A NIGERIAN man, Abiola Femi Quadri, has been sentenced to over 11 years for fraudulently obtaining $1.3 million in COVID-19 jobless and disability benefits.
Quadri, 43, a resident of San Gabriel Valley, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for defrauding California and Nevada of $1.3 million in COVID-19 pandemic unemployment and disability insurance benefits.
According to a statement on the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website, dated July 16, 2025, Quadri succeeded with the crime by submitting more than 100 fraudulent applications using stolen identities and used the money to build a nightclub and mall in Nigeria.
He was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay $1,356,229 in restitution and a $35,000 fine.
The ICE said Quadri acquired permanent residency in the United States through what court documents described as a “fake wedding”.
He pleaded guilty on January 2 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
“Quadri withdrew the fraudulent unemployment and disability benefits at ATMs from 2021 until his arrest in September 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Nigeria.
“Quadri sent at least $500,000 abroad during the scheme. He also paid for the construction of a 120-room resort hotel in Nigeria, the Oyins International, that includes a nightclub, a mall, and additional high-end amenities,” the ICE stated.
The agency said the convict failed to disclose his ownership of the hotel as required when completing his financial disclosure to the court.
It added that investigators found images of 17 counterfeit checks totalling more than $3.3 million on Quadri’s phone, along with messages discussing negotiations for the checks. Some of the checks were made payable to shell businesses held in the names of Quadri’s aliases.
According to the ICE, California paid Quadri to provide daycare services to developmentally disabled children through his Altadena-based business, Rock of Peace, and when agents searched Quadri’s residence, they found the children’s misappropriated food-aid debit cards.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Employment Development Department Investigation Division investigated the matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday welcomed the appointment of Nentawe Yilwatda as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while taking a subtle swipe at the opposition coalition.
He warned that ‘it is not a bad idea to abandon a sinking ship’ or quit what he called a ‘coalition of confusion.’
Tinubu made the remarks at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC in Abuja, where the decision to appoint Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, as the APC’s new national chairman was formally announced.
His emergence followed the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje, who cited health reasons amid mounting internal and legal pressures for his exit.
Addressing party leaders at the high-level meeting, Tinubu said the ruling party would not be swayed by ‘desperate’ political realignments and urged party members to remain committed to the ideals of the APC.
He also noted that the APC’s door remained open to opposition members planning to join the party, adding that the APC had a clear vision, contrasting it with opposition camps that he described as ‘confused’ and ‘shrinking.’
“I thank all of you for the show of love, solidarity and accommodation,” Tinubu said. “I could absorb the motion of accommodation to say we will postpone or recognise in addition for all other spaces that are available—more members are still coming.
“If we accommodate the congresses to December, that’s making room for those who are still coming. And then it’s not a bad idea to abandon a sinking ship and be absent from a coalition of confusion.”
The president’s comment was a reaction to the emergence of a new political alliance comprising former governors, lawmakers, and politicians who have criticised his administration’s economic reforms and are also moving to dislodge him and his party in the 2027 polls.
The ICIR reports that APC is currently enjoying defections into its fold and facing questions about its future heading into the next election cycle.
The president and leader of the ruling party’s latest remarks also came barely 24 hours after the opposition PDP lost two more senators, Sampson Ekong and Aniekan Bassey from Akwa Ibom State, to the APC.
Their defection followed a similar move by all three PDP senators from Kebbi State and echoed a broader trend of party fragmentation across several states, including Delta and Cross River.
The ICIR reported that the party’s collapse in Delta was backed by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who facilitated the handover of the PDP’s structure to the APC. In Cross River, several influential PDP leaders have also jumped ship.
The situation worsened when former Atiku Abubakar resigned from the PDP last week, describing the move as ‘heartbreaking’ but necessary. In a letter to his ward in Jada, Adamawa State, Abubakar accused the PDP of betraying its founding principles and failing to present a viable path forward.
The former vice president, who may now seek the presidency for the seventh time, had earlier left the PDP in 2014 for the APC, only to return later. His current alliance with the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, former Kaduna and Rivers governor Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, respectively, has bolstered his attempt to realign Nigeria’s political opposition under a new platform.
The coalition recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its party, with many believing that Abubakar will emerge as the presidential flagbearer.
THE Federal High Court, Lagos, has awarded N10 million in damages against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for rights violations committed against EndSARS protesters.
