The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld the ruling of the Lagos State High Court, that convicted Nollywood  actor, Olanrewaju James alias  Baba Ijesha to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The appellate court, led by Justice Folashade Ojo, found Baba Ijesha guilty of indecently touching and sexually assaulting the minor. Justices Abdullahi Bayero and Paul Bassi also agreed with the lead judgment. The Lagos State Government had charged Baba Ijesha with six counts, including indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault. The trial judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, sentenced him to five years in prison for the sexual assault. Dissatisfied with the verdict, Baba Ijesha appealed the decision, arguing that the prosecution failed to prove his guilt. In the appeal judgment, Justice Folashade Ojo overturned the conviction on the grounds that the testimony of one of the witnesses was hearsay. Video link https://youtu.be/m_Us2oaTp1M

  The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced plans to revoke the driver’s licences of uncontrollable drivers as part of measures to curb road crashes in the country. The FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, made this known in Abuja while evaluating the outcome of the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir Special Patrol Operations held between Friday June 14 to Sunday June. He said that the Corps has realized more than ever before the increasing need for collective participation and collaboration of all stakeholders. “We took full advantage of the opportunity to deliver reduction of road crashes and fatalities in our country by enforcing laws and educating commuters on safety consciousness,” Mohammed said. “We did this because, we are aware that if we fail on our part, posterity will not pardon our failure to manage the challenges, and the scars of our irresponsibility will be deafening, hence the imperatives of doubling our efforts in our future engagements.” He also said the Corps leveraged on...

Former Kaduna lawmaker Shehu Sani cautioned Northern leaders against attempting to oust President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 Presidential elections, warning that such a move could dangerously divide Nigeria. Speaking on Arise Television, Sani encouraged Northern leaders to engage with policies and initiatives under Tinubu's administration that could benefit Northern Nigeria instead of solely pursuing political power. He emphasized regional challenges such as insecurity and poverty, emphasizing the need for effective governance and equitable development across the country to foster unity and stability. Video link https://youtu.be/EstsUmN_ZMk

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) proclaimed that 85 million Nigerians lack access to electricity. Melissa Jones, Mission Director for USAID, disclosed this at a conference titled "Powering Nigeria: Mobilizing Private Capital," hosted by Chapel Hill Denham in Lagos. She emphasized the critical role of the private sector in financing infrastructure development, noting that lack of reliable electricity hampers productivity and economic growth in Nigeria. Jones highlighted USAID's efforts through initiatives like Power Africa and Prosper Africa, in partnership with Chapel Hill Denham, to mobilize approximately $4.5 million for both on-grid and off-grid power projects. These initiatives have already facilitated significant institutional capital investments, totaling 245 billion Naira, including 33 billion Naira directed towards renewable energy projects aimed at providing clean energy to underserved communities. Bolaji Balogun, CEO of Chapel Hill Denham, und...

The former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, currently facing a 19-count charge, has requested the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute him in Kogi rather than Abuja. In a letter addressed to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, Bello argued that the alleged offences, including criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving Kogi State funds, occurred within Kogi's jurisdiction. His legal team, led by Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, emphasized that transferring the case to the Lokoja Division of the Federal High Court aligns with legal principles regarding territorial jurisdiction. Meanwhile, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested that the Federal High Court in Abuja put two lawyers defending former governor Yahaya Bello on trial for alleged professional misconduct and contempt of court. The lawyers, Abdulwahab Mohammed and Adeola Adedipe, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, are accused of p...

  Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has lodged an appeal against the Federal High Court's June 19 ruling in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, which dismissed his objection to the court's jurisdiction over his trial. Kanu, represented by his Special Counsel, Chief Aloy Ejimakor, filed the appeal on Tuesday at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. Ejimakor confirmed this development in a statement released Tuesday night, noting the grounds of appeal primarily cite constitutional provisions and the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022. The appeal names the Federal Government of Nigeria as the sole respondent, represented by Counsel Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN. Kanu has remained in custody at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja since his extradition from Kenya in June 2021. The notice of appeal outlines seven grounds challenging the trial court's jurisdiction and seeks relief at the Court of Appeal in Abu...

  The Federal Government on Tuesday banned single-use plastics in ministries, departments and agencies of government. The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, stated when he briefed reporters at the Presidential Villa after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. “If you look at the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management which was adopted in 2020, it envisages that by January 2025, some categories of plastics will be banned in Nigeria and most of them are single-use, plastic spoons, straws, pet bottles, water sachets and so on. “What the Federal Government is doing is preparing the minds of Nigerians and leading by example,” the minister said. Salako said the ban aligned with the government’s commitment to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution which have become menacing challenges in the country. The minister said plastic waste often clogs drains and contributes to floo...

