News

UPDATED: NCAA stops Fuji star K1 de Ultimate from flying for six months

Published

3 months ago

August 7, 2025

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has said popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, also known as K1 de Ultimate, will be blacklisted from flying within Nigeria for six months over alleged misconduct at the domestic terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

‎The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing.

‎“What I must assure the general public is that everybody involved in this will be brought to book.

‎“As we speak, the passenger is going to be blacklisted for the next six months flying in Nigeria,” he said.

Achimugu added that aviation rules are global and made for the safety of all, stressing that no individual would be exempt from accountability.

‎‎“So, we will do everything we can to get to the root of it. Everybody who needs to be punished or sanctioned will receive justice,” he added.

‎He further revealed that the agency was writing to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police to initiate legal proceedings against the musician.

When asked whether Ayinde would be spared prosecution due to his close ties with President Bola Tinubu, Achimugu said both Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, were committed to upholding the rule of law.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed that K1 be placed on a no-fly list pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.

In a post on his official X account on Thursday, Keyamo said he had reviewed reports and video footage from relevant aviation agencies and concluded that both the musician and the aircraft crew acted in ways that breached safety protocols.

“I have received reports from all the relevant Aviation agencies regarding the altercation between the staff and crew of ValueJet and Kwam 1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, August 7, 2025. I have also received video footage of the incident.

“From all the details so far received, my preliminary impression is that it was obviously a case of temporary loss of sanity and control on both sides, which could have led to serious fatalities,” the minister said.

Keyamo added that the action was “akin to a hostage situation,” warning that no one, including celebrities, would be allowed to act with impunity.

He added, “Contrary to what the agents of Kwam 1 has said, he CONSTANTLY moved his position on the tarmac to ACTUALLY BLOCK the aircraft from taxiing to take position on the runway for take-off. This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE behaviour. The issue of whether he was carrying water or alcohol is not even in issue at this point.

“It is the physical blockage of the aircraft from taxiing that is the reprehensible conduct here which akin to a hostage situation.”

He also questioned why only the pilot and captain had been sanctioned, stating that “what applies to the goose must also apply to the gander.”

“In the circumstance, I have also directed the NCAA to place KWAM 1 on a no-fly list pending further and full investigation, just like the captain and pilot.

“All airlines, both domestic and international should immediately be informed of this directive and anyone who flouts this directive risk withdrawal of their operating licence,” the statement concluded.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria had earlier confirmed it was investigating K1 de Ultimate over an alleged violation of aviation security protocols at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

In a statement on Wednesday, FAAN said the incident occurred during boarding procedures for a ValueJet Airlines flight (VK 201) to Lagos on Monday, August 5.

The musician was accused of attempting to carry an unidentified liquid substance onboard despite repeated warnings from aviation security personnel and the flight captain.

FAAN explained that the item in question, a flask, contained liquid beyond the 100ml limit permitted under international aviation security regulations.

Tensions reportedly escalated when the musician refused further screening and spilled the contents of the flask, later confirmed to be alcohol, on a security officer.

However, the musician denied wrongdoing, describing the reports as exaggerated and misleading.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Kunle Rasheed, K1 maintained that the flask contained plain drinking water given to him at the airport lounge and that he made respectful efforts to clarify the matter before it was unnecessarily escalated.

The statement dismissed claims that he blocked the aircraft or threatened safety procedures, insisting the singer remained calm throughout the encounter and never acted in a manner that endangered lives.

It also alleged that senior airport officials and airline executives reached out personally to apologise over the misunderstanding, even offering a private jet to fly him to Lagos at no cost.

“We urge the media and the public to avoid sensationalism and allow the truth — not assumptions — to guide their judgment. K1 remains a law-abiding citizen and continues to cooperate fully with all relevant authorities to ensure that the matter is responsibly resolved,” the statement read.

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News

UK Charity Commission freezes over 100 bank accounts linked to MFM

Published

9 hours ago

October 22, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

On Tuesday, the UK’s Charity Commission announced it had frozen the assets of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (MFM), a Nigerian-founded church.

On its website, the UK government concluded that its trustees failed to manage the organisation’s finances properly across its UK branches.

The UK Charity Commission is a non-ministerial department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, to ensure that the public can confidently support charities.

MFM, founded by Nigerian cleric Daniel Olukoya, is one of Nigeria’s most influential Pentecostal churches. It has a strong global presence, particularly in the United Kingdom, where many Nigerian diaspora communities worship.

MFM is not the first Nigerian-founded church to face scrutiny in the UK. In recent years, other Nigerian-origin churches, including SPAC Nation in December 2024 and Christ Embassy in November 2019, have been investigated regarding governance and financial accountability concerns.

The incident raises broader questions about how rapidly expanding churches adapt their internal systems when moving into regulated environments like the UK, where religious organisations registered as charities must meet strict financial reporting standards.

The case has, therefore, sparked wider conversations about financial transparency and governance among fast-growing African churches operating overseas.

How the investigation began

On 27 March 2018, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into MFM under Section 46 of the UK’s Charities Act 2011. Concerns have been raised regarding the possible misappropriation of charity funds and weak internal financial controls.

The Commission discovered that the church had expanded rapidly in the UK, growing from a few branches to more than 90 locations nationwide, without developing a solid financial governance structure to match its growth.

According to the final report, the Commission found that trustees did not properly oversee more than 100 separate bank accounts operated by different church branches. These accounts were opened and managed autonomously, often without informing central leadership or providing timely income reports.