The suit was brought before the court by applicants who participated in the fourth anniversary of the #ENDSARS peaceful memorial procession.
In his judgment on Thursday, July 24, the judge, Musa Kakaki, ruled that the applicants were unjustly harassed and their rights violated.
He said the applicants were unjustly harassed during a peaceful protest on October 20, 2024, and had their rights to freedom of assembly and association violated, as protected by the Nigerian Constitution.
The judge said that while the police had constitutional powers to enforce laws, they must exercise the powers in accordance with democratic principles and the rule of law.
According to the judge, the applicants had a constitutional right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Akin Okunowon and 21 others, including Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, and Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi, among others, filed the suit against the police.
Take It Back Movement (TIB), Campaign for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), and Education Rights Campaign (ERC) were also part of the suit.
The ICIR reported that operatives of the Lagos State Police Command arrested 22 #EndSARS memorial protesters on Sunday, October 20.
The police also dispersed scores of protesters who gathered for the memorial.
The demonstration sought to honour victims of the 2020 protests against police brutality.
However, the atmosphere became tense when police operatives emerged at the scene, firing tear gas canisters. They eventually whisked away 22 of the protesters.
The demonstrators, mainly youth, assembled around 8:30 a.m., holding banners and placards while demanding the full implementation of the reports from the judicial panels of inquiry set up after the 2020 protests.
However, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong confirmed that the 22 protesters were later released.
A viral video shared on Facebook claims that condoms contain over 100 toxic chemicals harmful to women’s reproductive health. The FactCheckHub investigated the claim
The video, posted by Facebook user Lolo Crystal Chinelo, shows a woman reacting to a speaker who claims that a 2014 Danish study found condoms contain over 100 toxic chemicals, including hormone disruptors and carcinogens.
In the clip, the original speaker referenced a 2014 study, alleging that condoms contain toxic substances such as hormone disruptors and carcinogens.
She claimed that frequent use could expose women to harmful chemicals with potential risks to their reproductive health.
Part of the audio transcribed reads:
You use condoms, and you think it’s safe, but what if it’s slowly poisoning your body? A 2014 Danish study found over 100 toxic ingredients in condoms. Hormone disruptors, carcinogens, and spermicides that can damage the uterine wall. Each condom contains about 1.5 millilitres of lubricant. If a woman is intimate 300 times a year, she’s putting in her uterus over half a litre of this toxin into her body every single year…”
Since the inception of the video, it has garnered an attraction of over 9,000 likes, 2,100 reposts, and 371 comments.
Due to the sensitive nature of the claim, The FactCheckHub decided to examine the veracity of the claim.
Screenshot of the Video from Facebook
What’s in a Condom?
Most condoms are made from latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene. They often include added lubricants, flavourings, and colours. These extra ingredients, while designed for comfort, may sometimes include substances that cause irritation or allergic reactions.
Some products may be toxic
A 2024 report by The Guardian UK and Reuters cited a study that found that several popular brands of condoms and lubricants contained PFAS (Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS are knownto be reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors, and they have been linked to health issues such as low birth weight, reduced sperm counts, pregnancy-induced hypertension, infertility, and shorter duration of breastfeeding.
The study conducted by Mamavation, a consumer advocacy blog, in collaboration with environmental health researchers, highlighted that some condom brands and intimate products tested positive for PFAS levels beyond safe thresholds.
In addition, a 2001 study published in a health journal, Science Direct, identified the presence of N-nitrosamines, classified as potent carcinogens, in rubber products including condoms, baby bottle teats, and balloons. European regulations currently limit the release of these compounds due to their cancer-causing potential.
That study also found that about 0.6 nanogram of nitrosamines may migrate into the vaginal mucous membranes during sexual intercourse, estimating that lifelong exposure through 1,500 condom uses could result in the absorption of up to 0.9 micrograms of these substances.
Another study published by the National Institute of Health noted latex allergies and other additives, such as dimethylsiliconium, colourants, and flavourings which did not provide evidence of widespread toxicity or carcinogenic risk.
The study concluded that more data were needed to assess the cytotoxic impact of non-spermicidal lubricants and other compounds but did not suggest that condoms were inherently unsafe when used as directed.
Official guidance on condom safety
Regulators such as NAFDAC, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintain that condoms are safe when manufactured and used according to established safety standards.
