Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of N12.18b Property Linked To Godwin Emefiele

The court has decreed the permanent forfeiture of a property valued at N12.18 billion associated with former CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the ultimate forfeiture order following a court session where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by lawyer Chineye Okezie, presented and discussed a motion. The properties, situated in highly sought-after locations within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja, were included in two separate listings. Justice Aneke directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper to give all concerned parties the opportunity to challenge the final order. On June 21, when the court resumed proceedings, there were no parties present to contest the temporary order. After carefully examining a detailed 41-paragraph affidavit presented by EFCC Investigating Officer Michael John Idoko, along with the 19 accompanying exhibits and a written address signed by Okezie, Justice Aneke approved the application. The judge said, “Having carefully considered the application and submission of counsel, it is hereby ordered as follows: a final forfeiture order is made forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, properties contained in Schedule A, which were traced and reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”

Fake Aso Rock Official Arrested For Employment Scam 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its operatives have arrested a fake official of the State House in Abuja and other suspects for employment scam. Disclosing this in a statement on Friday, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were nabbed for alleged criminal conspiracy, false representation and employment scam. He identified the culprits as Augustine Enamegbai Umogboi, Eleojo Josephine Idakwo, Kingsley Onuh. While Umogboi claimed to be a former Aso Rock staff, Idakwo claimed to be a fake staff of the Ministry of Information in the Registry Unit, while Onuh was said to have concluded his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). “The suspects were arrested separately following investigation on petitions by various victims who were promised jobs as “Directors General” at the Ministry of Communication, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC and other ministries,” the statement read. “Others are Omata Sunday and Eljayon Nigeria Limited, one of the companies whose bank account they were using to get money from their victims. Besides, they had different account numbers of different banks through which they were receiving the money amounting to N22,350,000:00k (Twenty Two million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only, from different victims. “Umogboi was arrested on June 16, 2024, Idakwo was arrested on April 30, 2024, while Onuh was arrested on April 3, 2024. Many victims narrated their bitter experiences in a series of petitions written to the EFCC.”

US Supreme Court stops citizens’ right to sue over foreign spouses’ visa denials

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled against the constitutional rights of the U.S. citizens to sue over visa denial for their foreign spouses. According to Reuters, the judgment means that the constitutional rights of US citizens are not violated when the government bars their non-citizen spouses from entering the country without explanation. The court disclosed this in a 6-3 verdict in the case between the Department of State v. Sandra Munoz, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 23-334. Munoz, a U.S. citizen and civil rights lawyer can not challenge the U.S. Department of State’s denial of her El Salvadoran husband’s visa application after the agency waited three years to explain that it suspected him of being a gang member. Munoz and her husband, whom she married in 2010 and with whom she has a child, have been separated since 2015, according to court filings. Historically, in the US, visa denials are not reviewable in court unless the government violates an applicant’s constitutional rights in the process. The Supreme Court on Friday rejected Munoz’s claim that the delay in explaining the denial violated her due process rights by interfering with her fundamental right to marry. Her claim “involves more than marriage and more than spousal cohabitation — it includes the right to have her noncitizen husband enter (and remain in) the United States,” Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote for the court. The ruling reverses a 2022 decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals revived Munoz’s lawsuit against the State Department. The Immigration Reform Law Institute, a conservative group that filed a brief backing the State Department, praised the ruling. “To hold for this couple would let those Americans who choose to marry dangerous aliens force their choice on the rest of us,” Dale Wilcox, the group’s executive director and general counsel, said in a statement. Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, gave a dissent verdict on the matter. “There is no question that excluding a citizen’s spouse burdens her right to marriage, and that burden requires the Government to provide at least a factual basis for its decision”, Sotomayor wrote.

