News

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The security situation in Zamfara State has come under fresh scrutiny after suspected bandits reportedly abducted several Islamic clerics who attended a prayer gathering at the residence of Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari in Talata Mafara Local Government Area.

The reported abduction occurred after the clerics joined more than 2,000 Islamic scholars and imams at Yari’s residence for a special prayer session ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development was made public on Saturday evening by Northwest-based crisis reporter Bakatsine in a post on his X handle.

According to the report, some of the clerics allegedly taken away included Imam Yahuza, the First Jumma’at Imam in Dogon Madacci; Magawata Abdullahi, the Second Jumma’at Imam in Dogon Madacci; Malam Shehu Dakko; Imam Bala Fagon; and Na’ibi Tasi’u of Tungar Nagudai.

The clerics reportedly travelled from communities in Bakura and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas to participate in the gathering.

The prayer session was reportedly held to seek peace, national unity and the success of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 elections.

The reported incident has raised concerns over the reach of bandit groups in Zamfara, particularly because the alleged abduction occurred after a gathering at the residence of a prominent political figure.

Bakatsine described the development as disturbing and linked it to the wider security challenges confronting communities across the state.

“If people can be abducted while attending a gathering at the residence of a prominent political figure, then where exactly are ordinary citizens supposed to feel safe?” he asked.

Zamfara has continued to experience attacks and abductions attributed to armed bandit groups, with several communities facing persistent security threats.

However, the reported abduction had not received immediate official confirmation from the police or other security agencies as of the time of filing this report.

The identities of all those allegedly abducted and their current whereabouts also remained unclear.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A 51-year-old woman has died in Brazil days after undergoing six cosmetic procedures during an eight-hour operation.

The woman, identified as Andreia Vieira Gaspar, was living in Spain before travelling to Goiânia, Brazil, for the procedures. She reportedly spent two years saving 118,000 Brazilian reals, equivalent to about $22,918, for the treatment.

According to G1, the procedures included a facelift, blepharoplasty, liposuction and facial fat grafting. Andreia died on August 12, several days after the surgery.

Her sister, Djiane Vieira, has called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death and raised questions about the medical care she received.

Djiane alleged that Andreia did not undergo a pre-procedure consultation in Brazil and claimed that her pre-operative tests were carried out in Spain.

She further alleged that her sister developed severe swelling of the tongue after the operation. According to Djiane, she attempted to contact the medical team but believed Andreia did not receive adequate treatment.

She also claimed that Ankar Hospital, where her sister was receiving treatment, lacked an intensive care unit and an emergency ambulance.

Djiane said her sister eventually died in her arms after medical personnel made several attempts to revive her.

Lessandro Martins, one of the doctors involved in the procedure, declined to discuss Andreia’s medical condition, citing medical confidentiality.

“Out of respect for medical confidentiality — which persists even after death, as mandated by the Medical Code of Ethics — no interviews will be granted, nor will comments be made regarding clinical data,” he said in a legal statement.

Martins added that he was confident the investigation would establish that the medical care provided to Andreia was appropriate.

Ankar Hospital, through its lawyer, maintained that Andreia received immediate emergency treatment after complications developed.

The lawyer also said “necessary measures were taken” to treat her.

Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.

The case comes months after the death of Nigerian-British influencer Igho ‘Tiny’ Ubiribo following a cosmetic procedure in Thailand.

Ubiribo, who died in March at the age of 43, was buried in London in May.

The Department of Health Service Support, DHSS, under Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, later disclosed that Ubiribo had received four penile enlargement injections between 2024 and 2025, with a fifth procedure taking place before his death.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the final list of 18 presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 presidential election.

The list, titled “Presidential and National Assembly Elections for Jan, 2027 – Presidential Final List of Candidates”, was signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

Among the major contenders listed by the electoral commission are Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC; President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC; Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC; and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, AAC.

Atiku is paired with former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate, while Tinubu will contest alongside Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Obi’s running mate is former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, while Sowore is paired with Haruna Magashi.

Other candidates on the list include Rufai Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance, AA; Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party, ADP; Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party, APP; Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM; and Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party, BP.

The commission also listed Adebisi Olusoji of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, DLA; Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party, LP; Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party, NDP; and Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement, NRM.

