The Kwara State Police command on Monday dragged a Nigerian controversial singer, Badmus Okikiola, popularly called Portable, before a Kwara state Upper Area Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Sunday Adeniyi.

Reports were, however, rife that Portable struggled to meet the bail condition on Monday.

According to Investigating Police Officer, ASP Adeniyi James, the charges were filed based on direct instructions from police authorities.

Portable was dragged to court following the petition of a famous Fuji music star, Okunola Saheed, who’s fondly called Osupa.

According to the Police First Information Report, the Fuji music star, in a direct complaint made to the Police, accused Portable of criminal defamation, criminal intimidation, inciting Public disturbance and cyberstalking.

The alleged offence was deemed contrary and punishable under Section 392 (Criminal Defamation), Section 114 (Inciting Disturbance), Section 397 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Penal Code and Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, as well as Sections 10 and 13 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020.

According to the Police First Information Report, Osupa alleged that Portable made a live stream video to abuse him, adding that the defendant (Portable) dented his personality by claiming that he removed his music from Apple Music and Spotify, which would have been fetching him income.

According to the First Information Report presented by the police, the complainant accused Portable of using a live stream video to malign his character.

He alleged that the defendant falsely claimed to have removed his music from streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, thereby harming his reputation and potential income.

The petition alleged that Portable, during a live Instagram broadcast on March 19, 2025, made defamatory remarks against Osupa, accusing him of jealousy and attempts to sabotage his career.

In the viral video, Portable was quoted saying, “This man dey try to bring down my shine! He be like person wey dey chop snail with its shell—he doesn’t get sense. Osupa na tortoise. When Apple Music and Spotify wan drop money for me, na him remove my song from the platform make I no see money.”

Osupa described the statements as damaging, inciting, and an attack on his reputation, further claiming that the content had caused public tension and unrest.

The prosecution, led by Abubakar Issa, urged the court to remand the defendant to a correctional facility pending the conclusion of the police investigation.

However, Portable’s counsel, Barrister Adebayo Isaac, opposed the remand application, stating that the police had already granted his client administrative bail the previous day.

He argued that the defendant, being a public figure with a known and traceable address, would not evade trial, assuring the court of his client’s readiness to stand trial.

Adebayo urged the court to discountenance the submission of the prosecutor, saying the police would have held Portable back in custody till their investigation is completed.

He said, “I want to inform this honourable court that the defendant was granted administrative bail yesterday by the police”, adding that “Portable is a public figure with a traceable address and he will make himself available for trial if admitted to bail.”

Adebayo said that he premised his argument on Section 172 (1) and Sec 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice system, adding that a critical appraisal of the sections of the law may guide the court to admit him to bail.

Magistrate Adeniyi, in his short ruling, “admitted Portable to bail in the sum of N1 million and 2 sureties out of which one of them must be chairman of the Performing Musician Association of Nigeria while the other must own landed property in the Government Reserve Area within the jurisdiction of the Court.”

He, however, adjourned further trial of the case till the 30th of April, 2025.

Chief Bode George, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, has said that the opposition would collapse if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as its 2027 presidential candidate.

The PDP chieftain said this on Channels Television when he appeared on the station’s Politics Today programme on Monday. 

“If he (Atiku) picks it (PDP’s ticket), that is the end of this party. If he picks it by manipulation which was what was done the last time, we will not accept it,” he said.

Atiku, who has been contesting for Nigeria’s president for over three decades, came second in the 2023 presidential election, defeated by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ahead of the 2027 election, Atiku has championed an inter-party alliance that birthed a coalition, which was announced on Thursday, March 20, 2025, as a springboard to wrestle power from the Tinubu-led government.

The coalition, which includes the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai as arrowheads, is banking on the numerical strength of the votes Atiku and Obi recorded in the 2023 poll. 

It would be recalled that Atiku of the PDP and Obi of the LP came second and third, respectively, with combined votes of over 12 million.

However, while Atiku succeeded in establishing himself as a founding member of the coalition, governors elected in his party rejected the move.

The PDP governors on Monday, April 14, 2025, rejected the coalition spearheaded by Atiku and ruled out any party plan for mergers or coalitions.

Speaking on Channels Television, praised the PDP governors for rejecting the coalition led by Atiku.