CAF Announces New Dates for AFCON, WAFCON

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the new dates for the CAF TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. The CAF executive committee confirmed the dates during a meeting on Friday and published on its official website. AFCON will take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The Women’s tournament, originally scheduled for this year, has been rescheduled to July 5 to July 26, 2025. CAF President Patrice Motsepe explained that the delay in announcing the dates was due to the crowded global football calendar. Despite the delay, Motsepe expressed optimism about the tournaments in Morocco, anticipating they will be the best in the continent’s history. “The announcement of the dates for the CAF TotalEnergies AFCON Morocco 2025 took longer than expected due to complex and challenging discussions with various stakeholders, considering the extensive International and Domestic Match Calendars,” Motsepe stated. “CAF is dedicated to protecting and advancing the interests of African players competing in clubs across Europe and worldwide. We are also committed to fostering beneficial relationships with the ECA, UEFA, other Football Confederations, and FIFA. We will continue to make significant progress in developing African football to ensure it is globally competitive and among the best in the world,” he added.

BREAKING: NFIU Alerts Banks, Others As ‘Scammers’ Devise New Method To Claim Funds From Abroad

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has issued a warning regarding scams involving tracing and recovering digital wire transfers from international banks into local accounts. In a June 2024 report, the NFIU mentioned its dedication to offering prompt advice or guidance to its partners using a method grounded in real-life examples. The agency’s report offers detailed insights into the latest trends, recurring patterns, questionable behaviours, and techniques aimed at taking advantage of the financial system for illegal and fraudulent purposes. The NFIU indicated that its research points to a growing problem of fraudulent petitions that target the tracing and recovery of funds supposedly sent from foreign banks to local ones. This issue, it said, poses a significant risk to the intended victims, Financial Institutions, Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), and other governmental bodies. “This advisory became necessary due to numerous petitions received by the NFIU from financial institutions, government agencies, and other third parties seeking assistance towards the tracing and recovery of funds transferred from foreign entities to their business partners in Nigeria. “The advisory aims to draw the attention of relevant stakeholders and the general public to the red flags as well as the emerging trends that have been observed, most especially the use of forged documents by fraudsters to defraud unsuspecting members of the public,” the NFIU report stated. The agency reported receiving numerous false petitions, including one where a law firm represented a non-governmental organization (NGO) and requested the NFIU and other related authorities to locate and reclaim €30 billion (Thirty Billion Euros) that had been moved from an international bank to a Nigerian bank, alleging that the funds were frozen by a Nigerian financial institution. According to NFIU, the NGO intended to use the funds for investments in the property sector. The NFIU also mentioned that a law firm had submitted a petition on behalf of its client to trace and recover €6 billion (Six Billion Euros) that had been transferred from international banks to the client’s Nigerian bank account. In response, the NFIU urged financial institutions and the public to remain cautious and to follow guidelines that would help protect crucial documents from being easily accessed to prevent their misuse in similar petitions. It said, “The public should exercise some level of scepticism when dealing with telegraphic transfer documents from major European banks as nearly all frivolous claims emanate from same jurisdictions and banks abroad.” In its recommendations to banks, NFIU said, “Upon receipt of a letter from a customer anticipating huge inflow, evidenced by the usual Telex copy, the financial institution should immediately conduct Enhanced Due Diligence, sufficient to establish authenticity or otherwise of the document presented. “Where issues of forgery are suspected, the financial institution must take steps to quickly respond in writing to the letter from the customer, clearly stating the non-existence of such pending transaction of funds. “This action must be taken immediately upon receipt of the complaint by the bank to avoid their use of the acknowledgement of the letters for fraudulent purposes. “Financial Institutions are advised to immediately file Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) on any entity or individual who presents such frivolous claims to the NFIU.” It advised the public to be “Aware of the threat posed by fraudulent individuals and their fictitious telegraphic inflows whilst noting the listed red flags as well as the mode of operations contained in this document. “The public must also take necessary steps geared towards scrutinizing potential business opportunities before committing financial resources. “The public should recognize the imminent risk of making investment on the strength of unverifia

PSC asks police to provide evidence of corruption in recruitment exercise

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has asked the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to provide evidence that the recent constable recruitment exercise was marred by corruption. In a statement on Friday, Ikechukwu Ani, PSC spokesperson, said NPF does not respect the commission’s mandate to recruit personnel for the police. The NPF had said the recruitment exercise was marred by gratification and irregularities. “The Commission demands that the Police should provide verifiable evidence to prove the allegations peddled against it as it is obvious that it is a case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it,” the statement reads.

