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‘It’s Impossible To Return To My Vomit’ - Alaafin's ex-wife, Queen Dami Denies Plan To Reunite With Portable
AFOLABI
Queen Damilola, popularly called Queen Dami and former girlfriend of controversial Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola a.k.a. Portable, has denied her reported plan to reconcile with the singer in a video that surfaced online on Thursday.
The estranged lovers again become the cynosure of the social media space after the leaked conversation between Dami and Portable suggesting possible comeback of Damilola after they parted ways sometimes in December.
In a video seen by this newspaper on Friday, Queen Dami, addressing the singer, denied making the moves to return to Okikiola.
“Is it impossible to returm to my vomit,” she said while accusing her former boyfriend of exposing her to ridicule.
“Is it not that you ridiculed me, Portable? Let’s wait and see how you too will be ridiculed, except I dealt with you with double standards, or did I tell you that I wanted to return to you?”
Damilola explained that Portable told her that his wife slipped into his DM on Thursday because he told her that Queen Dami wanted to come back. She narrated that Portable said his wife started abusing and fighting him even when she didn’t nurse a plan to return to him. “Did I accept all you told me?
Queen Dami said Portable also asked to take her before his Ifa oracle to swear if she another man has not had sexual intercourse with her since they parted ways.
“I said I cannot swear. I said I’m fed with you, Portable. Whoever listened to the voice note. I told him that I’ve prayed for you in the voice note.
“What then is your problem? Due to what the people told you and my refusal to swear, you now went to post ‘cut and join’ video on your story to ridicule me.”
She challenged Portable to post their full conversation from the beginning. “Now, post where I began chatting with you. We were chatting without doing video call. Post everything,” she demanded.
The ex-lovers have continued to court controversies after their breakup late 2024 over relationship scandal with Portable accusing Queen Dami of infidelity, abortion, and keeping relationships with multiple men, among them, Fuji singers.
For her part, Queen Dami has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as defamatory.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at the early hours of Friday abducted Mrs. Odumosu, wife of a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu.
Mrs. Odumosu was abducted at the gate of her residence in the Arepo axis of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State while returning home from an outing.
LEADERSHIP gathered that wife of the retired police boss was about entering her home when four masked men shooting sporadically into the air attacked her, dragged her down from her Lexus Jeep and took her through the swampy areas to an unknown destination.
Spokesperson of the Ogun Command of Nigeria Police Force, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital, said the command has swiftly reacted by deploying operatives to secure her release.
“Information was received regarding the kidnapping of Mrs. Odumosu, a female resident of Aminu Street, Arepo, Ogun State,” she stated.
She added that the Divisional Police Officer has led a team of Police officers to the scene, where they are currently searching the swampy bush area.
The Divisional Police Officer has also contacted Baale Warewa and Baale Maaba, to deploy local security forces to the reverrine area.
She further stated that the State’s Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has been briefed “and all covert operations have been deployed to assist with digital intelligence to ensure she is rescued unhurt.”
The pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, have risen to between N1,050 and N1,150/litre depending on the area of purchase, following the hike in the cost of the commodity by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and various depot owners.
Dealers confirmed that PMS prices would continue to rise since the major component in fuel production, crude oil, has been on the upward swing lately.
The National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo, earlier alluded to this when he pointed out that petrol prices might soon rise if the cost of crude oil continued to increase.
“The crude price rose to $80 per barrel today (Thursday). Without exchange rate improvements, PMS prices will increase in the coming weeks,” Osifo stated in Lagos.
On Friday, there was an upward adjustment in the price of petrol produced by the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery.
The $20bn plant raised its PMS from N899/litre to N955/litre at its loading gantry.
The refinery, in an email statement sent to its customers and obtained by one of our correspondents, said its refined products would now be priced at the new cost.
It noted that marketers buying between two million and 4.99 million litres would now buy at N955/litre, while five million litres and above would buy at N950/litre.
