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Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu Owns 12 Luxury Homes, N93m Printing Press And 25 Cars-Spokesperson

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Victor Oluwadamilare, Special Assistant Media to Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, has accused his boss of greed and wickedness. Mr. Olwuadamilare made the allegations in a letter to the minister. Dated 12 March and exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, the former spokesperson’s letter said Mr. Adebayo owes him the sum of N13million in emoluments from November 2015 to the end of March 2018.

Despite Mr.  Shittu ’s refusal to pay, said Oluwadamilare, the minister has been living a lush life.

According to the spokesman, Mr. Shittu, within a space of 29 months in office, now owns no fewer than 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan. He also claimed that a few months ago, the minister bought a brand new N93 million printing press. Also, said Mr. Oluwadamilare, Mr. Shittu has bought over 25 luxury vehicles for himself, his family members, concubines, and cronies, despite having eight official vehicles attached to your office.

The aide equally stated that the minister has spent way beyond his legitimate earnings on his gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State, sponsored no fewer than 22 members of his family and cronies, including under-aged children, on Muslim pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia.

“Of course, everyone in Oyo State knows about your investments that run into hundreds of millions of naira in your less than three years in the office. These are currently scattered all over Oyo State,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He equally stated that since Mr. Shittu’s inauguration as a minister, he has collected over N50 million in salaries, travel expenses running into several millions of naira and estacode more than $800,000.

The aide said he wrote to the minister on behalf of himself and his colleague, Mr. Tajudeen Imam, whom Mr. Shittu appointed Special Assistant (Special Duties) 25 months ago.

The Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu

Mr. Oluwadamilere said he was appointed as Special Assistant (Media) through a letter (HMC/026/Vol. 11/17), dated  November 23, 2015. The appointment letter stated that his “monthly emolument will be decided in line with the existing practice”.

Despite the appointment being properly documented, Mr. Oluwadamilare said the minister has refused to pay him. The refusal to pay, he added, necessitated verbal reminders after which the minister made promises to pay, but which were never kept.

“I was forced to mention the issue of non-payment of my emoluments to a number of your friends and close associates, who promised to talk to you on the imperative of paying the emoluments of your aides.  Indeed, I got several feedbacks on your promise to address the issue, but, after many months nothing happened,” he stated.

Before Mr. Shittu’s appointment as a minister said Mr. Oluwadamilare, he was planning to run for the governorship of Oyo State. In aid of the plan, Mr. Oluwadamilare said he set up a team of journalists under the name of Adebayo Shittu Media Office, using his own personal office at 36 Ososami Street, off Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

“I did not stop at that, I recruited and enlisted the support of seasoned journalists and experienced media managers, to coordinate and chart a media plan for your political ambition, ahead of your other competitors.  I was the Chairman and convener, for which I spent my personal resources.  Some of the members are Dele Ogunsola, Wale Adele, Bola Ogunlayi, Tawfiq Akinwale, Marouf Yusuf, Femi Popoola and Winlade Adisa,” he claimed.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said on account of Mr. Shittu’s unexpected nomination; the minister told him to liaise with members of the Adebayo Shittu Media Office to nominate one of them to be appointed as Special Assistant (Media).

The group held an emergency meeting, which ended with Mr. Oluwadamilare’s nomination.

He, therefore, wondered why, despite working conscientiously for the minister for over 27 months, he has not been paid “in line with the existing practice.”

He noted that the “existing practice” referred to in his letter of appointment and according to a subsisting Federal Government circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Ref. NO.SGF.12/5.6/1.1/23) to Ministers, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and all Federal Permanent Secretaries, states that Special Assistants to Ministers should be on Grade Level 16 Step 4.  The letter also states other associated allowances.

“In summary, the total emoluments due to me as a duly appointed Special Assistant amounted to N252, 300. 41 per month.  This is inclusive of two Domestic Servants, who are expected to be on Level 3 step 8, according to a Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), prepared by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,” he said.

Mr. Shittu’s failure to pay him emoluments for over two years, he said, has not only made life very uncomfortable for him and his family, but has also made me a laughing stock among his professional colleagues.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said his health has deteriorated because he cannot afford to pay his medical bills and he has been a squatter in Abuja since 2016, having lived in a hotel for many months with outstanding debts till date.

“For close to one year now, there has been an unresolved feud with my wife because of my inability to effectively fulfill my marital responsibilities and family upkeep. My first daughter, from all indications, may not be able to enlist in the NYSC Scheme in April 2018 because of my failure to adequately fund her education. My second daughter had lost one calendar year in the university because of my inability to pay her school fees and other incidentals as at when due. My other children of school age, have been traumatized and discouraged in their educational pursuit because of the irregularity in the payment of their school fees, with its attendant backslash,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He added that the non-payment of his emoluments has left him in debt to the tune of N3million.

