Lagos State High Court in Suit No. LD/1539/2012, which granted possession and control of the Ikoyi property and four others to Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu in her capacity as next friend to her sons.


OTL said it had filed an appeal against that judgment, maintaining that the certificate confirming its possession of the property remains valid pending the determination of the appeal or any order setting it aside.


The company also stated that several related proceedings were pending before the courts at the time the police assumed control of the property in May 2025.


OTL has therefore appealed to the IGP to review the matter and direct the release of the property to enable the company to resume work on the building.


According to the firm, the premises had been under police lock and key for a prolonged period and had deteriorated over time.


It added that it retains legal rights over the property unless and until a competent court decides otherwise, urging members of the public to exercise caution in any dealings concerning the premises while the dispute remains before the courts.

The widow and children of late businessman and former governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Bamidele Akingboye, have secured a court order halting plans for his burial pending the determination of a suit before the court.

The order was granted by Justice Atinuke Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Osborne, Lagos, following a motion ex-parte filed by Mrs. Christiana Akingboye and six of her children.

The applicants approached the court seeking to preserve the remains of the deceased and to restrain the Medical Director of Lagos Island General Hospital, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID Panti, and Samuel Akingboye from burying or tampering with the body pending the hearing of the substantive motion.

The suit, marked LD/9238/2026, was instituted by Mrs. Christiana Akingboye alongside Iyanuoluwa Michael Akingboye, Oluwagbenga Anthony Akingboye, Benson Bamidele Akingboye, Melvin Ayomikun Akingboye, Zion Akinbamidele Akingboye and Michealla Omoyiwola Akingboye.

In the application dated January 29, 2026, the applicants prayed the court for interim orders restraining the respondents from burying, transporting or altering the condition or custody of the remains pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.

Counsel to the applicants, Dr. Sheriff Adesanya, urged the court to grant the application, relying on affidavit evidence and written address filed in support of the motion.

Ruling on February 16, 2026, Justice Ipaye held that applications of such nature require the court to exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously in line with established principles of law. She noted that since the matter was heard ex-parte, the court would refrain from making substantive findings but held that the applicants had placed sufficient and compelling facts before it to warrant the reliefs sought.

The judge observed that the dispute was emotionally charged, involving the alleged surviving widow and six children who were seeking to protect their right to participate in the burial of their husband and father in line with his wishes while alive.

Consequently, the court granted the prayers and issued an interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents or privies from burying, interring, transporting or tampering with the remains of the deceased pending the determination of the substantive motion.

The court also ordered that the status quo be maintained regarding the remains and directed that no steps be taken concerning the movement, release, handling or disposal of the body until the matter is determined.

Justice Ipaye further restrained the respondents from recognising or acting on any purported authorisation relating to the burial issued by any person other than the applicants, and barred the deceased’s first son, Samuel Akingboye, or anyone acting on his behalf from arranging or conducting any burial within or outside Lagos State.

In addition, the court ordered that the body of the late politician be preserved in an appropriate facility pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

When the matter came up again on February 23, 2026, the court renewed the interim orders for another seven days and adjourned the case till March 2, 2026, for further hearing.

Chief Akingboye died on September 3, 2025, in Lagos under circumstances that initially sparked controversy and a police investigation.

Following his death, allegations of possible foul play were raised against members of his household, particularly his wife and children. However, the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions later issued legal advice after reviewing police investigation reports, CCTV footage, witness statements, medical records and post-mortem findings.

The DPP concluded that there was no prima facie case against the widow, her children or any member of the household and recommended that no prosecution be initiated. Investigations also showed no evidence that anyone harmed the deceased, while the post-mortem examination indicated that the death was consistent with suicide, effectively clearing the family of the allegations.

ABUJA — A high-stakes legal controversy has erupted around Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, following a petition urging the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee to examine the circumstances of his enrolment as a lawyer and his participation in the National Youth Service Corps.

The petition, filed by former Nigerian Bar Association First Vice President John Aikpokpo-Martins, alleges that the lawmaker’s NYSC service period overlapped with his studies at the Nigerian Law School, raising questions about compliance with statutory requirements governing both programmes and the process that led to his call to the Bar.

The development has stirred intense debate within the Nigerian Bar Association, with attention now turning to whether regulatory authorities will open a formal inquiry into the claims.

Allegation of double participation

At the heart of the petition is the claim that Kalu was mobilised for NYSC from March 9, 2010 to March 8, 2011, but simultaneously attended the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus, between April 23, 2010 and July 1, 2011.

According to the petitioner, Section 2(3) of the NYSC Act mandates a continuous one-year national service, making it “statutorily impossible” for a corps member to lawfully engage in full-time academic training at the same time.

He further cited what he described as a strict policy of the Nigerian Law School and the Council of Legal Education prohibiting students from serving as corps members during their period of study.

In an affidavit deposed to before the LPDC, Aikpokpo-Martins averred that Kalu, who was admitted into the Nigerian Law School under the name Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu before effecting a change of name, solemnly declared on April 23, 2010 that he was not and would not engage in employment or participate in the NYSC during his course of study.

