Author: Opalim Lifted

Conference League favourites Chelsea took control of their last-16 tie against Copenhagen with a narrow first-leg win in Denmark. After failing to register a first-half shot on target, Enzo Maresca’s side took the lead within a minute of the restart. Marc Cucurella, on for the injured Malo Gusto, ran down the left and pulled the ball back with captain Reece James scoring with a fine low strike from 30 yards out. Copenhagen almost equalised a few minutes later but Viktor Claesson’s angled strike bounced off the inside of the post and back into the hands of grateful Blues goalkeeper Robert…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the alleged money laundering case against former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, after testimonies from two witnesses. Fraud allegations amounting to N80.2 billion were instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Bello. When the matter was called on Thursday, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, called its witness on the subpoena, Williams Abimbola. Abimbola, a Compliant Officer with the United Bank for Africa Plc, confirmed to the court that a further subpoena was served on the bank. Justice Emeka Nwite admitted the subpoena and marked it ‘Exhibit…

The senate has suspended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, lawmaker representing Kogi central, for six months. The decision followed the adoption of the report by the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions, The committee, headed by Neda Imaseun, presented the panel’s report during plenary on Thursday. On Wednesday, Natasha ignored the committee’s invitation probing the altercation she had with Senate President Godswill Akpabio in February. The Panel’s Recommendation The senate approved the committee’s recommendation that Akpoti-Uduaghan should be suspended from all legislative activities effective immediately. Senate dismisses Akpoti’s sexual harassment petition against Akpabio The red chamber also approved that her office should…

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $1.4 million allegedly linked to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In a ruling delivered on Thursday by Ayokunle Faji held, the court held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully established that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities and must be forfeited to the federal government. The EFCC, represented by its counsel Bilkisu Bahri-Bala, told the court that $1,426,175.14 was found in an account belonging to Donatone Limited at Titan Trust Bank. The anti-graft agency said its investigations linked…

Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has adjourned the alleged $340,000 fraud case involving Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, former manager of gospel artiste, Mercy Chinwo till May 14, 2025 for hearing. The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had filed a three-count charge against Onyedikachukwu bordering on money laundering and dishonest conversion to the tune of $340,000. One of the counts reads: “That you, EZEKIEL ONYEDIKACHUKWU THANKGOD and EEZEE GLOBAL CONCEPTS LIMITED sometime in 2023, directly retained the sum of $260,494 (Two Hundred and Sixty Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety-Four USD) in EEZEE…

Air force personnel invade IKEDC office, assault workers over electricity disconnection Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) says Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel invaded its office over the disconnection of electricity at Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos state. Confirming the incident to newsmen on Thursday, Kingsley Okotie, spokesperson for IKEDC, said the NAF personnel vandalised the company’s office, “assaulted” staff members, and made away with several company assets. “It happened this morning from the Nigerian Air Force, Sam Ethnan Barracks, Ikeja. They are owing us over N4 billion, they were disconnected, and this is what we got,” Okotie said.…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said its operatives have uncovered rifles, live cartridges, and other weapons hidden by fake drugs dealers at the Ogbo Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra. While addressing journalists on Wednesday, Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s south-east zonal director, said NAFDAC has been carrying out a crackdown on the drug sections of the market since February 10 as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign to strengthen public health. Iluyomade expressed surprise at the discovery, adding that fake drug dealers hid the rifles, intending to attack the agency’s enforcement team. He said…

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that Saleh Mamman, the former minister of power, paid him N200 million for a property in Abuja. In 2024, the EFCC arraigned Mamman on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and conspiracy with officials at the ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” N33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects. At the time, Abubakar Kweido, an operative of the EFCC, said the investigation showed how multiple monetary transfers were allegedly made from the account meant for the Mambilla power project to…

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has dissociated himself from a media report which quoted him as saying that the Supreme Court verdict on Rivers State is reckless. The report was issued after Obi released a statement lambasting Nigerian leaders for concentrating on trivialities amid worsening poverty in the country. He lamented that the national discourse in Nigeria is only about “allegations of sexual harassment or budget padding in the National Assembly, controversies surrounding state Houses of Assembly speakership, reckless court judgments threatening to destabilize or deprive the state of funding to provide needed services to the citizens.” He added, “What…

Bayern Munich have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after a Harry Kane double helped them to comfortable win against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their last-16 tie. Kane gave the hosts an early breakthrough in the all-German meeting before Jamal Musiala doubled their lead by capitalising on a mistake from Leverkusen goalkeeper Matej Kovar. The visitors went down to 10 men after a second yellow for Nordi Mukiele just past the hour mark, then Kane scored his 31st goal of the season from the penalty spot to seal the victory. It only took…