WHO publishes guidelines on male latex condom quality, ensuring limits on harmful additives like nitrosamines. It also notes that spermicidal lubricated condoms should no longer be promoted as it is ineffective in preventing HIV. However, it recommends using a nonoxynol-9 lubricated condom over no condom at all.
FDA mandates rigorous pre‑market testing for biocompatibility, shelf life, and latex integrity before approving condoms for use.
In Nigeria, NAFDAC enforces strict regulations on the registration, labeling, and post-market surveillance of condoms. While the agency has previously issued alerts about unregistered condom brands circulating in the market, it has not raised safety concerns about any NAFDAC-approved brands.
No evidence supporting viral claim
Further findings showed that the specific “2014 Danish study” cited in the viral video could not be found during a review of available academic literature.
Instead, a 2015 Danish study reviewed by The FactCheckHub discussed the use of condoms in preventing sexually transmitted infections among Danish Youths aged 15-29 living in Denmark.
Another Danish National Youth Study (DNYS), conducted in 2014 explored various aspects of health behaviours among young people, including sexual behaviour, but did not focus specifically on condom toxicity. The DNYS, a national survey, gathered data on a range of topics, including alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use
The speaker in the viral clip was identified as Ayesha Depala, who is the owner of a fashion brand specialising in women’s clothing in the UAE and is also the co-founder of DiviNom Healing, the video was posted on this platform.
When our researcher contacted her via email requesting a link or evidence for the cited study, she responded with a document titled “100 Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found in Condoms and Related Products”, purportedly from the Institute for Toxicology & Consumer Safety Studies, dated May 2025.
Screenshot of the document from the email response
The document included a methodology section and a list of 100 chemicals, but no verifiable links or references were provided nor names of researchers.
When the document’s title and the name of the Institute for Toxicology & Consumer Safety Studies were used in a keyword search, they did not lead to any official publication or website belonging to the institute. Instead, the search results pointed to the earlier-cited study conducted by Mamavation, which had been reported by Reuters and The Guardian.
Are condoms safe?
Condoms do not contain harmful toxins in amounts considered dangerous to human health when used as intended. While trace levels of substances like nitrosamines or PFAS may be present in some products, these are strictly regulatedto ensure safety.
According to the WHO, “Condoms, when used correctly and consistently, are safe and highly effective in preventing transmission of most sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unplanned pregnancies. Condoms are safe, inexpensive and widely available.”
To ensure their effectiveness and safety, WHO also notes that “condoms need to follow ISO standards and WHO/UNFPA specifications.”
The plane was said to have dropped off radar screens while hovering around the destination of Tynda, a town in the Amur region bordering China.
Russian news agency Interfax reports that the plane disappeared during a second landing attempt after an initial approach to Tynda Airport was unsuccessful.
“Fifteen kilometres from Tynda, the wreckage of an An-24 was found on a slope. The plane was destroyed,” the Russian emergencies ministry was quoted as saying by Interfax.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, and investigators will analyse flight data and cockpit recorders once found, it added.
Meanwhile, the main cause of the crash remains unconfirmed by Angara Airlines and local authorities.
The crash occurred almost five weeks after a London-bound Air India plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, western India.
THE All Progressives Congress (APC), has named the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, as its new national chairman.
Yilwatda emerged as the consensus nominee after a late night meeting between President Bola Tinubu and APC governors.
The decision is expected to be ratified at the National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled for today, July 24, according to Premium Times.
The party’s former national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, stepped down from the top position on June 27, citing health concerns in his resignation letter.
His departure, however, came amid mounting pressure within the party, lingering court cases, and allegations of financial impropriety that dogged his tenure since he assumed office in August 2023.
The ICIR also reports that his tenure was fraught with controversies, suspensions, and litigations, as sources said that internal rifts within the party might have influenced his decision to step aside.
Following his sudden resignation, Ali Bukar Dalori from Borno State was directed to immediately assume the role of acting national chairman.
Dalori, hails from Borno, the same state as Vice President Kashim Shettima, who has recently been embroiled in controversy over speculation about his potential replacement as running mate in the 2027 election by the president.
Meanwhile, the new substantive APC chairman, a former commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Tinubu’s cabinet member, was brought into the Federal Executive Council in October 2024 to replace Betta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Yilwatda was also a former governorship candidate in Plateau State and technocrat with electoral experience.