The petitioner, however, maintained that documentary evidence — including the NYSC discharge certificate allegedly issued to Kalu — shows that he continuously participated in the service year within the same period.

Questions over call to Bar

Kalu was called to the Nigerian Bar on September 6, 2011 and subsequently enrolled as a legal practitioner at the Supreme Court with enrolment number SCN/078630.

But Aikpokpo-Martins insists that the circumstances surrounding the alleged overlap raise fundamental questions about whether the Deputy Speaker met the mandatory 70 per cent attendance requirement of the Nigerian Law School — a prerequisite for certification and call to the Bar.

“It is either he did not attend the Nigerian Law School as required, or he did not lawfully participate in the NYSC for a continuous period of one year,” the petitioner contended.

He further argued that a false declaration made to secure admission into the Law School, if established, would cast doubt on the respondent’s character and fitness to practise law, noting that good character is a condition precedent for admission to the Bar.

Call for sanctions, prosecution

In his petition to the LPDC, Aikpokpo-Martins urged the disciplinary body to investigate the allegations and impose appropriate sanctions under Section 11(1)(c) of the Legal Practitioners Act if the claims are proven.

Simultaneously, in a letter dated February 9, 2026 to the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, he called for the withdrawal of Certificate of National Service No. A001773067 reportedly issued to Kalu on March 8, 2011.

He also demanded the prosecution of the Deputy Speaker under Sections 13(1)(b), 13(3) and 13(4) of the NYSC Act, which prescribe penalties including fines and imprisonment for failure to serve continuously for one year or for making false statements in relation to the scheme.

The petitioner emphasised that the matter transcends partisan considerations, arguing that the high office occupied by Kalu requires strict adherence to the rule of law.

“The exalted position he presently occupies must showcase the highest standards of integrity, transparency and adherence to the law,” he stated.

Subpoena threat

Aikpokpo-Martins disclosed his intention to apply for subpoenas compelling the Director-General of the NYSC and the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School to produce official records, including call-up letters, attendance registers, payment records and discharge documents.

He maintained that such records would conclusively establish whether there was indeed a simultaneous participation in both programmes.

Wider implications

The development has triggered debate within legal circles over the sanctity of professional standards and the integrity of Nigeria’s youth service scheme.

Senior lawyers contacted by this platform noted that the LPDC has the jurisdiction to investigate allegations of professional misconduct, including fraudulent enrolment, if properly established.

They, however, cautioned that the allegations remain claims until tested before the appropriate authorities.

“If there was any misrepresentation in securing admission to the Law School or participation in the NYSC, it is a serious issue. But it must be proven with credible evidence,” one senior advocate said.

Others observed that the NYSC Act’s requirement of continuous service has historically been strictly interpreted, making any proven breach potentially consequential.

Silence from respondent

As at press time, there was no official response from Kalu to the allegations contained in the petitions. Efforts to reach his media office were unsuccessful.

The NYSC and the LPDC have also yet to publicly indicate whether formal investigations have commenced.

Rule of law test

The unfolding controversy places the spotlight once again on the intersection of public office, professional regulation and statutory compliance.

For the petitioner, the issue is clear: institutions must not look the other way when confronted with allegations touching on integrity.

Whether the LPDC and the NYSC will act swiftly — and what their findings may ultimately reveal — remains to be seen. But the petitions have already ignited what may become one of the most consequential professional scrutiny cases involving a high-ranking public official in recent times.

The Vice-Chancellor of Mkar University, Gboko, Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, has criticised Governor Hyacinth Alia over his recent visit to Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, saying the trip fell short of its purpose because the governor did not reach Abande community, where a deadly attack reportedly took place.

Gundu said the governor’s failure to visit Abande, despite earlier assurances, deprived bereaved families and traumatised residents of the reassurance they desperately needed from the state’s highest authority.

According to him, Governor Alia stopped at Anwase during the visit, stressing that Anwase is not Abande and questioning why the governor did not proceed to the actual scene of the killings.

He argued that the physical presence of a governor in a devastated community carries deep symbolic and emotional significance, especially at a time when residents feel exposed and abandoned.

“If the governor failed to reach Abande, where the attack occurred and where the affected people were waiting, then he lost a vital opportunity to show that their lives matter and that the state is committed to protecting them,” Gundu said.

The university don warned that the episode could reinforce the perception that remote communities are expendable, noting that Abande’s distance from major towns should not translate into neglect.

“Abande is part of Benue. No part of the state should be treated as if it can be ceded or ignored because it is out of the way,” he said.

Gundu also questioned the message the aborted visit may have sent to residents of vulnerable areas across the state, asking whether fear or other considerations influenced the decision not to proceed to Abande.

“If the governor could not go there, what does that tell the people living in Abande? That they are on their own?” he asked.

Beyond the missed visit, Gundu said he was disturbed that illicit mining activities in Kwande were not mentioned during the governor’s trip, describing the silence as significant given the role of illegal solid mineral exploitation in fueling insecurity in the area.