The amount marks an increase of N55.5 or 6.17 per cent from N899.50/litre announced as a holiday discount for Nigerians last December.
This adjustment applies to all stock balances yet to be lifted by the stated time, while pending stock as of the effective time will also be repriced at the updated rates.
The statement added that the new price regime took effect from 5:30pm on Friday.
The notice, titled, ‘Communication on PMS Price Review’, read, “Dear esteemed customer, Trust this email finds you well.
“Kindly be advised that effective from 5:30 pm today (Friday), an upward adjustment has been implemented on the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit. Quantity Previous Price (NGN/Litre): 2 million-9.99 million – N899.50; 10 million litres & above – N895.
“Quantity New Price (NGN/ Litre): 2 million – 4.99 million – N955; 5 million litres & above – N950.
“Please note that all stock balances yet to be lifted as of the above-stated time are to be repriced at the new reviewed prices. We shall communicate with customers on their revised volumes based on the reviewed prices, in due course.”
The price increase sparked widespread effects on the downstream petroleum sector, particularly private depots and retail markets.
Findings showed that private depots, despite having old stocks, increased their loading costs to N970 in Lagos and N1,000 in Calabar.
A breakdown analysing petrol price movements at loading depots after the announcement of the new price showed that Sahara depot increased its loading price by N20 to N970/litre from N950/litre on Thursday.
Pinnacle Depot increased its price to N970 from N921, while Wosbab Depot made a similar change to N965 from the N940 it sold a litre of petrol on Thursday.
NIPCO increased its loading costs by N30 to N980 from N950 on Thursday.
Also, a private depot, Rainoil, increased its loading costs to N970 from N950. A private depot, Alkanes, in Calabar, asked retailers to pay N1,000/litre to receive products.
Zone 4 and Mainland depots increased their loading costs to N1,005/litre from N985, which sold products on Thursday.
Marketers speak
Oil marketers operating under the auspices of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria projected a steep increase in the retail cost of petrol, stressing it could hit N1,100/litre in Lagos and neighbouring states.
IPMAN also said petrol customers in the Federal Capital Territory might pay N1,150 for a litre.
The IPMAN National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, said the product would now trade for more than N1,000/litre, especially in hinterlands nationwide.
He stressed that the new change was due to the recent surge in the price of crude oil globally.
Ukadike said, “Yes, Dangote has increased its price to N955. This is only because of the increase in Brent crude. Once it increases, the domestic production cost will also increase.
“Nigerians will likely pay over N1,150 at faraway locations, while locations close to the depot will pay N1,100. This is because we will add about N50 logistics costs. Currently, ex-depot prices have increased to N980.
“This change is immediate because crude oil prices, too, are immediate. The refinery told us it has taken effect today, which means prices have increased already. Deregulation in this sector means price will be controlled by forces of demand and supply.
“So, if the force of supply says Brent crude has increased, it means domestic costs will also change. It is no longer funny now. Even marketers are affected by this up-and-down dwindling of prices. It affects our business.”
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria said retailers could not buy a litre of petrol and sold at N1,000/litre, adding that the margin would be higher than N45.
The PETROAN National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the Dangote PMS was exclusive of charges imposed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and that would form part of what retailers would add to the margin.
Though Gillis-Harry said he could not confirm the exact price of petrol at filling stations, he noted that it would be higher than N1,000/litre.
According to him, PETROAN members would still sell at N935/litre due to the agreement they have with MRS Oil, pending when the agreement changes.
“I’ve already told you that it’s difficult to do any effective amateur projection on price modulation. One of the reasons is that the cost of the production, the selling price, and the landing price, all of that will be taken into consideration. And the PIA (Petroleum Industry Act) has given provisions for how the price will be computed.
“So, at all times, we’ve got to depend on the PIA’s prescription for pricing. You know, the other day you called me and you told me about an association that said the price could be N500/litre. You can see how false the projections are. So, that means they are not informed by any empirical value,” Gillis-Harry stated.
He spoke further that since he got information about the price change, his team had been making analysis.
