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FBI orders seizure of Shatta Wale’s 2019 Lamborghini over criminal links

Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has seized a 2019 Lamborghini Urus from popular dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale, following a request from the FBI and the United States Justice Department.

The luxury vehicle, found at the singer’s Trassaco Valley home in Accra, was linked to criminal proceeds of Nana Kwabena Amuah, a man currently serving a prison sentence in the US for financial crimes.

In a statement released by EOCO’s acting director, Raymond Archer, the agency said the seizure happened in June after a lawful search conducted by its Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit.

Shatta Wale, whose real name is Charles Nii Armah, reportedly asked EOCO officers not to make the operation public, claiming the car was vital to his brand.

He later agreed to hand over the car voluntarily. EOCO confirmed the operation happened peacefully and without incident.

The agency explained that the vehicle is now in their custody and steps are being taken to return it to the US as part of Amuah’s $4.7 million restitution.

Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of Ghana’s National Signal Bureau are now being treated as persons of interest and are expected to assist with further investigations.

The agency also said a final report may be submitted to the FBI and US Justice Department.

Reacting on Facebook, Shatta Wale criticized EOCO’s use of armed officers during the search, accusing the agency of humiliating him.

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Goods Worth Millions Of Naira Destroyed As Fire Ravages Shop In Ibadan

Goods worth millions of naira have been destroyed as a result of fire that ravaged a container shop in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around Mobil Filling Station, Ring Road in Ibadan on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the container shop was stocked with goods worth millions of naira.

No casualty was recorded in the incident.

Chairman of Oyo State Fire Service, Hon Maroof Akinwande confirmed the incident.

Akinwande in a statement made available on Wednesday morning said, “The firemen quickly got to work and curtailed the fire from spreading to the surrounding filling station and other shops within the vicinity.

“No casualty was recorded. The fire only affected the container shop and the lubricant oil stored inside it, while the Mobil Filling Station, nearby shops and properties worth millions of naira were saved from the devastating fire by the fire service”.

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BREAKING: MKO’s wife, Doyin Abiola passes away

Dr. Doyin Abiola, a pioneering figure in Nigerian journalism and widow of late business mogul and politician MKO Abiola, has died at the age of 82.

Her death was confirmed by Jamiu Abiola, one of MKO Abiola’s sons, during a phone conversation with PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

“Yes, she passed away last night,” he said.

Dr. Abiola made history as the first Nigerian woman to become Editor-in-Chief of a national newspaper.

She served as the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of National Concord, where she played a crucial role in shaping public discourse and expanding the reach of the Concord media group.

Born in 1943, Doyin Abiola began her journalism journey after earning a degree in English and Drama from the University of Ibadan in 1969.

She started her career at Daily Sketch, where her column, Tiro, addressed public and gender-related issues.

Her pursuit of higher education took her to the United States in 1970, and she later earned a PhD in Communications and Political Science from New York University in 1979.

Upon returning to Nigeria, she joined Daily Times as a Features Writer, where she eventually became Group Features Editor.

Despite being offered the role of “Woman Editor” a title she declined, believing it downplayed her competence she rose through the ranks by merit.

Dr. Abiola was later appointed to the Daily Timeseditorial board, where she worked alongside respected journalists like Stanley Macebuh, Dele Giwa, and Amma Ogan.

She would later become the first daily editor of National Concord and, in 1986, assumed the position of Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, a post that placed her among the most powerful women in Nigerian media at the time.

Under her leadership, the Concord Group expanded significantly, at one point publishing up to 14 newspapers and magazines.

Her career was not without challenges. During General Sani Abacha’s military regime, the Concord premises were attacked by soldiers, and the publication was shut down for 18 months.

Despite the ordeal, she remained firm in her commitment to journalistic integrity.

Dr. Abiola also served the journalism community in various capacities.

She chaired the first Nigerian Media Merit Award Nominating Panel and was a member of the Advisory Council for the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences at Ogun State University.

In 1986, she became an Eisenhower Fellow. She also served as Chairperson for the CNN African Journalist of the Year Awards.

Her contributions to the media were recognized with the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award, making her only the second woman to receive that honour.

Throughout her life, she stood firmly by her late husband, Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, especially during the tumultuous political period that followed.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the family.

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Police Blame Iyabo Ojo For Stalling Cybercrime Cases Involving Naira Marley, VeryDarkMan, Others

The Nigeria Police National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has stated that the refusal of Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, to appear in court as a prosecution witness or provide a formal statement as required in cybercrime cases involving her, Naira Marley, Sam Larry, Tonto Dikeh, and VeryDarkMan is stalling the cases.

626Blaze reports that the NPF-NCCC made this known in an interview with Vanguard, in response to questions regarding accusations and counter-accusations made by the celebrities on social media.

The NFF-NCCC reiterated its commitment to impartial investigations, due process, and the protection of all citizens’ rights and urged all parties involved to cooperate fully with ongoing legal proceedings.

