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Alleged forgery: Court AGF takes over Ozekhome’s case from ICPC

•Ex-AGF Agabi leads 15 SANs for defence

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has taken over the prosecution of the criminal case brought against Mike Ozekhome (SAN) by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

The development yesterday stalled the planned arraignment of the lawyer at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the three-count charge filed against him by the ICPC, in which he is accused, among others, of forgery.

When the case was called, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), said he was representing the AGF and informed the court of the minister’s decision to take over the case from the ICPC.

Oyedepo said the AGF was acting within his powers, as provided for in Section 174 of the Constitution, in collaboration with the ICPC.

The DPPF said the AGF’s decision was informed by the need to ensure that the prosecution complies with the highest standard of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence, and compliance with due process of law.

He added that the AGF was guided by public interest to instill confidence, fairness, and competence in the criminal justice.

Oyedepo told the court that the interagency cooperation in the fight against corruption was also considered by the AGF in taking over the case

The lawyer assured the court that the rights of the defendant would be protected, adding that no party would suffer any injustice.

Oyedepo subsequently asked the court to take judicial notice of the formal takeover of the trial by the office of the AGF.

He sought an adjournment to enable the AGF’s office to retrieve the case file from the ICPC, review the same and decide on what next steps to take.

ICPC’s lawyer, Osuebeni Akpomisingha (who filed the charge), did not object to the takeover of the case by the AGF.

Akpomisingha assured that the ICPC, as the agency that investigated the case, would fully cooperate with the AGF’s office in prosecuting the case.

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A former AGF, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who led a team of lawyers (comprising 15 SANs) for the defence, also did not object to the takeover of the case by Fagbemi.

Following Oyedepo’s application for an adjournment, which Agabi did not oppose, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned till February 24 for the arraignment.

Some counts in the charge read:

* That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (M) ’68 years’ of Numberc 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout at a place outside Nigeria, that is, London, directly received house 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX purportedly given to you by one Mr. Shani Tali, an act you knew constitutes a felony and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 13 and punishable under section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, Act, 2000.

* That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (m) ’68 years’ of Number 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout at Abuja, while being a legal practitioner and senior advocate of Nigeria did make a false document, to wit: Nigeria passport A07535463 bearing the name of Mr. Shani Tali with intent to use same to support claim of ownership of property known and described as 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX with intent to commit fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 and punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

* That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (M) ’68 years’ of Number 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout at Abuja, while being a legal practitioner and senior advocate of Nigeria dishonestly used as genuine a false Nigeria passport A07535463 bearing the name of Mr. Shani Tali to support claim of ownership of property known and described a s 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX when you had reason to believe that the said document was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

January 27, 2026
Residents protest incessant killings, abduction in Ondo

•Gunmen abduct woman, injure three

Angry residents of the Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday protested the killings and abductions allegedly by suspected gunmen in the area.

The protesters blocked the major Akure-Owo-Benin highway to draw the government’s attention to what they described as persistent insecurity and inadequate response from security agencies.

Armed with placards bearing various inscriptions, the residents said they had been traumatised and forced to live in fear, chaos, and uncertainty due to repeated violent attacks in the community.

One of the protesters, Mr Lawrence, said the protest was triggered by the recent abduction of a community member and attacks on three other residents., inxluding hat of a women.

According to him, the latest incident occurred at Liberty Community, a peaceful settlement on the Akure Expressway in Ilu-Abo, and was part of a long pattern of insecurity that has plagued the area for nearly three years.

Lawrence explained that the attack occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., when many residents were returning from work or settled in their homes.

He said the calm of the community was suddenly shattered when suspected herdsmen reportedly invaded the area, unleashing terror on innocent and defenceless residents.

“Ilu-Abo has suffered repeated violent attacks for almost three years, and our appeals to the authorities have yielded little improvement in security,” Lawrence said.

Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused security operatives, particularly the police, of insufficient commitment and delayed response to distress calls.

He alleged that these perceived lapses had emboldened criminals operating in and around the community.

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The residents called on the government to implement a permanent solution to the crisis, urging security agencies to flush out suspected bandits hiding in nearby forests to restore safety and confidence among residents.

The state Commissioner of Police (CP) Adebowale Lawal, denied allegations of complicity, insisting that police officers were actively carrying out their duties to secure the area.