Former Delta State Governor, Donald Duke, will represent the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, while Adewole Adebayo is the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

The remaining candidates are Peter Agada of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, and Daniel Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

The final document provides details about the candidates and their running mates, including their ages, gender and academic qualifications.

INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

The governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has declared his support for the re-election bids of President Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Musa made his position known on Friday during a meeting with local government coordinators of GCG Musawah 4 PBAT 2027, a political mobilisation group in Kaduna State.

The meeting brought the minister together with mobilisers from the state’s 23 local government areas as well as representatives of more than 300 affiliated interest groups.

According to a statement by the group’s Secretary, James Swam, Musa urged members to sustain their mobilisation efforts in support of Tinubu and Sani.

He also called for greater commitment to the development of the country, stressing that Nigerians could achieve more through unity and collective effort.

“I will continue to work hard for Nigeria to succeed,” Musa said.

“We should remain determined to build this country because together we are stronger as a nation.”

The defence minister also spoke about the importance of religious tolerance, national unity and peaceful coexistence, citing his childhood experience in Sokoto State.

“I grew up in Sokoto; there is no way I can object to any religion,” he said.

Musa recalled celebrating Sallah with Muslim friends and neighbours during his childhood.

“I remember that during Sallah, as children, we were the ones who would hold the ram to be slaughtered,” he said.

He further argued that Nigeria possesses sufficient human and material resources to achieve significant development if citizens remain united and dedicated to the country’s progress.

“God put us in Nigeria to build this country, and we have the capacity to do it, both in human and material resources,” Musa stated.

The minister urged Nigerians to regard the task of developing the country as a shared responsibility, regardless of their religious or other differences.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Regularly sleeping with earbuds in the ears may expose users to prolonged sound and increase the risk of hearing problems, ear infections and excessive earwax accumulation, ear, nose and throat specialists have warned.

The experts said the risk could become greater when earbuds are used at high volume or left in the ears for several hours. They explained that wearing the devices throughout the night denies the ears the breaks needed between periods of sound exposure.

Apart from prolonged noise exposure, keeping earbuds inside the ear canal for extended periods may trap moisture and disrupt the natural movement of earwax. According to the specialists, these conditions could contribute to infections and other ear-related problems.

The World Health Organisation has warned that hearing damage is influenced by the volume, duration and frequency of exposure to sound. Prolonged exposure to loud noise may initially result in temporary hearing loss or tinnitus, while repeated or continuous exposure can cause permanent damage to sensory cells and structures within the inner ear.

The WHO estimates that more than one billion people between the ages of 12 and 35 are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe recreational exposure to loud sounds, including those produced by personal audio devices. It recommends keeping audio volume below 60 per cent of the maximum level and taking regular breaks.

Nigeria also faces a significant hearing-loss burden, with a WHO regional report estimating the prevalence of disabling hearing loss in the country at 6.7 per cent. The report lists impacted earwax, chronic otitis media and age-related hearing loss among major causes.

Findings from a Nigerian study involving 272 people who regularly used headphones and earphones showed that 17.6 per cent of the users had hearing loss, compared with 7.4 per cent among an equal number of non-users. The researchers found that most cases among the users were mild, affected both ears and involved sensorineural hearing loss, with high-frequency hearing particularly affected.

A Specialist Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon at the National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna, Dr Mustapha Lawal, said the impact of prolonged earphone use depended largely on the loudness of the sound and the duration of exposure.

Lawal told PUNCH Healthwise that warning signs could emerge before permanent hearing damage occurs, including tinnitus, dizziness and unusual sensations in the ear.

“Long-term hearing loss; short-term, there will be some symptoms, like tinnitus, dizziness, and sensations in the ear,” Lawal explained.

He said prolonged exposure could first produce what is known as a temporary threshold shift, which causes hearing sensitivity to decline for a period.

According to him, the problem could develop even when the sound level was not particularly high if a person remained exposed for several hours.

“If the noise is not that loud, however, it is on for several hours,” Lawal stated.

The specialist stressed that allowing the ears to rest was important because continued exposure could turn temporary hearing changes into permanent damage.

“Once it has gone through what you call a permanent threshold shift, permanent threshold shift, then that one is irreversible,” Lawal stated.

He added that excessive exposure to noise could also affect concentration, communication and overall quality of life when hearing difficulties begin to interfere with daily activities.

