The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has announced the call for entries for the 2025 West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA), scheduled for October 9–11 in Accra, Ghana.
Journalists from West African countries are invited to submit outstanding stories published between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Categories include investigative reporting, anti-corruption, environmental reporting, human rights, and more.
This year’s conference will focus on the theme: “Journalism and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in Africa.” The first two days will feature discussions on this theme, while the final day will host the awards ceremony honouring outstanding journalism in the region.
Entries close on May 14, 2025. Submissions must be made via wameca.mfwa.org.
WORKERS and customers have been trapped at a collapsed building housing a restaurant on Oremeta Street in the Ojodu area of Lagos State.
The two-storey building housing the Equal Right Restaurant reportedly collapsed on Saturday, trapping several people inside.
The building had a restaurant on the ground floor, while the three upper floors were unoccupied.
According to reports, the building collapsed around 9 am, trapping restaurant workers, customers, and a family present at the scene.
Emergency responders, including police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and fire services, rushed to the scene to rescue those trapped, while sympathisers gathered to offer support.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told journalists at the scene that five people were rescuedalive.
He said the agency was approaching the situation systematically, using heavy-duty and light-duty equipment to get to the ground floor.
“We have credible information that more people are still under the rubble, so we are moving from one layer to the next, carefully checking for any survivors before proceeding,” he stated.
Also commenting on the incident, the Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed the number of rescued victims and said there could be more people in the debris.
Adeseye, who spoke through the service spokesperson, SkahiruAmodu, said the rescued victims suffered varying degrees of injuries and were first attended to by Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) before they were taken to the hospital for further treatment.
“We have always stressed that it’s not healthy and safe for a building not to be occupied for a long period because overtime it loses its integrity and strength to stand the test of time.
“Unoccupied buildings are often prone to collapse at any moment,” Adeseye stated.
She added that everything was under control and there was no cause for alarm.
Building collapse is not new in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. In July 2024,five people died in a collapsed building on Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, in the country’s commercial hub.
According to LASEMA, at least five persons were recovered dead from the debris, while five others were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred around midnight when three terraces under construction unexpectedly fell.
The ICIR reports that there have been several other incidents of building collapse in Lagos State. In the last 10 years, the state has recorded no less than 115incidentsof building collapse.
According to LASEMA, between January and July 2022, the state recorded no less than 30 cases of building collapse.
In some cases, there were no fatalities, while in others, scores of people perished in the rubble.
For instance, a 21-storey building located at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, caved in in November 2021, leading to thedeath of about 45 people.
Also, the collapse of the Lekki Gardens in Ikoyi in 2016 claimed about 35 lives.
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a change in date for the commencement of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The examination will begin on Thursday, April 24, a day earlier than the previously scheduled date of April 25.
The adjustment, according to a statement signed by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, on Saturday, April 19, was made to accommodate essential commitments by the Board and its partner agencies.
JAMB said in preparation for the examination, it had opened its portal for candidates to print their examination notification slips, starting Saturday, April 19.
The slip contains essential details such as the examination date, venue, and time, which are crucial for a smooth participation in the exam.
“The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is now set to commence on Thursday, April 24, 2025, instead of the previously scheduled date of Friday, April 25, 2025. This adjustment has been made to accommodate essential commitments by the Board and its partner agencies.
“In preparation for the examination, prospective candidates can now print their notification slips, which contain vital information regarding their exam details,” the statement added.
Candidates were also advised to print their slips as early as possible and visit their centres before the scheduled date to avoid last-minute challenges.
The Board also urged candidates to visit the official JAMB website and input their registration details.
“It is strongly advised that candidates print their slips and familiarise themselves with their examination centres at least one or two days before the examination date. This preparation will help ensure a smooth experience on exam day,” the statement added.
The Board stressed that no candidate would be posted to centres outside their selected examination towns.
“To reiterate, the 2025 UTME will begin on Thursday, April 24, 2025. Candidates are advised to print their examination notification slips at least a day before the exam to confirm their examination dates and locations, making it easier to access their centres on the day of the examination.
“Please note that candidates will be assigned to centres within their chosen examination towns; no candidate will be placed in a centre outside their selected town,” the statement added.
FOR years, the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Nigeria has been bleeding funds through a coordinated scheme allegedly masterminded by its Director of Finance, Aliyu Mafindi. The ICIR’s investigation reveals that since 2018, millions of naira have been fraudulently siphoned from the institution under the guise of oversight visits by National Assembly members visits that never happened.