Also, the Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen Justin Ifeanyi, appealed for calm and assured residents that security agencies were working to address the situation and bring those responsible to justice.

Recall that suspected gunmen abducted a woman identified as Oladeinde Tomilola and injured three other persons during a violent attack on Ilu Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

The incident occurred about 8pm last Sunday on Liberty Avenue in the Ilu Abo when about six armed men reportedly stormed the neighbourhood and opened fire on residents.

Lawal, who visited the community, condemned the attack and said additional tactical and intelligence-driven measures had been deployed to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and prevent a recurrence.

The police commissioner also visited the palace of the Olu Abo of Iluabo, Oba Samuel Oluyemi Falae, who condemned the incident and pledged the support of the palace in assisting security agencies.

January 27, 2026
Terrorists now live in cannabis-growing communities, says Marwa

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Maj.-Gen. Buba Marwa, yesterday said terrorists and kidnappers live in cannabis growing communities.

Marwa said this in Akure, the Ondo State capital during a visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ahead of the Alternative Development Project campaign targeted at engaging illicit drug growers in the state.

He said the agency created the Alternative Development Project unit to discourage the peasant farmers growing the illicit drug, especially cannabis sativa.

He said the programme, which will not stop the enforcement role of the agency, was another way to combat terrorists and other criminals who stay closer to where illicit drugs are being produced.

According to him, the drug use prevalence is unacceptably high with about 15 million Nigerians using drugs between15 and 64 years, based on the last United Nations drug use survey of 2018.

Marwa said with the figure, it meant that one in seven Nigerians use drugs in the age bracket and the campaign would start in Ondo.

The NDLEA chairman, who said the agency had convicted 128 drug barons in the last five years, added that of the 15,000 tonnes of illicit substances that the agency seized during the same period, over 75 per cent was cannabis sativa.

According to him, 70 to 75 per cent of those using drugs in Nigeria actually use cannabis sativa.

“The Boko Haram, the terrorists, the kidnappers, in fact the kidnappers now, through our intelligence sources have been shown to live among the cannabis cultivating communities in the deep forests.

“And that makes sense to them, why not establish a base where the drugs are readily available?

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“In Ondo State, the drug use prevalence is 17 per cent, which is approximately 400,000.

“In 2025, the NDLEA in Ondo State made 336 arrests with seizures of 22,316 kilogrammes of illicit substances, convicted 62, seized and destroyed 207,000 kilogrammes worth of cannabis in the plantations and farms.

“We have a counselling and rehab centre here; we’ve treated 243, but more significantly, your excellency, Ondo State is the highest producer of cannabis in Nigeria for several reasons; including the climate and the nature of the soil. It encourages this type of trade,” he said.

Marwa, who appreciated the governor for the efforts in the fight against illicit drugs, said the agency was carefully reviewing its law- enforcement effort and had decided to choose an alternative path instead of constant raids and arrests.

Aiyedatiwa applauded Marwa for leading the initiative which was under his office.

Aiyedatiwa praised the NDLEA boss for his efforts and commitment towards ensuring that the society is rid of illicit drugs.

“We, as the government, will support you in any way that we can to ensure that we achieve the needed success. We will look into that direction of having our own alternative development programme like yours,” he added.

January 27, 2026
CDS reaffirms military’s commitment to human security

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s (AFN) commitment to a people-centred, ethically grounded and professionally accountable military, stressing that modern security operations must prioritise the protection of civilians and human dignity.

Gen. Oluyede stated this at the opening of the Human Security and Gender Advisers Course yesterday at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, Abuja, where he was represented by the Chief of Defence Standards and Evaluation, Maj.-Gen Ibrahim Lassa.

He said Nigeria’s security environment has become increasingly complex, marked by asymmetric warfare, violent extremism, communal conflicts, transnational crimes and humanitarian emergencies that directly affect civilian populations. According to him, these challenges require a shift from a purely territorial defence approach to one focused on human security.

The Defence Chief noted that the AFN is being repositioned as a force that is not only capable but also responsive to socio-cultural realities in its areas of operation, with the protection of lives, preservation of human dignity and strengthening of societal resilience now central to military effectiveness.

Gen. Oluyede said the course aligns with his strategic focus on strengthening AFN capacities through enhanced joint operations, improved welfare, sound administration and a reinforced operational posture, within a whole-of-government framework to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty and prosperity.