A Professor of Ear, Nose and Throat and Head and Neck Surgery at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State, Adoga Agida Samuel, also raised concerns about the physical effects of sleeping with earbuds.

Samuel explained that prolonged blockage of the ear canal could promote inflammation and infection. He added that some users might also develop reactions to materials used in the manufacture of earbuds.

Another concern, according to him, is the retention of earwax. He said accumulated wax could obstruct the ear canal and result in conductive hearing loss.

“Wax retention takes a while but becomes a problem because it builds up,” Samuel stated.

The professor further warned that exposure to sound above safe levels could temporarily reduce hearing ability and cause permanent damage when the exposure continued.

“Exposure of greater than 85dB over 8 hours has different effects. Some immediate injury, causing a temporary threshold shift,” Samuel stated.

He explained that continued exposure could eventually destroy the sensory hair cells responsible for hearing.

“Persistent or continuous exposure will cause oxidative injury; many chemicals will be released, leading to hair cell death and permanent hearing loss,” Samuel stated.

Samuel urged people who experience symptoms such as ear pain, severe itching, tinnitus or reduced hearing to seek medical attention rather than dismissing them.

He noted that some symptoms could point to an underlying ear infection.

“For infections, pain and severe itching may be fungus,” Samuel stated.

The professor advised people who use earbuds regularly to reduce their exposure and avoid wearing them while asleep.

“Moderate use of earbuds if it cannot be avoided. Sleep without them,” Samuel advised.

Experts therefore recommend regular breaks from earbuds and caution against sleeping with the devices, particularly when they are used at high volume or for prolonged periods.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigerian Army has opened an investigation into an allegation of sexual abuse involving a serving officer, Cap Etim Essien, attached to the Headquarters 3 Division in Jos, Plateau State.

The investigation followed reports of the alleged incident that circulated online, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 3 Division, Lt. Col. Olumide Olukoya.

Olukoya said the Army had begun efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the allegation, stressing that cases involving sexual abuse, particularly those involving minors and other vulnerable persons, were taken seriously by the military.

“The Nigerian Army takes all allegations of sexual abuse, particularly those involving minors and other vulnerable persons, with utmost seriousness. Accordingly, appropriate steps have been initiated to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the reported incident.

“As the allegation is currently under process of investigation, it would be inappropriate to make definitive comments on the culpability or otherwise of any individual at this stage. The Nigerian Army remains committed to due process, fairness and the protection of the rights and dignity of all parties involved,” he said.

The Army spokesperson further stated that relevant civil authorities were also investigating the matter and assured that the military would work with them to ensure a comprehensive investigation in line with the law.

“The Nigerian Army is also aware that the relevant civil authorities are looking into the matter and will cooperate fully with them to ensure that the allegation is thoroughly and transparently investigated in accordance with extant laws and regulations,” he added.

Olukoya said the Army maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards actions that contravened the law or military regulations.

He added that any personnel found culpable after the investigation would face appropriate disciplinary measures.

“The Nigerian Army places a high premium on discipline, professionalism and respect for human dignity. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, any personnel found to have acted contrary to the law or established service regulations will be dealt with appropriately,” he stated.

The Army also called on members of the public to avoid speculation or the circulation of unverified information that could interfere with the investigation or expose those involved to further harm.

The military specifically urged the public to exercise caution in discussions concerning minors, stressing the need to safeguard their privacy and welfare throughout the investigation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected bandits have reportedly abducted several Islamic clerics who attended a prayer gathering at the residence of former Zamfara State Governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state.

The reported incident was disclosed on Saturday by Northwest-based crisis reporter, Bakatsine, through a post on his X handle.

The clerics were said to have been taken away after attending a special prayer session at Yari’s residence, where more than 2,000 Islamic scholars and imams had gathered ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among those reportedly abducted were Imam Yahuza, the First Jumma’at Imam in Dogon Madacci; Magawata Abdullahi, the Second Jumma’at Imam in Dogon Madacci; Malam Shehu Dakko; Imam Bala Fagon; and Na’ibi Tasi’u of Tungar Nagudai.

According to Bakatsine, the affected clerics travelled from communities in Bakura and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas to attend the gathering.

The prayer session was reportedly organised to seek peace, national unity and the success of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 elections.