He said Atiku has not shown himself to be a leader of the party because he has not made efforts to resolve the crisis rocking the party.

“No, if he is the leader of the party, he would have waded into it (the crisis). The fact that he was the presidential candidate of the party at the last election doesn’t mean he is a bona fide, fixated leader of the party. If he’s running for his private interest, it’s different from the interest of the party,” George said.

Asked if Atiku could be the flag bearer of the PDP in 2027, the PDP chieftain said, “He cannot be. This is what I am saying. There was eight years in the north, there should be eight years in the south. That is the dictate, that is the doctrine of the PDP. I can’t say he cannot contest; he can go to any party because it is his constitutional right but as far as we are concerned, he cannot be the candidate.”

George also said he doesn’t want Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, adding that he wants his party to win the next election with a southern candidate.

Nigeria’s external debt service is projected to rise to $5.2bn this year, highlighting growing pressure on public finances despite ongoing economic reforms, Fitch Ratings has said.

The credit rating agency disclosed this in its latest rating action commentary published on Friday, in which it upgraded Nigeria’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating to ‘B’ from ‘B-’, with a stable outlook.

According to the report, government external debt service will increase from $4.7bn in 2024 to $5.2bn in 2025.

This includes $4.5bn in amortisation payments and a $1.1bn Eurobond repayment due in November. 

Fitch noted, “Government external debt service is moderate but expected to rise to $5.2bn in 2025 (with $4.5bn of amortisations, including a $1.1bn Eurobond repayment due in November 2025), from $4.7bn in 2024, and fall to $3.5bn in 2026.”

The agency also cited a minor delay in the payment of a Eurobond coupon due on March 28, 2025, as a reflection of persistent challenges in public finance management.

Although Nigeria’s external debt service remains within manageable levels, Fitch warned that high-interest costs, weak revenue performance, and limited fiscal space remain significant concerns.

Fitch said general government debt was expected to remain at about 51 per cent of GDP in 2025 and 2026.

However, it expressed concern over the government’s revenue position, noting that interest payments will consume a substantial portion of income.

It stated, “We expect general government revenue-to-GDP to rise but to remain structurally low (averaging 13.3 per cent in 2025–2026), largely accounting for a high general government interest/revenue ratio, above 30 per cent, with federal government interest/revenue ratio of nearly 50 per cent.”

The agency observed that Nigeria’s gross reserves rose to $41bn at the end of 2024, before declining to $38bn due to debt service payments.

Despite this, Fitch expects the country’s reserves to average five months of current external payments over the medium term, above the median for similarly rated economies.

It added that recent policy reforms had contributed to increased foreign exchange inflows and better monetary stability, with inflation projected to average 22 per cent in 2025.

Fitch stated, “Net official FX inflows through the CBN and autonomous sources rose by about 89 per cent in Q4 2024. We expect continued formalisation of FX activity to support the exchange rate, although we anticipate modest depreciation in the short term.”

The agency commended the government’s commitment to economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, liberalisation of the exchange rate, and tightening of monetary policy.

It noted that these steps had improved policy credibility and strengthened Nigeria’s ability to absorb shocks.

However, the agency warned that risks to Nigeria’s external and fiscal position remained, particularly if oil prices fall or policy implementation slows down.

Fitch’s latest assessment comes amid earlier concerns raised by JP Morgan, which projected that Nigeria’s current account could swing into a deficit if oil prices stay low for a prolonged period, potentially pushing the naira beyond N1,700 per dollar.

Despite these challenges, Fitch maintained a stable outlook for the country, saying the reforms had begun to yield results.

The PUNCH earlier reported that Nigeria expended a total of $5.47bn on external debt servicing between January 2024 and February 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Also, Nigeria spent a total of N13.12 tn on debt servicing in 2024, representing a 68 per cent increase from the N7.8 tn recorded in the previous year, according to an analysis of data from the Debt Management Office.

The PUNCH observed that the debt servicing costs recorded in 2024 surpassed the budgeted allocation of N12.3tn for the year.

The higher-than-expected expenditure highlights the increasing pressure of debt obligations on the nation’s fiscal sustainability.

For the 2025 budget, the Federal Government has earmarked N16tn for debt servicing, reflecting the government’s anticipation of continued debt-related expenses.