It said, “The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) is currently investigating two separate cybercrime cases and prosecution:

 

“The first one, Cyberstalking Case Involving Naira Marley, Sam Larry & Iyabo Ojo.

 

“Following a duly approved petition submitted by Mr. Azeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley) and Mr. Balogun Olamilekan Eletu (aka Sam Larry), the NPF-NCCC commenced an investigation into allegations of cyberbullying and cyberstalking against actress Iyabo Ojo.

“The petitioners alleged that Ms Ojo made unsubstantiated claims via social media and interviews linking them to the death of the late artist, Ilerioluwa Aloba (aka Mohbad).

 

“Ms. Ojo was invited for questioning and granted administrative bail.

 

“Upon conclusion of investigations, the matter was formally charged to court in accordance with the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2024 amended.

“The second one, Cyberstalking Case Involving Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh & VeryDarkMan

 

“In a separate but related case, the Centre also received a complaint of cyberstalking and cyberbullying filed by Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh against social media personality Mr. Martins Vincent Otse (aka VeryDarkMan).

 

“The case was investigated and formally charged to court under Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/149/2024.

“However, despite several formal invitations, Ms. Ojo has failed to appear in court as a prosecution witness or provide a formal statement as required.

“The Centre remains dedicated to ensuring Nigeria’s digital space is governed by truth, accountability, and the rule of law.”

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“Peter Obi doesn’t need to be President, he just want to serve” – Chimamanda

Award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has shared her thoughts on why former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, seeks to lead Nigeria, saying his ambition is driven by love for the country—not desperation or personal gain.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Amazing Africans, Chimamanda emphasized that Obi isn’t chasing power for ego or recognition.

“He doesn’t need to be president. He wants to be because he cares about Nigeria. And that’s a very important distinction,” she said.
“There are people who are desperate to become president, not because they have good intentions, but because of their egos.”

The celebrated writer said her support for Obi stems from what she described as his selfless leadership style and firm commitment to national development.

According to her, Obi’s character has remained consistent over the years.

“The person I knew 15 years ago is still the same in terms of his values. He is genuine, consistent, and curious—qualities I believe are essential in a leader,” she said.

Chimamanda also lauded Obi’s humility, pointing out that he views leadership as a responsibility, not a privilege.

“Peter Obi is not someone who expects gratitude for doing his job. He sees leadership as service, not as an opportunity to lord over people,” she added.

When asked about the possibility of Obi not securing the party’s presidential ticket in the future, Chimamanda avoided speculations.

“I don’t want to talk in specifics about how I’ll feel if he’s not the presidential candidate. I don’t want to think about that yet because we don’t know what will happen,” she said.

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“How banks used ‘bewitching’ ladies to woo me for deposits” – Otedola

Billionaire businessman and Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc, Femi Otedola, has opened up on how banks once went to extreme lengths to secure his deposits when his business empire was booming — including sending attractive ladies to charm him.

Otedola shared this in his upcoming memoir, Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business, set to be released on August 18, 2025, under FO Books.

In excerpts from the book obtained by TheCable, the oil tycoon reflected on the highs and lows of his journey in the business world.

According to Otedola, there was a time banks were so desperate to win his favour that they sent “bewitching ladies” to lure him with tempting offers.

“One moment, I was the darling of the banks, who did everything in the world to court me, do business with me, give me loans, take deposits from me. They would send bewitching ladies to make their offers more convincing,” he wrote.

However, his fortunes nosedive when global crude oil prices crashed and the naira suffered heavy devaluation.

The businessman disclosed that he lost over $1 billion to a combination of oil price collapse, forex issues, interest accruals, and stock market crashes.

“All told, I lost more than US$480 million to the plunge in oil prices, US$258 million through the devaluation of the naira, US$320 million because of accruing interest, and another US$160 million when the stocks crashed,” Otedola wrote. “It was devastating, like a terrible nightmare, but a nightmare would have been better: day would break, and I would wake up. There was no waking up from this.”

He recalled how the same banks that once courted him turned cold and aggressive.

“Now I was waking up to the sight of hefty, barrel-chested men standing menacingly in front of my gate, waiting for the moment I’d step out of my compound.”

Otedola, who made his mark through Zenon Petroleum and later transformed African Petroleum into the now-defunct Forte Oil Plc, also narrated how a bad diesel shipment in 2008 purchased when oil was $147 per barrel arrived after the price crashed to $40, worsening his financial troubles.

This, combined with the naira devaluation from ₦120/$ to ₦167/$ in 2009, left Otedola battling with declining revenues and mounting foreign liabilities.

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‘Middle Class In Nigeria Has Been Wiped Out Under Tinubu’ – Falana Claims

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has claimed that the middle class no longer exits under President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Falana also questioned Tinubu’s economic reforms, warning that his “harsh neoliberal policies” have only seen a hike in poverty.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, the human rights lawyer also claimed that Tinubu has handed Nigeria’s resources to a few people.

