A father, Ishaku Joseph, on Monday, dragged his daughter’s boyfriend, Yunana Zock, before a Customary Court sitting in Kaduna State for allegedly misappropriating his late wife’s death benefits.
The prosecutor, Jeremiah Amfani, said that the accused deceived Mr Joseph’s daughter, Ms Emmanuella, and withdrew N13 million paid as his wife’s death benefits.
He told the court that the money was transferred to his daughter’s account in 2023 because she was his late wife’s next of kin.
He stated that the matter was investigated by the police after Mr Joseph reported the case to the police.
Earlier, while giving testimony, Ms Emmanuella told the court that the accused took her ATM card without her knowledge and withdrew the money.
In his defence, the accused said he transferred N11.9 million to his girlfriend’s account and that she agreed to give him N2 million to start a business.
According to him, they spent time together in Abuja, where they shared each other’s ATM PIN numbers.
He presented a document showing his account statement from Opay, which was accepted as exhibit and added that he would present one witness in court at the hearing.
The judge, Patience Musa, adjourned the matter until September 30 for continuation of defence.
Not a bad development. I can see how AI would be useful in preparing sermons. As long as they don't use it lazily. Pastor shouldn't just sit back and ask AI to create the theme for a sermon. It should come straight from his heart and reflect his convictions and testimony as a man of God who has reflected deeply on Scripture.
Mynd44 Lalasticlala Nlfpmod front page please
DiamondsAreFore: This is truly innovative. I like how they are using AI to augment and supplement rather than replace the role of the Pastor/Minister at the pulpit.
Jashub: I think by doing this people are gradually eradicating the leading of the Holy Spirit in church sermons. But it is well . May God deliver us from modernism
Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has explained how his convoy was attacked by suspected political thugs allegedly belonging to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kebbi State on Monday.
Malami had said he was returning from the Emir’s palace, where he went to condole the Emirate and the family of one of the emirate’s religious leaders when political thugs emerged from nowhere and started attacking his convoy with dangerous weapons.
Writing on his verified Facebook account on Tuesday, he described Monday as “sad day and a day that unfolded negative history in the political developments of Kebbi State.”
According to him, he was returning from a condolence visit to Emir of Gwandu and the family of late Imam Tukur Kola in Birnin Kebbi when his convoy was “violently attacked near my private residence by political thugs that emerged from State APC headquarters positioned very close to my residence.”
He narrated, “Stones and dangerous objects were hurled at us, vehicles were damaged, and several people sustained injuries inclusive of fractures.
“What is most disturbing is that this was not an isolated act of hooliganism. Evidence clearly points to a politically orchestrated attack, allegedly funded and coordinated by powerful figures who have abandoned governance at the altar of do-or-die politics.
“The presence of the APC party stalwarts and close relations of the Governor was visibly noticed on site when the attack was being perpetrated.
“The presence of security personnel did not help matters as the thugs moved into the party headquarters for apparent cover and no arrest was eventually made. There was deliberate inaction.
“This is not about me as Abubakar Malami. This is about the dangerous path our state and our country are treading, where thuggery replaces dialogue, and intimidation replaces governance, while over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty according to NBS statistics.
“Let me be clear: Kebbi State Government should not fear Malami. They should fear the consequences of their own actions, the judgment of history, and the anger of the people who have been left in abject poverty, insecurity, and despair.
Reacting to the allegations, the Kebbi State government noted that, “from his narration, it was clear he [Malami] has his motive and has learned person he should live to speak the truth.”
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the incident, the Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris added, “from the onset, we are not in political rally. Why will he come to console a person that was bereaved by thugs.
“I want to tell you, at the time, there was no any member of APC at the party’s office. He has his own motive. The party has no hand in his ordeal. The state government too has no hand in the attack.
The Katsina Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized illicit drugs worth approximately N690 million, intercepting two vehicles transporting the substances.
Mr. Idriss Abba-Aji, the NCS Controller in Katsina, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the arrests and seizures.
According to Abba-Aji, operatives recovered 14 cartons of Tramadol valued at N650 million and Fragbaline capsules worth N28 million, both hidden in separate vehicles.
He explained that the seizures were made within two weeks, adding that cannabis sativa worth about N15 million was also confiscated by the operatives.