Bakatsine expressed concern over the reported abduction, noting that the incident occurred at the residence of a prominent political figure.

He said the development was another indication of the worsening security situation in Zamfara State, where banditry and kidnapping have continued to threaten residents.

“If people can be abducted while attending a gathering at the residence of a prominent political figure, then where exactly are ordinary citizens supposed to feel safe?” he asked.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official confirmation from the police or other security agencies regarding the reported abduction.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Tinubu has expressed grief over the death of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Mohammed Tukur, who died on Saturday at the age of 90.

Tukur, who previously served as governor of the old Gongola State and Minister of Industries, was described by the President as a major figure whose contributions cut across Nigeria’s political, economic and business spheres.

In a condolence statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described the late politician as a “towering figure” whose career covered public administration, governance, industry, politics and pan-African business leadership.

Born on September 15, 1935, Tukur served as General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority between 1975 and 1982. According to the President, his tenure contributed to the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

He later entered politics and became governor of the old Gongola State in 1983. The state was eventually divided into what are now Adamawa and Taraba states.

Tinubu said Tukur was known for his character, generosity and commitment to public service.

“Alhaji Tukur was urbane, generous and deeply rooted in the values of integrity and service that the Adamawa Emirate and the nation hold dear.

“He was a man of big ideas and bold enterprise who believed in Nigeria’s limitless potential. Nigeria will sorely miss his wise counsel and fatherly guidance,” the President said.

Beyond public office, Tukur was active in the private sector. He served as Chairman of BHI Holdings and the DADDO Group of Companies, which had interests in manufacturing, agriculture, logistics and trading.

He also held prominent positions in continental business organisations, including Executive President of the African Business Roundtable and Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group.

Tukur became National Chairman of the PDP in March 2012 and remained in the position until January 2014, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Tinubu extended his condolences to the deceased’s family, the Fombina Emirate of Adamawa, the Adamawa State Government, as well as political and business communities in Nigeria and across Africa.

The President prayed for Allah’s forgiveness for Tukur’s shortcomings, asking Him to grant the deceased Aljannah Firdaus and give his family and other mourners the strength to bear the loss.

Tukur’s family had earlier confirmed his death in a statement signed by his son, Hon. Awwal D. Tukur.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Nigerians who put their money into an online platform known as PXES have been left counting their losses after the platform stopped paying returns and became inaccessible, The Punch newspaper reports.

The development has sparked anger among participants who invested amounts ranging from tens of thousands of naira to millions of naira. Some frustrated investors reportedly stormed PXES offices in Adamawa and Kogi states, where they removed office furniture and other items.

The platform reportedly stopped paying participants in early September, leaving several investors unable to withdraw their funds or establish contact with its operators.

PXES had attracted participants with claims of substantial returns. Reports indicated that some packages promised returns of between 25 per cent and 50 per cent, while certain packages reportedly offered as much as 120 per cent.

The reported returns could not be independently verified.

Investors Storm Offices In Adamawa, Kogi

In Adamawa and Kogi states, some investors reportedly visited PXES offices after attempts to withdraw their money failed.

Videos shared online showed people removing chairs, tables and other items from a PXES office in Yola. Similar scenes were reported at the company’s office in Kabba.

One video showed a man, who reportedly invested about N209,000, crying over his inability to recover his money.

The Kabba manager had reportedly sent a message to investors after the payment difficulties began, assuring them that the management would compensate them for their patience.

However, the office was allegedly shut three days after the message was sent. Investors were subsequently left without clear information about the operators or the whereabouts of their funds.

‘They Showed Me Evidence’

One of the investors, Bunmi Awodipe, said she entered the scheme after three friends showed her evidence that they were receiving returns.

Awodipe said she invested N200,000 and initially received N7,000 weekly.

“They told me they invested money in PXES and were receiving their payments. They showed me evidence, so I decided to invest N200,000 and was receiving N7,000 every week. They only paid me for three weeks.

“When I went to their office last week, I didn’t see anyone. The place was locked and there was nothing in the office. Everything was removed,” Awodipe said.

Another participant, Deji Mulero, said he was introduced to PXES by one of his customers.

“It’s one of my customers who introduced this thing to me on September 4. I registered with N65,000 and it crashed the same Friday. That was how I lost my money,” he said.

