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Court strikes out N12.3bn fraud case against Otudeko after settlement

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The Federal High Court in Lagos has struck out the N12.3bn fraud charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko, and three others, after the anti-graft agency formally withdrew the case on Wednesday.

The EFCC had in suit No. FHC/L/20C/2025, filed 13-count charges against Otudeko, former First Bank Managing Director Olabisi Onasanya, former Honeywell board member Soji Akintayo, and Anchorage Leisure Limited.

The defendants were accused of conspiring to fraudulently obtain N12.3bn from First Bank of Nigeria under the guise of credit facilities for V-TECH Dynamic Links Ltd. and Stallion Nigeria Ltd.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke
that the matter had been amicably resolved between the nominal complainant, First Bank, and the first defendant, Otudeko.

Oyedepo said, “The parties have reached a full and final settlement.

“First Bank, the nominal complainant, has formally withdrawn its complaint. The funds at the heart of the matter have been fully repaid, and there is no further interest in pursuing the charge.

“In the interest of justice and to prevent abuse of the court process, the Attorney General of the Federation, having reviewed the facts and the full recovery of the disputed funds, decided to discontinue the prosecution.”

According to Oyedepo, following applications for settlement by the defence, the AGF convened a meeting involving all stakeholders.

This led to a formal resolution communicated via a July 16, 2025, letter from First Bank and another from Otudeko’s counsel confirming the settlement.

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He stated that a follow-up letter on July 21, 2025, reaffirmed the bank’s position and requested that the charge be withdrawn.

Otudeko’s counsel, Bode Olanipekun, informed the court that “all issues leading to the institution of this charge have been completely resolved.”

Other defence lawyers Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN (for Onasanya), Tunde Afe Babalola (for Akintayo), and Dr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips (for Anchorage Leisure Ltd.) confirmed the amicable settlement.

After hearing the submissions, Justice Aneke ruled, “In view of the application by the prosecution and the confirmation by the defence, this case is hereby struck out.”

In a statement following the court’s ruling, signed by its General Counsel, Olasumbo Abolaji, welcomed the development, describing it as a reaffirmation of Dr. Otudeko’s integrity.

Abolaji said, “Honeywell Group confirms that the legal proceedings initiated by the EFCC against our Chairman, Dr. Oba Otudeko, CFR, in connection with matters relating to First Holdco Plc, have been formally withdrawn.

“This development marks the closure of a chapter that, while challenging, never diminished our confidence in Dr. Otudeko’s integrity or our belief in the principles that have guided his life and leadership.

“At no point was there any finding or admission of wrongdoing, and this conclusion further affirms what we have always maintained that this was a commercial transaction, investigated by the EFCC and resolved eight years ago.

“Dr. Otudeko’s service, enterprise, and nation-building record stand firm and unblemished. For over six decades, he has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economic and institutional development, including distinguished tenures across banking, industry, and public service. His leadership of First Bank was marked by stability, stewardship, and strategic vision.”

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The group reaffirmed its commitment to creating value through enterprise in food, energy, infrastructure, and financial services.

“As we move forward, we do so strengthened by experience, focused on the future, and anchored in the enduring values that have always shaped our journey,” the statement added.

 

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Benin Republic govt arrests soldiers over coup attempt

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Benin Republic’s military says around a dozen soldiers have been arrested following an attempted coup, including the ringleaders of the foiled operation.

Thirteen people were said to have been detained.

While all but one of the suspects are serving soldiers, the remaining detainee is said to be a former member of the armed forces.

It was reports that arrests come after a group of military officers appeared on Benin’s national television on Sunday morning, announcing the removal of President Patrice Talon and the dissolution of all state institutions.

The officers, who identified themselves as the Military Committee for Refoundation, claimed to have seized power.

However, the presidency said that President Talon is safe and that loyalist forces are restoring order. It described the incident as the work of a small group with limited influence.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city and the country are completely secure,” the presidency said.

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PHOTOS: NDLEA Seizes Over 7.6 Million Tramadol Pills, 76 Tonnes Of Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

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The Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273.4 kilograms of various cannabis strains—including Colorado, Loud, and Skunk—with several members of drug trafficking networks arrested in connection with the seizures.

The Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Out of the total opioids seized during the raids, not less than 3,874,000 pills of tramadol 225mg and 100mg, and others as well as 252.2litres of codeine syrup were recovered from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba, Delta state on Saturday 6th December 2025, while no fewer than 1.2 million tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from a suspect Kelechi Nwakocha, 35, on Wednesday 3rd December.

