A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Gwarimpa has ordered that former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige be remanded in Kuje prison untill Monday when his bail application would be heard.
Justice Mariam Hassan issued the order in a ruling on Friday after Ngige was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) during his tenure as supervising minister from September 2015 to May 2023.
Ngige pleaded not guilty to the charge, shortly after which prosecuting lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) sought a date for the commencement of trial.
Justice Hassan turned down attempt by Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) to apply orally for his client’s bail.
Ikwueto had told the court about a formal bail application that he filed for his client which had been served on the prosecution.
He however, could not move the application because Tahir argued that he was just served and needed time to respond.
Justice Hassan agreed with Tahir that the bail application was not ripe for hearing and that the prosecution should be accorded time to respond.
She adjourned till Monday for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Ngige be held in Kuje prison till then.
*Charges commission to recover loots linked to officials of last govt
The Arewa Youth Advocates for Equity and Justice (AYAFEJ) has expressed satisfaction and unwavering support for the ongoing anti-corruption efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the current administration.
The group said it viewed the recent actions taken against individuals under investigation for alleged mismanagement of public funds as a vital step toward restoring integrity, accountability, and public trust in government institutions.
The organisation said this in a statement signed by its National President, Sani Ahmad on Thursday in Abuja.
The group urged the EFCC and President Bola Tinubu to make sure that those responsible for the failure of late Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a result of their betrayal of the trusts entrusted to them by him faces the consequences for their actions of stealing and destroying the trusts.
According to the organisation, those involved never deserved any mercy or leniency.
The statement said: “For too long, Nigerians—especially the poor and vulnerable—have suffered the consequences of corruption, embezzlement, and misuse of public resources. While many entrusted with national responsibilities under previous administrations were expected to champion the welfare of the masses, a number of them allegedly betrayed that trust. It is therefore reassuring to see that no individual, no matter how highly placed, is considered above the law.
“We urge the EFCC and even the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make sure that those responsible for the failure of late Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a result of their betrayal of the trusts entrusted to them by him faces the consequences for their actions of stealing and destroying the trusts. The advocates are insisting that those involved never deserve any mercy or leniency.
“We specifically commend the EFCC for its firm action in inviting, questioning, and detaining top former officials currently under investigation, including former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami (SAN), in accordance with the law. As widely reported, these actions are part of ongoing investigations into alleged financial irregularities during their time in office. AYAFEJ emphasizes that these investigations are not acts of political persecution but essential steps toward transparency and justice.
“A leader,” said the great French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, “is a dealer in hope.”
His greatest strength lies not in the power he wields, but in the compassion he shows to every citizen, regardless of their station in life and background.
In his two years in office, and in previous capacities, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated this understanding in ways great and small. Even as he works to establish a political economy in which macro- and micro-economic growth impacts positively on all classes (including the business and professional elite, and the middle class) he has not forgotten those in the lower classes – and indeed the underclass – for whom living in Nigeria is a daily endurance test and a relentless battle for survival – people that, as we say in these parts, “Nigeria is happening to.”
He should know; as a former pro-democracy activist in the trenches during the days of military rule (when Nigerians squirmed under the jackboots of khaki boys as they strutted across our national landscape and trampled on the basic rights of all but a small and privileged few), he saw firsthand how a people could inhabit one of the most lavishly-endowed nations on the planet, and yet live below the bare minimum of human dignity and wellbeing.
His subsequent political odyssey has over the years reinforced the commitment that led him to those trenches – i.e. the restoration to Nigerians of the rights and freedoms that make life and dignity possible. In a world where true, principle-based leadership has become a rare commodity, Tinubu’s example shines like a steady beacon.
This commitment was on display in the aftermath of the tragic events that took almost two weeks ago in Eruku, a community in Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, which came under a violent attack, leaving two people dead, and over 30 others abducted. When the shadows of tragedy descended on Eruku, the President responded with a resolve that turned fear into relief.
His swift coordination of rescue operations – defined by an alacrity that, stakeholders agreed, had not been seen in over a decade of Nigeria’s struggle with criminality and insurgency – saved innocent lives and reminded Nigerians that it is possible for a government in this country to act with urgency and heart.
On his instructions, authorities temporarily shut down schools in five districts of the state in a bid to forestall similar attacks by armed gangs.
In the same spirit, the rescue of 25 school pupils abducted from a girls’ boarding-school in Kebbi State, and that of 100 children in Niger State – part of the over 200 students (along with 12 staff members) kidnapped from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri – have underscored Tinubu’s conviction that no child should be left behind.
Soon after the Niger abductions, the President canceled a planned foreign trip and dispatched his National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to Papiri, where he assured residents, local leaders and clergy that the children would be rescued and reunited with their families before long. And so it was – via a series of coordinated, intelligence-driven and multi-agency operations. Government has also responded in like manner to other crimes since then, in a series of operations that are still ongoing.