Despite his initial tenure ending in 2021 and an internal probe by PTI’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), Mafindi returned to office in 2023. Since then, the financial manipulation has evolved, with payments increasingly routed through proxies and staff accounts.
Financial records obtained and reviewed by The ICIR, revealed how the funds meant for oversight and other visitations by federal lawmakers ended up in his personal accounts. Beyond being a case of financial misconduct, findings indicate that these actions, including using personal and proxy accounts for government related projects, constitute criminal offences under Nigerian law. These include forgery, conspiracy to defraud and abuse of office, all of which carry legal consequences.
Web of corruption dating back to 2018
When Mafindi was appointed as Director of Finance at the Petroleum Institute of Nigeria in 2017, a source said it only took him a few months to lay the groundwork for a chain of financial malfeasance at the Institute, one that would see him amass millions within a few years. By 2018, he had allegedly built a network that would later go on to siphon over N200 million from PTI’s coffers.
Source(s) in the Institute, along with financial documents and internal memo obtained by The ICIR, detail how public funds, using payments for purported visits by members of the National Assembly was misappropriated.
One of the official at the Institute who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Since 2018, we’ve seen instances where money was disbursed for National Assembly visits that never happened.”
The ICIR reports that oversight visits by the National Assembly to government agencies are routine. These visits often come with financial provisions for logistics, accommodation, and honorariums. The Petroleum Institute, like other agencies, regularly receives official letters from lawmakers planning oversight visits.
An internal memo obtained by The ICIR, showing that Mafindi requested N21 million for an oversight visitInternal records show that in March 2018, N21.85 million was paid for the logistics and accommodation of a National Assembly committee tasked with auditing the Institute’s internally generated revenue from the previous year. The breakdown included business-class tickets for the lawmakers, accommodation at hotels, and additional allowances for secretariat staff.
Also, on May 8, 2018, another memo claimed that the the House Public Committee was scheduled to visit PTI from April 30-May 9, 2018. According to the memo, the visitation was meant for the examination of Value Added Tax, withhold taxes, contract documents and payment vouchers for the period of 2013-2014.
The finance director once again requested funds for logistics, accommodation, and honorarium, totalling N15,500,000, with financial records showing that the money was released to him.
Voucher of N15 million payment to Aliyu Mafindi.
However, our source in the Institute confirmed that the supposed oversight visits never took place, despite handwritten notes on documents indicating approval from the Institute’s former Principal, Sunny Iyuke, and other officials.
In December 2018, internal financial records from the Institute show that N25.76 million was approved and released for the logistics, accommodation, and air tickets for members of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) who purportedly visited the Institute.
The committee was scheduled to conduct an oversight visit to scrutinise the Institute’s revenues and expenditures but the visit never took place.
Suspicious transactions in 2018
March 2018: ₦21.85 million approved for oversight of PTI’s 2017 revenues.
May 2018: ₦15.5 million requested for another visit to examine tax and contract records.
December 2018: ₦25.76 million disbursed for a scheduled visit by the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream)—a visit that never occurred.
Another memo showing N 25 million was paid for a National Assembly oversight visit.
When The ICIR reached out to the concerned committee chairmen in the National Assembly, some of them said they have never been to the Institute within the year in review. Others promised to get back for more clarification as they expressed doubts about any such visit.
Questionable approvals
By 2019, the scheme had expanded. The finance director according to internal sources allegedly began using forged letters from the National Assembly requesting visits that were never planned.
Also, in some of the memos herequested money, with the Director of Finance only referenced non-existing letters and proceeded to make payments into his accounts.
One such document, dated March 6, 2019, was a memo from the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Budget and Accounts department, addressed to the Principal/Chief Executive.
The memo referenced an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), scheduled for March 13-15, 2019.
Request for N19.9 million for hosting Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources
According to the document, PTI was instructed to prepare logistics, accommodation, and flight tickets for committee members, the clerk, and their assistants. The total sum allocated was N19,940,000.
However, a source familiar with the matter claimed that no such visit ever took place.
“There was no Senate Committee visit to PTI during that period,” a source said, adding, “This was purely one of the cases of forged approvals and internal fraud.”
Also, public search records using related keywords did not show that such a visitation took place by the committee in 2019. The only captured probe by the National Assembly was the House of Representatives Committee’s scrutiny of financial records from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission
A similar memo, dated January 25, 2019, referenced another purported visit by the same committee. This time no visitation date was stated, but the sum of N22,865,000 was paid to Mafindi for the committee members upkeep.
Payment voucher of the fund paid to Aliyu Mafindi.