According to Falana, this has led to income inequality in the country.

He said: “You cannot be addressing income inequality in a country while handing over the nation’s resources to a few people in the name of privatisation.

“Most Nigerians cannot afford three square meals a day.

“The middle class has been wiped out by the neoliberal policies of the government.

Falana has now warned that “it is in the interest of the government to review its policies as soon as possible.”

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2025 WASSCE: “Only 38.32% passed English and Maths” – WAEC

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC)has announced a sharp decline in performance for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), with just 38.32% of candidates obtaining credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

Out of 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the exam, only 754,545 achieved the minimum benchmark. This is a 33.8% drop compared to the 72.12% success rate recorded in 2024.

The alarming statistics were revealed by Dr. Amos Dangut, WAEC’s Head of National Office, during a press briefing on Monday.

He also confirmed that the results of 192,089 candidates (9.75%) have been withheld due to various cases of examination malpractice, including unauthorised use of mobile phones and organised cheating in some schools.

“All cases are being investigated and reports will be presented to the appropriate Committee of the Council for consideration and final decisions, Dr. Dangut said. “Affected candidates will be communicated through their various schools; and Candidates can now call for redress of their malpractice cases if they so wish.”

Breakdown of 2025 WASSCE Results:

Total candidates who sat: 1,969,313

Credits in 5 subjects including English & Maths: 754,545 (38.32%)

Male candidates among successful: 347,192 (46.01%)

Female candidates among successful: 407,353 (53.99%)

Candidates from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea—where the Nigerian curriculum is used—participated in the exam.

A total of 1,973,365 students from 23,554 schools registered, with 1,969,313 eventually sitting for the exam.

WAEC reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on exam malpractice.

“The Council will continue to sanction all cases of examination malpractice. Schools, supervisors, teachers, and candidates perpetrating this evil are not helping the educational system. WAEC is calling for all hands to be on deck to sanitise the system.”

How to Access Results

Candidates can check their results by visiting www.waecdirect.org using the PIN and Serial Number from their Smart Identity Card issued during the exam.

WAEC says results will be accessible within 12 hours, and digital certificates will be available 48 hours after.

However, results for candidates sponsored by states that are indebted to WAEC have been withheld until payments are made.

WAEC Special Needs Participation

Dr. Dangut also highlighted increased participation by candidates with special needs. A total of 12,178 students registered under this category, including: 112 visually challenged, 615 hearing impaired and 52 physically or mentally challenged.

He described their participation as a “significant milestone” in WAEC’s commitment to inclusive education.

”A significant highlight of the examination is the participation of candidates with special needs. A total of 12,178 candidates with varying degrees of special needs registered for the examination. This includes: Visually Challenged, 112 candidates who are blind or have visual impairments; Hearing Impaired: 615 candidates who are deaf or hard of hearing; and Spastic cum Mentally Challenged: 52 candidates with physical and intellectual disabilities,he said.

Hard copies of certificates for fully processed results will reportedly be available within the next 90 days.

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“No government, not even in 20 years, can solve all problems” – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that it is unrealistic to expect any government, including the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, to solve every problem facing the nation’s capital.

Wike made the remark on Monday during a media parley in Abuja, where he addressed questions on ongoing development efforts and concerns about uncommissioned projects in the FCT.

“I will not say here that every problem has been solved,” Wike said. All problems cannot be solved, even if this government stays for 20 years; no government can solve all problems.

He, however, stressed that while not all issues can be tackled at once, the administration is making deliberate efforts to improve the standard of living for residents.

“But government is solving problems that at least will help to improve the lives of people,” he added.

Wike also addressed criticisms regarding the absence of formal commissioning for several ongoing projects.

According to him, only capital-intensive projects with significant financial investments are highlighted through formal ceremonies.

“It’s not realistic to commission every single project,” he said. “We take what we think are major, capital-intensive projects, ones where billions of naira have been spent, and showcase those. But for smaller projects, do we really need to commission everything?”

He encouraged journalists to partner with the government by joining Mandate Secretaries on site visits to witness first-hand the progress being made in key sectors, including education and social services.

“We’re not claiming perfection,” Wike said. “But we’re doing what will at least make a difference in the lives of the people, and that’s the whole point of governance.

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BREAKING: WAEC releases 2025 WASSCE results

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the results of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

This announcement was made on Monday, August 4, 2025, via the council’s official handle on X (formerly Twitter).

According to WAEC, all candidates who took part in the 2025 exam can now check their results online.

“The West African Examinations Council is pleased to inform candidates who sat WASSCE for School Candidates, 2025 that the result has officially been released today, Monday, August 4, 2025,” the statement read.

WAEC also urged candidates to log on to its result-checking portal at www.waecdirect.org to view their scores.

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