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Jigawa Judicial Service Commission Sacks Judge For Receiving Bribe

By
Ayodele Oni
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Sharia

By Ayodele Oni

After being found guilty of professional misconduct, the Jigawa state Judicial Service, (JSC), Commission has sanctioned the compulsory retirement of Sadisu Muhammad-Haruna, a Sharia Court Judge.

This disciplinary action was announced in a statement on Tuesday, after a meeting held in Dutse by the commission.

The statement explained that after a detailed review of a petition and the established evidence, the commission resolved to retire Mr. Muhammad-Haruna from his position.

The investigation, which was prompted by a petition submitted by Abdullahi Hamza, concluded that the judge was guilty of corruption and illegal detention.

Investigations into the matter showed that the judge had demanded and accepted fees from the petitioner that were not listed in the 2012 Jigawa Shari’a Court Civil Procedure Rules.

According to the commission, “This act of extortion, followed by the illegal detention of the petitioner, was deemed a gross violation of judicial ethics and an abuse of office.”

The JSC noted that this forced retirement acts as a clear message that corruption or the misuse of power by any judicial officer will not be overlooked.

Tinubu Reshuffles Cabinet, Appoints Tax Man Oyedele Minister, Moves Uzoka-Aniete Again

By
Ayodele Oni
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Taiwo Oyedele
Taiwo Oyedele

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the Minister of State for Finance. He replaces Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, who has, for the second time in about two years, reassigned by the President.

When she was first appointed, she was given a  Ministry – Minister of Trade and Investment – to man. But she was soon redeployed to the Ministry of Finance as Minister of State. And now, she has again been moved to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning  as Minister of State. The Medical Doctor-turned banker-turned Politician is from Imo State. This is her third Ministerial portfolio since her first appointment, the only Minister to have so moved.

Oyedele, until his new appointment was heading the tax reform body, which has clamped on Nigerians various taxes.

Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, (Information and Strategy), in a statement stated that Tinubu on Tuesday, conveyed the nomination of Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Until President Tinubu nominated him as a Minister, Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.

He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance. He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.

He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

Oyedele is also a Professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.

El-Rufai: Five Security Officers Arrested Over Bribery At Airport

By
Adesina Soyooye
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EFCC Attempt To Arrest El-Rufai

By Adesina Soyooye

For receiving bribes and so, allowed a breach of security at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on the day Malam Nasir El-Rufai returned from Egypt to Abuja, five security officers are in trouble.

They have been arrested and are currently in custody. They have also, according to reports, admitted to their unprofessional action.

Recall that the former Governor of Kaduna State returned to Nigeria on February 12, 2026, from Egypt and defied operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who were at the Airport to arrest him.

But security sources has revealed that security operatives who include personnel of the Police, DSS, immigration and more, received bribes and allowed unauthorised entry of persons into areas not allowed by security.

A statement  on Tuesday by authorities confirmed that the arrest of the five stemmed from a  joint investigation into  a serious compromise of airport security protocols.

The statement was titled “Arrest and Prosecution of Security Officers Compromised by Nasir El-Rufai at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for the 12th February 2026 Security Breach.”

It revealed that a thorough investigation was conducted by the DSS,  Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

After the joint investigation, five officers were detained.

The officers are identified as “Ayuba Yakubu (ASP) – Police, Murtala Inuwa – DSS, Najeeb Murtala (ASI) – NIS, Musa Adamu – Aviation Security, Salihu Victor – AVSEC”, all of whom have, allegedly, confessed to their  guilt.

They, allegedly, confessed to receiving bribes  to allow unauthorised entry into Restricted Areas, and thus hindered lawful security operations “in an unprecedented manner.”

The suspects are currently in the custody of the

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, awaiting prosecution.

The statement, however, added that personnel from the NIS and NCS whose involvement in the security breach was not criminal in nature,   would still face other forms of discipline.

It said: “Others from NIS and NCS whose involvement is not criminal; that is, did not receive bribe, but abused their uniforms to facilitate unauthorised access, will face administrative action.”

El-Rufai is currently in the custody of the ICPC after he was released on bail from the EFCC. He has also been arraigned in Court  by the DSS which accused him of wiretapping the phone lines of the National Security Adviser, an impression he gave while being interviewed by Arise Television.