His selection into Tinubu’s cabinet was part of a broader shake-up that included restructuring of ministries and the dismissal of key officials to refocus the administration on poverty alleviation and national development.
In renaming the ministry and emphasising poverty reduction, Tinubu had signaled his intention to align humanitarian efforts with economic reform and political consolidation.
By appointing a cabinet member to lead the ruling party, sources said the president could be tightening his grip on both the executive arm and the party structures.
It also comes at a time the APC is enjoying defections into its fold, and facing growing coalition of opposition parties, and questions about its future heading into the next election cycle.
LAGOS State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday, July 23, launched the Produce for Lagos Programme and the N500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund.
Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu said the state’s food economy had risen from N6.5 trillion to N16.14 trillion annually.
The governor boasted that Lagos was Nigeria’s largest food market, consuming over 50 per cent of the food traded in the country’s South-West.
According to the governor, research also revealed that Lagos loses nearly 50 per cent of its food between harvest and the market, largely due to poor storage and inefficient transportation.
“Then came 2020, and with it, the global COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed Lagos as highly dependent on food imports, and therefore vulnerable to global supply shocks. It became clear that we must transform our food system to ensure that Lagos can feed its people sustainably, both now and in the future.
“This led to us launching, in 2021, the Lagos State Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap, our robust plan for addressing structural weaknesses within the food system, particularly post-harvest losses, poor logistics, and supply chain gaps,” Sanwo-Olu said.
To implement the roadmap, he said the state had to increase its agriculture budget from N4.2 billion in 2018 to nearly N80 billion at present.
He said besides other projects around the food and agriculture sector being implemented, the Produce for Lagos programme was the next logical step in the roadmap.
He believes the programme would provide guaranteed off-take contracts, financing access, and logistics support, connecting Lagosians directly with Lagos’s dynamic food economy.
The governor stressed that the programme would boost agricultural production, reduce reliance on informal and uncoordinated supply channels, create jobs for the youth, and increase economic returns for all ecosystem stakeholders.
“It will be implemented through the Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company (LAFSINCO), and supported by key Special Purpose Vehicles like the Lagos Bulk Trading Company, Ekolog (Eko Logistics), and the *Produce for Lagos* Fund.
“This N500 Billion Offtake Guarantee Fund will provide working capital for bulk traders, finance for logistics operators, liquidity for aggregators, and credit support for food producers across Nigeria. It is a demonstration of our understanding that our food economy cannot thrive on policy alone – it requires financing,” the governor maintained.
He added that the fund was not a subsidy but an investment vehicle that would catalyse private capital, stabilise food prices, and de-risk agricultural operations across the value chain.
The launch was graced by dignitaries, including the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, and Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas.
Others were the Minister for Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, Chairman Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, and Minister for Finance, Wale Edun.
Elumelu donated N25 billion to support the launch.
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has formally requested approval from the National Assembly to borrow $347 million under the Federal Government’s 2025–2026 external borrowing plan.
The president cited urgent infrastructure and telecommunications needs for the decision.
The request was read on Wednesday, July 23, by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary.
The request came a day after the Senate approved $21 billion borrowing framework for the same fiscal period.
In his letter to the legislature, Tinubu said $47 million of the total sum would address a funding gap for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, whose financing needs have risen from $700 million to $747 million.
He explained that when the initial borrowing plan was submitted, the lead financiers could only secure commitments for $700 million, adding that the additional funds were being backed by export credit agencies.
“It is therefore necessary to increase the value of the financing for the project by $47 million to ensure it aligns with the loan size agreed in the finance documents for the project,” the president said in the letter.
The ICIRreported that the highway project has been enmeshed in controversy, as eminent Nigerians, including the former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, questioned the failure to follow due process required by law.
They further questioned the government’s priorities at a time when there is widespread insecurity across states, coupled with economic hardship that the citizens are faced with.
The president also disclosed that $300 million of the loan would go toward the Nigerian Universal Communications Access Project, aimed at bridging the digital divide through the deployment of 7,000 telecommunications towers in underserved and remote communities.
The House consequently approved the request after considering a report by Abubakar Nalaraba, chairman of the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management.
During deliberations, lawmakers insisted that the country’s debt profile “remains sustainable” despite increased borrowing.
Nalaraba said, “At over N145 trillion, the debt-to-GDP ratio of about 50 per cent is within international threshold (56 per cent).
