By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a major legal triumph with the final forfeiture of 48 properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered the landmark judgment on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, ruling that the anti-graft agency had conclusively proven that the assets were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik held that the Commission successfully demonstrated that the properties were not acquired through legitimate sources of income, paving the way for their permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government.

The court’s decision marks a significant milestone in the EFCC’s ongoing crackdown on high-profile corruption cases involving public officials.

While the exact value of the forfeited properties has not been disclosed, sources close to the investigation indicate they are spread across prime locations in Abuja and other major cities.

Malami, who served as Nigeria’s chief law officer from 2015 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to publicly respond to the court ruling.

EFCC spokesperson, in a brief statement, described the judgment as a “vindication of the Commission’s diligent investigative efforts” and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to recovering all assets illegally acquired through public office.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, is set to deliver the keynote address at the launch of a new book that examines Nigeria’s democratic journey since the country’s return to civilian rule.

The publication, titled SHADOWS: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023), spans more than 900 pages across two volumes. It documents major political developments and democratic experiences in Nigeria between 1999 and 2023.

Amupitan is expected to speak on the theme, “Strengthening Electoral Institutions: Pathways to Free, Fair, and Peaceful Elections in 2027.” His presentation will focus on reforms aimed at improving Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the organisers, the book presents an account of Nigeria’s democratic evolution. It highlights institutional growth, policy achievements, and governance challenges that have influenced the country’s political landscape.

The essays also examine issues such as corruption, insecurity, human rights abuses, leadership, policy failures, executive-legislature relations, the cost of governance, and public accountability.

In addition, the publication discusses political godfatherism, internal democracy within political parties, electoral malpractice, the use of religion in politics, elite hypocrisy, ethnic mobilisation, and the influence of money on Nigeria’s political process.

The organisers said the book provides a historical record of the personalities, events, and issues that have shaped Nigeria’s politics and power structure since 1999. They added that it also reflects on how those developments continue to influence the country’s democratic trajectory.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to allow what he described as an “unfettered” investigation into corruption allegations against the presidential aide.

In a statement released on Tuesday through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku said the allegations against Gbajabiamila should not be ignored, adding that “silence and indifference” would not erase the “unfolding” claims.

The former vice-president said the situation should be handled in the same manner as the case of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, who was suspended by former President Muhammadu Buhari while investigations were ongoing.

Atiku said he was disturbed by allegations that Gbajabiamila “illegally corner[ed] tens of billions of naira in oil and gas royalties from petroleum regulatory commission, citing a fake law for presidential approval.”

He also accused the Tinubu administration of applying different standards in its anti-corruption campaign.

“Tinubu’s administration can’t pretend to be prosecuting opposition figures for corruption, while corruption is growing like weed under its own nose,” Atiku said.

“You can’t preach the rule of law when your own officials are awarded with the trophy of untouchability.

“Gbajabiamila must be held accountable like every other public official and independently investigated to give him full opportunity to defend himself against the brazen act of corruption as detailed in the Gazette report.

“Former President Buhari suspended his SGF Babachir Lawal from office in order to allow for unfettered investigation against him and Gbajabiamila shouldn’t be treated differently.”

Gbajabiamila has recently faced allegations from Adeniyi Adeyemi, Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), who accused him of collecting a N400 million bribe in exchange for an appointment letter.

The PFIPC has also attracted scrutiny after operating like a government agency despite the absence of any legal framework or presidential approval establishing it. The body reportedly received funding in the 2026 budget, occupied office space at the Federal Secretariat, and recruited staff.

Babachir Lawal was suspended in April 2017 over allegations of breaches of due process and violations of the law in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East (PINE). Buhari later removed him from office after the investigation, and Boss Mustapha was appointed as his replacement.

Lawal and Atiku also disagreed publicly in June after the former SGF resigned from the ADC. Lawal alleged that the party’s primary election was manipulated in favour of Atiku and his allies.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has granted former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku permission to travel to Dubai for medical examination and surgery.