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He emphasised that preventive action, collaboration with civilian institutions and the protection of civilians are now integral to military success, describing human security and gender advisory roles as force multipliers that enhance legitimacy, expand operational reach and support mission sustainability.

The CDS commended the British Defence Staff for their continued support, describing the partnership as a reflection of enduring defence cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, based on shared values and people-oriented security approaches.

He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to operational planning, deployments and engagement with civilian communities.

Earlier, the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Admiral Saburi Lawal, said the course was designed to strengthen professional competence across Nigeria’s security institutions. He said participants were selected to serve in advisory roles within the AFN, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Rear Admiral Lawal expressed confidence that the training would improve professionalism, enhance civil-military cooperation and build public trust in security agencies, urging participants to approach the programme with dedication and professionalism.

He added that the AFN would continue to collaborate with partners to strengthen capacity building and professional development.a

January 27, 2026
Bandits hold 13 villagers, after Kaduna community paid N40m ransom

Elders of Gidan Waya community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State have said they sold more than 3,000 bags of maize to raise the N40 million ransom demanded by kidnappers, yet 13 abducted villagers remain in captivity weeks after the payment.

Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna yesterday, Chairman of the Gidan Waya Elders Forum, Mallam Rabo Sambo, said gunmen invaded the community on November 11, last year, killing four residents and abducting 13 others—five men and eight women.

Sambo said the attack occurred between 11 p.m. and midnight, when most residents were asleep.

“We suddenly heard gunshots, and before we could understand what was happening, the bandits had surrounded the settlement. Our community is a closed area, so they easily ambushed us,” he said.

He added that four people were killed during the raid, while five others sustained gunshot injuries.

“This is the first time we are experiencing such an attack. We have always lived peacefully here. There has never been any crisis among us,” Sambo said.

According to him, the attackers could not be identified as they operated with face masks throughout the operation.

Sambo said this month, the kidnappers contacted the community and demanded N40 million for the release of the abducted villagers.

“To raise the ransom, we sold over 3,000 bags of maize. When trailers came to load the maize, the entire community was in tears. As soon as we gathered the money, it was taken straight to the kidnappers,” he said.

Despite paying the ransom, Sambo lamented that none of the abducted villagers had been released.

“It has been three weeks since the ransom was paid. None of our people has returned,” he said.

The elders, he explained, decided to go public after realising that the Kaduna State government and the Lere Local Government Council might not be fully aware of their plight.

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“We don’t know whetherGovernor Uba Sani, or even our local government chairman has been properly briefed about what happened to us. That is why we are appealing through the media,” he said.

While acknowledging the efforts of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Lere, who reportedly visited the community several times after the attack, Sambo called for urgent intervention by the state and federal governments.

“We are appealing to the state government, the local government, and Governor Uba Sani to help us secure the release of our people. We also urge the governor to reach out to the Federal Government for assistance,” he said.

Beyond the abduction, Sambo said the community is battling hunger after selling off its grain reserves to pay the ransom.

“After selling our food to free our people, we are going hungry. We can no longer adequately feed our families,” he said, appealing for food assistance.

He described the situation as heartbreaking, saying the community has been plunged into mourning, fear, and uncertainty.

“Everybody shed tears. We are suffering, and our people are still in captivity,” he said.

January 27, 2026
20 illegal refineries destroyed, 32 oil thieves arrested in two weeks, says DHQ

Troops of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), a military offensive against oil theft and economic saboteurs in the Southsouth, destroyed 20 illegal refining sites and arrested 32 oil thieves and other criminals, during operations conducted between January 1 and 15.

Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen Michael Onoja, made this known while giving an update on the military’s successes against terrorists and other non-state actors over the past week.

He said the troops also recovered assorted arms and ammunition.

The military high command stated that troops of Operation Udo in the Southeast, rescued eight Cameroon nationals earlier kidnapped by sea pirates at Ikang waterways in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

It said three criminals were arrested in Ogburu Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“Similarly, about 80 militants presented themselves to troops with their arms and ammunition for amnesty at Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State.

“The militants were reported to belong to two camps headed by Thankgod Ebikontei (aka Ayibanuagha) Camp and John Isaac (aka Akpokolo) militant fighters camp,” the DHQ added.

The troops killed scores of terrorists and arrested 67 criminals.

