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Lagos Family Denies Army Attack, Tackles Resettled Community

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A Lagos family, Edu Descendants, has denied that a resettled community in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State was attacked by soldiers.

The family also stated that it sold the large expanse of land in dispute to the Nigerian Army.

It was reported that the Abomiti Zone Community Development Association alleged that land grabbers connived with some members of the Nigerian Army to take over the land given to them by the Lagos State Government.

The community’s ancestral land was reportedly taken for the establishment of the Lekki Free Trade Zone by the state government.

The group had said about 30 of the 239 hectares allotted to them in Ilamiga as compensation was taken over by the Army, adding that some soldiers were deployed to attack them when they resisted the move.

However, the Head of the Edu Family, Chief Shamusideen Edu, in a statement on Monday, denied the claims.

The statement read in part, “The land occupied by the Nigerian Army at Oko Baale Edu, Ilamiga, forms part of the 100.67 hectares described in Plan no LS/D/EP114 originally owned by the Edu Descendants Family of Epe, Lagos State.

“Our family title is derived from our traditional/customary right of ownership to the entire land in that our family was the first to settle and subsequently own the land from time immemorial.

“That our family is further reinforced by the Certificate of Occupancy dated 16th July 1993 and registered as AG/1/1/1993 covering the Baale Edu Descendant Cooperative Land.”

The family accused the Abomiti community of being economical with the truth regarding the landed property.

READ ALSO: Lagos Resettled Community Battles Army Over Land, Soldiers Attack Residents


“The army is in lawful occupation of a part of our land through us and not through any land grabber and in fact, the army has been inactive possession of the land since 2020.

“The so-called Abomiti Community Development Association are strangers to our land and they have never at any time resided on our family land,” the statement added.

But counsel for the resettled community, Olanrewaju Aiyedun, said the state government granted the Edu family a certificate of occupancy for agricultural purposes, which had expired.

“They applied for its renewal, but the Lagos State Government refused to renew it because they told them they had re-allocated the land to the community. The state government granted the Abomiti community a certificate of occupancy on the land,” he added.

BIG STORY

BREAKING: GTCO Becomes First Banking Stock To Exceed N100 On NGX

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Guaranty Trust Holding Company has achieved a strong mid-market showing during the July 16, 2025, trading session, surpassing the N100 milestone.

This makes GTCO the first banking stock listed under the NGX Banking Index to cross the N100 benchmark, while Stanbic IBTC Holdings remained just below at N99.

The upward movement aligns with the broader positive sentiment in the banking sector, where the NGX Banking Index has gained over 22% so far in July.

The development follows GTCO’s recent dual listing, which involved 2.29 billion ordinary shares being listed on the London Stock Exchange on July 9, 2025, and another 2.28 billion shares added to the Nigerian Exchange the next day.

The stock’s rise appears driven by investor response to its cross-border listing and its strong Q1 2024 financial performance. Month-to-date, GTCO has posted a gain exceeding 27%.

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BIG STORY

BREAKING: Atiku Abubakar Resigns From PDP

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The presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has officially withdrawn his membership from the opposition party.

Atiku submitted his resignation ahead of the 2027 general elections, following confirmation of his involvement in forming a new coalition known as the Alliance Democratic Congress.

The resignation was contained in a letter dated Monday, July 14, 2025, and addressed to the chairman of the PDP in Jada 1 ward, Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State.

A copy of the letter was shared on X by the Special Assistant on Media to the former Vice President on Wednesday.

The letter stated, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the party.

“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.

“As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.

“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for. It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.

“I wish the party and its leadership all the best in the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support.”

 

More to come…

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BIG STORY

EFCC To Appeal Ruling Acquitting Fayose Of Money Laundering Charges

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will challenge the judgment that cleared Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, of money laundering and fraud accusations.

In his decision on a no-case submission, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke ruled that the prosecution did not provide enough evidence to require Fayose to present a defence.

After the judgment, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs stated that the commission would obtain the certified judgment and begin the appeal process.

Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, had been re-arraigned on an 11-count charge of laundering ₦6.9 billion, allegedly during his time as governor.

The charges included allegations that Fayose received ₦1.2 billion for his 2014 campaign and accepted $5 million in cash from Obanikoro, bypassing standard banking procedures.

He was also accused of laundering several sums and using over ₦1.6 billion to purchase properties via proxies and firms such as De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

During the May 19 no-case submission, Kanu Agabi, Fayose’s lawyer, argued that the prosecution failed to prove its case and pointed out that Abiodun Agbele, allegedly central to the transactions, wasn’t charged, which weakened the EFCC’s position.

“With due respect, the predicate offences do not hold water. Criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct offences, and no co-conspirator was charged,” Agabi stated.

He asked the court to find that Fayose had no case to answer.

Olalekan Ojo, lawyer for the second defendant, also submitted a separate no-case application dated March 21, 2025, with supporting documents filed on May 16.

Ojo contended that the main evidence provided by the prosecution, particularly Obanikoro’s testimony, was unreliable since he confirmed there was no direct communication between Fayose and Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser.

Jacobs, however, urged the judge to dismiss the no-case submissions, arguing that there were unexplained financial activities that needed clarification.

He questioned why Fayose didn’t use his personal account if the money was legitimate, referencing EFCC investigator Abubakar Madaki’s claim that Fayose acquired properties through associates who later denied ownership, even though Fayose admitted the properties were his.

“If the money was clean, why not buy the properties in his name?” Jacobs asked.

He also referred to Obanikoro’s account that Fayose requested the money in cash and introduced Agbele to receive it, saying Fayose must explain these actions.

Despite these arguments, the court ruled in favour of the defendants and granted the no-case submission.

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