Author: Amina Mohammed

Human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, over allegations of defaming the character of renowned legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN. Farotimi, who was arrested in Lagos on Tuesday by operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command, arrived at the court on Wednesday morning around 10:25 am. The activist is facing a 16-count charge of defamation stemming from allegations that he maligned Babalola’s reputation in his recently published book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The charges accuse Farotimi of making statements in the book…

The Nigerian Bar Association has called for the release of Human Rights Lawyer, Dele Farotimi over allegations of libel levelled against him. A statement by the President, NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) on Wednesday, said his arrest was a breach of the rule of law. The statement said, “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is gravely concerned about the arrest of Dele Farotimi on allegations of libel, as well as the reported invasion of his law firm and the harassment of lawyers and staff within the premises. These actions constitute a troubling breach of the rule of law and the sanctity…

Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), along with his associates, has allegedly been linked to the ownership of an estate comprising 753 duplexes and apartments recently seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lokogoma, Abuja. A court affidavit filed by the EFCC revealed details implicating Emefiele and his associates in the ownership of the estate. The affidavit, sworn by Idi Musa, an investigating officer with the EFCC, was submitted in support of an application for the final forfeiture of the property, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on 21…

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to forgive and reconcile with former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola. The monarch made the appeal when he received in his palace, the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, and the Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FERMA, Chukwuemeka Agbasi and their team in his palace. Goronyo and Agbasi were on a two-day working tour of facilities and commissioning of projects in Lagos State. Meanwhile, Aregbesola has said that the goal of the Omoluabi Progressives Caucus, a splinter group within the Osun State chapter of the…

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a lodger, Gideon Ebukwe by yet-to-be-identified gunmen at Ok Winners Hotel, Igbosoro, Igode in the Sagamu Local Government area of the state. The police public relations officer Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Abeokuta, the state capital. According to her Ebukwe was shot dead while trying to escape when he came under attack by gunmen who stormed the hotel where he lodged as a guest. It was learnt that despite breaking into the ceiling of the hotel to escape from the assailants, the gunmen still gunned…

Crystal Palace captain, Marc Guéhi, is under scrutiny from the Football Association after writing another “Jesus loves you” on his rainbow armband during a match against Ipswich Town on Tuesday. The England international had similarly inscribed “I love Jesus” on his armband in the previous game against Newcastle, prompting the FA to remind Guéhi and his club of regulations prohibiting religious messages under Rule A4. Despite the warning, he repeated the gesture against Ipswich, adding a heart symbol instead of the word “love.” The FA is investigating the incident, with reports suggesting that Guéhi could face disciplinary action, including a…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has dismantled a makeshift factory in the Oke Arin market, Lagos Island, where counterfeit alcoholic beverages were being illegally produced. According to a statement via X on Tuesday, the agency, acting on a complaint, conducted a raid that led to the arrest of three men and the seizure of counterfeit drinks, empty bottles, and packaging materials. According to NAFDAC, the seized products, which included fake versions of popular alcoholic brands, were valued at over ₦180 million. The main suspect, Mr. Tochukwu Henry, confessed to refilling bottles labelled as Rémy Martin…

The Executive Director of the Centre for Free Speech, Richard Akinnola has condemned the arrest of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi by operatives of the Nigerian police. The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, had said that Farotimi was arrested for various alleged offences. He said that the offences committed included “defamation of character, cyberstalking, and other things. But those two are fully established”. While condemning the arrest, Akinnola, a journalist and lawyer said whoever feels maligned should seek redress in court rather than using police to harass critics. He wrote “Last week, l was at a…

The Senate has passed the 2024 – 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) for implementation by the Federal Government. The passage followed the presentation of a report by the chairman of the Joint Committees on Finance and National Planning & Economic Affairs presented by Sen. Musa, Mohammed Sani (Niger East). The senate also tasked its Committees on Finance and Petroleum as well as Gas to investigate allegations of withheld funds by the NNPC, including NGN 8.48 trillion in petrol subsidies, and $2 billion (NGN 3.6 trillion) in unpaid taxes. The allegation was highlighted by reports from…

Rosemary Oromoni, the mother of Sylvester Oromoni, the Dowen College student who tragically passed away in 2021, has passed away. A family source revealed that she succumbed to an intermittent blood pressure-related illness in late November. Her death follows a difficult period for the Oromoni family, particularly after a special court ruling in April 2024 cleared Dowen College and its staff of any responsibility in Sylvester’s death. Sylvester, a 12-year-old, died on November 30, 2021, in a case that attracted widespread attention after his parents accused the school of bullying and poisoning him. Initial investigations suggested chemical intoxication as the…