Another investor who identified himself as Wale said he had accumulated almost N600,000 on his account before the platform stopped operating.

“Been there for some months. Registered with 207k, now on first stage supervisor. Got close to 600k already on that account. My friend in Abuja introduced the scheme to me,” Wale said.

For 68-year-old Jumoke Talabi, the money was intended to support her granddaughter’s education and household expenses.

Talabi said she invested N64,800 after seeing other participants receive payments. She said the platform had previously paid her N70,000, which encouraged her to increase her investment.

She expected another payment when the next withdrawal date arrived.

“I was meant to collect N18,000 before school resumes, and I thought that I would finish collecting all my profit. But so far, I have not collected any money.

“When they said we should withdraw on Friday, I was dancing. I told my brother that the money did not enter my account, but I was told it would hit my account in the evening. I was looking forward to it. They didn’t even pay me my N64,000. One of my friends doesn’t know what to do or where to go. She has been crying,” she recalled.

Explaining why she invested despite the risks, Talabi said, “It’s poverty that made me do it. If not poverty, I would not, because the money is meant for school fees. I thought that maybe, I would see some to buy rice and eat.”

Shola Adeshina, whose wife also invested in PXES, said the platform became attractive because of claims that small investments could generate substantial returns.

He said stories about participants who allegedly used their earnings to buy cars and build houses made the scheme more appealing.

“Stories of participants using proceeds from the platform to buy cars and build houses further increased its appeal.

“The situation became alarming when a couple who invested millions of naira visited a branch after payments stopped, only to discover that the office had been abandoned,” he said.

How The Platform Operated

Accounts from participants and promotional materials indicate that PXES used a membership structure with different investment levels.

Participants paid specified amounts to join and received access to an online dashboard where they were expected to complete daily tasks described as orders.

Funmi Deinde, a former participant, said she withdrew her money before the collapse. She identified three membership levels as Star 1, Star 2 and Star 3.

“If you’re on Level Star 1, so to say, it is about N21,600. Then Star 2 is N54,800. Star 3 is N207,000.

“When you join with this money, you have an account, a dashboard that you’ll be taking orders from every day,” she said.

Deinde said the dashboard displayed household products which participants were expected to interact with.

She compared the process to online shopping platforms such as Temu and Jumia, although participants did not receive the displayed products.

“When you click ‘Order’, they will highlight some of the things that you should be clicking. Household properties will be highlighted there.

“The money that you used to register has secured you a place as a member. So, you now have access to take orders every day,” Deinde said.

She said members were initially allowed to withdraw their earnings daily before the withdrawal system was changed to weekly.

“Initially, every day, you can withdraw whatever you want to withdraw. The least withdrawal was N1,500, N5,000, N20,000, N100,000 and so on,” she added.

According to her, withdrawal dates were later assigned according to membership levels.

Another participant, Emmanuel Ajayi, said the N64,000 package generated approximately N2,160 from daily tasks, while the N21,600 package produced about N720.

Promotional materials reviewed by Saturday PUNCH listed packages starting from N21,600, with higher packages including N64,800 and N207,000.

The materials claimed that an investment of N21,600 could produce as much as N259,200 over 360 days, while N64,800 could yield up to N777,600 during the same period.

The figures represented returns several times the initial amounts.

Participants also said members could recruit new participants and develop networks within the platform.

A security guard, whose name was withheld, said he initially resisted joining after his sister introduced PXES to him.

He eventually invested N64,000 after repeated persuasion. He said he withdrew about N20,000 on two occasions before losing the remaining funds after payments stopped.

According to him, his sister had developed a larger network and lost more than N1m.

Investment Platform Or Digital Marketing Company?

Questions have also emerged over how PXES described its operations.

At an event in Kabba, representatives of the organisation reportedly rejected the description of PXES as an investment platform. Instead, they presented it as a digital marketing and advertising company.

Olubowale Ayodele, a company representative, told participants that PXES provided digital marketing opportunities for unemployed people and graduates.

“It’s a job that once you are doing it, we promote others; we promote brands from clients that have been giving to our company,” he said.

Ayodele encouraged graduates and unemployed people with smartphones to participate.

“If you know you are a graduate, if you know that you are unemployed, or if you know that you just have your smartphone, use it to do this digital marketing work because it works,” he stated.