“Recently, we noticed that our borders are used for drug smuggling. Vehicles are cleverly used to confuse security personnel encountering them.
“You may think such vehicles are conveying dignitaries. The public must understand that during our operations, we stop all available vehicles to ensure checks.
“People complain about customs disturbing commuters. Drug traffickers will never use lorries or open vehicles. They conceal drugs inside vehicles designed to appear ordinary,” the Controller said.
Importance of thorough checks He stressed that operatives cannot detect such concealments without stopping and searching. According to him, luck favoured them in confiscating two vehicles on different occasions.
Abba-Aji noted that each vehicle conveyed large quantities of illicit drugs, suspected to be distributed within Katsina and neighbouring states if not intercepted.
“Recently, at one of our borders, we seized illicit drugs, mainly Tramadol, in 14 cartons worth about N650 million.
“This is the largest seizure of its kind in the command,” Abba-Aji revealed.
Drug abuse and banditry He maintained that drug abuse fuels banditry in the region. To help curb the menace, the command has intensified its enforcement operations.
According to him, one suspect was arrested alongside one of the vehicles but was later released on administrative bail.
What you should know In a recent operation, Nairametrics reported, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, intercepted five trucks loaded with 2,800 bags of smuggled foreign parboiled rice, cannabis, and other items, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1,268,794,474.
The Customs Area Controller, Dr. Benedict Oramalugo, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing at the Joint Border Post complex in Seme.
He said the interceptions occurred between July 1 and 19, following credible intelligence gathered by operatives along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.
Separately, the NCS also intercepted 25 containers of pharmaceutical products and other counterfeit substances valued at N9.23 billion. These were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further action.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, confirmed the development on Friday during the handover in Apapa, Lagos.
He stated that the 25 containers, with a total Duty Paid Value of N9.23 billion, reflect a sophisticated network of criminal enterprises exploiting regulatory loopholes to undermine national health security.
A Libyan driver and his mother have been arrested in the Sirte area of Libya for allegedly attempting to smuggle six undocumented Nigerian migrants.
Their arrest followed a routine patrol by officers of the Abu Najim Police Department in the Sirte region on Sunday, August 17, 2025.
According to Migrant Rescue Watch, an organisation that monitors migrant activities in a statement shared on Monday, the suspects were intercepted while transporting the Nigerians in a vehicle.
“Abu Najim Police Dept. (Sirte) seized a vehicle and arrested a Libya driver (‘A.M.M.’) accompanied by his mother for attempted human smuggling of 6 undocumented #migrants of Nigerian nationality. All referred to competent authorities for legal action.”
A WAEC result from 2007 for an APC governorship candidate in Anambra State, has gone viral after showing that the candidate had passes in only two subjects (Biology and Christian Religious Knowledge) with a fail in English Language, raising questions about his eligibility under Nigeria’s constitutional requirement of a minimum education level for public office, as per Section 131(d) of the 1999 Constitution.
Nigeria’s national electricity grid has reached unprecedented heights, marking significant milestones in power generation and transmission, according to a recent announcement by the Nigeria National Grid.
On March 4, 2025, the grid recorded its highest power generation ever at 5,801.84 megawatts (MW) at 9:15 PM, a landmark achievement for the country’s energy sector.
In addition to this peak, the grid achieved its highest daily energy generation and transmission records on the same day, producing 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh) and transmitting 126,606.47 MWh, respectively.
These figures reflect a robust improvement in the nation’s power infrastructure, addressing long-standing challenges in electricity supply.
The Nigerian National Grid also highlighted its installed generation capacity, which stands at 13,014.40 MW as of July 1, 2021, and an available generation capacity of 7,652.60 MW, recorded since March 3, 2020.
The transmission wheeling capacity, a measure of the grid’s ability to deliver power, has been steady at 7,300 MW since March 4, 2020.
These milestones signal Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to bolster its energy sector, which has historically faced issues such as inadequate infrastructure, inconsistent supply, and transmission losses.
The record-breaking generation and transmission figures suggest improvements in operational efficiency and coordination among power generation companies, transmission networks, and distribution systems.
Energy experts view these achievements as a step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on off-grid solutions like diesel generators, which have long been a costly and environmentally harmful alternative for businesses and households.
However, challenges remain, as the available capacity of 7,652.60 MW is still below the installed capacity, indicating underutilized potential due to factors like aging infrastructure or fuel supply constraints.
