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Akpabio Rejects Planned Solidarity Rally In A’Ibom, Warns Supporters

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  The President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio on Thursday dissociated himself from a solidarity rally being planned for him in his hometown in Akwa Ibom, saying he doesn’t know the organisers. The rebuttal was made in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media Matters, Jackson Udom. In the press release titled ‘Disregard Any Rally in Akwa Ibom purported to be in support of Senate President Godswill Akpabio’, the former governor urged his supporters to steer clear of the gathering, warning that the group behind it may have ulterior motives. He said, “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has been drawn to a planned rally purported to be in support of the Senate President and organised by an unknown association by the name, Progressive Peoples’ Resolution and led by one Ubong Idemudo, a known controversial character, slated for tomorrow, April 4. “The President of the Senate is not aware of any rally organised in his support at any venue in Akwa Ibom and therefore urges his supporters and the peace-loving people of Akwa Ibom State to disregard such rally and go about their lawful duties. “The planned rally, from information pieced together, is the handiwork of fifth columnists trying to use the name of the Senate President to achieve their devilish goal.” The Senate President, therefore, urged security agencies to move swiftly into action and ensure the rally doesn’t hold. “The Police and other security agencies in the state are by this statement directed to ensure that such satanic rally is not allowed to hold, as such has no approval of the Senate President,” the statement read. Punch

Osimhen’s Brace Knocks Mourinho’s Fenerbahce Out Of Turkish Cup

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  Victor Osimhen delivered a stunning performance on Wednesday as his brace secured Galatasaray a 2-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the final stage of the Turkish Cup, eliminating José Mourinho’s side from the competition. Osimhen opened the scoring in the 10th minute, putting Galatasaray ahead with a well-taken shot from the edge of the box. The Nigerian striker then doubled his tally in the 27th minute from the penalty spot, giving his team a comfortable 2-0 lead before halftime. Fenerbahce managed to pull one back just before the break, with Sebastian Szymański finding the net in first-half stoppage time (45+1’), but it was not enough to turn the tide. Despite late attempts to equalize, including substitutions involving Mert Yandaş and Kerem Demirbay in the 90+2 minute, Mourinho’s side fell short as Galatasaray held on for the win.  

S’African Court Frees Pastor Omotoso Of Rape Charges After Eight Years

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  A Nigerian televangelist, Timothy Omotoso, has been acquitted of rape charges by a South African high court after spending eight years in jail. The judge presiding over the case criticised the state prosecutor’s handling of the cross-examination, stating it was “shallow” and lacked the intention to uncover the truth. Omotoso and his two co-defendants were arraigned on a 32-count charge bordering on rape and human trafficking. The co-defendants are Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho. Several young women had accused the pastor of luring them into his home in Umhlanga, a town in South Africa, where he allegedly molested them. In April 2017, the Nigerian pastor was arrested shortly after he landed at an airport in South Africa. He is the senior pastor of the Jesus Dominion International based in Durban, South Africa. He is also the founder of Tim Omotoso Global Outreach and Ancient of Day Broadcasting Network. According to News24, Irma Schoeman, the trial judge, ruled on Wednesday, that the state prosecutor did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. Schoeman held that the prosecutor failed to properly cross-examine the accused, adding that “it was as if cross-examination never even took place”. The judge said that although she did not believe the evidence of the accused, the onus rests on the prosecutor to prove that the accused persons were guilty. “He (Omotoso) was not cross-examined on his denial with reference to the complainants’ testimonies. No attempt was made to elicit inconsistencies or improbabilities. The cross-examination was shallow, lacking the intention to uncover the truth,” the judge said. Reacting to the judgment, South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority, in a statement, said the prosecuting team would study the verdict and decide which legal avenues to explore. “Since the arrest of the trio in April 2017, their trial has been protracted with numerous obstacles, including interlocutory applications by the accused that even included Constitutional Court challenges,” the statement reads. “The most recent applications were for five special entries for a mistrial and an application made on 16 January 2024, where the defence made an application for the judge to reconsider her previous judgment on the application for discharge according to Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which were successfully opposed by the state. “The delays caused some witnesses to no longer want to proceed with giving evidence as they indicated they have since moved on with their lives and are not interested in reliving their experiences in court. That has led to the reduction of the charges from 63.” News24 reported that Omotoso would be deported to Nigeria immediately after the judgment. The Nigerian pastor had been in a South African prison since his arrest in 2017.