“So, before I can speak on prices, I must get the feedback from them, from at least 10 states, and maybe four or five depots. So, for today, you can quote me to say, yes, there is going to be a price change, but that price can only come, maybe by the close of tomorrow (Saturday).
“Because right now, we still have an obligation with the MRS to be selling at N935, and some of us bought products there. So, if they change their prices because of the Dangote price, then the conversation will be different.
“After the price of buying, there must be the price of logistics. Once that is computed, we can then look at what is the most humane profit margin,” he submitted.
An oil and gas expert, Olatide Jeremiah, said depots were poised to increase the loading price of refined petroleum products because of the heavy influence of the refinery.
Jeremiah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of petroleumprice.ng, said, “Dangote refinery’s influence on fuel price has become unmatched; private depots, major marketers, and independent marketers will compete with this new price. Therefore, Nigerians should expect an increase in the pump prices of petrol.
“Brent crude oil as of today (Friday) is $81.84, highest in 2025, it is one major factor for the increase.”
The US Supreme Court has upheld a law that bans TikTok in the country unless its China-based parent company ByteDance sells the platform by this Sunday.
TikTok had challenged the law, arguing it would violate free speech protections for the more than 170 million users it says it has in the US.
But that argument was rejected unanimously by the nation’s highest court, meaning TikTok must now find an approved buyer for the US version of the app or face removal from app stores and web hosting services.
The White House said it would fall to incoming President Donald Trump’s administration, which takes office on Monday, to enforce the law. Trump vowed to make a decision in the “not too distant future”.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, who is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration with other high-profile guests, said he wanted to thank the incoming president for his commitment to work with the app and keep it available in the US.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers voted to ban the video-sharing app last year, over concerns about its links to the Chinese government. TikTok has repeatedly stated it does not share information with Beijing.
Passed in April last year, the law allows TikTok owner ByteDance until 19 January 2025 to sell the US version of the platform to a neutral party to avert an outright ban.
It would mean that from Sunday, Apple and Google will no longer offer the app to new users or provide any security updates to current users – which could kill it off eventually.
ByteDance has vowed not to sell TikTok and said it planned to shut US operations of the app on Sunday unless there is a reprieve.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has described the N800bn allocated to the ministry in the 2025 budget proposal as inadequate to fix the country’s road infrastructural needs.
Umahi, a two-time governor of Ebonyi State, disclosed this on Friday at a 2025 budget defence session, hosted by the House Committee on Works.
He called on the committee to consider reviewing the ministry’s budgetary allocation in the 2025 fiscal year upward.
“We plead with you to help us. N800bn cannot do anything for us. It cannot address our road needs and so we plead with you to help us,” Umahi said.
He urged the committee to give the ministry adequate funding to enable it to complete ongoing projects as well as commence work on new projects spread across the country.
Umahi added that the number of road projects the ministry intended to fix couldn’t be funded from the ‘meagre budget envelope,’ stressing that borrowing money to fix the country’s infrastructural needs for the greatness of the nation was a step in the right direction.
“When the nation is in recession, you have to borrow money and do infrastructure. That is how you come out of a recession. It is the infrastructure that is going to be a catalyst for economic activities and then this hunger we are talking about will be a thing of the past. The food sellers will be there, those doing sharp sand, those doing gravel and so on. Support Mr President and let’s borrow money and do this infrastructure so that Nigeria will be great again,” Umahi said.
The chairman of the committee, Akin Alabi, promised to summon the Minister of Finance, and the Head of the Budget Office to explain the rationale behind the low budget of the ministry.
A Nasarawa State High Court has ordered the remand of Timilehin Ajayi, an acclaimed gospel singer, after he was allegedly found in possession of the severed head of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Salome Adaidu.
The directive was disclosed in a brief statement posted on Friday by the Nasarawa State Police Command via its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
According to the statement, Ajayi was presented before the court as part of preliminary proceedings, pending his formal arraignment.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with many demanding swift justice for the tragic loss of the young corps member.