According to Gen. Onoja, troops, in synergy with other security agencies, have continued to carry out operations against terrorists and other non-state actors. Despite the insecurity, the troops have remained resolute and resilient, recording notable successes through precision strikes, clearance operations, and sustained patrols.

The troops also rescued 21 kidpa-victims.

In the Northeast under Operation Hadin Kai, the Defence spokesperson said troops killed scores of terrorists, arrested seven others, and rescued four kidnap victims during their operations in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states between January 19 and 23.

In the Northwest zone, he said Operation Fansan Yamma troops killed many terrorists, arrested 10 others, and rescued seven kidnap victims during operations in Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Zamfara states between January 19 and 23.

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Some of the operations were conducted in Maru, Anka, Kaura Namoda, Bungudu, Tsafe, Talata Mafara and Birnin Magaji local government areas of Zamfara State; Batsari and Kankara local government areas of Katsina State; Tangaza and Wurno local government areas of Sokoto State; Giwa and Birnin Gwari local government areas of Kaduna State.

Gen Onoja said troops of Operation Endurance Peace and Operation Whirl Stroke, in the Northcentral also achieved feats in the past week.

According to him, troops of Operation Enduring Peace in Plateau State killed many terrorists during firefights in Bokkos, Bassa, Jos North, Jos South, Riyom, Mangu, Barkin Ladi and Wase local governments of Plateau State, between January 19 to 23.

He said the troops also arrested 39 criminals and rescued four kidnap victims, while recovering a large cache of illicit weapons and $4,500 from a suspect, believed to be proceeds from the sale of rustled cattle.

The Defence spokesperson said troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested 11 suspected kidnappers and rescued six victims, adding that arms, ammunition, motorcycles, and other items were also recovered from the suspects.

He said the operations were conducted between January 19 and 23, in Donga, Takum, Wukari, Sardauna and Kurmi local governments of Taraba State as well as Guma, Otukpo, Katsina Ala, Ukum and Apa local governments of Benue State.

“Similarly, they responded to distress calls on kidnapping activities in Yagba West, Lokoja and Kabba Bunu local governments of Kogi State as well as Ifelodun and Ekiti local governments of Kwara State. Others are Obi and Doma local governments of Nasarawa State as well as Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT,” he said.

January 27, 2026
Soludo shuts Onitsha main market over sit-at-home

The popular Onitsha Main market in Anambra State has been closed for one week by the state government for obeying the sit-at-home.

The shutdown could extend to one month by next Monday, if the traders and market leaders continue such a practice.

The decisive move is to enforce compliance with the state government’s directive against the controversial Monday sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2021.

This was announced yesterday by Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in Awka

Two days ago, the government ordered that workers in the state who failed to resume work yesterday would lose 20 per cent of their pay.

As a result, a register has been provided in every ministry for attendance of workers.

The state government had repeatedly warned workers and traders to ignore the sit-at-home order imposed by non-state actors.

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This order, has disrupted economic and social activities across the Southeast for years, but the fear of being killed by the non state actors had prevented the residents from following the government’s directive

According to Soludo,”if they don’t open at the expiration of the shut down, the market will be shut down for one month and so on and so forth.

“The closure is a necessary step to protect law-abiding citizens and reinforce the authority of the state, the government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy” he said

Security personnel, including the police, and Army, have been deployed to seal the market gates and ensure compliance.

January 27, 2026
Malami & Mohammed: Haunted by their past

The late president, Muhammadu Buhari rode to power in 2015 with goodwill of Nigerians, defeating a sitting president for the first time in our nation’s history. Nigerians saw in him the answer to the overarching problems of the country viz indiscipline, corruption and the threat of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast and banditry and immigrant Fulani terrorism in the north-central and northeast.

Despite his anti-democratic credentials as former military head of state and perceived religious fanaticism, Nigerians saw in Buhari, a leader who loved and had faith in a country whose unity and indivisibility he fought for as a foot soldier marching from Makurdi to Port Harcourt; and on whose behalf he suffered the indignity of being removed from power and dumped in detention for standing with Nigerians that roundly rejected IMF and its ‘conditionalities’ including turning Nigeria into a dumping ground for foreign goods.

Unfortunately, by 2023, with the near-collapse of the economy due to massive corruption and incompetence, social dislocations and division as a result of terrorist onslaught that set ethnic nationalities against each other, Buhari had frittered away the goodwill of Nigerians that heralded him to power in 2015.

