….Orders Investigation into Oyo Tragic Traffic Incident‎‎

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun has condemned the recent unprovoked attacks on police operatives in the early hours of Monday, 20th May 2025, at Okhuimwun Community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.‎‎

In a press statement made available to Ohibaba.com, and signed by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, ‎Force public relations officer, ‎at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, ‎on the 21st May, 2025, the IGP also condemned the alleged killing of an SSCE student by police personnel in Ibadan.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the unprovoked attack on police operatives in the early hours of Monday, 20th May 2025, at Okhuimwun Community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

‎‎The operatives, who are members of the Force Intelligence Department – Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), were in transit from Lagos through Edo State when they encountered a mob that had blocked the road immediately after the University of Benin (UNIBEN) axis.

The mob, in an unlawful display of aggression, descended on the officers with stones, sticks, and other dangerous objects, inflicting serious injuries on two police personnel.

‎‎It is noteworthy that despite the provocation and threat to life, the officers exercised commendable restraint by not resorting to the use of force.

The injured officers are currently receiving medical attention and are in stable condition.

‎‎The Nigeria Police Force warns against acts of lawlessness and unprovoked aggression against its personnel who are committed to maintaining law and order and hereby assure the public that investigations have commenced, and appropriate legal actions will be taken against those found culpable.

‎‎In a separate development, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered a comprehensive investigation into a tragic incident in Oyo State involving personnel of the Oyo State Police Command and the Oyo State Traffic Management Authority (OYTMA), which led to the unfortunate demise of a 14-year-old boy, Kehinde Alade.‎‎

The Inspector-General of Police condemned the incident and assured that the officer involved in the shooting has been taken into custody while a full-scale investigation is underway.

He equally reiterated that the process will be transparent, and its findings will be made public to ensure justice is duly served as he expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased young man.

‎‎The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to the protection of lives and property and urges citizens to remain law-abiding and to channel grievances through lawful and peaceful means.‎‎‎

The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has continued with Justice James Omotosho sounding a note of warning against Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the defence team and others that are in the habit of posting live stream and Court documents on the social media.
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‎This comes on a day that the defense team continued with the cross examination of the government’s second witness, code named BBB in the ongoing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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‎The day’s proceedings began with lead counsel for the defence, Kanu Agabi, informing the Court of a letter by the lead counsel for the prosecution, Adegboyega Awomolo dated 14 May about illegal live streaming of court proceedings.
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‎He recommended that phones be banned from the courtroom. He laments the action of Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the defense team who posts misleading information on social media. He says the case is too serious for anyone to trivialise in the manner that it’s being done.
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‎In his intervention, Justice James Omotosho said he granted an accelerated hearing of the case in the interest of all parties, particularly for Nnamdi Kanu who has been in custody for too long.
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‎The judge charged all parties in the case to act professionally to ensure progress. He further warned Aloy Ejimakor to stop such conduct that may warrant the disbarring of a lawyer.
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‎Justice Omotosho therefore charged all parties in the case to avoid acts that amount to misconduct and watch what they post on social media.
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‎The actual case continued with the cross examination of Mr BBB (a personnel of the DSS) by Paul Erokoro who conducted proceedings on behalf of the defence.
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‎On whether the DSS can be influenced by politicians or ministers, the witness stated that the Agency is under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). He also clarified that the Attorney General does not teleguide the operations of the DSS.
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‎Asked on the mode of intelligence gathering by the DSS, the witness noted that the sources are many, including human, social media, among others.
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‎BBB further says owing to their mode of training, DSS operatives have the capacity to get information where necessary.
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‎Probed further, the witness said he was told by Nnamdi Kanu that he was ‘kidnapped’ from Kenya and returned to Nigeria in 2021. On allegations that the DSS carried out the act, Mr BBB stated that the agency lacks the powers to effect arrest beyond Nigeria’s borders.
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‎The witness therefore restated that Kanu, via his Radio Biafra broadcasts, incited violence, including during the ENDSARS protests in 2020. The witness adds that the defendant expressed readiness to make Biafra possible, by all means, including war.
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‎Mr BBB stressed that the inciting comments made by the IPOB leader led to the burning of a police station in Ebonyi State, a Lagos State High Court, and the cargo shed of the Murtala Mohammed Airport.
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‎The witness said the casualties from the inciting comments made by Kanu include an army couple killed and beheaded in Orlu by persons believed to be members of the ESN the military wing of IPOB. Another was a retired judge, Stephen Nnaji.
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‎At some point during cross examination, Paul Erokoro, sought adjournment, informing the Court that there is a video clip that the defense seeks to tender. He asked for some time to make that possible.
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‎Meanwhile, the Court admitted as evidence, certified true copies of judgments of three fundamental rights enforcement lawsuits instituted by Nnamdi Kanu.

These are those of the Abia State High Court of 19 January 2022, Federal High Court, Umuahia division delivered on 26 October, 2022 and another by the High Court of Enugu State, delivered on 26th October 2023.
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‎Justice James Omotosho subsequently adjourned the case till Thursday 22 May for the conclusion of the cross examination of the second prosecution witness.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered a bank account operated by a foreign national allegedly used to collect payments from Nigerians seeking to obtain a questionable six-week bachelor’s degree abroad.

The discovery was announced by ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, during a stakeholders’ advocacy event on asset tracing, recovery and management held Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), with support from the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

“Within some weeks, we were able to discover that a foreigner opened an account in Nigeria while Nigerian students were paying money into the account to obtain that six-week degree,” Aliyu revealed.

“We were able to track the account and obtain a civil forfeiture order. We have been trying to ensure that the culprits are brought to book, especially those that are beyond our shores.”

He called for greater synergy among anti-corruption agencies to ensure that perpetrators of financial crimes are not allowed to enjoy the proceeds of their actions.

Also at the event, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Dr. Abdullahi Bello, disclosed that an ongoing audit of over 10,000 public servants’ asset declarations has revealed that about 20 percent of them are false.

On a broader continental scale, the Director-General of GIABA, Edwin Harris, lamented the growing trend of illicit financial flows out of Africa.

Citing a report by former South African President Thabo Mbeki under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Harris noted that while $50 billion was previously estimated to be lost annually, the current figure now stands between $88 billion and $94 billion.

CeFTPI Executive Director, Umar Yakubu, said the event brought together key stakeholders from anti-graft institutions, civil society, the judiciary and international partners to develop innovative mechanisms for transparency, citizen engagement and accountability in asset recovery efforts.