The statement read, “Timilehin Ajayi was charged to court today and remanded in prison custody pending his formal arraignment.”
News360 Nigeria reported on Tuesday that Ajayi was arrested by churchgoers for allegedly killing and dismembering Adaidu, for suspected ritual purposes.
The church’s Bible Study Teacher and General Secretary, Caleb Umaru, had explained that a member noticed Ajayi acting suspiciously near a river.
He claimed that the said member alerted others when Ajayi threw a bag into the river, which was later retrieved and found to contain his girlfriend’s severed head.
The suspect, who had admitted to committing the crime, however, said he had no regret for his action.
He had alleged that the late Adaidu, who was his girlfriend, was cheating on him which prompted him to kill her.
Meanwhile, members of the deceased family had claimed that their sister was never in a relationship with the suspect and that contrary to reports that Adaidu had visited the suspect, she was allegedly kidnapped.
The President Tinubu Government has spent a total of N9.74bn on the procurement and distribution of food items as part of efforts to mitigate the impact of the food crisis across the country in 2024.
This is according to data from BudgIT’s platform, GovSpend, a civic-tech organisation advocating for transparency and accountability.
A significant portion of the funds was allocated for the supply of rice, beans, maize, and other staple food items.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security spearheaded these initiatives, with multiple payments made to contractors for the emergency supply of palliative foodstuffs to federal constituencies across the country.
Among the key transactions were payments to contractors for the supply of rice, beans, and gari, aimed at alleviating hunger in vulnerable communities.
Payments, often amounting to approximately N85.45m per constituency, were carried out across various regions from February to November 2024.
Data revealed that the same amount of N85,454,545.46 was expended for each federal constituency that benefited from the palliatives in states including Kano, Ogun, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, Jigawa, Ekiti, Oyo, Lagos, Bauchi, Rivers, Borno, Sokoto, and Enugu, bringing the total expenditure to N9.74bn.
Despite this substantial financial outlay, concerns have been raised about the programme’s effectiveness in addressing the root causes of food insecurity.
An economist at Lotus Beta Analytics, Shedrach Israel, argued that palliatives alone cannot resolve Nigeria’s food crisis.
“While food palliatives are crucial for addressing immediate hunger, they do not tackle the systemic issues contributing to food insecurity, such as inflation and structural deficiencies in agricultural systems.
“We need sustainable economic policies that prioritise increasing local agricultural productivity and improving distribution networks to reduce dependency on external food aid,” he said.
Israel added that the N9.74bn spent on food palliatives could have been invested in long-term agricultural innovations and infrastructure development, which would provide lasting solutions to food insecurity.
Similarly, a Kaduna-based agricultural economist, La’ah Dauda, highlighted the need for a more holistic approach to tackling the food crisis.
“The government’s focus on distributing palliatives is a short-term fix to an ongoing agricultural crisis. While essential, these measures fail to address underlying issues such as inadequate irrigation systems, insufficient storage facilities, and weak market access that continue to hinder agricultural productivity across the country,” he said.
Popular Nigerian televangelist, Mike Bamiloye has alleged that scientists are trying to invent a fake rapture which could lead to the disappearance of many people.
He claimed they were doing this to make Christians confused so they would no longer believe in the real rapture.
He shared a screenshot from a Facebook post with the faces of two extraterrestrial beings with a caption that reads: "The extraterrestrial invasion is imminent. It will take 10,000 people in 2025."
Adding his own caption, Mike Bamiloye wrote: "YOU DONT BELIEVE IN THE IMMINENT RAPTURE? TO MANY SIGNS AND SIGNALS AROUND US.
"Even the Scientists and the World Powers believe that there is an imminent occurrence that would lead to the disappearances of many people.
"They are trying so hard to give an explanation to it ahead of time.
"They are also working secretly on a Scientific and technological invention that would make so many people vanish without trace.
"They are perfecting that technology, so that the Enemy, the Devil can get us confused.