Assembly Bombing: Ex-Rivers HoS’ Revelation Vindicates Us – Okocha

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  The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers, Chief Tony Okocha on Wednesday, stated that the recent claim by the former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, that the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, were behind the bombing of the state House of Assembly has validated their earlier position. He made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja. Okocha, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was reacting to an earlier claim by Nwaeke that he witnessed a bag of money being handed over to him by the governor to allegedly burn down the Assembly Complex along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt. The camp of Fubara, through Ehie, has since denied the allegation, saying Nwaeke was not in the right frame of mind when he made the allegation. But Okocha insisted that Nwaeke’s open confession on the live television show did not come to the Rivers APC as a surprise. He said, “Nwaeke’s account further corroborates the position of Rivers APC that Fubara is the architect of the entire political crisis in the state, leading to the swift declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu to restore order and forestall a total breakdown of peace. “The truth is like broad daylight, which shines through the darkness and repels darkness to bring forth daylight. It is important to state here, for the purpose of emphasis and clarity, that Nwaeke, as the Head of Service at the time, was the number three man in the State. As such, his account cannot be hearsay. “Taxpayers’ money in Rivers State was wasted in a way and manner that cannot be forgotten in a hurry amidst scarce resources and global economic crunch. The Supreme Court put it rightly in its unanimous judgment delivered on 28th February 2025 by describing Fubara as a “dictator.” Yes, he was a dictator!” Continuing, Okocha called on security agencies to investigate the claim and bring all those involved, whether directly or indirectly, to book. The APC chairman also berated those criticising Nwaeke for airing his mind. “The APC in Rivers State is strong in its belief that the relevant security agencies will be professional enough to get to the root cause of this whole matter and make such public. The verbal attacks staged against the resigned HoS will not deter the statesman from unveiling the rot of Sim Fubara’s, which we harped on as the opposition political party. On this matter, APC shall function as watchdogs”, he stated. Punch

JP Morgan Eyes Opening Full Business Branch In Nigeria

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  American Bank, JP Morgan, is planning to transform its representative office in Lagos into a fully-fledged business branch. According to a report on Africa Intelligence, the move is in line with its Chief Executive Officer, Jamie Dimon’s strategy to strengthen its presence in Africa. From its Lagos office, JP Morgan provides clients with products and services from across our Asset & Wealth Management and Commercial & Investment Bank lines of business. Last year, JP Morgan opened representative offices in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire as part of an effort to expand in East and West Africa. During his trip to Nigeria last October, Dimon said that he had plans to expand into Africa after the 2008 financial crash, but that he had been prevented from doing so by the US government. “They said banks were risky and didn’t want to add any risks. They were wrong,” he said. Back in 2018, JPMorgan also tried to secure licences to offer banking services in Ghana and Kenya, without success. Regarding the latest development, Africa Intelligence said that JP Morgan managed in Nigeria by Dapo Olagunju will apply to the Central Bank of Nigeria for a merchant banking licence in the coming months. If successful, this new US-Nigeria entity will be able to offer FX-denominated loans to large companies in addition to its advisory and asset management activities. During Dimon’s visit, he met the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso and attended the 30th anniversary of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, where he shared insight on global markets, financial innovation, and what it takes to drive sustainable economic growth in Nigeria and beyond. He also visited South Africa, where JP Morgan has a subsidiary and Kenya. Before the trip, Dimon stressed that he wanted to strengthen the bank’s presence in Africa by adding a country or two every couple of years or so. Punch

Policemen Clean Up Abuja Streets To Mark Police Day

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  Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, on Wednesday embarked on a large-scale street clean-up across various divisions of the territory. The initiative forms part of the celebrations for the 2025 National Police Day, which features a three-day community outreach programme to commemorate the National Police Day. Speaking at the event, Adewale noted that the exercise was intended to showcase the police as integral members of the community. He noted that a clean and tidy environment discourages crime. He said, “Police have always been part of environmental sanitation. You will discover that whenever there is a pronouncement for a clean-up exercise, the police are always there to ensure compliance. “What we have come to do today is to demonstrate that we are part of the community, as cleanliness is next to godliness. “A clean and tidy environment discourages crime, and this is what we have come to reinforce. “Our area commanders are coordinating similar exercises across different commands, including Abaji and Gwagwalada. “Since this community hosts our command headquarters, we are leading by example.” Punch

Man Bags Life Jail For Setting Ex-Boss Ablaze In Ekiti

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  An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 41-year-old man, Olasunkanmi Kareem, to life imprisonment for attempting to murder his former boss by setting him ablaze. Kareem was arraigned on November 18, 2024, on a one-count charge of attempted murder, contrary to Section 241 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021. According to the charge sheet, “The defendant, on August 11, 2024, at Ifaki Ekiti, attempted to murder one Omoboriwo Bashiru by setting him ablaze.” Narrating his ordeal before the court, the victim said, “The defendant was once my apprentice at my mechanic workshop. Even after he graduated, I continued to assist him whenever he had issues with customers’ cars. “On that day, he called me around 8pm, asking about a carburetor I had helped him repair. When I told him I didn’t see it, he became abusive and threatened to set me ablaze wherever he found me. I thought he was joking. Later, I called him, and he told me where he was. “We met at a vulcanizer’s workshop, and an argument ensued. Unknown to me, he had a gallon of petrol in his hand. Since it was dark, I didn’t see it until he poured it on me. When I realized it was petrol, I tried to run, but my body was already on fire. I fell into a drainage before some passersby rescued me and put out the fire. I suffered severe burns and was rushed to the hospital,” Bashiru recounted. The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented four witnesses and tendered Kareem’s statements, pictures of the victim, and a medical report as evidence. The defendant testified in his own defense but did not call any witnesses. Delivering judgment, Justice Jibril Aladejana held that Kareem had lured the victim to a location, ambushed him behind an electric pole, and doused him with petrol before setting him on fire. “The facts before the court show that the defendant deliberately set out to harm the victim. But for the intervention of passersby, the victim would have died. This intentional act of causing grievous bodily harm amounts to attempted murder,” the judge ruled. “In my view, the defendant does not deserve leniency. He should face the full wrath of the law,” Aladejana added before sentencing Kareem to life imprisonment.