In both cases, an official at the PTI insists that no federal lawmakers visited the institution.
Suspicious transactions in 2019
March 2019: ₦19.94 million released for a Senate Committee visit that never happened.
January 2019: ₦22.86 million paid into Mafindi’s account for an undefined oversight visit.
Audit reports raised red flags about these transactions. In one instance, an internal audit in a memo dated July 10, 2019 questioned the legitimacy of a ₦22.86 million payment, citing lack of supporting documentation for the payment voucher (P.V No. 75837).
2019 Audit report on one of the oversight visits.
Further investigation revealed that another document titled, “Matters Arising from Oversight Visit” was recycled for a letter dated January 31, 2019. This was in respect of another financial transaction for the purported March 23–25 oversight visits to PTI over budget defence by the House Committee for the 2019 budget hearing.
Lawmakers not aware of such visits
When The ICIR reached out to the then House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) chairman, Victor Nwokolo, he was not certain of any visitation during that period and noted that committee members rarely conducted oversight visits in 2019 as it was electioneering period.
Nwokolo scheduled a meeting with The ICIR for further discussions, but our reporter’s efforts to meet with him were unsuccessful, as subsequent calls and text messages to his number on March 18 and 24 went unanswered.
The 2019 general election was held in February 23, 2019. The National Assembly (NASS) elections, including those for the House of Representatives and the Senate, were held on the same day as the presidential election.
Given this timeline, the electioneering period in mid 2018 and early 2019 was particularly intense for Nigerian politicians, with political campaigns and preparations dominating the activities of lawmakers.
Receiving public fund through personal account
Payment vouchers for 2018 and 2019 seen by The ICIR confirm that funds were funnelled into Mafindi’s account, a direct violation of Nigeria’s Public Sector Financial Regulation Act.
Section 713 states: “An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intention.”
The section further states that “Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account.
One of the payment vouchers showing how millions was paid directly into Mafindi’s account.
One of the payment vouchers showing how millions was paid directly into Mafindi’s account.
The 2024 ghost visit
Mafindi’s reappointment in 2023 marked a new phase of the scheme. With the appointment of Principal/Executive Director Samuel Onoji in March 2024 an alleged lally, fraudulent payments resumed, this time through proxy accounts.
Mafindi’s first term ended in 2021, during which he was investigated by the Institute’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) following multiple complaints and petitions from whistleblowers within the institution.
According to an insider, Onoji has been aiding the misappropriation of funds by the finance director under the guise of oversight visits due to their long-time friendship.
Documents reviewed by The ICIR reveal that on at least two occasions between January to April 2024, Mafindi requested payments for National Assembly committee upkeep during supposed visitations. However, this time, the funds were disbursed to multiple individuals.
A memo dated March 2024, requesting for fund for the visitation of House of Reps Public Accounts committee.
For instance, in March 2024, he processed a request for N25.8 million, supposedly to cover logistics and honoraria for lawmakers from the House Committee on Public Accounts who planned to visit the Institute. Investigation showed that no such visit took place, but the money was paid to one Faizu Mahmud, a non-staff member of the Institute, after being approved by Onoji.
Payment voucher showing money was released for the visitation, that the National Assembly, dismissed
The chairman of the Committee, Bamidele Salam confirmed to The ICIR that the committee has not visited the Institute since 2023.
The following month, in April, N43.4 million was allocated to Suleiman Zailani, the Institute’s Head of Public Affairs, under the guise of facilitating a visit by the House Committee on Public Procurement. Yet, when The ICIR contacted chairman of the committee, Unyime Idem, he dismissed knowledge of any such trip.
Payment voucher of money paid to Zailani.
Suspicious transactions in 2024
March 2024: ₦25.8 million disbursed to Faizu Mahmud, a non-staff member, for a House Public Accounts Committee visit that never occurred.
April 2024: ₦43.4 million paid to Suleiman Zailani, Head of Public Affairs, under the guise of a visit by the House Committee on Public Procurement.
These approvals and payments violate multiple financial laws, including Nigeria’s Public Procurement Act (2007) and the Financial Regulations (2009), which mandate transparency and due process in public expenditure.
Similarly, Section 713 of the Financial Regulations prohibits the diversion of government funds into private accounts or proxies, while Section 3106 requires that all disbursements be backed by proper documentation.
Section 3106 reads,“A public officer who makes an irregular payment from public funds, shall be given 21 days notice to offer an explanation. Where no satisfactory explanation is given,the amount involved shall be recovered from the officer and such officer shall be removed from the schedule.”
