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Update: suspected thugs allegedly invade Appeal court in Benin, cart away documents

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There was breakdown of law and order at the Court of Appeal in Benin City late Friday as suspected thugs allegedly supported by persons in security outfit uniforms, invaded the courtroom, chased away court workers and carted away several court documents.

It was gathered that some lawyers had approached the Appellate court to file an appeal arising from a judgment of the State High Court on issues relating to the crisis rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state as it concerns whose faction of the party loyal to the governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki and the Vice-Chairman, South-South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih have the authentic delegates list to participate in the party’s primary elections.

A lawyer who does not want is name in print for security reasons said he was shuttling between a business centre in Akpakpava and the Appeal Court which is temporarily operating from a section of the Edo State High Court premises along Sapele Road as a result of the rehabilitation work going on its permanent premises in Aduwawa area of Benin City when the incident happened.

He said “There was an injunction against the PDP faction led by Dan Orih and Ogbeide-Ihama recognising the delegates from Obaseki as the authentic delegates for the purpose of the congress of the PDP primary elections.

“They retained our services and we quickly swung into action and we were at the court to file necessary documents because the state high court had refused to join us as interested parties and then went ahead to give the ruling.

“We went to the Court of Appeal which granted our application to be joined. They now directed that we should compile and transmit our records; file all the papers we needed to file so that they can hear us on Monday in the main appeal. That was what we were doing when suspected thugs and uniformed men came into the courtroom and chased away the staff. One of my staff was carried away in their bus because she refused to surrender the documents with her to the suspected thugs. She had to release the documents to save her life”

Confirming the incident, the Head of Department (HoD), Litigation of the court, Dennis Ayama said he was already at home when got a call to receive application from some lawyers at about 5 pm only for him to get there and saw some strange looking persons numbering about 20 who said they are from government house and that they heard something illegal was taking place at the court. “They demanded my ID card which I showed them, then they forcefully collected documents and files from the lawyers who came to file.”

On why he was receiving court documents at the time, he said “We can come at any time to collect court processes even at 12 midnight.”

Reacting to the incident, the chairman, Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Pius Oiwoh said “I heard it too. We condemn in its entirety the invasion. We see it as an affront against the sanctity of the judiciary and we are not pleased at all. We are disturbed by it. We call on the security agencies to unmask those behind it. The judiciary is sacred and should not be invaded the way it has been so done.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bello Kontogns said “I am not aware of it yet, no such report has come to my table.”

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Update : Road Crash: Anthony Joshua Hospitalised, Two Confirmed Dead — Ogun Police Spokesperson

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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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