Category: News

Their release was confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, April 17, and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), shortly after the women departed the island nation.

According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Guinea-Bissau intervened and actively engaged Cape Verdean authorities to ensure the safe return of the women.

The ministry noted that the six Nigerians had travelled to Cape Verde on a holiday trip but were wrongly profiled and accused of human trafficking allegations that were later found to be untrue.

The ministry appreciated the cooperation of the Cape Verdean government in resolving the issue and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to happily inform you that the Nigerian nationals, ladies, who were detained in Cape Verde have all been released and have left the country, too.

“The ministry engaged Cape Verde authorities via our Mission in Guinea-Bissau to secure their release. The six ladies travelled to Cape Verde for a holiday and were unfortunately detained on allegations of trafficking, which turned out to be false,” the statement read.

Background

The arrest of the Nigerian women gained attention after an X user, Tobiojenike, raised an alarm over their detention.

The user alleged that the detainees were being held in a small room, denied legal access, and assaulted by police officers.

The post further claimed the authorities were trying to covertly deport them while coercing another individual to falsely implicate them.

“The Cape Verde government is trying to sneak them out of the country that they legally came into! And trying to pin them as human traffickers with the aid of a random stranger who’s seeking greener pastures and has been convinced to agree to it!.

“They’ve been detained in a small room for days and attacked by policemen who have inflicted wounds on my friend. The ECOWAS is aware of this and is doing nothing!” she wrote.

In response, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission issued a statement appealing to Cape Verde to return the women to Nigeria and treat them with dignity.

“They were accused of not having enough funds, and their phones confiscated. They were subsequently locked up in an immigration deportation camp at the airport.

“Reports from the immigration detention centre indicate that they are going through distress and trauma, with one of them having a medical condition without access to his drugs,” NIDCOM said in an April 16 statement signed by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

The NIDCOM also disclosed that the six individuals, identified as David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo, and Jesutomi Aina, had departed from Senegal to Cape Verde via a travel agency, Ìrìn Travels (@irintravels) and @theFARAWAY.

The Commission expressed concern over their deteriorating condition, noting that one of them was being denied access to vital medication.

It noted that the case was subsequently escalated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its consular and migration directorate, prompting diplomatic efforts that led to the women’s eventual release. ICIR

Ojukwu, a 300-level, Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (Unilag), is facing trial for the alleged offence alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside Quadri and her sister, Egbuchu.

Chidinma was arraigned on October 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge preferred against her.

Ojukwu told the court how she discovered Ataga’s lifeless body in a Lekki short-let apartment on June 15, 2021.

Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, Ojukwu said she had gone out to buy food and juice.

She said on her return, she knocked on the door but got no response.

She added that she later pushed it open and was confronted by a gruesome sight, blood on the floor and Ataga lying dead in a pool of it.

“I dropped everything and rushed to him,” she said, adding that his eyes were half-shut and he had no pulse.

Led in evidence by her lawyer, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, Chidinma detailed her relationship with Ataga, which began in November 2020.

They met through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating Ataga’s friend, James. She described Ataga as kind and supportive, claiming he had paid her school fees and supported her cosmetics business.

She said Ataga told her he was from Edo State, lived in Victoria Garden City, and was in media industry, and had three children with his estranged wife who lived in Abuja.

According to Chidinma, Ataga called her on June 13, 2021, saying his birthday was that week and invited her to spend time with him before heading to Abuja for a family celebration. Due to renovations at his VGC home, he suggested getting a hotel or apartment in Lekki, where he had meetings.

She eventually found a short-let apartment at 19 Adewale Street, off Ologolo Road, Lekki, which Ataga approved. They met there that evening, went out to eat at Ango Villa restaurant, picked up wine, then returned to the apartment to drink, eat, and smoke.

On June 14, 2021 they woke up late, and Ataga asked her to contact her supplier for loud (cannabis) and rohypnol. She said he sent her N15,000 for that and later N25,000 for food. She was out for about two hours buying meals due to COVID-related delays.

On June 15, 2021, she said Ataga again requested more loud, but asked her to pay since he couldn’t transfer funds. He also gave her money to buy food and juice. After struggling to reach him due to an issue with the okro soup she was to buy, she returned to the apartment and found him dead.

