News
JUST IN: Court Grants Senator Natasha N50m Bail, Slates Date For Trial
Published
4 hours agoon
By
Editor
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, has granted bail to the suspended Senator for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to the tune of N50million.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, rejected application the Federal Government made for the defendant who was arraigned on a three-count charge, to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the case against her.
Justice Orji held that she found no reason to deny the defendant bail, saying there was sufficient evidence that she is willing to face her trial.
Consequently, aside from the N50m, the court held that the defendant must produce one surety who must be a person of integrity that owns a landed property in Abuja.
READ ALSO: Again, Armed Men Attack Natasha’s Family Home, Police Arrest One
The court based its decision on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The case was subsequently adjourned till September 23 for trial.
FG is prosecuting the lawmaker for allegedly making a false claim that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, were behind plot to assassinate her.
In the charge marked: CR/297/25, FG alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was listed as the sole defendant, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as guest on live television.
It specifically accused her of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
READ ALSO: Natasha: Appeal Court Strikes Out Akpabio’s Motions, Imposes N100,000 Fine
According to the charge, by making such false imputation that tarnished the image of others, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, committed an offence under
391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
It added that the alleged offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.
Giving particulars of the offence in count-one of the charge, FG, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged crime on April 3, during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Among those listed as witnesses in the matter, included the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who were cited as nominal complainants.
READ ALSO: Akpabio, Yahaya Bello To Testify As FG Charges Natasha Akpoti
Other witnesses billed to testify in the case are two police officers that investigated the matter, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba; a Senator, Asuquo Ekpenyong and one Sandra Duru.
The charge, dated May 16, came on the heels of a letter Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote to the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, wherein she accused police of exhibiting bias in the investigation of her petitions against the Senate President.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed June 27 to determine the legality or otherwise of the six-month suspension that was slammed on the defendant by the Senate.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan approached the court after she was summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee following a faceoff she had with the Senate President during plenary on February 20.
READ ALSO: Natasha Drags Ebonyi Senator To Court Over TV interview, Demands N5bn
While protesting alleged arbitrary change of her seating position, she repeatedly raised a point of order to be allowed to speak, even though she had been overruled by the Senate President.
Irked by her conduct, the Senate President referred her case to the Ethics Committee.
In a television interview she granted on February 28, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her travails in the Senate began after she rejected unwanted advances from the Senate President, Akpabio.
In an ex-parte application she brought before the court, she applied for an order to declare any action the Senate Committee took within the pendency of her suit, including her suspension, as, “null, void, and of no effect.”
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News
Ghanaians Protest, Decry ‘State-sponsored’ Harassment In Abuja
Published
5 minutes agoon
June 19, 2025By
Editor
Hundreds of Ghanaian investors and community members on Wednesday besieged the Nigerian High Commission in Abuja, demanding redress over what they described as “systematic harassment, intimidation, and violation of our fundamental rights” by the Nigeria Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Our businesses are being hounded at every turn,” one of the lead developers of the River Park Estate project in Abuja, Kojo Mensah, said.
The investors claimed that their fundamental rights were being violated, alleging arbitrary arrests, repeated police invitations, and intimidation by both the police and the EFCC.
“We’ve been arrested arbitrarily, summoned without cause, and subjected to endless interrogations, yet the very complaints we cooperated to resolve back in 2012 remain buried in some dusty file,” he said.
READ ALSO: Protest In Osun Over Alleged Amotekun’s Arrest, Detention Of Community Chiefs
Carrying banners that read, “Hands Off Ghanaian Investors!” and “Tinubu, Mahama: Intervene Now!”, the demonstrators called for the immediate removal of Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, whom they accused of targeted attacks on Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria.
“We demand that President Bola Tinubu and President John Mahama use every diplomatic channel to stop this injustice,” the investors said.
The protest follows the filing of a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, in which Jonah Capital and its co-plaintiffs named IGP Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police, and the EFCC as defendants.
They are seeking a perpetual injunction restraining both agencies “from any further interference in the River Park Estate matter,” immediate disclosure of the long-delayed Special Investigation Panel report, and the sum of N200m in damages for alleged breaches of their constitutional rights.