  Cubana Chief Priest has passed up N10 million in a case involving Naira abuse, following the court's dismissal of the charge. Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, dismissed the naira abuse charge against celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu, widely known as Cubana Chief Priest, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The judge also ordered Okechukwu to forfeit N10 million to the Federal Government as part of an out-of-court settlement agreed upon between the defendant and the EFCC, instead of proceeding with the charge. The terms of the settlement agreement, which were presented before Justice Kehinde Ogundare during the trial, state that: - The agreement pertains only to the alleged violations of the law mentioned in the pending charge against the defendant. - Okechukwu committed to behaving responsibly and avoiding any involvement in economic and financial crimes or related offenses. - He agreed to acti...

  The Kano State Police Command has deployed more armed personnel to the two palaces housing the claiming emirs in the metropolitan local government areas of Kano. It was gathered that the hunters guarding the two palaces withdrew with the arrival of more policemen at both palaces. The outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state, Usaini Gumel, confirmed the deployment during an interview with newsmen. He emphasised the necessity of the action, stating, “Equipped and armed personnel have been deployed to handle any unforeseen circumstances around the identified areas.” Gumel, who is also an Assistant Inspector General of Police, further explained that the reinforced personnel deployment was to ensure adequate security and foster peaceful co-existence within the state. “Armed personnel have been deployed to provide security at the Kofar Kudu Palace, residence of Emir Malam Mohammad Sanusi, and the Nasarawa Mimi Palace, residence of Emir Aminu Bayero,” he said. In a call for public c...

The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, spent N14.77 billion on the repair and maintenance of the presidential air fleet over 11 months, a ccording  to a  report  published on a  local newspaper  in Nigeria. These payments, made in 11 installments between July 16, 2023, and May 25, 2024, were processed through the State House’s ‘Presidential Air Fleet Transit Funds’ account. This spending comes as the National Assembly considers approving the purchase of two new aircraft due to the dysfunctionality of the President’s 19-year-old Boeing 737 and other aircraft in the fleet. The potential cost for these new planes is estimated to be over $623.4 million or N918.7 billion. Despite significant government expenditure on the air fleet in past administrations, the current fleet’s condition has led to President Tinubu chartering private jets and Vice President Shettima canceling international trips. Notably, Shettima abandoned his trip to th...

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has assured the public that the data of Nigerians has not been compromised. NIMC gave the assurance in a statement signed by its head of corporate communications, Kayode Adegoke, on Saturday. Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise, had on Thursday raised an alarm over its discovery of the sale of national identification numbers (NINs), bank verification numbers (BVNs), and other personal data of Nigerians on a website for as low as N100. The organisation had claimed that a website known as ‘ AnyVerify.com. ng ’ was found to be involved in the commercial distribution of personal and private data of Nigerians. It noted that several unauthorised websites are claiming to hold and provide access to sensitive personal and financial data of Nigerian citizens “for as little as 100 Naira”. “This alarming development presents a major breach of the fundamental rights to privacy, a breach of data privacy rights, and poses significan...

  A senior Saudi official has defended the management of the Hajj pilgrimage in the Gulf kingdom, responding to reports of over 1,100 deaths, many attributed to extreme heat. According to the official's statement to AFP, the state was not at fault but rather there was a misjudgment by individuals who underestimated the risks. The death toll, as per an AFP tally on Friday, stands at 1,126, with more than half of the deaths reported from Egypt. The official acknowledged challenging weather conditions and high temperatures during the two busiest days of Hajj: Saturday's prayers on Mount Arafat and Sunday's "stoning of the devil" ritual in Mina. However, the confirmed death toll of 577 covers only these days and not the entire duration of Hajj, which ended on Wednesday. Hajj permits are allocated through a quota system and distributed via a lottery, but many attempt the pilgrimage without permits, risking arrest and deportation. This year, an estimated 400,000 unregis...

Defending champions Argentina beat Canada in the opening game of the Copa America in Atlanta, Georgia. Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez opened the scoring from close range four minutes into the second half. Substitute Lautaro Martinez confirmed the win late on when turning in Lionel Messi's pass. Victory in Group A stretches Argentina's unbeaten record at the Copa America to nine matches, having won the 2021 edition in Brazil and a third-place play-off two years previously. The 2022 World Cup winners face Chile next at 02:00 BST on 26 June. Canada, who are managed by former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch, meet Peru at 23:00 BST on 25 June. In the aftermath of the defeat, Canada Soccer - the nation's football governing body - said one of their players was subjected to online racist abuse. "Canada Soccer is aware of and deeply disturbed by racist comments made online and directed at one of our men's national team players following tonight's match," read a sta...