“I saw blood stains, pushed the door open, and saw Michael on the floor, covered in blood. I checked for a pulse there was none.”

In panic, she wiped the blood off herself, changed clothes, and packed her things including a brown envelope containing Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, and documents belonging to one Mary Johnson. She also took some jewelry and left the apartment in a cab.

The case was adjourned to April 28, 2025, for continuation of trial.

In a statement Onanuga shared Thursday on his X account, the presidential spokesperson explained that although the president was outside the shores of the country, he is closely monitoring developments in the country.

Amid killings and widespread kidnap, opposition leaders have asked Tinubu to return home immediately.

Both Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who were Tinubu’s keen rivals in the 2023 elections, said the president’s continuous stay overseas was unjustifiable.

But Onanuga defended his principal, saying the President “remains fully engaged in Nigeria’s governance even though he is away in Europe.”

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully engaged in Nigeria’s governance even though he is away in Europe. His absence remains temporary and in line with the communicated timeframe of approximately two weeks.”

“The President left Paris for London at the weekend and has maintained constant communication with key government officials, overseeing critical national matters, including directives to security chiefs to address emerging threats in some parts of the country.

“His return to Abuja and the resumption of duties at Aso Villa will follow the conclusion of the Easter holiday. The President’s commitment to his duties remains unwavering, and his administration continues to function effectively under his leadership.

“We appreciate the public’s concern and assure all Nigerians that governance proceeds without interruption.”

This came as the federal government prepares to empower at least 650,000 youths with the technical, vocational and digital skills required to meet emerging industrial and labour needs.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, disclosed this yesterday in her speech at the commissioning of the Community and Education Centre at Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Ikot Abasi, Prof Leo Daniel, the minister said in an effort to expand its TVET agenda, the ministry is set to introduce incentives to attract young Nigerians with payment of monthly stipends, starter packs and payments of take-off grants.

The minister who described education as the bedrock of national development noted that “It is the tool with which we equip our children and youth to face the challenges of the future and the ladder through which individuals and communities can rise to greater heights.”

According to Prof. Said, “It is on this premise that the Federal Ministry of Education under the leadership of Dr. Tunji Maruf Alausa has unveiled the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) with the overarching goal of moving Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.”

The objectives of this, she explained, were the reduction of out-of-school children, the children;reduction in learning poverty, and an increase in skills and human capital for labour market.

“NESRI’s pillars are Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM), Out-of-school children, Girl-Child Education, Data & Digitalisation and Education Quality Assurance,” she explained.

She said, “In line with this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the release of N120 billion to advance the TVET agenda of the Ministry of Education.

“Over the next two years, the federal government aims to empower at least 650,000 youths with the technical, vocational and digital skills required to meet the emerging industrial and labour needs.

“This centre, which we will commission today, is much more than bricks and mortar. It is a beacon of hope, a sanctuary for knowledge, and a foundation for the dreams of generations to come. Therefore, the good people of Ikot Abasi and Akwa Ibom in general should leverage these initiatives by the Federal Government in order to provide skills for our teeming youths.

“The Community and Education Centre at Ikot Abasi will serve multiple purposes as a place of learning, as a hub for skills acquisition, digital literacy, adult education, and youth empowerment. It is aligned with the Federal Ministry of Education’s strategic goals to increase access to quality education, bridge the digital divide, and foster inclusive learning opportunities for all.

“We are keenly aware of the challenges facing education in our nation from inadequate infrastructure to low enrolment and retention in rural areas, especially for the girl-child. However, we remain undeterred. Through partnerships with state governments, local communities, and development agencies, we are working tirelessly to close these gaps and ensure that no child is left behind.

“This centre stands as a model of what collaboration and purposeful governance can achieve. It is a call to action for similar initiatives across our nation. We urge educators, parents, and community leaders to take ownership of this facility, to nurture it, and to ensure that it becomes a vibrant and well-utilised asset in the service of our youth and future leaders.”

She charged residents to “see this centre not just as a gift from government but as an opportunity to unlock the limitless potential within their community.

“Let this place produce scholars, innovators, artisans, teachers, and leaders who will make you proud,” she added.

The minister described the Community and Education Centre as a landmark project that not only represents progress in infrastructure but, more importantly, signifies our shared commitment to education, empowerment, and sustainable community development.