The failure of Buhari Presidency stemmed from his incompetence. Those he romantically described as his ‘loyal gatekeepers’ who did not share his pan-Nigeria world view but decided to hide within his government to serve self or other tendencies soon hijacked his government despite repeated warning by his wife.

In this regard, we can start by identifying Buhari’s ‘friends’ that turned out to be his nemesis beginning with Abubakar Malami, his Attorney General and Minister of Justice who, to many, defined Buhari’s presidency; Bala Mohammed, a non-Fulani who decided to fight the Fulani war like a slave, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, former aviation minister dragged before Justice S.C Orji’s FCT High Court in October 2025 over alleged N2.7billion theft; Godwin Emefiele who on December 2, 2025 forfeited total assets of about N12.18 billion, including 753 Abuja duplexes, plus another $4, 7 million and N830 million.

Now let us take a journey through memory to examine some of the excesses of Malami who in power forgot that power is transient and became indifferent to the verdict of history.

The first evidence of Malami’s acquisitive tendencies came to light with petitions over MTN fine of N780 billion by NCC. When Malami and Adebayo, the Minister of Communication were interrogated by the Senate Committee on Communication, it was discovered that the NCC which was duly authorized to collect all revenues was circumvented as the N50 billion part payment was “curiously paid into CBN Recovery Account specifically designated for the recovered looted funds”.

This was followed by Malami’s 2017 secret trip to Dubai for a meeting with a fugitive offender, Abdulrasheed Maina, chairman of Presidential Pension Review Committee, indicted by Senate probe panel for N2billion fraud. And upon his return, but for the protest of the then Head of Civil Service, Malami would have succeeded in integrating Maina back into the bureaucracy through the back door.

It is also on record that the central issue between Malami and Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC chairman he falsely accused of corruption, and replaced with an unqualified candidate from his (Malami) state, was over how seized assets were distributed. He had accused Magu of selling the assets to his cronies while Magu accused him of ignorance as the statute setting up the EFCC did not give the body such powers. Magu was later found innocent and rehabilitated following Buhari’s Justice Salami Investigative panel that exposed Malami’s vindictiveness.

In 2021, it was said that UAE passed to Nigeria, a list of 38 individuals and 15 entities including six Nigerians viz Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad, allegedly involved in terrorist financing. As a follow up, it was also said that Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, and recommended the sanctioning of some individuals including Gumi’s ally, Tukur Manu, accused of participating “in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransom payments over the sum of $200,000 in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.”

But Malami, the Minister of Justice appeared to have been swayed by Gumi’s argument that “No Nigerian will put his money into terrorism”; insisting terrorists “are financing themselves by taking our children for ransom”. Malami chose to do nothing despite the ravaging of the north by terrorists forcing northern leaders to call for Buhari’s resignation over his failure to protect lives and properties of the people of the north.

With his December 2025 detention by EFCC over alleged theft of about N8.7bn, and last week DSS grilling allegedly over his handling of the list of Nigerian terror financiers released by the United Arab Emirates, many believe it is the past coming to haunt Malami.

Many also believe Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed, whose commissioners are currently facing EFCC charges of terrorism financing share the same fate with Malami. He who sows the wind must necessarily reap the whirlwind.

Bala Mohammed started nursing a presidential ambition as soon as he was elected governor in 2019. And since one only gets integrated into the northern ruling class through marriage, business or political endorsement, he first declared he was Fulani maternally, before choosing to fight the Fulani battle like a slave. For instance, long after full blooded Fulani like’s Nasir El Rufai, Kastina’s Aminu Masari and Kano’s Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had disowned and called for the total elimination criminal Fulani herdsmen engaged in killing of innocent Nigerians with banned AK 47 riffles, Mohammed embarked on his ill-advised campaign to justify continued bearing of AK 47 rifles that have become weapon of terror against Nigerians by immigrant Fulani herdsmen.

He did not just stop at that but went on to insist immigrant herdsmen should be conferred with Nigerian citizenship and integrated into the then government planned National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) being championed by the federal government.

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Then he picked up battle with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State who but for the fact he was fleet-footed would have been eliminated by armed criminal Fulani herdsmen who chased him out of his farm. His only offence was his decision to faithfully implement anti-grazing law passed by his state of assembly. Malami then took the battle to Ondo State where he confronted the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu over his resolve to rid his reserve forest of illegal criminal herdsmen.