‘This is very terrible; the crooks must be brought to book’
When contacted, the Chairman House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, Bamidele Salam, dismissed any visits by the committee to the Institute since 2023.
On three different instances as referenced by the Institute Finance Director that the public accounts committee would be visiting, Salam said neither he nor any of committee members had visited the PTI-at least to the best of his knowledge and that of the House clerk.
‘We never planned, proposed or intended any visit to that Institute. There was absolutely nothing of such,” he said, reiterating that, “For the benefit of doubt, I restate again that this Institute has not featured in any of our hearings nor have we had any engagement with them in the last two years.
“The crooks who invented the phantom oversight must be identified and brought to book! I am still in shock as to that audacious thievery.”
The ICIR further shared with him one of the letters purported to have come from the committee and addressed to the Institute, asking it to appear before the committee on or before February 19, 2024 for revenue leakage through the Remita platform.
The chairman explained that the committee invited many agencies for such an investigation, but there was no records of the Institute making it to the Assembly for the investigation.
“I know there were many agencies invited for the Remita investigation last year, probably over 200, but this particular institute couldn’t have been one of them.
“Even if they were invited, there was no record of their appearance for the Remita investigation.”
Public procurement committee dismisses visitation
Similarly, Unyime Idem, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement, when contacted on whether his committee had visited the Institute since 2023, he firmly debunked it.
“I don’t’ know that institution; secondly our committee is a very busy one. Ever since I took over, we have not been able to visit any place yet. We are only working on papers submitted to us, but we have not visited any place yet.
“Because of too much load, we have not yet been able to visit any agency.
“The only thing we have done outside our office is go for training abroad or the one organised by us. But I don’t know the institute and we have not gone there,” he said.
Another N109m sent to staff account busted
On April 25, 2024, Mafindi requested approval for N76.1 million to fund another visitation by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts. The money was, again to be paid into the First Bank account of Suleiman Zailani, the Deputy Director and Head of Public Affairs at the Petroleum Training Institute.
Following approval from PTI Principal, Onoji, the money was transferred to Zailani’s account. However, the House Committee on Public Accounts confirmed that it never wrote to the Institute concerning any visit, and never paid any visit.
On April 24, Mafindi had similarly requested that N33.76 million be paid into the same account. This time, for a purported visit by members of the Senate committee on Public Accounts.
Payment approval and voucher into staff account.
This request was also approved by the principal and deposited into Zailani’s account. In total, Zailani received N109.9 million in his personal account.
Zailani’s refunds N109 million, threatens to report PTI for ‘suspicious lodgment’
But upon receiving the amount, Zailani lodged a complaint with the Institute and in a letter dated May 2024, and addressed to the Principal, noted he had returned the N109.9 million, which he described as having been ‘erroneously and mischievously’ lodged in his account.
He made the payment in four tranches and attached remitta receipts of the payment to the letter.
Zailani later stressed that “he would be left with no choice; but to report to the relevant authorities if a similar incident reoccurred regarding unfortunate, unsolicited, surreptitious and suspicious lodgment into my account by the Institute.”
Even though Zailani refunded the amount, audio recording obtained by The ICIR, further showed that Mafindi ordered one of the Institute’s account officers to make the payment to another personal account without issuing a new voucher in the actual recipient’s name.
When the accountant raised an eyebrow over the illegal request, she was said to have been transferred out of the department to another one.
PTI, Mafindi, Onoji evade response
On several occasions, The ICIR reached out to Mafindi regarding the allegations that he had exploited the weak system of PTI to channel funds into his personal accounts or those of proxies.
However, he failed to respond to texts, calls, or reply to emails.
On March 12, 2025, this reporter contacted Mafindi through his phone, but he did not answer. After an SMS was sent to his number and a message was sent via WhatsApp, subsequent calls to his line were unsuccessful.
On March 14, 20, 29 reminders were sent to his line but no response was received.
The ICIR met the same fate when it contacted Suleiman Zailani, the PTI’s Director of Public Affairs. Zailani at first picked the call and promised to call back, but since then he has refused to answer calls or reply to messages sent to his phone.
On March 13, 14 and 20, our reporter made further attempts to contact him, placing additional calls to his line and sending reminders via WhatsApp and SMS. However, these efforts also went unanswered.
‘It’s unethical to speak on phone,’ Onoji says, threatens journalist
Meanwhile, after several attempts to speak with Onoji, the PTI Principal, he eventually responded on March 14, asking the reporter to come to Effurun, Warri, Delta State where the Institute is located.