This development comes amid rising borrowing costs and an increasing debt burden, putting pressure on the country’s fiscal position.

Tension is mounting among users of CBEX, a popular cryptocurrency and forex trading platform, following reports that the company has emptied the accounts of hundreds of investors without prior notice.

Naija News reports that the platform, which had gained widespread attention due to its high-yield investment packages and aggressive online marketing, is now facing serious allegations of investment fraud.

Multiple users have come forward, revealing that they discovered their account balances wiped out when they logged into the CBEX platform over the weekend. The affected users, some of whom had invested amounts ranging from ₦200,000 to over ₦5 million, have expressed devastation, with many finding themselves financially stranded.

Kunle Adewola, a tech expert, shared his shock with the Nigerian Tribune, stating, “I thought it was a glitch at first. But when I tried to withdraw and got an error message, I knew something was wrong. My entire savings is gone.”

The incident comes just hours before the scheduled withdrawal date of April 15, which CBEX had promised investors after suspending all withdrawals on April 11. This has added to the frustration of many who had hoped to retrieve their investments by that date.

The platform’s sudden and unexplained action has left users in a state of disbelief, as there was no prior communication from CBEX administrators explaining the situation or offering any recourse.

With the company’s credibility now in question, the ongoing developments have raised concerns about the safety of cryptocurrency and forex investments, leaving many users wondering if they will ever recover their funds.

Meanwhile, some angry Nigerians have looted the office of the CBEX platform in Oke Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Trending videos show angry investors looting televisions, Air Conditions and many other items from the office.

Reactions have flooded social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with users sharing complaints, screenshots, and rallying around hashtags like #CBEXScam and #JusticeForCBEXInvestors.

Twitter user @DaddyGO4825 wrote,
“Cbex finally crashed. Check your account AI trade all. Millions of money gone ??? This is so sad. Sorry for the lose.”

Another user, @purity_gifts, tweeted,
“Let me go and take antibiotics to cure this #CBEX scam headache… My dream car will have to wait.”

@the_cruisetv commented,
“If you know anyone doing CBEX please hold them tight ? they are going through a lot rn ???? Where’s that Aunty 15th of April? ?”

User @r2kizzmusic shared,
“So I was invited to CBEX all in the name of making enough money to push my unreleased song Alhamdullilah which I have been begging @Zlatan_Ibile for a verse only to wake up today and discover that all my $4000 dollars is gone ??????? at this point I am lost.”

Another user, @Omo_Harkin1, tweeted,
“AI don lost all of una trade ?? They don lie on top AI head. Congratulations to all of una o.”

And @Fresh_Thiago urged,
“If you have any of your friends or family members wey run CBEX try check on them now ASAPU #CBEX.

@Nichola0081 said: “Nigerians! Invest in $GODL?? Hell NO!! CBEX? Sure sure ? Have you seen any AI trading without a loss?? Always green green green?? What happened to 15th kee??”

The factional leader of the Labour Party (LP) Lamidi Apapa, has insisted that Julius Abure and his supporters, including 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, must relinquish control of the party.

Apapa, who made a return last week after a two-year absence, affirmed his position as the legitimate acting National Chairman of the Labour Party. This comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Court of Appeal’s recognition of Abure.

In an interview with The PUNCH, Apapa emphasized that the apex court’s decision is consistent with prior judgments that restrained Abure, further solidifying his claim to leadership under the party’s constitution.

He stated, “If the chairman cannot function, the deputy steps in. That’s what Article 14 (2) A and B of our constitution says.”

Apapa maintained that his actions were not motivated by personal ambition but were driven by the need to address the ongoing crisis within the party. “The party is in crisis and someone has to take the wheel. I’ve acted within the constitution,” he explained.

He also rejected the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee, which has gained prominence within the party, claiming it lacks constitutional legitimacy.

Apapa addressed concerns about his prolonged absence from public view, admitting that the extensive litigation over the past two years had taken a toll on him.

“I needed to take a break. Going from one court to another over the past two years was draining. But the Supreme Court judgment has made it necessary for me to return,” he shared.

However, the Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has strongly opposed Apapa’s claims.

National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh dismissed Apapa’s assertions, accusing him of being used by external forces to destabilize the party.

