News

Central Govt Growing Weaker, Must Renegotiate With States For Solutions To Current Economic Woes – Obaseki

Published

2 years ago

November 7, 2023

Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that with the prevailing economic challenges, the Federal Government, which, according to him, is growing weaker, must renegotiate with states for solutions to current economic challenges.

The governor said this when he received 21 first-class graduates who were recently employed into the civil and public service in the State, at the Government House in Benin City, the State capital.

Speaking to the new workers, the governor said: “The central government is becoming weaker as it doesn’t have the resources to undertake the responsibility it ought to take according to the constitution and this will lead to a renegotiation. The system is not sustainable but yet I don’t see Nigeria disintegrating.”

Obaseki continued: “We need to invite young people to deal with the situation and set the nation on the right path, threading on the path that aligns with global development. We have set ourselves as a State on the path of development. We have embraced paperless governance, connected all our local governments to fiber optic internet and built infrastructure. With young minds like yours, we will take the world.

“It’s a new world for you, young minds and running away from Nigeria will not solve the problem and the reasons why people are running away can be addressed by people like you. All we need to do is to create the opportunity, preparing you for leadership or having leaders like you to help check these challenges.”

News

‘EFCC Collected N10m Before They Released Me’ – Oladips Alleges [VIDEO]

Published

59 minutes ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian singer, Oladips has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of collecting N10 million from him.

The rapper made this known nearly a year after he was arrested by EFCC during a midnight raid in his estate.

Oladips was arrested with some of his neighbors for alleged fraud in November 2024.

He was released after spending five days in detention.

Speaking about his experience with the EFCC, Oladips in his latest interview on Trending podcast, stated that nothing was found on him after the EFCC investigations.

While revealing that the EFCC collected N10 million from him before his release, he lamented that “Nigeria just happened to me”.

“It’s just one smelling place like that. They just packed us there like sardines and they gave us nonsense food. Funny enough it was Zlatan that was sending me food. Zlatan is not even a friend, that’s my blood.

“He was sending someone to buy good food for me because the food there is bad. They just packed us there like sardines. I’m not even supposed to be there first of all. Like, why did I spend four to five days there when you people (EFCC) didn’t find anything on me, not even a single thing. And they still collect N10 million from me before they released me.”

When asked “Is it a thing you can take up against the EFCC later, or you will just allow the sleeping dog lie?”, the singer responded “Who is my father?”

“Who is my father now? At the end of the day, who is my father? It’s just me and my truth. It’s not something I will want to. I don’t just know how the system works. I for dey their page now if to say I dey do Yahoo. They didn’t find anything on me. If they are watching this, they know that I’m saying the truth.

“They collected money from me before they released me. They didn’t find anything on me. So, what was the money for? What was all that stress and suffering for? It’s just Nigeria. Nigeria just happened to me,” he said.

https://x.com/i/status/1983504280972615813

News

Bank MD Jailed Five Years For N32m Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured a five-year conviction of a former Managing Director of Bonghe Micro Finance Bank, Grace Karka, for her role in a N32m fraud, with an option of fine.

The PUNCH learnt in a statement by the EFCC on Thursday that the agency received a petition from the bank alleging that the defendant transferred N32m while she was the bank’s MD to an unknown account.

The statement noted that the petitioner said the fraudulent act was discovered during an audit of the bank’s account domiciled with a commercial bank.

She was subsequently arraigned before Justice Benjamin Lawan Manji of the Adamawa State High Court on counts of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

One of the charges read: “That you, Grace Andreas Karka and Prince Moses Batalu, between August 2020 and March 2021 in Yola, Adamawa State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did agree amongst yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit theft of N66,792,960.00 from Bonghe Micro Finance Bank Nigeria Limited (account number 2013668857 domiciled with First Bank Nigeria Limited) by dishonestly moving the said sum without necessary approval, contrary to Section 61(2) of the Adamawa State Penal Code Law 2018.”