Shell Workers Embark On Protest Over Discriminatory Payment, Alleged Slavery

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Shell Nigeria

 

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

There was disruption of work at the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, SNEPCo,  as workers in the early hours of Tuesday embarked on a protest, locking the gate to the firm’s office on Broad Street, Lagos.

 

The protest was coordinated by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN. The workers accused the leadership of SNEPCo of practicing modern day slavery, discrimination in pay against Nigerian staff, and conscious bias in pay benchmarking in Nigeria.

 

The protest led to traffic snarl around the area as passersby paused to catch a glimpse. The protesting workers prevented complete access to the Shell building.

 

The protesters also barred entry of vehicles, including those of top officials of SNEPCo.

 

The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions that include; “Stop Modern Day Slavery, “Stop Indiscriminate Payment”,  “No to conscious bias in  pay benchmarking in Nigeria”.

 

They also faulted the policy of the firm in the application of global pay policy in Nigeria without consideration for local peculiarities, adding that it is “Best-in-Basin” with poor pay.

 

The Best-in-Basin is about cutting cost, which affects all operational issues, including attending conferences.

 

The workers made reference on the company not present at the Nigeria International Energy Summit, NIES, in Abuja in February 2026 as a sponsor, rather, it only sent delegates of about five persons instead of the about 40 persons that are accommodated as sponsors.

 

It also stated that organisers were only informed about the development about a week before the event.

 

Other local and International Oil Companies (IOC), including the Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas Company (NLNG), Total Nigeria, and Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), participated fully at the conference.

 

SNEPCo was also accused of giving the workers allowances that are not market reflective.

 

They cited car grants as an example.

 

One of the protesting workers who claimed anonymity said, “Can you imagine a company giving a staff N1 million to buy a car now?

 

“Yes, N1 million could look like a huge sum, but it can’t even get you a bicycle not to talk of a car.”

 

It also accused the management of SNEPCo of enslaving their colleagues they classified as SNSS with poor conditions of service, adding that expatriates were now taking over the jobs meant for Nigerians.

 

They said there are now several Non-Accidental Deaths (NAD) caused by poor pay, heavy workload, stress, debt burden, and unending reorganisation.

 

According to a staff of SNEPCo, the workers took the decision to barricade the office because the management had failed to listen to their demands.

 

Another staff member said there was the need for the government to intervene because the management feels no one can hold them accountable and that they could cause division among the staff.

 

The staff believes two things work in favour of the management.

 

The first they is that before now, the staff had started working from home on certain days of the week, this does not enable Staff to gather in their numbers on a daily basis.

 

The second is the belief that they can stop any staff action from getting publicised.

 

This, the workers says is a way to silence them airing their views and also correcting some anomalies. 

 

SNEPCo had a major divestment in Nigeria, with Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) as its main preoccupation now, which has almost limited its activities to Lagos.

 

However, it still has AllOn and Daystar as subsidiaries also.

 

They also both operate largely from Lagos, developing the energy sector through financing.

 

Efforts to get the reaction of the Company on the workers protest proved abortive as the gate of the organization was locked as at press time.

My Continued Membership Of The PDP Will Depend On Court Of Appeal Ruling – Zamfara Gov Lawal

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

One of the three Peoples Democratic party, PDP, Governors still standing, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, has tied his continued membership of the beleaguered party to the outcome of the legal proceedings at the Appeal Court.

The Source reports that the Appallate court had a couple ago, consolidated the avalanche of appeals by the two contending camps in the festering leadership crises bedeviling the PDP.

The two factions of the once political behemouth which became pronounced immediately after the November 15 and 16 Ibadan National Convention, are separately backed by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike, and Governors of Oyo and Bauchi States, Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammad respectively.

Governor Lawal who has been under intense internal and external pressurqqe to ditch the fractured PDP ,as his fellow former colleagues had done, however, informed that he will only consider the option of defection after the Court of Appeal pronouncement of the consolidated suits before the Court.

