Romantic soldier, corper met three years before NYSC camp – Family - Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

Romantic soldier, corper met three years before NYSC camp – Family

Published

on

The family of a youth corper simply identified as Remi, who proposed to a female soldier, Private Sofiyat Akinlabi, at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Yikpata, Kwara State, has said that the duo started their friendship three years ago in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to the family member, Remi and Akinlabi’s friendship started in Abeokuta over three years ago before the latter joined the military.

The Nigerian Army had detained Akinlabi on December 14, 2021, when viral video clips showed her accepting the marriage proposal of Remi at the camp in Yikpata, Kwara State.

The lovebirds had shared a hug and kiss to the delight of other corpers at the Mammy market.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, told our correspondent that Akinlabi’s action amounted to taking advantage of her trainee, noting that the public would have been outraged and accused the Army of coercion had a male soldier proposed to a female corper during NYSC parade.

He said, “The female soldier in question violated the following rules of the NA: fraternisation while on official duty at the NYSC camp. That is, indulging in an amorous relationship with a trainee. Personnel must have served for three years before he/she can qualify for marriage.”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the nature of the matter, the close family member of the corps member told Saturday PUNCH that they had lost each other’s contact, but was surprisingly brought together by fate at the NYSC camp late November.

He said, “They have known each other before they got to camp. They met in Abeokuta over three years ago before she joined the Army but lost contact some time ago. Meeting at NYSC camp was like a reunion.

READ ALSO:

“They have been friends all along and Remi thought it wise to seize the opportunity of their meeting again to propose to her. He had to walk up to her as a man and not worry about her new status as a soldier because she would eventually get married.

“He got the courage and proposed to her out with a ring which she accepted. The whole thing was totally a surprise to her.

“It happened after the passing out parade on December 14, 2021. She was at the Mammy Market pressing her phone, she was just on her own and she never knew something of such would happen.

“When he walked up to her, she was over joyous and dumbfounded at the same time. She is a lady and her reactions were triggered by emotions. Like men, women are still emotional beings no matter who they are.

“Remi was not holding any phone and did not record the moment. He didn’t post anything on social media and she didn’t also post it on social media. It was the fellow corpers around that did the posting on social media.”

Asked why Remi preferred Akinlabi, who is a soldier, the family source said, “He can’t explain his love for her because they so connected emotionally when they met again and he believes it is true love.”

The NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Shuaibu, had during a briefing in Abuja on December 21, 2021, said though the scheme “encourage(s) them to inter-marry, we have never had a situation where a corps member will go and propose (to a soldier).”

He added that the Army won’t joke with its traditions.

‘Romantic soldier may be sentenced to one-month punishment after trial’

Asked whether the soldier has been released, an impeccable military source, who craved anonymity because he was not allowed to speak on the matter, told Saturday PUNCH that Akinlabi would be tried in line with extant military laws.

The military source said upon trial, Akinlabi might be sentenced to one-month punishment.

READ ALSO:

 He said, “She will go through summary trial because the offence she committed is not a grievous offence that will attract court-martial.

“During her trial, if she is able to prove that she was not the one who did that (posted on social media), they might overlook it but if she had not violated the military laws by fraternising with the corper, that wouldn’t have happened.”

According to the military official, there is a law guiding soldiers and officers when it comes to marriage.

He said, “There is an extant provision in the harmonised terms and conditions of service for soldiers, ratings and airmen. The provision has been there for years. If you are a soldier, whether male or female, you are not allowed to marry in the first three years of your service.

“It is a law and it is not contestable because the first three years of service, you will be engaged as a soldier, you cannot marry. The law is there and all recruits are told at the point of joining the Armed Forces.

“Also, no soldier is allowed to marry before joining the force. Some people conceal their marriage status, but if it is known, they will charge you for perjury.

“Even after three years in service and you want to marry, you must write to your commanding officer, informing him that you want to get married and the commanding officer will make some enquiries. ‘This officer, this soldier, how is his/her way of life? Is he or she ready for marriage? If she/he marries, hope the marriage will not distract him/her from his military works?’

“When the commanding officer is convinced, he will approve it and then the soldier or officer will start his or her process of getting married.

“If an officer wants to get married to a soldier, one of them must leave the service, but an officer can marry an officer and a soldier can marry a soldier; there is no problem in that. Aside from that, an officer or a soldier, whether male or female, can marry any decent civilian.”

Family appeals

Meanwhile, the family source, who said Remi had been very devastated since the arrest of his lover, begged the military to release Akinlabi.

“We appeal to the Nigerian Army to tamper justice with mercy and release her. She is a woman and she has emotions. We don’t want her to be dismissed; we want her to continue her job in the military,” the source said.

In a related development, civil society organisations, including the Women Empowerment & Legal Aid, chaired by Funmi Falana, have called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya, to respect the decision of Akinlabi to accept Remi’s proposal.

