Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 22nd February, 2025.
An Osun State High Court, sitting in Ilesa, has ordered the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) to conduct the state’s local government election slated for Saturday, February 22nd.
Naija News reports that Justice A. A. Aderibigbe, who gave the ruling on Friday, also declared the positions of chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors in the state’s 30 local governments vacant.
The Court gave the ruling in favour of the claimant, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Defendants in the case include the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission and its chairman, Hashim Akintunde Abioye.
The court further mandated security agencies to provide security before, during and after the election on Saturday.
The son of the late MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola, Abdulmumuni Abiola, has stated that he was always aware that his father won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
He said this while reacting to former Military President of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida, who recently expressed regret over his decision to annul Abiola’s victory.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise News on Friday, Abiola stated that the former military leader’s remorse for the annulment validates the long-held truth about the election.
He also disclosed that his father and mother lost their lives while dealing with the aftereffects of the annulled election
He said, “In the revelations that we heard from the late head of state yesterday, there were two parts for me. The first part was the acknowledgement that Abiola, my father, had won the 1993 elections. That, for me, I already knew that. And it was, for me, even from the young age of eight when the elections were held, I knew my father had won the elections even before they were announced.
“I think the second part was more important for me, the acknowledgement that he felt remorse for the actions that he had taken at the time and also his expression that if he had the opportunity to do it again, he would have taken a different path. I think it’s important that we understand that we’re human and it’s in humans to error and what we need to do is to acknowledge when we make those mistakes and seek forgiveness. So, for me, I think that was more important to me, the fact that he expressed that remorse towards the decision that he had made.”
Former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), has stated that his predecessor, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, along with his deputy, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, distanced themselves from the mainstream of the Armed Forces during their regime.
In his newly launched book, ‘A Journey in Service’, Babangida criticized the leadership style of Buhari and Idiagbon, accusing them of fostering an environment where the military was alienated from the civil populace.
According to Babangida, the duo adopted a “holier than thou” attitude, which created tension between civilians and the military establishment.
IBB further recounted that fundamental rights and freedoms were frequently infringed upon and abused under Buhari’s military rule.
President Bola Tinubu has given approval for the relocation of 29 Correctional Centres from urban areas to other locations.
This development was made known on Friday by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the unveiling of some operational vehicles for the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing security and decongesting cities by moving correctional facilities to more suitable locations.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an interim injunction stopping the scheduled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South Zonal Congress set to be held in Calabar, Cross River State, on Saturday.
The court, presided over by Justice G.V. Obomanu, ordered that the zonal congress should neither take place in Cross River nor anywhere else in Nigeria pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The ruling follows a suit filed by a PDP member from Ward 3 in Etche Local Government Area, Tony Ejiogu, and former Vice-Chairman of the Southeast PDP, Field Nkoro.
The defendants named in the suit include the PDP and the National Vice-Chairman South-South zone of the PDP, Dan Orbih.
In a copy of the order issued on Friday, the judge restrained the defendants, their agents, and privies from conducting the congress on February 22nd or any other date until the motion on notice is determined.
6. Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of $4.7 Million, ₦830 Million, And Properties Linked To Emefiele (Full List)
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, ₦830 million, and multiple properties linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Yellim Bogoro granted the final forfeiture application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Naija News reports that the EFCC’s counsel, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, successfully argued that the funds and properties were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The forfeited funds were held in accounts managed by individuals and entities, including First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts linked to Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.
A Sokoto State lawmaker, Aminu Boza, has raised alarm over the activities of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, alleging that he has imposed a ₦25 million levy on villages in the Isa and Sabon Birni areas.
Boza, who represents Sabon Birni Local Government in the state House of Assembly, disclosed this in a phone conversation with The Punch on Friday, warning that Turji’s influence in the region continues to grow.
“Bello Turji is currently in the Isa and Sabon Birni axis of Sokoto. He has even imposed a ₦25 million levy per village in some communities,” Boza claimed.
He called on security agencies to take urgent action to curb the activities of the bandits and restore peace to the affected communities.
The former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Samson Ayokunle, has remarked that the assertion made by US Congressman Scott Perry, which claims that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has financially supported terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, is overdue.
Naija News reports that Ayokunle made these comments during the Friday episode of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political show broadcast on Channels Television.
The cleric noted that CAN had previously sounded the alarm about foreign backing and a consistent flow of funds and weapons to terrorist groups in Nigeria, but their warnings were misinterpreted.
He emphasized that the allegations made by the US congressman must not be ignored.
The former CAN president criticized the inadequate intelligence of the security agencies, stating that they had failed to trace the origins of terror financing until the US congressman’s disclosure.
Popular media personality, Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, professionally known as Nedu Wazobia, has stated that he feels no regret in inviting comedian, DeeOne to his podcast, Honest Bunch.
Naija News reports that DeeOne, during his appearance on the Honest Bunch, had claimed that controversial media personality, VeryDarkMan is attracted to men.
Reacting to the remarks, VeryDarkMan accused Nedu of using his podcast to sleep with up-and-coming entertainers in exchange for features and threatened to release the names of women Nedu allegedly told him he had slept with in the industry.
The controversy generated a storm on social media and subsequently led to Nedu’s exit from the show.
Speaking in another interview on TVC’s Breakfast Show, DeeOne said, “I was the one who set a trap for VDM using Nedu.
“I planned the whole thing alone, but Nedu did not know, because If I had said it on social media, they would accuse me of trying to make money, but I needed a platform. I had been studying VeryDarkMan for months; and I wanted to know if he was real or just using Nigerians. Some things he gets right, but most times, he jumps to conclusions and manipulates everyone.”
Real Madrid’s appeal against the two-match suspension given to Jude Bellingham following his red card during the La Liga match against Osasuna has been unsuccessful.
The incident occurred on February 15, when Bellingham received a straight red card after the referee, Jose Munuera Montero, reported that the midfielder used inappropriate language towards him.
In response to the situation, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) imposed a two-match ban on Bellingham for what they deemed “contemptuous or inconsiderate attitudes towards referees, officials, or sports authorities.”
Bellingham later clarified his standpoint, indicating that his comments were more directed as an expression to himself rather than an insult to the referee.
Real Madrid submitted their argument to the RFEF’s appeals committee, suggesting that Bellingham’s remark was “f** off” instead of “f** you.”
However, the committee determined that this distinction was not relevant in their decision-making process, as they could not confirm the specific phrase he used.
Consequently, Bellingham will miss the upcoming league match against Girona and the fixture against Real Betis in Seville on March 2.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