“He is likely being sponsored by the Nenadi Usman camp, perhaps even Peter Obi and Governor Otti. One of their people visited him two months ago and gave him money while he was ill,” Ifoh alleged.

Ifoh further questioned the legitimacy of Apapa’s return, arguing that the Labour Party had not issued any official statement regarding his re-emergence, as his position is not recognized within the party.

“How can we sponsor such a person? His actions are simply a payback for the financial support he received. We don’t take him seriously,” he stated.

Efforts to contact the Nenadi Usman Caretaker Committee for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

In Cross River State, the Labour Party’s Interim Committee has initiated reconciliation efforts, expressing loyalty to the Nenadi Usman-led leadership.

A statement issued Sunday by the state’s Publicity Secretary, Amawu Cletus, hailed the Supreme Court’s April 4 judgment as a victory for both the rule of law and party constitutionalism.

“The Supreme Court has spoken, and the matter is settled. The impunity led by Julius Abure has been firmly rejected,” the statement read.

The Cross River chapter also criticized the post-judgment response from the Abure camp, calling it reckless, and pledged to collaborate with the national body to rebuild the party from the grassroots level.

“This is a new dawn for the Labour Party. We are setting the foundation for credible congresses at all levels and restoring internal democracy,” Cletus concluded.

Popular Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, famously known as Portable, has been remanded at the Oke Kura Correctional Centre in Ilorin, Kwara State, after failing to meet the strict bail conditions set by an Upper Area Court.

Portable, who appeared in court on charges of defamation of character, was granted bail on Monday in the sum of ₦1 million.

However, the court ruled that his release was contingent upon providing two sureties in like sum.

According to the court's directive, one of the sureties must be either the Chairman or Secretary of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), while the other must be a property owner within a Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Ilorin, supported by a valid Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

Despite being granted bail, the "Zazoo Zeh" crooner could not immediately fulfil the conditions.

The case, documented under First Information Report (FIR) 117(1) CPC, was filed by the State Intelligence Department of the Nigeria police following a petition dated March 21, 2025, by fellow artist Okunola Saheed Osupa, aka Osupa.

According to the petition, on March 19, 2025, Portable made a live broadcast on Instagram, where he allegedly defamed Osupa, claiming the complainant was envious of his success and attempting to destroy his reputation.

In the video, Portable was quoted to have said: “This man dey try bring down my shine! He be like person wey dey chop snail with shell—him no get sense. Osupa na tortoise. When Apple Music and Spotify wan drop money for me, na him remove my song from platform make I no see money (This man is trying to dim my shine! He behaves like someone eating a snail with the shell—he lacks sense. Osupa is like a tortoise. When Apple Music and Spotify were about to pay me, he took down my song from the platforms so I wouldn’t get the money).”

In his statement, the complainant, Osupa, maintained that Portable’s remarks were not only defamatory and damaging but also intended to incite public hatred and disturb the peace.

Upon interrogation at the State Intelligence Department (SID), Ilorin, Portable reportedly confessed to the allegations, police said.

The accused was arraigned under several legal provisions: Section 392 (Criminal Defamation), Section 114 (Inciting Disturbance), Section 397 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Penal Code.

Section 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, Sections 10 and 13 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020.

The Investigating Police Officer, ASP Adeniyi James, confirmed that Portable was charged based on a directive from the police authorities.

Portable, a native of Oke-Osa in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, is expected to fulfil his bail conditions before being released. The case has been adjourned, and the presiding judge has urged all parties to maintain decorum as proceedings continue.

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, has proposed an ambitious 500 trillion naira national budget target for Nigeria by 2027, urging the federal government to adopt a “disruptive development plan” to achieve it.

Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS following the release of his policy report, Governance and Economic Analysis and Forecast 2025, Agbakoba said the goal may seem unrealistic but is achievable if Nigeria abandons “business as usual.”

“We’ve had national development plans for the last 60 or 70 years, and I suggest to you that none have really worked,” he said. 

“What I’m suggesting in order to drive this process is an entirely disruptive development plan.”

Agbakoba emphasized that the issue is not Nigeria’s lack of resources but how they are utilized.

He called for structural reforms in both political and economic governance, beginning with a downsizing of the federal government.

“There’s no way Nigeria can be successful unless it decapitates its current political arrangements,” he said.

“The federal government must downsize. If America runs with 16 departments, Nigeria shouldn’t have more than 10.”