“The hope of working with you to properly project you and Oyo State at the Federal Executive Council that came with nostalgic feelings has been dashed.  You did not only mess us up by dashing our hopes and aspirations, but you also inflicted on us injuries that are of permanent nature and of odious dimension.  You bruised our psyche, you rubbished our ego, you wasted our time, you exposed us to hardship, you almost destroyed our humanity, you reduced our worth before our wives, children, and acquaintances and above all, if not for God, you almost turned us to beggars in Abuja,” lamented the aide.

Mr. Oluwadamilare recalled that only two payments, linked to the minister, have been made to him. On 6 February 2018, he said, the sum of N500,000 was transferred to his Access Bank account under the name of Ademola Lawal. The same day, he added, another N500,000 was transferred to the same account one Sa’adu A. Sadiq and Sons. He noted that he has only been paid a total of N1million out of my accumulated emoluments, leaving a balance of N13million at the rate of N500,000 per month.

“To all intents and purposes, my demand for N500,000 monthly payments may seem incongruent to the provisions of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Federal Government Circular, but it subsists when one considers the following: Your body language and subsequent reactions showed that you have a clandestine motive to deny us our entitlements, the letter written to me by your former Special Assistant (Admin), Mr .David A. Awotunde, titled:  Payment of Monthly Emolument to Honourable Minister’s Aides and dated 10th June, 2016 is quite instructive,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare

He said he disregarded the letter because of its inconsistencies. He explained that the letter indicated that he was entitled to N100,000 monthly. Mr. Oluwadamilare said he has kept quiet for long and now, he is ready to do everything to get his emoluments.

“While you have been living in sudden and extremely outrageous opulence as a public servant at the expense of your dutiful and hardworking aides, you seemingly forget your pitiable socio-economic status and experience in Oyo State before you got this job, as you have all of a sudden become insulated to common sense, justice and fairness, the mantra on which many people sheepishly believed in you in your struggling days–including myself.

It is quite bewildering that the fact that you collect your salary every month and regularly does not strike any right cord in you that your aides too deserve a better life by way of their own legitimate emoluments,” said the aide.

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Update : FG, States, LGs Share N1.894trn February Revenue from Federation Account

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of N1.894 trillion among the three tiers of government as federation allocation for February 2026.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the distribution was made from a gross revenue of N2.230 trillion generated during the month.

From the amount shared, the Federal Government received N675.086 billion, the 36 states received N651.525 billion, while the 774 local government councils got N456.467 billion. Oil-producing states also received an additional N110.949 billion as derivation revenue, representing 13 per cent of mineral proceeds.

The statement further disclosed that N77.302 billion was paid to revenue-generating agencies as the cost of collection, while N259.078 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The ministry explained that gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for February stood at N668.450 billion, compared to N1.083 trillion distributed in the preceding month, indicating a decline of N414.710 billion.

From the VAT revenue, N26.738 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N22.593 billion was set aside for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The remaining N619.119 billion was shared among the three tiers of government, with the Federal Government receiving N61.912 billion, the states N340.515 billion and local government councils N216.692 billion.

Similarly, the gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion recorded in February was lower than the N1.957 trillion received in the previous month, representing a decrease of N395.138 billion.

From the statutory revenue, N50.564 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N236.485 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.

The balance of N1.274 trillion was distributed as follows: the Federal Government received N613.174 billion, states got N311.010 billion, and local governments received N239.776 billion, while N110.949 billion was allocated as derivation revenue to oil-producing states.

New tax regime designed to boost growth, ease burden on Nigerians — Experts
The ministry noted that revenue from oil and gas royalty as well as excise duty recorded significant increases during the period.

However, it added that collections from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duties (SDT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) declined substantially during the month under review.

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Contempt of Court: How Onwukwem and Associates Ended Up in Jail in Lagos

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In what looked like a syndicate, a Lagos Lanlord, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem and his gang, who specialise in swindling innocent Nigerians through properties in their care, have run into trouble and earned jail terms for fraud and illegal eviction of a couple, Mr. Olusola Alabi and his wife, Mrs. Olufunmilola Alabi, who rented an apartment from them and were summarily frustrated.

Like a thief whose time of reckoning has come, Onwukwem, alongside his accomplice; Mr. Davies Ijele, Mr. Sodiq Kazeem, and Ms. Peace Igbo, who operates under Green Birch Tech Ltd, was recently jailed for six months each by a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Eti-Osa for contempt of court.

The imprisonment of the defendants is due to the contemptuous order of the court. The court held them in contempt, which they displayed all through the court proceedings.