"They are trying to invent FAKE RAPTURE, in order to distract our preparation from the Actual Rapture.
"We have cone to the Season of Great Delusion.
"All around us now are news and reports of UFO (unidentified Flying Objects) and emerging of Strange beings from the Land, Air and from the Oceans.
"We are beginnjng to see creatures that are half human and half sea creatures, unbelievable images of beings coming out of the belly of the Seas.
"Water is flowing in Arabian deserts, The biggest river in the World, The Euphrates, drying up to receal unbelievable Caves on the river beds. The Antarctica ice wall melting to show strange images buried under ice for thousands of years.
"Robots, human machines are already mixing with human to do the jobs human are employed to do.
"Robotic AnteNatal Clinic is being secretly created where babies could be developed in the wombs of Robot and sold to intending buyers.
"Robotic Female wives are being made to be make available for intending buyers, in place of human wives.
"Things are cooking in the skies and on the seas. So many strange and fearful signs and very deadly Natural Disasters and Pandemics.
"The new Virus that is sorrading in China and have been found in UK has been tagged Quademic!
"TOO MANY SIGNS ARE POINTING TO THE IMMINENT SOUND OF THE TRUMPET FOR US TO MEET THE LORD IN THE CLOUDS AT THE RAPTURE."
The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed speculations that Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, refuted the claims, describing them as baseless.
Naija News understands that reports had emerged of possible defection plans involving at least five first-term governors from opposition parties, including Alex Otti of Abia, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, and Umoh Eno of Akwa Ibom. While Mbah, Fubara, Eno, and Oborevwori belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otti is a member of the Labour Party. Both parties are currently grappling with internal challenges following the 2023 elections.
Addressing the allegations, Ifoh reiterated that there is no truth to the claim that Governor Otti intends to leave the Labour Party.
“It is a mere rumour and I hope it remains so. For us in the Labour Party, we are in touch with our governor, Dr. Alex Otti, and he has assured us that he is not going anywhere, ahead of 2027. We believe that he will stay with us, irrespective of some of the issues which we are working hard to resolve,” he said.
Ifoh acknowledged that party defection is a common occurrence in a democratic system but emphasized that Governor Otti has no plans to align with the APC.
“The courts have come up several times to make interpretation as regards Section 84 of the 1999 Constitution, and many people who had defected at one time or the other had been challenged in court. So, if five governors are planning to defect, it won’t be a new thing, as it had happened in the past,” Ifoh explained.
He attributed the rumors of defection to difficulties some opposition governors face in managing their states but maintained that such speculations about Otti hold no credibility.
“We are good in Labour Party, and our governor is with us. We are hoping that by 2027, we will have more governors in our fold,” he added.
The family of a two-year-old pupil identified as Ella, whose lifeless body was found in the pool of Smiley Kids Montessori School in the Sangotedo area of Lagos has called on the Lagos State Government to unravel the circumstances surrounding her death.
The sad incident which occurred on Wednesday 15th January, 2025 is suspected by the family to be a case of electrocution, alleging that the baby’s body was placed in the swimming pool to fake it as a drowning incident.
Outcries by Netizens for proper investigation and justice over the incident has gained traction when an X user Bella said to be the mother of the deceased pupil suspected foul play by the school authority over the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.
She posted, “Dear Lagos State Government, Our daughter, 2 years old went to school yesterday and did not return alive.
“The pool has barricades, how can a child of 2 years climb?
“Please help us get justice for our baby. She just celebrated her 2yr birthday in November last year, left home well for school on 15/1/2024 and never came back alive.
“How do you have a pool on school premises without proper monitoring?
“They lied she drowned in the pool but we have been able to find out it’s electrocution, and they dropped her in the pool to look as if it was drowning.
“Now they are lying to other parents that the school is closed because of maintenance instead of telling the truth.
“If nothing is done to close down that school, other parents may cry for their own kids attending the school.”
The deceased child’s mother alleged in a series of chats shared online.