A statement from his media aide, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, said that Governor Lawal who spoke at an interactive session with stakeholders from 14 local council  at the Government House ,Gusau, the state capital, emphasized the need to be alive to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC’s electoral guidelines which have, among other things, fixed between April and May as deadline for the conclusion of all party primaries for the 2027 polls.

It will be recalled that following the new Electoral Act which abridged the election timetable from 360 days to 300 days, the INEC authorities, last week, reeled out  the timetable  for the 2027 election,  with parties mandated to the conduct of their primaries between April and May ending.

“The INEC guidelines indicate that between April and May 2026, all party Congresses must be concluded.

“There are litigations surrounding the PDP at the National level. If we remain without exploring options, we may face uncertainty and others may take advantage”, the Governor’s 1spokesperson emphasized.

The Court of Appeal is expected to make a definite pronouncement as to which of the two camps separately led by Wike and Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammad is the authentic national leadership of the PDP.

The Wike faction which had sprung up immediately after  the Ibadan National Convention which threw up the Turaki’s National leadership ,had earlier in the year been recognized as the rightful leadership by an Abuja Federal High Court .

The trial court also declared the Ibadan National Convention a nullity ,as it was held against a court order .

The Turaki-led NWC is presently seeking to upturn the trial Court’s  ruling,as well as an order affirming the Ibadan Convention and it’s outcome.

It is strongly believed that the Zamfara State Governor will be quitting the PDP should the Turaki-led NWC loses at the Appeal Court .

Although some of his aides are believed to favour the APC  in the event of defection , his destination is mostly likely to be the emerging opposition Coalition platform the African Democratic Congress ADC.

HIV Prevention Drugs To Arrive Nigeria Soon

By
Akinwale Kasali
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HIV Vaccine

By Akinwale Kasali

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has disclosed that Nigeria will take delivery of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug that has shown 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV infection in Clinical trials soon.

In a statement by Toyin Aderibigbe, Head of Public Relations, NACA, on Monday, the agency said it has secured regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.

Lenacapavir is an injectable treatment administered twice a year, making it a more convenient alternative to daily oral prevention drugs.

The Drug is set to be available in Nigeria and 119 other low-and middle-income countries at an affordable price of $40 per person annually, thanks to voluntary licensing agreements with generic manufacturers.

“The Government of Nigeria is advancing preparations for the introduction and rollout of Lenacapavir as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

“This is part of the government’s commitment to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control,” the statement read.

NACA listed some significant milestones achieved, including completion of landscape and readiness assessments across ten states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara, and Lagos, alongside regulatory approval by NAFDAC.

“The commodities are expected in the country in March 2026,” NACA noted.

Nigeria has approximately 1.9 million people living with HIV, with a national prevalence of 1.3% among adults aged 15-49 years.

The country recorded 74,000 new HIV, and 51,000 AIDS related deaths in 2021.

The South-South zone has the highest HIV prevalence at 3.1%, while women aged 15-49 years are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV as men.

Banditry: Ondo Govt. Fingers Locals, Ask Security Agencies To Go After Them

By
Ayodele Oni
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Lucky Aiyedatiwa

By Ayodele Oni

The Ondo State Government has attributed gale of kidnappings and banditry in the state in recent time to collaboration of some locals in the affected areas.

Within the last one month, a traditional ruler was hacked to death by suspected bandits, church members in Owo local government were kidnapped, while a couple returning home from place of work was also abducted.

Families of victims were forced to cough out huge sums of money before securing their release.

The state government on Tuesday expressed concern over the recent kidnapping incidents in the state saying it has been discovered that it was orchestrated by some locals within those parts of the state.

A statement by the commissioner of  information, Idowu Ajanaku, directed security agencies to crackdown on them.

“The government is aware that the unscrupulous elements want to use the criminal activities to portray Ondo State as unsafe. Such acts are unacceptable and will be met with firm and lawful action.

“The government has consequently directed all security agencies in the state to intensify surveillance and immediately clamp down on individuals or groups involved in these nefarious activities.

“Security operatives have been mandated to ensure that those found culpable are apprehended, thoroughly investigated, and brought to justice in accordance with the law.

“The government reiterates that significant investments have been made to strengthen the state’s security architecture.

