Musician, Terry Apala, remanded for naira abuse in Lagos

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, April 25, 2025, remanded a musician, Terry Alexander Ejeh, otherwise known as Terry Apala, in a Correctional Centre for alleged mutilation of the naira notes.

Terry Apala was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, April 25, 2025, on a one-count charge of mutilating the naira notes.

The charge reads: “That you, TERRY ALEXANDER EJEH, on the 5th day of January, 2025, at La Madison Place, Oniru, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by marching on the same and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

Terry Apala pleaded not guilty to the offence when it was read to him.

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In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, prayed for a trial date and also urged the court to remand him in a Correctional Centre.

The defence counsel, Felix Nwabuda, informed the court of a bail application dated April 23, 2025 and prayed the court for a short date for the hearing of the application.

“Whilst praying the court for a short date for the hearing of the bail application, I will be craving the indulgence of the court to release the defendant to the defence.

“We undertake to produce him in court. He will not evade hearing. He came in from the United Kingdom on April 23, 2025; and on the invitation of the EFCC, he came on his own.”

The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the application, saying, “the application is alien and unheard of.”

“I urge the court to afford us the opportunity to look at the application and respond properly so that the court can make a well -informed ruling,” he said.

In a short ruling, Justice Aluko refused the application of Terry Apala.

Justice Aluko adjourned till May 5, 2025 and ordered the remand of the defendant in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the determination of the bail application.

Musician, Terry Apala, remanded for naira abuse in Lagos

P-Square: Jude Okoye freed after two months detention

Jude Okoye, elder brother and former manager of the iconic P-Square duo, has been released after two months’ detention for an alleged N1.38bn fraud.

Jude, also known as Jude Engees, was granted bail earlier but faced delays in perfecting his bail.

On Wednesday, his younger brother, Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rudeboy, announced his release via an Instagram post and shared a video of Jude’s reunion with his family.

“Jude is finally out after two months + …all their efforts to frustrate his bail have finally collapsed. Welcome home, brother @judeengees. And happy birthday,” Paul wrote.

The announcement comes amid a feud within the Okoye family.

Jude, who once managed the internationally celebrated music duo, is embroiled in dual criminal trials.

The cases stem from allegations of financial impropriety levelled by his younger brother Peter Okoye (Mr P), who testified against him on April 14 in a Federal High Court in Lagos.

According to the prosecution, Jude used a company he allegedly incorporated without his brothers’ knowledge, ‘Northside Music Limited’, to siphon off royalties and control the group’s revenues.

Testifying before Justice Alexander Owoeye, Peter revealed that between 2017 and 2021, a period when the group was disbanded, he had no access to the band’s multiple bank accounts, which were controlled solely by Jude.

He further alleged that Jude and his wife diverted music royalties and withheld key financial records.

The singer said a particularly hurtful moment came when he was denied access to group funds during a house project in Ikoyi.

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“When I asked why financing had stopped, I was told, ‘As you leave P-Square, you leave the money,’” Peter recalled.

However, the EFCC brought a seven-count charge against Jude and Northside Music Limited. This includes laundering a total of N1.38bn, over $1m, and £34,537.59.

The commission alleged that the funds were used to purchase a property worth N850m at Parkview Estate in Ikoyi and were funnelled through a Bureau De Change.

Jude pleaded not guilty and was initially remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

He was granted bail on March 6, set at N50m with two sureties, and was instructed to surrender both his Nigerian and St. Kitts & Nevis passports.

Also, in a second concurrent case at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, he was accused of converting over $1m and £34,537.59 in digital royalties for personal use between 2016 and 2023.

The case, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, is scheduled to continue on May 16 and 23.

The fallout from the P-Square disbandment in 2017 has long been a source of speculation until August 2024, when Peter formalised his grievances.

Despite a musical reunion in 2021, the reconciliation collapsed shortly after.

Jude’s defence team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Clement Onwuenwunor, downplayed the EFCC case as a family dispute exaggerated into criminal litigation.

“This is more of a misunderstanding between directors than a criminal case,” Onwuenwunor stated in court, and stressed Jude’s full cooperation with investigators.

Meanwhile, Mr P will be cross-examined when the case resumes on June 4.

P-Square: Jude Okoye freed after two months detention

Tuface named technical adviser to Benue governor

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has appointed music legend Innocent Idibia, better known as Tuface, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.

In a viral video on Wednesday, the governor appreciated TuFace for all the support towards his administration, adding that the singer has the capacity to do more.
Governor Alia said: “On behalf of the Benue State government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advise as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a technical adviser to the Governor on entertainment and community outreach.”

Tuface is regarded as one of the “most influential” and greatest Afrobeats artists of all time following his contributions to Nigerian pop music in the 2000s.