Breaking: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes at plenary session - Newstrends
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Breaking: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes at plenary session

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1 year ago

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Lawmaker Representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Breaking: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes at plenary session

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP), representing Kogi Central, resumed plenary at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Natasha, who rounded off her six-month suspension, officially resumed her seat in the senate on Tuesday at exactly 11:42 am.

She walked into the Senate chambers, made her way to her seat, and after taking it, exchanged pleasantries with a few senators.

She was accompanied by several activists to the Senate, including Bring Back Our Girls campaigner Aisha Yesufu, who was spotted in the Senate gallery.

Several of the lawmakers’ supporters, however, were not allowed into the Senate gallery.

Recall that on September 23, barely a few hours after her 2.05, the Senate Wing office was unsealed by the Sergeant at Arms of the National Assembly, along with combined personnel of security organisations. Yesterday, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stormed the National Assembly and resumed duties.

Upon her resumption in September, Senator Natasha, who had been on suspension, remained resolute, insisting that she had no apology to tender.

Deputy Director of the Chamber’s Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, flanked by security personnel, formally reopened Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing—Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office.

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The move came after her six-month suspension formally lapsed earlier this month.

Recall that the embattled then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs,  Akpoti-Uduaghan, was in  March slammed with a six-month suspension by the Senate, which also barred her from participating in all activities of the 10th Senate over her alleged misconduct when she protested against the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio on February 20, 2025.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension ended in September 2025, but she has been unable to resume her duties due to ongoing legal issues and continued opposition from the Senate leadership. Perhaps because of the extended recess, we will see how it plays out as the Senate resumes plenary sessions.

Following her suspension, she took  her case to the courts  to vacate the suspension, as she was not successful, and the Senate, on its part, spoke through its relevant officers, insisting that the matter has nothing to do with sexual allegations,  but everything to do with Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s contravention of the Senate Standing Orders as amended.

Binta Nyako, Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in July, described the six-month suspension as excessive and unconstitutional, and thereafter ordered the Senate to recall the embattled Senator, citing that suspending a Senator for such a long period would expose constituents to non-representation during that time.

Thereafter, she made an attempt to return to the Senate, but was denied access, and the Senate stood its ground that she must serve her full term.

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Also recall that the Clerk to the National Assembly,  CNA, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, wrote her  through the Acting Clerk to NASS, Yahaya Danzaria, who notified her that  her six-month suspension subsists until the Court of Appeal delivers judgment in the suit she instituted against the Senate.

On September 11, Counsel to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly, CNA Kamorudeen Ogunlana, to recall the Senator so that she could resume her legislative duties.

According to Numa in the letter, the CNA should note that failure to comply by Monday, 15th September 2025, will leave them  with no alternative but to initiate proceedings against you personally and in your official capacity. Such proceedings will include, but are not limited to: Committal for contempt; Disciplinary action for breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers; Liability for instigating breach of the peace with potential implications for national security; and any other remedies available to our client under the law.

Responding to the letter by her lawyer, the CNA,  Ogunlana, urged the public to remain patient and allow the appropriate institutions – including the Senate and the courts – to discharge their constitutional responsibilities in respect of the resumption of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

According to him, he does not possess the authority to review, reverse or interpret Senate decisions against the backdrop that his office serves strictly as an administrative arm, providing support to the Senate in accordance with their resolutions, Standing Orders and the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

In a statement signed  by the Director, Information for the Clerk to the National Assembly, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, he said that Ogunlana is therefore not in a position to facilitate her resumption at this time, just as he noted that It must be emphasized that the determination of whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan can resume her legislative duties as of right without any further or fresh resolution of the Senate following the expiration of her six months suspension lies solely with the Senate and not with the office of the CNA.

Breaking: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes at plenary session

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Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

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November 2, 2026

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Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam
Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted an 18-year-old man, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, for money laundering after he admitted obtaining $800 from a United States citizen through a fake $250 million lottery scheme.

Justice Dipeolu convicted Olamilekan on October 30, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court imposed a fine of ₦200,000 and ordered him to pay an additional ₦1 million to the Federal Government, bringing his total financial obligation to ₦1.2 million. He is to remain in a correctional centre pending payment of the fine and the ordered amount.

The judge also directed the forfeiture of two mobile phones recovered in connection with the offence: an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71.

According to the EFCC, Olamilekan defrauded an American citizen, identified as Gary Brewer, through the Zangi messaging application, where he allegedly impersonated a woman named Julie Leach.

Investigators said the 18-year-old told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed money to activate the winnings before he could collect the supposed prize.

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The fabricated lottery story reportedly persuaded the American to send gift cards worth $800 through the messaging platform.

