Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo has challenged the prevailing narrative that Fulani herdsmen are responsible for the rising wave of kidnappings and violent crime in the Southeast.

Speaking to Anambra indigenes at a town hall meeting in Maryland over the weekend, Soludo asserted that nearly all the criminals apprehended in his state are, in fact, local residents rather than outsiders.

“The so-called liberators hiding in the forests are homegrown criminals feeding fat on blood money. They come under the guise that they are the ones protecting you from Fulani herdsmen,” the governor declared.

He went on to question the logistics of the militants’ activities: “They live in the bushes for months, but no one has ever asked how these so-called liberators survive in the forest. They have to feed, who is paying for their services, don’t they have needs?”

Soludo, who marked three years and three months in office this week, provided startling figures to underscore his point: “In my three years and three months in office, 99.99% of the kidnappers and other criminals we’ve arrested are Igbo. Let’s stop the lies. Igbos are kidnapping and killing fellow Igbos, not Fulani.”

His remarks appear aimed at dispelling what he termed “a false narrative” that Fulani herdsmen have taken refuge in the region’s forests to carry out terror attacks. The governor’s stance has ignited debate both within Anambra and among the wider Southeast community. In response, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) issued a statement on Monday, contending that the governor’s administration has “shielded jihadist herdsmen since 2022” and accusing it of transforming Anambra into a “ranching-compliant” state at the behest of the Federal Government. The rights group warned that this policy risks placing the state “on a keg of jihadist gunpowder.”

Intersociety insists that Fulani herdsmen are indeed operating in the secluded parts of the Southeast, a claim that Soludo firmly rejects. As tensions grow over public safety and the true identity of those behind the region’s violent crimes, calls for an independent inquiry are mounting. Some community leaders have urged both state and federal authorities to collaborate on transparent investigations into kidnapping and banditry, insisting that accurate intelligence is crucial to restoring public confidence.

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EFCC arraigns Abel Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma and firm over alleged €49 million fraud attemp

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has arraigned two individuals Abel Egerton Sokari and Nkiruka Chukwuma alongside a company, Zakah Global Investment Limited over an alleged €49 million fraud attempt.

According to the EFCC, the defendants attempted to fraudulently obtain €49,000,000 from First Bank of Nigeria using forged documents and false representation of a foreign bank transaction.

They were docked on Monday, July 7, 2025, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on a six-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, and forgery.

One of the charges reads:

“That you, Abel Egerton Sokari, Nkiruka Chukwuma, Zakah Global Investment Limited, Cheryl Austin Adanti (at large), Husain Abid (at large), Shazad Muhammed (at large), and Ismail Adil (at large), on or about the 19th day of May 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, attempted to obtain the sum of Forty-Nine Million Euros (€49,000,000.00) from First Bank of Nigeria by falsely representing that Bayan Investment Bank and Hedge Fund Statutory Trust had transferred the aforementioned sum into account number 2046430791 belonging to Zakah Global Investment Limited, domiciled at First Bank of Nigeria.”

The commission also accused the defendants of possessing forged legal documents purportedly linked to a former U.S. president’s defence attorney.

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“That you, Abel Egerton Sokari and Nkiruka Chukwuma, sometime in April 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had in your possession a document containing false pretences, to wit: a letter purportedly from the law office of Steven H. Sado, P.C., a lead defence attorney for U.S. President Donald Trump, which document you knew to be false,” they stated

Defendants plead not guilty
Sokari and Chukwuma pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them. Prosecution counsel H.U. Kofarnaisa applied for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in custody.

Counsel to the first and second defendants Clement Onwenwnor, SAN, and Laolu Owolabi, SAN urged the court to grant their clients bail on the most liberal terms. They also undertook to take custody of the defendants pending the perfection of bail.

Justice Dada granted each defendant bail in the sum of N500,000, with one surety in like sum. They were temporarily released to their counsel, with a one-month deadline to meet the bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned to October 29, 2025, for trial.

What you should know
Nairametrics reported that the EFCC, through its Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate, arraigned Ugochukwu Joseph Nwaemere, Executive Director of Pennhydro-Pell Oil and Gas Limited, before Justice E.A. Obile of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt over a N750 million bank fraud involving Polaris Bank.