He explained that illegal mining, particularly around the Turan axis, has become deeply linked to violence, with criminal networks and armed actors competing for control of mineral-rich sites.

According to him, the situation is worsened by the alleged involvement of political and economic elites, some of whom he accused of benefitting from what he described as “illicit blood minerals” extracted at great cost to local communities.

Describing Kwande as “the land of gold and the sacred land of the Tiv,” Gundu warned that allowing unchecked exploitation and violence to continue could have grave historical and social consequences.

He recalled previous killings in Kwande and lamented what he described as official denial in the past, noting that refusing to acknowledge attacks only deepens the pain of victims and delays meaningful intervention.

Gundu also criticised traditional rulers, elected officials and political appointees from Kwande who may have accompanied the governor but allegedly failed to insist that Abande be included in the visit.

“If any leader from Kwande was present and did not urge the governor to go to Abande to see things for himself, that leader failed the people,” he said.

He urged traditional institutions and public office holders to see the protection of lives as their foremost responsibility and warned those profiting from solid mineral exploitation that economic gains must not come at the expense of human lives.

“Abande, Turan, Kwande and Benue lives matter,” Gundu said, calling on Governor Alia to reflect this reality through decisive and visible actions.

“It is not too late,” he added. “History beckons.”

LAGOS — A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Charles Ugwuanyi, has renewed his call on the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, to rein in the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, over what he described as contradictory, unlawful and harassing actions of the Lagos State Police Command in a land dispute involving Peace Estate, Okota.

Ugwuanyi raised the alarm while giving further details on the arrest and detention of his client, Alhaji Jamiu Raimi Olonade, a Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, holder over a parcel of land located at Idowu Rufai Street, Okota.

According to the lawyer, the most disturbing aspect of the incident was that the Lagos State Police Command allegedly acted at cross purposes within its own structure on January 15, 2026.

He disclosed that on the said date, about 30 police officers from the Lagos State Command were officially deployed to provide security for Olonade while he was erecting a fence on his land, following repeated disruptions by members of the Peace Estate Residents Association.

Ugwuanyi said the request for police protection was formally made and duly approved by the command.

“However, under the same Commissioner of Police, a Task Force was later dispatched to arrest our client on the claim that an alarm had been raised on social media alleging that someone was building on a road,” he said.

He explained that when Task Force operatives arrived at the site at about 2pm, the police officers already providing security advised Olonade to cooperate and present his documents, believing the issue would be promptly resolved.

According to Ugwuanyi, while the Task Force took Olonade away, the police officers officially attached to him remained at the site and continued to provide security for his workers, who went ahead to complete the fencing work for the day and closed at about 6pm.

“Shockingly, despite the fact that our client presented all relevant documents to the Task Force Chairman and their in-house lawyer, he was unjustifiably detained until about 8pm the following day,” the lawyer alleged.

He further claimed that during Olonade’s detention, residents of Peace Estate, allegedly with the tacit support of the Task Force, invaded the land at night and completely destroyed the fence erected by his client after the police officers officially deployed to protect him had withdrawn.

Ugwuanyi noted that in their petition against Olonade, the Peace Estate Residents Association admitted that Olonade came to the land on January 15 with many police officers and individuals they described as “thugs.”

“This raises a fundamental question,” he said. “Is it the same Commissioner of Police that deployed officers to protect our client and his workers that also sent Task Force operatives to arrest him based on a social media post? Obviously, something is not adding up.”

The lawyer stated that the matter had earlier been reported to Zone 2 of the Nigeria Police Force and was being handled under the directive of the IGP. He accused the residents of engaging in forum shopping, moving from Zone 2 to Abuja, and now from the courts to the Task Force and the CP, in search of favourable intervention.

He stressed that a state police command lacks the authority to interfere in a matter already before a zonal command acting on the instructions of the IGP, adding that the Lagos State Police Command must respect the offices of the IGP and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Onikan.

Ugwuanyi maintained that Olonade’s land was duly verified by relevant Lagos State agencies, certified as residential, issued a valid C of O and granted building approval.

He added that the dispute is already before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, warning that continued police involvement could amount to interference in a matter that is sub judice.

The lawyer warned that unless the IGP intervenes decisively to restore order and ensure strict adherence to due process, the matter may be escalated to the Senate Committee on Public Petitions.

An Ikeja High Court of Lagos State has granted an interim gag order restraining social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), actress Doris Ogala and one Kelvin Chimaobi Emmanuel, also known as Kaatruth, from further mentioning Pastor Chris Okafor on social media platforms.

Justice Savage granted the order on Thursday, January 22, 2026, following two applications moved by Ife Ajayi, Esq., lead counsel to Pastor Okafor.

The court restrained the defendants, their agents or privies from mentioning or referring to Pastor Okafor, his images or videos, as well as the name of his church, Grace Nation International, also known as Liberation City, on social media or any other media platform, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice fixed for February 2, 2026.

Justice Savage also barred the defendants from releasing any alleged private materials, including chats, conversations, texts, pictures or videos, said to be used to blackmail or extort money from the claimant.