READ ALSO: Family, CSO Protest Abduction Of 12-year-old Girl In Rivers
The suit, according to the plaintiffs, is not only to seek redress but also to safeguard the integrity of foreign investments in Nigeria and discourage what they describe as state-sponsored intimidation of legitimate investors.
In their amended writ, the plaintiffs alleged that although the SIP concluded its probe and reported to the IG, those findings had never been furnished to the investors despite repeated formal requests.
“Instead,” the suit contends, “a senior officer in the IG’s Monitoring Unit has unilaterally reopened the investigation, purportedly to undermine the SIP’s clear exoneration of our companies.”
News
Pastor Enenche Rejects N30m Donation From Kebbi Governor
Published
27 minutes agoon
June 19, 2025By
Editor
The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche, has rejected a N30 million donation offered by the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, during a crusade organised by the church in the state.
The gesture occurred at the Kebbi Healing and Deliverance Crusade, where a representative of the governor, Kebbi’s Commissioner for Social Duties, Zayyanu Umar Aliero, announced the cash gift on behalf of the governor.
Aliero told the gathering that the N30m was approved as a donation to the crusade’s organising committee and was available in cash.
Aliero said, “Our Governor, His Excellency Dr Nasir Idris, a faithful Governor and also a Comrade Governor, who you all know is the only Comrade Governor in this country. He has therefore graciously approved the donation of the sum of 30 million naira to this gathering.
READ ALSO: PICTORIAL: Paul Enenche Leads Prayer, Healing Outreach To Yelwata, Benue
“That is to the organising committee. His Excellency has approved the donation of a sum of 30 million naira to the organising committee, which you know that whenever His Excellency makes a donation, he doesn’t leave without bringing that donation in cash. So before I leave this stage, I want to present that sum of 30 million naira in cash.”
However, Enenche declined the offer, taking to the stage to urge that the money be redirected to charitable causes.
“If there is anything like orphanage, if there is anything like that, at your discretion, please apply this amount of money to it. No. It will not be received,” the senior pastor said.
Speaking later, Enenche explained the church’s stance, emphasising that public funds should be used solely for public causes.
READ ALSO: Pastor Enenche Breaks Silence Over False Testimony Saga
“We are one of those who believe that government money should be used for government projects and government things should be used for government things; and church money should be used for church things, not mixed together.
“That is what we did that is what we do. As small as the Glory Dome is right there, government money is not in it. From land to the building to everything,” he said.
He added that the body of Christ should “trust God for supernatural supplies.”
READ ALSO: Nigeria Experiencing Dreadful Days — Pastor Enenche
He suggested that the donation be handed over to a government-approved religious body instead, such as the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board or the Christian Association of Nigeria.
“This is so that we can retain our dignity as a body of Christ; retain our dignity as a church, and say what we need to say when we need to say it. And be able to say what we need to say when we need to say it,” he said.
Aliero, speaking after the rejection, acknowledged Enenche’s position.
“They don’t accept it because whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the sake of God. We really appreciate and we really thank him for what he is doing in our state,” he said.
News
Benin Monarch Receives 119 Stolen Artefacts, Says Efforts To Re-loot Thwarted
Published
1 hour agoon
June 19, 2025By
Editor
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands, saying plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and his ancestors.
The monarch spoke in Benin when he received the artifacts from the Federal Government delegation led by Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
He said: “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.
“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern day politics, we do not want partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.”
He continued: “The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts. We had a running battle in this hall. I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language and I said these artifacts belong to my ancestors and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artifacts re-looted. They rather remain where they are than being re-looted.”
The Oba, while thanking the government of the Netherlands for working with the palace, said: “This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.”
The Benin Monarch further prayed with his official spectre directing the artefacts to return more artefacts.
Earlier, the NCMM DG, Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.
READ ALSO: Jubilation As. Oba Of Benin Receives Two Looted Artefacts, US Custodian Apologises
Governor Monday Okpebholo who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor, said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the federal government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.
He said: “They are treasured monuments and treasured sacred objects. You can see the way they came. They are fragile and precious. We will continue to collaborate to see that a sage space is created.
“We are supporting the palace to see that a befitting museum is put in place to display these objects for tourists as a way of boosting the tourism sector.”
On his part, General Director of Wereld Musuem, Marieke Van Bommel, said: “The artefacts were looted and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back.
“We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”
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