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Money laundering: Ex power minister, Mamman faints in court

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Saleh Mamman, Former Minister of Power

Money laundering: Ex power minister, Mamman faints in court

Saleh Mamman, a former minister of power, on Thursday collapsed during his arraignment before the federal high court in Abuja.

Mamman is standing trial for a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503

The charge is brought against him by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Before proceedings, Femi Ate, Mamman’s counsel, told James Omotosho, the judge, that his client had fainted due to ill health.

When he regained consciousness, the ex-minister joined the hearing when it resumed, he walked into the courtroom and stepped into the dock with his clothes slightly drenched.

The judge then asked Mamman why he was sweating or whether it was raining.

The ex-minister said water had been poured on him.

Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, the EFCC counsel, had told the court that there was a development outside the courtroom.

Olumide-Fusika said he had discussed Mamman’s sickness with Ate outside the courtroom.

“I was informed of an incident outside. I will want my learned senior advocate to tell the honourable court himself,” Olumide-Fusika said.

Responding, Ate said “upon being brought into the premises of the court, Mamman collapsed and had to be resuscitated and treated by the medical personnel of the federal high court”.

He said his client was served with the charge after he was resuscitated.

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“He was served this morning,” he added.

Ate said he had appealed to Olumide-Fusika that the case be adjourned to Monday on account of his client’s ill health.

However, the judge declined, saying the backlog in the court dockets will make short adjournment impossible, adding that the arraignment could only be fixed for September ending.

Ate then withdrew the oral application for an adjournment.

‘I TOOK DRUGS WITHOUT EATING’

Olumide-Fusika said he had filed an amended charge in the morning following a mistake in the name of the defendant, and prayed that a fresh charge be read to Mamman so he could take his plea.

Omotosho however demurred.

The judge then asked Mamman if he was fit enough to take his plea today. The defendant responded in the affirmative.

The former minister told the court that he collapsed outside the courtroom because he had taken medicines on an empty stomach.

He said while he was outside the courtroom waiting to be called, his blood pressure dropped.

Mamman said he was fit to continue with the arraignment.

“It can happen to any one,” the judge said.

The ex-minister told the court that he called the attention of his lawyer to “the error” made by the EFCC in the charge served on him.

“I was complaining about the name, that it was not my own,” he said.

Omotosho then stepped down the arraignment until 1pm today.

Mamman was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 and was sacked in September 2021.

In May 2023, the former minister was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N22 billion fraud.

The anti-graft agency alleges that Mamman conspired with officials at the power ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” the sum of N33.8 billion, which was meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.

Money laundering: Ex power minister, Mamman faints in court

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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.

The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.

Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.

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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.

To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.

The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.

 

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.

VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.

The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.

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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.

Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.

Alleged missing N180 million: It?s a prank. VeryDarkMan is renovating a school in Jos - Singer Dammy Krane says

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

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Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.

Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.

He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”

Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.

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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.

Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.

“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.

The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.

Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

(PUNCH)

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