She added that, “After they called in the afternoon to inform us of the incident on the 15th, yesterday we went to the school and discovered the water dispenser was plugged in and exposed, which is where she was.
“If you see the pool, no way she was going to go very close to it, it’s not possible.
“It is just a cover-up story. We demanded CCTV footage, they said it was not possible. A school that collects thousands as school fees.”
However, it has been gathered that the school proprietor and five other staff members of the school have been apprehended and taken to the Ogonbo Police Station in Sangoteso area of Ajah.
Sources hinted that the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti on Friday.
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In recognition of his contributions and leadership, the chairman/chief executive officer (CEO) of Stanel Group and The Delborough Lagos, Dr Stanley Uzochukwu, has made the list of African leaders to attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald J. Trump in Washington on January 20.
The invitation was contained in a letter addressed to the young Nigerian usiness leader Dr. Uzochukwu dated January 13, 2025, signed by the chairman, Multicultural Coalition U.S. President Inaugural Ball Committee, Dr. J. Mark Burns.
It reads in part, “On behalf of The Multicultural Coalition U.S. Presidential Inauguration Ball host Committee honoring President Elect Donald J. Trump, it is my distinct honor and privilege to extend to you an invitation to our Inaugural Ball celebrating the commencement of the U.S. Presidential Inauguration.
“This prestigious event will be held on January 20th, 2025 at the Washington Times Building Arbor Ballroom, located at 3600 New York Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20002.
“In recognition of your exceptional contributions and leadership, as highlighted by a recommendation from the African Legacies Institute under the guidance of Madame Franya E. Cabral Ruiz, we would be especially honored to have your presence at this distinguished event.”
Recall that ‘The Delborough Lagos’ boss, Dr Stanley Uzochukwu, was also among the African leaders that were invited and attended the swearing-in of President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana on January 7, 2025.
Leading the delegation of The African Legacies Institute to the U.S. Presidential Inauguration of Trump will be H.E. Hailemariam, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
It will also be recalled that the Stanel boss stood on the same platform with President Trump and other world leaders at Liberty University, USA during a U.S./Africa CEOs Summit in 2020
Adura Aloba, brother of Mohbad, has responded to accusations made by actor Yomi Fabiyi regarding the singer’s death.
Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, and was buried the following day. However, on September 21, 2023, his body was exhumed by the police for an autopsy.
At a recent press conference, Fabiyi claimed that Adura had knowledge of the cause of Mohbad’s death and had requested money to share a video supporting his claim.
According to the actor, Adura messaged him on Instagram, saying he had evidence that could help unravel the cause of Mohbad’s death.
Fabiyi alleged that Adura requested N3 million to share the video that supposedly showed Mohbad’s wife Wunmi pushing the singer down the stairs during an altercation.
However, Adura denied the allegations, arguing that he did not create the video in question and that “Mohbad himself recorded it”.
He explained that he had sold Mohbad’s phone to someone who had access to the video.
Adura also confronted Fabiyi, stating that he had tried to explain the situation earlier. He accused Fabiyi of trying to tarnish his name.
“Firstly, I do not have much to say. This thing is in court already. So I do not need to say much. I cannot know about my brother’s death and keep quiet all these days. I am now so surprised. This video we are talking about is like three years ago. And I was not the one that did the video, it was Moh himself on the phone I sold to Damola. And the video was on that phone,” he said.
“I was the one who chatted Mr Yomi. And I had tried to make him understand. (Facing Fabiyi) You were invited and they told you who was chatting with you. And you insisted on the TikTok live. I saw everything on the TikTok live.
“Mohbad did the video and it was on his phone for more than three years ago… When I sold the phone to Damola, about a week later, I started seeing his messages with Mr Yomi. That was how it all happened. Mr Yomi is trying to tarnish my name that I did it.”
Abosede Aloba, Mohbad’s mum, also clashed with Fabiyi over the accusation against Adura.
