Nelson Ugwuagbo

Nigeria has resumed the prosecution of all Boko Haram detainees in Kainji.

This announcement was made by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, during the ongoing 2-day High-level African Counter-terrorism Summit in Abuja.

According to Ribadu, Nigeria is not only prosecuting Boko Haram detainees but also actively gathering intelligence on the activities of Boko Haram and the Islamic State–West Africa Province (ISWAP).

He noted that this comprehensive approach aims to tackle the terrorist groups head-on and address the evolving security threats they pose.

Ribadu emphasized that the summit underscores Nigeria’s strategic commitment to the UN Counter-terrorism agreement.

He highlighted the diverse terrorist groups threatening Africa and stressed the importance of exploiting digital assets in countering terrorism.

On his part, Vladimir Voronkov, the Under Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism at the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism, echoed the significance of collaboration among African countries in combating terrorism.

He emphasized that the success of the United Nations in addressing terrorism relies on African-based solutions.

The 2-day high-level summit convened leaders from across Africa, including President Bola Tinubu, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, and President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.

Representatives from Chad and Niger also attended the summit, alongside over four hundred delegates from various African countries.

Organisers say the summit aims to generate solutions to the multifaceted security threats facing Nigeria and Africa.

The Nigerian Army has discovered a bakery reportedly belonging to the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.

The bakery is in Maisani, Timbuktu Triangle in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

This was revealed by a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst, Zagazola Makama in a post on X on Monday, adding that the troops of Operation Lake Sanity III, Operation Hadin Kai discovered the bakery.

Zagazola said intelligence sources revealed that the discovery was made by the combined troops of 199 Special Forces Battalion in conjunction with Hybrid Forces and Civilian JTF during its exploitation into the terrorists’ den on Sunday, April 21, 2024.

He said the sources revealed that the bakery was “destroyed while items recovered include 2 Lister generating plants, 1 baking machine and several baking materials”.

Zagazola reported that the week-long clearance operation was marked by a total decimation of the terrorists from its stronghold in the Timbuktu Triangle, comprising Buk 1, 2 and 3, Talala, Ajigin, Dusula, Abulam, Gorgi in the dreaded Timbuktu Triangle.

“These groups of terrorists are mostly responsible for attacks, ambushes and IED/mine towards Damboa roads, Damaturu-Maiduguri MSR, attacks towards Askira, Buratai, Buni Yadi as well as the destruction of high tension transmission line connecting Borno and Yobe State,” he said.

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and detained Wale Akinteriwa, a former commissioner of finance under ex Ondo governor, Late Rotimi Akeredolu.

Politics Nigeria reports that Akinyerinwa is also one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Ondo State.

According to sources, Akinterinwa is being held in connection with the ongoing investigation of his seven-year tenure as commissioner for finance.

Akinterinwa, who claimed that Akeredolu had anointed him as the next Ondo governor, is being investigated for alleged mismanagement of billions of naira.

Sources say Akinterinwa was invited some weeks ago by the anti-graft agency for interaction on some allegations, but was “too busy” to honour the invitation.

He, however, showed up at the EFCC office on Thursday — few days to the Ondo APC governorship primary election.

It was learnt that EFCC decided to be silent on the detention in order not to jeopardise Akinterinwa’s chances in the APC primary.

“In the past few weeks, the EFCC invited Akinterinwa for interrogation on the red flag on some issues during his tenure as Commissioner for Finance. But he has not been forthcoming,” a source said.

“The commission had the option to declare him wanted, but it exercised restrained to avoid being dragged into politics because he was an aspirant for the APC governorship primary.

“But Akinterinwa voluntarily reported to the EFCC in Abuja. He was taken into custody for quizzing.

“Akinterinwa is still in our custody. We did not arrest or pick him up, but he came up to respond to our long overdue invitation. I can tell you that his detention has no political undertone.”

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is persisting with its price monitoring initiative across local markets with a visit on Friday to Masaka market in Nasarawa State.

This action is part of the commission’s broader campaign to enforce compliance with pricing, quantity, and quality standards for consumable goods sellers nationwide.

LeadingReporters gathered yesterday, that the FCCPC’s recent operations included an inspection of two 4U Supermarket outlets in Wuse 2, Abuja.

The Commission seized 94 bags of expired goods among other items and subsequently closed down the branch situated at 58 Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse 2.

There was confusion at the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, as the court ordered the arrest of the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, for arraignment in court on Thursday.

The judgement came shortly after the Kogi State High Court in Lokoja earlier on Wednesday gave a judgement restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from harassing, detaining or prosecuting the the former governor.

Justice I.A Jamil of the State High Court IV gave the restraining order in a two-hour judgement delivered in suit no HCL/68/M/2020 in Lokoja at about 12pm Wednesday.

“By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant,” he said.

Hours later, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the arrest of Bello for arraignment in court on Thursday.

This was in spite of an existing restraining order and a court judgement against such move.

The EFCC had appealed against the initial order, and the appeal was scheduled for hearing on April 22. (Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello).

Justice Emeka Nwite, who gave the order of arrest, said that by the Act establishing the EFCC, it had the power to arrest with or without warrant of arrest.

He said that the EFCC “had tried” to serve him with notice of arraignment.

LeadingReporters reports that the Yahaya Bello Media Office had in a statement signed by Onogwu Mohammed on Wednesday alerted the nation to a siege on the former governor’s Abuja residence.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed May 20, to rule on the application seeking to transfer the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

Justice Binta Nyako adjourned for ruling after listening to arguments on the application.

Counsel for the defendant, Alloy Ejimakor, had during the proceedings moved the application to prepare him for trial.

He said his continued detention in the Department of State Services custody would mitigate the accelerated hearing ordered by the court.

Ejimakor said, “We seek the transfer of the defendant from the DSS’ detention to a house arrest or other similar places of custody or similar law enforcement agency’s custody.

“It is important to do so, my lord. The application did not arrive in a vacuum. We made it orally and were directed to put it into writing. We are offering solutions to assist in accelerating hearings ordered by the court.

“It is not strange to have a defendant detained in a house arrest. Sambo Dasuki and El-Zaky Zaky have enjoyed this in the past.”

The counsel for the prosecution, Adegboyega Awolomo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application.

Details later…

The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, granted businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.

Earlier, the celebrity bar man pleaded not guilty to tampering and abusing the naira during his trial.

Cubana Chief Priest was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts bordering on abuse of naira by allegedly spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event, contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

He was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel.

Cubana Chief Priest was said to have also committed the offences while dancing during a social event.

He was said to have tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 notes issued by the CBN by spraying the same for two hours.

Details later…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a further reduction of the price of diesel from 1200 to 1,000 naira per litre.

While rolling out the products, the refinery supplied at a substantially reduced price of N1,200 per litre three weeks ago, representing over 30 per cent reduction from the previous market price of about N1,600 per litre.

A statement by the organisation on Tuesday night explained the significant reduction in the price of diesel is expected to positively affect all the spheres of the economy and reduce the high inflation rate in the country.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, arraign a businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegation of abusing the Naira currency.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on a three-count charge of allegedly spraying and tampering with the Naira notes at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

In the charge filed on April 4 by the EFFC’s prosecutor, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Rotimi Oyedepo, and seven other lawyers representing the executive chairman of the anti-graft Commission, it was alleged that Okechukwu Pasca on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.

In count 2, it was alleged “that you, Okechukwu Pasca,l sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

In Count 3, it was alleged: “that you, Okechukwu Pasca,l sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

Recall that the EFCC on April 5 secured the conviction of popular cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on similar charges for which he was sentenced to six-month imprisonment.