The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has called for international sanctions against Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and the organisers of the Ikogosi Marathon over the alleged attack on him and members of his team.

Sowore made the demand in a statement shared on X, accusing the organisers, led by Makinde Araoye, of complicity in what he described as a deadly assassination plot against him.

He called on World Athletics, the global governing body for the sport, to sanction the organisers and blacklist them from staging or participating in future sporting events.

The presidential candidate also accused the organisers and the Ekiti State Government of being involved in the attack or efforts to facilitate it, and demanded an independent investigation into their alleged roles.

“Sporting events must never become hunting grounds for political thugs, government-sponsored violence, intimidation, or assassination,” he wrote.

Sowore said he would pursue legal measures against the organisers and the state government, both nationally and internationally.

He added that nobody involved in the alleged attack should escape accountability, regardless of their political position or government connections.

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, have warned celebrities and influencers against promoting fraudulent products and services.

The agencies gave the warning during a joint stakeholder meeting held in Abuja on Friday, where they addressed the rising trend of celebrities endorsing Ponzi schemes, fake investment platforms, and unregistered products.

According to them, many Nigerians have lost billions of naira after investing in products advertised by popular faces on social media.

Speaking, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, said celebrities can no longer claim ignorance when products they endorse defraud Nigerians.

“If you promote a fraudulent product, you are liable. Your face, your voice, your influence was used to deceive people. You will be held accountable,” he said.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, represented at the event, warned that influencers who promote fraud will be treated as accomplices.

“We have seen cases where skit makers, musicians and actors promoted crypto scams and fake loan apps. Nigerians lost money because they trusted their favourite celebrity. That trust must not be abused,” he said.

The ICPC also warned that celebrity endorsements of fake products undermine consumer confidence and fuel corruption.

The agencies advised celebrities to always verify products with regulatory bodies like NAFDAC, SEC, and FCCPC before signing endorsement deals.

They also urged Nigerians to report suspicious products and celebrity adverts that look too good to be true.

The warning comes after several celebrities were called out for promoting failed investment schemes and unhealthy skincare products that left many Nigerians in debt and with health complications.

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The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has advanced Nigeria’s international security cooperation with the United States and Italy, securing an offer of specialised training for up to 5,000 police personnel to strengthen the fight against terrorism and other security threats.

The proposed training, which is expected to focus on counter-insurgency and operations in difficult rural and forested terrains, formed part of the outcome of Disu’s working visit to Italy, where he engaged Italian law enforcement authorities on security cooperation, technology transfer and institutional development.

The initiative is aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to tackle terrorism, kidnapping, arms trafficking and other criminal activities through intelligence-led policing and improved tactical capabilities.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the proposed training would cover tactical operations, intelligence-led patrols, protection of critical infrastructure, digital and scientific forensics, cybercrime, explosives detection, financial investigations, asset tracing and anti-extortion techniques.

The statement said the training would extend beyond the Police Mobile Force to other specialised units, including explosive ordnance disposal and forensic teams.

During the visit, Disu met with the Commander General of the Italian Carabinieri, Lieutenant-General Salvatore Luongo, to explore opportunities for technical assistance, specialised training and institutional cooperation.

The IGP and his delegation also visited the Carabinieri Centre of Excellence for Stability Police Units (CoESPU) in Vicenza, where they assessed training facilities and explored ways of adapting specialised programmes to Nigeria’s security challenges.

Among the proposals discussed were command courses for 40 senior police officers, leadership training for 100 junior commanders and the deployment of a mobile assistance team to support Police Mobile Force training schools in Gwoza and Ila-Orangun.

The delegation also sought Italian support for the development of a national stability policing doctrine and standard operating procedures to promote professionalism, operational consistency and civilian protection, particularly in communities recovering from conflict.

Further discussions centred on possible cooperation in canine operations, forensic science and mounted policing, including horse breeding and local capacity development for public order management and other policing responsibilities.

To ensure the implementation of the proposed initiatives, Disu proposed a memorandum of understanding covering training, technology transfer and operational doctrine.

He also invited a Carabinieri assessment team to Abuja to identify priority areas and develop practical implementation strategies.

The IGP reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to international partnerships that would strengthen operational readiness, improve investigative capacity and enhance the protection of lives and property.

The Force said it would continue to engage relevant international partners to advance the proposals in line with Nigeria’s security priorities and efforts to build a more professional, capable and responsive police institution.

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