According to the EFCC, Nwaemere, alongside a co-conspirator currently at large, allegedly approached Polaris Bank in April 2023 for a loan, claiming his company had secured a contract for dredging and stockpiling 100,000 tonnes of sharp sand for the Bodo-Bonny Road Project.

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To support the request, he allegedly presented a forged invoice dated November 29, 2022, purportedly issued and cleared by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

The EFCC said the document was fabricated to mislead the bank into believing that the contract was genuine and that the company had reached a payment milestone.

Based on the forged document and false claims, the bank disbursed N750 million to the defendant. However, after disbursement, it was discovered that no such contract existed and the invoice was not recognized by Julius Berger.
Efforts by the bank to recover the funds reportedly failed, prompting a petition and subsequent EFCC investigation.

Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has fixed July 17th for ruling on an application filed by the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, seeking to travel out of the country, on health grounds.

At the resumed hearing, his counsel and Joseph Daudu (SAN) told the court that he had filed an application seeking an order for the release of his client’s international passport by the registrar to enable him to travel for medical attention.

The EFCC counsel had, however, filed a counter-affidavit, saying granting the request could delay further proceedings.

In response to the prosecution team’s counter-affidavit, Daudu said the defendant’s team had also filed a further affidavit of 20 paragraphs, filed on July 7, 2025, and deposed to by the applicant himself with two exhibits.

“Exhibit C is the CTC of the ruling of your lordship, admitting the defendant to bail, and Exhibit D is the ruling of the FHC admitting him to bail.

“We adopt these documents in urging your lordship to grant our application,” he stated.

Responding to the prosecution’s argument that the application was an abuse of court process in the sense that a similar application was filed at the FHC.

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He argued that it could not be an abuse of the court process. He hinged his argument on the fact that it was the complainant who instituted those charges in the separate courts.

Daudu submitted that it would be a futile exercise to apply in one court and not to apply in the other court.

While defending the counter-affidavit of the EFCC, the prosecution counsel, Chukwudi Enebele (SAN), said the defendant should have put his sureties on notice concerning his application to travel out of the country.

According to him, the sureties need to decide whether they would want to continue to stand as sureties for him when he travels.

He added that, by filing the same application at both the FCT High Court and Federal High Court, the defendant’s counsel were setting the courts on a collision course.

Responding, Daudu said the sureties were already aware.

“Finally, on the interpol matter, it is a dead argument. He has never flouted your lordship’s order. They themselves have even forgotten about those red alerts,” the lawyer added, urging the court to grant the application.

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After listening to both parties, Justice Anenih adjourned the case to July 17, 2025, for ruling.

Former President, Muhammadu Buhari, has vowed never to betray the All Progressives Congress (APC) which brought him to power after three unsuccessful attempts.

As reported by Naija News, Buhari made this known through his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, while speaking on Trust TV’s 30 Minutes.

Shehu stated that there is no rift between Buhari and President Bola Tinubu, emphasising that claims of a fractured relationship between the two leaders are speculative and not substantiated by any formal disagreement.

He said, “When people are entitled to hold their opinion, and your interpretation of it is purely your entitlement. I don’t think in a formal and official sense, anybody would talk about distrust or mistrust or a façade between the Buhari administration and the Tinubu administration.

“For Muhammadu Buhari, for him, he’s essentially an APC member. He does not forget the fact that he ran one, two, three times and failed to get the presidency until they cobbled together the APC.

“APC came together and gave him two terms, for which he has remained grateful, and says and that’s what I’ve learned from him. ‘I will never be ungrateful. I will never betray the party that gave me two terms in office.”

Shehu further stated that Buhari’s camp is not disturbed by public speculation of tension in the ruling party.

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The former Presidential aide added that those who witnessed the effort it took to build the APC in 2014 are unlikely to undermine the party’s stability now.

He added, “We see statements; we read them when people say these things. Do we get disturbed? I don’t think that is the word.

“It took a lot of doing, energy, and sacrifice for the APC to have been put in place, for the desperate opposition elements to come together.

“They tried one, two, three times, and they failed. But by this time, they came together in 2014, formed a party, and ran in 2014. They won. Which means, in effect, that the people who were around, who saw how much sweat it took to build this coalition. I think they are not likely to be the ones who are trying to fracture it.”

