A 24-year-old labourer, Fahad Bello, was arraigned on Tuesday before a Life Camp Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja on charges of criminal trespass, mischief, and theft of tiles and electric wires valued at ₦7.8 million. Bello, who lives in the Kado Biko area of Gwarinpa, pleaded not guilty to all counts.

According to Police Prosecuting Counsel Mrs. Charity Nwachukwu, the complainant, Mr. Charles Okwudirichukwu of Jabi Park, Abuja, reported the incident to the Life Camp Police Station on May 1.

Nwachukwu told the court that Okwudirichukwu had visited his construction site in Gwarinpa late that night when he “heard some noise inside the ceiling.” Upon investigation, he discovered Bello cutting through already–fixed electric wires.

During the attempted theft, the prosecution said, Bello also damaged a chandelier light worth ₦400,000. Further inquiry revealed that he had already removed building tiles valued at ₦1.3 million, electric wires totalling ₦6 million, and ten aluminium window frames worth ₦500,000.

The police investigation included a confessional statement from Bello admitting he sold the stolen materials to Nura Abubakar, Muhammad Muyi, Isha Abdullahi, and Ismalla Nura. Officers also recovered some of the complainant’s electric wires from Muyi. Another suspect, identified only as Meizamalu, remains at large.

“These offences contravene Sections 348 and 288 of the Panel Code,” Nwachukwu stated in court, referring to the stolen property’s unlawful removal and the destruction of the chandelier.

Chief Magistrate Musa Jobbo granted Bello bail in the sum of ₦500,000, with two sureties each in the same amount. Jobbo stipulated that both sureties must be property owners residing within the court’s jurisdiction.

The magistrate adjourned the matter until June 30 for hearing, instructing the prosecution to serve all witnesses with subpoenas and the defence to prepare any preliminary motions. The courtroom was sparsely attended, with Mr. Okwudirichukwu and one of the alleged buyers present.

Octopuses are considered by biologists to be very crafty, clever, cephalopods, who have multiple brains and three hearts, and can easily manoeuvre their ways around even the most difficult circumstances. These Einsteins of the Deep can be very playful, but you can only underestimate their resourcefulness at your own peril. They can dance in and out of difficult situations, even through very narrow apertures. They can change the colour of their skins, in a tricky manner, and can perform magic with their eight legs. They are very adaptive. They don’t give up once they set their minds on a goal. Even though Octopuses are considered a special delicacy in many parts of the world, they are all venomous, not only the famed blue Octopus, and they have a very sharp mouth. When they strike, after being provoked, the effect is mostly fatal. And when captured and prepared for eating, if they are not prepared properly, they can still cause pain even in death.  

Octopuses are usually solitary animals, but when they live in groups, with fish for example, and interact with others, they are mostly known and likely to exhibit symptoms of narcissistic psychopathy, in an attempt to compete and dominate.  They are essentially predatory but they are highly intelligent animals with both short and long-term memory. In popular literature, the Octopus is often represented as an antagonistic animal either in the novel, Gravity’s Rainbow (1973) by Thomas Pynchon, or the 1948 adventure film, Wake of the Red Witch, directed by Edward Ludwig. It is not for nothing that Octopuses have naturally acquired a celebrity status for their intelligence as an animal oracle. In 2008, an Octopus named Paul correctly chose the winning teams in four of Germany’s six Euro 2008 matches and seven of their matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Paul also correctly predicted Spain as winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final. He was quite a notorious Octopus who acquired a legend status with a statue erected in his name at the Sea Life Aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany - a six-foot replica of Paul clutching a ball as a soccer avatar.  

In 2018, another Octopus, Rabio, was also used to predict matches for the Japanese team. Rabio correctly predicted Japan’s group stage games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But after the competition, the Japanese fisherman who had caught it, sold it. It was eaten.  It was not as lucky as Paul, who featured in films, had a Google Doodle named after him, and a statue erected in its honour. I mix up the registers, “it”, “his” – this is meant as a metaphorical indication of the uncanny correspondence between man and nature, about how certain animals exhibit characteristics that can be found in human beings to the extent that even human beings acknowledge this as a fact of human reality, and the similarities with the animal kingdom, perhaps written into the evolutionary and creationism code. This subject has been explored further in such books as Of Animals and Men: A Comparison of Human and Animal Behavior by William Bixby (1968); Dog and Human Behavior: Parallels-Similarities by C.W. Meisterfeld and Ernest Pecci (2000); and Not so Different: Finding Human Nature in Animals(2016) by Nathan H. Lents. 

