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Alleged Money Laundering : EFCC Faults Defence Counsel’s Ploy To Delay Trial In Uyo

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EFCC Arraigns Gidado Ibrahim

Alleged Money Laundering : EFCC Faults Defence Counsel’s Ploy To Delay Trial In Uyo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC, has frowned at the delay tactics being employed in the trial of Musa Saliu Adekunle, who is being prosecuted by the Commission on five-count charges bordering on money laundering, obtaining by false pretence and conspiracy before Justice Maurine A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
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At the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday July 10, 2026, the defense counsel, I. G. Udofia told the court that he could not proceed with the cross examination of the third prosecution witness, Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DSE Mubarak Isah, because, according to him, he was appearing as Adekunle’s lawyer for the first time and needed to familiarize himself with the case.

In frustration, the prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin immediately called the attention of the court to several tactics being deployed by the defense to stall the trial. According to him, the regular change of counsel by the defendant, which he said has happened thrice, looked like a ploy by the defense to slow proceedings and waste the time of the court. ”my lord, we want this matter to be expeditiously tried but the defense is stalling”, he said

Meanwhile, the defense counsel who had earlier prayed the court for more time to get acquainted with the case, proceeded to raise the issue of bail. However, the court quickly informed him that there’s an existing ruling on bail and any other issue on that should be taken to the Appeal Court. “The court has given a ruling, and if the court has given a ruling on bail, the next thing for you to do is to go upstairs. You can appeal” the court said.

The court immediately adjourned to September 24, 2026.

One of the charges against Adekunle reads:

That you, Salihu Adekunle Musa (A.K.A. Mr Igboabuchi) ‘M’ Adebayo Taiwo Naheem (now at large), MRS IGBOABUCHI CHINONSO HAPPINESS (now at large) and ANUOLUWAPO VICTORIA ONIBOKUN (now at large), on or sometime in February, 2024 in Akwa Ibom State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, with intent to defraud, did conspire among yourselves to commit offences to wit; Obtaining Property by False Pretence and Money Laundering, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

In a related development, Victor Ekpong Thompson who is also being prosecuted by the EFCC on eight counts of criminal charges bordering on conspiracy, advance fee fraud, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and stealing to the tune of $525,276, was also absent in court when the matter came up on Friday, July 10, 2026.

After announcing their presence, prosecution counsel Ifeyinwa Azegbeobor informed the court that the prosecution had an application that is backed by a fifteen paged affidavit, requesting that the defendant be moved to the Correctional Centre.

Justice Onyetenu granted the application and ordered that the prosecution will no longer foot the medical bills of the defendant.

But the defense counsel, Nsikak Akai immediately prayed the court to allow the defendant to remain at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital where he’s currently receiving treatment.

However, Justice Onyetenu clarified that the prosecution will no longer be responsible for the medical bills of the defendant, but will only provide security. “If the prosecution does not want him in their custody, and you are speaking of his health, you have to take responsibility for his medical bills while the prosecution provides security at the hospital to ensure that the defendant remains within the facility”.

The case was adjourned to September 22, 24 and 29, 2026.

EFCC Arraigns Gidado Ibrahim

EFCC

Thompson is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, for allegedly forging mining documents and using the said documents to defraud a team of foreign investors from the United States of America, namely, Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, Peter Jensen, Beth Southwick, and Angie Craven to the tune of $525,276.

One of the charges preferred against him read: “That you Victor Ekpong Thompson, on or between January, 2025 to June 2025 in Nigeria, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court, with the intent to defraud, did fraudulently obtain the total sum of One Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand and Thirty United States Dollars ($123,030 USD) from Tammy Jensen, Peter Jensen, Kenneth Blad and others(joint unsuspecting investors), under the pretense of investing the money in mining of Mineral Resources and Deep Sea Port Business, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act , 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3)of the same Act.
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Tinubu Government Disburses ₦38.93bn to Tertiary Institutions

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President Tinubu

Tinubu Government Disburses ₦38.93bn to Tertiary Institutions

The Federal Government has disbursed ₦38.93 billion to 166 public tertiary institutions nationwide under the Needs Assessment Revitalisation Fund.
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The disbursement covers 79 universities, 46 polytechnics and 41 colleges of education to support approved projects aimed at addressing infrastructure gaps and improving teaching and learning facilities across the institutions.

The university component accounts for ₦28.5 billion for 79 institutions, while 46 polytechnics have allocations totalling ₦5.8 billion. The 41 colleges of education are allocated ₦4.7 billion.

The intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the needs of public universities and support the implementation of agreed measures under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The funds are expected to enable beneficiary institutions to commence or advance approved projects addressing critical infrastructure and other identified institutional needs, with the overall objective of strengthening the quality of tertiary education in Nigeria.

President Tinubu

President Tinubu

The disbursement underscores the importance of effective coordination between the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Education and beneficiary institutions in ensuring that approved public funding translates into tangible improvements in educational infrastructure and institutional capacity.

For further information on the beneficiary institutions and their respective allocations, members of the public are advised to visit the official website of the Federal Ministry of Finance at https://www.finance.gov.ng/.

Efe Ovuakporie
Head of Media
Federal Ministry of Finance
25th October, 2026
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Infrastructure Development: Some Nigerians Need Eyeglasses to See My Husband’s Achievements, Says Remi Tinubu

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Remi Tinubu To Nigerians

Infrastructure Development: Some Nigerians Need Eyeglasses to See My Husband’s Achievements, Says Remi Tinubu

According to Oluremi, the country is making progress, but some Nigerians have apparently failed to notice the developments.
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Senator Oluremi, President Bola Tinubu’s wife, has said Nigerians who fail to recognise the achievements of the current administration may need “eyeglasses” to see the changes taking place in the country.