Samuel Onoji, Principal\CE of PTI
When the reporter requested a response via phone chat, as he is based in Abuja, Onoji replied a day later, wondering what The ICIR was investigating.
According to him, The ICIR investigation was needless after the Institute had been investigated by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) in November 2024 and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
He declined comments the findings and threatened the reporter, saying that he would have to explain to the Department of State Security (DSS) how he came about the PTI’s financial records and documents.
“The DSS is investigating how government documents are doctored and illegally left PTI without applying formally for them. This is gross misconduct and those found wanting will be prosecuted. Maybe at the appropriate time, you may disclose your sources of information,” he said.
While declining to speak on The ICIR findings, Onoji claimed that it was inappropriate and unethical for the reporter to ask him to speak on the phone, insisting that he should come to Warri to verify his findings.
“It’s unethical to do so. Please, come to Warri to authenticate your documents and their sources. The Freedom of Information Act is available for our staff to apply for any documents; outside that it’s an offence.”
He further asked for the reporter’s address, adding that he wants to visit when he comes to Abuja.
“Alternatively, you can send me your address in Abuja where I can visit whenever I’m in town since you don’t want to come to Warri….”
ICPC confirms investigation
The ICPC confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial misappropriation, abuse of office, and procurement fraud at the PTI in Effurun, Delta State.
The investigation was prompted by a petition submitted by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) through the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC). The ICPC received the petition on October 29, 2024 and investigations are still going on, it was gathered.
Disciplinary committee findings
Before ICPC’s involvement, PTI’s own Ad-hoc Disciplinary Committee found 11 staff members including Mafindi and Onoji guilty of misconduct related to procurement fraud and financial document tampering.
Indicted officials:
S\N
Name
Designation
1
Dr. Aliyu Mafindi
Director, Finance & Accounts
2
Mr. J.E. Ekpenyong
Finance & Accounts Staff
3.
Mrs. D.N. Igbadumhe
Finance & Accounts Staff
4.
Mr. Zion Kanuhor
Finance & Accounts Staff
5.
Mr. Ufuoma Efe
Finance & Accounts Staff
6.
Mr. Stephen Edogbo
Finance & Accounts Staff
7.
Mr. Gordon Akpoduado
Finance & Accounts Staff
8.
Mr. Gordon Akpoduado
Head of Works
9.
Mrs. Rahmat Muhammad
Quantity Surveyor
10.
Barr. B.O. Etanabene
Legal Officer
11.
Dr. Eng. S.E. Onoji
Former Director, Services
The committee recommended their sack, but the report was not implemented.
Instead, Onoji, a former Director of Services accused of falsifying his age, was appointed as Acting Chief Executive and when he resumed, he allegedly pardoned the indicted officials.
Onoji, alongside Mafindi, was in August 2024, reported to have allegedly misappropriated about N400 million.
According to the report, the money was misappropriated using some contractors’ names, with them unknowingly having their profiles used to bid for contracts they were not aware of.
INIBEHE Effiong, the lawyer who secured the release of Lagos State teenager Alabi Quadri from prison, has accused the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) of manipulating the facts and failing to come clean about the reason its actions led to the boy languishing behind bars.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 19, the human rights lawyer described the statement issued by the police earlier today, Saturday, as “false and provocative.”
The ICIR reported that the police claimed they arrested Quadri for street fighting.
Recall that the boy’s travails have been linked to the money gifted to him by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, after he stood before Obi’s convoy in Lagos State during an election campaign as a demonstration of his love for the former Anambra governor.
Effiong had said that some touts in Quadri’s neighbourhood, known as area boys, felt they should share in the boy’s gift from Obi.
Quadri’s failure to accede to the area boys’ demand led to his abduction by the irate boys, who accused him of theft allegedly in collusion with the police.
The boy was eventually sent to the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in the state, where he spent three months among four adults with whom he was accused of robbing people in the nation’s commercial hub. Effiong said the boy did not know any of the four adults with whom he shared the charges.
Quadri spent three months in prison in addition to the days he spent at police detention before succour came his way and he regained his freedom, according to his lawyer.
Reacting to the boy’s ordeal Saturday afternoon, Effiong said the police narrative on the boy’s travails was not only laughable but ridiculous.
“It is embarrassing to see the police spread disinformation and fake news about an innocent Nigerian child. Nigerians will note that in our previous statements, we disclosed that our client was abducted by two ‘area boys’ named Lege and Baba Waris while he was on his way home from work and dumped at the Amukoko Divisional Police Station.