Without any disrespect or malice intended, it seems to me that the present Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and former two-term Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike seems to be exhibiting the characteristics of an Octopus in terms of his role within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), confirming the theory, either at the state level in Rivers, his home state or the national level. Wittingly or unwittingly, the fellow has turned himself into an Octopus within the party and by extension in Nigerian politics. He is, to many who know him, a very friendly host, brother, companion and a great conversationalist. There is never a dull moment around Wike. He knows how to entertain. He knows how to make his friends happy.  I knew him at a fairly close range, as a jolly good fellow with an abundant sense of humour and a kind heart, until he left Abuja to become the Governor of Rivers State. The moment he became Governor, he changed his colours. The same man who was taken by Dame Patience Jonathan to elder statesman Dr. Peter Odili for anointing as an incoming Governor changed his colour and character. The same man who served former Governor and former Minister Rotimi Amaechi as an ally and Chief of Staff became something else. 

The venomous Octopus in him came to the fore when he began to demolish the properties of anyone who dared as much as to express a contrary opinion during his tenure as Governor of Rivers state. He had friends of course, but only if he was the dominant Octopus in the room who could have any fish for dinner or snacks. In the last Gubernatorial elections in Rivers State, he declared that he, and he alone would determine who could succeed him. And he did. He chose Simi Fubara, one of the boys he created and groomed into prominence. Fubara used to be his staff, his Accountant General, the boy who signed the withdrawals and monitored the accounts, and kept the records. Wike has never failed to tell anyone that Fubara is “his son”, whom he chose to be Governor. However, problem began when Fubara and those elders and youths of Rivers who have all now gone into hiding, began to assert themselves. Fubara wanted to be his own boss. He no longer wanted to report to the boss. He wanted to be his own man. He was told that his wife is not inferior to Mrs. Wike. She is a woman too and she is First Lady. Fubara acted too early and too soon. 

The moment he began to listen to his new-found managers, the venom in Octopus Wike was instantly released. The travails of Fubara are of course very well advertised. The House of Assembly in Rivers attempted to remove him as Governor. He pulled down the House of Assembly. The lawmakers defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress at the centre, making him vulnerable. He and his supporters went to court. Rivers State has not known peace since then. One day, one trouble! The politics of Rivers state has been a postcard for the evil of godfather and rentier, prebendal politics in Nigeria’s democracy, and Wike is at the centre of it.  The Octopus, sweet as it is as a delicacy, does not like to be threatened or accidentally provoked. Fubara ended up with a declaration of a six-month emergency rule which removed him from office. The man who was appointed as Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette-Ibas (rtd.), for just six months oh!, and he is from Cross River state, not Rivers oh! has been over-enjoying Fubara’s office, even his wife wants to be a First Lady, both under an illegal and unconstitutional dispensation. Fubara has since been reported as having gone to Wike with APC chieftains to beg and genuflect, holding Wike’s legs, kneeling down, prostrating. He has gone to see President Tinubu offshore, also begging. The youths and elders who were backing him are now silent. In fact, he has told them off. He says he doesn’t even want the job again, and that no one should fight on his behalf. He is tired of being Governor, but he has not resigned. Fubara, angou alemou?  Eenango ke lelemoin? Or in Okrika language: Obori se bu chinbo? Let him interpret that. 

The Octopus has eight legs. Even before the last general elections in Rivers State, Octopus Nyesom Wike already had one of his arms, one of his hearts and his beaked mouth in the affairs of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Put simply, he wanted to be a Presidential candidate of the party or at best a Vice Presidential candidate. He was out-manoeuvred by Waziri Adamawa Atiku Abubakar, and others who felt uncomfortable with his brand of politics. Wike adapted very quickly and phrased his position as an ideological preference for a Southern candidate for the PDP - a Northerner, Muhammadu Buhari having completed eight years in office. It was a clever phrasing and disguise of Wike’s personal ambition. He soon found allies within the PDP, and the G-5 coalition, a collection of anti-party PDP fifth columnists, was born. Together with his allies, openly and defiantly, they resolved to work against the PDP, especially in the Presidential elections. And they did. Wike campaigned for the APC and Tinubu in the Presidential elections.  

