The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

How a new youth reform agenda is rewriting the Nigerian story
- By Segun Adeyemi
For too long, Nigerian youths have been told to “be patient” in a country that rarely rewards patience. We grew up hearing that we are the leaders of tomorrow, even as tomorrow kept moving further away. But something is shifting, not in slogans, not in hashtags, but in policy design, execution, and intent.

Under the leadership of Comrade Ayodele Olawande, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, youth policy is undergoing a quiet but deliberate transformation. What we are witnessing today is not a cosmetic rebranding of old ideas, but a structured reform agenda that positions young Nigerians as economic actors, not passive beneficiaries, and protects them from the vulnerabilities that come with exclusion.

At the centre of this reform is the Youth Economic Intervention and De-Radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP), a flagship initiative built on a simple truth: economic inclusion is the strongest form of youth protection. When young people have skills, capital, and opportunity, insecurity loses its appeal, crime loses its recruits, and hopelessness loses its grip.

YEIDEP is ambitious by design, aiming to reach 20 million beneficiaries nationwide. The programme recognises that youth unemployment is not a marginal issue; it is a national emergency. Rather than spreading thin, symbolic interventions, YEIDEP goes big, focusing on scale, structure, and sustainability. Each beneficiary is being prepared not just to survive, but to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s economy.

What makes YEIDEP different is its refusal to trap young people in debt. The programme’s grant-based start-up support, with beneficiaries receiving up to ₦500,000, removes one of the biggest barriers Nigerian youths face: access to risk-free capital.

In a country where credit is expensive and failure is unforgiving, this approach offers young entrepreneurs a rare chance to build without being buried before they begin.

But money alone does not build futures; that is why YEIDEP is anchored in skills acquisition and enterprise training, with structured onboarding and training phases scheduled to commence in February 2026. This sequencing matters; it ensures that empowerment is not rushed and that young people are equipped before they are unleashed into the market.

Beyond economics, YEIDEP also speaks directly to Nigeria’s security challenge. Idle hands, after all, are not born dangerous; they are made vulnerable. By creating pathways to dignity and income, the programme strikes at the root causes of youth involvement in crime, violence, and social unrest. Job creation, in this context, becomes nation-building.

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Yet the Minister’s reform vision extends beyond programmes and payments. One of the most consequential interventions underway is the revitalisation of Youth Development Centres nationwide, following a strategic partnership with the Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC).

These centres, many of which had fallen into disrepair, are being reimagined as modern hubs for digital skills, vocational training, innovation, and enterprise incubation.

For Nigerian youths, this means access, access to spaces where ideas can be tested, skills refined, and networks built. It means community-based development that does not require relocation to Lagos, Abuja, or abroad before an opportunity can be found. It means meeting young people where they are.

The reform agenda also understands that empowerment must be inclusive. Initiatives such as the deployment of solar-powered electric tricycles for women entrepreneurs recognise the intersecting challenges young women face, particularly in mobility, access to capital, and participation in emerging green economies. Empowering women, especially young women, strengthens families, communities, and local economies.

Of course, reforms of this scale come with challenges. Managing expectations, combating misinformation, and ensuring transparency are ongoing priorities. Trust is currency, and the government must earn it daily. That is why clear communication, credible timelines, and accountability remain central to the Ministry’s approach.

What is different today is intentionality. These reforms are not about optics; they are about outcomes. They are not about one-off empowerment events; they are about systems that outlive administrations. And most importantly, they are not about speaking for youths; they are about investing in them.

Nigeria’s young people are no longer asking for miracles. They are asking for fair chances, functional systems, and faith in their capacity to build. Through YEIDEP, revitalised youth infrastructure, and inclusive economic policies, that faith is being restored.

This is not the end of the journey, but it is a decisive step forward. And for millions of Nigerian youths who have waited too long to be seen, heard, and supported, that step matters.

· Segun Adeyemi, the special assistant on print media to the minister of youth development, writes from Abuja.
January 30, 2026
Four beheaded in renewed Ebonyi boundary clash

Four persons have been killed in Okporojo-Oso Edda in Edda Local Government Area in a renewed boundary dispute between the community and neighboring Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Several houses were also razed by the assailants in the attack which took place on Thursday night.

The two communities have been at war since decades over land with many lives lost and property worth billions destroyed.

Efforts have been made by previous administrations in the State and the present government to end the war to no avail.