She argued that no male soldier had been punished for proposing to a love interest in public as seen on social media.

She, therefore, declared as illegal, the detention of Akinlabi.

Also, two petitions on Change.org platform by activists Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians and Omoyele Sowore of Revolution Now have attracted over 10,000 signatures.

The petitioners shared photos of male soldiers proposing to their love interests in uniform on Facebook and called for the release of Akinlabi.

Punch

Loading

metro

$2.1m Land Suit: Court Orders Wike’s Son to Produce American Passport

Published

on

Wike’s Son Jordan Faces Fresh Court Twist as Judge Orders American Passport Produced

Wike’s Son Jordan Faces Fresh Court Twist as Judge Orders American Passport Produced

A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama has ordered Jordan Ezenwo Nyesom-Wike, son of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, to produce his American passport in court as hearing continued in a $2.1 million Abuja land dispute.

Justice Sylvanus Oriji issued the order on Tuesday following an application by counsel to the claimants, Hamza Dantani, during cross-examination of Jordan in the suit marked CV/008/2026.

The case was filed by Safwan Garba GY and GY Global Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, who allege that Jordan agreed to facilitate the acquisition of 60 hectares of land in Abuja—30 hectares each in Katampe and Guzape.

According to the claimants, they first met Jordan in London and later met him in Abuja, where they allegedly sought his assistance in securing the properties.

They allege that Jordan demanded $2.1 million as a facilitation fee, with $2 million allegedly intended for his father and $100,000 for himself.

The claimants further allege that the money was handed over on September 26, 2025, in the presence of Adamu Sani, Aliyu Sarki and Sai Wani, while Jordan was accompanied by Onor Sandy.

READ ALSO:

They claim that after receiving the money, Jordan failed to facilitate the land acquisition or refund the funds and subsequently became unreachable.

Jordan has denied the allegations.

During cross-examination, Dantani questioned Jordan about his whereabouts on September 26, 2025. Jordan told the court that he was outside Nigeria on that date and had travelled using his American passport.

Dantani then asked the court to compel him to produce the document. Justice Oriji granted the application and ordered Jordan to bring the passport before the court.

The passport is expected to be relevant to the parties’ competing accounts of Jordan’s whereabouts on the date the claimants allege the $2.1 million was paid.

Earlier in the proceedings, the claimants’ counsel also asked Jordan to write his full name and signature five times each on a plain sheet of paper. The application was granted without objection from the defence.

The wider dispute is linked to a joint venture agreement dated October 17, 2025, involving Jordan and two companies, Apostle Associate Limited and Creekstone General Contractor Ltd.

According to the claimants’ statement of claim, the proposed project involved the construction of 24 units of six-bedroom fully detached duplexes on 1.7 hectares of land at Guzape New Extension and 1.5 hectares at Katampe New Extension.

The claimants were allegedly expected to contribute $4.2 million, valued at about ₦6.3 billion, while Jordan was to provide the land.

The defence has disputed the claimants’ account of their dealings with Jordan, including the allegation that he received the $2.1 million.

The court has not determined the merits of the competing allegations, and the proceedings remain ongoing.

Justice Oriji adjourned the case until Wednesday for continuation of the hearing.

Wike’s Son Jordan Faces Fresh Court Twist as Judge Orders American Passport Produced

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

Two Nigerians Jailed 15 Years Over $2.4m US Cyber Fraud

Published

on

Two Nigerians Jailed 15 Years Over $2.4m US Cyber Fraud

Two Nigerians Jailed 15 Years Over $2.4m US Cyber Fraud

Two Nigerians living in the United States, Chijioke Timothy Odimegwu and Harafat Mogaji, have been sentenced to a combined 189 months in federal prison for their roles in a $2.4 million cyber fraud scheme that targeted businesses and diverted legitimate payments.

Odimegwu, 25, was sentenced to 111 months, or nine years and three months, while Mogaji, 26, received 78 months, equivalent to six years and six months.

Both men were United States Air Force members stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware when they participated in the fraud scheme with other conspirators.

The scheme involved phishing, email spamming and the theft of employees’ usernames and passwords. Prosecutors said the stolen credentials were then used to access victims’ email accounts and monitor legitimate business communications.

The conspirators allegedly used spoofed email addresses designed to resemble those of businesses or their legitimate partners to convince victims to redirect payments into bank accounts controlled by the group.

One of the largest incidents involved more than $1.68 million belonging to a victim in Iowa City. The money was diverted to a bank account in Chicago controlled by members of the conspiracy.

READ ALSO:

Another major transaction involved $721,976 paid by the city of Athens, Ohio, in November 2024 for construction of a new fire station. The city believed the payment was being made to its contractor, Pepper Construction, but the fraudsters allegedly intercepted communications and used a fake email address resembling the contractor’s legitimate address to redirect the money.

