Two million pounds ‘stolen’ by ex-Minister Jeremiah Useni seized in Jersey - Newstrends
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Two million pounds ‘stolen’ by ex-Minister Jeremiah Useni seized in Jersey

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Nigeria’s retired general and politician, Jeremiah Useni

Nigeria’s retired general and politician, Jeremiah Useni, has forfeited 1.9 million British pounds hidden in bank accounts on the Island of Jersey, a court in that country ruled on Thursday, according to a local newspaper.

Bailiwick Express reported that the Royal Court of Jersey seized the funds kept in four accounts at the Standard Chartered Bank over a period of 15 years begining in 1986 when the old soldier first opened an account in the name of “Tim Shani.”

It has since turned out Tim Shani is a fake name the former minister used in concealing his loot.

Mr Useni, 79, was a Lieutenant General in the Nigerian Army and close ally of late kleptocrat Sani Abachaunder whom he served as Minister for the Federal Capital Territory. He later represented Plateau South in the Nigerian Senate between 2015 and 2019.

In 2006, a probe by the Office of the National Security Adviser under President Olusegun Obasanjo indicted Mr Useni. The probe report exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES said Mr Useni acquired real estate, hospitality, petrol service, and farm assets from illicit sources.

Two of the assets identified in the probe report – Tim Tali Motels, Langtang, and Tim Tali Farms, Gwagwalada – have names similar to the fictitious name he used in Jersey.

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In 2001, the Standard Chartered Bank in Jersey wrote Mr Useni – who was then known to the bank as “Tim Shani” – that newly enacted stricter anti-money regulations required him to submit a certifified copy of his passport.

Responding six months later, he continued to present himself falsely as “Mr Shani” and then requested that the funds in his accounts be transferred to a Nigerian bank account. His request was rejected, and in 2003, the matter triggered law enforcement actions, leading to the freezing of the suspicious accounts.

After four years of repeated attempts by Mr Useni’s lawyer to unfreeze the accounts, he finally disclosed his true identity and his ownership of the accounts in 2007.

While making that disclosure, he claimed to have derived his wealth from multiple businesses including transportation, hospitality, petrol stations, property investment, and personal savings. He said he decided to hide his wealth offshore for “security” because of the instability in Nigeria.

The businesses he cited as sources of his wealth were similar to those listed by the Obasanjo era probe as having been illegally acquired in Nigeria.

He was said to have provided no information about his income in the 1980s and 1990s to explain the provenance of his wealth but he said he had used the non existent “Tim Shani” to open the accounts based on advice from his agent to use a “coded password name”

Jersey’s Attorney General concluded that he had done so to hide his connection with the funds and conceal their likely criminal source.

“The Attorney General believes that the Shani accounts were created to hold, hide and conceal bribes or other proceeds of corruption received by Useni during the period he held office,” Bailiwick Express quoted the court as saying before ordering the forfeited funds be transferred to Jersey’s Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.

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“The payments into the Shani accounts were more likely than not for the purposes or on account of exercising political influence over the award of lucrative contracts to foreign and Nigerian companies for the supply of industrial or commercial services in Nigeria.”

Mr Useni’s Jersey lawyer had reportedly tried to explain the source of the funds as cash gifts from friends and well-wishers during festive seasons in accordance with Nigerian culture. In addition, the lawyer claimed there was no Code of Conduct for public officers in Nigeria at the time the purported gifts were received.

The court rejected the explanations as absurd and incredible.

“The affidavits of [Gen Useni] have not satisfied the Court that the property held in the bank accounts is not tainted property and on the application of the Attorney General, we will make a Forfeiture Order in relation to that property,” the court concluded, according to Bailiwick Express.

Between 2003 and 2020, at least $470 million – stolen and laundered through the U.S. by late Mr Abacha and family and associates such as Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu – was repatriated to Nigeria from Jersey.

However, the court did not rule that the 1.9 million pounds recovered from Mr Useni be transferred to Nigeria.

Mr Useni did not answer calls or reply a text message seeking his comment on Friday.

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‘I Went to My Pastor for Deliverance, Ended Up in Bed With Him’ – Lady Recounts Encounter

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‘I Went to My Pastor for Deliverance, Ended Up in Bed With Him’ – Lady Recounts Encounter

 

A Nigerian woman has sparked controversy on social media after recounting an alleged sexual encounter with her former pastor during a deliverance session.

 

The unidentified woman reportedly made the revelation during a video interview shared by social media platform NewsVista, claiming that what began as a visit to seek spiritual intervention eventually ended in a sexual encounter.

 

In the viral clip, the woman expressed confusion over how the incident happened, insisting that she still struggles to understand how a session she had expected to be devoted to prayer and deliverance turned into an intimate encounter.

 

The interview has since attracted attention online, with the allegation raising concerns about the relationship between religious leaders and members who approach them for spiritual guidance and counselling.

 

Although details surrounding the alleged incident remain unclear, the woman’s account has triggered discussions about the responsibility of religious leaders to maintain professional and ethical boundaries while attending to vulnerable members of their congregations.