In the same ruling, the court granted Pastor Okafor’s application for substituted service, ordering that service of court processes on the defendants be effected through publication in Vanguard newspaper.

The suit was filed pursuant to Order 43 Rules 1, 2 and 7 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Ubani, has denied any link with the embattled former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, describing attempts to associate him with an alleged criminal narrative as reckless, malicious and contemptuous of court.

Ubani, through his solicitor, Nkem Okoro, issued a strong rebuttal to a publication authored by one Tonye Jaja, accusing the writer of deliberately inserting his name into a sensational narrative without facts, documents, witnesses or any identifiable connection to wrongdoing.

Okoro, in a statement on Monday said the publication was not only defamatory but also a direct violation of an existing court order restraining Jaja from making further defamatory or reputation-damaging publications against Ubani.

She added that the author’s conduct showed open disregard for the authority of the court and the rule of law, especially in light of ongoing civil and criminal proceedings already instituted against him.

According to the statement, “The casual mention of a person’s name in a criminal narrative without particulars does not amount to evidence or public interest disclosure.It is character assassination and an abuse of media space.”

Okoro categorically denied the allegation that Ubani had any professional, financial, administrative or personal dealings with Malami, SAN, stressing that no relationship, transaction or interaction exists that could justify the claims being circulated.

According to her, the complete absence of factual particulars in the publication further exposes what she described as the emptiness and mischief behind the allegations, warning that reputation should not be sacrificed on the altar of sensationalism.

The statement further disclosed that a “robust civil and criminal enforcement processes” has been initiated against Jaja over what it termed serial defamatory publications and persistent contemptuous conduct.

These processes, it said, are being pursued deliberately and will be carried through to their logical conclusion.

The statement stressed that if the author or anyone else genuinely possesses credible evidence against Ubani, the proper forum remains the courtroom and not media trials, open letters or unrestrained use of public platforms to smear reputations.

It urged members of the public to completely disregard the publication, advising readers to rely on verifiable facts, due judicial process and the rule of law rather than unsubstantiated narratives.

The statement made it clear that patience has limits, warning that any further defamatory publications would attract immediate and escalated legal consequences.

“All further defamatory publications shall attract severe consequences sooner or later,” the statement warned, adding that accountability was inevitable.

It reiterated commitment to protecting its client’s integrity and ensuring that the matter is resolved strictly within the bounds of the law, insisting that the era of unchecked media accusations must give way to responsibility and judicial discipline.

Emerging details surrounding the death of businessman, Mr. Akingboye, point to a complex web of family disputes, unresolved legal troubles and a rapid post-death scramble for assets, raising troubling questions about the pressures that defined his final years.

At the centre of the controversy is his widow, Mrs. Christiana Akingboye, who alleges that her husband lived under sustained psychological strain caused by internal family crises and legal complications involving his sons—pressure she insists critically weakened his mental and physical health before his death.

Investigations reveal that Mr. Akingboye had battled serious health challenges since 2019, with repeated medical interventions in Nigeria and Dubai.

However, according to the widow, these medical struggles were only part of a broader picture. She claims her husband was simultaneously consumed by efforts to resolve legal issues linked to his children, fearing both reputational damage and incarceration outcomes.

Mrs. Akingboye alleged that one son, Mr. Samuel Akingboye, is connected to a fraud-related matter reportedly under investigation at the Zone 2 Police Command. She said the late businessman personally engaged law enforcement authorities in a bid to manage the situation, a role that placed enormous emotional demands on him. Documents, she maintained, exist to substantiate the matter.

A second strand of the family crisis, she alleged, involved Mr. Francis Akingboye, based in Canada, who is said to be linked to an alleged fraud involving an elderly American pensioner, Mr. Marcus Heckett, and a sum of about $27,000. Mrs. Akingboye described Heckett as a long-time family acquaintance and said the allegation generated intense emotional distress for her husband, who struggled to contain the fallout within the family.

Taken together, she said, these unresolved issues created what she described as “immense and sustained psychological pressure,” accelerating a visible decline in her husband’s mental wellbeing.

Questions have also been raised over events immediately following Mr. Akingboye’s death. According to the widow, accusations implicating her and her children surfaced within hours, despite the absence of medical, forensic or investigative findings at the time. She described the speed of the allegations as alarming and prejudicial.

She further alleged that altered or misleading images were circulated publicly to reinforce a predetermined narrative, while security operatives reportedly visited her residence the next day. Mrs. Akingboye insisted that hospital records, medical reports and dated photographs exist to establish her husband’s longstanding health condition and contradict claims that he was medically fit before his death.

Investigative findings also indicate that CCTV footage exists showing the incident in which Mr. Akingboye sustained the fatal fall. The widow said the footage is with the police, though she was informed it was “not clear,” raising further questions about evidence handling and disclosure.

Beyond the death itself, attention has shifted to what the widow described as an unusually swift move to take control of the deceased’s assets. She alleged that properties jointly developed by her and her husband in Akure and Okitipupa were locked without her consent, while efforts were allegedly made to assume control of his dredging business without formal estate authorisation.