Sources in the area alleged that the assailants in the latest attack came from the Amasiri axis.

A video recording of the aftermath of the attack showing the bodies of the dead victims without their heads lying in the pool of their own blood have since gone viral on social media.

In the video, many houses set ablaze by the assailants were still burning.

Sources in the community alleged that the heads of the victims were taken away while two persons remain missing.

The incident has thrown the community into mourning and renewed concerns over the persistent failure to permanently resolve the decades-old land dispute between the two neighbouring communities.

Ebonyi Commissioner for Internal Security, Etta Uka Ude, confirmed the incident in an interview in Abakaliki, the State capital on Friday.

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He said he received reports of the killings by the evening of the incident, describing the act as “barbaric, unlawful and totally unacceptable.”

According to the commissioner, the location where the killings occurred is not even the exact area under land dispute, making the attack more disturbing.

“By 5 p.m. yesterday, I was informed that some hoodlums went into one of the villages and massacred almost four persons to death. I was trying to understand the actual problem because the land dispute area is far away from the town,” he said.

Ude explained that upon receiving the report, the State Government moved swiftly to prevent escalation.

He said he immediately contacted the chairmen of the affected local government areas, the Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Governor, and the Army, including the Women Battalion Commander, who had just resumed duty.

“Everybody was on hand to make sure the situation did not escalate further. Unfortunately, before the arrival of security agencies, the damage had already been done,” he stated.

The commissioner noted that although calm has been largely restored with the deployment of tactical police teams and military personnel, the government has ordered for investigation and possible arrest of the perpetrators for prosecution.

> “Nobody is greater than the government. Thosw involved must be fished out and prosecuted so we can know the root cause of this problem. Whoever is involved must be brought to book. We are not encouraging violence in any form,” he stressed.

Ude also condemned the beheading of victims, describing it as alien to the culture of Ebonyi people.

“To behead someone and carry the head away is barbaric. Even our customs do not agree with that. It is very bad and very unlawful,” he said.

While sympathizing with the families of the victims, the commissioner urged residents of both communities to remain calm and allow security agencies to do their work, warning against blocking major roads and disrupting public movement.

Police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu said he was with a police team heading to the affected area.

“I will issue a statement after we have assessed the situation”, he said.

The Chairman Edda Local Government Area, Chima Ekumamkama also confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Friday.

He described it as barbaric, act of wickedness and man inhumanity to man

He noted that security personnel has been mobilized to the area following the quick intervention of the Governor.

“This is sad and disheartening. This is barbaric, how can human beings behave like animals. How can people invade a community, behead people and take the heads away.

“Are they using it for rituals or what? The perpetrators must be fished out and prosecuted.”The situation is unthinkable.

“In a modern world when we are meant to live together as brothers, people will have the mind to invade and attack a community beheading them. Again, it’s quite painful. My prayer is for God’s quick intervention, so that this thing will stop,” Ekumankama said.

January 30, 2026
Lawyers protest unpaid debts to local contractors

Approximately 500 lawyers, organised under the Concerned Lawyers for Probity and Justice, demonstrated at the Federal Ministry of Finance on Friday in solidarity with indigenous contractors owed an estimated ₦4 trillion for completed capital projects.

The group, collaborating with the Enough is Enough Movement and the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria (AICAN), alleged selective payments and favoritism.

The action follows repeated protests by contractors in recent weeks, including blockades of the ministry’s entrance that prevented the Minister of State for Finance from accessing her office.

Contractors claim that despite partial disbursements after demonstrations in December 2025, the majority of verified debts remain unsettled, exacerbating financial hardship.

The lawyers, in a statement, described the situation as causing widespread distress among contractors and their families.

The statement signed by Barrister Precious Isi Okoh highlighted cases where individuals who borrowed at high interest rates to fund projects now face asset seizures by banks, including homes and vehicles, leading to family disruptions and severe economic strain.

Okoh emphasised the broader impact, noting that stalled payments have resulted in job losses for thousands of workers in construction and related sectors, reduced local economic activity, and hindered national development.

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He added: “Contractors who borrowed from banks at high interest rates to fund these projects now face relentless loan defaults, with banks seizing homes, vehicles, and other assets.

“Wives and children watch their breadwinners sink into despair, some pushed to the brink of mental breakdown or worse.

“Entire households have been uprooted, dreams shattered, and futures stolen—all because payments promised and earned have not been made.