He also claimed that one member of his team was earning N700,000 every week.

“By God’s grace, I have got somebody even out of my team that is receiving 700,000 weekly as salary,” Ayodele said.

Another official, Eniola Oluwatobi, who was identified as the company’s training director, described PXES as an advertising company.

“This is an advertising company. They partner with eBay and Amazon; those people give them, and PXES give us to advertise for them,” he said.

He explained that products were made available to participants through the PXES application.

“So, the PXES distributes those products to us to advertise for them through their app. So, by doing that, people are seeing the products,” Oluwatobi added.

The Obadofin of Oweland, Olusegun Are, who attended the Kabba event, also described PXES as an income opportunity.

“PXES is a very laudable programme that will help all of us in Nigeria to have another stream of income,” he said.

The traditional ruler also claimed that the organisation had distributed food items to more than 300 elderly people in Kabba.

Financial Experts Question Authorisation

The collapse has raised questions about whether PXES was authorised to collect investment funds from members of the public.

Financial analyst George Samuel advised Nigerians to establish the regulatory status of any organisation before committing money to an investment scheme.

He stressed that registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission does not automatically give a company permission to accept deposits or solicit investment funds.

“While a Corporate Affairs Commission number may be necessary, it does not serve as a licence to accept deposits or investment funds,” Samuel said.

“Avoid depositing or investing with any unlicensed firms. They are required to display their licence in their office, so ask or look for that SEC licence and do basic due diligence,” he added.

Samuel said organisations that accept deposits or offer investment services are subject to regulatory requirements. He urged prospective investors to verify the appropriate licence before committing their funds.

A banker, Kemi Junaid, also identified promises of exceptionally high returns and guaranteed profits as warning signs.

“Financial desperation and poor financial literacy often made people vulnerable to schemes promising quick and substantial returns.

“Prospective investors should question how an organisation intends to generate the returns it promises rather than relying on testimonials from other participants,” she said.

EFCC Urges Victims To Report Investment Scams

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it would examine reported cases of financial crimes and investment scams brought before it.

The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told Saturday PUNCH that complaints must be formally submitted before the EFCC can act.

“Any issue of financial crime, Ponzi scheme, investment scam that is duly reported to the EFCC, the commission will look into it. But it must be duly reported,” Oyewale said.

He recalled that the commission had issued several warnings about Ponzi schemes and other investment scams.

“As a form of reminder, the commission has issued several advisories against investment scams and Ponzi schemes. And we will continue to advise members of the public on doing due diligence before going into investment,” Oyewale said.

He said the commission would continue its preventive and enforcement efforts against financial crimes.

“But as an anti-corruption agency, we are unrelenting in our operational and preventive modalities to ensure that members of the public are shielded from all of these avoidable losses,” Oyewale said.

Oyewale did not confirm that the EFCC had opened a specific investigation into PXES.

PXES Collapse Follows Other Investment Scams

The PXES controversy is the latest in a series of investment schemes that have left Nigerians with significant financial losses.

In April 2025, the collapse of Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly known as CBEX, caused widespread panic among investors. About 600,000 Nigerians were reportedly involved, with losses estimated at approximately N1.3tn.

CBEX had promised investors 100 per cent returns within 30 days through alleged artificial intelligence-powered trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission later said CBEX and its affiliates had not been registered to operate as a digital asset exchange or solicit investments from Nigerians.

The commission said its preliminary investigation found that the platform created a false impression of legitimacy and offered “implausibly high guaranteed returns” over a short period.

The EFCC subsequently investigated the scheme, with the commission announcing arrests and recovery efforts.

Another platform, EMAAR, reportedly collapsed later in 2025 after attracting more than 4,000 investors through claims of returns from real estate investments. Investigations into the platform indicated that much of its recruitment and communication took place online.

EMAAR reportedly stopped allowing withdrawals on October 27, 2025, with suspected losses later estimated at nearly N3bn.

In May 2026, another platform, XM Future Music Group, reportedly collapsed after investors could no longer access their funds.

Victims reportedly stormed its office in Badagry, Lagos State, and removed office equipment including generators, chairs, fans and televisions.

The platform had reportedly offered returns to participants for listening to music and completing online tasks, with entry packages ranging from N21,600 to several million naira.

