Metro

JUST IN: Ex-Power Minister Collapses Outside Courtroom, Proceeding Stalled

Published

1 year ago

July 11, 2024

The arraignment of Mr Saleh Mamman, former Minister of Power under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, was, on Thursday, stalled at a Federal High Court, Abuja, due to ill-health.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mamman, whose plea was fixed for Thursday morning, collapsed outside the courtroom before the case was called.

The former minister’s counsel, Femi Ate, SAN, told Justice James Omotosho shortly when the matter was called for Mamman to take his plea.

Upon resumed hearing, the ex-minister walked into the courtroom and stepped into the dock with part of his clothes drenched.

Justice Omotosho then asked why Mamman was sweating or whether it was raining outside.

The former minister, who responded from the dock, said water was poured on him.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, while addressing the court, said though the matter was fixed for Mamman’s arraignment, there was a development outside the courtroom.

Olumide-Fusika said he had discussion with Ate outside the courtroom about Mamman’s ill-health.

“I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learner senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself,” he said.

Speaking, Ate said Mamman, “upon being brought into the premises of the court collapsed and had to be resusitated and treated by the medical personnel of the Federal High Court.”

He said his client was served with the charge after he was resusitated.

“He was served this morning,” he added.

The senior lawyer said he sought the understanding of Olumide-Fusika for an adjournment so that the arraignment could be done on Monday when his client would have been okay.

But the judge said due to the workload in the court dockets, the arraignment could only be fixed for September ending.

Ate then withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.

Olumide-Fusika said he had just filed an amended charge earlier in the morning following a mistake in the name of the defendant and prayed the court that the fresh charge be read to Mamman to take his plea but Justice Omotosho disagreed with him.

The judge, however, asked Mamman if he was fit enough to take his plea today and he responded in affirmative.

The former minister explained to the court that he collapsed outside the courtroom because of the drugs he took when he had not eaten, and while he was outside the courtroom waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.

Mamman, however, said he was fit to continue with the arraignment.

“It can happen to any one,” the judge said.

The ex-minister told the court that he called the attention of his lawyer to the error made by the EFCC on the name in the charge served on him.

“I was complaining about the name, that it was not my own,” he said.

Justice Omotosho then stepped down the arraignment until 1pm today.

NAN reports that the EFCC had filed a 12-count money laundering charge against the Mamman.

He was alleged to have committed the money laundering offences to the tune of N33 billion.

The former minister served under former President Buhari from 2019 to 2021.

On May 10, 2021, he was arrested and detained at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja.

Buhari had September 1, 2021, sacked Mamman and the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, in what was called a cabinet restructuring.

Mamman was accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert about N22 billion.

The investigations uncovered property in Nigeria and overseas allegedly linked to the suspects, while millions of naira and dollars had reportedly been recovered.
(NAN)

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

2 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

2 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.

Metro

Three Lagos Labourers Found Dead In Makeshift Apartment

Published

4 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Three yet-to-be-identified male adults have been found dead in their apartment on Olateju Street in the Lekki Phase One area of Lagos State.

According to The PUNCH, the incident happened in the early hours of Sunday, where the victims reportedly lived together in a makeshift room.

It was gathered that the deceased were casual workers who earned a living by running errands and taking up daily labour within the neighbourhood.

A resident who identified himself simply as Alfred but pleaded not to be identified because he was not permitted to speak with the media said the victims were asleep when the attackers stormed their room.

According to him, the attackers dragged them out of the room and macheted them to death in the process.

He said, “The boys lived in a makeshift structure erected on the premises of a building on the street. We knew them to be labourers who also ran errands for people. But on Sunday morning, one of their colleagues who also stayed around there raised the alarm over an attack on the boys. When people rushed there, the three of them were found lying in a pool of blood with machete cuts all over their bodies. We were told the assailants dragged them out of the room before killing them.”

Another resident, who is a member of the Lekki Estate Residents Association but asked not to be named, said the incident threw the area into panic.

He said no such incident had ever been recorded on the street, adding that the police were immediately invited to the scene of the incident.

“We are now more cautious with the security situation around here. Security measures are also being stepped up as I speak to you,” he added.

As of press time, the motive behind the killing was still unclear.

However, it was learnt from other sources in the community that it might be linked to cult clashes or a dispute involving the deceased.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached for confirmation, as calls to his phone were not responded to.

A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.

The PUNCH reported in August that a skit maker identified simply as Austin was found dead with machete cuts in the Lakowe community of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that some suspected cultists stormed the area in the early hours of the day in search of the deceased

On locating his apartment, they allegedly dragged him out of his room and hacked him to death on the spot.