Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding an independent investigation into the scandal surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that a transparent probe is necessary to clear suspicions of high-level government involvement in the alleged fraud.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

On Thursday, June 2, 2026, Justice J.O. Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of ₦150 million to the Federal Government. The funds, linked to Nicholas Mutu, a serving member of the House of Representatives, were seized following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ruling was secured under Section 44(2) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act. The court had previously issued an interim forfeiture order and mandated public notice in a national newspaper. As no party provided sufficient evidence to challenge the forfeiture during the interim period, Justice Abdulmalik granted the final order, rejecting arguments presented by counsel for Mutu and his company, Airworld Technologies Ltd.

The EFCC’s Findings

The EFCC’s investigation detailed how the funds were obtained:

• Kickback Scheme: While serving as Chairman of the House Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mutu allegedly received over ₦400 million in kickbacks from an NDDC consultant, Starline Consultancy Services.

• Laundering: The money was reportedly funneled through Heritage Bank accounts belonging to two of Mutu’s companies, Airworld Technologies Ltd and Oyien Homes Ltd, which are owned and operated by the lawmaker and his immediate family.

• The “Consultancy” Ruse: Investigators revealed that after the Committee helped the NDDC recover over ₦100 billion from oil firms, Mutu pressured the consultant to issue a fake subcontract to his company to justify the kickbacks. The consultant later admitted that no actual work was performed by Mutu’s firm.

Mutu’s Defense and Ongoing Legal Status

During the investigation, Mutu returned ₦150 million to the EFCC, though he later argued in court that the payment was involuntary and that the funds resulted from legitimate business dealings. The court ultimately dismissed these claims, ruling that the money constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.

This civil forfeiture follows a separate, ongoing legal battle; the EFCC is currently appealing a previous judgment by Justice F.O.G. Ogunbanjo, which had acquitted Mutu in a related criminal money laundering trial.

Prof. David Salifu, a former Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), has reportedly died following an attack by suspected kidnappers. While traveling toward Makurdi on Thursday, Salifu was shot during the incident in Wukari, Taraba State. Although he managed to escape the scene and was rushed to a hospital in Makurdi for emergency treatment, he was pronounced dead on Thursday night. As of this report, security authorities and the Benue Command Police Public Relations Officer have not yet released an official statement regarding the attack.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Simultaneously, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing an intensified leadership crisis, marked by the issuance of Certificates of Return to two separate candidates for the 2027 Benue State governorship election.

• Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, was presented with a Certificate of Return at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja as the candidate for the faction aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. He was accompanied to the event by his running mate, Oyije Ochaekiti Ogbenjuwa, along with various party stakeholders.

• In a conflicting move, a rival faction led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), declared Emmanuel Agbo, the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, as the winner of its primary and presented him with a separate Certificate of Return.