FIRS: Unauthorised disclosure of classified documents to attract N5m fine, 3-year jail term
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Act has introduced new penalties for the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information and documents by staff members.
The NRS Act is among the four bills recently signed into by President Bola Tinubu.
The others are the Nigeria tax (fair taxation) law, the Nigeria tax administration law, and the joint revenue board (establishment) law.
The regulations are expected to take effect from January 1, 2026.
In Part VI (miscellaneous provisions) of the NRS Act, the law states that all internal records including institutional information, memoranda, and communications are classified as confidential.
“Without prejudice to the provisions of any other Act concerning data privacy or data protection, institutional information or communication, all internal information, communications, documents or memoranda of the Service are confidential,” the law reads.
“Except as otherwise provided under this Act, any other law or any enabling agreement or arrangement or as otherwise authorised by the Executive Chairman or management of the Service, any person who discloses or attempts to disclose institutional information, communication, document or memorandum of the Service is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N5,000,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both.”
The provision also applies to all officials and individuals involved in the administration of the Act.
The NRS said business records, tax returns, notices, assessments, and any documents relating to a person’s assets, liabilities, or profits should be “treated as secret”.
According to the law, exceptions to the confidentiality rule include disclosures authorised by the service, by court order, or when required for the enforcement of tax laws in Nigeria.
On February 20, 2024, the federal government warned civil servants in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) against leaking sensitive documents to the public.
There is no definitive historical or archaeological evidence from Mecca that confirms the existence of a figure named Oduduwa. The claim that Oduduwa, a central figure in Yoruba mythology and history, originated from Mecca is primarily based on oral traditions and certain Yoruba migration narratives, such as those recorded in Samuel Johnson’s History of the Yorubas. These narratives suggest that Oduduwa, regarded as the progenitor of the Yoruba people, migrated from Mecca due to religious conflicts, with his father, Lamurudu, being a king there.
However, several factors cast doubt on this connection:
1. Lack of Archaeological or Documentary Evidence in Mecca: No records, inscriptions, or archaeological findings from Mecca or the broader Arabian Peninsula directly reference Oduduwa or a figure matching his description. Historical records from Mecca during the period in question (often placed around the 7th to 10th centuries) are sparse, and none corroborate the presence of a Yoruba-related figure. Furthermore, research questioning Mecca’s prominence in the early 7th century suggests it may not have been a significant cultural or political center at the time, which complicates claims of Oduduwa’s migration from there.
2. Yoruba Oral Traditions and Mythological Context: Yoruba traditions often blend historical and mythical elements. Some narratives describe Oduduwa as a divine or semi-divine figure who descended from the heavens to Ile-Ife, the spiritual cradle of the Yoruba, rather than migrating from a physical location like Mecca. These accounts, such as those in Ifa corpus or other Yoruba oral histories, prioritize a cosmological origin over a geographical one, suggesting the Mecca story may be a later interpolation or symbolic narrative.
3. Alternative Origins: Other Yoruba traditions and scholarly interpretations propose different origins for Oduduwa, such as from Benin (Edo) or other regional locales like Nupe, or even as an indigenous figure from Ile-Ife itself. These competing narratives, supported by local histories and archaeological findings like those at Iwo Eleru, indicate a deep Yoruba presence in West Africa predating any potential Middle Eastern migration.
4. Historical Context of the Mecca Narrative: The Mecca origin story may reflect later cultural or religious influences, possibly introduced during interactions with Islamic traders or scholars in Yorubaland from the 11th century onward. The spread of Islam in West Africa could have led to the incorporation of Mecca into Yoruba oral traditions as a prestigious or symbolic point of origin, rather than a literal one.
5. Skepticism in Scholarship: Some scholars and online discussions, such as those on platforms like Nairaland, argue that the Mecca story lacks substantiation and may be a colonial-era or post-Islamic construct. Archaeological evidence, like artifacts predating 500 BCE in Yorubaland, supports the idea of an indigenous Yoruba culture, challenging the need for an external origin like Mecca.
In conclusion, while the Mecca migration story is a significant part of some Yoruba traditions, there is no concrete evidence from Mecca itself—archaeological, textual, or otherwise—to confirm Oduduwa’s existence there. The narrative appears to be more rooted in cultural, religious, or political motivations within Yoruba history than in verifiable historical records. For a deeper understanding, exploring primary Yoruba oral traditions or archaeological studies in Ile-Ife may provide more context than Mecca-based sources.