Justice Slyvanus Oriji approved the request on Tuesday after Ishaku’s lawyer, Chris Umar, filed the application before the court. The prosecution did not object to the request.

Following the ruling, the court adjourned the case until October 5, 2026, for the continuation of trial.

Ishaku and Bello Yero, a former Permanent Secretary in the Taraba State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, are facing a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and the alleged diversion of public funds. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, prosecution witness Taiwo Johns continued his testimony on the alleged diversion of funds meant for the purchase and distribution of Christmas grains in Taraba State.

Johns, an official of the Taraba Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, told the court that local government councils transferred money into the account of his company, P3 Cornerstone International Nigeria Limited, through several transactions in July 2019.

He identified Donga, Zing, Gassol, and Yorro local government areas as some of the councils that made the payments.

The witness further testified that N3 million paid into his company’s account by Yorro Local Government on July 22, 2019, was later withdrawn and handed over to Bello Yero, who took the money to the Government House.

He also told the court: “On July 24, 2019, Blessed Springs Modern Communication credited my account with N4.4 million.

“On that day, I reported to my superior, Babangida Hassan, the director of finance. On the same date, he gave an instruction on the account the money would be transferred to, which he said was a directive from above.

“On the same July 24, 2019, there were two transfers of N10 million each, into the P3 Cornerstone account. I reported the same to my boss.

“The two N10 million was paid into my account by the same person, Henrietta Meepatan, I withdrew N6 million, N5million and N1million.”

On Monday, Johns had told the court that N1.8 billion earmarked for the purchase of Christmas grains was diverted through his company’s account. He said the transfers were carried out on the instruction of Yero, his former superior, in 69 separate transactions.

Ishaku served as governor of Taraba State from 2015 to 2023.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon have agreed to work together to reduce the export of raw cocoa beans after signing the Abuja Declaration at the 2026 Cocoa Value Addition Summit in Abuja.

The agreement seeks to unite the four countries as a single negotiating bloc in discussions with international cocoa buyers. Together, the countries account for about 75 percent of global cocoa production.

The declaration also reflects a broader commitment to promote local processing and branding of cocoa products instead of exporting raw beans.

President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said Nigeria would end the practice of exporting raw cocoa while importing finished chocolate products.

“Nigeria will no longer export raw beans while importing finished value.

“We will grind our beans at home, we will press our butter at home, we will make our chocolate at home, brand it at home and sell it to the world on our own terms.”

Tinubu disclosed that investors are constructing a 70,000-tonne cocoa processing facility in Sagamu, Ogun State, which he described as the largest in Nigeria’s history. He also said the country’s installed cocoa grinding capacity now exceeds 120,000 tonnes annually.

The president added that the Bank of Industry (BOI), one of the summit’s co-conveners, has funding available for viable cocoa projects.

Speaking at the event, BOI Managing Director Olasupo Olusi said Nigeria produces more than 300,000 tonnes of cocoa every year, but only about 50,000 tonnes of its installed processing capacity is currently in use.

Olusi said the bank disbursed more than N164 billion to over 3,500 agro-processing businesses in 2025. He added that BOI also secured a €60 million credit facility from the European Investment Bank to support cocoa value addition.

According to him, the bank will introduce dedicated financing for cocoa processing, ingredient manufacturing, packaging, and chocolate production.

“We are not approaching cocoa as a lending programme; we are building an industrial ecosystem,” Olusi said.

Minister of State for Industry John Owan Enoh said the alliance would help African cocoa-producing countries secure a larger share of the global chocolate market, which is valued at more than $130 billion.

“We are not interested in exporting anonymous sacks anymore. We are interested in exporting value,” he said.

Enoh also said the four countries would adopt a common position on the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, which is scheduled to take effect for large and medium-sized cocoa operators on December 30, 2026. He said the bloc would seek recognition of its national traceability systems and oppose any move to transfer compliance costs to smallholder farmers.

