The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially declared Bashir Haske, a businessman and son-in-law of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, as wanted for alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy and money laundering activities.

In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the EFCC, the agency has urged members of the public to provide any information that may assist in locating Haske.

“The public is hereby notified that Abdullahi Bashir Haske, whose photograph accompanies this notice, is being sought by the EFCC in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy and money laundering,” the statement indicates.

According to the notice, Haske, a 38-year-old individual, was last known to reside at No. 6 Mosley Road, Ikoyi, as well as 952/953 Idejo Street, Victoria Island, in Lagos State.

The EFCC has appealed to the Nigerian populace to aid in his apprehension by contacting any of its offices nationwide, including those located in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

Furthermore, the anti-graft agency has indicated that information may also be communicated through the commission’s dedicated telephone line and email address.

The son of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Oseloka Obi, has refuted rumors linking him to homosexuality, following the dissemination of viral photographs across social media platforms.

These images, which gained significant attention online during the past week, appear to depict him alongside another individual believed to be a romantic partner. This speculation ignited considerable debate, with numerous critics utilizing the photographs to launch attacks against his father in anticipation of the 2027 presidential election.

In a formal statement released on Wednesday, Oseloka characterized the allegations as mere “gossip” and “fiction spun from pictures,” adamantly asserting that he is not gay.

Valentine Obienyem, a media advisor to the former governor of Anambra State, corroborated this information on Thursday evening.

“I have chosen not to engage with the vitriol, scorn, and suspicion directed towards me online, as I was not raised to propagate falsehoods or indulge in inaccurate narratives,” Oseloka stated. “This pattern is familiar—individuals who oppose my father often seize upon ordinary photographs of me and manipulate them into false narratives.”

The UK-based actor and filmmaker emphasized that his profession frequently necessitates the portrayal of diverse characters, a reality that some individuals have intentionally misconstrued to misrepresent him and cause embarrassment for his father.

“Unlike many offspring of Nigerian politicians, I have never depended on nepotism,” he continued. “My chosen pursuit lies in theatre and filmmaking—an industry that values diversity. It is illogical to assume that my roles reflect my personal life.”

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Oseloka further urged Nigerian citizens to concentrate on pressing national issues rather than fabricated scandals. “Our nation grapples with insecurity, a frail economy, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate healthcare. Yet, some individuals prefer to disseminate gossip regarding the company I keep in photographs,” he remarked.

While acknowledging imperfections on both his part and that of his father, he maintained that Peter Obi is “a man of integrity” and “the appropriate leader for Nigeria.”

Peter Obi, who secured third place in the 2023 presidential election, is widely anticipated to pursue the presidency once more in 2027.

As Nigeria gears up for its highly anticipated presidential election, a prominent prophet has issued a grave warning to one particular politician, cautioning him against entering the race.

This provocative message has stirred significant attention amid a dynamic political landscape where numerous high-profile figures have declared their intentions to vie for the presidency.

The lineup of potential candidates for the upcoming election includes key political players such as Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State known for his progressive stance; Atiku Abubakar, a seasoned politician and former vice president; Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor with a strong support base in the northern region; Rotimi Amaechi, the ex-governor of Rivers State; Goodluck Jonathan, the former president who previously held office from 2010 to 2015; and Bola Tinubu, the current president seeking reelection. Click the link to continue reading the article.

As the political environment heats up, this warning serves as a stark reminder of the uncertainties and challenges that accompany the pursuit of the nation’s highest office.

The prophet’s message has left many speculating about the implications for the warned politician and the overall electoral process in Nigeria.

Prophet Julius Okonkwo, a prominent cleric originally from Nigeria and currently serving as the presiding pastor at Kingdom Seeker Ministries in the United States, has issued a cautionary message to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He advised Jonathan to reconsider any intentions of running against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 elections.

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According to Okonkwo, pursuing such a political ambition could potentially lead to significant setbacks, both on a national level within Nigeria and on an international scale, which could impact the country’s image and political stability.

“Some people want to use him to divide votes in 2027, but I can tell you for free that Tinubu will win; it is not Jonathan that will stop him. I am yet to see that candidate to stop him among the paraded politicians, but those who know Jonathan should tell him not to disgrace himself nationally and internationally because the results and implications of the election won’t end well for him,” said.

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Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the late Igbo military leader Odumegwu Ojukwu and currently serving as President Bola Tinubu’s minister of state for foreign affairs, recently shared her poignant experience of visiting a Nigerian pastor who is being held in detention in the Benin Republic.

In a tweet posted on Thursday, August 21, Ojukwu expressed her concern for Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, a religious leader hailing from Cross River State, who has been imprisoned for the last two years.

She highlighted that the circumstances surrounding his detention remain unclear, raising questions about the legal processes involved and the rights of the pastor during his incarceration.

Why Benin Republic imprison a Nigerian pastor
The minister explained that Benjamin was imprisoned on charges of r@pe but was critically ill. She disclosed that she had visited the hospital where the cleric was receiving treatment, following a petition written to her ministry about him.

She narrated that Pastor Benjamin was receiving treatment at the Central National Hospital Universitaire, Benin Republic.