“These include the provision of utility vehicles and other logistics support to security agencies, the construction of a state-of-the-art Crime Control Centre for the Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), and the recent recruitment of 500 well-trained Amotekun personnel to boost intelligence gathering and rapid response operations across the state.

“Traditional rulers are hereby urged to remain vigilant and closely monitor activities within their domains.

“They are encouraged to promptly report any suspicious movements or gatherings to the appropriate security agencies. Community-based intelligence remains a critical component in the fight against crime.

“Residents are also advised not to remain silent in the face of suspicious activities. If you see something, say something.

“The protection of lives and property remains the foremost priority of the Ondo State Government, and no individual or group will be allowed to undermine the peace, security, and stability of our dear state.”

NBA To CCB: “You Have No Powers To Summon Justice Tsoho,  Withdraw Summons Immediately”

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Honourable Justice John Tsoho
Honourable Justice John Tsoho

By Adesina Soyooye

Angered by the summons extended by the Code of Conduct Bureau to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, the Honourable Justice John Tsoho, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has warned the CCB to immediately withdraw it.

The CCB had summoned Tsoho to appear before it over alleged non-declaration of certain bank accounts.

Condemning the summons, however, the NBA ruled the CCB out of order, and insisted that the Bureau had no powers to summon Tsoho.

In a letter dated March 2, 2026, which was addressed to the Chairman of the CCB, the NBA pointed out  that according to the Constitution only the  National Judicial Council (NJC) has the exclusive powers to investigate and discipline serving judicial officers. The NBA, therefore, described the CCB’s summons as a breach of constitutional provisions which  safeguards  judicial independence.

Media reports stated that Justice Tsoho has been invited to appear before the Bureau to answer  to allegations that he failed to declare some bank accounts in his asset declaration form, and so, is  in breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

The bank accounts Justice  Tsoho, allegedly, failed  to declare are domiciled with United Bank for Africa, namely 3000087154, 3000201901, and 3000075689. There is, also, account number 1756816871, domiciled with Access Bank.

But the NBA described the development as constitutionally worrisome and argued that “any investigative or disciplinary process initiated against a serving Judge without prior recourse to the NJC would violate the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.”

The NBA cited the Supreme Court’s decision in FRN v. Nganjiwa, and stated that the apex court had clearly  held that the NJC must “first exercise disciplinary control over a serving judicial officer before any criminal or quasi-criminal proceedings can be commenced.”

It further held that the summons issued to the FHC Chief Judge could not be regarded as a “benign administrative interaction,” as it “marked the commencement of a process capable of culminating in sanctions and, therefore, triggered constitutional safeguards designed to protect judicial independence.

“The involvement of the National Judicial Council is a constitutional condition precedent to any investigative or adjudicatory process against a serving judicial officer,” the letter noted.

The NBA warned that allowing the CCB or the Code of Conduct Tribunal to “independently summon or try a serving Chief Judge would amount to an unconstitutional encroachment into the judicial sphere and could render such proceedings null and void.”

Therefore, the NBA urged the CCB to withdraw the summons issued to Justice Tsoho and forward any of its findings “to the NJC for appropriate investigation and action.”

Recall that the forced resignation of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen began with his being dragged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over some alleged undeclared assets. He was found guilty, a ruling that has since been thrown into the dustbin.

Attack On Obi, Others: DSS Arrests Prime Suspect

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

 

The Department of State Service, DSS, has  apprehended one of the suspected masterminds behind the attack on Peter Obi,  Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other leaders of the African Democratic Congress ADC ,in Benin ,the Edo state capital.

 

The Source reports that Obi ,the presidential candidate of the Labour Party LP in the 2023 general elections , alongside other chieftains of the ADC ,were last week  attacked by some gunmen at the residence of Chief  Odigie-Oyegun, a former Governor of Edo State ,after being trailed from the party’s State Headquarters where they had gone to formally receive Chief Olumide Akpata ,the LP candidate in the 2024  election in the State into the ADC fold.

 

Although no lives were lost in the attack , several vehicles parked at Oyegun’s residence were riddled with bullets and their windshield severely damaged by the attackers 

 

The DSS on Monda, said it has arrested one Monday Udeme Stephen over his suspected role in the failed assassination attempt.