“Beyond individual suffering, the ripple effects cripple our national economy. These contractors employ thousands of workers—masons, engineers, labourers—who depend on steady contracts for survival.

“When payments stall, jobs vanish, purchasing power drops, local markets suffer, and economic growth grinds to a halt. A nation that starves its own builders starves itself of progress.”

The lawyers cited constitutional provisions to support their position.

“Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) requires the State to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power—yet withholding earned payments from citizens who delivered is a clear abuse that breeds distrust and hardship,” the statement read.

“Section 16(2)(b) further obliges the State to manage resources for the maximum welfare and happiness of every citizen—payments to these contractors would inject vital capital back into the economy, supporting families and fuelling development.”

They called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene directly to ensure accountability and prompt full release of verified funds.

The lawyers warned that without swift action, they would pursue legal remedies, including court enforcement of contractual rights and public interest litigation as well as seek international monitoring of the payment process.

January 30, 2026
FCT workers appeal Industrial Court ruling, resume strike

The workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) yesterday resumed the indefinite strike they began on January 19 over unresolved welfare issues.

The development was in compliance with the JUAC directive to the workers to stay at home.

The action followed the appeal of the ruling of the National Industrial Court on January 27, which directed the workers to suspend the strike and adjourned the matter to March 23.

The union filed the appeal against the decision of the court through its lead counsel Femi Falana, SAN.

Following the ruling, Mrs Nancy Nathan, acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCTA, had directed all FCT workers to resume work on Wednesday.

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike equally warned that there would be consequences for any worker who refused to resume.

Wike assured the workers that the FCTA was open to reasonable negotiation, adding however that the majority of their demands had been addressed. However, consequent on the appeal of the industrial court ruling, the Secretary of JUAC, Abdullahi Saleh, in a circular on Wednesday, told the workers that the strike would continue from yesterday.

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He urged the workers to stay at home and pray for the success of the strike, stressing that the struggle demands unity, discipline and commitment.

He recalled that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had, in a joint communique issued on January 28, asked the FCT workers to defend their rights with courage and dignity.

The labour unions argued that the order of interlocutory injunction obtained by Wike and the FCTA was against the President of JUAC, Mrs Rifkatu Iortyer and Saleh, and not the trade unions.

In a communique signed by NLC acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, and TUC Secretary General, Nuhu Toro, the unions insisted that the strike continues until Wike negotiates with the FCT workers.

January 30, 2026
Firm offers free medical outreach in Ondo

As part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Osemawe of Ondo Town, Oba Festus Ibidapo Adedisewo Adesanoye (Osungbedelola II), a free medical outreach was organised for residents of Ondo, Ondo State.

The event, sponsored by Veleta Sparkling Fruit Wine and Teezers brands of Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL), provided free health care to 350 residents, in line with the late monarch’s legacy of service and community development.

Services offered included blood pressure and blood sugar checks, BMI and nutritional assessments, malaria screening, eye examinations, PSA screening for men over 40, health counselling and the dispensing of essential medications.

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According to the Brand Manager, Wines and Bitters, IDL, Celestine Anyanwu, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to impactful corporate social responsibility and preventive healthcare.

“At Intercontinental Distillers Limited, we believe that meaningful corporate social responsibility should address real needs within our communities. This medical outreach aligns with our values and with the enduring legacy of Oba F.I.A. Adesanoye, whose reign was defined by service to the people. Through Veleta Sparkling Fruit Wine and Teezers, we are pleased to support an intervention that promotes preventive healthcare and improves quality of life,” he said.

Convener of the outreach, Princess Yewande Amos-Oluwole, described the programme as a tribute to her late father and thanked the companies for their support, noting that the partnership helped bring vital healthcare to the underserved members of the community.

January 30, 2026
Cult-suspects after my life, inspector petitions IG, Lagos CP

An Inspector Odekunle Najeem has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, and Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Moshood Jimoh, to save him from an eight-member cult gang led by a Constable.

In a petition, Najeem, who is serving at the Lagos State Command Monitoring Unit of the state Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, said the Constable vowed to kill him over the money he lent him.

In the petition, he wrote: “I lent him money when he was in need and gave him my motorbike which he is claiming thieves have stolen. I am not demanding replacement of the bike again, but he is insisting I must die. IGP and Lagos CP should save my life from this constable.”