She also debunked online claims that vehicles were removed or sold, clarifying that Mr. Akingboye owned only two vehicles, both still at the family residence.

As investigations continue, Mrs. Akingboye insists that she and her children are victims of intimidation, disinformation and economic exclusion. She is calling for a transparent, evidence-based inquiry into both the circumstances of her husband’s death and the actions taken immediately after.

“This is not about emotion or sentiment,” she said. “It is about facts, evidence and due process. Let the truth speak.”

A human rights organisation, Cadrell Advocacy Centre, has dragged the Federal Republic of Nigeria before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over the alleged extra-judicial killing of at least nine unarmed women protesters by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The suit, filed at the regional court in Abuja, was brought by Cadrell in the public interest and on behalf of the victims and their families. The organisation, led by its Executive Director, Mr. Evans Ufeli, accused Nigerian security forces of using excessive and lethal force against civilians engaged in a peaceful protest, in what it described as grave violations of regional and international human rights obligations.

The case stems from events of December 8, 2025, when women residents of Lamurde staged a peaceful road protest to express anger over what they described as the failure of security agencies to effectively enforce a government-imposed curfew amid violent clashes between the Bachama and Chobo communities.

According to the application before the court, the protesters were unarmed and posed no imminent threat when soldiers of the Nigerian Army encountered them while attempting to pass through the area. Witnesses and relatives of the victims reportedly said that after the road was temporarily blocked, one soldier fired shots into the air, after which other soldiers opened live fire on the women.

As a result, at least nine women were killed instantly, while several others sustained gunshot injuries. The incident was widely reported by national newspapers, including Premium Times. Amnesty International Nigeria also independently confirmed that the killings were carried out by soldiers of the Nigerian Army, based on eyewitness testimonies and accounts from victims’ families.

Cadrell told the court that despite the seriousness of the incident, the Nigerian Army denied responsibility and blamed a local militia, without conducting any transparent, independent or impartial investigation. The organisation added that, several months after the killings, no soldier has been arrested, prosecuted or disciplined, and no compensation has been paid to the families of the deceased.

The rights group argued that the actions of the soldiers violated the victims’ rights to life, human dignity, peaceful assembly, equality before the law and access to an effective remedy, as guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

It further maintained that the ECOWAS Court has jurisdiction to hear the case, stressing that Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS Treaty, the Court’s Protocol and the African Charter, and that exhaustion of domestic remedies is not required under the court’s human rights regime.

Among the reliefs sought, Cadrell asked the court to declare Nigeria liable for the acts of the Nigerian Army, order an independent and impartial investigation into the Lamurde killings, and compel the prosecution of those responsible. The group is also seeking compensation for the injured victims and families of the deceased, as well as an award of N10 billion in general damages against the Federal Government.

The organisation further urged the court to mandate institutional reforms to regulate military engagement with civilian protesters, warning that failure to ensure accountability would deepen public distrust in security operations and undermine the rule of law.

Tiv indigenous communities in Nasarawa State have raised the alarm over what they described as a blatant breach of a subsisting court order, following reports of renewed government-backed land acquisition affecting several Tiv villages.

The dispute is the subject of Suit No. NSD/LF44/2025, pending before the Nasarawa State High Court, Lafia Judicial Division, between representatives of the Tiv communities and the Nasarawa State Government, among others.

On May 27, 2025, the High Court reportedly ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit. However, counsel to the Tiv communities, Mr. Terkaa Aondo, SAN, alleged that the Nasarawa State Governor has continued to carry out acts of trespass on the disputed land in defiance of the court order.

According to Aondo, these acts include farming activities allegedly being carried out for private use on the contested land, a development he said undermines the authority of the court and heightens tension in the affected areas.

“Compounding the situation,” Aondo said, “is the fact that there is a pending interlocutory appeal before the Court of Appeal, Makurdi Judicial Division, entered as Appeal No. CA/MK/222/2025, which is yet to be determined.”

He maintained that once an appeal has been duly entered, any action taken on the subject matter of the dispute risks rendering the appeal nugatory and amounts to a disregard for due judicial process.

Meanwhile, fresh anxiety has reportedly swept through Tiv settlements following claims that the Nasarawa State Government has released a new acquisition map allegedly covering land in more than ten Tiv villages in Doka District of Doma Local Government Area.

The affected communities were listed as Doga, Gbatar, Igbawua, Kwaghitse, Uta, Tsekele, Ugee, Age, Angbo, Tsehuee, Ugor and Kaatuna.

Community leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the development as disturbing, alleging that it signals an expansion of land appropriation efforts even as the core dispute remains unresolved before the courts.

They called on the Nasarawa State Government to immediately respect the subsisting status quo order, halt all activities on the disputed lands and refrain from any fresh acquisitions until the courts have finally determined the matter.

The leaders warned that avoidable actions could further escalate tension and deepen the sense of disenfranchisement among indigenous Tiv communities in the area.

As at the time of filing this report, official responses from the Nasarawa State Government on the alleged breach of the court order and the reported acquisition map were not available.