3 Nigerians bag jail term in US for $2m fraud scheme targeting elderly, vulnerable individuals
AFOLABI
Three Nigerians in the US have been sentenced for their involvement in a prolonged fraud scheme that frequently targeted elderly victims, according to authorities.
Fatai Okunola, 38, of Kalamazoo, received a prison sentence of just over 10 years for his role in the conspiracy and was ordered to pay more than $730,000 in restitution.
Okunola was sentenced to five years for making false statements during naturalization and 10 years for money laundering, with all sentences to run concurrently.
Two residents of Dallas were also sentenced. Oluwaseyi Adeola, 34, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison and ordered to pay approximately $410,000 in restitution.
Ijeoma Adeola, 36, received three years’ probation for misprision of a felony and was ordered to pay just under $49,000 in restitution.
The defendants conspired with individuals in Nigeria to scam U.S. residents, many of whom were elderly or vulnerable.
The Nigerian partners used fake personas to develop relationships over the internet, social media, text, or phone, then solicited money from the victims.
Victims were instructed to send funds to the defendants, who opened multiple bank accounts and maintained P.O. boxes under alias names and shell businesses.
The defendants then transferred the money among themselves and to their Nigerian partners.
Okunola also used some funds to assist individuals in purchasing cars in the U.S. and shipping them to Nigeria.
Between 2017 and 2022, the scheme amassed over $2 million.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated, “Financial fraud is not a ‘faceless’ crime — and today’s sentencings help secure a measure of justice for the victims of this international fraud scheme.”
He added that some victims “lost their retirement savings, took loans against their homes, or suffered other financial distress because of the defendants’ lies.”
Totten emphasised that the defendants exploited modern technology, including the internet and social media platforms, to prey on elderly and vulnerable victims.
Many Nigerians are reportedly being hired as prison officers in the United Kingdom, UK as the British government seeks to address staffing shortages in overcrowded prisons.
According to The Telegraph, the UK prison service is now sponsoring skilled worker visas for the first time, as a result of a rule change that allows them to recruit from abroad.
Prison governors disclosed that many of the new recruits come from Nigeria, with some skilled workers switching to the role from other visa routes.
However, many of these workers soon arrive in the UK only to encounter accommodation challenges, upon realizing that their job offers did not include any provision for housing.
Reports reveal that some have resorted to camping or even sleeping in their cars as a cost-saving measure.
Mark Fairhurst, president of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), shared an example of one foreign recruit who commuted 70 miles daily from Huddersfield to Nottingham but later decided to sleep in his car outside the prison to save costs.
At another prison, recruits camped in a wooded area near their workplace after discovering no housing was provided.
“We have got problems with people who turn up at the gates with cases in tow and with their families saying to the staff: ‘Where is the accommodation?’” said Mr. Fairhurst.
The recruitment drive follows changes in visa rules in October 2023, which added prison officers to the list of skilled workers eligible for sponsorship.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sources estimate that about 250 foreign nationals have been sponsored to join the prison service so far, completing Zoom interviews and vetting processes.
Prison governors report a high interest in these roles, with many applicants coming from Africa.
In one month last year, two-thirds of 3,500 applicants were from the continent.
Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), believes online word-of-mouth among the Nigerian expat community has fueled the demand.
This influx has created challenges in some prisons, particularly in remote rural areas, where integration into local communities and communication issues have surfaced.
“It’s turned into an approach that has been promoted online by the expat Nigerian community,” Wheatley noted.
Despite these challenges, the Prison Service maintains that all recruits undergo thorough assessments and training.
“In October 2023, changes were made to the skilled worker visa scheme which has allowed the prison service to sponsor visa applications for foreign nationals,” said a spokesperson. “All staff – regardless of nationality – undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards.”
However, Mr. Fairhurst has criticised the recruitment process, particularly the reliance on Zoom interviews and six weeks of training.
He argued that this system is inadequate for preparing recruits to manage prisoners effectively.
“The process is simply not fit for purpose,” he said, warning that it risks recruiting under-qualified or corrupt officers.