As he wished and designed it, the PDP lost the 2023 Presidential election. Wike is not apologetic about this. He has been handsomely rewarded with the position of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. He has since become something of an amphibious character, serving in an APC government and working very hard to destroy the PDP as a political party. He has refused to resign from the PDP, and nobody has been able to expel him. The Octopus has both short and long memory. At every point since 2023, Minister Wike has not hidden the fact that he is out on a revenge mission against the PDP. He seeks to control and dominate the party. The latest that he has done is to declare this past weekend that he will not respect any agreements with the PDP going forward. He is fighting Governor Seyi Makinde, who was a member of his G5, and also Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State who at a time was his good friend. He says he will fight the PDP to the finish. He has since sealed off the Wadata Plaza, the headquarters of the PDP in Abuja on the grounds that the party is owing ground rent. He is Minister of the FCT. He has the powers to do so. Sometimes, I actually believe that Wike is far more intelligent than the other gladiators that surround him in the PDP. They could have expelled him from the party long ago. But they have not been able to do so.  They have waited for so long, Wike who is openly romancing with the APC and the ruling APC President Tinubu is now threatening to destroy the PDP, and he is still a member of the party. Like the Octopus, he has dominated the PDP ecosystem! If tomorrow he demolishes the PDP Headquarters in Abuja, there will be nothing amiss. He wants his own person as National Secretary of the party. The Acting Chairman of the PDP says he is Wike’s friend. Wike’s entire relevance is owed to the same party, the same PDP which he wants to destroy. He was Chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government under PDP, Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Amaechi under PDP, Minister of State for Education under PDP, and two-term Governor of Rivers state, again under PDP. He is unfortunately, the Judas Iscariot of the party. He thinks the PDP belongs to him to do with it as he wishes. He thinks he is bigger than the PDP!

The caveat emptor for Wike’s new-found friends in the APC, particularly President Bola Tinubu is to beware. The Octopus never changes its legs, its colour, its beaked mouth, its venom. It may be sweet today; it could be bitter tomorrow. Wike has one of his legs in the APC and his strongest armour is the patronage and the support that he receives from President Bola Tinubu. Naturally intelligent Octopus Wike never misses an opportunity to suck up to the President and to advertise his loyalty. The Octopus loves safe spaces, and Wike has found one in Tinubu’s patronage. His continued relevance rests solely on this. The moment Tinubu turns against him, as his arch-enemies wish, that would be the beginning of his retirement and the end of his relevance. There are red signals on display already. Wike is a Minister under Tinubu’s administration. He has consistently failed the power test by trying to upstage the Master. He holds more media conferences than President Tinubu. He even invites more journalists to media chats in which he does more of the talking, and the journalists just mop and hem and haw. His posters are all over the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in the same city where the President of Nigeria lives! He is practically the Saddam Hussein of Abuja. He even has more vocal spokespersons than the President’s team. 

The Octopus has a short life span, one to five years, but that is because Octopuses breed only once in their lifetime and they die shortly thereafter. Paul the Octopus died at the age of two and a half years. Rabio, the Octopus was sold by his owner and he ended up on a dinner plate. Nyesom Wike is a human being, his DNA is different. We wish him many more years of service but in terms of his fame and political career, I imagine it is safe to ask him: How far? What exactly is this all about? Whatever happens to Wike hereafter in the wild life of politics, it is clear that he is certainly one of the most colourful figures in contemporary Nigerian politics like Lamidi Adedibu (the exponent of Amala politics) and Anthony Anenih (“Mr. Fix it”) before him.

Former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola has alleged that politicians crossing into the All Progressives Congress, APC, were doing so because they may have committed a crime and due to selfishness.

Oyinlola also expressed surprise that politicians from different political parties are defecting to the ruling APC, despite the current hardship and economic challenges in the country.

Making this known during a live radio political programme in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyinlola said the APC-led federal government has failed to live up to its campaign promises to the people.

Speaking about the high rate of defection by members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party, LP, and others to the APC, the former governor hinted that the politicians who have decamped did not do so with the blessing of the masses and electorates who elected them into office.

In his words, “For me, two things can be the reason why they are moving to the APC. The first is that maybe they have committed a crime, and they want a soft landing, thereby going to the APC to save themselves.

“The second thing is selfishness. Those decamping are selfish because I’ve not heard anyone of them saying they are decamping because of the masses. It is about themselves.”

DAILY POST had reported that prominent politicians across the political divide have defected in droves to the APC.

In Delta State, Governor Sheriff Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy, members of the state House of Assembly, National Assembly and the PDP machinery all defected to the APC.

Also, in Akwa Ibom State, reports emerged that the state governor, Umo Eno has revealed that he intends to defect to the APC.

Governor Eno, it was reported, also warned his political appointees to decamp with him and urged those not willing to resign from his administration.

