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.

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.

Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a Quranic recitation and citation contest following the President’s recent spiritual visit to Saudi Arabia, where he performed the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah.

Melaye issued the challenge on Monday, November 2, 2026, in a post on his X account, saying he was prepared to compete with Tinubu in citing passages from the Holy Quran immediately after the President’s return from Saudi Arabia.

“Now that Alhaji Bola Tinubu is in Umrah. Immediately he comes back, I challenge him to a Quranic citation competition with me. No one can mock God. SDM,” the former senator wrote.

The challenge has revived an earlier controversy between the two politicians over Tinubu’s knowledge of Islamic religious recitations during the 2023 presidential election campaign.

Melaye’s latest comments followed public attention surrounding Tinubu’s activities in Makkah, where the President performed Umrah and was granted permission to enter the Holy Ka’abah to offer prayers.

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The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had shared details of the visit, including Tinubu’s prayers for Nigeria and his appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s leadership for the privilege of entering the sacred structure.

Speaking about the spiritual experience, Tinubu said he had prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.

He also prayed for national unity, peace and prosperity, stressing the need for Nigerians of different religious backgrounds to coexist peacefully.

Tinubu further referred to Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Quran, which speaks about Allah’s ultimate authority over power and sovereignty.

The President said political authority was a privilege granted by Almighty Allah and should be exercised responsibly in accordance with divine guidance and the interests of the people.

The renewed exchange recalls the controversy in January 2023, when Melaye publicly questioned Tinubu’s ability to recite passages from the Quran and circulated videos of what he described as a recitation challenge.

At the time, the disagreement attracted reactions from religious groups and political commentators, with some criticising the use of religious knowledge as a basis for questioning another person’s faith.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), led by Professor Ishaq Akintola, also criticised Melaye’s earlier comments, arguing that a person’s religious identity should not be judged solely by their proficiency in Quranic recitation.

Melaye’s latest challenge has again brought the relationship between religion and political discourse into public discussion.

However, there has been no confirmed response from Tinubu accepting the proposed contest, while details of any formal competition, including its date, venue and judging arrangements, remain unknown.