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EFCC re-arraigns don for alleged N1.4bn fraud
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A professor, Uche Chigozie, who allegedly defrauded the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, was on Thursday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before a Federal High Court in Lagos, for N1.47bn money laundering.
Chigozie, who was arraigned alongside three companies, Visionary Integrated Consulting Ltd, Nemad Associates Ltd. and Revamp Global Enterprises, is facing 11 counts bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing, and money laundering, preferred against him by the EFCC.
He was first arraigned in August 2023, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Oweibo was, however, transferred out of the Lagos Division, and the case was reassigned to the new trial judge, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu.
The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Mrs Chinenye Okezie, told the court that the defendant allegedly conspired with the other defendants, and used the sum of N1.47bn belonging to the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria.
Okezie said that the defendant allegedly retained the sum of N197m in his UBA account, which formed part of the proceeds of illegal act of gratification.
She also told the court that Chigozie allegedly used N120m to acquire a property in his name, in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja and another N200m, to acquire two properties in Owerri, Imo State.
The anti-graft agency said the defendant used the aggregate sum of N90m to acquire several plots of land in parts of Owerri.
He was further accused of using the sum of N34m to acquire three Toyota Hilux vehicles in his name.
The commission also said that the defendant allegedly received a dollar cash payment equivalent to N87m from one Muwawiyya Haruna, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by law.
Our correspondent gathered that the EFCC said the defendant ought to have known that the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity of fraud.
According to the commission, the offences committed contravened Sections 1(a), 15(1), 15(2), 15(3), 16, and 18(a) of the Money Laundering Act, 2012.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Following the defendant’s plea on Thursday, the defence counsel, Mr Etudo Mefo, urged the court to allow the defendant to continue on an earlier bail granted him by the court on August 7, 2023.
But the prosecutor, Okezie, urged the court to only allow the defendant to continue on his existing bail if the defence counsel would undertake to ensure his attendance in court.
She explained to the court that the defendant had been absent on certain occasions, which she claimed had caused some drama.
The prosecutor, therefore, insisted that she would not oppose if the defence counsel made that undertaking.
In his response, the defence counsel told the court that when the defendant was first granted bail, his sureties included his biological father as well as a legal practitioner.
He told the court that he was willing to add to the number, and thus undertook to ensure attendance of the defendant in court.
Following the agreement of the parties, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case until March 13 for trial.
A woman was rescued on Tuesday after she reportedly jumped into the Lagos Lagoon from the Idumota section of the Carter Bridge in what was believed to be an attempt to take her own life.
The incident, which happened on the afternoon of August 4, attracted the attention of commuters, pedestrians and boat operators in the area, who quickly responded to rescue her.
Eyewitnesses said the woman plunged into the lagoon before nearby boat operators moved towards her and successfully brought her out of the water alive.
A video circulating online captured the moment the woman, appearing distressed and confused, was seated inside a rescue boat shortly after she was pulled from the lagoon.
During the rescue operation, a crowd gathered on the bridge, with some bystanders appealing to the boat operator not to immediately hand the woman over to the police.
Some members of the public were also heard expressing concern about her emotional condition while questioning the circumstances that may have led to the incident.
The development has renewed discussions on the importance of mental health awareness, emotional support systems and the need for early intervention for individuals experiencing psychological distress.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement regarding the incident, and details about the woman’s identity and current condition remain unknown.
The Kano State Hisbah Board has detained a TikToker popularly known as Namadina Tudunwada over allegations that he promoted premarital sex in a viral video shared on social media.
The board said the suspect was arrested by its Tudunwada Command after officials reviewed a video in which he allegedly presented illicit sexual relationships as a cheaper alternative to marriage, a message authorities believe could negatively influence young people.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Deputy Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Dr. Mujahid Aminuddeen, said the content was considered capable of encouraging immoral behaviour and undermining the moral and religious values the board is mandated to protect.
According to him, investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the publication of the video and other related materials before determining the next legal steps.
He said the suspect would be charged in court if the outcome of the investigation substantiates the allegations against him.
The incident comes amid growing public debate over the rising cost of marriage in northern Nigeria. While the TikToker has recently used his social media platforms to advocate for lower marriage expenses, the Hisbah Board maintained that the specific video under investigation crossed acceptable boundaries by allegedly portraying fornication as a preferable alternative to marriage.
Dr. Aminuddeen also cautioned social media influencers and other digital content creators to exercise greater responsibility in the content they publish online.
He warned that posts capable of eroding public morality or misleading young audiences could attract legal consequences.
The deputy commander-general reaffirmed the board’s commitment to monitoring digital platforms for content considered contrary to the moral and religious values upheld in Kano State. He also urged social media users to be mindful of the messages they disseminate.
A 21-year-old Nigerian basketball player, Daniel Tobiloba Adegboyega, has been arrested in the United States and charged with first-degree rape.
According to court records, the Jacksonville State University men’s basketball player is being held at the Calhoun County Jail pending a bond hearing. Jail records also show that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a hold on him.
The charge stems from an incident said to have occurred on July 29, 2026. An arrest warrant alleges that Adegboyega engaged in s+xual intercourse with the complainant “by forcible compulsion,” in violation of Alabama law.
Adegboyega joined Jacksonville State in May after spending last season at the University of California, Riverside, having previously played for the University of South Florida. He had also signed with Kennesaw State in 2022 but never featured for the team.
Following his arrest, Jacksonville State suspended him from its men’s basketball team and removed his profile from the university’s athletics website.
In a statement, the university said: “We are aware of the arrest. In response, the individual has been suspended from the men’s basketball team.”
It added that the alleged incident did not occur on campus and remains under investigation by the Jacksonville Police Department. Under Alabama law, a conviction for first-degree rape carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
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