“These same area boys and their cohorts have been harassing our client since 2023 in their effort to extort ‘their share’of the donations made to him after he stood in front of the convoy of Mr Peter Obi,” Effiong stated.
The lawyer explained that the police claimed that Quadri was arrested in connection with street fighting, where some properties were damaged and that some persons were also robbed.
He argued that contrary to the 18-year-old given to the boy by the police, his birth certificate showed he was 17.
“He is 17 as contained in his birth certificate and attested to by his mother. He was born on the 29th day of September 2007,” he claimed.
He added that Quadri was not involved in street fighting, did not rob anyone, and did not damage anyone’s property.
Effiong also said that there was no time that the teenager was identified by any victim of the alleged crimes, as posited by the police. He challenged the police to tell Nigerians when and where the identification was doneand the method used.
“How was Quadri identified by the alleged victims when no identification parade was conducted as required by law, given that the alleged offences were said to have been committed at about 10 pm?‘ he queried.
He also questioned why the police said Quadri was arrested, but failed to state who exactly arrested him and the place where he was arrested.
The lawyer said the police failed to disclose the relationship between Quadri and the four adults remanded with him, despite them being people the boy did not know.
He added that Quadri was detained for a week before being ‘unlawfully’ brought before a magistrate, which he said was against the law.
The lawyer condemned the police for ignoring the Director of Public Prosecutions’ advice and the court’s discharge of Quadri, instead of showing remorse for their errors.
He vowed to seek redress and compensation in court against the police officers involved in Quadri’s travails and file a complaint with the Police Service Commission (PSC) on the issue.
“We condemn this gross act of recklessness and irresponsibility by the police. By taking this path, the Nigerian Police Force is reminding the country that it is very far from redemption.
“We shall meet the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, the DPO of Amukoko, CSP Olaniran Ismaila O., the IPO Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and others in the court in the coming days to seek redress and adequate compensation for Quadri.
“We will also file a formal complaint with the Police Service Commission against the lawless DPO of Amukoko. Nigeria is our country, we will not allow agents of impunity to get away with such abominable oppression of a Nigerian child,” he vowed.
The ICIR reported that Quadri regained freedom on Thursday after months in detention.
A Lagos Magistrate Court discharged the teenager following legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which confirmed there was no evidence to support the armed robbery charge levelled against him.
Effiong, who represented the teenager, confirmed the boy’s release in a statement.
He noted that the presiding judge, A. O. Olorunfemi, discharged the teenager.
The ICIR also gathered that Nigerians raised over N3 million within two hours to support Quadri.
The appeal, which Effiong initiated shortly after his release, sought financial help from Nigerians to urgently relocate the boy and his family from Amukoko, due to persistent threats to their lives.
“We have raised N3 million within two hours of announcing the fundraising for Quadri Alabi.
“We are still far from the target, but the amount raised so far demonstrates that there are good and spirited people in Nigeria,” Effiong wrotein a statement on his social media handle.
Meanwhile, Obi has promised to further support the boy. He also demanded justice for him.
He stated these when he received the boy in Lagos State on Friday, April 18.
Quadri was led to the former Anambra State governor by his lawyer, Effiong.
THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the successful extradition of Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, known as ‘Killaboi’, from Doha, Qatar, to face murder charges in Nigeria.
Nnayereugo is accused of killing his 21-year ex-girlfriend, Augusta Oseodion Onuwabhagbe, in Lagos on July 13, 2023.
A statement by the Nigerian Police Force, on Saturday, April 19, stated that the extradition was the result of a coordinated effort between Nigerian authorities, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Qatari authorities, and the Ministry of Justice.
It noted that the accused was flown back to Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday, April 19, 2025, after being trailed for months across multiple regions.
The statement stressed that the INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his arrest in October 2023, and authorities soon discovered that Nnayereugo had been moving under various aliases across West Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East.
“The extradition followed a petition from the family of the deceased, submitted through their legal representatives dated 29th September 2024. The matter was assigned to INTERPOL NCB Abuja for investigation.
“Investigations revealed that the suspect, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, murdered Miss Onuwabhagbe, a 21-year-old first-class student of Lead City University, Ibadan, at his residence located at No. 24A Abiola Apooyi Street, Oral Estate, Ajah, Lagos, on 13th July 2023. After committing the crime, he fled Nigeria and later released an online video purporting to confess to the act, a deceptive strategy to derail investigative efforts.
