Nigeria Police Arrest Suspects Over Obi’s Convoy Blockade in Benue

The Benue State Police Command has arrested some people in connection with the blockade of the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, on Tuesday.
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The Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu, who disclosed this at a press conference held in Makurdi on Wednesday, did not give the number of those arrested.

According to the CP, the police officers deployed for the visit of the former governor of Anambra State acted in a professional and tactical manner to avoid an escalation that could have resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property.

While stating that the tactical decision taken by the command should not be mistaken for inaction, the CP said that Obi was subsequently safely escorted back to the airport.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Obi’s movement was obstructed by a group of persons, creating tension and a situation that could have degenerated into violence.

“At that point, the Police took a professional and tactical decision to avoid an escalation that could have resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property. Mr. Obi was subsequently safely escorted back to the airport and departed the state peacefully.

The police boss, who said that the command remained a neutral and professional institution, added that every Nigerian has the right to freedom of movement, irrespective of political affiliation, status or personal belief.

“No individual or group has the right to unlawfully obstruct another person’s movement,” he said.

Peter Obi

The command assured the public that all those found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.

He urged members of the public to remain calm and allow the police to conclude their investigation.
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ICPC, NCS Advocate for a Robust Collaborative Framework to Safeguard Public and National Revenue

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has underscored the critical necessity of integrity within the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), advocating for a robust collaborative framework to protect public revenue and bolster governmental trust.
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The Commission articulated this stance during a high-level courtesy visit from the newly appointed Customs Area Controller for the Ondo/Ekiti Command, Deputy Comptroller Patience O. Ita, at the ICPC’s Ondo State headquarters in Akure.

During the meeting, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner (RACC) for Ondo and Ekiti States, Mr. Tiku Andrew Menge, stressed that the NCS’s pivotal role in border management, enforcement, and trade facilitation renders ethical conduct paramount.

He warned that systemic revenue leakages and the abuse of regulatory powers not only erode public confidence but also critically impair the efficacy of state institutions, creating a fertile ground for corrupt practices.

Mr. Menge elaborated on the ICPC’s holistic preventive mandate, clarifying that its remit extends well beyond the investigation and prosecution of graft; further noting that the Commission is actively engaged in identifying systemic vulnerabilities and reinforcing institutional controls, thereby fostering an environment where corrupt activities are intrinsically difficult to initiate or sustain.

Highlighting the transformative potential of modernisation, the RACC advocated for the integration of technology, automation, and data-driven processes within Customs administration.

He explained that such advancements could significantly enhance traceability and accountability by curbing discretionary human intervention, though he cautioned that these measures must be underpinned by ethical leadership, rigorous supervision, and robust internal controls.

In a salient clarification, Mr. Menge asserted that the objectives of corruption prevention and trade facilitation are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, symbiotic. He argued that transparent and predictable Customs processes effectively diminish the appeal of informal channels, thereby cultivating a more reliable and secure environment for legitimate commercial ventures.

Proposing a strategic roadmap for future collaboration, the Commissioner suggested that both agencies could benefit from practical engagements in corruption-risk identification, integrity sensitisation, and stakeholder dialogue.

He emphasised that such cooperation should be guided by the overarching public interest, rather than fostering a hierarchical dynamic where one institution supervises the other, but rather leveraging their respective mandates for a common good.

In her response, Deputy Comptroller Ita affirmed that her visit was primarily to establish a constructive working relationship following her recent deployment.

ICPC, Customs

She expressed her command’s unequivocal readiness to sustain engagement with the Commission on matters of mutual concern, particularly in the realms of compliance, enforcement, and the effective administration of public services.

However, Mr. Menge concluded with a firm caveat, reminding all parties that collaborative ventures must not compromise the statutory independence of either institution.

His parting words served as a stark reminder of the fundamental principles underpinning their shared mission: “Partnership creates trust; it does not create immunity.”
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High Court: Five Bag Seven-year Jail Term in Lagos Over N117million Fraud

Justice K.A. Jose of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Tapa, Lagos, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, convicted and sentenced five persons to seven years imprisonment for their involvement in a N117.7 million fraud involving Chi Limited.
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The convicts: Yinka Salawu, Joshua Oluremi Daramola, Raji Ahmed, Afolabi Israel Olusegun, and Muraina Olanrewaju Abdullahi, were prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, obtaining money by false pretence, and forgery.

One of the counts reads:“that you, Yinka Salawu (aka Mr. Yinka James Christopher), Tinuke Olayinka Salawu (aka Mrs. Yinka James Christopher), Ogbeide Kingsley Stevenson, Joshua Oluremi Daramola, Raji Ahmed, Sule Tijani Adebayo (at large), Afolabi Israel Olusegun, Muraina Olanrewaju Abdullahi, Fred Esumike (at large), and Ismaila Kareem (trading under the name and style of Ismak Ola Nig. Ltd.) (at large), sometime in 2009 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N81,359,922.00 (Eighty-One Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira) from Chi Limited under the false pretence that the money was payment for goods and services you supplied and rendered to Chi Limited, which representation you knew to be false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

In the course of the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses drawn from the EFCC, the Nigeria Police Force, banks, and Chi Limited. It also tendered several documentary exhibits to establish its case against the defendants.

At the conclusion of the trial, Justice Jose found the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th defendants guilty on Counts One, Two, and Three and convicted them accordingly. However, the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th defendants were discharged and acquitted.

Following the convictions, the prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede urged the court to invoke Section 11 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act and order the convicts to restitute Chi Limited, the petitioner the sums stated in counts Two and Three, totalling N117,755,061.

Owede also asked the court to order the sale of properties belonging to the 1st convict, with the proceeds paid to Chi Limited. Alternatively, he urged the court to order that the properties be forfeited outrightly to the petitioner.

In her ruling, Justice Jose sentenced each of the five convicts to seven years’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.

“The convicts will be given credit for the periods they have already spent in custody. All periods spent in prison shall be deducted from the seven-year terms imposed by the court,” the judge ruled.

On the issue of restitution, Justice Jose, relying on Section 297 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ordered the convicts to restitute Chi Limited with the sums contained in the charge.

Court

“All monies already paid shall be deducted from the amounts to be restituted,” Justice Jose added.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested for obtaining the sum of N81,359,922.00 (Eighty-One Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Two Naira) from Chi Limited under the false pretence that the money was payment for goods and services they supplied and rendered to Chi Limited.

They neither delivered the goods and services nor returned the money to the company.
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