Seyi Tinubu, the son of Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has been linked to a London firm that paid $11million for a property in London.
The property was previously confiscated from a Nigerian businessman, Kola Aluko.
Seyi, 37-year-old, who controls the outdoor advertising market in Lagos State, was said to have bought the property in 2017, according to a report by business outlet, Bloomberg.
The medium in a story Tuesday morning said Seyi used an offshore shell company, Aranda Overseas Corporation, to close the purchase, which was facilitated through Deutsche Bank.
The property is reportedly tucked in an elite neighbourhood in North London.
The report further described the property as a private three-floor residence in St. John’s Wood, equipped with an eight-car driveway, two gardens, electric gates and a gym.
The property had been previously confiscated around 2016 from Kola Aluko, who reportedly connived with former Nigeria’s oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to fleece Nigeria.
Aluko bought the property for about $15million in 2013, indicating that it was sold four years later for a lower price, an uncommon scenario for such an upmarket neighbourhood.
However, Bloomberg said it could not immediately find indications that the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, 71, was involved in the purchase.
Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has predicted that he will die on a Sunday after eating pounded yam.
Adeboye spoke on Thursday while delivering a sermon during the ongoing RCCG’s 73rd annual convention tagged: ‘The Overcomers’.
Delivering a sermon titled: ‘Possess Your Possessions’, Adeboye encouraged the congregants to pray fervently to prevent any form of sickness.
“If you are healthy and pray the way I’m going to ask you to pray, you may never be sick again,” he said.
“I’m sure I have told you how I will go (referring to his death) if the Lord tarries. I will go to church, it is going to be on Sunday. I can tell you that.
“If you say, “how do you know?” Leave that out of the question. I will go to church, have a wonderful service, come back home, eat pounded yam and go.
“Let me hear somebody say loud and clear, I will never be sick again.”
The 83-years-old cleric said his focused on preaching holiness and not prosperity.
“Prosperity is yours. I know that there are some people who have been waiting for that so they can have something to criticise,” he added.
“That is all right. Everybody knows I’m not a prosperity preacher. I’m a holiness preacher.”
The Federal Government has ordered the closure of Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State to heavy-duty vehicles for structural maintenance.
It also directed action on rehabilitation of highways and bridges on the verge imminent deterioration.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this, yesterday, during a media briefing in Abuja where he highlighted ongoing projects under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He emphasised the urgent need for structural maintenance on critical sections of highways and bridges to prevent further deterioration.
Umahi listed several projects in the South-West, including the Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge, Iddo Bridge, and various roads that required emergency intervention.
He said that heavy-duty trucks exceeding weight limits had caused damage to flyovers and bridges, posing safety risks to motorists.
The minister gave the assurance that the Third Mainland Bridge is safe for light vehicles but not for heavy vehicles, leading to its closure. He also addressed issues on the Carter Bridge and other damaged bridges, emphasising government’s commitment to ensuring public safety.
He said: “Among other emergency jobs that you’ve been seeing in Lagos, we are having a very deep conversation on the Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge. And it’s a very deep and concerned conversation. And we have tabled it to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the President has directed that the ministry should articulate the exact situation and bring it to the FEC meeting for deliberation.
“But be assured that the Third Mainland Bridge is safe for light vehicles, but not for heavy vehicles. We have closed it against heavy vehicles, and the Carter Bridge also has issues that the President is going to address as soon as our memo is completed. We also have a problem with the heavy trucks that are loading beyond our head rooms in our flyovers.
“We have a couple of them between Lagos and Ibadan bridges completed by the last administration. Some of them have been knocked down. The beams are knocked down, and the beams are the structural elements that carry the slab that are carrying the vehicular loads. And so where the beam is not there, it means that it’s not safe. So, for some of such bridges, we have closed them down against vehicular movements. And we are very concerned.
“The Iddo Odo Bridge was burned down during the past administration. So, we are on it. It’s an ongoing project through Julius Berger.”
Umahi highlighted ongoing efforts by the Renewed Hope administration to expand and modernise road infrastructure for sustainable economic growth, adding: ”Immediate action is being taken to address deteriorating highways and bridges across the six geo-political zones.”