“The current administration has succeeded in reducing the high debt service to revenue ratio from over 90 per cent to less than 70 per cent.
“The Federal Government’s capacity to service the new debt is bolstered by the anticipated revenue gains from the Nigerian Tax Act 2025, projected to grow by over 18 per cent year-on-year starting from 2026.”
Recall that the Senate approved the 2025-2026 external borrowing plan of 21.5 billion dollars presented by Tinubu for consideration on Tuesday, July 22.
In addition to the borrowing plan, the Senate gave the green light to a loan request of 15 billion Japanese Yen and a grant of 65 million Euros. Lawmakers also approved the issuance of a Federal Government bond worth N757 billion.
The bond, according to the president, is intended to offset accrued pension arrears under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as of December 2023, providing relief for retirees who have awaited their entitlements.
THE Federal Government has released the 2025 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) results for admission into Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) in the country’s 80 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs).
Presenting the breakdown at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, July 23, the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, described the release as “a moment of fulfilment and progress for basic education in Nigeria.”
She said 64,578 candidates registered for admission into JSS 1 across the country’s 80 Federal Unity Colleges, with 61,290 candidates sitting for the test and 3,288 absent.
Out of the total candidates who sat for the exams on June 14, he noted that 13 pupils scored 202 out of the possible 210 marks.
She also noted that 27 candidates scored just one out of the total mark.
The minister, however, didn’t give the data of students who scored average.
“Out of the maximum obtainable score of 210, 13 candidates obtained the highest score of 202, while 27 candidates obtained the lowest score of 1,” Ahmad said.
Shee added: “This year, an unprecedented number of 52 candidates (two candidates from Lagos and 50 candidates from Rivers) were involved in examination malpractice”.
According to her, the results of the separate entrance examination into the Federal Government Academy (FGA), Suleja has also been released.
While giving the breakdown of the the FGA Suleja exam results, the minister noted that out of 3,421 candidates registered, 3,141 sat for the exams.
She further stressed that 280 candidates were absent, while the highest score recorded was 194 and lowest being one.
Ahmad reiterated that the existing admission formula of 60 per cent merit, 30 per cent equality of states, and 10 per cent exigency remained in force.
She also directed the Department of Senior Secondary Education to conclude the admission process swiftly and strictly in line with the guidelines.
“It is a common knowledge that our Federal Unity Colleges have become the first port of call for most parents in the country.
“I want to assure all Nigerian parents that government will continue to do her best to improve on infrastructural development, feeding and teacher quality for effective teaching and learning in our Colleges,” she added.
THE Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the murder of a photojournalist, Ayo Aiyepekun, in Lokoja, the state capital.
Aiyepekun, who until his death worked with Inside Story, a platform based in the state capital, was allegedly killed on Tuesday, July 22, by his neighbour, Adebayo Pelumi.
According to the victim’s colleague, the suspect called the deceased to assist him with his poultry farm, located within the compound, where the Inside Story also operates from.
The deceased and the suspect lived within the premises.
Unknown to the suspect, another colleague was within the building, working on a video with the deceased. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm.
As soon as the victim stepped out to help with the poultry farm, the suspect attacked and killed him with an iron rod, said the colleague, who witnessed the killing.
The eyewitness recounted that he saw the suspect put the body in a deep freezer and then into his Hilux van.
He then raised an alarm, calling people who mobilised the local vigilantes, but by the time they arrived, the suspect had zoomed off with the body.
The eyewitness and the vigilante searched the area and found only bloodstains in the freezer and around the poultry stall.
The eyewitness said while the vigilantes were still with him and other people within the neighborhood, the suspect drove into the area with his vehicle. Upon realising the fate awaiting him, he reversed and drove off.
The vigilante gave him a hot chase. In the process, his car had an accident, forcing made him to jump out of the vehicle and flee.
The witness stated that the vehicle had human bloodstains. Unable to find the victim’s body, symphatisers and the deceased relations suspected the murder might be ritual-related.
The incident was reported to the State Police Headquarters in Lokoja on Wednesday.
According to media reports, the suspect, said to be working with the Nigerian Correctional Service had been separated from his wife for two months due to domestic violence.
Confirming the incident in a chat with The ICIR on Wednesday, the Kogi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, William Aya, said operatives were doing everything possible to apprehend the suspect.
“Yes, the matter was reported at Zone A command, and we are on the trail of the suspect,” he stated.
