Author: Festus Adeloye

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed that Ajetsibo Emami, who was convicted for unlawful dealing in illicit drugs, paid the ₦50 million fine imposed on him by the court as an alternative to serving a six-year prison sentence. According to the agency in an e-mail sent to our correspondent on Thursday , Emami was arrested on June 24, 2025, during a follow-up operation that stemmed from the seizure of 414.2 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of Cannabis sativa. The NDLEA said investigations linked Emami to the seized consignment, identifying him as its owner. Following the…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said it is unable to independently confirm whether convicted drug offender, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as “Warri Kinsman”, paid the ₦50 million fine imposed on him by the Federal High Court or remains in custody serving his sentence. The agency made the disclosure in response to an enquiry by TheScrutinyNG seeking clarification on Emami’s current status following his conviction in a drug trafficking case. Some sources who followed the development had claimed Ajetsibo, who is the younger brother of Ayiri Emami, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been…

Actor and entertainer Charles Okocha has dismissed claims by controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola Portable that he bit him during their celebrity boxing match, insisting the allegation is false and impossible. Speaking during a television interview circulating on social media, Okocha accused Portable of spreading false narratives about the bout, maintaining that he was wearing a mouthguard throughout the fight. According to Okocha, Portable had been telling people he bit him on the back during the contest, a claim he described as fabricated. “Portable has been going around telling people I bit him on the back. But I was wearing a…

A 25-year-old Nigerian student, Anderson Ishiekwene, has been sentenced to three years in prison in the UK and is likely to be deported after trying to meet a minor for sex. Based on a BBC report on Monday, Ishiekwene was picked up in Washington, England, after arranging to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The account was actually run by an online group that poses as children to catch paedophiles. Court documents showed Ishiekwene came to the UK on a student visa in August 2025 and lived in Sunderland. On January 2, he reached out to the profile…

The Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has criticised the proposed ₦50,000 penalty for preaching in commercial buses. Oyedepo says the Federal Government should prioritise tackling insecurity instead of regulating religious activities. Oyedepo made the remarks during a sermon at Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, amid growing public debate over the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The proposed amendment has attracted widespread reactions over a provision prescribing a fine for preaching in commercial vehicles. However, the Senate has maintained that the provision has existed since the FRSC Establishment Act was enacted in…

The Presidency has criticised Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, over his public comments on the recent closed-door meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), describing his account as inappropriate and a breach of the confidence expected from such engagements. In a statement issued on Saturday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said Onaiyekan’s decision to discuss the private meeting during an interview on ARISE NEWS amounted to an abuse of clerical privilege. “There is something fundamentally inappropriate about Cardinal John…

Franco Baresi has died at the age of 66, with AC Milan saying their former captain’s “example and integrity will be forever etched into the club’s DNA”. Baresi spent his entire 20-year playing career with the club from 1977 until he retired in 1997, winning six Serie A titles and three European Cups/Champions Leagues. Regarded as one of the greatest defenders to play the game, Baresi captained Milan for 15 seasons, making 719 appearances and scoring 33 goals. He was capped 81 times by Italy and was part of the squad which won the 1982 World Cup. He played in…

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has left the door open for future North Sea drilling as he confirmed he told Donald Trump “we can’t ignore” the resources there. The two leaders held a phone call on Mr Burnham’s first day in office, during which the US president said the new Prime Minister told him he would “open up North Sea oil”. Mr Burnham was asked during a visit to Barrow in Cumbria on Thursday whether Mr Trump was correct. “I indicated in the phone call that we had a week last Monday that I would take a pragmatic approach when…

Aziz Abdul, the grandson of former Ugandan President Idi Amin, was disqualified for headbutting his opponent during the Commonwealth boxing quarter-final bout on Wednesday. Taking a cue from his famous grandfather, who declared himself the “King of Scotland” in 1976 over his fascination for the Oscar-winning film, The Last King of Scotland, Aziz revealed his dream of becoming “the new king of Scotland” upon his arrival in Glasgow. However, his bid for Commonwealth boxing gold ended in shame after being jeered out of the ring during his match against England’s Damar Thomas in the super-heavyweight division. Aziz earned a standing count…

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has explained why he believes Nigeria Democratic Congress’s (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is currently the strongest contender ahead of the 2027 general election, while predicting defeat for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Speaking during an interview, Lawal said Obi’s leadership qualities and perceived fairness place him ahead of other potential presidential hopefuls. According to him, Obi would strive to be fair to all Nigerians and act in the country’s best interest if elected. “Peter Obi will try to be fair to everybody. Peter Obi will try to…