 

It will be recalled that just hours after news of the attack broke out ,26-year old Stephen had taken to his official site to bemoan the non-successful execution of the plot, particularly the attempt on Obi’s life.

 

In his cryptic message online,  Stephen a teacher, at Jessica High School, Eliozu in Obio Akpor Local Council of Rivers State however expressed the optimism that his ” boys” who he boasted never miss their targets, will finish off the assignment when Obi comes calling in Rivers state soon.

Peter Obi escaped assasination
Peter Obi, attacked in Edo State

Stephen, who had noted that they warned the former LP Presidential candidate not to step his feet into Edo State, insisted that he will pay the price for his obstinacy, when he visits Rivers state as planned.

 

Sources revealed that his threat ,and subtle claim of responsibility for the attack led the DSS to commence immediate covert operations to unmasked his identity.

 

His eventual arrest was  preceded by discreet investigations, including forensic analysis of his social media posts 

 

Stephen, who is now in  custody, is assisting the service in tracking down other perpetrators of the attack,which has caused unease within the political circle.

Iran: NIDCOM Says It’s Yet To Receive Distress Call From Nigerians

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa

 

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

Amid the ongoing crisis between the United States of America/Israel  and Iran, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, has disclosed that there is no need for panic, as the Commission has not received any distress calls from Nigeria residing in Iran.

 

Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media and Public Relations, NiDCOM, debunked insinuations from some quarters who are of the opinion that Nigerians may be stranded following the sudden suspension of international flights into, and out of Iran. 

 

Balogun said although there may be Nigerians in Iran, none has officially reached out to the Commission for assistance.

 

Making clarifications, Balogun said: “I’m not saying there are no Nigerians there, I’m only saying nobody has sent any distress call.

 

“Flight cancellations were due to ongoing hostilities, stressing that no airline would operate in an active war zone.

 

“You cannot fly where bombs are going up and down. No airline will fly,” he said, adding that the situation affects all nationals, not just Nigerians.

 

“The suspension of flights makes any immediate evacuation impossible, except if a ceasefire is declared to allow stranded persons to leave.

 

“They may ceasefire for two or three days to allow people who are stranded at the airport to be evacuated. That has not been done,” he noted.

 

He also noted that Nigeria do not have an embassy in Iran, stating that he does not have the statistics of Nigerians in Iran, or those that may be affected due to the ongoing crisis.

 

“The only person controlling embassies is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. They will be able to tell the statistics of Nigerians living in Iran.

 

On whether NiDCOM is collaborating with airlines or foreign authorities to ensure Nigerians are not left stranded, the spokesperson maintained that such collaboration is not feasible under the current circumstances.

 

“There is suspension of all airlines. We cannot collaborate with anybody,” he said, noting that Nigeria currently has no national carrier operating international routes.

 

“Which Nigerian airline? We don’t have one now,” he added.

 

Balogun explained that Nigerians travelling to Iran typically do so as private individuals, often connecting through countries such as Dubai or Greece.

 

Speaking on the possibility of activating a full evacuation plan, Balogun said certain conditions must be met before the Federal Government can intervene.

 

He stressed that affected Nigerians must formally request assistance and be willing to return home.

 

“You cannot force them. People went there voluntarily. In Sudan and Ukraine, some initially said they were not leaving. So people must seek for help and say, ‘Our lives are in danger, can you evacuate us?’

 

He explained that once such a request is made and conditions permit, the Federal Government could arrange emergency measures, including chartering aircraft and setting up a rescue committee.

 

“All must be Nigerian and must be ready to come back home,” he stated.

 

He further affirmed that the protection of Nigerians abroad remains a core responsibility of the Federal Government in line with its citizen diplomacy policy.

 

“If the life of any Nigerian is in danger and it reaches out to us, the Federal Government will look for a way out. Even if we don’t have an aircraft, we can lease or hire for that operation,” he said.

 

However, he reiterated that without a ceasefire and the reopening of airspace, evacuation efforts would be impracticable.

 

“As far as I know, I’m not aware that anybody has sent a distress call,” he maintained, adding that international protocols must also be observed in situations of global airspace restrictions.

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