Wole Oke, the member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State also resigned from the PDP and pitched his political tent with the APC, a move which has drawn condemnation from members of the party in the state

Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, says Saudi Arabian authorities barred him from performing the 2025 hajj despite holding a valid visa.

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, the cleric said the Saudi Arabian authorities were “uncomfortable with his presence at the Hajj”, despite his possession of a visa.

“Alhamdulillahi I’ve already completed my Hajj 2025 and I’m at home in our beloved country Nigeria,” Gumi’s statement reads.

“Allah said in Q2/196: And accomplish the Hajj i.e pilgrimage and the Umra for Allah, but if, you are prevented, (slaughter) the offering available with you. (meaning, you are then free from Hajj or Umra).

“For some obvious reasons, my views about the world politics, the Saudi authorities are uncomfortable about my presence in Hajj after giving me the Hajj Visa.”

Gumi thanked Nigerian authorities, who he said have pledged to take up the matter immediately with Saudi authorities.

“That is the value of our cherished freedom and democracy. I’m now free to attend to my health and farming activities,” he said.

“We should continue to pray for the safe return of all pilgrims, peace and prosperity for our dear nation.”

Meanwhile, according to BBC, Gumi was among the delegation of scholars sponsored by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to travel to Saudi Arabia for religious services.

He reportedly arrived in Madinah with other clerics last Saturday at around 10:30pm on an Umza flight.

But upon arrival at the city’s airport, immigration officials prevented the cleric from entering the country.

The Abia police command says its operatives have arrested a couple – Blessing Emebo and Sunday Emebo – for operating an unregistered home in their apartment at Ikot Ekpene road, in the Aba area of the state.

In a statement issued on Monday, Maureen Chinaka, spokesperson of the command, said operatives also rescued 12 children from the home on May 19.

Chinaka said the children, who are between two months and 14 years, are from different villages in Arochukwu LGA of the state.

The police spokesperson added that the rescued children have been handed over to the state ministry of women’s affairs for custody.

“Nine male children were found with the duo, which includes Ojiugo Caleb, 14; Christian Okoro, 12; Samuel Okoro, 13; Clinton Nkemakolam, 9; and Godwin Emmanuel, 10,” the statement reads.

“Others are Osinachi Nkemakolam, 6; Marvellous Emmanuel, 5; David Emmanuel, 7; and Testimony Emebo, 2 months old.

“The females among the children are Ogechi Nkemakolam, 9, Chinaza Okoro, 9, and Anointing Okoro, 7.

“The suspects are currently undergoing interrogation at the State CID, Umuahia, and will soon be arraigned in court at the conclusion of the investigation.

“The command is committed to ensuring the reduction of crime and criminality in the state, and so we advise the public to stay security-conscious and ensure children’s safety.”

The house of representatives committee on federal capital territory (FCT) area councils and ancillary matters has summoned Mariya Bunkure, the FCT minister of state.

Fredrick Agbedi, chairman of the committee, issued the summons during the panel’s sitting on Monday, citing the minister’s alleged failure to appear for the FCT budget defence.

Agbedi said if Bunkure and other department heads fail to appear on Tuesday, action will be taken against them.

“It is the resolve of this committee that the minister of state and all the agencies appear before this committee by 4pm tomorrow, the 27th day of May 2025,” he said.

“Failure to do that, this committee will involve appropriate legislative powers against the minister of state and the agencies.

“It is also worrisome to see that this all-important budget session is only being attended by three agencies out of 14 departments under the jurisdiction of this committee.

“How do you expect this committee to conclude our work and make recommendations for the house? It means that Mr President has to take some further steps to ensure that his appointees handling some of these very important assignments with levity are directed to wake up to their responsibilities.”

President Bola Tinubu transmitted N1,783 trillion as the FCT budget for the 2025 fiscal year to the national assembly early this month.

Tinubu asked the national assembly to ensure expeditious consideration of the FCT appropriation.

Last week, Nyesom Wike, minister of FCT, appeared before the senate and house of representatives’ committees on appropriation to defend the budget.

Wike said out of the N1.78 trillion budget, N1.28 trillion, representing 72.3 percent, is allocated to capital projects, while N494.1 billion, 27.7 percent, will cover recurrent expenditure.

Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, says no local government area in the state will be allowed to fall into the hands of insurgents.

Zulum spoke on Monday while addressing journalists after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

The governor said the meeting was to brief the president on the security challenges in Borno and other parts of northern Nigeria.

“Things are not getting very well in northern Nigeria, particularly in the north-east,” he said.

Zulum said insurgents have recently stepped up attacks in the state, targeting military formations and civilian populations.