Mrs. Christiana Akingboye, widow of the late Mr. Akingboye, has alleged that sustained psychological pressure, family disputes, and unresolved legal troubles involving her husband’s sons significantly contributed to the mental strain that preceded his death, alongside what she describes as a coordinated campaign of harassment and property seizure directed at her and her children.

In a detailed account, Mrs. Akingboye stated that the conduct of her stepson particularly Mr. Samuel Akingboye and Mr. Francis Akingboye—constituted a major source of emotional and mental distress for her late husband in the period leading up to his demise. She maintains that these stressors, combined with her husband’s longstanding medical challenges, critically affected his mental health and overall well-being.

According to Mrs. Akingboye, her husband had been grappling with serious and ongoing health issues since 2019, requiring medical attention in both Nigeria and Dubai. She said this fragile health condition was further aggravated by persistent family crises and legal complications involving his sons, matters which he was personally attempting to resolve before his death.

She alleged that Mr. Samuel Akingboye, the first son, is linked to an ongoing fraud-related matter reportedly under investigation at the Zone 2 Police Command. Mrs. Akingboye stated that her late husband had been actively involved in engaging with authorities in an effort to help resolve the case and prevent his son’s incarceration, a responsibility she described as emotionally exhausting and deeply distressing for him. She added that documentary evidence exists to support the existence of this matter.

Mrs. Akingboye further alleged that the second son, Mr. Francis Akingboye, who resides in Canada, is connected to a separate fraud-related case involving an alleged defrauding of an elderly American pensioner, Mr. Marcus Heckett, of approximately USD 27,000. She stated that Mr. Heckett is a long-standing family acquaintance and that she is in possession of evidence supporting this allegation, which she says further weighed heavily on her husband as he struggled to manage the reputational and emotional fallout within the family.

According to the widow, these unresolved issues placed her husband under “immense and sustained psychological pressure,” contributing to a decline in his mental health. She asserts that this cumulative stress formed a critical backdrop to the events leading to his death.

Mrs. Akingboye also expressed concern that despite this context, within hours of her husband’s passing, she and her children were accused of involvement in his death—an allegation she described as unfounded and made without the benefit of medical, forensic, or investigative conclusions. She questioned how such accusations could be formed in less than four hours after her husband’s death, calling for transparency regarding the source of those claims.

She further alleged that misleading and altered images were circulated publicly to reinforce a false narrative, while law enforcement officers were reportedly brought to her residence the following day. Mrs. Akingboye stated that authentic medical reports, hospital records, and dated photographs exist to establish her husband’s medical condition prior to his death and contradict claims that he was in good health.

In addition, she disclosed that CCTV footage exists capturing the incident in which her husband sustained the fatal fall on the day of his death.( with the police though they claim not clear) She stated that this footage, alongside original photographs and medical documentation, may be released through appropriate legal and journalistic channels to ensure factual accuracy.

Beyond the allegations surrounding the death, Mrs. Akingboye raised concerns over what she described as a rapid and aggressive move to take control of her late husband’s assets. She alleged that properties jointly developed by her and her husband in Akure and Okitipupa were locked down without her consent, and that attempts were made to assume control of her husband’s dredging business, which was operated in partnership with a third party and without lawful authorization from his estate.

She noted that discussions and actions regarding asset takeover allegedly began while her husband’s remains were still in the mortuary, a development she described as deeply distressing and indicative of misplaced priorities.

Mrs. Akingboye also denied claims circulating online that vehicles belonging to her late husband had been removed or sold, clarifying that he owned only two vehicles a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban and a 2008 Ford truck both of which remain at the family residence.

She further questioned the reported reassignment of police personnel previously attached to her husband, stating that any such action undertaken without formal authorization should be reviewed by the appropriate authorities. She confirmed that she had engaged proper command channels to ensure compliance with established procedures.

Mrs. Akingboye concluded by stating that she and her children are victims of an orchestrated attempt to intimidate, discredit, and dispossess them, while deflecting attention from deeper issues that placed her husband under extreme stress during his final years. She emphasized that she is not seeking to prejudice any investigation but is calling for a thorough, impartial, and evidence-based review of all relevant circumstances.

“All allegations I have raised are supported by evidence and are capable of independent verification,” she said. “My only demand is that the truth be allowed to emerge through due process, without intimidation, distortion, or exploitation.”

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has ordered all parties in the dispute over Plot 3619, Maitama District, Cadastral Zone A06, to maintain the res and preserve the status quo, in a development that appears to strengthen the position of the claimant challenging the alleged revocation of her title.

The suit, No. CV/4154/25, was instituted by Maryam Ahmed, suing through her lawful attorney, EMI Systems Ltd, against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, over what she described as an unlawful and clandestine revocation and reallocation of her land.

At proceedings held on December 2, 2025, the claimant/applicant was represented by a formidable team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, led by Goddy Uche, SAN, alongside Abdullaziz Ibrahim, SAN, and T.J. Aondo, SAN. The defendants were represented by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, while Simeon Eigege announced appearance for a party seeking to be joined in the matter.

