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Just in: Military Detains Investigative Journalist, Fisayo Soyombo

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Nigerian investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has been reportedly arrested and detained by the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The arrest, which took place three days ago, was confirmed by the Foundation For Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on its official page on Friday morning.

It was gathered that Soyombo’s detention may be linked to his work exposing corruption and smugglers aided by Nigerian Customs Services.

The FIJ has called for his immediate release and raised the alarm over the increasing threats to press freedom in the country.

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Soyombo, known for his investigative reporting on high-profile issues such as corruption, abuse of power, and human rights violations, has previously faced various threats and harassment.

“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder ‘Fisayo Soyombo 3 days running. Journalism is not a crime,” FIJ said.

Earlier in November, the media had reported that Soyombo released more videos to establish his smuggling allegations involving Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers.

Fisayo, in a statement issued on his verified social media handles, had alleged that Nigerian customs officers had conspired with Adeyemi Habeeb Abdulganiy, an alleged multi-billionaire-naira smuggler better known as Abuga, to illegally pass about 2000 cars and smuggle in bags of rice into the country.

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He had said the illegal operation was slated to take place on Sunday, 10th of November, 2024.

The journalist wrote: “All is set. Your men, working with Adeyemi Habeeb Abdulganiy, the multi-billionaire-smuggler better known as Abuga, are primed to pass more than 2,000 cars containing at least 65 bags of rice each from Bebe in the Benin Republic into Sango, Nigeria.

“Some of these cars will enter Sango from the toll gate by driving against traffic, consequently endangering lives, while some will gain entry into Sango through Ifo; others will use the Oju-Ore-Ota route.

“Road users in Sango can expect traffic congestion early tomorrow morning unless this post prompts an about-face from the actors. I understand as well that soldiers from the 192 battalion at Owode will be patrolling during the journey to prevent any resistance.

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“So, @CustomsNG, just so you know, the people are watching; they will be hysterically laughing at you when you announce “seizure of one million bags of rice and 25 cartons of guns” later this week.”

However, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said that Fisayo’s claims were fictitious.

He had said it was illogical for anyone to believe their personnel were involved in the illegal operation.

In his another post, Fisayo had released two more videos to substantiate his smuggling allegations against the customs officers.

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He said: “Since Maiwada considers my revelations ‘tales by moonlight’, I am supplying two more video evidence of smuggling-ready rice cars merely awaiting final clearance from rogue Customs officers.”

“If, after this, Maiwada still considers my revelations fictitious, I’m happy to share more videos with you. I’m just trying to be useful to you, so you can in turn be useful to Nigerians rather than your pockets,” the journalist added.

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Just in: Finally, opposition leaders adopt ADA as coalition platform

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Opposition leaders under the aegis of Coalition Movement have adopted the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), and applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register as a party ahead of the 2027 election.

The coalition’s application letter addressed to INEC chairman and dated June 19 was co-signed by the National Chairman of ADA, Chief Akin Ricketts and Protem National Secretary, Abdullahi Musa Elayo.

The letter which was stamped received by the office of the INEC chairman on June 20, 2025, was titled: “Application for registration as a political party” with ADA name and flag.

“We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance as a political party.

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This is sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration,” the letter read.

Details shortly…

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England goalie, Keating gets clean bill over nitrous oxide charges

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A court case against England goalkeeper Khiara Keating has been dropped nearly a year after she pleaded not guilty to possessing canisters of nitrous oxide.

The 20-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper was charged with possession of a Class C drug on 18 June last year after an investigation by Greater Manchester Police.

In July, Keating appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court alongside her mother Nicola Keating, 48, who also denied the same offence, and both were granted unconditional bail.

Greater Manchester Police has confirmed the case has been discontinued.

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In a statement given exclusively to BBC Sport, Keating said: “I’m relieved the charges have been dropped. As I’ve always said, I did nothing wrong.

“It’s been a difficult time, but I’ve always known the truth. Now I’m just looking forward to focusing fully on the Euros and spending time with my family.”

Nitrous oxide was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in November 2023.

Possession with the intention of wrongfully inhaling it for a psychoactive effect became an offence, but it is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as in catering or pain relief during labour.

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Keating has not made an appearance for England’s senior team yet but is part of the 23-player squad selected to compete at Euro 2025 next month.

She became the youngest player to win the Women’s Super League Golden Glove award last year, after keeping nine clean sheets in 22 league games.

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Appeal Court throws out APC’s case, affirms PDP’s victories in Osun council polls

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The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), affirming the legitimacy of the February 2025 local government elections in Osun State.

The judgement, delivered on Friday, 13 June 2025, upheld the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its elected Chairmen and Councillors.

The panel of justices — Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye, Peter Chudi Obiorah, and Hadiza Rabiu Shagari — held that the appeal lacked merit, had been overtaken by events, and constituted a mere academic exercise.

The suit, numbered CA/AK/15/2025, was filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Babatunde Nurudeen Idowu, and the APC against the Action Peoples Party (APP), INEC, OSSIEC, APGA, and Prince Adegboye Famodun.

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Justice Omoleye ruled, “Critically, this Court had earlier delivered judgment on 10th February 2025 in Appeal No. CA/AK/270/2022, involving basically the same parties and addressing substantially the same issues.

“The said appeal has been dismissed. What is more, the fresh Local Government elections conducted on 22nd February 2025 and the swearing-in of new Chairmen and Councillors have overtaken the substratum of this dispute. Relisting the appeal at this stage would serve no practical purpose.”

She added, “In sum, this application is not only procedurally incompetent and factually unsupported, it is also one rendered otiose by subsequent events. There is no longer any live controversy.

“The matter is, in every material sense, a fait accompli, “I therefore also dismiss the application.”

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Justice Obiorah, in a concurring judgement, declared, “Of course, the dismissal of the appeal means that there being no existing appeal against the judgment of the lower court, the said judgment stands as the authority defining the state of affairs as it regards the status of the officers of the various Local Government Councils in Osun State.”

He also addressed the issue of contempt, saying, “However, the issue of violation of the orders of the lower court and the alleged contempt is the 3a Respondent/Applicant’s interpretation of the action of the 3d Appellant/Respondent with respect to their treatment of the judgment of the lower court, particularly after the dismissal of their appeal by this Court on 13/1/2025.

“The said contempt is ex-facie curiae. In INEC & ANOR v. OGUEBEGO & ORS (2017) LPELR-42609(SC) (Pp. 10-12 paras. F), the highly revered and cerebral, Chima Centus Nweze, JSC (of blessed memory) stated.”

Reacting to the judgment in an X post, PDP welcomed the ruling, describing it as a confirmation of the people’s mandate and a defeat for political desperation.

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The party said the Certified True Copy of the ruling had “affirmed that the Court has dismissed APC’s appeal and affirmed Chairmen and Councillors elected in the 2025 Local Government Election as the duly elected council officials in Osun State.”

“The Presiding Judge, Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye in her ruling stated that since a fresh election has been conducted and new Chairmen and Councillors have been sworn in, there is no controversy anymore,” PDP added.

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