He added that Nigeria had adopted a Cocoa Value Addition Accord to improve cocoa processing and farmers’ incomes. A delivery council will oversee implementation and publish annual progress reports.

Also speaking, Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Ransford Abbey, said Africa produces between 75 and 77 percent of the world’s cocoa but earns less than 10 percent of the value generated by the global chocolate industry.

“We do not need charity. We deserve equity. The time has come for Africa to process its own wealth, protect its farmers and negotiate with one voice in the global cocoa market,” Abbey said.

He also noted that global cocoa prices had dropped sharply after rising above $11,000 per tonne in late 2024, a development that forced Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to reduce producer prices.

The summit ended with the adoption of both the Abuja Declaration and the Cocoa Value Addition Accord.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A joint security team has rescued three kidnapped victims and killed two suspected terrorists in a fierce gun battle in Edo State, dealing a major blow to a criminal gang that had been terrorising the Ambrose Alli University community.

The operation, launched on Monday following a distress call about a kidnapping on the university campus, saw soldiers from the Nigerian Army working alongside police officers and local vigilantes in a high-speed chase that led them deep into a forest hideout in Esan Local Government Area.

According to military sources, the security forces cornered the abductors at their camp, triggering an intense exchange of gunfire. The troops’ overwhelming firepower neutralised two of the gunmen and sent the rest of the gang scattering in panic, forcing them to flee without their captives. All three victims were found unharmed and have since been reunited with their families.

Recovered from the scene were three AK-47 rifles, thirty-nine rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, three mobile phones, and two power banks. Authorities have taken custody of the items while tracking teams pursue the fleeing suspects.

The Nigerian Army has reiterated its resolve to sustain pressure on criminal networks, calling on residents to volunteer intelligence on suspicious movements and hideouts. “We will not relent until every part of Edo State is rid of these elements,” a military spokesman assured, urging citizens to go about their daily activities without fear.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The House of Representatives has withdrawn its own constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police, opting instead to consider a similar proposal transmitted by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The decision came during Tuesday’s plenary session, where lawmakers swiftly gave the Executive-sponsored bill its first and second readings before referring it to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.

The move effectively suspends the House’s earlier initiative as legislators pivot to the Executive-backed amendment, which is expected to undergo detailed scrutiny at the committee stage before returning to the floor for final consideration.

The development marks a significant shift in the ongoing debate over state policing, which has gained renewed momentum amid growing concerns about rising insecurity across the country. While the House had previously pursued its own constitutional amendment on the matter, the adoption of the Executive’s proposal signals a unified approach between both arms of government.

Lawmakers are expected to examine the bill’s key provisions thoroughly, including funding mechanisms, operational frameworks, and safeguards against potential abuse, before the amendment can proceed to the Senate for concurrence.

The passage of the state police bill would require amending the 1999 Constitution to remove policing from the Exclusive Legislative List, allowing states to establish their own law enforcement agencies.

By Uzair Adam

The principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has narrated how kidnappers killed two teachers and assaulted pupils during their 56 days in captivity.

Alamu was among the 46 pupils and teachers abducted on May 15 after terrorists attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The victims, who were taken from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School, regained their freedom last Friday.

Speaking to journalists in Ibadan on Monday during the handover of the rescued victims to Governor Seyi Makinde by the Nigerian Army, Alamu said the abductors killed two teachers in an attempt to pressure the government into meeting their demands.

She identified the deceased as Mr Michael and a teacher known as Deacon, saying they were killed at different times during the captivity.

“Mr Michael was killed on the second day, while Deacon was killed on the first Sunday in June. They killed them purposely because they felt that would force the government to give them whatever they wanted,” she said.

The principal explained that the captives spent much of their time in the open forest, enduring harsh weather and constant movement from one location to another.

According to her, faith and the belief that Nigerians were praying for their safe return gave them strength throughout the ordeal.

“We were in the forest, in the open most of the time, under the sun, under the rain. We knew it was God that could really help us,” Alamu said.