In Adamawa state, NDLEA officers on Monday, 1st December 2025, intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus marked MGU 554 XB along Maraba-Mubi, coming from Jos, Plateau state, and heading to Mubi, with a total of 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and Exol-5 tablets, all concealed inside jumbo bags mixed with new rubber sandals and slippers. Two suspects: Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested in connection with the seizure. Similarly, another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was nabbed along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state, with 197,000 pills of Exol-5.

Operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA stormed forests in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti state, where they destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk and arrested two suspects: Yusuf Iliyasu, 50, and Okumu Chinedu, 26. In another operation, the operatives on Tuesday, 2nd December, stormed the forests in Asin-Ekiti, Ikole LGA, Ekiti state, where they destroyed 54,300kg of skunk in two large warehouses that were razed, while 28.3kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered for prosecution.
Following actionable intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, 2nd December, raided Igoba forest in Akure North LGA, Ondo state, where a total of 2,483 compressed blocks of skunk and 247 bags of the same substance, all weighing 5,442 kilograms, were recovered, and five suspects were arrested. Those nabbed include: Jacob Omodowo, 66; Joy Oluatobi Peace, 24;

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Babatunde Olamide, 40; Echi Fidelis Joseph, 57; and Ankrah Akano, 56.

While 500kg of the same substance was recovered from a Mercedes-Benz van marked MGU 614 XB by NDLEA officers on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road in Niger state on 4th December, with the driver Amos Yakubu, 46, arrested, operatives in the FCT Abuja on Wednesday, 3rd December, intercepted a consignment of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis, weighing 22kg at Abaji expressway.

A follow-up operation at the Jabi park in Abuja led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Also in the FCT, a suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested by operatives on Friday, 5th December, with 24kg of skunk and 573,500 pills of Exol-5 along the Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos operatives recovered 217 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 113kg from a suspect Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, Mushin, while Izuchukwu Usulor was nabbed with 351kg skunk at Onipanu area of the state on 5th December and Susan Okoro arrested with 104.1kg of same psychoactive substance at Trade Fair complex, Ojo, on Tuesday 2nd December.

A total of 447.5 kilograms of skunk was recovered from two Honda Accord cars marked ABC-678 KK and GGE-772 FB at Agho forest, Akoko Edo LGA, Edo State. A suspect Dada Adedara Babawibi, 56, was apprehended in connection with the seizure. A raid operation at a warehouse in the Isiefve community, Ohuwunde LGA, led to the seizure of 315.8kg of skunk and the arrest of a suspect, Stanley Obasuwa.

With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities, among others, in the past week.

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These include: WADA sensitisation lectures for students and staff of St. Michael’s Academy, Sabon Gari, Kano; Harry Pass Secondary School, Masaje, Gboko LGA, Benue; and Community Junior Secondary School, Okuru-Ama, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State, among others.

While commending the officers and men of SOU, Delta, Adamawa, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, Kano, FCT, Niger and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated.

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PHOTOS: Mob beat ‘r@pist’ to de@th, hack off his genitals and drag body through streets over ‘s£x attack on disabled woman’

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A mob in Rappolemba, Indonesia, took law into its own hands by beating a man to de@th, hacking off his genitals, and dragging his body through the streets as punishment after accusing him of r@ping a disabled woman.

According to Mail Online, Ali, 47, was hunted by furious locals for allegedly r@ping and ass@ulting the woman in Gowa, Indonesia, on November 30.

The victim, identified only as T, was found battered and in a state of shock, sparking anger within the community.

Ali fled to a relative’s house before slipping into a nearby forest to escape the villagers’ wrath, according to local media. But he was caught on December 3, when he emerged from the woods to look for food.

Passersby immediately recognised the suspect and lynched him. The attack was caught on camera.

The vigilantes were said to have ‘chopped up’ his genitals before parading his limp body in the community.

Senior Adjunct Commissioner Muhammad Aldy Sulaeman, Gowa Police Chief, said police rushed to Rappolemba Village to control the mob.

He said: ‘We can confirm that several videos have circulated regarding an alleged assault against an individual.

Regarding this matter, we have coordinated with the Tompobulu Police. Based on the reports we received, the situation at the location is now under control.

‘We don’t want to underestimate the situation, and we are making checks and increasing security measures to keep the situation under control.

‘The initial information we received indicates that the person concerned was suspected of rape. However, we will continue to investigate this matter to determine the exact chronology of events.

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‘The personnel involved include the Gowa Police’s medical team for the post-mortem examination, the Samapta Unit, the Criminal Investigation Unit, the Intelligence Unit, and the Community Policing Unit, accompanied by the local police chief. We have also coordinated with the South Sulawesi Regional Police Department.’

Locals claimed Ali had long been a menace, accusing him of being a repeat thief who had previously served prison time and was just recently released.

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