With all the victories Malami secured in his self-appointed crusade against opponents of criminal Ak-47 wielding immigrant Fulani herdsmen, Malami should feel fulfilled with the title of ‘a sympathiser’ of this anti-Nigeria group; that he is belatedly getting his flowers from no less a body as the DSS should be cause for double celebration.

Mohammed who alleged his refusal to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had attracted intimidation and harassment, fingered Nyesom Wike as the man behind his current travail. “Somebody said he is going to put fire in my state. That person is the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike”, he stated after threatening “to escalate the matter to the international community”.

But if Mohammed is not trying to be economical with the truth, he should admit that he and Wike were once intimate friends. Former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, not too long ago publicly scolded Bala for his act ingratitude to Wike who generously deployed Rivers State resources to wage his 2019 gubernatorial battle in Bauchi. Bala more than anyone else knows that Wike, his estranged friend fights with his eyes closed when seeking vengeance. He can therefore not feign ignorance by attempting to divert attention from EFCC that is currently holding some of his Ministry of Finance officials.

The good news is that Abubakar Malami is deemed innocent until the court returns a guilty verdict while Bala Mohammed is protected by the constitution. The shortest route to freedom for the former who, one Bala Usman, claimed was until 2015 ‘a charge and bail’ lawyer is to defend the sources of his stupendous wealth including 53 mansions currently under temporary forfeiture to government. As for the latter who is not EFCC’s target, his obligation is to secure freedom for his finance commissioner, Adamu, arraigned by the EFCC, alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed on December 31, 2025 on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7million

And this can be easily achieved by providing evidence to invalidate DSS claim that the total sum of $17 million and N75.2 mil¬lion shared on February 7, 2024, was for terrorism financing.

January 27, 2026
What Ndidi did

By Ray Ekpu

The Nigerian football team, Super Eagles was gunning for a fourth AFCON title at the just concluded tournament in Morocco. It did not reach that goal. It got a bronze medal which was a consolation for many Nigerians because the team played very well. President Bola Tinubu said that the bronze was almost as good as gold. He probably said that as a way of commending the boys for their outstanding performance in the matches they played and the discipline that they displayed on and off the pitch.

But something nearly went awfully wrong when Nigeria was to face Algeria in the quarter final in Marrakesh, a distance of five hours from the team’s residence in Fez. Our players and officials said they would boycott the trip and training sessions because their bonuses for all the four matches played were not paid. This ugly scenario has happened too many times with the Super eagles and Super Falcons.

In November 2024, the Super Eagles boycotted training during the African World Cup playoff over a backlog of allowance issues. A few days later, the disgruntled team lost to an inferior Democratic Republic of Congo team and Nigeria’s dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup became just that: a dream. In 2022 Nigeria’s flag did not fly at Qatar. In this year’s World Cup, we will also be marked absent.

But this piece is not about our failure to appear at the two World Cups. It is about our incompetence in managing our football. This incompetence has led to boycotts, threats of boycotts, protests and sit-ins by either the Super Eagles or Super Falcons. If we managed these conflicts better, our football would have achieved a lot considering the abundance of talents we have on the pitch.

In 2004, the Super Falcons won the African Women’s Cup of Nations in South Africa. They refused to vacate their hotels because their bonuses were not paid. When the Super Falcons clinched their 8th African title by defending Cameroon, there was also money wahala. During the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, the Super Falcons staged a sit-in protest and refused to vacate their hotel except their bonuses and allowances were paid. The girls carried their protests during Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure to the Aso Villa and to the National Assembly. The men had also brought shame to our country in several episodes of boycotts in the past. I do not want to enumerate such shameful incidents again on this page.

There is an African proverb that states that the “war that has a take-off date never kills the lame.” Why? Because the lame can always crawl out of the war zone before the guns begin to boom. But in Nigeria that war has killed the lame very many times, an indication that we are never ready for what we should be ready for. All competitions, continental or world, have scheduled take-off dates but in Nigeria we are never ready for them. Most other countries, big, medium and small, go through these competitions without disgraceful stories from their football managing authorities. Our stories of shame in this matter occur regularly like a recurring decimal.