Mrs Tinubu made the remark while inaugurating the Abuja headquarters of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, a grassroots mobilisation group campaigning for the President’s re-election in 2027.

According to Oluremi, the country is making progress, but some Nigerians have apparently failed to notice the developments.

“So things are happening in Nigeria, except, you know, those who don’t see; maybe we’ll give them some, you know, Bola Tinubu eyeglasses. We are doing that, JigiBola,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu referred to the Jigi-Bola eye-care initiative, introduced by her husband during his tenure as governor of Lagos State in 2001.

The programme provided eye screenings, eyeglasses and surgery, and was relaunched by the Lagos State Government in 2021.

She cited developments at Nigerian airports as evidence of progress under the current administration.

“I want to get to the airport. I want to travel, you know, so quickly. And you can see our airports too are changing,” she said.

She also expressed the hope that Nigeria would become a country she could enjoy after leaving the Presidential Villa in 2031.

“I want to leave Aso Rock, in 2031, by the grace of God, and enter a Nigeria that me as a 70-something-year-old woman will enjoy,” she said.

Her remarks came amid preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement mobilising support for President Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid.

Mrs Tinubu subsequently commissioned the group’s Abuja headquarters and expressed confidence in her husband’s electoral prospects.

Remi Tinubu To Nigerians

Remi Tinubu

Oluremi’s comments come as the administration continues to face public debate over its economic reforms, the cost of living and the extent to which Nigerians are experiencing improvements in their daily lives.

While the government has pointed to infrastructure projects and economic policy changes as signs of progress, many Nigerians continue to express concerns about household expenses and living conditions.
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Nigeria Customs Sets to Host CGC’S Conference, C-PACT 2026 to Advance Border Security, African Trade Integration

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Republic of Congo

Nigeria Customs Sets to Host CGC’S Conference, C-PACT 2026 to Advance Border Security, African Trade Integration

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is set to host the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Conference from 7 to 8 December 2026 and the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) 2026 Conference from 9 to 11 December 2026 in Abuja, as part of its commitment to strengthening border security, facilitating legitimate trade and advancing regional economic integration.
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The CGC’s Conference, themed “Securing Borders, Enabling Trade: A Customs Commitment to Safer Communities,” will provide a platform to review the Service’s modernisation efforts, assess progress against previous commitments, and reinforce the relationship between effective Customs administration, national security, and trade facilitation. C-PACT 2026, themed “One Border, Interconnected Systems: Advancing Customs Cooperation through One-Stop Border Posts,” will extend these discussions to the continental level, focusing on practical approaches to coordinated border management and digital connectivity across Africa.

The CGC’s Conference will bring together relevant government officials, Customs leadership, trade stakeholders and institutional partners to examine the Service’s progress in implementing modernisation and trade facilitation reforms. Under the sub-themes: “Enabling African Trade: Digital Customs, Trusted Corridors and Seamless Payments” and “Secure Borders, Safer Communities: Intelligence, Partnership and Trust at the Frontline,” the programme will also review commitments made in 2025 and results achieved in 2026, as well as feature presentations on Customs modernisation, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificate presentation, and discussions on measuring the impact of reforms on trade and revenue. The conference will examine intelligence-led enforcement, emerging border threats, inter-agency collaboration, and officers’ professional responsibilities in protecting communities and maintaining public trust.

Furthermore, a major component of the CGC Conference will be the examination of how digital transformation and stakeholder partnerships are improving Customs operations.
Discussions will give stakeholders, including AEO beneficiaries, the National Single Window Secretariat, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), excise-sector representatives, and other relevant institutions, an opportunity to assess reform outcomes and identify areas for further improvement. The second day of the conference will focus on coordinated responses to converging border threats, bringing together relevant security and enforcement institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the NCS, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

Building on the national conference, C-PACT 2026 will provide a continental platform for Customs administrations, policymakers, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Regional Economic Communities, border management agencies, development partners, technology providers and private-sector stakeholders to advance cooperation in African trade.

The conference will address persistent challenges affecting cross-border trade, including fragmented procedures, duplicated controls, limited information exchange, incompatible digital systems, and insufficient coordination among border agencies. It will explore how One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs), supported by interconnected Customs platforms, coordinated risk management, harmonised procedures and secure information exchange, can reduce delays, lower trade costs, and improve the predictability of goods movement across African trade corridors.

The C-PACT 2026 programme will feature high-level policy dialogue, strategic discussions among Customs administrations, technical sessions on connected borders, presentations of operational experiences from existing and emerging OSBPs, technology demonstrations and discussions on public-private partnerships for financing and delivering modern border infrastructure. The conference will focus on implementing relevant AfCFTA initiatives, including the AfCFTA Integrated Transit System, the Single Bond Guarantee Scheme, and the Electronic Certificate of Origin system.

The conference is expected to generate practical recommendations, identify priority technology and investment opportunities, strengthen institutional partnerships, and develop an implementation-oriented roadmap to advance interconnected, digitally enabled border systems across the continent.

Republic of Congo

Customs

The NCS, under the leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and its management members, reiterates its commitment to strengthening collaboration with national institutions, regional partners and international stakeholders to secure borders, facilitate legitimate trade and support Africa’s economic integration agenda. Through the CGC Conference and C-PACT 2026, the Service seeks to reinforce accountability for ongoing reforms while advancing practical solutions that connect border security with trade facilitation, technological innovation and safer communities.

The outcomes of both conferences are expected to improve Customs operations, strengthen regional cooperation, and advance the AfCFTA’s objectives of building a more integrated, competitive, and prosperous African market.

ABDULLAHI MAIWADA, PhD, mnipr, mniia
Deputy Comptroller of Customs
National Public Relations Officer
for Comptroller-General of Customs
25 October 2026
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