During the sitting, a motion for joinder was filed by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, who seeks to be joined as a party to the suit. The governor had been identified by the defendants themselves as the alleged beneficiary of a purported reallocation of the disputed plot, despite the claimant’s subsisting title.

Following submissions by counsel, all parties undertook before the court to preserve the res and maintain the status quo pending the determination of the interlocutory injunction and joinder applications. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to January 21, 2026, for hearing of all pending applications.

In the substantive suit, the claimant is asking the court to declare that the FCT Minister acted outside the law by allegedly revoking her interest, closing her AGIS policy file and reallocating Plot 3619 while her statutory right of occupancy remains valid and subsisting.

She is also seeking declarations that the purported revocation and reallocation of the land to a third party were done without due process and are therefore unlawful, null and void.

The claimant further prayed the court to set aside any purported revocation and reallocation, nullify any fresh offer of grant or certificate of occupancy allegedly issued to another person, and issue a mandatory injunction compelling the defendants to recognise and honour her subsisting certificate of occupancy and statutory right of occupancy over the land.

In her pleadings, Maryam Ahmed averred that she lawfully obtained a certificate of occupancy over the plot and duly secured building plan approval from the FCDA. She stated that construction equipment had already been moved to the site in preparation for development before the controversy arose.

She insisted that at no time was she served with any notice of revocation, as required by law, adding that she only became aware of the alleged revocation through the defendants’ counter-affidavit and a motion for joinder filed in court.

According to the claimant, the FCT Minister proceeded to issue a fresh certificate of occupancy to Governor Fintiri without first revoking or withdrawing her own valid certificate of occupancy, a step she described as a fundamental breach of land administration laws and her constitutional right to fair hearing.

She is also asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents or any third-party allottees from selling, transferring, developing or further dealing with the disputed plot.

In addition, the claimant is claiming ₦100 million as general damages for the alleged unlawful revocation of her title and closure of her AGIS file, as well as ₦200 million as cost of litigation.

Pending the determination of the substantive suit, the claimant filed a motion for interlocutory injunction seeking to restrain the defendants from further acts of revocation or reallocation and to stop any person allegedly allocated the plot from carrying out construction or other activities on the land.

However, in a counter-affidavit opposing the application, the FCT Minister and the FCDA argued that the motion lacked urgency. They contended that all lands in the FCT are vested in the Minister and that failure to develop allocated land within two years makes it liable to revocation.

The claimant, however, maintained that such powers must be exercised strictly in accordance with the law, including service of a valid notice of revocation, which she insists was never done in her case, making the alleged revocation legally untenable.

Renowned gospel music minister, Gift Ugochi Christopher, popularly known as Minister GUC, and his former boss and label executive, Dr. Ezekiel “EeZee Tee” ThankGod, have publicly reaffirmed mutual respect and affection in an exchange of emotional letters, amid the singer’s transition into a new phase of his career.

In a heartfelt message addressed to Dr. EeZee Tee, GUC expressed profound gratitude for the role his former boss played in shaping both his spiritual life and music career.

The singer described EeZee Tee’s support as going beyond professional guidance, noting that he was given not only physical shelter but also emotional and spiritual safety.

“Thank you for taking me in,” GUC wrote, describing the decision as one that gave him room to grow, fail, learn and rise again without fear.

He praised EeZee Tee’s leadership example, particularly his devotion to Christ, saying it formed the foundation that enabled him to support others.

GUC further acknowledged the sacrifices, prayers, counsel and unwavering belief he received during his formative years, praying that God would reward Dr EeZee Tee in ways beyond human recognition.


In response, Dr. EeZee Tee released an equally warm message, describing GUC as a “gift” in both name and nature.

He commended the gospel minister’s character, humility and consistency, noting that his strength was evident not only in public achievements but also in quiet acts of love and selflessness.

Dr EeZee Tee also shared a token sum of money which GUC sent to him as seed, saying that he was really amazed at the depth of gratitude which GUC has showered on him.

He also praised GUC for honouring relationships in both private and public, even during challenging moments, and for choosing integrity when no one was watching.

Dr EeZee Tee said the singer’s growth, effort and promise were evident, adding that he remained grateful to be associated with him.

Significantly, the label executive confirmed that GUC is entering “a greater dimension” of their partnership, following his transition into a higher role, coinciding with the release of the singer’s first single titled GOOD GOD featuring SUMISOLA.


Dr. EeZee Tee described GUC as one of his greatest blessings and encouraged him to keep soaring, stressing that his destiny for greatness remains unstoppable.

The exchange has drawn widespread attention within the gospel music community, with many observers describing it as a rare display of maturity, gratitude and grace in an industry often marked by conflict during transitions.

Christy Akingboye, widow of the late Ondo State Social Democratic Party, SDP, governorship candidate, Bamidele Akingboye, has demanded the immediate release of her husband’s autopsy report, condemning what she described as wicked and pre-emptive falsehoods surrounding his death.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos, she expressed shock that neither she nor her children had been given access to the autopsy findings, even as a blogger publicly boasted of reading the report online and claimed it confirmed murder.