The EFCC said Olamilekan admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds into naira and transferring the money into his grandmother’s OPay account. He also admitted benefiting from the $800 obtained through the transaction.

The commission said the defendant operated several social media and messaging accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage, which investigators linked to his fraudulent activities.

The charge against him accused him of indirectly disguising the origin of $800 in gift cards, which represented proceeds of unlawful activity. The offence was brought under Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Following his guilty plea, an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, presented the facts of the case before the court. Justice Dipeolu subsequently found him guilty and convicted him.

Olamilekan was among 21 suspected internet fraudsters arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26, 2026.

The arrest was carried out by operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, four days before his conviction.

The EFCC disclosed the conviction in a statement issued on Monday through its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, as part of its ongoing efforts to prosecute financial and cyber-related crimes.

Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam

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Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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November 2, 2026

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Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

A footballer has died in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State after a trailer allegedly rammed into the car conveying him and other members of his football academy.

The accident occurred on Monday, November 2, 2026, around the Magboro axis of the expressway in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The crash reportedly involved a Mercedes-Benz C300 and a commercial bus, with officials of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and police officers confirming that one person died at the scene.

According to an eyewitness, the footballer and other members of his football academy were travelling in two vehicles to participate in a football match when the incident occurred.

The witness said a trailer suddenly crossed from the opposite side of the road and rammed into the Mercedes-Benz, forcing the car into a commercial bus.

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The collision reportedly killed the footballer inside the Mercedes-Benz, while other occupants of the vehicles survived.

“We were going for a match. We just saw a trailer cross from the other side and hit this Benz, then it hit the bus. Only one person died in the car while the rest of us survived. Everyone in the bus is fine, too. The trailer driver fled with his vehicle afterwards,” the eyewitness said.

The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further alleged that the trailer driver fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the collision.

The Mercedes-Benz, which had registration number SMK-878KX, was badly damaged in the accident, while efforts were reportedly made to evacuate its wreckage from the expressway.

The identity of the deceased footballer had not been established as of the time of reporting.

The circumstances surrounding the crash, including the alleged escape of the trailer driver, were expected to be investigated by the relevant authorities.

The incident adds to concerns over road safety on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major route connecting Lagos and several communities in the South-West and other parts of the country.

 

Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja

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November 2, 2026

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Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja
FCT Police Command Spokesperson, CSP Adeh Josephine

Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja

Gunmen have abducted a woman, identified as Mrs Attah Arome, and her two children after intercepting the family’s vehicle in the Kagini area of Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The attackers reportedly released her husband, Attah Arome, but took his wife and the two children to an undisclosed location, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of residents in the outskirts of the nation’s capital.

The incident occurred at about 11pm on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as the family was returning from an outing.

According to a report by The Whistler published on Monday, November 2, the gunmen double-crossed the family’s vehicle around Kagini, forcing it to stop before taking the woman and her children away.

A source close to the family confirmed the incident, disclosing that the abductors had contacted relatives and demanded ransom for the victims’ release.

The source, however, declined to disclose the amount demanded by the kidnappers.

“Yes, it’s true. The gunmen double-crossed their car around the Kagini area of Bwari. They released the husband and went away with the wife and two children. They have contacted the family and demanded ransom,” the source said.

The circumstances surrounding the decision to release the husband while abducting the other three family members were not immediately clear.

It was also unclear whether the abductors had given the family a deadline to meet their ransom demand or issued any threats over possible consequences of non-payment.

Efforts by The Whistler to contact the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, CSP Josephine Adeh, for comments were unsuccessful. The police had yet to issue an official statement confirming the abduction as of the time of the report.

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The latest incident comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping in Bwari Area Council, where several communities have experienced attacks by armed groups.

In March 2026, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported a series of abductions in communities around Byazhin and Peze in Bwari. Residents described repeated attacks on homes and farm settlements, with families reportedly receiving ransom demands.

In another report published in March, Premium Times disclosed that troops of the Nigerian Army’s 7 Guards Battalion, working with police officers and local vigilantes, rescued 19 kidnapped persons during a search-and-rescue operation around Gidan Dogo in Bwari Area Council.

The rescued victims included a retired military officer, children and farm workers who had been abducted in separate attacks.

The recurring incidents have prompted residents to call for stronger security deployments, improved surveillance and a permanent security presence in vulnerable communities.

For the Arome family, however, the immediate concern remains the safe return of the abducted woman and her two children.

Relatives are reportedly facing the difficult task of negotiating with the kidnappers while seeking the intervention of security agencies to secure the victims’ release.

Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja

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