“Don’t Skip Class” — US Warns Nigerian Students Of Visa Revocation For Academic Violations
The United States has issued a warning to international students regarding the consequences of violating student visa regulations.
In a message shared via its official X handle on Monday, the US Mission in Nigeria stressed that students who drop out, skip classes, or leave their academic programmes without notifying their schools risk having their US student visas revoked.
Such actions could also lead to disqualification from obtaining future US visas, it stated.
The mission advised all student visa holders to strictly adhere to the terms of their visas and maintain their academic status to avoid any immigration issues.
“If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your programmes of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas.
“Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues,” the mission noted.
At least five people have been reportedly killed and scores abducted in Kaura Namoda local government area of Zamfara state.
According to locals, bandits raided 16 villages across the local government between Saturday and Sunday.
A local, who pleaded anonymity confided in Daily Trust that, “Yesterday (Saturday) the armed bandits invaded eight villages comprising Dan İsa, Kyatawa, Tudu, Gidan Haruna, Tsunburburawa, Gidan Juli, Tokarawa and Gidan Bako. They killed one person in Gidan Haruna and kidnapped eight women.
“Also, today (Sunday) the bandits invaded Kwalau village and killed four people; Abubakar, Murtala, Aminu and Bello, while Ashafa sustained gun shots in his west and jaw. The injured person was rushed to Kaura Namoda General Hospital for treatment.
“What actually happened was that the bandits have turned Kwalau village into their passage whenever they are going for operation. So, yesterday, they passed through the village in the night and raided eight villages around. While they were coming back from the operation, our vigilante operatives denied them access to pass through the village.
“The local security operatives blocked the main entrance of the village and engaged the bandits in gun battle. They spent almost 30 minutes exchanging fire before the bandits retreated and left the scene.
“So, around 10am today (Sunday) the bandits returned to the village in large number with sophisticated weapons. They went straight to a location where members of the vigilante group use to gather in the morning and started shooting.
“They killed four vigilante guards and injured one other. They also abducted scores of women and carted away with some belongings including foodstuffs and other domestic items.”
He explained that residents have deserted their homes for fear of another round of attack, lamenting that there is every possibility of the bandits to stage yet another attack.
Another local, who also craved anonymity, said banditry is on the rise in Kaura Namoda axis, lamenting, “Hardly a day will pass without hearing about an attack on a village or two. The thing has already gone out of control.
“The bandits are conducting their activities unchecked in this axis as if we do not have security personnel in the state. We are appealing the Government to come to our aid by deploying adequate security personnel to the affected areas to protect Nigerian citizens.”
Troops of the Nigerian Army and operatives of the Department of State Services have rescued a lecturer at Taraba State University, Joshua Saleh.
The lecturer was abducted on July 31, 2025, along the Chinkai–Kente–Wukari Road in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The rescue followed a joint operation based on actionable intelligence across several locations, including Kente, Sondi, Yaku, and Warawa.
A statement on Sunday by Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Lieutenant, Umar Muhammad, said that during the operation, troops engaged the kidnappers in a gunfight, forcing them to abandon the victim.
He said Saleh was recovered unhurt.
The statement read, “In a daring and well-coordinated operation, troops of 6 Brigade, NA/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services, have successfully rescued Joshua Saleh, a lecturer at Taraba State University.
“Acting on credible and actionable intelligence, the troops, alongside DSS operatives, launched a targeted search and rescue operation across key locations, including Kente, Sondi 1 and 2, Yaku, and the Warawa general area.
“During the operation, troops encountered the kidnappers and engaged them in a fierce gun battle. Overwhelmed by the superior firepower and pressure, the criminals fled the scene, abandoning the victim. Saleh was found unharmed and promptly rescued.”
The Commander of the 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their swift response and urged the public to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with useful information.
Nasir el-Rufai at an APC rally in Kaduna in December 2022
Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says “we may not have a country” if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins the 2027 elections.
El-Rufai spoke on Saturday in Sokoto during a grassroots mobilisation campaign for the opposition coalition — the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The former Kaduna governor said he joined the coalition to ensure the APC is voted out of power.
El-Rufai, a former APC chieftain, said he is ready to mobilise Nigerians to eject the “incompetent” ruling party.