She commended the Akwa Ibom State Government for its visionary leadership in prioritising education and support given to the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) in ensuring that the project comes to reality.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Executive Secretary of NMEC, Prof. Simon Ibor Akpama, explained that the momentous event “underscores the importance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accords to efficacious youth and adult literacy service delivery in Nigeria.”

“In concert with our president’s avowed commitment to improve access to quality education in Nigeria, our visionary, diligent, indefatigable and dynamic honourable ministers of education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa and Prof. Suwauba Said Ahmad, graciously provided the requisite resources and conducive environment for the establishment of this community learning centre.

This Community Learning Centre encapsulates the proactive response of President Tinubu’s administration to eradicating illiteracy, promoting quality inclusive education and providing dynamic and viable economic empowerment avenues for vulnerable youths across Nigeria.

“Embedded in its curriculum structure is a deliberate juxtaposition of a tripartite profile of basic literacy, post-literacy, and vocational skills to empower the hitherto underserved youths and adults of Ikot Abasi extraction. In essence, the centre is not just a building but a beacon of hope, growth and opportunity for the people of Ikot Abasi, which further represents our collective commitment to education, empowerment and the sustainable development of the Ikot Abasi community.

“This Centre will also bridge gaps and create a plethora of self-development conduits within the community. Through the ambience of this Community Learning Centre concept, there is renewed hope for our out-of-school children, youths and adults who must be extricated from the ravages of street life and returned to non-formal education settings. The essence is for these learners to acquire extant knowledge and skills for self-improvement and optimally contribute their quota to national development.

“I therefore urge you all, especially the core beneficiaries of this project, to make optimal use of the facilities and protect them against vandalism,” he said.

He called on the Akwa Ibom Starr Government not only to complement the efforts of the federal government by providing other requisite facilities and help to ensure employment of facilitators whose vital instructional services will effectuate teaching and learning in the Community Learning Centre but also to replicate the centre across all the 31 local government areas of the state. Vanguard

Atiku, who claimed the coalition train of political parties to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, had already taken off, also met with party delegations from Nasarawa and other leaders from other places.

This was as a former National Vice Chairman North-West of APC, Dr. Salihu Lukman, has said the coalition of political parties was an agenda to revive the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a counterforce to the coalition, and present a candidate that would split the votes in 2027.

According to a statement by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibeh, on April 2, 2025, President Bola Tinubu flew out to France, stating that ‘’Had this absurd announcement come just a day earlier, Nigerians would have dismissed it as an April Fool’s joke.

He added: “But sadly, it’s no prank — just another insult to a nation pushed to the brink by a presidency that treats its citizens like fools. The official excuse? A so-called ‘working visit.’But Nigerians aren’t buying the spin.

“The presidency scrambled to clarify that it wasn’t a medical trip — how noble. But even if it’s not medical tourism, what justification is there for gallivanting across Europe while Nigeria bleeds? ‘What kind of leader borrows billions only to blow scarce funds on vanity trips abroad? It’s not just irresponsible— it’s contemptuous.

‘’Let the facts speak for themselves. By the time Tinubu struts back from this latest escapade, he will have racked up a staggering 59 days in France since assuming office. ‘See Paris and die?’ No — see Paris and abandon your country.

‘’While Tinubu dines under chandeliers in the land of good governance, the country he governs is spiraling into chaos. Plateau has turned into a killing field — over 100 lives lost in relentless attacks. Benue is bleeding. Boko Haram is seizing territory. And every single day, Nigerians sink deeper into poverty, insecurity, and despair.

‘’This isn’t just negligence. It’s dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale. If Tinubu had even a shred of empathy, he would cut his trip short and return immediately. A leader with an ounce of patriotism wouldn’t need to be begged to show up in times of crisis. The constitution says the security and welfare of the people is the primary purpose of government. But under Tinubu, that sacred duty has been trashed,” Atiku argued.

According to him, there is absolutely nothing Tinubu is doing in France that he couldn’t do in Lagos, or even in Iragbiji, explaining that the so-called ‘working visit’ is nothing more than a vacation cloaked in official jargon.

‘’Nigeria is in a full-blown state of emergency. Not a contrived political emergency like what Tinubu declared in Rivers for partisan gain — this is a national collapse. So when, exactly, will Tinubu declare a state of emergency on his own disastrous presidency?’’

