Aeesha's Blog

Author: Aeesha Zannah

  • Ex-Army Chief Yahaya Denies Terrorism Financing Allegations

    Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya (rtd.), has dismissed allegations linking him to individuals purported to be involved in terrorism financing.
    The allegation, credited to retired Maj.-Gen. Danjuma Ali-Keffi and published by an online platform, alleged that Yahaya maintained ties with persons suspected of financing terrorism.
    In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman on his behalf, Yahaya described the report as “spurious, baseless and entirely untrue.”
    He said at no point in his career — before, during, or after serving as Chief of Army Staff — did he maintain any direct or indirect association with individuals involved in terrorism financing or activities capable of undermining national security.
    Yahaya accused Ali-Keffi of launching a personal vendetta allegedly triggered by disciplinary measures taken against him while in service, adding that the report was malicious and lacked factual basis.
    He also criticised the online platform for publishing the allegations without verification, saying the action undermined public trust and misrepresented his professional record.
    “These allegations run contrary to Gen. Yahaya’s impeccable service record, professional integrity and lifelong commitment to Nigeria’s defence,” the statement said.
    The former Army chief demanded an immediate retraction from Ali-Keffi, the online platform and others disseminating the report, warning that failure to do so would attract necessary legal action to safeguard his reputation.
    Yahaya reaffirmed his commitment to the fight against terrorism, saying the national campaign required responsibility, patriotism and truth rather than propaganda driven by personal grievances.

  • Court sentences herder to death for killing fellow herdsman in Borno

    A Borno High Court sitting in Maiduguri has sentenced an 18-years-old herder, Adamu Mohammed, to death for killing a fellow herdsman, 19-years-old Adamu Ali, during a clash in Auno, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
    Justice Mohammed Maina held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the convict struck the deceased on the head with a cutlass during an altercation on Jan. 19, 2025.
    Ali was later confirmed dead at the Borno State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.
    Court records indicated that although Mohammed initially attempted to plead guilty, the court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf because the charge carries a death sentence.
    The prosecution called two witnesses and tendered exhibits, including the defendant’s statements and a medical report. In both statements, Mohammed admitted to fighting the deceased with a cutlass.
    The defence argued that the convict acted in self-defence, a claim the court rejected due to inconsistencies in his testimony and the absence of evidence showing he was unable to retreat.
    Justice Maina ruled that the force used was excessive and unjustified, adding that the elements of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 191(a) of the Borno State Penal Code Law, 2023, had been satisfied. Mohammed was subsequently sentenced to death by hanging.
    The incident occurred against the background of ongoing tensions involving herders in various parts of the country, a situation that has led to fatalities and destruction of property.

  • Military Aircraft Crashes In Niger State, Pilots Survive

    A Nigerian Air Force jet on Saturday crashed near Karabonde in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, with both pilots reportedly ejecting safely.
    Local media platform Lapai TV confirmed the incident in a post accompanied by a short video, stating that the Alpha Jet went down close to the community but the two pilots survived.
    The aircraft appeared to have taken off from the Kainji Air Force Base before the crash occurred.
    “One of the villagers informed us that the incident happened at about 4.10 p.m.,” a resident, Lukman Sulaiman, said. “The aircraft landed very close to the town, but God was kind — the pilots ejected safely.”
    Residents said they heard a loud noise before the jet hit the ground, prompting fear among villagers before they moved towards the scene.
    Videos obtained by PUNCH Online showed the aircraft engulfed in flames at the crash site as locals gathered around.
    The Nigerian Air Force had yet to issue an official statement on the crash as at the time of filing this report.