“I’m not in politics to get anything for myself. I’m in politics to serve,” he said.
“When the government does not serve the people, it is my duty as a senior citizen to come out and condemn it and take steps to reverse the situation.
“That is why we come together as people opposed to the policies of this government to form the coalition, which has resulted in the adoption of ADC.
“We are in Sokoto to begin the process of mobilising Nigerians against the APC government anywhere and the federal government in Abuja.
“I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not have a country at all. This is a fight for our lives.”
El-Rufai was one of the founding leaders of the APC, but in March 2025, he left the ruling party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
His exit came over a year after his ministerial appointment was blocked by the national assembly over alleged security concerns.
The SDP recently announced his expulsion from the party and banned him for 30 years, citing alleged forgery of membership documents, among other issues.
The former Kaduna governor is now one of the leading figures in ADC — the opposition coalition platform.
Kemi Badenoch Recalls 'Harsh' Boarding School Life In Nigeria, Describes It As ‘Being In Prison’
Conservative Party leader and UK opposition head, Kemi Badenoch, has opened up about her difficult experiences growing up, including her time at a Federal Government Girls’ boarding school in Sagamu, Nigeria, which she likened to a prison.
Speaking from Westminster within sight of Big Ben, Badenoch — the MP for Saffron Walden since 2017 — recounted her childhood in Lagos above her father’s medical clinic, her formative years across Nigeria, the U.S., and the UK, and the enduring lessons of hardship and ambition.
Badenoch shared candid memories from her childhood in Lagos and her experiences as a student in Nigeria’s federal education system.
She described her Sagamu boarding school as a place of hardship, marked by poor living conditions, a lack of water, and strict manual labor duties.
She explained that students had to cut the grass with machetes because there were no lawnmowers. There was no running water —they fetched it with buckets. The environment was very grim.
According to her, there were 300 students in the dormitory, with 20 to 30 girls crammed into each room.
Badenoch revealed that she was just 11 years old when she was sent to the school, marking her first experience away from home.
She recalled exchanging her meals for books and losing a significant amount of weight due to a poor diet and her aversion to certain foods, particularly fish.
The podcast episode explored not only her educational hardships but also her reflections on Nigeria’s complex colonial legacy, women’s health, and her dual identity as both British and Nigerian.
She also spoke about being born in Wimbledon as a result of fertility treatments her parents sought in the UK, despite being raised in Nigeria and later in the United States.
Now the leader of the Conservative Party and Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden, Badenoch credits her challenging early life for shaping her political views and personal resilience.
"So my very first memory, and I actually had to sit down and think about this because I couldn't remember what my first memory was. But thinking and thinking, my earliest memory was actually my fourth birthday, which was January 1984. And I remember it because I always wanted to know when my birthday was.
"So my dad says, and he came up to me that morning and he said, today is your birthday. Because I'd been asking, when is my birthday? When is my birthday? When is my birthday? Is it my birthday? I was obsessed with birthdays. And I remember my fourth birthday because I had a Barbie cake.
"So I had, uniquely in those days, in the early 80s, I had a brown Barbie, and she had this big dress, which was the cake, the skirt was the cake. And I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. So this is happening in Lagos, this is 1984."
She said Lagos being the capital of Nigeria. Then it was.
"And it was in our flat above my dad's clinic. My dad was a doctor. And I woke up, as I had done every day saying, is it my birthday today? And he said, today's your birthday.
"Well, my mum is still alive. My dad sadly passed away three years ago. My mum is Professor Fayi Adegoke.
"And she is still, despite being 75, a lecturer of physiology at university. So she teaches medical students.
When asked how they met as a couple, she said they met at university.
"My dad was in a year of university where you've graduated, but you're still training to be a doctor. And shehad started her first year sort of teaching at the medical school. And that's how they met.
"Well, I've seen lots of pictures. And they were, they were very cool.
"I've seen their graduation pictures. And it was, you know, 70s. And it was all the cool 70s culture.
"Very, very Western.Remember, this is in the days of sort of the ending of the British Empire. They've all had, you know, teachers from England and Scotland, and so much of the culture of the UK is, is there.
"So it's all very sort of cool, funky, jazz, and everyone, you know, driving around in cars, smoking, drinking, listening to disco. So they're very into disco. They were into what I call old school R&B," She said.