In the charges, marked MISC/MCE/07/2023, the court invoked Section 44(1)(a) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 as amended against the Defendants by convicting the Directors of the 1st Defendant (including the 2nd Defendant, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem (Managing Director) and Mr. Isaiah Davies ljele) and one Sodiq Kazeem, the Estate Manager and one Ms. Chidinmma Igbo, all of the 1st Defendant, for forceful ejection of the Claimant/Applicant for the three (3) Bedroom flat and one (1) Room Boys Quarters with appurtenances situate, lying and being at Block A, Flat 3, No. 96B, Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, Lekki I, Eti-Osa, Lagos State held by the Claimant/Applicant as a yearly tenant of the 1st Defendant/Respondent by unlawfully trespassing into the said Apartment, forcing the door open, and removing the Claimant’s furniture and electronics, beddings, refrigerator, air conditioners and gas cooker with gas cylinder, etc. and changing the keys to the entrance door, without any Lawful authority of any Order of any Court of competent jurisdiction, whilst the Claimant’s Suit No: MISC/MCE/07/2023: and the 1st Defendant/Respondent’s Suit No: MCE165/CIV/2024 were pending before the Court.

Delivering the judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Olaiya Doja-Ojo, on June 5, 2025, said that Lawrence Onwukwem, Hon. Davies Ijele, Mr Sodiq Kazeem and Ms Peace Chidinma Igbo, were to be sentenced to six months in correctional centre for continuously flaunting the order of the court while also mandated to pay the sum of N250,000 each to the court.

“The claimant is to be restored back to possession. All her belongings removed are to be returned to her immediately,” the CTC read.

Meanwhile, since the court judgement, the couple claimed that only Kazeem is already serving the jail term at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the other three have since gone into hiding.

Reacting to the judgement, the couple said that disputes arose following an alleged breach of the tenancy agreement by the landlord, prompting Mrs. Alabi to seek legal redress in court.

The couple said that while the tenancy matter was still pending in court, Mr. Onwukwem and his partners unlawfully broke into the apartment, removed their properties valued at N25million, and subsequently rented out the flat to another tenant.

When this reporter reached out to Mr Lawrence and Ijele for comments, their telephone lines were unreachable.

However, Igbo denied allegations that she was arrested and charged to court for failing to produce Mr Kazeem.

She refuted claims that she stood as surety for Kaeem , insisting that she never signed any legal documents in that capacity.

“They have spoilt my name and career. I don’t know how to reach them. They have issue with a particular person and why involving me instead of meeting those concerned directly. I know nothing about it,” she said.

“For the record, I didn’t sign in as a surety…I was working as a secretary and HR for the firm. I was not a lawyer in that instance. I was in law school in 2021”

She, however, acknowledged that steps have been taken to address the matter, including efforts to obtain a remand order.

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Breaking : UK Tightens Security With Road Closures, No-Fly Zones for Tinubu’s Visit

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Britain will impose airspace restrictions and deploy armed police officers in Windsor next week as President Bola Tinubu arrives for a state visit hosted by King Charles III.

Tinubu is expected to begin the visit in the company of his wife Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday, March 18, with a reception at Windsor Castle.

Thames Valley Police in a statement on its website on Wednesday, said it is working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Household and other security partners.

The force said airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle, which are in place permanently throughout the year, would be extended on Wednesday, March 18, to cover the period from 7am to 11.59pm.

Chief Superintendent Adrian Hall of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Unit said the air restrictions formed part of a broader security operation for the visit.

“The air restrictions are just one part of our robust security operation for the state visit of Nigerian President Tinubu next week, with many measures you will see and others you will not..

“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing Royal events in Windsor and significant planning, and preparation has gone into this event,” Hall said.

He said the force would take a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions, warning that any breach would constitute a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could lead to arrest.

“We will be taking a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions; anyone who breaches them will be committing a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could be arrested.”

The police chief said officers with specialist capabilities, including search teams, the Mounted Section, road policing, and armed units, would be deployed across Windsor, alongside neighbourhood policing and Project Servator resources.

“We will also be deploying numerous police officers to Windsor with specialist capabilities, including our search teams, Mounted Section, Roads Policing and armed units, while our neighbourhood and Project Servator resources will also be on the ground engaging with the public,” he said.

The authorities will also deploy an extensive closed-circuit television network, hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, and other undisclosed security measures for the event.

Hall said, “We will also be using the extensive CCTV network in Windsor, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers, and many other security measures that you may not be able to see to make sure the event runs safely.”

He urged members of the public to support the security operation by remaining vigilant.

“The public plays a critical role to support us so we encourage them to report any suspicious activity or anything that does not seem quite right by calling 101 or speaking to one of our officers. If there is an immediate threat or emergency, then call 999,” Hall added.

Road closures and parking restrictions will take effect from Tuesday, March 17, with possible temporary disruption to roads in and around Windsor during the visit.

Thames Valley Police said it was being supported by the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services to enforce the flight restrictions. Persons with legitimate reasons for drone flying were directed to email [email protected].

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