She added that several children were assaulted by the kidnappers, particularly the younger ones, whose cries often angered their captors.

Alamu said although she was not physically assaulted, some pupils suffered repeated beatings, while the male captives faced harsher treatment.

“The men, they had it worse than us because they were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on the leg,” she said.

She further disclosed that the kidnappers frequently relocated the victims whenever they suspected that security operatives were closing in on their hideouts.

While the youngest children were sometimes carried, most of the captives, including schoolgirls, were forced to trek through difficult terrain.

Alamu said it was only after their rescue that the victims realised the extent of public concern and prayers for their safe return.

Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde has called on the United Nations and international human rights organisations to investigate the May 15 abduction.

Makinde said Nigerians deserved a transparent account of the incident, including the identity of those responsible and whether negligence, institutional failure or collusion contributed to the attack.

“This is not about politics. It is about justice for the victims, reassurance for our people, and restoring public confidence that every Nigerian child can go to school without fear,” the governor said.

In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has launched a joint security operation to rescue Mathew Owoade, the 60-year-old headmaster of Nomadic Basic School, Igbojaye, who was abducted on Saturday.

Owoade was reportedly kidnapped along the Igbojaye–Budo Aare Farm Road, barely 24 hours after the rescue of the 46 pupils and teachers.

His son, Abiola Owoade, said the abductors used his father’s phone to demand a N30 million ransom.

The police spokesperson in Oyo State, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed that an investigation and rescue operation were underway.

Also reacting, the Nigeria Union of Teachers called on the Federal Government to strengthen security around schools and intensify efforts to rescue teachers and pupils still in captivity.

The NUT National President, Comrade Audu Amba, said the rescue of the Oyo victims should not overshadow the worsening security threats facing Nigeria’s education sector.

He urged the authorities to strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative and deploy adequate security personnel and modern surveillance systems to vulnerable schools across the country.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Troops of Sector 7 of the Nigerian Army have intercepted suspected arms traffickers and recovered seven illegal firearms during an operation in Kaduna State.

Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on Monday. He said the operation took place at the Samaru checkpoint in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.

According to him, the troops carried out a targeted stop-and-search operation at about 9:40 a.m. after receiving intelligence that illegal weapons were being transported from Jos in Plateau State to Niger State.

Makama said security personnel were informed that suspected arms traffickers were conveying the weapons in an ash-coloured Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

He added that the troops identified the vehicle based on the intelligence, tracked its movement and intercepted it at the Samaru checkpoint.

The operation led to the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of seven illegal firearms, which were allegedly destined for bandits.

Security authorities have yet to release the identities of the suspects or provide further details about the ongoing investigation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika has defended the economic record of former President Muhammadu Buhari, dismissing claims that his administration left Nigeria in economic hardship.

Sirika spoke during an interview on Arise Television, where he argued that the country was in a stable economic and social condition under Buhari’s leadership.

He said, “I don’t want to get dragged into that debate, but the truth of the matter is that President Buhari has done extremely very well on the economy.

“And I’m not an economist, but I do know so because I’ve been in the country, I’ve been in the government, I know so.

”And I’ve seen that the country at the time was in good state both economically and the social issues within the country.”

When asked to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Sirika declined to criticise the current government. He said it would be unfair to judge decisions taken by an administration in which he has no role.

He maintained that each government should be assessed according to the circumstances it faces. He also said he would not publicly question policies that he is not responsible for implementing.

According to him, “I do believe that he led the country that is flourishing. Because I am not President Muhammadu Buhari, and neither am I President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to really comment on the policies that they have made… I don’t think it’s been fair for me to sit down and make a critique of why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did this or not.”

Sirika also argued that there is no conflict between the policy direction of the Buhari and Tinubu administrations because both governments operate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said, “But I want to say categorically that the policies by President Muhammadu Buhari are policies of our party and the policies that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pursuing are policies of our party.

“So as an APC person, I do believe that they are not doing things, just off the top of their head, you know, to inflict injury on the country. No, I don’t think so.”