Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged involvement in a N110 billion fraud.

Bello was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

The former Kogi governor had been declared wanted by the EFCC in April 2024.

More to come…

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested Nigerian musician Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.

The singer’s counsel and human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the arrest in a post on his official X page on Wednesday.

Adeyanju revealed that his client was detained while performing at a show in Owerri, just days after returning to Nigeria earlier in the week.

He wrote, “Our client, Speed Darlington, a.k.a AKPI, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police in Owerri at his show upon return to Nigeria.”

However, the exact reason for the singer’s arrest remains unclear at the time of filing this report.

It is worth noting that the Nigeria Police had previously arrested Darlington over allegations of cyberstalking fellow musician Damini Ogulu, better known as Burna Boy.

Darlington was initially arrested in Lagos, then transferred to Abuja, where he was detained by the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team in the Guzape area of the city.

The musician, who faced accusations of cyberstalking Burna Boy, was later released on bail days after his arrest.

President Bola Tinubu has praised the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited for the revitalization of the Port Harcourt refinery.

On Tuesday, NNPCL announced the official commencement of crude oil processing at the refinery—a milestone achieved after three years of rehabilitation work.

In a statement on Tuesday from Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, Tinubu urged the NNPC to expedite the reactivation of the Warri and Kaduna refineries.

Tinubu, while acknowledging the efforts of former President Muhammadu Buhari in making this achievement possible, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing energy sufficiency in Nigeria.

“The President acknowledges the pivotal role of former President Muhammadu Buhari in initiating the comprehensive rehabilitation of all our refineries and expresses gratitude to the African Export-Import Bank for its confidence in financing this critical project,” the statement reads.

“Furthermore, President Tinubu commends the leadership of NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, whose unwavering dedication and commitment were instrumental in overcoming challenges to achieve this milestone.

“With the successful revival of the Port Harcourt refinery, President Tinubu urges NNPC Limited to expedite the scheduled reactivation of both the second Port Harcourt refinery and the Warri and Kaduna refineries.”

Tinubu emphasized that the commencement of petrol production at the refinery would bolster the country’s domestic production and position Nigeria as a major energy hub.

He called on individuals, institutions, and citizens entrusted with public infrastructure to uphold trust in their service to the nation.

“These efforts will significantly enhance domestic production capacity alongside the contributions of privately-owned refineries and make our country a major energy hub, with the gas sector also enjoying unprecedented attention by the administration,” Onanuga said.

“In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda focused on shared economic prosperity for all, the President reaffirms his administration’s commitment to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing energy security, and boosting export capacity for Nigeria.”