“Following his declaration as wanted by the NPF Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on 13th October 2023, an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued for his global apprehension. He was initially arrested in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 20th October 2023 under the false identity “KANU PRINCETON SAMUEL,” but escaped custody during a prison break on 26th November 2023 in Feeetown,” the statement read.
His final destination was Doha, Qatar, where he allegedly used the name “Toure Abdoulaye” with a fraudulent Guinean passport.
According to the police, the Qatar authorities arrested him in February 2025, and following a formal extradition request, he was repatriated to Nigeria. His arrest in Doha followed biometric confirmation of his identity.
Background
Nnayereugo had been on the run after allegedly stabbing Onuwabhagbe during an argument at his residence in the Ikota area of Lagos.
Following the incident, he reportedly posted a series of Instagram messages in August 2023, admitting to the crime and expressing remorse.
Nnayereugo confessed via his Instagram account @Killaboigram_ saying that “I got into an argument with my girlfriend @austa xxo which fight I mistakenly stabbed her and ran away out of fear and been suicidal since then (sic).
“I intend to end my life now cause I have lost the one I cherish so much. I want to do the right thing and turn myself in. I will gladly die by paying with my life now,” he wrote on his Insta Stories.”
The police described his posts as an attempt to derail investigations.
THE Presidency has refuted report that Vice President Kashim Shettima was denied access to the Presidential Villa.
In a statement on Saturday, April 18, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (office of the Vice-President), Stanley Nkwocha, described the report as “deliberate and well-planned orchestration of falsehood”.
Nkwocha said the publication was far from the truth. He said only those unfamiliar with Nigeria’s government operations would believe such a ‘false’ information.
He advised the public to ignore the report and urged the media to rely on credible sources.
He alleged that there had been a coordinated effort to spread false information about the Vice President and his office, using various tactics.
”These mischievous and fabricated reports are all in a bid to cause confusion and insinuate total clash in the presidency.
“These reports seek to mislead the public into believing there’s discord at the highest levels of government,” he said.
According to him, the latest report claimed the Vice President was refused entry to the Villa, which he described as a feeble attempt to tarnish Shettima’s image.
He emphasised that nothing as such happened and claimed reports from some blogs about armed military units blocking the Vice President’s access to the Villa were wishful thinking and a sign that the spreaders of such tales had run out of ideas.
He said it was regrettable that people behind such information continued to underestimate the strong bond between the President and Vice President.
.He posited that Shettima remained focused on his duties and on supporting the president to achieve the aspirations of Nigerians.
THE Lagos State Police Command has claimed that it arrested Lagos teenager Alabi Quadri for street fight.
Quadri, who was gifted money by Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, while standing in front of his convoy in Lagos State and was subsequently arrested by the police, charged to court and detained at Kirikirki Correctional Centre, regained his freedom on Thursday, April 17, after public outcry.
In a statement on its X handle signed by the Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Saturday April 19, the police said Quadri was arrested, charged to court and remanded in a correctional facility after the street fight that took place in the Amukoko area of the state.
The command added that the incident occurred on January 22 when a group of youths engaged in a fierce street fight that caused terror in the community.
According to the statement, several people were injuredand public and private property were damaged, stressing that some passersby were also robbed during the alleged chaos.
“On January 22, 2025, to be precise, a serious breach of public peace and extensive damage to public and private properties occurred in Amukoko when groups of youths engaged in violent confrontations that escalated into street fights for all, causing widespread violence, panic, and chaos. During the chaos, several innocent passersby were reported to have been robbed and injured,” Hundeyin posted.
According to the police, officers quickly began to investigate the case.
They added that victims of the robbery also gave statements and identified some of those involved.
The police further explained that the investigation led to the arrest of Quadri and four others, who were subsequently taken to court. The court then ordered their detention pending further legal proceedings.
“Victims of the robbery also came forward to give statements and positively identified the perpetrators. Following a thorough and transparent investigation, Alabi Quadri and four others were arrested and charged to court in connection with the crime.”
The police reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law to ensure justice in all matters and also ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians.
The command urged the public to stay calm and allow peace to reign to ensure justice for all.
The ICIR reported that Quadri regained freedom on Thursday after months in detention.
A Lagos Magistrate Court discharged the teenager following legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), which confirmed there was no evidence to support the armed robbery charge levelled against him.
Quadri was held at the Kirikiri Medium Security Custodial Centre in Lagos over what his lawyer described as a ‘baseless’ armed robbery charge.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who represented the teenager, confirmed the boy’s release in a statement on Thursday.
Effiong said the Lagos State DPP found no evidence to support the charge and recommended his discharge.