She has paid a visit with her team from Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry and the Nigerian embassy in the neighbouring country.

According to the minister: “He was in chains even in the hospital, and upon seeing me, he broke down in tears.”

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She said that she assured the cleric that Nigeria would not abandon him and that the West African country would ensure justice is served on the matter. The minister disclosed that Pastor Benjamin was accused by a citizen of Benin, named Pede Victoire.

Victoire claimed that the Nigerian cleric r@ped her daughter, named Ahouandjinou Dona Sarah, when the child was still 13 years old. However, the minister disclosed that the matter was never reported or complained about. She also explained that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The minister then disclosed that Sarah herself has come forward to refute the claim of r@pe in a surprising turn of events, and that the matter is now in the appeal court.

According to Ojukwu, President Tinubu has mandated that the welfare and interests of Nigerian nationals in distress, wherever they find themselves outside the shores of Nigeria, should be prioritised.
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A federal high court in Abuja has temporarily restrained the house of representatives committee on capital market and institutions from summoning the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and 17 insurance companies in over its investigation into alleged N98.4 billion liabilities, according to TheCable.

In a ruling on Monday, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, granted the interim order, holding that the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the insurance companies “stand the risk of being arrested” while the substantive case is pending.

BACKGROUND

In July, the house sub-committee on capital market, chaired by Kwamoti Laori, commenced an investigation into about 25 insurance companies over alleged financial infractions.

Laori said the probe followed a petition accusing the insurers of causing significant revenue losses to the federal government.

The committee invited the companies to either confirm or refute the allegations. In response, the NIA and 17 insurers filed a motion ex parte before the court seeking to halt the probe.

Nwite initially declined the application, directing the insurers to put the respondents on notice.

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The plaintiffs later filed a motion on notice, listing the speaker of the house, the committee, Laori, and Bob Solomon as defendants.

PLAINTIFFS’ ARGUMENT

Taiwo Osipitan, counsel to the insurers, argued that the NIA represents the 17 companies, all of which are non-government-funded and regulated by agencies in the executive arm — the National Insurance Commission (NIC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)— not the house of representatives.

Osipitan said his clients were aggrieved by a July 3, 2025, summons directing them to submit operational documents to establish alleged indebtedness to the federal government.

He argued that the court had jurisdiction to intervene, noting that “the balance of convenience” favoured protecting the companies from unconstitutional legislative oversight.

In an affidavit, Akioya Victoria, NIA manager, stated that the “objective of these letters of invitation/summons… is to recover N98.4 billion from the 2nd to 18th Plaintiffs/Applicants, being… liabilities to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The insurers asked the court to restrain the lawmakers from enforcing the summons or compelling their CEOs to appear before the committee until the substantive case is heard.

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COURT’S DECISION

Nwite noted that none of the respondents filed a reply to the motion on notice and ruled that failure to respond after being served deprived them of grounds to claim a breach of fair hearing.

He added that the NIA and its members sought to protect themselves from “unconstitutional invitations/summons” by lawmakers they insist lack supervisory powers over them.

“In view of the foregoing, I am of the view, and I so hold, that the plaintiffs/applicants (insurers) have a right deserving of protection through the grant of an injunction,” the judge ruled.

He further ruled that there were serious triable issues, including whether lawmakers have the constitutional authority to summon the insurers’ CEOs or demand financial documents to verify alleged debts.

On the balance of convenience, Nwite found that the insurers and their executives “stand the risk of being sanctioned/arrested by the Defendants,” which could disrupt their business operations. By contrast, lawmakers would lose nothing if restrained pending the court’s determination.

He also noted that the plaintiffs had undertaken to pay damages if it turned out the injunction should not have been granted.

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Consequently, the court barred the committee from compelling appearances of the insurers’ executives or pursuing the probe until the case is resolved.

The matter was adjourned to September 9 for the hearing of the substantive suit.

The coronation ceremony of Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland has been fixed for September 26.

NAN reports that Adeola Oloko, media aide to Lodoja, said the event will be held at the Mapo Hall, Oja-Oba, Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The date for the coronation was set after Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, approved Ladoja’s nomination for the throne.

The approval followed a meeting on Wednesday between the state government delegation and Ladoja, as well as members of the Olubadan advisory council.

The state government is yet to issue a statement on the development.

Lodoja, a former governor of Oyo state, was nominated by the Olubadan-in-council on August 4 following the death of the late Oba Owolabi Olakulehin on July 7.

Addressing well-wishers who thronged his Bodija residence on Tuesday to welcome him back home, Ladoja said he did not expect to be ascending the throne so soon.

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“When I heard of Kabiyesi’s (Oba Olakulehin’s) death, it was so painful to me because I told myself that I wasn’t ready. I thought he would reign for maybe five to 10 years, but the deed has been done,” he said.

The Olubadan-designate noted that it took him 31 years since October 1, 1993, when he was installed as Jagun Balogun, to reach the top of the hierarchy.

He said many of those, including his former deputy, Alao-Akala, MKO Abiola, and Lamidi Adedibu, who witnessed his installation as Jagun, are no longer alive, noting that it means his purpose in life has not been fully fulfilled.