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Abducted 75 Zamfara students regain freedom
Seventy-five students of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, abducted on September 1, 2021 have regained their freedom.
The PUNCH reports the Nigerian Television Authority as breaking the news via its verified Facebook page midnight.
Zamfara State Police spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, had said in a statement that a large group of attackers stormed the Government Day Secondary School in the remote village of Kaya that Wednesday morning, seizing the pupils. He had given the number of seized children as 73.
“The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large numbers of armed bandits,” he had stated.
Shehu said that the police rescue team was working with the military to secure the release of the pupils.
The bandits later returned five of the pupils within 24 hours.
A former councilor of Kaya ward, Yahaya Kaya, said that his niece was among those released by the bandits; adding that the five freed pupils had been returned to their hometown of Kaya.
It is not yet clear if any ransom was paid before the pupils were released.
Following the abduction, the Zamfara State Government had ordered the immediate closure of boarding facilities in 30 schools.
In reaction to the abduction, UNICEF, on September 3, said it was horrified by yet another attack on an educational institution in Nigeria.
The UN agency, in a Press release distributed by the APO Group, stated, “Of the abducted students, 23 students escaped and returned home – two of them with bullet wounds. The abducted students are aged between 14 and 19.”
“We strongly condemn this attack, which has happened just a few days after kidnapped students of a school in Niger State, north-central Nigeria, were freed,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “We call on the authorities to take expedited action to rescue these students and reunite them with their families.”
“We reiterate that attacks on schools and abduction of learners are a gross violation of children’s rights, and a horrific experience for children to go through – one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and overall well-being,” said Peter Hawkins.
“Schools must be safe; no child should experience any harm because they went to school, and no parent should come to grief for sending their children to learn,” said Hawkins.
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EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of Former Acting AGF’s Assets to FG
EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of Former Acting AGF’s Assets to FG
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of multibillion-naira assets, bank funds, luxury property and stock investments belonging to former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Nnabuoku, to the Federal Government after his conviction for money laundering.
Justice James Omotosho delivered the ruling on Wednesday while granting an application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which sought the confiscation of properties and investments identified as proceeds of unlawful activities.
The judge held that forfeiture naturally follows conviction in financial crime cases, especially where the assets were acquired with proceeds traced to illegal activities.
According to Justice Omotosho, allowing the convict to retain the assets after conviction would amount to permitting him to continue benefiting from crime.
“The convict here will not be allowed to enjoy those properties which are being sought to be forfeited. He has been convicted and those properties have been established to emanate from proceeds of illegal activities,” the judge ruled.
The court dismissed objections raised by counsel to the former acting AGF, who argued that the forfeiture proceedings should not continue because an appeal had already been filed against the conviction.
Justice Omotosho, however, clarified that the filing of a notice of appeal does not stop the court from making forfeiture orders, describing confiscation of criminal proceeds as part of the sentencing process.
“Forfeiture in this instance is seen as part of the judgment. In fact, it is similar to the sentencing handed down by the court,” he stated.
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The court subsequently ordered the confiscation and permanent forfeiture of all assets listed in the EFCC application filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024.
Among the assets forfeited are millions of naira found in multiple bank accounts allegedly linked to companies associated with Nnabuoku.
The funds include ₦12.5 million in Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited’s Zenith Bank account, ₦4.1 million in Turge Global Investment Limited’s account, ₦682,904 in Laptev Bridge Limited’s account and ₦51.2 million in Arafura Transnational Afro Limited’s account.
The court also approved the forfeiture of ₦220 million previously refunded by Nnabuoku into an EFCC recovery account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Also forfeited is a five-bedroom standalone duplex located at No. 20 City Gate Estate, Kukwaba, Abuja, valued at ₦64 million, alongside an additional ₦3 million paid as infrastructural development levy.
According to the EFCC, the house keys were voluntarily handed over by the convict as part of restitution during investigations.
In addition to the cash and property forfeiture, the court also ordered the seizure of Nnabuoku’s extensive stock investments across several major Nigerian companies.