He said the federal government had been responsive to the state’s plea for intervention.

“We made a plea to the federal government, and I believe within the last couple of days, the Nigerian armed forces have taken certain decisions that will curtail the imminence of the insurgency,” he said.

Zulum said one of the major responses under consideration is the creation of forest guards to provide ground-level intelligence and defence.

“That will be a game-changer,” he said.

He noted that terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP are deploying advanced weaponry in their operations.

The governor said his administration would continue to mobilise local volunteers to support the military and protect communities.

“On my own part, as the governor of Borno state, I will not relent in my effort in strengthening the resilience of our community,” he said.

He vowed that no part of the state would be surrendered to insurgents.

“It will never happen now. I believe, inshallah, with the support of the Nigerian Army and with the support of the Armed Forces, we will not leave a single local government to fall into the hands of the insurgents,” he added.

Zulum expressed confidence that the joint efforts of federal and state authorities would yield the desired results.

On May 21, the governor of Borno accused some Nigerian politicians and members of the armed forces of acting as informants for Boko Haram terrorists.

“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly,” Zulum said while speaking to News Central TV

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested three employees of Wema Bank over the alleged N8.5 billion fraud.

The bank employees — Samuel Ihechukwu, Fabian Chizaram and Kingsley Kelechi Ejim — were arraigned on Monday at the federal high court in Lagos on an eight-count bordering on alleged conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

They were arraigned alongside their alleged accomplices, Hanna Okunlola, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Chukwuka Ubaku and Sunday Osademe.

“That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU, EJIM KINGSLEY KELECHI, HAMZA ZAKARIA, ONYEIMACHI FABIAN, ACHIONU CHUKWUKA UBAKA, ADESOKAN, HANNAH OKUNLOLA, Nurudeen Ibrahim (at large). Alhaji Sulaiman (at large) and other persons at large sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domicile in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc. in order to confer economic benefit to yourselves, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act,” the charge sheet reads.

“That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court knowingly and without authority caused the loss of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Sixty-eight Milion, Ninety Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) property of Wema Bank Plc. by altering, erasing and inputting data held in accounts domicile in Wema Bank Pic. computer for the purpose of conferring economic benefit on yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”

When the charge sheet was read, they pleaded not guilty.

After the defendants took their pleas, Aso Peters, the prosecution counsel, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendants be remanded in the correctional facility.

However, the defence counsel appealed to the court that Okunlola be remanded in the EFCC custody because of her ill health.

The request was granted by Daniel Osiagor, the trial judge.

Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6 for trial and remanded five of the defendants in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), while Ejim was to continue on his existing bail

John Adetola, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told an Ikeja high court that there was no documentation of the $400,000 he allegedly handed to Godwin Emefiele, the former Central Bank Governor (CBN).

Adetola, an executive assistant to the former CBN governor, testified on Monday while being cross-examined by Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Emefiele.

Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on receiving gratification and corrupt demands while he was the CBN governor.

Henry Omoile, Emefiele’s co-defendant, is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by a public officer.

During cross-examination, Adetola admitted that he did not provide the EFCC with WhatsApp chats or phone call records to prove he had informed Emefiele about collecting the money on his behalf.

He recounted that in 2018, a man identified as Eric Odoh sent a WhatsApp message, instructing him to collect the money from one John Ayoh and deliver it to Emefiele upon his arrival in Lagos.

“I went to John Ayoh’s house at Lekki; he gave me an envelope. I came back to the office and gave it to the former CBN governor,” Adetola told the court.

He denied entering into any agreement with the EFCC to testify against Emefiele in exchange for immunity from prosecution, adding that the agency confronted him with WhatsApp printouts related to the transaction.

While being cross-examined by Adeyinka Kotoye, counsel to the second defendant, the witness stated that he had no dealings with Omoile.

During re-examination by Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC counsel, Adetola was asked why he failed to document the alleged $400,000 transaction.

“I didn’t see any need for it,” he replied.

Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, discharged the witness and adjourned the case until May 27 for the continuation of the trial.

A suspected suicide bomber has died in Abuja on Monday.

This comes after an explosion suspected to have been caused by the bomber.

Another person was reportedly injured in the explosion, said to be triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED).

AIT reports that an eyewitness – a military personnel who did not give his name – said the man, believed to be a suicide bomber, was killed by an explosive contained in a rubber can close to Mogadishu Barrack in Abuja

However, military authorities present at the scene said the situation could be an explosion from a phone device and not IED.

At the time of this report, personnel of the military, DSS, police and officers of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, are still taking inventory of the situation.