IGP Egbetokun Reacts To Call For His Sack By President Tinubu

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has reacted to the calls for him to be sacked by President Bola Tinubu, saying those making the call were entitled to their opinion. The IGP on Thursday, during a meeting with commanders in Abuja, said those calling for his sack are entitled to their opinion and he won’t respond to the calls. He added that he has no problem with those calling for his sack from office as everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Egbetokun, said, “I won’t respond to a call for my removal. Anybody can call for my removal. “Anybody who doesn’t like me can come out tomorrow and say, remove the IG. That’s not a problem. We are all entitled to our opinion.”

New Minimum Wage:We Are Ready To Make Sacrifices, Pay ₦150,000-Sen Wadada tells Tinubu

The lawmaker representing Nasarawa West zone, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, has called on President Bola Tinubu to approve at least ₦150,000 as the new national minimum wage. Wadda made the call while speaking with newsmen in the Keffi local government area (LGA) of Nassarawa State. The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP) chieftain asserted that the economic situation in the country is the reason he is making such a demand. His words: “I have expressed my opinion in the past on the issue, and I am going to reiterate it here. “For me as a person, the minimum a worker should earn is N150,000, looking at the realities of today.” Speaking further, Wadada stated that he and other lawmakers were willing to make sacrifices in terms of reduction of their remunerations and allowances just to ensure Nigerian workers earned decent monthly salaries. He added: “At worst, it should be higher than what the government is currently offering.” Nigerian workers, under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are waiting on the federal government and national assembly to meet their demand on the proposed minimum wage. It is yet to be seen if the government and labour will come to an agreement soon.

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, May Move For Negotiation With FG

Leader of the indigenous people of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu has through his lawyer told Justice Binta Nyako of the federal high court that he will under section 17 of the Federal High Court Act seek negotiations with the federal government. Lead counsel to Mr Kanu, Alloy Ejimakor made this known in open court after he moved two applications brought before the court. The first application is to move form 49 and an application objecting to the jurisdiction of the court. Mr Ejimakor says if the applications are denied they will move for the implementation of section 17 of the Federal High Court Act. Responding to this counsel to the federal government Adegboyega Awomolo told the court that he had earlier informed the defendant that he does not have the powers to negotiate on behalf of the federal government, the fiat given to him does not empower him to negotiate. The defendant should approach the Attorney General of the federation. The form 49 application is a contempt charge against the DSS for failing to obey the orders of the court, granting Mr Kanu unfettered access to his lawyers which the DSS has failed to comply with. The second application is challenging the remaining 7 count charge retained by the court after it had struck 8 count out of the 15. Justice Nyako held that she could not overrule herself, the defendant should go on appeal.

I left Nigeria better than I met it – Obasanjo

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that his administration was one of the best the country has had so far. Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, yesterday, June 18, at the Safe Online Youth Fellowship Bootcamp organised by NerdzFactory Company, supported by Meta at the Youth Development Centre, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL). He recalled landmark achievements his administration recorded while in office between 1999 and 2007. He said he was responsible for setting Nigeria free from the bondage of immense debt, adding that he takes pride in the celebration of the 25 years an uninterrupted democracy, which started during his reign as democratic ruler in 1999. He said: “When I came in as elected President, I wanted to get debt relief because we were spending $3.5 billion every year servicing debt and the quantum of the debt was not going down. Today, I can say that I made Nigeria better than I found it from an economic perspective. “I found $3.7 billion in the reserves and we were spending $3.5 billion to service our debt. By the time I left, we had a debt of about $36 billion with the debt relief, and I left with a debt of $3.6 billion. Also, I left a reserve of over $50 billion. I also achieved excess crude for the country worth over $25 billion.”