  • Qatar University Opens Applications for 2026 Fully Funded Graduate Scholarships

    Qatar University has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Graduate Scholarships, offering fully funded opportunities for international students to pursue Master’s and Doctoral degrees.
    The scholarships, available to candidates from all countries, cover full tuition, accommodation, living stipends, flight tickets, visa fees and research-related costs.
    In a statement on Wednesday, the university said all postgraduate programmes are taught in English and supported by advanced research facilities to attract high-performing students globally.
    It added that the scholarship aims to create a rich academic environment that promotes discovery, innovation and personal development for graduate students.
    Eligibility Requirements
    Master’s applicants:
    Must possess a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8.
    Must satisfy additional programme-specific requirements.
    PhD applicants:
    Must hold a Master’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
    Must submit GRE/GMAT scores for English-taught PhD programmes.
    Holders of professional Master’s degrees with a GPA of 3.0 or higher must meet extra program-specific conditions.
    Scholarship Benefits
    Recipients of the Qatar University Graduate Scholarship will receive:
    Full tuition waiver
    Exemption from textbook fees
    Monthly living allowance
    Student housing with campus transportation
    Annual round-trip airfare
    Residence permit under the university’s sponsorship
    The award must be utilised beginning from the semester in which it is granted. Failure to meet academic requirements in the first semester may result in termination.
    Required Documents
    -Applicants are to submit:
    Completed admission application
    Academic transcripts
    -Two recommendation letters
    Passport bio-data page
    -English proficiency test (optional for some programmes)
    -Standardised test scores for PhD applicants
    More details on the required documents are available on the university’s website.
    How to Apply
    Qatar University stated that all applications must be submitted online through the official admission portal. The process involves:
    1. Submitting the online application
    2. Receiving an acknowledgment letter
    3. Undergoing application review and interview
    4. Submitting official documents
    5. Receiving the final admission decision
    Qualified candidates can apply through the university’s admissions platform.
    The deadline for submission is Feb. 25, 2026.

  • Politicians Visit General Overseers for Electoral Influence, Not Prayers — Cleric

    Pastor Femi Emmanuel, Presiding Pastor of Livingspring Chapel International, says Nigerian politicians visit prominent General Overseers largely to secure electoral support and not for spiritual guidance.
    Emmanuel, who spoke with journalists on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State, said political office seekers often target the influence religious leaders hold over their large congregations.
    According to him, while clerics may pray for such visitors, the real motivation behind the visits is to mobilise votes.
    “When politicians visit popular General Overseers, they come mainly for political reasons — to get their members to vote for them,” he said.
    “I tell my congregation all the time: it’s your votes they’re after. When they say ‘Dad, pray for me,’ Dad will pray, but Dad can’t change anything. Politicians only listen to those who help them win their primaries.”
    He urged Nigerians to deepen their understanding of the political process, noting that many decisions are made at the ward and delegate levels by individuals who often lack the capacity for such roles.
    “Good Nigerians don’t attend ward meetings; we are too sophisticated. But if you attend ward meetings, you will cry,” he said.
    “People fight over ₦1,000 sent to them, yet these are the people who choose delegates. Delegates determine candidates, and candidates determine leaders. If you don’t have delegates, you can’t have candidates.”
    Emmanuel also appealed to the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to prioritise national security, saying prevailing insecurity across the country demands urgent attention.
    “You are bold and courageous, but you have found yourself in a very difficult situation,” he said.
    “He didn’t start this terrorism, but he must ensure peace returns to every part of Nigeria.”
    The cleric further advocated a return to a regional system of government, insisting that it would resolve a significant portion of Nigeria’s challenges.
    “Our problem will be 90 per cent solved if we return to regional government. If we don’t, the problem will persist and may worsen,” he warned.
    Visits by politicians to religious leaders are common in Nigeria. In the build-up to the 2023 elections, several political aspirants also toured worship centres. Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, similarly visited various churches and was heard in a leaked audio with Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church, where he allegedly described the election as a “religious war.”