Although the administration has since rejected allegations of an exclusively ‘Christian genocide’ by international stakeholders such as the US government, it has not in the least downplayed the gravity of the current security crisis – and has acted accordingly. This President is fighting back – quietly, deliberately and consistently – and the results are unfolding across our national landscape. In moments when hope wavered and hearts grew weary, he has stepped forward, offering steady hands and a calm voice.
Add to that his recent appointment of a new Minister of Defence – a General widely-regarded for his competence and dynamism – and it is clear that there is a firm hand on the nation’s security wheel, and a heart that acknowledges the human cost of the tragedy, and empathizes with its victims.
Moments like these, though brief in the national narrative, and therefore easy to overlook, have etched themselves into the collective memory as symbols of decisive and humane leadership.
They also resonate with the overarching vision of the President’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ which aims to encompass the length and breadth of Nigeria with the benefits of his reforms and policies without exception on the basis of religion or region.
Tinubu has being heard to speak of a “United States of Nigeria,” a concept that, far from erasing the beautiful diversity of our people, weaves it instead into a stronger, more cohesive and more inclusive tapestry. To him, being Nigerian is not a matter of chance, but a shared destiny – a promise that every voice, from Lagos’s bustling markets to the quiet villages of the N/Delta, has a place at the table of progress.
Leadership, he has shown, is not a buffet where one can pick and choose what or whom to serve. It is a full‑course commitment, a mirror that reflects both the aspirations and the anxieties of our nation.
The President’s reputation as a nationalist and pan-Nigerian leader (as opposed to an ethnic irredentist, as claimed by some of his critics) was a matter for discussion and debate at a meeting earlier this year of critical stakeholders from the old Northern region, the focus being on whether he has lived up to his promises to that region prior to his election in 2023 – namely, to run an all-inclusive government, to utilise the vast natural resources of the country through strategic investment in infrastructure, to protect the national interest, and to be fair to every part of the country.
At the end of the meeting, interventions by Governors, government functionaries and other knowledgeable stakeholders – who reeled out impressive strides recorded by the Tinubu administration in infrastructure, social investment programmes and security – yielded an overwhelming approval rating and an outright rejection of politically-motivated allegations of marginalization. Whatever underdevelopment may exist in the region, they contended, should not be attributed to him, but to local leaders themselves, who have long neglected the region.
As in his country, so he has done beyond its borders – i.e. advance the ideal of African integration and the cohesion of its western axis in particular. As Chairman of the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS), Tinubu has demonstrated his opposition to the rising spectre of military takeovers in the region, seeing it as a negation of its people’s yearning for participatory rule – one in which they have a voice (and a vote) in the decisions that affect them. His response to the recent attempted coup d’état in neighbouring Benin Republic – following his dispatch of Nigerian forces to prevent the overthrow of President Patrice Talon’s government – is an emphatic demonstration of his anti-junta stance, honed from his own experience as a pro-democracy activist. Benin, he recognised, was not a foreign entity, but a next-door neighbour whose fortunes, for good or ill, are intertwined with Nigeria’s.
As poverty threatens to encroach on our dignity as individuals, families and communities, and as insecurity threatens our very existence, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is fighting battles on multiple fronts at home and abroad – and winning, thereby rekindling hopes that have over the years been replaced by fear and cynicism. May those hopes continue to flourish. May his unwavering dedication inspire Nigerians of all stripes to also play their part in the great work of nation‑building, as we strive shoulder-to-shoulder towards a future defined by shared values, shared responsibilities, and shared benefits.
Keem Abdul
Keem Abdul, a public relations guru, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via Akeemabdul2023@gmail.com
The Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has officially issued a membership card to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Fubara went through the documentation process on Friday to become a member of the party, few days after he announced his defection to the APC.
Okocha, who led the executive committee of the party in the state presented the card to Fubara during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, who was in the state for project inauguration and flag-off witnessed the registration process.
Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was on Friday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before an Abuja High Court in Gwarinpa over allegations of a ₦2.2 billion contract fraud.
Justice Maryam Hassan ordered that Ngige be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application, which is scheduled for Monday, December 14.
Ngige pleaded not guilty to eight counts bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) during his tenure as supervising minister from September 2015 to May 2023.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant.
Primate Elijah Ayodele, Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has dismissed allegations by the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, accusing him of attempting to extort N150 million.
According to a media report, Adelabu petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), claiming the cleric asked him to purchase about 1,000 trumpets valued at roughly N150 million, adding that his refusal allegedly led to a prophecy predicting he would not become governor of Oyo State.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele denied ever demanding such an amount, insisting he never requested money from the minister apart from the trumpets, which he said were recommended for Adelabu’s spiritual benefit.
He explained that it was Adelabu who initially asked for the cost of the instruments, and he merely provided an estimate while advising the minister to send someone to verify the prices in the market.