Atiku, who said the coalition train had left station despite the position of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, who disassociated from it, however, met delegations from Nasarawa state and others, in continuation of his consultation for coalition.

According to Atiku on his verified X space: ‘’Yesterday, I met with a delegation of two groups, during which I briefed them about the status of the pan-Nigerian coalition that I am building in conjunction with other leaders and stakeholders across political divides and regions.

‘’I informed them that the Nigerian Movement is being powered by Nigerians desirous of reclaiming and rebuilding their country from across the nooks and crannies of our country. Indeed, the Coalition Train has left the station and would have multiple stops to bring on board Nigerians of all shades.

‘’First was the meeting with a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Nasarawa State, led by Alhaji Jibirin Sabo Keana. The second was a delegation of National Opinion leaders, led by Hon. Yusuf Sheriff Banki.’’

But Lukman, in his position, said the refusal of the PDP Governors’ Forum to join the initiative to form a broad-based coalition of opposition political parties, showed they were undercover supporters of the ruling party.

In a statement, Lukman said for more than ten years, the PDP had been out of power, Nigerians had waited for the party to dust itself up and provide the viable opposition that Nigeria needs.

Lukman noted that the governors knew that the virus that afflicted the PDP had no cure, saying they were only grandstanding. He stressed that it made no sense to invest energy and resources in a party whose leaders were neither appointees of the APC government nor undercover supporters.

Instead, he said the party went into suspended animation until the rampaging Tinubu-lead APC found a willing undertaker to finally put it to rest.

He emphasised that the PDP governors knew that Nigerians could not accept this current PDP as the alternative because it was clear to all discerning Nigerians that the ruling party had hijacked its soul.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, on Wednesday called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend his ‘working visit’ to France and urgently return to Nigeria to address the deteriorating security situation, particularly in Plateau and Benue States.

In a post shared via his official X handle on Wednesday, the 63-year-old politician criticised the president’s absence amid worsening violence and insecurity across the country.

“Mr President, domestic problems beckon. I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating president’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entail that he immediately suspends his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and come home to address the overwhelming security situation across the country,” Obi wrote.

The former Anambra state governor lamented that over 150 Nigerians had been killed in the past two weeks, citing renewed attacks in Plateau and Zamfara States, while pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta further highlighted the country’s dire state.

“In the two weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states.

“The primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens, and one wonders the type of retreat going on in another country where peace has been secured by their leaders, while blood continues to flow in our country,” he argued.

Obi said the nation was in distress and likened the president to a retreating chief executive, far from the headquarters of his failing company. He urged the president to take swift and decisive action.

“Amid all these, the CEO of the troubled company called Nigeria, is retreating in a faraway land in France, detached from the company’s headquarters.

“I therefore urge Mr. President to quickly suspend whatever he is doing in France and rush home to take responsibility by addressing these disturbing issues. That is the new Nigeria the nation seeks,” he added.

Obi had earlier visited victims and families affected by recent attacks in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. He condemned the violence, describing the killings as “senseless” and unacceptable in a nation not officially at war.

But in a riposte, a staunch Tinubu supporter and former presidential spokesman, Reno Omokri, flayed Obi for blaming the then Governor Nasir el-Rufai for the Southern Kaduna ‘genocide’ that occurred under his watch, but is now attacking and criticising Tinubu instead of the chief security officer of Plateau state.

“Do not take out the embarrassment of being banned from Benue on President Tinubu. Nigeria has a hierarchical governance structure. The vice president is in Nigeria, and the government is functioning optimally.

“Moreover, immediately after the Plateau incident, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was there, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was also there yesterday. This is a marked difference from the Muhammadu Buhari era,” he argued.

According to Omokri, after 73 people were killed by herdsmen in Benue during the Yuletide of 2017, Buhari ordered his Inspector of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to relocate to Benue to fish out the killers and end the killings, noting that the order was never obeyed.

“When you contrast that with what has occurred under President Tinubu, you see a responsive government this time around. Peter, enough is enough,” Omokri added. Arise News

In the petition, written and signed by his solicitor, Mr. N.A. Abubakar Esq, to the IGP on Wednesday, former Governor Bello called on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to invite Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to substantiate her allegation against him with credible evidence.