The petition sighted by The Nation yesterday read in part: “I am appealing to the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Police Commissioner to save me from cultists in Mushin who have vowed to kill me. The gang comprising eight members, led by a Police Constable, on Sunday, January 25 made frantic efforts to kill me.’’

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“Eight of them on three motorbikes on Sunday, January 25, 2026 made frantic efforts to kill me, as they pursued me, carrying pistols, axes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. They carried pistols, axes, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons.

Though they were unsuccessful in their attempt on my life that night, they broke the windscreen of my car, a grey Toyota Camry, with registration number MUS 181 KA.’’

Odekunle explained the issue started when the constable in August, last year approached him for financial support to get an accommodation at the police barracks, which he rendered, noting: “When it was clear he was not getting the accommodation again, I said he should transfer the money back as I, too, had needed it. He did and I gave him N50,000 out of the money.”

Odekunle said: “The constable, alongside seven other cultist-suspects on the said date and about 2155hours, pursued me on three bikes, the constable was on a bike with a rider, while six others mounted the remaining two, as I was driving towards Vono area. I noticed the three motorbikes were trailing me right from Olorunshogo junction where I came out in front of GTBank.

“ I saw the occupants of two of the two bikes trailing me were wearing masks, but the constable, who rode another bike, which made me see him clearly enough.

“I didn’t branch to Palm Avenue where I was actually going to buy pieces of meat; I faced Oshodi straight and branched into Vono Road, Mushin and packed there. Just a few seconds after packing, I saw just two of the bikes, with six hooded gang members coming in my direction.

“They didn’t fire a single shot. Convinced they were actually after me, as they entered the same street where I had parked, I rushed inside my car and drove off, but I was not fast enough, which made them catch up with me, and they smashed my car windscreen. They were carrying axes and pistols.

“After my escape, I called the constable, but he refused to pick the call. He called me back later, saying he missed my calls, but I told him pointedly he did not miss my calls, but had just refused to pick them. The following day when I saw him pass by the barracks entrance gate, I confronted and accused him. He denied being involved in such and made up excuses. He also said he was not the one I saw on bike among those trailing me the day earlier.

That same night, I went straight to Olosan Police Division to relay my experience to the Divisional Police Officer, as he, who led the gang, was serving under him. He refused to call him and said I should not worry, noting that I was not the target of any cultist-suspects, and must have mistaken their intention.

“But I know he was leading those trailing me the night of January 25, 2026. I also know he has some axe to grind with me,” Najeem said.

January 30, 2026
Alcohol in sachet ban: Producing firms not shut, says NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared that it has not shut any alcohol-producing company in enforcing the ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, in line with a recent resolution of the Nigerian Senate.

NAFDAC said the enforcement directive, backed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is part of efforts to protect public health, particularly children, adolescents and young adults, from the harmful use of alcohol.

Addressing concerns surrounding the action, the Director-General(DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said: “NAFDAC did not close down any company that makes alcohol. The agency only banned alcohol in sachets and small containers less than 200ml”.

In a statement, the DG explained that the policy was designed as a public health intervention rather than a punitive measure, saying, “This ban is not punitive; it is protective. It is aimed at safeguarding the health and future of our children and youth by not allowing alcohol in small pack sizes.

“The decision is rooted in scientific evidence and public health considerations. We cannot continue to sacrifice the well-being of Nigerians for economic gain. The health of a nation is its true wealth.”

Adeyeye noted that the availability of high-alcohol-content drinks in sachets and small containers has contributed to alcohol misuse among minors and some commercial drivers.

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“This public health menace has been linked to increased incidences of domestic violence, road accidents, school dropouts, and social vices across communities,” she said.

She added that labelling such products as not for children was ineffective, stressing, “Placing a label to read ‘not for children’ on the sachets and the small containers will not work.

“It cannot be enforced because of the peculiarity of the society. Many parents don’t know their children take alcohol in sachets because the pack size can be easily concealed and the sachet is cheap,”

Adeyeye recalled that manufacturers had been granted a moratorium since 2018 to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging.

“History of six years of moratorium given to manufacturers to reconfigure their product lines: In December 2018, NAFDAC, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) to phase out sachet and small-volume alcohol packaging by January 31, 2024.

“The moratorium was later extended to December 2025 to allow industry operators to exhaust old stock and reconfigure production lines,” she said.

