A Lusaka court on Thursday sentenced former foreign minister Joseph Malanji to four years in prison with hard labour after finding him guilty of corruption. Malanji, who held office under ex-president Edgar Lungu between 2018 and 2021, was arrested in late 2021 over allegations that he diverted state funds to acquire properties, including two Bell 420 helicopters. Magistrate Ireen Wishimanga, in her ruling, said she had considered pleas for leniency but stressed that the gravity of the offence demanded punishment. “I have heard the spirited mitigation by counsel and taken note that the convicts are first offenders and are entitled…
Author: Adeboye
The Taraba State Police Command has arrested a 37-year-old man in connection with the kidnapping of centenarian Joshua Magani Ubandoma in Sabon Pegi, Ibi Local Government Area. Ubandoma was abducted from his home on August 6 by three armed men. Police spokesperson, ASP James Lashen Saminu, said officers from the Ibi Division, working with local youths, trailed the suspects into a nearby forest, where they apprehended Kingsley Alose on September 2. He noted that efforts are ongoing to capture the remaining suspects and rescue the victim unharmed. The Commissioner of Police, Betty Enekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, praised the swift response of…
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday departed Abuja for Europe to begin a 10-day vacation, the Presidency has announced. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President is scheduled to spend his annual leave between France and the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today, September 4, to commence a working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave. The vacation will last 10 working days,” the statement read. Onanuga added that the President’s itinerary covers both France and the UK, after which he…
Retired Nigerian soldiers on Thursday resumed street demonstrations in Abuja to demand the payment of their outstanding benefits. The former servicemen had earlier suspended their protest on August 4 following assurances from the Ministries of Defence and Finance that their entitlements would be settled by August 10. But gathered again at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory, the ex-soldiers accused the authorities of neglect and reneging on their promises. One of the protesters, popularly known as Mama G, said the group returned to the streets after repeated assurances failed to materialise. “We are here because the…
As inflation bites harder and incomes shrink, many Nigerians are increasingly turning to digital loan apps for quick cash, only to end up victims of harassment, blackmail, and defamation when they default on repayment. As reported by PUNCH, for Mariam Ogundairo, borrowing ₦30,000 came at a steep cost. The loan carried a 21.6 per cent interest rate, payable in two weeks. When she failed to meet the deadline, the app gained access to her phone contacts and began bombarding them with calls and messages, claiming she owed money. “I lost my security, and it makes me so sad and scared,”…
At least three people were killed and several others injured after a masquerade festival in Lagos Island degenerated into a violent clash allegedly involving rival cult groups. The violence, which began on Sunday and stretched into the night, saw suspected cultists hurl bottles, wield weapons, and exchange gunfire along Lagos Street. Videos from the scene showed multiple gunshots and gangs attacking victims in broad daylight. Residents said the chaos erupted shortly after the festival ended. “We had just finished the festival when a fight broke out among some boys suspected to be cultists. Before we knew it, they had started…
The Rivers State Police Command has cautioned women against the practice of collecting transport fare from men for dates and failing to show up, warning that it amounts to fraud. Police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, gave the warning in a viral video posted on X on Wednesday, stressing that the act falls under obtaining by false pretence, popularly known as “419.” “Why will you collect money from a man without going to see him? It is an offence, a punishable offence,” Iringe-Koko said. She noted that offenders risk arrest and prosecution once a formal complaint is lodged, urging the public to…
Dangote Industries Limited has denied ownership of a truck involved in a fatal accident in Enugu on Wednesday. The crash, which occurred around 9 a.m., involved a Howo truck loaded with cement and a Toyota Corolla. The truck bore the inscription of Visco Investment Global Limited but was widely assumed online to belong to Dangote Group because of its branding. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company clarified that the truck was operated by a third party and not part of its fleet. “We are engaging with the appropriate agencies to find out why the truck was carrying our…
Dr. Stephen Omobamidele Agbi, Deputy National Chairman of CAGRAM and Special Assistant on Mobilisation to Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has described the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as a unifying force who will strengthen the party. Agbi made the remark in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the APC National Chairman, where he led a delegation of CAGRAM officials. He expressed confidence that Yilwatda’s pedigree and leadership style would sustain the party’s winning streak and further consolidate its chances in future elections. “The appointment of Prof. Yilwatda is well-deserved. His leadership qualities will…
An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 28-year-old auto mechanic, Akeem Jimoh, to three years in prison for stealing 17 tubers of yam valued at N35,000. Jimoh, who had no legal representation, pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of theft when arraigned on Wednesday. The offence was committed on July 27, 2025, at the Ataoja Area of Osogbo, where he stole the yams belonging to one Tiamiyu Abegunde. The charge, read in court, stated that Jimoh’s act contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 2, Laws of Osun State, 2003. The convict, in his plea, admitted…