He noted that the presiding judge, A. O. Olorunfemi, discharged the teenager.
The ICIR also gathered that Nigerians raised over N3 million within two hours to support Quadri.
The appeal, initiated by human rights lawyer Effiong shortly after his release, sought financial help from Nigerians to urgently relocate Quadri and his family from Amukoko, Lagos, due to persistent threats to their lives.
“We have raised N3 million within two hours of announcing the fundraising for Quadri Alabi.
“We are still far from the target, but the amount raised so far demonstrates that there are good and spirited people in Nigeria,” Effiong wrotein a statement on his social media handle.
Meanwhile, Obi has promised to further support the boy.
He also demanded justice for him.
He stated these when he received the boy in Lagos State on Friday, April 18.
Quadri was led to the former Anambra State governor by his lawyer – Effiong.
THE Nigerian Government has ordered the temporary closure of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu State to allow emergency repairs on a critical section of the runway.
This was announced on Saturday, April 19, by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Obiageli Orah, in a statement.
According to Orah, the decision became necessary following the discovery of a sudden rupture in the asphalt surface of the runway, posing a significant safety concern.
“There is a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway.
“Hence, emergency repairs will be conducted on that portion of the runway from April 22nd to May 6th, 2025,” the statement said.
Orah noted that the closure was in line with civil aviation regulations and part of efforts to ensure passenger safety and upgrade airport infrastructure.
“In compliance with Nigerian civil aviation regulations, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has, therefore, closed the runway during this period.
“As part of FAAN’s commitment to passenger safety and the modernisation of airport facilities, the runway will not be open for landings or takeoffs during the rehabilitation period,” she added.
She further appealed to travellers for their understanding during the period, while confirming that flights would be redirected to nearby airports.
Air Peace suspends operations
The Federal Government’s announcement came hours after Air Peace said it had suspended its operations at the Enugu Airport due to the deteriorating state of the runway.
In its statement on Friday, April 18, the airline expressed frustration over the state of the runway, which it said had increasingly disrupted its operations.
The airline said the runway had posed persistent safety concerns. It called for urgent intervention from the authorities.
“At Air Peace, we prioritise safety first over convenience. We believe that if flights are not operated into this aerodrome for the next few days, it will allow the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria the opportunity to perform the necessary repairs on the runway,” the airline stated.
It further announced the diversion of all Enugu-bound flights to the Asaba Airport in Delta State.
SEVENTEEN people have been confirmed dead in fresh attacks by suspected militias in Gbagir community, Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The latest assault occurred on Thursday on the Sankera axis of the LGA and simultaneously in neighbouring Logo LGA.
According to the Benue State Police Command, suspected militia launched a coordinated attack in Gbagir, killing five people before security operatives engaged them.
The command, in a statement on Friday, April 18, stated that while the operation was ongoing, another group attacked Logo, where 12 more persons were murdered, bringing the death toll to 17.
The command spokesperson, Sewuese Anene, said the Commissioner of Police, Steve H. Yabanet, had deployed tactical teams to the area in response to intelligence on an impending attack.
“Information was received that a large number of suspected militia had invaded the Sankera axis of Benue state with the intention to attack communities around Gbagir, Ukum Local Government Area. Upon receipt of this report, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, CP. Steve H. Yabanet FCID, psc (+) ordered tactical teams to move to the area and join forces with police officers on ground and other security agencies to forestall the attack.
“Following this order, a team of officers moved to the area and engaged them. While the attackers were being repelled in the early hours of today, they shot sporadically at unsuspecting farmers as they came across them. Five (5) persons were recovered at the Gbagir area and taken to the hospital, where they were confirmed dead.
“Unfortunately, an unsuspected simultaneous attack was carried out in Logo, where twelve (12) persons were killed before the arrival of the police, making a total of seventeen persons. However, security agencies within the Sankera axis are still engaging the bandits as they retreat to the forest around the Taraba axis,” the statement read in part.
The police also cautioned against the spread of unverified information on social media, warning it could inflame tensions in the already volatile region.
The renewed attacks in Sankera came barely 48 hours after suspected herders launched brutal attacks on three communities—Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju—in Otukpo LGA, southern Benue.
The onslaught also followed the killing of 11 persons at Otobi community in the same local government area the previous night.
According to Channels Television, the Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attacks, noting that the invaders struck while police officers were still at the palace of the Ochidoma, addressing the previous day’s massacre.
He noted that three residents sustained injuries, while women and children fled their homes out of fear.