Noting that the Senate resolution aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the World Health Assembly Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, the DG asserted, “The ban on sachet packaging and PET bottles less than 200 ml is to make it difficult for children to get to alcohol and its consumption.

“NAFDAC approves alcohol in bigger pack sizes. The small size of the sachet makes it easier for underage users to conceal from parents and teachers.”

The DG emphasised that the regulation applies only to sachets and alcohol packaged in containers below 200ml, urging manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to comply fully.

She declared that no further extension would be granted beyond last December, while adding that NAFDAC would continue public sensitisation efforts in collaboration with relevant government bodies.

January 30, 2026
NAFRC prepares 718 soldiers for retirement

The Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi has started a six-month intensive training for 718 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs).

This training, which would run till June, will equip the participating soldiers with entrepreneurial and business management skills, as well as bring them up to speed with relevant technologies in their chosen areas of specialty to enable them to function optimally and be financially independent.

Inaugurating the course, NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Nnaemeka Ilo, charged the participating soldiers to maintain discipline and respect the Nigerian Armed Forces social media policy.

He urged them to embrace learning and adaptability as they prepare for life after active military service.

AVM Ilo described the course as competitive and prestigious, adding that it was designed to equip personnel with relevant skills for post-service survival and prosperity.

He explained that the course will feature a blend of theory and practice focused on entrepreneurship, self-reliance, job creation and sustainable living.

According to him, feedback from past participants showed that many graduates of the centre had gone on to become successful entrepreneurs across diverse sectors of the economy, expressing confidence that the current participants would equally emerge competitive and productive in the open market.

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He cautioned the participants against underestimating the realities of civil life, describing it as largely unstructured and fiercely competitive when compared to the regimented military environment. Stressing the importance of emotional intelligence and self-control, AVM Ilo advised them to prepare mentally for the differences in work culture, time management and interpersonal relations outside the military.

Continuing, he admonished the participants to see the course as an investment in their families and themselves, reminding them that they had given over 30 years of their lives to serving the country selflessly.

He underscored the importance of dedication, diligence and effective time management, noting that optimal use of the training period would largely determine individual success in retirement.

During an interview with reporters, the Commandant reiterated that efforts had been intensified to modernise training facilities through the introduction of technology and basic Artificial intelligence modules.

He explained that while AI is being introduced in phases due to the age of the participants, it would eventually become a full course for future intakes as part of efforts to align NAFRC with international best practices.

Earlier, the Director of Training, Brig. -Gen. Isang Akpaumontia, said 823 participants were posted for the course, comprising 523 personnel from the Nigerian Army (NA) , 122 from the Nigerian Navy (NN)and 178 from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

Of this number, he said 718 participants were medically screened and certified fit, documented and accommodated, while 85 were declared unfit and returned to their units for further treatment.

He assured that arrangements had been made to complete the documentation and biometric capture of the affected personnel ahead of graduation.

Brig.-Gen. Akpaumontia reiterated that NAFRC is a world-class institution dedicated to entrepreneurship and management training, as well as consultancy services, aimed at ensuring a seamless reintegration of personnel into contemporary civil society after decades of meritorious service.

He reminded participants that the course was fully residential, urging them to uphold conducts befitting their ranks as senior representatives of their respective services.

January 30, 2026
Two arraigned over protest in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday arraigned activists Comrade Hassan Taiwo, popularly known as Soweto, and Dele Frank before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court over their alleged involvement in a protest against illegal demolitions and forcible evictions.

The duo were arrested on Wednesday following a protest at the state House of Assembly.

They were arraigned on a five-count charge: conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, threats, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and singing abusive songs against the police and the state government.

Police Prosecuting counsel, Anthony Ihiehie, told the court that Soweto, Frank and others still at large conspired and committed the alleged offences on January 28, this year, at Allen Avenue, Alausa and the House of Assembly premises.

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He further alleged that the defendants “threatened members of the public who refused to join the protest.”

The prosecutor also told the court that the defendants “blocked the highway with a vehicle carrying a public address system and sang abusive songs against the police and the state government with intent to provoke and tarnish the image of the government.”

According to him, the alleged offences contravened sections 411, 56, 57 and 57(c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Both defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A drama, however, ensued during their arraignments when Ihiehie objected to the appearance of human rights lawyer Femi Falana, (SAN) for the defendants.

Ihiehie told the court that an Oyo State High Court judgment delivered in 2025 barred Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from appearing in lower courts.