Ayodele added that the minister, along with his personal assistant and another intermediary, had mounted pressure on him at the time because of Adelabu’s strong interest in securing the Oyo governorship seat.
According to Ayodele, “I didn’t ask Bayo Adelabu to bring money for prayers, I told him to ask someone from his end to go to the market and find out how much the said trumpet cost, while someone follows them from my end too. His personal assistant, himself, and the person he sent to me put me under so much pressure because he was desperate for governorship.”
He continued: “He was the one who sent someone to me to talk to me on his behalf. He went as far as saying he was willing to give anything to become the next governor of Oyo State, and the only thing I told him is to get the trumpets for his own good.”
Expanding on their discussions, Primate Ayodele said he told Adelabu that securing the governorship ticket would be difficult, and that purchasing the musical instruments, not necessarily for his church, was advised as an appeal for divine mercy. He noted that Adelabu declined.
“I told him that they won’t want to give him the governorship ticket, but if he wants it so bad, he should seek the mercy of God by buying the musical instruments for God, not even for my church, but he said he can’t do it, that’s all,” he said.
The cleric maintained that he had long warned that Adelabu’s governorship ambition required divine intervention. He insisted his prophecies were never influenced by the minister’s refusal to buy the trumpets.
He said, “I have been talking about how he won’t be made governor of Oyo State for years; this is why he called me to seek solutions. I have never spoken to him before till he sent people to me and personally requested my spiritual help. I don’t make prophecies to make money, I am blessed already, and my subsequent prophecies after our discussion about his ambition aren’t because he failed to buy the musical instrument, it can never be.”
The Supreme Court has overridden the pardon granted by President Bola Tinubu to an Abuja-based house wife, Maryam Sanda, who was in 2020 sentenced to death by hanging for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, during a domestic dispute.
President Tinubu had reduced Sanda’s sentence to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate ground.
But in a judgment a on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a split decision of four-to-one, affirmed the death sentence handed Sanda by the Court of Appeal, Abuja which upheld the decision of a HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sentencing her to death by hanging.
The Apex Court resolved all the issues raised in the appeal she filed against her and dismissed the appeal for being without merit.
Justice Moore Adumein held in the lead judgment, which he personally delivered, that the prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required, adding that the Court of Appeal was right to have affirmed the judgement of the trial court.
Justice Adumein held that it was wrong for the Executive to seek to exercise its power of pardon over a case of culpable homicide, in respect of which an appeal was pending.
The Forum for Energy Accountability, a citizens’ advocacy group, has criticised what it called the “incessant and overlapping” investigations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by the House of Representatives, warning that the trend could undermine investor confidence in Africa’s largest oil and gas market.
In a statement issued on Friday, the group’s president, Comrade Ebikeme Jonathan-Ogula, said the surge of probes initiated by various House committees in recent months has created what he described as an “atmosphere of regulatory siege” around the national oil company.
Jonathan-Ogula noted that while legislative oversight is a constitutional mandate, the scale and frequency of the inquiries now seem “counterproductive and disruptive to ongoing sector reforms”.
“NNPCL, like any public-interest commercial entity, must be accountable. But accountability loses meaning when it becomes indistinguishable from pressure. What we have seen in recent weeks is a wave of overlapping summons that does not enhance transparency, does not support reform, and certainly does not inspire investor confidence at a very delicate moment for Nigeria’s hydrocarbons sector,” he said.
The group pointed out that the petroleum industry is still adjusting to changes triggered by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), global energy transitions, and broader economic reforms targeted at stabilising foreign exchange and boosting investment inflows. In this context, it said, uncertainty around regulatory actions “sends the wrong signal” to international partners exploring long-term commitments in upstream, midstream, and gas development.
Jonathan-Ogula added that foreign investors already face considerable risks, including security challenges in producing regions, fiscal unpredictability, and infrastructure deficits.
“Introducing legislative unpredictability, where NNPCL executives are repeatedly summoned for hearings that yield no new findings, only deepens the perception of instability,” he warned.
He also referenced recent reports of multiple committees launching parallel investigations into crude sales, joint venture operations, frontier basins, external financing, and internal governance processes. The group argued that such overlap leads to unnecessary duplication and fuels public speculation, even when many of the issues concern ongoing audits or statutory disclosures that follow established procedures.
“This scattershot approach to oversight does not strengthen institutions. It weakens them. It also distracts NNPCL from its core mandate of delivering value to the federation, stabilising supply chains, and fostering investment in gas expansion, domestic refining, and critical midstream infrastructure,” the statement added.
Jonathan-Ogula acknowledged the right of the legislature to examine public entities but urged the House leadership to streamline its processes by consolidating related inquiries under single committees and adhering to clear procedural timelines. This, he said, would preserve both transparency and operational efficiency.
