Author: Staff Editor
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, June 22, 2026, re-arraigned a former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the defunct Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank Limited), Tunde Ayeni, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, over an alleged ₦15.6 billion fraud. Ayeni was re-arraigned on an amended 18-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, misappropriation, and diversion of funds amounting to ₦15.6 billion, following the EFCC’s filing of additional proof of evidence. At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, SAN, informed the court that an amended…
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), in Kuje Correctional Centre. In a short ruling, Justice Umar ordered Sowore to be kept in the correctional centre pending the hearing and determination of his motion for stay of the order for revocation of his bail and bench warrant. Justice Umar also dismissed Sowore’s earlier application seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on the ground of alleged bias. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to June 24 for hearing of the application for stay…
Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has vowed to intensify efforts aimed at driving economic growth, reducing poverty and expanding opportunities for residents following his victory in the governorship exercise. Oyebanji secured a total of 319,224 votes to defeat his closest rivals in the contest conducted across the state’s 16 local government areas. Addressing party faithful shortly after his victory on Sunday, the governor described the outcome of the primary as a renewed mandate to deepen the developmental strides recorded by his administration and deliver greater prosperity to the people of the state. Declaring that “the best has just begun”, Oyebanji…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Osaretin Osagiede before a Federal High Court in Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving over ₦700 million. Osagiede was arraigned before Justice Alexander Owoeye on allegations that he conspired with one Zachariah Lorshe, who is currently at large, to receive and possess funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. At the commencement of proceedings, prosecution counsel, Hannatu Umar Kafarnaisa, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment despite an objection raised by defence counsel, Adegoke. Following arguments by counsel, Justice Owoeye permitted the arraignment…
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has declared Mrs. Adenike Oluwayemisi Ajayi the sole lawful widow of the late founder and Chief Executive Officer of First Foundation Hospital, Dr. Tosin Ajayi, bringing to an end a protracted legal battle over the deceased’s marital status and estate. In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Oluwayoyin Odusanya granted all the reliefs sought by Mrs. Ajayi and her children, while dismissing the claims of former beauty queen Helen Prest that she was also a spouse of the late medical practitioner. The dispute, which commenced in 2021 following Dr. Ajayi’s death on…
The first woman president of OPEC and Nigeria’s former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was cleared of bribery charges in a UK trial Wednesday, her defence lawyers said in a statement. “Diezani Alison-Madueke was cleared of six charges of bribery at Southwark Crown Court on 17 June 2026, after a five-month trial,” defence lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw said in a press release. The trial was brought by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which targets serious organised and international crime, after a years-long investigation concerning alleged offences between 2011 and 2015. Laidlaw told the jury at the London court in January that…
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that he paid between 50 and 60 percent of the commissions earned by his company from consultancy services rendered to the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) to some officials of the agency. The witness, who testified as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) eighteenth prosecution witness (PW18), made the disclosure before Justice Maryanne Anenih while being led in evidence by the Commission’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN. The…
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, presided over by Justice Maryann Anenih, has dismissed an application filed by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, seeking to strike out the charge brought against him in Charge No. FCT/CR/778/2024: FRN v. Yahaya Adoza Bello & 2 Ors. Bello, through his lead counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, and a team of senior advocates, urged the court to strike out the 16-count charge on the grounds that the court lacked territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter. He also argued that the charge constituted an abuse of court process due to…
Proceedings in the ongoing corruption trial of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai continued on Monday at the Federal High Court sitting in the state capital. El-Rufai was brought to the court at about 9:30 a.m., accompanied by officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force. The case, brought by the ICPC, involves allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and financial misconduct during his tenure as governor. Prosecutors allege that funds were improperly released for projects that were either not executed or…
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, on Monday, June 15, 2026, dismissed an application filed by counsel to a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside the bench warrant and warrant of arrest issued against her. Farouq, alongside two others — Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed — is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million. Delivering his ruling on Monday, the judge…