BREAKING: Edo Tribunal Dismisses Action Alliance’s Petition Against Okpebholo, APC.

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  The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja has dismissed the petition filed by the Action Alliance and Adekunle Omoaje against the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission. In its judgment on Wednesday, the three-member tribunal struck out the petition, describing it as lacking merit and frivolous. AA and Omoaje had challenged Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship election, alleging corrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act. They argued that the APC candidate did not secure the majority of lawful votes and that INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as governor was illegal and unconstitutional. The petitioners also claimed that AA was denied the opportunity to field a governorship candidate, as the nomination form had not been signed by the party’s National Chairman. INEC had declared Okpebholo winner with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 247,655 votes. In its judgment, the tribunal ruled that Omoaje lacked the legal standing to challenge the election since he did not participate in the poll. It also held that his claims, which stemmed from his non-recognition as AA’s National Chairman by INEC, had no basis under the Electoral Act 2022. Consequently, the tribunal dismissed the petition in its entirety. Punch

Cancel Your Homecoming, Police Warn Natasha

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  The police have asked Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan to cancel her planned Sallah rally in Kogi State’s Central Senatorial District. Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, stated this in a statement released on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP William Aya. According to the statement, Dantawaye said the rally goes against the state government’s recent ban on political gatherings, which was announced on Monday. The statement reads, “Following the intelligence report on security threats in Kogi State and the subsequent ban on all forms of rally and procession by the Kogi State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State Police Command has called on the organisers of planned rally at Okene to cancel such event in the interest of the peace in Kogi State. “The call for cancellation becomes necessary, noting that intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause disturbance of peace in the State. The Command cannot afford to jeopardize the existing peace the State is currently enjoying.” The police also warned against any attempts to defy the directive, saying, “In view of the security threat received on the planned rally, the Kogi State Police Command is therefore advising the organisers to cancel the event so as to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the State. As the Command will not hesitate to apply the full wrath of law on anyone who causes disturbance of peace and order in the State.” Despite the ban on political gatherings, which was announced on Monday, Akpoti-Uduaghan has insisted that she will go ahead with her “homecoming,” stating that she is only returning to the state to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr with her constituents. Punch  

Okpebholo Meets Senate Deputy President Over Edo Travellers Killing

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  Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has paid a condolence visit to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, over the killings of travellers in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The governor was at the Maitama residence of the Deputy President of the Senate in Abuja on Monday. A mob had intercepted the travellers who were on their way to Kano State for Sallah celebrations, ransacked their vehicle and gruesomely murdered them on Thursday. The victims are hunters from Kano State. This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, a copy of which was made available to The Punch on Monday. “The governor extended his condolences to the Deputy President of the Senate, who is from Kano State, pledging that the state government will assist the families of the victims. According to the statement, the Edo State governor disclosed that the 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killings of the travellers are going to be taken to Abuja for further interrogation. While assuring that the perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law, he described the killings of the innocent travellers as unfortunate and condemnable. “It’s unfortunate that it happened in our state. We are here to say, to let you and other people know that we are not happy. The president is doing something drastic about this. He’s not happy also. The IG has swung into action. The DIG CID is in charge. So far, they have arrested 14 suspects. “So they are bringing them to Abuja for interrogation. We have also set up a committee to see that we take care of the families of the deceased,” the governor was quoted as saying. Responding, the Deputy President of the Senate said the perpetrators of the act must be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others. “We cannot undo what has been done. But we all want – all Nigerians, what they are looking forward to is to make sure that these people are arrested and brought to justice. And you are doing well in that direction. And I’m also glad you’ve spoken about the fact that your government is ready to assist the families of those affected. ” I want you to continue to pursue the case so that all those who were involved in these barbaric actions are brought to justice. It’s a barbaric action, to say the facts. “If they are brought to justice, it would serve as a deterrent to those who might want to do this in future. I know that people from other parts of the country have been staying with your people in Edo for centuries in a very conducive atmosphere. And this barbaric act has never happened. I’m sure, under your watch, this will not happen again. “I thank you very much. You’ve told me now that you’ll meet the Kano State governor today. This is very good. Please continue what you are doing. Mr President also told us that you are doing very well in this direction, and we have seen it because, as I said, we have spoken several times on this matter in the last 72 hours,” he said. Punch

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