  Two men in western Germany experienced collapses on Tuesday after smoking cigarettes containing an unidentified substance, likely purchased from the same source. Another individual fell ill over the weekend due to the same substance. Paramedics revived a 52-year-old man who had collapsed from smoking a laced cigarette in Duisburg on Saturday. Fortunately, he is now stable. On Tuesday, a 43-year-old and a 45-year-old also collapsed from smoking contaminated cigarettes but survived. A suspect was apprehended for violating the New Psychoactive Substances Act, but a search at their home yielded no further evidence. Investigators believe the unknown substance in the cigarettes caused severe cardiovascular complications.

The Lagos police command has announced the successful rescue of the three Fouani brothers who were abducted on June 14. The brothers, Abbas Fouani, Youssef Fouani, and Amtal Fouani, were kidnapped while traveling by boat from their electronics factory. The rescue operation, conducted by the Lagos Marine police with assistance from the navy, also freed the boat driver and his assistant. The victims, including three Lebanese nationals, have been safely returned to their residence on Banana Island. A source familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to its sensitive nature, said that the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families, demanding ransom. However, Hundeyin confirmed they have been rescued and reunited with their family.He said, “Yes five of them were rescued. Three Lebanese, the boat captain and his assistant. “They were rescued late last night in Orugbo Iddo. Our Marine Police, with the support of the Nigerian Navy, brought them to shore. “Thereafter, o...

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed prospectus by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government, to lift the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers, soon. Keyamo, during a 44-minute interview with the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, Otega Ogra, published on the official YouTube page of the State House of Nigeria, noted that a resolution has been reached between President Bola Tinubu, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during President Tinubu’s working visit to the UAE in September 2023. According to him, although the UAE had initially listed additional processes to be met before the ban could be officially lifted, the Nigerian government has since completed all processes, paving the way for an imminent announcement from the UAE government. “After that high-level meeting, Mr. President, credited to him, made things very easy for us all. We did our follow-ups as his ministers. We have done everything. We have resolved everything. Just wait fo...

  Captain Harry Kane says England have a "great opportunity" to win major silverware at Euro 2024. England begin their European Championship campaign on Sunday against Serbia at 20:00 BST, live on BBC One. They also play Denmark and Slovenia in Group C. Kane says England, who were defeated on penalties by Italy in the final of the last Euros, have "probably not" had a better opportunity to win a trophy than at this summer's tournament in Germany. "We all want to be remembered to have won a major tournament with England - not just to have had good campaigns - so we know it is something to respect and be proud of, and to keep pushing ourselves," Kane told BBC Sport. England were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by France in the quarter-finals after losing the Euros final the year before. Kane said that this time, nothing less than lifting the trophy can be regarded as good enough. "If we don't win, we're going to be disappointed," he s...

  Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko has signed a new deal at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig following interest from a number of Premier League clubs. The 21-year-old had been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, with Chelsea and Manchester United also believed to have identified him as a target. The Slovakian joined RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2023, signing a five-year contract that contained a £55m release clause. Sesko, who netted 14 goals in 31 games during his debut campaign in Germany, has committed his future to the club until 2029. "I had a good first year at RB Leipzig and am incredibly happy to be here," he said. "Team, club, city, fans - the overall package is simply outstanding for me. The early contract extension was therefore the logical next step." https://youtu.be/thJb9iEgPRU

The Department of State Services (DSS) has been alerted to planned physical protests by certain individuals and groups in various parts of the country on June 12, 2024. These protests, coinciding with the Democracy Day Celebration, have underlying malicious intents. While the right to assembly and expression is acknowledged, such freedoms must not compromise public safety and national security. The DSS will not tolerate attempts by non-state actors to incite violence through mass demonstrations. The Federal Government remains committed to addressing contentions, including the minimum wage, through peaceful means. Citizens are urged to reject any incitements towards lawlessness and disorder, and to channel grievances through appropriate legal avenues. The DSS reiterates its commitment to safeguarding the nation against activities aimed at disrupting law and order. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders and security agencies will continue to ensure peace and the protection of lives and...

Saulos Chilima Malawian search teams have located the wreckage of a plane carrying Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others, which went missing in bad weather. President Lazarus Chakwera later said in a televised address that none of the 10 people on board – including the 51-year-old Chilima – had survived after the aircraft crashed into a forest.  The aircraft failed to land in Mzuzu due to poor visibility and was instructed to return to Lilongwe. The search involved assistance from neighbouring countries and used helicopters and drones. The group, including former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri, departed from Lilongwe to attend a funeral in Mzuzu. Chilima, a popular figure in Malawi, had faced legal issues related to corruption charges but was cleared last month.