When asked why she was born in Wimbledon when she was clearly brought up in Lagos, she explained that the doctor who helped her mother conceive was based in Wimbledon.
"So my parents got married in 1977. And I'm born January 1980. And you can imagine, you know, in an African society, why haven't you had any children yet? And the doctors in the, in the country were just stumped.
"We don't know why you haven't had any, any children yet. And remember, this was in the days when Nigeria was a very wealthy country, you know, there's an oil boom, there's lots of money sloshing around. So we were very comfortable because my dad was a doctor to the oil companies.
"And so they were travelling, you know, every year, they'd stay in Knightsbridge, and they only shopped at Harrods. It was, it was such a different life from what they ended up having 20 years later, when all the socialist policies have come in, and everything's terrible. So my mother and her friends were all, you know, they had private doctors, and one of them had recommended a man called Mr. Roberts, because he was a surgeon.
"So he was Mr. Roberts. And Mr. Roberts made, made me. And he also made my brother as well.
"So that's why we were born. Well, my parents made me. He facilitated it.Yes, yes, he helped it along the way.
"He facilitated it. And I will always be grateful because without him, I wouldn't have been born. And it later, well, it transpired that what my mother had was endometriosis, which she told me, at the time, people said, oh, it doesn't, it's not an African thing.
"It's something that happens to Europeans. And her doctor said that this is something that is unique to Europeans. We don't, we don't see this in the, in the African population."
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has quietly built a functioning state-like economy across the Lake Chad region, controlling farms and cattle business through a complex taxation and governance regime that rivals Somalia-style jihadi fiefdoms.
According to a report by The New Humanitarian news agency, ISWAP collects an estimated $191 million annually through a formalised system of levies on fishers, farmers, traders and migrant workers.
Originally a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), The New Humanitarian (formerly IRIN News) operated under the UN until January 1, 2015. On March 21, 2019, IRIN relaunched independently as The New Humanitarian.
The news agency, which said its report was based on painstaking investigations, stated that what the extremists make per year vastly outstrips the official tax intake of the Borno State government, which it said took in only about $18.4 million in 2024.
“This investigation explores the system of rule and revenue streams that ISWAP has built in what it refers to as the dawla — the so-called caliphate it has established in parts of northeastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.
“The report is based on in-depth interviews with fishers and traders that regularly visit ISWAP territory on a string of islands in Lake Chad, as well as former ISWAP officials and clerics who have left the group and quietly resettled in northern Nigeria,” the agency said.
The New Humanitarian report identified three primary types of revenue for ISWAP.
They are:
Zakat: a faith-based levy on livestock, netting around $3.7 million yearly.
Haraji: a tax for outsiders engaging in economic activity within ISWAP territory, often fishers and seasonal workers, collected through entry permits of roughly $13 each.
Darayib: a broader category including fees on trade, cattle, charcoal, and agriculture, imposed at checkpoints and markets.
“These payments,” the report said, “are enforced systematically with receipts, designated inspectors, and severe penalties for non-payment, allowing ISWAP to finance military campaigns, pay fighters and bills, and even offer rudimentary public services.
“ISWAP administers three broad categories of taxation: zakat, haraji and darayib. Each tax has a separate receipt that is issued after payment.
“ISWAP collects zakat from cattle-owning farmers worth roughly $3.7 million a year. The tax ranges from 3.3 per cent to 1 per cent, depending on herd size — the lowest rate levied on herds of more than 60 to 80 animals.
“ISWAP does not physically take the cattle but instead collects the cash equivalent — based on a pre-determined market value, eliminating the possibility of herders undervaluing their livestock.
“It also imposes a similar tax structure on sheep and goats but does collect the animals, reportedly for festive occasions and other internal uses within the group,” the report said.
While violent and ideologically driven, ISWAP has adopted pragmatic governance models. In many of its controlled areas, locals report being taxed for perceived “protection.”
“Before entry into ISWAP’s territory, every individual is required to pay a $13 fee. Those with cash pay immediately at the first checkpoint before being allowed to proceed. Those without the money are permitted to enter after making a pledge to pay following their business activities.
“In such cases, the group leader is held accountable for ensuring that all deferred payments are settled. Each person receives a permit or receipt, which serves as proof of payment and protects them from harassment by ISWAP’s inspection task force operating on the islands. With this permit, individuals are not disturbed.