Falana dismissed the objection, saying, “Section 36(6)(c) of the Constitution gives every defendant the right to be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice.”

“The case cited by the police is from Oyo State. The police are not with the laws of Lagos State,” he added.

Falana further argued that Lagos State laws expressly permit SANs to appear before Magistrates’ Courts.

“Section 9 of the Lagos Magistrates’ Court Law provides that all legal practitioners called to the Bar, regardless of title or rank, can appear in any Magistrates’ Court in the state,” he said.

He urged the court to discountenance the police’s objection, describing it as “an attempt to obstruct and delay the proceedings.”

The activist also recalled that in a 2016 case, he appeared before the same court alongside another SAN, Olumide Fusika, against the same police counsel without any objection.

In her ruling, Magistrate Mrs I.O. Alaka agreed with Falana.

“I am in agreement with the submission of the learned Silk that the rank of SAN is not a restriction. All lawyers can appear in all courts,” the magistrate held.

Following the ruling, Falana applied for bail for the defendants on liberal terms.

“These charges are completely illegal as they violate Sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution on freedom of expression and assembly.

“They have been detained since yesterday with no contact with the outside world. They need to go home and change. They have been injured.

“I urge the court to release them to me. I know them; they are responsible Nigerians,” Falana added.

Ihiehie opposed the bail application saying: “As much as bail is free, if the court grants them bail, these young men may go back and block the National Assembly.”

“We are pleading with the court to grant them bail on conditions that will make them recognise the seriousness of the case and ensure they appear in court,” he said.

Ruling on the application, Magistrate Alaka granted the defendants bail of N200,000 each with two responsible sureties in like sum.

After the ruling, Falana took responsibility for the defendants’ appearance in court.

“I want to undertake that the defendants be released to me, and I am undertaking to produce them tomorrow morning, so they can meet their bail conditions.

“My learned friend can attest that I have never broken my word,” Falana said.

Ihiehie said he was not aware of that.

The Magistrate then questioned Falana, if he attested to knowing the defendants.

“Yes, my lord. I am the one that intervened between them and the police, so the rally could hold yesterday,” he said.

Magistrate Alaska subsequently released the defendants to Falana.

“I release them to the learned Silk. I am very sure the learned Silk understands the consequences of this ruling?”.

Falana responded: “Of course, my lord.”

Magistrate Alaska has adjourned the case to March 3, this year, for mention

January 30, 2026
Firm, director acquitted of N964m fraud

An Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday discharged and acquitted a company, Purple Prime Limited and its Director, Adebowale Johnson, of alleged N964 million fraud involving a second generation bank (names withheld).

The trial judge, Justice Ismail Ijelu, held that the prosecution failed to establish a criminal liability case against the defendants. Justice Ijelu faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for failing to prove the offences of conspiracy and stealing against the defendants.

The judge held that the evidence presented by the prosecuting agency fell short of the standard required by law.

Justice Ijelu held that the prosecution relied on the movement of funds through various accounts without establishing unlawful appropriation, criminal intent, or a meeting of minds between the defendants.

The court further observed that bureau de change operators who testified before the court acted as neutral intermediaries in the ordinary course of business and were not shown to have conspired with the defendants.

The judge held that tracing funds to accounts linked to the defendants only established financial movement and does not amount to proof of stealing or conspiracy.

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Justice Ijelu further held that conspiracy cannot be inferred from mere association or commercial transactions, adding that there must be credible evidence of a shared criminal intention and coordinated action, which was absent in the prosecution’s case.

The court held that the EFCC failed to present digital forensic evidence, communication records, or corroborated extra-judicial statements capable of establishing coordinated planning among the defendants.

Justice Ijelu also noted that some individuals allegedly involved in the transaction chain were neither arrested nor charged.

According to the court, the evidence before it exposed weaknesses in the internal controls and safeguards of the bank, rather than deliberate criminal conduct by the defendants.

Justice Ijelu held that the EFCC failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and, accordingly, discharged and acquitted Purple Prime Limited and Adebowale Johnson of the charges.

The EFCC had, on November 23, 2024 filed a 14-count charge against the defendants, accusing them of conspiring to steal ₦964 million from the bank through online banking and ATM fraud.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

During the trial, the prosecution called four witnesses and tendered documents, all of which were admitted in evidence.

January 30, 2026