The recurring pattern has raised renewed concerns about Nigerians placing money in schemes that promise unusually high returns without first establishing how the businesses generate the promised income.

PXES Online Presence Becomes Inaccessible

Attempts to access the platform’s known website, https://www.pxesng.com/, were unsuccessful.

Some investors also said the platform’s WhatsApp channel had been blocked.

Its Facebook page, PXES NG, had not been updated since June 21, according to checks conducted by Saturday PUNCH.

The page contained posts about training sessions, meetings and activities for participants. Some posts also highlighted team-building sessions and claimed expansion across Nigeria and other African countries.

PXES also claimed on the page to have impacted more than one million members through financial stability and welfare support.

With investors now unable to access their funds and the platform’s offices reportedly shut in some locations, affected participants are left seeking answers over the fate of their investments.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Concerns over the potential dangers of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) have intensified after researchers and technology professionals warned that the development of increasingly autonomous systems could pose a serious threat to humanity.

The latest warning came from 27-year-old British AI researcher Jacob Coxon, who recently resigned from Anthropic, the company behind Claude, after previously working at OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

Coxon said he spent about three years conducting AI pre-training research at the two companies. He claimed both firms were moving rapidly towards self-improving super-intelligent AI without sufficient safety measures.

Speaking to CNN, Coxon said recent developments in AI showed why the risks should not be dismissed as science fiction.

“It sounds like something that’s not real, but I think it is frighteningly real and it’s easiest to understand it if you think about real things that happened two months ago.

“So, two months ago, OpenAI agents hacked into third-party infrastructure entirely at their own accord. And this was like a concentrated hacking spree that they carried out of their own volition.

“And I think that if you extrapolate into the future the level of capabilities of these AIs with the same independent volition, they could cause extreme havoc.”

Coxon also warned that AI was approaching a point where it could replace humans in several fields, particularly coding, mathematics and research.

“For example, in areas like coding or maths, a couple of years ago, these AIs were just about helping humans a little bit. They could give you suggestions. Now they’re close to replacing them.

“We still need humans at the moment, but quite plausibly, within a year, we’ll no longer need humans for doing research in many areas.

“Only on Tuesday, OpenAI solved a millennium problem, one of the biggest unsolved open problems in mathematics, purely autonomously using an AI. And I think what’s most scary is if AI is used to make itself more intelligent.”

He said AI systems were no longer limited to assisting people with tasks but were increasingly capable of operating independently.

“The AI just gets smarter and smarter with no human involvement necessary, until you have a thing that is vastly smarter than humans,” he added.

Following his resignation and public warnings, Coxon said some people within the AI industry were themselves deeply concerned about the possible consequences.

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” he wrote on X on Friday.

AI Experts Back Coxon’s Concerns

Coxon’s claims drew responses from several professionals within the AI sector, with some expressing similar fears about the possibility of advanced AI systems becoming difficult to control.

Anthropic’s Alignment Science Lead, Evan Hubinger, said he considered the probability of such an outcome within the next decade to be significant.

“Jacob is correct here—we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it’s >10% within the next decade. I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to,” Hubinger said.

Anna Wang, Chief US Economist at Anthropic and a former employee of Google DeepMind, said Coxon’s concerns reflected views held by some of her colleagues.

“I worked at Google DeepMind and now at Anthropic. This is a common sentiment amongst my peers. (I write this in personal capacity.) There is not yet a viable scientific plan to solve risks from recursively self-improving AI. Please look up,” she stated.

Ethan Perez, Anthropic’s Alignment Team Lead and a former colleague of Coxon, also endorsed the concerns raised by the researcher.

“Jacob was a senior researcher who joined Anthropic in May. My Anthropic colleagues and I had been trying to recruit him for ~2 years, because we knew he was a strong researcher at OpenAI. Before he left, I pitched him to stay and join my team, and I was sad he decided to leave, as are many of my colleagues. 100% agree with him that AI poses serious risks to society, and I’m glad he’s speaking out!” Perez added.

Expert Outlines Possible Ways AI Could Harm Humans

Sky News technology correspondent Rowland Manthorpe also outlined possible scenarios in which AI could cause catastrophic harm.

He spoke during a ‘This Is Why’ programme with Niall Paterson, where he discussed the potential consequences of giving increasingly capable AI systems instructions to solve complex problems.