Commission’s report

The commission reported that the church’s branches operated independently without central approval and that Major financial decisions, such as property purchases and lease agreements, were made without trustee authorisation.

Additionally, some branches used properties without securing planning permissions, leading to costly legal actions. It highlighted that Poor employment contract management resulted in financial settlements for employment disputes, and the lack of a unified monetary system created serious risks to charitable funds.

As a result, the regulator concluded that donor money was at risk due to weak financial oversight and poor governance.

Interim Manager Appointed to Restore Control

On 1 August 2019, following serious concerns about the trustees’ ability to manage the charity effectively, the Commission appointed an interim manager under Section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act. The interim manager worked alongside the trustees to implement critical financial controls.

This oversight continued until 13 September 2024, when the interim manager was discharged after making progress.

Following the conclusion of the investigation, the Charity Commission announced that it had frozen the charity’s assets to prevent further financial risk while strengthening accountability structures.

Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations at the Charity Commission, said:

“The rapid growth of a charity comes with correspondingly larger potential risks, as our inquiry clearly shows. In this case, the trustees’ fundamental failure to maintain financial controls meant donor funds were at serious risk across their entire network.”

She added that the trustees are better positioned to ensure financial responsibility and compliance following regulatory intervention.

Regulatory Action

Upon completing its review, the Commission issued a regulatory action plan that required MFM to strengthen its governance policies and improve financial transparency. The Commission has confirmed that trustees have complied with the action plan, and the charity is now expected to operate under stricter financial controls going forward.

When this report was filed, neither MFM International nor its founder, Daniel Olukoya, had issued a public statement in response to the Charity Commission’s findings.

Collins Edomaruse, the media aide to Mr Olukoya, did not respond to calls or text messages.

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News

MDAs under fire as FG probes TSA violations

Published

12 hours ago

October 22, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Federal Government, through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, has ordered all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to submit their statements of accounts in commercial banks.

The government said the move was part of its plans to maintain financial discipline.

This was disclosed in a memo signed by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, which was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday.

Ogunjimi in the memo expressed grievance over the continuous usage of commercial banks by MDAs despite an earlier directive ordering MDAs to close such accounts and focus on the use of the Treasury Single Account domiciled in the Central Bank.

Recall that the government in February mandated MDAs to stop the use of commercial banks, as it opposes the framework of the TSA.

While reiterating the Federal Government’s commitment to the Treasury Single Account policy, the Accountant-General of the Federation urged the Federal Pay Officers to monitor and ensure that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the States do not operate any account with the commercial banks or circumvent any provision of the TSA policy,” the statement by the OSGF said in February.

Reacting to the new memo, Ogunniyi said, “It has been observed with dismay that funds belonging to the Federal Government are still domiciled in several accounts held with commercial banks, contrary to Federal Government Circulars and the operational framework of the Treasury Single Account, which mandates the consolidation of all Federal Government revenues and receipts into the TSA domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“In view of the above and following the Honourable Minister of Finance directive, all Directors/Heads of Finance and Accounts in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and Federal Government-owned Enterprises are immediately required to submit Statements of all Bank Accounts (active, dormant and closed) maintained in all commercial banks over the last six (6) months, clearly indicating account names, account numbers, bank branches and current balances.”

“This directive takes immediate effect and must be treated with the utmost urgency, as it is part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline and uphold the integrity of the Treasury Single Account Framework.”

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News

Kanu to defend self, lists Danjuma, Wike, Sanwo-Olu as witnesses

Published

12 hours ago

October 22, 2025

Newsbreak365_Admin

The detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, made a dramatic turn on Tuesday by informing the Federal High Court in Abuja that he was ready to open his defence.

This came just hours after Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, led protests in parts of Abuja demanding Kanu’s release.

Kanu had, last Thursday, filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction to continue his trial.

The objection came on the same day a team of medical experts appointed by the court declared him medically fit to stand trial, Channels reports.

In a fresh motion personally filed on Tuesday, October 21, Kanu told the court that he was prepared to begin his defence “pursuant to the order of this honourable court made on the 16th day of October 2015, directing the defendant to commence his defence on the 24th day of October 2025.”

He disclosed plans to call 23 witnesses divided into two categories, “ordinary but material witnesses” and “vital and compellable witnesses”, the latter to be summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011.

The motion, which Kanu personally signed, suggested that he may have disengaged his legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kanu Agabi.

He also requested 90 days to conclude his defence due to the number of witnesses he intends to call.

Kanu stated that he would testify on his own behalf, “providing a sworn account of the facts, denying the allegations, and explaining the political context of his statements and actions.”

Among those listed as “compellable witnesses” were former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd); former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd); Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

Others include the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; and former Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Kanu also listed former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, among others whose identities he withheld.

Kanu pledged to submit sworn statements from all voluntary witnesses and to notify the prosecution within a reasonable time.

He assured the court that “no precious time of the honourable court would be delayed,” adding that “justice must not only be done but be manifestly seen to have been done.”

Meanwhile, on the same day Kanu filed his motion, a magistrate court in Abuja ordered the remand of his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, and 12 others arrested during protests demanding his release.

The police charged the 13 defendants with criminal conspiracy, disobedience of a lawful order, inciting disturbance, and disturbance of public peace — offences contrary to sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.

Those named in the first two information reports include Ejimakor, Kanu’s brother Emmanuel, Joshua Emmanuel, Wilson Anyalewechi, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma, and Chima Onuchukwu.

The magistrate, after briefly standing down the case, ordered their remand at Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till October 24 for arraignment.

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