According to the statement, the defendant was arraigned in November 2024, but she pleaded not guilty, which led to a full trial.

The EFCC said during the trial, the prosecutor presented witnesses and tendered several documents, while the defendant presented three witnesses.

Following the trial, the judge found the defendant guilty and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment.

“Justice Manji, on October 17, 2025, while delivering judgment, said the prosecution proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant accordingly on counts one and two.

“The judge also sentenced Karka to five years’ imprisonment with an option of N3m each on counts one and two. The sentence is to run concurrently.

“In addition, the court ordered the convict to restitute the balance of N29,877,040 to the petitioner,” the statement added.

This is not the first time a former bank MD has been jailed for fraud.

News

Edo Lauds Germany On Partnership To Boost Creative Community

Published

3 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Edo state government has commended Germany’s Filmakademie on its partnership to boost the state’s creative community.

The government noted that the plan by the German outfit to use Edo artefacts as basis for harnessing potentials would no doubt impact positively on the state’s creative sector.

The state’s deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa said this when he hosted the German Filmakademie, Ludwigsburg in Benin on Friday.

In a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, the deputy governor, who commended Filmakademie for choosing to partner with the state, said that the collaboration will open channel for the training of filmmakers in the state.

The Filmakademie team led by the Director, Entertainment and Creative Economy, Edo Creative Hub, Amb. Solomon Okosun, said that the partnership aligned with policy direction of Governor Monday Okpebholo on creative industry.

Idahosa announced, “Senator Okpebholo is a fantastic and people oriented Governor; a visionary leader that believes in the gifts and potentials of Edo people.

“Exposure to documentary filmmaking and observance of international filmmaking standards through the interface of Edo State trainees with counterparts/students from the German Filmakademie would boost further film production and content creation.

“This will be based on present training of participants on the rudiments of cinematography, film production, film editing, and directing.

“The exposure will enable them gain invaluable skills at story telling and weaving beautiful stories which showcase the rich arts and cultural heritage of Edo State and its people,” he explained.

Idahosa commended the efforts of the two finalists who would make it through to the German Filmakademie after a rigorous three weeks training/workshop, Idahosa urged

“such participants should hone their skills, influence their peers, and push the content and quality of Edo state filmmakers to international standards,” he said.

Idahosa nonetheless appreciated the Director, Edo Creative Hub for collaborating with the foreign film academy, which has helped to expose talented youths from the three senatorial zones.

He advised the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.

According to him, “I expect and encourage participants who have benefitted from this programme to take it very seriously.

“This is because, if the opportunity is given and two of you decide to go to Germany to learn this high profile skills in the movie industry, you will not just keep those opportunities for yourself, you will come back and affect your brothers and sisters, you left behind, thereby, giving more opportunities to our people.

“Our dream is to have a lot of people, God has given potentials to, in the entertainment industry.”

He assured of government’s support to the state’s entertainment industry through the German Filmakademie, in order to help grow the industry in the state.

He told his visitors that the state is safe and prepared to welcome investors from any part of the world.

On his part, the director, Edo Creative Hub stated that as one of its collaborators, the German Filmakademie came into Edo state to prepare trainees for the AFFRIFF/Nollywood Film Workshop.

He said the best two persons that emege from the participants after the workshop would be sponsored to Germany for further studies.

He said, “After a three weeks stay in Benin, trainees would head to Lagos State for the AFRIFF Film Festival haven learnt how to shoot documentaries, training on how to use the high end “ARRI ALEXA 35″ cinematography camera.”

Project Manager, Nollywood Workshop, 2025, from the Filmakademie, Ludwigsburg, Germany, Abel Alechenu, an alumnus of the Filmakademie said over the past two years, indigenes of Edo State have come to the Filmakademie to study under the four months programme and then, came back home to pass on the knowledge to others.

He said, “This year, the Filmakademie chose to promote the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.

“We have been to the National Museum, and to Igun Street, to know the process and see the artefacts and those who created them. It is really a connecting point for both of us.”