He also called for greater collaboration between the National Assembly and relevant regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to ensure that oversight does not conflict with ongoing regulatory reviews or approved work programmes.
“The objective should be to strengthen confidence, not undermine it. Nigeria cannot afford investor hesitation at a time when capital is fleeing to jurisdictions with stability, legal clarity, and predictable oversight,” the group added.
Jonathan-Ogula urged the House of Representatives to adopt a more “strategic, coordinated, and evidence-based” oversight model, stressing that the credibility of Nigeria’s economic reforms depends on how institutions balance scrutiny with stability.
“We call on the leadership of the House of Representatives to intervene so that legitimate oversight does not mutate into a deterrent to investment,” he advised.
“Nigeria needs consistent signals, not contradictory ones, if the sector is to attract the scale of capital required for energy transition, gas development, and national revenue growth.”
The stakeholders in Nigeria’s education and energy sectors have called on the government to leverage academic institutions as platforms for policy formulation and national development, saying the nations institutions have roles to play in driving innovation and addressing real world challenges.
They made the call at a pre-anniversary programme to herald the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, themed “Digital Energy: How AI and Machine Learning Are Powering the Future of Oil & Gas.”
The event, which featured career talks and invited lectures, took place at the Faculty’s Large Lecture Theatre on Thursday with plans for the main anniversary celebrations in January 2026.
The Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Prof. Adeleke Gbamboye said the faculty’s five decade is filed with impactful contributions to Nigeria’s development.
He said, “If you go out to most industries, most of our students and products are there. The faculty has produced great men, and we have contributed our quota to the nation academically. There has been progressive transformation in infrastructure and manpower development.”
Prof. Gbamboye further revealed plans for an innovation hub within the faculty.
“We now have a hub where problems are solved, and innovations are made to tackle national challenges in partnership with industries. Our goal is to implement projects that solve the country’s pressing problems.”
However, he said all the progresses were not wothout some challenges.
“Finance remains a constraint, and industries often do not engage proactively with universities. Most research here ends up as publications, but with adequate funding and collaboration, our graduates, who excel anywhere in the world can drive national development”, he added.
He appealed to the private sector to invest more in engineering and technology, providing conducive environments and financial support to boost innovation and economic growth.
Also speaking, Professor of Petroleum Engineering and Chairman of the Faculty’s 50th Anniversary Committee, Olugbenga Falode emphasized the need for Nigeria to emulate global examples such as Singapore and China.
“Singapore has no oil or mineral resources, yet it has leveraged technology for economic growth. Similarly, our faculty should harness AI and emerging technologies to empower the future of engineering and energy,” he said.
Falode also stressed the importance of reviewing the faculty’s legacy and building on its achievements, saying, “The faculty is like a factory producing skilled professionals whose impact is felt worldwide. Our aim now is to address industry challenges, develop practical solutions, and collaborate with government and industry to commercialize innovations.”
During his keynote presentation, alumnus and guest speaker Bankole Aderemi focused on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in the energy sector.
“AI is revolutionizing the industry, enhancing productivity, reducing costs, and becoming an essential skill for all professionals in this age,” Aderemi said.
A consultant, Niyi Fanubi, added that bridging the gap between academia and industry is crucial, explaining that, “the classroom provides foundational knowledge, but the industry must offer platforms to apply this knowledge practically. Government integration of academia with industry will create synergy and drive meaningful solutions.
“Academia is doing enough in research and training. What is required now is to build on this work, make sense of it in practical terms, and ensure that government policies are informed by academic insights.”
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-General Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger support from the traditional institution for ongoing military operations across the country.
General Shaibu made the appeal during a visit to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, at his palace, on Thursday.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Army spokesperson, Colonel Apollonia Anele, the COAS expressed profound appreciation to the monarch and the traditional council for their consistent support to the Nigerian Army.
According to the statement, the Army Chief stated that his visit was not only to extend his gratitude to the monarch, but also to seek the blessings of the royal father, stressing that Nigeria’s customs and traditions remain sacrosanct and must always be honoured.
General Shaibu commended Oba Akiolu for the fatherly role he has consistently played in supporting Army formations and institutions across Lagos State, describing the Oba’s guidance and goodwill as invaluable to the Army’s operational and civil–military cooperation efforts.
Oba Akiolu commended the Nigerian Army for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation and maintaining peace.
He described the Army as a critical pillar upon which the Nigerian State stands, adding that the sacrifices and professionalism of its personnel have contributed significantly to national stability.
The monarch applauded the COAS for his steadfast leadership and dedication to ensuring a peaceful and secure country.
He thereafter offered special prayers for sustained peace in Nigeria and for COAS ‘ successful tenure.
According to the statement, visit underscores the Nigerian Army’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with traditional institutions, which remain vital stakeholders in the nation’s peace and security architecture.
