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Falana to military: Release officers detained over rumoured coup attempt, or arraign them
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Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked the Nigerian military to release the officers detained for allegedly plotting a coup to terminate Nigeria’s democracy.
In October 2025, the federal government announced the cancellation of the parade earlier scheduled to celebrate the country’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1.
Days after, there were reports linking the cancellation of the independence anniversary events to an alleged coup attempt.
However, the defence headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the reports, insisting that the cancellation had no links to the alleged coup attempt.
The DHQ also clarified that the arrest of 16 officers mentioned in the report was unrelated to any alleged coup plot.
On October 31, 2025, 16 military officers were arrested in the first week of the month over the alleged coup attempt, while two other officers were on the run.
Reacting to the detention of the officers in a statement on Monday, Falana said despite official denial, it has been confirmed that the affected military personnel are being investigated over their alleged involvement in the rumoured coup plot.
The human rights lawyer said families and lawyers of the officers have been denied access to them for almost three months.
He asked the military authorities to arraign the officers before a court martial if there is prima facie evidence against them.
“Notwithstanding the official denial, we have confirmed that the detained military officers have been investigated for their alleged involvement in the rumoured coup plot,” the statement reads.
“We have, however, been informed by the family members and lawyers of some of the detained military officers that they have been denied access to them for almost three months.
“It is pertinent to point out that the authorities are under a legal obligation to respect the human rights of the detained military officers since they are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the state.
“Even though we are totally opposed to any form of unconstitutional change of government, we are compelled to demand for the conditional or unconditional release of the detained military officers from custody.
“However, if there is prima facie evidence that they had plotted to overthrow the government, they should be arraigned before special courts-martial and general courts-martial in line with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act and the Nigerian Constitution.”
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ANGER: Three Brothers Face Murder Charge for Beating man to death for dating Their Mom
Three brothers have appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court in Swaziland on a murder charge following the brutal de@th of their mother’s boyfriend.
The accused, Mlondi Mbuli, 25, Sakhelwe Mbuli, 18, and Lindani Mdziniso, 23, all from the Hholoshini area in Eswatini’s Hhohho Region, are alleged to have fatally assaulted Njabulo Ngwenya on June 28, 2026.
According to police, the brothers att@cked Ngwenya with bricks, stones, sticks, open hands, and kicks to different parts of his body. Investigators allege the assa¥lt was motivated by the brothers’ belief that Ngwenya was having a relationship with their biological mother.
Court records state that the incident was reported after Sibongile Motsa, also from Hholoshini, informed police that she discovered her son, Njabulo Ngwenya, lying deed inside her sister’s house at about 1 a.m. on June 28, 2026.
The matter came before Principal Magistrate Sfiso Vilakati during the trio’s initial court appearance.
The three defendants have been remanded in custody until July 10, 2026, pending committal of the case to the High Court for further proceedings.
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BREAKING : Court orders final forfeiture of ₦150m kinked to Delta HoR member
A Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered the final forfeiture of ₦150 million linked to serving House of Representatives member, Nicholas Mutu, to the Federal Government.
The ruling was delivered by Justice J.O. Abdulmalik after the court upheld an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court held that the funds should be permanently forfeited after no convincing explanation was provided to show why the money should not be seized by the government.
The forfeiture followed earlier proceedings in which the court granted an interim order against the funds.
The court also directed that the order be published in a national newspaper to allow interested parties to challenge the application.
However, after the publication and the expiration of the required period, no sufficient cause was shown before the court to stop the permanent forfeiture.
The EFCC told the court that its investigation linked the money to alleged corrupt dealings involving Mutu during his time as chairman of the House Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission.
According to the anti-graft agency, the lawmaker allegedly received kickbacks running into over ₦400 million from a consultant working with the NDDC.
The commission argued that part of the funds traced during investigations included the ₦150 million now ordered forfeited.
After reviewing submissions from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik ruled in favour of the EFCC and granted the final forfeiture order.
Mutu, a long-serving federal lawmaker from Delta State, remains a serving member of the House of Representatives.
News
Photos: “I Directed Wike To Build Roads Before Asking Nigerians to Move into Renewed Hope Estate, He Has Done It” – Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday, disclosed that he directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to provide roads and other engineering infrastructure to the 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City in Karsana before residents could occupy the estate, and the minister wasted no time in carrying out the directive.
The President, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, made the disclosure while commissioning the 10.5-kilometre Access Roads to the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates in Karsana West District, Abuja.
He said the completion of the road network fulfilled the directive he gave during the groundbreaking of the housing project, stressing that no housing estate could function without access roads and supporting infrastructure.
“When I performed the groundbreaking for the 3,112-unit Renewed Hope City here in Karsana, I gave one clear directive: provide the roads, provide the engineering infrastructure, and unlock this district for development. Housing without access is a blueprint without a building.
“For too long, Abuja’s story was ‘awarded and abandoned contracts’. Today, we are ending that story with roads that open, not ones that stall,” he said.
Tinubu said he specifically instructed Wike to immediately open up the district because “civil servants, families and investors cannot live in houses they cannot reach.”
“I gave that assignment to a Minister who treats deadlines as duties. I told the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, CON, that civil servants, families and investors cannot live in houses they cannot reach. ‘Open Karsana, and open it now.’ He took that brief, set the pace and delivered.
“When urgency meets quality, results follow. That is what you are standing on today.”
The President said the newly completed Arterial Roads N11, N16, N40 and Special Important Local Street 03 have linked Karsana West to the Outer Northern Expressway, making thousands of affordable housing units accessible, livable and secure.
He praised Wike for what he described as the visible transformation of the Federal Capital Territory, saying the minister had turned stalled projects into completed infrastructure.
“You took stalled corridors and made them active corridors. You brought the same urgency to Karsana that you brought to other districts and the area councils. You measure contractors by output, not promises. Minister, you have earned my trust and you have my commendation,” Tinubu added.
He also commended Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, engineers and officials of the FCT Administration for ensuring the project was completed on schedule and according to specification.
The President further praised Lubrik Construction Company for delivering the project after it was awarded the contract in February 2025, assuring contractors that his administration would continue to honour prompt payment for jobs delivered on time and to specification.
Earlier, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Barr. Nyesom Wike recalled that Karsana was inaccessible when Tinubu performed the groundbreaking for the Renewed Hope Estate in 2024.
“For those of us who were here that day, I was imagining how anybody would come and live in this area because there was no road,” he said.
The minister disclosed that developers had expressed fears that their investments would become worthless without access roads, but he assured them the government would intervene.
“I told them, ‘It is Renewed Hope. Go home and sleep. We must construct the road in this Karsana district.’ Today, it is a different story.”
Wike said the project became possible because the Federal Government ensured prompt payment while the contractor fulfilled its obligation by delivering within schedule.
He also announced that the FCT Administration would next Wednesday, July 8, flag off the construction of Kaba- Kagini – Zaudna road following recent request by residents over its deplorable condition.
In her remarks, FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as another milestone in the implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying the roads would boost economic activities, improve connectivity and expand access to affordable housing across the territory.
While celebrating the successful completion of the access roads, Mahmoud called on residents and stakeholders to take collective ownership of public infrastructure by protecting and preserving it for the benefit of present and future generations.
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