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Update: Femi Falana threatens AGF as Nigeria refuses to recover $62bn from oil firms
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has written a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), threatening to sue the AGF if he fails to recover $62bn from international oil companies as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Falana said this in a letter on Sunday titled, ‘Request for Compliance with Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in suit No SC. 964/2016 between Akwa Ibom & Two Others v Attorney-General of the Federation’.
The letter was written on behalf of Prof. Omotoye Olorode and Jaye Gaskia of the People’s Alternative Political Movement.
It reads in part, “Our clients have instructed us to remind you that the Federal Government has not enforced the above mentioned judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on October 20, 2018.
“In the said judgment, the apex court had directed the Federal Government to immediately take steps to recover all revenues lost to oil-exploring and exploiting companies due to wrong profit-sharing formula since August 2003.
“Based on the aforesaid judgment, you did request for the immediate payment of the sum of $62bn owed by the six international oil companies with joint operating agreements with the NNPC, namely Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, TotalElf Nigeria and Pan Ocean Oil Company.”
Falana stated that rather than ensure that the judgment was enforced, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, claimed that government would not be able to recover the money.
Sylva was quoted as saying, “Well, we have started discussions. Let us consider that as a lost opportunity, the money was not in a cupboard, they have taken it. Nobody can bring out that kind of money. I mean we can’t get $62bn.
“We can, maybe, get something from them, but not $62bn. It’s an opportunity we have lost. We have already started discussions with them, but what is clear is that it is a lost opportunity, really.”
The activist asked the AGF to ensure that the said sum of $62bn is recovered from the oil companies and paid into the Federation Account without any further delay.
He said that if Malami refused to take action, a suit would be instituted in court forcing him to do so.
The letter further reads, “However, if you fail or refuse to accede to the request of our client, we shall not hesitate to approach the Federal High Court to seek an order to compel you to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court in accordance with Section 287(1) of the Constitution, which provides that “the decisions of the Supreme court shall be enforced in any part of the federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court.”
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Update : Road Crash: Anthony Joshua Hospitalised, Two Confirmed Dead — Ogun Police Spokesperson
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been hospitalised after a road accident in the Makun area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Babaseyi Oluseyi, confirmed this in a statement.
The incident occurred shortly after 11 am on Monday.
Our reporter, who was at the scene, said the crash happened just before the Danco Filling Station in Makun, ahead of the Sagamu Interchange on the Ibadan-bound axis.
Adeniyi Orojo stated that the Lexus Jeep carrying Joshua, with number plate KRD 850 HN, collided with a stationary truck.
The eyewitness revealed that Joshua sustained minor injuries, while two others died at the scene.
“It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him. A passenger sat beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed.
His security detail followed in the vehicle behind.
“Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles for help. Minutes after the crash, Federal Road Safety Corps officials arrived. The passenger beside the driver and the person beside Joshua died on the spot,” he said.
In a statement sent to Newsthumb on Monday, Oluseyi confirmed that Joshua and other injured persons were involved in a car accident and rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
He said, “The Ogun State Police Command confirms a road accident today in front of Sinoma, before Danco, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Anthony Joshua and other injured persons have been rushed to the hospital.
“Further updates will be communicated.”
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Tinubu Leaves Nigeria for Europe, UAE to Attend ADSW 2026 Summit, Says Onanuga
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Lagos on Sunday, December 28, for Europe, continuing his end-of-year break and ahead of his official trip to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026) Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January.
The weeklong summit is an annual event that mobilises leaders from government, business, and society to chart the next era of sustainable development.
With the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go”, ADSW will connect ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people, showcasing how the world can move forward with confidence.’
The President will return to the country after the Summit.
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BREAKING: Fayose Alleges N45.5bn from N50bn Ibadan Explosion Fund Diverted by Makinde for Political Ambitions
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Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has released what he described as documentary evidence to support his claim that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, received N50 billion from the Federal Government as a special intervention fund following the January 2024 explosion in Ibadan.
Fayose made the documents public on Sunday in a statement accompanied by a memo from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He said the disclosure followed a challenge by Makinde to substantiate his earlier claim that the Oyo State Government received the funds.
“Two days ago, I stated on national television that Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde received N50bn from the Federal Government as intervention for the Ibadan explosion. Yesterday, the governor asked me to provide evidence, and here is the evidence he requested,” Fayose said.
The former governor further alleged that only N4.5 billion was disbursed to victims of the explosion, accusing Makinde of diverting the remaining funds for personal political ambitions.
“Only N4.5bn was paid to victims of the Ibadan explosion. The rest, alongside other intervention funds, was diverted to fund his presidential ambition. This, in part, explains the crisis in the PDP and his frequent attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration,” he alleged.
Fayose further said he was compelled to release official documents, despite his reluctance to do so, in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
“Even though it is not in my character to go public with official government documents, I had to do this so Nigerians will know who is saying the truth and who has not been sincere with the people of Oyo State,” he said.
The former governor said that Makinde’s alleged disclosure of detail from private meeting with President Tinubu made fuller public disclosure necessary.
He challenged the governor to take legal action if he believed the allegations were false, insisting that he had sufficient proof to defend his claims.
“I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to sue me on this. There are also proofs of other intervention funds received from Tinubu’s administration by the Oyo State Government which the governor refused to disclose to the people,” he said.
He further claimed to have documentary evidence of Oyo State’s actual Internally Generated Revenue, contrary to figures publicly stated by Makinde, noting that he would release the details at a later time.
“There are documentary evidences on the actual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Oyo State, as against Governor Makinde’s claim, but we will keep our gunpowder dry for now.
“My name is still Ayo Fayose. I don’t say what I can’t prove,” he said.
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