Manthorpe said one possible scenario involved AI being used to create a super-virus capable of killing people across the world.

He also raised another possibility in which an AI system could turn against humans.

He said “it doesn’t much like us and starts to go after us.”

“In some variation on what people called the paper-clip problem, which is telling an intelligent, determined and highly capable AI to go make paper clips, it follows your instruction literally and turns the whole world into paper clips,” Manthorpe said.

Although he acknowledged that such scenarios may sound extreme, Manthorpe said the risks could become more serious if humans become excessively dependent on AI.

US, UK Lawmakers Raise Alarm

The debate has also reached political circles in the United States and the United Kingdom, where lawmakers have called for stronger measures to regulate AI.

US Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas described AI as a “catastrophic risk” to humanity, according to The Guardian.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont also called for caution over the development of artificial superintelligence.

“A recent poll shows that the American people overwhelmingly want to ban artificial super intelligence and pause the development of AI until we establish clear safety standards.”

Democratic Representative Lori Trahan of Massachusetts also expressed concern about developments within the industry.

“The call is coming from inside the house. Safety researchers are resigning, powerful AI models are breaking out of their labs, and companies are racing ahead anyway.”

In the UK, Chi Onwurah, the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West, introduced a bill seeking to prevent technology companies from creating digital replicas of people without their consent.

Presenting the ‘There Is Only One Me’ bill in the House of Commons on Thursday, the British-Nigerian lawmaker said:

“Today, I presented a bill to stop ‘digital twinning’ without express consent.”

“Now, Madam Deputy Speaker, we know that tech companies collect data on everything we do, every click we make, every photo we share, every sandwich we buy, every post we like,” she said.

“But now that data is being combined with AI to turn an individual, for example, you, Madam Deputy Speaker, into an algorithm to predict your behaviour, to target advertising at you, to persuade you to watch a particular video or believe a dodgy news report. Think about it.”

Trump Says US Must Maintain AI Lead Over China

Despite the warnings from researchers and lawmakers, US President Donald Trump said his main concern was ensuring that the United States remained ahead of China in AI development.

When journalists asked him in Dallas on Thursday whether he had concerns about AI threatening humanity, Trump responded:

“No, I don’t have any.”

“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” the president said. “We are leading China right now by a pretty good period. I would say a year, which is, you know, considered a lot.”

A Nigerian AI expert and Chief Executive Officer of Realsearch and Partners Limited, Enakirerhi Ejovwoke, also cautioned against treating the warnings as proof that AI would inevitably destroy humanity.

He described the concerns as “the fear of the unknown” and argued that technological progress had historically generated fears about its consequences.

“That fear is understandable because the future is inherently difficult to predict, and history repeatedly reminds us that even highly informed experts and institutions can substantially misjudge how emerging technologies will develop,” Ejovwoke said.

He nevertheless acknowledged the need for stronger safeguards around AI development.

“The lesson is not that experts are useless. The lesson is that the future often unfolds in ways that even experts cannot completely anticipate. My position, therefore, is not safety versus innovation. We need safe innovation.

“We should build stronger safeguards at the same time that we continue experimenting, researching and creating. Safety should shape the direction and speed of progress, not become an excuse to abandon progress altogether.

“I also don’t believe AI represents the final stage of human innovation. The internet did not end innovation. Instead, it created the foundation for cloud computing, smartphones, social networks, digital commerce and eventually modern AI. AI itself will almost certainly expose another layer of possibilities that we cannot fully see Today.”

Anthropic Says It Has Disrupted Malicious AI Use

Anthropic, meanwhile, said it had already taken action against attempts to misuse its AI systems for potentially dangerous purposes.

According to a BBC News report, the company said its threat intelligence team had identified and disrupted efforts by threat actors to use Claude for malicious activities, including activities related to biological weapons research.

Anthropic said, “Over the past eight months, our threat intelligence team identified and disrupted operations in which threat actors tried to use Claude for malicious activity.

“In each case, we disrupted the activity, used what we learned to strengthen our safeguards, and shared intelligence with authorities and industry partners, where appropriate.”

The warnings have added to a growing international debate over how governments and technology companies should balance the rapid development of AI with measures designed to prevent misuse and reduce potential risks to society.