 

Some social media users have criticised the alleged conduct, arguing that pastors and other religious leaders occupy positions of trust and should not exploit their spiritual authority or the vulnerability of people seeking assistance.

 

Others have called for religious organisations to strengthen accountability measures and introduce safeguards for private counselling and deliverance sessions.

 

However, the identity of the pastor, the church involved and the location where the alleged incident occurred have not been disclosed.

 

It is also unclear when the alleged encounter took place or whether the woman has made any formal complaint to the relevant authorities.

 

NewsTrends.ng cannot independently verify the circumstances surrounding the woman’s account. The allegation should therefore be treated as unverified pending further details or an official response from the person concerned.

 

The development has once again drawn attention to the need for accountability, transparency and appropriate boundaries in religious counselling, particularly where individuals place their trust in spiritual leaders for help with personal challenges.

 

‘I Went to My Pastor for Deliverance, Ended Up in Bed With Him’ – Lady Recounts Encounter

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Port Harcourt Married Women Use Husbands’ Cars To Visit Lovers, Lady Alleges

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Port Harcourt Married Women Use Husbands’ Cars To Visit Lovers, Lady Alleges

 

A Nigerian lady has stirred controversy on social media after making a sweeping allegation about the alleged infidelity of some married women in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

 

The unidentified woman reportedly made the controversial claim in a viral video, alleging that some married women in the oil-rich city use vehicles provided by their husbands to visit their secret lovers.

 

According to a report by Gistlover dated November 3, 2026, the lady claimed that the alleged practice was particularly common in Port Harcourt, a remark that has since triggered widespread reactions across social media platforms.

 

In the video, she reportedly expressed surprise at what she portrayed as a disturbing pattern of marital betrayal, suggesting that some women allegedly use the comfort and resources provided by their husbands to maintain extramarital relationships.

 

Her remarks have generated mixed reactions among social media users, with some finding the allegation amusing, while others criticised the generalisation, arguing that infidelity is not peculiar to any city or gender.

 

Others questioned the basis of her claim, insisting that allegations involving marital relationships should not be used to stereotype women or residents of an entire city.

 

The controversy has once again sparked conversations about marital trust, fidelity, loyalty and the growing debate surrounding infidelity in modern relationships.

 

However, the woman’s allegation has not been independently verified, and there is no evidence establishing that the alleged conduct is widespread among married women in Port Harcourt.

 

 

Port Harcourt Married Women Use Husbands’ Cars To Visit Lovers, Lady Alleges

 

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Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash

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Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash

A wedding celebration has turned into a devastating tragedy after a newly married couple, the groom’s mother and seven other people reportedly lost their lives in a fatal road accident while returning from a marriage ceremony in Ebonyi State.

The accident, which reportedly occurred around 9pm last Friday, claimed nine lives, leaving two families and their communities in deep mourning.

The victims included the bride and groom, the groom’s mother, Augustina Okabekwa, as well as other relatives and friends who had reportedly accompanied the family to the marriage ceremony.

According to a report by The Eagle, the victims were returning from Abakaliki, where the marriage ceremony had taken place, when the tragic incident occurred.

A family member of the groom, identified as Nwada Ijeoma, recounted the devastating incident during a visit to the Okabekwa family compound in Amudo Umueze, Iseke, the groom’s hometown.

Ijeoma, who is married and resides in Nnewi, Anambra State, said she rushed to the family compound after receiving news of the tragedy to ascertain what had happened.

Speaking in Igbo, she expressed shock and grief over the incident, describing it as a devastating blow to the family.

She explained that she was initially unaware that members of her family had travelled to Abakaliki on Friday for the marriage ceremony of one of their sons.

According to her, the ceremony reportedly ended late, forcing the wedding party to begin their return journey at night because of the distance involved.

She said information available to the family suggested that the vehicle conveying the victims was involved in a collision with a trailer.

However, she stressed that the exact circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear, including whether the vehicle rammed into the trailer or the trailer collided with the victims’ vehicle.

Among those reportedly killed was the groom’s mother, Augustina Okabekwa, popularly known as Okwuruoka, who was said to be the president of the Christian Women Organisation (CWO).

Others identified by the family member included Jude Okabekwa, the groom’s brother-in-law, and Okaka, the groom’s younger brother.

She also disclosed that the tragedy wiped out several members of the extended family, including their only son from another household.

According to her account, three of the deceased were from Onitsha, Anambra State, while five others were from the groom’s family compound.

The report, however, did not provide the identities of all the victims or clarify the circumstances surrounding the remaining casualty.

The tragedy has reportedly plunged the Okabekwa family and the wider Iseke community into mourning, with the family struggling to come to terms with the devastating loss.

What was expected to be a joyful occasion marking the beginning of a new chapter for the newly married couple has instead ended in an unimaginable tragedy.

As of the time of the report, further details about the accident, including the identities of all the victims and the official circumstances surrounding the crash, had yet to emerge.

 

Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash

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