Authorities were able to freeze part of the Athens payment after the fraud was discovered. The city subsequently recovered $205,000 through mediation and received another $200,000 through an insurance claim, recovering a total of $405,000.

The investigation also uncovered stolen financial information, including bank account details, personal identification numbers and credit and debit card information.

A non-profit organisation in Pella, Iowa, was among the victims whose financial information was compromised. Investigators said the stolen information was used in attempts to carry out unauthorised transactions and purchases.

Authorities said the wider conspiracy involved other participants in the United States and abroad and included several attempts to divert business payments.

Odimegwu was ordered to pay $366,617.59 in restitution, while Mogaji was ordered to pay $995,680.45.

Both defendants were taken into custody after sentencing and will each serve three years of supervised release after completing their prison terms.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The case demonstrates how business email compromise and phishing attacks can be used to manipulate legitimate financial transactions by exploiting trusted digital communications.

The combined sentences amount to more than 15 years in federal prison, while the restitution orders require the two men to repay more than $1.36 million.

Two Nigerians Jailed 15 Years Over $2.4m US Cyber Fraud

Loading

Continue Reading

metro

Osogbo Food Bonanza: Angry Customers Loot Warehouse After Operators Vanish

Published

on

Osogbo Food Bonanza: Angry Customers Loot Warehouse After Operators Vanish

Osogbo Food Bonanza: Angry Customers Loot Warehouse After Operators Vanish

The Osogbo food scheme controversy has taken a dramatic turn, with angry customers and other residents breaking into the warehouse of Global Food Initiative and carting away food items after the operators allegedly disappeared with customers’ advance payments.

Newstrends.ng had earlier reported how customers who paid for discounted food items besieged the company’s Odi-Olowo outlet in Osogbo, Osun State, after the operators failed to open for business or respond to calls.

The situation escalated on Tuesday when more residents returned to the premises, hoping to either collect the food items they had paid for or obtain an explanation from the operators.

According to reports, the crowd remained at the facility for hours before some people eventually forced their way into the warehouse and began removing food items.

The items taken reportedly included bags of rice, noodles, groundnut oil, spaghetti, semovita and other food commodities.

Residents from nearby communities were also said to have joined the rush, with some carrying away 50kg bags of rice, large containers of vegetable oil and other food products.

The looting reportedly continued despite heavy rainfall and the presence of security personnel deployed to maintain order.

Police officers were said to have fired shots into the air in an attempt to disperse the crowd, although the intervention initially failed to stop the looting.

There were also reports that some people who had not invested in the scheme took advantage of the confusion to remove food items from the warehouse.

READ ALSO:

The situation reportedly became more chaotic when some alleged hoodlums threatened customers who had collected food items, with reports that weapons including axes and cutlasses were used to force some people to surrender what they had taken.

The development came barely a day after customers gathered at the same premises following the disappearance of the operators.

Global Food Initiative had attracted residents by offering food commodities at prices substantially below prevailing market rates, with customers required to pay in advance and return later to collect their purchases.

One customer, Mistura, reportedly said she paid ₦300,000 for 11 bags of rice at ₦27,000 per bag, while another customer, Olamide, said she paid ₦1.2 million for food items intended for her stepdaughter’s forthcoming wedding.

Other customers have also alleged that they paid millions of naira into the scheme. However, the various amounts cited by individual customers should not be interpreted as a confirmed total loss, as no official figure for the money collected by the company has been established.

The attraction for many customers was the unusually low prices. The company reportedly offered a 50kg bag of rice for ₦27,000, while a 25-litre container of vegetable oil was reportedly sold for ₦30,000.

The sudden disappearance of the operators triggered panic among customers who had already made payments but had yet to receive their goods.

Some affected customers also alleged that warnings about the scheme had been broadcast on a local radio programme before the operators disappeared.

According to the allegations, the warning prompted some customers to rush to the premises before their scheduled collection dates.

There were also claims that the operators had brought additional food items to the premises but failed to open the outlet because of concerns about their safety.

Those claims have not been independently established, while the operators themselves have not publicly explained what happened to the business, the food stocks or the money reportedly collected from customers.

The controversy has also generated calls for residents to avoid turning the incident into an ethnic dispute, with some affected customers stressing that people from different backgrounds were among those who participated in the scheme.

Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command has yet to announce a confirmed total amount allegedly lost by customers or publicly disclose the whereabouts of the operators.

The warehouse looting has further complicated efforts to establish the actual scale of the alleged losses, identify the rightful owners of the food items removed from the premises and determine what happened to customers’ advance payments.

For the affected customers, the immediate concern remains recovering either the money paid into the food scheme or the food items they purchased, while security authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the operators and the subsequent looting.

As of the latest reports, Global Food Initiative operators remained unreachable, while the full circumstances surrounding the collapse of the Osogbo food scheme remained unclear.

Osogbo Food Bonanza: Angry Customers Loot Warehouse After Operators Vanish

Loading

Continue Reading

Trending