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is set to spotlight investment opportunities, emerging trends, and the long-term growth potential of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) at the sixth edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 6.0).

With 43 MVNO licenses already issued by the NCC across five distinct service tiers, Nigeria is preparing to unlock new economic opportunities within the telecom ecosystem. MVNOs, which operate without owning physical network infrastructure, are seen as a cost-effective way to extend telecom services, particularly to underserved and niche markets.

The NCC will deliver a keynote address, outlining its regulatory framework, market interventions, and policy direction for fostering a thriving MVNO segment at the forum.

The regulator is expected to emphasise the strategic role of MVNOs in enhancing service quality, expanding digital access, and encouraging competition in a sector traditionally dominated by a few major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

The forum, organised by Business Remarks, aptly themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s MVNO Potential: Status, Trends, Investment, and Future Prospects,” is scheduled for August 26, 2025. This event reinforces the nation’s commitment to fostering a robust, competitive, and inclusive telecommunications landscape.

Convener of the forum and managing editor of Business Remarks, Bukola Olanrewaju, i said TSSF 6.0 is designed to be a melting pot of ideas, bringing together Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), MVNOs, telecoms infrastructure providers, Internet Service Providers, industry associations, and technology experts.

“Our goal is to ignite discussions that will shape the future of MVNOs in Nigeria, ensuring their sustainable growth and their critical role in extending digital prosperity across the nation,” Olanrewaju affirmed.

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The forum is expected to feature panel discussions, research presentations, and strategic dialogues that explore the viability of MVNO business models, investment opportunities, infrastructure access, and customer segmentation. These discussions will be crucial for investors, regulators, and technology innovators keen on understanding the evolving telecom landscape in Nigeria.

The NCC’s proactive role in launching a five-tier MVNO licensing regime with a 10-year validity underscores its long-term vision for the sector. This structure allows flexibility and scale for players, from light virtual operators to full-service MVNOs, depending on their operational capacity and target market.

Globally, the MVNO market is witnessing significant growth as telecoms pivot to more agile service delivery models. Analysts believe that Nigeria, with its expanding mobile base and digital demand, is well positioned to benefit from this trend, especially if operators can leverage unused network capacity and offer specialized, value-added services to customers.

“TSSF 6.0 will thus not only spotlight Nigeria’s MVNO journey so far but also provide insight into the regulatory stability, market potential, and collaborative pathways that could propel the sector forward in the coming years,” Olanrewaju added.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly, says her suspension from the Senate did not hinder her service to her constituents.

Speaking on Sunday during the flag-off of smart market projects in Okene and Okehi Local Government Areas of Kogi State, the senator said she remained active and committed to delivering dividends of democracy, even while she was kept away from plenary.

Her words: “Even during the wrongful suspension, we kept working. Leadership doesn’t pause outside the walls of the chambers.

“Leadership is about service and being responsible for the people, and that’s why we’re gathered here for the commencement of the markets construction.”

The project involves the construction of 80 modern shops at each location, two blocks of 40 lock-up shops and two blocks of 40 open stores, and is aimed at boosting rural commerce and empowering local traders, particularly women.

She said: “These women are the economic engine of our rural communities. The goal is to provide safe, functional, and dignified spaces where they can trade and thrive.”

She noted that the smart markets are being built at the Ihima Central Market in Oboroke (Okehi LGA) and at the new Community Market in Okene LGA. She explained that Bariki and Manaka markets were initially considered but lacked adequate space for expansion.

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The markets will include solar-powered electricity, boreholes, electrical sockets, modern toilets, streetlights, and truck-accessible loading bays to enhance efficiency and security.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan also addressed her recent six-month suspension by the Senate, which was nullified by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who ruled it unlawful.

“There was no reason why we should not be representing you. Even when I was unjustly kept away from plenary, I remained with you, working, listening, and planning,” she said.

Promising to deliver more projects, she assured that the smart markets will be completed and commissioned by November 2025 to mark her second anniversary in office.

“These projects are part of many more coming. We’re just getting started,” she added.

The event was attended by traditional leaders, women’s groups, and youth organisations.

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