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EFCC Pushes for Sule Lamido Retrial Before Former Judge

Published

7 months ago

April 1, 2026

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido

EFCC Pushes for Sule Lamido Retrial Before Former Judge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reiterated its demand for the retrial of former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, insisting that the case be concluded by the original trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.

At the resumed proceedings before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, EFCC counsel, Chile Okoroma (SAN), informed the court that the commission had formally written to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, seeking a fiat to enable Justice Ojukwu—now serving in the Calabar division—to return and conclude the long-running trial.

Okoroma explained that the request was in compliance with the directive of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which had earlier ordered a retrial of the defendants. He emphasised that the prosecution had already made substantial progress in the case, having called at least 17 witnesses, and argued that justice would be best served if the same judge continues the matter.

According to him, the EFCC is currently awaiting an official response from the Chief Judge regarding the request.

Counsel to the defendants, Joe Agi (SAN), did not oppose the application for adjournment, paving the way for the court to defer proceedings.

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Justice Lifu subsequently adjourned the case to April 30, 2026, for re-arraignment or further proceedings, stating that the decision was made in the interest of justice.

The planned re-arraignment had earlier been stalled on March 13 due to the absence of Lamido and his co-defendants in court.

The development follows a major ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on January 16, 2026, which ordered a fresh trial after overturning earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal.

A five-member panel of the apex court, in unanimous judgments, set aside the July 25, 2023 rulings of the appellate court, which had upheld a no-case submission by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on jurisdictional grounds.

In its lead judgment delivered by Justice Abubakar Umar, the Supreme Court reinstated the earlier decision of Justice Ojukwu, which dismissed the defendants’ no-case submission and directed them to enter their defence.

The EFCC’s case centres on allegations that Lamido, during his tenure as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015, abused his office and laundered funds obtained as kickbacks from contractors awarded state projects.

Other defendants in the case include his sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, as well as Aminu Wada Abubakar and two companies—Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.

Legal analysts note that the EFCC’s push for the original trial judge to continue the case is aimed at avoiding a fresh start (trial de novo), which could prolong the already protracted proceedings and require recalling witnesses.

The outcome of the Chief Judge’s decision on granting the fiat will determine whether the case proceeds seamlessly or restarts entirely before a new judge.

EFCC Pushes for Sule Lamido Retrial Before Former Judge

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

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

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

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

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

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2026

Trends Admin

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.