He also advocated for the devolution of power to state and local governments, turning them into “economic-bearing entities.”

On economic reforms, Agbakoba criticized the current structure of Nigeria’s oil sector, stating, “Nigeria is one of the few countries in the world that outsources its oil capacity to international oil companies.

We have to own everything so that 80 to 90 percent of the wealth generated from oil stays here. Right now, nothing stays, less than 10 percent.”

Highlighting the recent performance of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) under Zacch Adedeji, Agbakoba noted that reforms can yield results.

“When we were talking about a 9 trillion naira economy, people said it wasn’t possible. But with Zacch Adedeji’s reforms, we’ve moved from 9 trillion to 50 trillion, and we’re headed for 100 trillion.”

Concluding, Agbakoba maintained that Nigeria’s economic transformation is possible with bold, unconventional changes.

“It is possible. It’s just a way to get things done in a different way,” he said.

A Chief Magistrate in the Rivers State Judiciary, Ejike George, has tendered his resignation from service, citing unease over the appointment of a Sole Administrator to oversee the affairs of the state.

George, who disclosed that he has put in sixteen years in the judiciary, already said the appointment of a sole administrator is tantamount to a ‘quasi-military administration’.

George’s resignation was contained in a letter dated April 11, 2025, and addressed to the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State through the Secretary of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission.

The letter was titled ‘Voluntary Retirement From Service’.

George expressed dismay over the direction of the governance of the state, which he said is “alien” and “antithetical” to the values of the legal profession.

The statement reads, “This present is intended to convey my decision to voluntarily retire my appointment as Magistrate of the Judiciary of Rivers State.

“This difficult and regrettable decision is informed largely by my discomfort with the recent appointment of a quasi-military administration to run the affairs of a modern state like ours.

“Milord will agree with me that this type of governance system is not only alien but also runs antithetical to our hallowed profession as legal practitioners and adjudicators.

“Having put in a whopping 16 (sixteen) out of my 22 (twenty-two) years of legal practice into this Judiciary as Magistrate under successive democratic administrations, I find it difficult to work with the current setting, as doing so would amount to a tacit and naive acquiescence.

“Thanks Milord, for the opportunity to serve.”

Nollywood Actor, Sylvester Madu, has addressed the stereotypes around the use of second-hand items popularly known as Okrika.

The actor in a now-viral video shared on Saturday via his Instagram said 80% of Nigerians use okrika.

He said, “They keep talking about Okrika like saying one thing will be forgotten. 80% of Nigerians, they use Okrika. The cars that we drive now, Okrika.

“Some of you people, your TVs in your house is Okrika. Or you think it’s only clothes that is Okrika? You know eh, I honestly don’t know why people would not just let the sleeping dog lie. They just like to touch the tiger’s tail.”

Speaking on the business angle of Okrika, Madu cleared the business as a legal business that anyone can venture into.

“And Okrika no be bad business. So don’t get me wrong, like I’m condemning it like you guys heard in the interview, like see, I did deny.”

Watch video below

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka blasted the National Broadcasting Commission for banning Eedris Abdulkareem’s song against President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Soyinka describes the development as a return to the culture of censorship and a threat to the right to free expression.

In a statement released on Sunday, the literati highlighted past attempts to stifle artistic and socio-political commentary in Nigeria.

“Courtesy of an artist operating in a different genre — the cartoon — who sent me his recent graphic comment on the event, I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” Soyinka said in the piece posted on PM news.

With a touch of irony, Soyinka suggested that the ban did not go far enough. He remarked, “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned — the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is a member, should also go under the hammer.” 

Soyinka said even though he hadn’t listened to the song, he emphasised that the issue transcends content and concerns a fundamental democratic principle.

“It cannot be flouted. That, surely is basic. This is why I feel that we should look on the bright side of any picture and thus recommend the Aleshinloye cartoon — and others in allied vein — as an easy-to-apprehend, easy-to-digest summation of the wisdom of attempting to stifle unpalatable works of art or socio-political commentary,” he said.

He also pointed out the irony that censorship often benefits the targeted artist, noting that “Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank.”

He maintained that such censorship is counterproductive and dangerous to democratic development.

“We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum. We know where it all ends. It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” the literary icon said.