  • FBI Links Nigerian Tech Founder Izunna Okonkwo To Alleged $41m Insider Trading Scheme

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has named Nigerian tech entrepreneur, Mr Izunna Okonkwo, as a co-conspirator in an alleged insider trading and money-laundering scheme said to have generated about $41 million (N59.5 billion) in unlawful profits over five years.
    Okonkwo, 30, a co-founder of the Lagos-based tech start-up, Pastel, and a 2023 Forbes Africa 30-under-30 honouree, was identified in court filings submitted to the U.S. District Court for New Jersey, according to reports by Peoples Gazette.
    Investigators alleged that Okonkwo traded in stocks and securities using material non-public information passed to him through an acquaintance, Mr Saad Shoukat, who reportedly obtained the confidential intelligence from Mr Gyunho Justin Kim, an investment banker at Citibank.
    FBI special agent Antony Belitti, in a complaint filed on Nov. 24, said Okonkwo and Shoukat exchanged encrypted messages about acquisition deals ahead of their public announcement, including the multi-billion-dollar takeovers of Immunomedics, Five Prime, Sierra, GBT, Reata and Immunogen.
    The FBI said Shoukat was granted access to Okonkwo’s brokerage accounts under a profit-sharing arrangement which entitled the Nigerian entrepreneur to 50 per cent of illicit proceeds. Investigators also traced logins to the accounts to a London residence linked to Okonkwo.
    From the Gilead acquisition of Immunomedics in 2020 alone, Shoukat, Kim and their associates reportedly made $4.9 million, while Okonkwo allegedly earned $2.3 million, with a relative receiving over $465,000.
    Okonkwo was also said to have made significant profits from other takeover deals, including $166,000 from Five Prime, $370,000 from Sierra, $3.5 million from GBT, and $4.7 million following Biogen’s acquisition of Reata in 2023. Another $2.9 million was reportedly earned after AbbVie’s acquisition of Immunogen.
    Federal prosecutors told U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer that combined profits attributed to Shoukat, Okonkwo and other individuals totalled at least $41 million.
    Mr Kim is currently facing six counts of insider trading, wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly leaking confidential Citibank intelligence over several years.
    It remained unclear if Okonkwo had been detained as at the time of filing the report. Court documents described him as a dual Nigerian-American citizen with business interests in Lagos and Atlanta.
    Online records show that Okonkwo, alongside co-founders Olamide Oladeji and Abuzar Royesh, established Pastel in 2021, raising $5.5 million in seed funding by 2023.

  • NPA Commandant Honours Outstanding Regular Course 7 Cadets

    The Commandant, Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, AIG Patrick A. Atayero, has presented certificates of commendation to outstanding cadet officers of Regular Course 7 for exemplary leadership and discipline.
    A statement issued by the Academy’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Isah Umar, said the recipients included the General Number One, General Number Two, all squad leaders, the Cadet Band Master, and cadets in charge of organising parade.
    While presenting the certificates, Atayero commended the awardees for distinguishing themselves during their training and urged them to remain worthy ambassadors of the Academy.
    He charged them to uphold the values of discipline, professionalism and leadership as they proceed to future assignments within the Nigeria Police Force.
    The Commandant noted that the journey ahead would require greater dedication, assuring the cadets that the Academy’s management remained available to support them whenever necessary.
    He expressed confidence in their ability to contribute to national security and community safety.

  • Doctor Charged With Sexual Assault Of 38 Patients

    A 38-year-old British doctor, Nathaniel John Spencer of Quinton, Birmingham, has been charged with sexually assaulting 38 patients across major hospitals in the West Midlands, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said.
    According to information retrieved from the Staffordshire Police website on Saturday, Spencer faces multiple charges including 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 counts of assault by penetration, nine counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, three counts of assault by penetration on a child under 13, and one count of attempted assault by penetration.
    Police said the charges followed a “complex investigation” by the Public Protection Unit into alleged offences committed at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and the Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
    The alleged offences occurred between 2017 and 2021, the CPS confirmed.
    Spencer is scheduled to appear before the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Jan. 20, 2026.
    The CPS said the decision to prosecute followed a thorough investigation by Staffordshire Police, adding that further details could not be provided at this stage due to ongoing proceedings.
    The BBC reported that enquiries on whether multiple children were involved were declined by both CPS and Staffordshire Police.
    Authorities said Spencer has been suspended from medical practice in the UK pending the outcome of the criminal case.
    He previously worked as a resident doctor at the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust between August 2017 and August 2020, and later at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust between August 2020 and April 2021.
    Both trusts have set up helplines for individuals concerned about the care they received.
    Dr Paul Hudson, operational medical director at The Dudley Group, said the allegations had caused distress among patients, staff and the wider community.
    UHNM said it was cooperating fully with investigators and reaffirmed its commitment to patient safety.
    The General Medical Council (GMC) confirmed that Spencer remains suspended while his fitness-to-practise investigation continues and will only resume after the criminal case concludes.