This year at Morocco, we nearly got disgraced but for one man: Ndidi. Our country was saved from shame by a 29-year old footballer called Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi. When the players and officials threatened to boycott the trip to Marrakesh except their bonuses were paid, it was Ndidi who stood in the middle and led from the front. He was neither the chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) nor the chairman of the National Sports Commission nor the minister responsible for sports. He did what those three officials failed to do. He told the players and officials that he was ready to pay their bonuses from his pocket so that the team’s spirit and unity would remain intact. This young man solved a problem that would have brought disgrace to this big country. This would have given more ammunition to those who talk derisively about our big-for-nothingness.

Every country has its merits and its imperfections. Nigeria has them but I do not think that Nigeria is a big-for-nothing country. No. It is not. It is a country in transition, a country in search of its dream, its destiny. And the fact that we have a 29-year old man who stood up for Nigeria when it mattered most means that Nigeria has the potential to be great. It is the duty of our leaders to take the country to that mountain.

Ndidi was born in Lagos. He went to Command Children’s School and later Nath Academy where he went to learn the nuts and bolts of footballing. While he was keeping his eyes on opportunities in football, he was hawking all sorts of things in the busy Lagos traffic where gridlock provides a market for sellers and buyers. In 2015, the opportunity came and he signed to play in Belgium for a club called Genk. That was a dream come true. He later joined Leicester City Club where he played as a defensive midfielder. Even though he was making tons of money as a footballer, he knew that money alone was not enough. He wanted to improve his education, something that Nigeria did not offer him at a higher level. After his training on the football pitch, he decided to go for a different type of training in a classroom. In May 2019, he started studying for a degree in Business and Management at De Montfort University in London. He decided to do something for kids in Nigeria who would like to play football as well as go to school.

He said some years ago: “Back home, many kids aren’t able to go to school because their parents can’t afford it. I want to set up a football resort where people can stay and play football while getting an education at the same time.” He was only 22 when he conceived of this giving-back idea. This resort will take kids off the streets, off crime, off cultism, off cocaine, off conflicts that arise from idleness. He is buying an umbrella for the kids so that when the rains come, they will be sheltered. He is not only buying a future for himself, he is also buying a future for young people he does not even know so that they do not become the dregs of our society.

It is obvious, very obvious, that Ndidi has a good heart, a heart of compassion. There are many people who make plenty money in their chosen professions but do not care about helping the helpless. Instead, they engage in the illusions of grandeur as a means of taking themselves into the upper crust of society. Ndidi is not one of them.

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He has obviously made tons of money in football. There is no one who plays in any of the big leagues abroad that is not super rich. Instead of allowing the Super Eagles to boycott training and the trip to Marrakesh, Ndidi offered to spend his money on the team so that there will be harmony. He did not care whether the money would be refunded to him if he paid the players and officials. He was just taking a personal decision that would help the team to progress in the competition, a decision that would also save the country from disgrace. That is the spelling of leadership. Is that also the spelling of Good Samaritanism?

It was the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who said “No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he only had good intentions, he had money as well.” Yes. Ndidi had good intentions as well as money, with which to execute his good intentions. The other point is that the accumulated bonuses must have amounted to a huge sum of money and yet it was not a source of worry to Ndidi. He did not worry whether the payment, if made to the players, would become a debt whose repayment period was unknown. He did not also worry that the money, if paid to the players and officials, would create for him a powerful enemy that he could not harass for the refund of his money quickly.

There is ample hypnotism about football. That is why the stadiums are always full whether there is sunshine or rainfall. And that is why a football player and lover called Ndidi decided to take the risk of pledging to drop millions of dollars on the accounts of the players and officials so that the game goes on.

Can Nigeria manage football differently, efficiently? That is a question that we have not been able to answer satisfactorily for decades.

January 27, 2026
Funke Akindele’s “Behind The Scenes” surpasses N2.4bn at Box Office

Filmmaker and actress Funke Akindele‘s film “Behind The Scenes” has grossed N2.407 billion at the box office.

The film has become the highest-grossing film of the year and the highest-grossing film of the weekend.

Filmone, the film’s distributor, credited fan support for the film’s success, stating that the achievement would not have been possible without audience enthusiasm.

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“The Queen of Box Office for a reason!! Celebrating yet another incredible milestone and we’re so sure we wouldn’t have done this without you and your love.

“Behind The Scenes hits a whopping N2.4B making it the Highest Grossing Film of the Year and The Highest Grossing Film of the Weekend. Thank you to everyone for the love and support so far,” the caption reads.

January 26, 2026