The forfeited shares include 10 million units in Access Holdings Plc, 7.5 million shares in First HoldCo Plc, 4.5 million shares in Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc and over 10 million shares in United Bank for Africa Plc.
Other investments affected by the court order include shares in Zenith Bank Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc and several other firms.
According to the EFCC, the total market value of the forfeited investments stood at approximately ₦1.94 billion as of March 29, 2026.
The forfeiture order comes weeks after Justice Omotosho convicted Nnabuoku on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering involving about ₦868 million.
The former acting Accountant-General was sentenced to a cumulative 72-year prison term without an option of fine after the court found him guilty on all counts. However, the sentences are to run concurrently, meaning he is expected to serve eight years imprisonment.
The EFCC had accused the former government official of diverting public funds while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Investigators alleged that the diverted funds were laundered through proxy companies, investments and other financial channels before being traced by the anti-graft agency.
Nnabuoku briefly served as acting Accountant-General of the Federation in 2022 following the suspension of former AGF Ahmed Idris over separate corruption allegations before he was later removed from office.
The latest ruling is being regarded as one of the most significant recent asset recovery cases involving a former senior public finance official in Nigeria.
EFCC Secures Final Forfeiture of Former Acting AGF’s Assets to FG
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EFCC Arrests Energy Commission DG Over Alleged N500bn Money Laundering Probe
EFCC Arrests Energy Commission DG Over Alleged N500bn Money Laundering Probe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, over an alleged N500 billion money laundering investigation.
Abdullahi was reportedly taken into custody in Abuja on Wednesday and is currently being detained by the anti-graft agency as investigations continue.
According to reports by TheCable, the EFCC is probing alleged financial transactions linked to the massive fraud case, although details of the allegations have not yet been officially disclosed by the commission.
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President Bola Tinubu appointed Abdullahi as the third Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria on October 24, 2023.
Prior to his appointment, he served as Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
Abdullahi is a chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
The EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the arrest as of the time of filing this report.
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“I Had a Chef in Prison” — Blord Reveals Experience at Kuje Facility
“I Had a Chef in Prison” — Blord Reveals Experience at Kuje Facility
Nigerian cryptocurrency entrepreneur and social media personality, Linus Williams, has sparked fresh public debate after revealing details of his time inside the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, describing the facility as relatively comfortable and structured, with what he called “VIP sections” for high-profile inmates.
Blord made the comments during a recent online interview where he discussed his detention experience and reacted to comparisons involving controversial activist Martins Vincent Otse.
Blord claimed that Kuje Correctional Centre has designated VIP sections reserved for influential or high-profile inmates, insisting that conditions in those areas differ from standard cells. According to him, the facility is more organised than commonly assumed, and certain inmates benefit from improved arrangements depending on their status.
He further compared the environment to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, saying parts of the facility felt structured and manageable. He maintained that his placement in what he described as a VIP section shaped his overall experience of detention.
Blord also described his time in custody as unexpectedly comfortable, stating that he had access to basic conveniences and regular meals. He went further to claim that he even had access to personal services, which made his stay feel more relaxed than punitive.
He added that inmates inside the facility engaged in recreational activities such as football and organised games, noting that he interacted freely with other detainees during his stay.
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The businessman suggested that treatment in correctional centres may vary depending on the influence or profile of inmates, drawing comparisons with VeryDarkMan, though he did not provide specific details about the activist’s own detention experience.
The comments have reignited debate over alleged inequality within Nigeria’s correctional system, particularly claims of VIP treatment in Nigerian prisons and whether influential detainees receive preferential conditions compared to ordinary inmates.
The Kuje Correctional Centre, operated by the Nigerian Correctional Service, remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent detention facilities, housing a mix of politicians, fraud suspects, and other high-profile inmates.
The facility gained global attention in 2022 after armed attackers stormed the prison and freed several inmates, raising concerns about security and operational integrity within Nigeria’s correctional system.
Since that incident, authorities have repeatedly stated that security measures have been strengthened across federal correctional facilities.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian Correctional Service nor VeryDarkMan had issued any official response to Blord’s remarks.
“I Had a Chef in Prison” — Blord Reveals Experience at Kuje Facility
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