  • 4,000 Nigerians Lose Millions To Alleged Real Estate Ponzi Scheme

    More than 4,000 Nigerians have reportedly lost millions of naira to a suspected Ponzi scheme operated under the guise of an online real estate investment platform known as EMAAR.
    The development comes barely six months after the collapse of the N1.3 trillion Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) Ponzi scheme, which left over 600,000 citizens stranded.
    Findings by journalists indicate that the promoters of EMAAR, who operated mainly through Telegram channels and fintech bank accounts, collected funds from subscribers between July and September 2025, promising 10-day returns. The platform reportedly crashed on October 27 before many investors could make withdrawals.
    The company had no known physical address, and its name was not found on the Corporate Affairs Commission database. It was further observed that the platform used a logo similar to that of a legitimate real estate company in India, though there is no evidence of affiliation.
    Victims across several states, including Oyo, Kaduna, Plateau and Rivers, narrated how they lost amounts ranging from N40,000 to nearly N2 million after paying into fintech accounts operated through Kuda and Moniepoint Microfinance Banks.
    A computer engineer in Ibadan, who declined to reveal his identity, said he lost N1.8 million.
    “There was no sign that they were about to fold up. Everything happened suddenly,” he lamented.
    In Kaduna State, an artisan and his family lost about N500,000. Some victims said the operators later demanded an additional N10,000 as “recovery fees” before disappearing and deleting their Telegram accounts.
    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) urged victims to submit formal petitions to enable the agency to commence investigations. The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, noted that the EFCC had earlier warned Nigerians about 58 unlicensed Ponzi operators still active in the country.
    “People are not adhering to our advisories and are not doing due diligence. Many are drawn into such schemes because of greed,” he said.
    When contacted, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank said victims must report to their banks and the police to activate investigation and possible account restrictions. A bank official confirmed that the merchant account linked to the EMAAR transactions had been deactivated for alleged.

  • Four Die In Separate Fire And Well Accidents In Kano

    The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of four persons, including two children, in three separate incidents that occurred across the state on Thursday.
    This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Public Relations Officer of the agency, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.
    Abdullahi said the first incident occurred at Badawa Layin Day by Day in Nassarawa Local Government Area, where the service received a distress call at about 11:57 a.m. concerning a residential fire outbreak.
    “Upon arrival, our officers found a residential building engulfed in flames. A young girl was rescued but was later confirmed dead,” he said, adding that the body had been handed over to her family.
    He said in another incident at Badume Kanawa village in Bichi LGA, three men died while attempting to rescue one another during a well-digging exercise.
    Fire Service personnel were mobilised to the scene and recovered the victims, who were later confirmed dead and handed over to the police.
    Abdullahi said the third incident occurred in Danbatta LGA, where a 10-year-old boy fell into a well at Layin Abba Dabo. Although he was successfully retrieved, he died shortly afterwards and was released to his father.
    The Director of the Kano State Fire Service, Alhaji Sani Anas, appealed to residents to stop engaging in risky rescue attempts during emergencies.
    “The public should stop entering wells to rescue others. This practice has led to repeated loss of lives,” he said, urging communities to contact trained emergency responders instead.
    In recent months, Kano and other states have recorded multiple fire incidents and accidents related to unsafe rescue attempts, prompting repeated warnings from emergency authorities.

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