“Where she fails to do so, cause her to be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the law for criminal defamation, inciting public disturbance and spreading false information injurious to public peace,” the lawyer wrote.

The lawyer said that the utterances made against the former governor were not only false, reckless and inciting, but “they constitute serious criminal defamation, false accusation and incitement to public disorder, all of which are offences under the Nigerian law.”

The former governor has also written to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, through his Counsels, Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN & Co, demanding retraction and public apology over defamatory statements made against him in two national dailies, or face legal consequences.

“Our Client’s attention has been drawn to a most disturbing, damaging and criminally defamatory statement made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, during her public address at a political event tagged ‘Homecoming Rally’ held on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Okehi LGA of Kogi State.

“That while addressing attendees at the rally, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely and maliciously uttered the following words in reference to our client: ‘(Senate President Godswill) Akpabio sent for Yahaya Bello. And it was actually Senator Asuquo from Cross River that drove Yahaya Bello from Hilton Hotel.

“I was informed of everything and what I got to know of the meeting was in two folds. He told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it – of course, monies changed hands that night.

“The second thing he told him was that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the IG of Police. Akpabio told Yahaya Bello. He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, that it should be done here, so it would seem as if it’s the people that killed me here …’

“That these utterances are not only false, reckless and inciting, but they constitute serious criminal defamation, false accusation and incitement to public disorder, all of which are offences under Nigerian law,” Bello’s lawyer, Abubakar, wrote in the petition to the IGP.

He said Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, penalises a person who knowingly or intentionally sends false messages or information through a computer or network likely to cause harm to the reputation of another person.

He added that, in Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case, she caused videos of her above statement to be widely circulated online where it has continued to trend till date with the clear intention of causing harm to the reputation of the former governor against Sections 114 and 140 of the Penal Code (applicable in Northern Nigeria) – which criminalises giving false information with intent to mislead public officers or the public.

“By accusing our client of plotting an assassination and naming him as a co-conspirator in a purported murder plot (with an attempt to disguise the killing as mob or ethnic violence), Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan has:

“Gravely damaged our client’s reputation by portraying him as a violent and vengeful political actor and misled the public and tried to incite ethnic and political distrust, especially among clans of Ebiraland in particular and the people of Kogi Central in general.

“Brought his name into disrepute on the basis of an allegation so weighty that, if left unchallenged, could harm his political career and personal safety; and abused her parliamentary status and platform by propagating such falsehoods without evidence, in a very public and politically charged setting,” the solicitor said.

He added, “Our Client states that he has long considered Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as unhinged and apparently possessed of a schizophrenic disorder, characterized by manic narcissism, wild hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking and an incurable incontinence with emotions and social interactions – hence his patient indulgence of her in the past while he was Governor in Kogi State when he restrained himself many times from seeking legal redress even though she frequently harassed him in the media with all sorts of horrible and damaging lies.

“Our Client, however, asserts that he has long ended his stewardship of Kogi State as Governor and moved on to other pursuits – and that he no longer feels the same duty of paternalistic indulgence which he had for all Kogites as his citizens while in Office, and still exhibits till today, hence his insistence on full redress for her (Akpoti-Uduaghan’s) current accusations which, as usual, are totally fabricated and utterly baseless.”

He urged the IGP to expedite action on the petition, stating that “failure to act in the circumstances of these egregious offences by Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan will embolden others to also weaponise political platforms for dangerous falsehoods and criminal misrepresentation, especially with an eye to gaining dishonest advantage over opponents, thus endangering our democracy.”

According to him, this is necessary “to preserve public order, safeguard the integrity of public discourse and protect innocent persons from targeted smear campaigns that can endanger lives or destabilise the peace of the state and nation.”

Bello’s lawyers, led by Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, in a separate letter written to the embattled senator said, “We hereby demand, on behalf of our client, the following:

“That you issue a formal retraction of the said defamatory statements, to be published in two national dailies.

“That you cease and desist from making any further defamatory statements concerning him, whether directly or by innuendo, and whether published in print, electronic or social media platforms.

“That you comply in terms of the foregoing within Fourteen days of the service of this letter on you.

“TAKE NOTICE that failure, refusal or neglect to comply with the above demands within the period of FOURTEEN DAYS (14) from the date this Letter is served on you, our client will set the necessary machinery in motion to initiate both civil and criminal proceedings against you without further notice.” Leadership