Rountrip

The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, ordered substituted service of charges on the Chairman of the Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, and a former First Bank Managing Director, Stephen Onasanya, who are facing alleged 13 counts bordering on alleged N12.3bn fraud. The defendants had been scheduled for arraignment on Monday before Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos. They were, however, absent, with their lawyers protesting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had not served the charges on them. Apart from Otudeko and Onasanya, others listed as defendants in the criminal case marked FHC/L/20C/2025, are a former board member of Honeywell, Soji Akintayo, and a firm, Anchorage Leisure Limited, allegedly connected to Otudeko. When the case was called on Monday, the counsel who appeared for the defendants protested the charge, saying their clients had not been served. Mr Bode Olanipekun (SAN), who announced his appearance for Otudeko, told the court that he ap...

Ahmed Kuru, former Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, Union Bank Plc and three others were on Monday, arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly defrauding Arik Airline N76 billion and $31.5 million, respectively. Other defendants are former Receiver Manager of Arik Airline Ltd, Kamilu Omokide, Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, and Super Bravo Ltd. The defendants were arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on theft, abuse of office and stealing by dishonestly taking the property of another. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the six-count charges when they were read to them. Count one reads: “That you, Union Bank Nigeria Plc, sometime in 2011 or thereabouts, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intention of causing and/or inducing unwarranted sale of Arik A...

Former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji, has condemned a recent publication linking him to an interim forfeiture of N228.4million and the fraudulent activities linked to Effdee Nigeria Limited. In a statement issued by his liaison office, he vehemently faulted the reports, saying the publishers were out to tarnish his hard earned reputation.  The statement described the publication as "baseless" and "malicious," accusing publishers of spreading defamatory content without proper fact-checking. Among the numerous inaccuracies, the report falsely claimed that Senator Orji served as Governor of Abia State in 2016/2017, years after his tenure ended in May 2015. Further, the statement refuted claims that individuals Mr. Uchenna Erondu and Mr. Austin Akuma were associated with Senator Orji's administration, clarifying that they had no connection to him during his time as governor.  The former governor also denied any knowledge of or dealings with Effdee Ni...

Members of the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) are set to storm Idanre, Ondo State, in February for the burial ceremonies of High Chief Moses Ade Akinmade, the Obamoluwa of Idanre Kingdom in Ondo State. This is just as the leadership of the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) led by its Chairperson, Mrs Oluwaseun Boye, have announced plans to lead a high-powered delegation to the ceremonies in honour of the accomplished pioneer of modern cooperative societies in Idanre kingdom of Ondo State who also doubled as a community leader, cocoa merchant, and socialite. The late Obamoluwa is the father of Hon. Kayode Akinmade,  a leading media guru in Nigeria, who was the two-term Commissioner for Information in Ondo State and presently the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.  Following Chief Akinmade's death on August 5, 2024 at the age of 98, the Akinmade family released ...

As preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections gain momentum, political activities are heating up, with aspirants beginning to declare their intentions to contest various offices. In Ogun State, one of the emerging contenders for the Ogun West Senatorial District seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC) is Hon. Waliu Taiwo, Chairman of the Ogun State House of Assembly Service Commission.  Taiwo reportedly seeks to replace Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, popularly known as Yayi, who is rumoured to have plans to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun after his second term. However, some political stakeholders and elders in the Ogun West Senatorial District are reportedly opposing Taiwo’s ambition, arguing that he is unfit to represent the area in the Senate. Sources within the APC claimed that these stakeholders believe Taiwo lacks the credentials, vision, and capacity required for such a position.  They accused him of being driven by personal interests rather than a genui...

By Olusegun Ajulo It was back in 2010, that Jenji Kohan created a television comedy, later turned into drama, series which reflects the experience of Piper Kerman's memoir revealing her experience at the PCI Danbury Minimum Security Prison. The series gained such notability of popularity because of it's idiomatic application more than its reformative implications. It's idiomatic application simply underpins the fact that a certain thing is what is in vogue. The old Port Harcourt refinery and the production of fuel, has become the new orange is a new black. The more you see but the less you understand. Especially with the highly orchestrated and televised guided tour of machineries and upgraded equipment recently. The cycle of stunts, repetitive falsehood and deception has become a notoriety of fashion for the NNPCL. Not only are Nigerians treated to new 'stories by moonlight' daily, but the company have decided to play it rough this time. They are determined to do i...

The Afenifere Mandate Forum (AMF) has cautioned the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) against re-introducing fuel subsidy through dubious means, citing the regime's notorious history of corruption. The group emphasised the need for transparency going forward, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to make payments to NNPCL's foreign partners in the name of subsidy. In a statement signed by its President, Otunba Davies Folorunsho, the group said the fuel subsidy regime was embroiled in corruption, with allegations of fraudulent payments and inflated subsidies. Folorunsho said Mele Kyari, the Group CEO of NNPCL, was at the centre of the controversy, with reports of the company importing toxic fuel from Malta. He noted that this not only perpetuated corruption but also endangered the health and safety of Nigerians. However, Folorunsho said the he removal of fuel subsidy has been a significant step towards economic recovery, saving the country billions of do...