She questioned how a private blogger could allegedly access a document that the authorities have refused to release to the family.

She said the inconsistencies from the police have only deepened their fears.

“When my children and I met with the Commissioner of Police last month, he claimed he already had the report — yet he didn’t show it to us,” she said.

“Instead, he said he was washing his hands off the matter and returning it to Panti, a division where we previously faced hostility, for onward transmission to the DPP.”

According to her, the situation became even more troubling that same day.

“The CP went on Channels TV to say the autopsy confirmed murder. Meanwhile, we, the immediate family, have not seen a single page. Nobody has shown us anything,” she said.

Mrs. Akingboye accused blogger Jimmy Adekanle of colluding with her step-son to weaponise a questionable, unverified report to smear her and destabilise the family.

She insisted that an autopsy cannot, on its own, declare a death as murder until tested in court.

“All I want is straightforward: release the report officially. It is my right as his widow. If a sponsored blogger supposedly has access to a document in police custody, why is the family kept in darkness?” she asked.

She stressed that only a court of law can establish murder, warning that the spread of unverified claims was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and damage her family’s reputation.

Lamenting the secrecy surrounding the process, she said the autopsy — which should naturally be accessible to the police and next of kin — has been withheld from those most entitled to it.

The widow urged authorities to come clean, release the autopsy without delay, and end the confusion and emotional distress trailing her husband’s death.

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has issued an ex parte interim injunction restraining Barrister Lilian Okenwa, Editor-in-Chief of Law and Society Magazine, and Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja from making further derogatory publications against prominent Nigerian lawyer, Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN.

The order, granted on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, by Justice S. U. Bature of the Maitama Division, follows a defamation suit filed by Ubani.

In the suit, marked FCT/HC/CV/4411/2025, Dr. Ubani alleged that the defendants circulated materials that injured his hard-earned professional reputation.


Justice Bature, after reviewing Ubani’s ex parte application (No. FCT/HC/M/16245/2025) filed on December 4, 2025, and supported by an affidavit sworn to by Susan Nwenna Nwaze, granted the following:

“The defendants, their agents, and privies are barred from issuing or disseminating any further publications considered derogatory of Ubani pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice.

“All parties are directed to maintain the status quo ante bellum until the court hears the motion on notice.”

The court granted permission for substituted service of all processes to Lilian Okenwa by pasting processes at No. 17 Tunde Ogbeha Street, Durumi II, Gudu, Abuja;

And service of the same processes for Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja by service at House 475B, Crescent off 4th Avenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja.

The matter has been adjourned to December 16, 2025, for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Legal practitioner and policy analyst, Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN, has warned that Nigeria’s persistent insecurity will remain unresolved unless the Federal Government confronts what he calls the most neglected pillar of national safety — a functional and fully empowered local government system.

Ubani said despite decades of investment in military operations, counter-terrorism campaigns, recruitment drives and surveillance technologies, the country continues to witness rising kidnappings, banditry and violent community attacks because the tier of government constitutionally positioned to act as the first responder remains politically weakened and financially crippled.

Reacting to Nigeria’s latest security crisis, he noted that the Federal Government’s recent National Emergency on Insecurity, unveiled by President Bola Tinubu, again omitted the most crucial reform: restoring capacity and autonomy to local governments. The package includes recruiting more security personnel and withdrawing police protection from VIPs, but Ubani insists these steps cannot succeed without fixing grassroots governance.

He argued that security threats do not begin in Abuja or state capitals but in communities, rural settlements and neglected neighbourhoods. Since these areas fall under local government jurisdiction, Ubani said councils are constitutionally designed to detect early threats, mobilise community responses and support policing efforts. Yet, they have been systematically stripped of this capacity.

According to him, the State Joint Local Government Account and other political controls have allowed state governments to seize council funds, impose loyalists and undermine independent administration.

Many local councils, he said, now function as extensions of state executives rather than as frontline governance institutions.

Ubani warned that a local government unable to maintain rural roads for patrols, provide street lighting, support vigilante structures, empower traditional authorities or fund surveillance tools is a council rendered ineffective in protecting its population.

This vacuum, he added, has created ungoverned spaces where bandits flourish and kidnappers operate freely.

He noted that national debates consistently centre on state police, youth employment, military expansion, rural education reforms and economic interventions, while the foundational need for effective local government administration is repeatedly ignored.

“No matter how many security personnel are recruited, or how advanced our surveillance equipment becomes, no national strategy can succeed when communities remain abandoned and disconnected from governance,” he said.

Ubani described full constitutional and financial autonomy for local governments as the most urgent reform needed to stem insecurity at its roots.

He commended the attempt by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to seek Supreme Court clarity on the issue, but lamented that political interference frustrated the initiative.

Calling on President Tinubu to act decisively, he said direct funding and unrestricted autonomy for local councils must now be treated as a national priority.

“The path to a safer Nigeria begins with strengthening the tier of government closest to the people,” Ubani stated. “Non-functional local government administration breeds insecurity. The sooner we confront this truth, the sooner Nigeria can make real progress.”