“Once inside, fishers are required to pay additional fees to be in allocated fishing areas. The amount depends on the size of the area requested and the fishing method they intend to use,” the report said.
Quoting fishers it interviewed, The New Humanitarian said: “These fees range from $13 to $196 and cover an entire fishing season, usually from February to June.
Before exiting the territory with their goods, each fisher or fish trader is charged a fishing tax of around $2.60 per 100-kilogram carton of fish. During a normal fishing season, ISWAP can generate around $156,000 from entry permits alone.”
The Nigerian military has been unrelenting in tackling extremist groups in the entire North East area, which includes the Lake Chad region.
Salihu Lukman, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has criticised President Bola Tinubu for enabling what he described as financial recklessness by state governors.
Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Lukman said that despite clear indications that some governors mismanage funds allocated to them, the president has continued to approve substantial disbursements to states without enforcing accountability.
“Yes, the president has said the right thing, but what is he doing to ensure that governors do what they need to do?” Lukman asked.
“The president can do something, but what I see him doing is to reward them for doing the wrong things.”
His comments follow Tinubu’s recent call for state governors to invest more in poverty alleviation and ensure that citizens feel the impact of governance. However, Lukman questioned the president’s follow-through, arguing that governors remain unaccountable because of their grip on party structures.
“Once we have a system where the structure of the party is subordinated to them, they will continue with this arrogance, and continue to be unaccountable and convert public resources as if it is their personal property,” he said.
Lukman also pointed to recent defections of opposition governors into the APC, suggesting the party’s recruitment strategy prioritises political expansion over accountability.
“When your recruitment policy in your party is blindly informed in a way that all you want is for people to come into your party without giving them the conditions that need to happen for them to be accountable to their people, the objectives of many of them become to be where they are and not to deliver services,” he stated.
He added that the APC had failed to live up to its promises, accusing its leaders of betraying the trust of party members. “In APC, we invested every trust in the leaders and at the end of the day, leaders betrayed that trust, and that is why APC is damaged today, whereby it is worse than the PDP,” he said.
Lukman said the ADC, which now serves as a platform for a broader opposition coalition, is aiming to hold political office holders accountable through party-led oversight if it wins power in future elections.
“The mistake many of us make is to imagine that leaders are rational and, left on their own, they will do the right thing. Our objective is to organise the party in such a way that governance is accountable to the party and aligned with the manifesto,” he added.
Nkechi Blessing has revealed why she temporarily left the Nigerian movie industry.
During an appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask, the actress explained that she initially stepped away from acting to explore other ventures.
Nkechi added that her break extended further when an anonymous benefactor began paying her a “staggering N1 million weekly salary”.
The movie star revealed that whenever she mentioned returning to a film set, the mystery man would inquire about her expected earnings and then send her “more than the amount”.
“I took a break from acting to pursue other things. Having someone who placed me on a weekly salary was also part of the reason I stepped back, because guess what, I might not even earn N1 million from a movie,” she said.
“So, imagine meeting someone who puts you on a N1 million weekly salary. Anytime I told him I had to go on set, he would ask how much I’d be paid and then send me more than that.”
Nkechi admitted feeling “underrated” in the industry. She acknowledged that early in her career, many focused more on her physique than her acting skills.
“I’m a good actress, but I’m being underrated. I think it’s because when I started acting, I was only showing off my endowment, so a lot of people didn’t pay attention to my talent, they focused on my body instead. And that’s my fault, so I’m trying to change that,” she added.
In October 2024, Nkechi’s three-year suspension from the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) was lifted.
The disciplinary action followed her public feud with colleague Kehinde Adams (Lege Miami) over the arrest of actor Baba Ijesha, who was later convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.
Her criticism of TAMPAN during the controversy led to the suspension.
I just had a very good call with the Prime Minister of Cambodia, and informed him of my discussions with Thailand, and its Acting Prime Minister. Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace. They are also looking to get back to the "Trading Table" with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS. They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE! It was an Honor to deal with both Countries. They have a long and storied History and Culture.
They will hopefully get along for many years to come. When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!
Family › Man Sues Daughter’s Boyfriend Over Alleged Stealing Of Wife’s N13 Mn Benefits by TruthHurts1(op): 5:31pm On Sep 15, 2025
