Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared his affection and respect for Islam, revealing that he has sponsored Muslim pilgrims to Mecca for 25 years and would not make derogatory remarks about a religion he holds in high regard.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Akpabio made the statement during Thursday’s plenary while responding to criticism over his recent comments about suicide and beliefs surrounding rewards in the afterlife.

He explained that he had consistently sponsored Muslims to visit the holy city of Mecca to pray for him and Nigeria, insisting that his remarks during Senate deliberations had been taken out of context and given political interpretations.

The controversy arose from comments he made on Tuesday during discussions on the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who represents Cross River South Senatorial District.

During the debate, Akpabio said some young people consider suicide because “they believe seven virgins await them in the afterlife.”

The remark attracted criticism from some commentators, who accused the Senate president of making disparaging statements about Muslims and their religious beliefs.

Responding to the backlash, Akpabio maintained that disagreements were a normal part of legislative debates as lawmakers worked towards developing effective laws for the country.

“I love the Muslim religion. I send people to Mecca to pray for me and to pray for this country, and I do that even up to yesterday, and I have been doing that since the last 25 years,” he said.

The Senate president also criticised television commentators, accusing some of misrepresenting discussions held during Senate proceedings for political reasons.

“So I don’t know why people go and sit down on television and they try to misinterpret what we say here because politics is coming,” he added.

To reinforce his position, Akpabio referred to his record as a former governor, claiming that he had sponsored thousands of Muslims to the holy land and Christians to Rome and Jerusalem.

According to him, he facilitated pilgrimages for 5,800 Muslims and more than 10,000 Christians during his time in public service.

He further stated that several Muslims had worked closely with him over the years and that his relationships with them were built on brotherhood and mutual respect.

“My ADC for 19 years is a Muslim. I don’t recognize him as a Muslim. I recognize him as a brother; he’s from Azare in Bauchi State, the same thing with my CSO,” he said.

Akpabio added that many members of his staff were Muslims, insisting that he had no reason to disrespect Islam.

“There’s no way I will talk down on Muslim religion, so people who go out there to talk should study the personalities involved,” he stated.

‘Terrorists Are Neither Muslims Nor Christians’

Akpabio also cautioned against associating terrorism with any particular religion, arguing that those who commit violent acts should not use religious beliefs to justify taking their own lives or killing others.

“Terrorists are not Muslims. Terrorists are not Christians. Terrorists are human beings who believe in taking their lives and the lives of others,” he said.

He maintained that, as he understood it, Islam prohibits suicide and the killing of others.

“The Muslim religion that I know forbids suicide; it forbids killing,” he added.

The Senate president also referenced provisions of the Criminal Code and Penal Code concerning suicide, urging lawmakers to carefully examine the matter. He stressed the need to distinguish between individuals experiencing mental health challenges and those who deliberately take their own lives.

According to him, deliberations on the Suicide Prevention Bill should focus on developing legislation that addresses suicide and related concerns rather than becoming dominated by controversy over his comments.

Akpabio reiterated that disagreements among lawmakers were an essential part of the legislative process, noting that opposing and supporting different positions were necessary to produce effective laws.

“I don’t like the idea of people sitting down on television and trying to misinterpret what we discuss here in the Senate,” he said.

“We want to make the best laws, so we are bound to oppose each other, and we are also bound to support each other.”

He urged Nigerians to consider the Senate’s final decisions when evaluating debates and discussions held in the chamber.

“No matter the discussion, please take the final decision of the Senate into consideration,” Akpabio said.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor also called on Nigerians to pay greater attention to the issues under consideration rather than what he described as attempts to damage public officials’ reputations by misrepresenting their statements.

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, that ₦1.425 billion transferred through two companies linked to Abba Adaudu, an associate of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, was intended for foreign exchange transactions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

amilu Abdullahi, a forex dealer, disclosed this on Thursday while testifying as the 19th prosecution witness in Bello’s ongoing trial before Justice M. E. Anenih.

Abdullahi told the court that Adaudu paid the money to purchase foreign currency and that he supplied the corresponding amount in US dollars based on the prevailing exchange rate.

Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving ₦110.4 billion. The defendants have not been convicted, and the allegations remain before the court.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, alongside Olukayode Enitan, SAN, and Bolu Agbaje, SAN, the witness identified Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited as companies belonging to Adaudu.

According to Abdullahi, ₦100 million was transferred through Keyless Nature Limited on December 15, 2021, followed by additional transactions totalling ₦400 million on December 17 of the same year.

He further testified that ₦600 million was transferred through Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022, while another ₦325 million passed through the company on February 21, 2022.

The witness said the transactions carried out between December 2021 and February 2022 amounted to ₦1.425 billion.

He explained that whenever the money was paid into his accounts through cash deposits or electronic transfers, he supplied Adaudu with the equivalent value in US dollars.

Abdullahi added that the currency exchanges were usually conducted either at his office or at Adaudu’s office. He said Adaudu typically contacted him before or after making cash deposits to inform him that the funds were meant for foreign exchange dealings.

The forex dealer also testified about the bank accounts of E-Traders Limited, one of his companies. He identified Exhibit AR as the company’s statement of account with the Mararaba branch of First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

He told the court that cash deposits made into the account at Access Bank’s Lokoja branch between July 2021 and April 2022 were connected to Adaudu.

Although some transaction descriptions bore his name, Abdullahi said he did not personally make the deposits, explaining that he had never visited the Access Bank branch in Lokoja.

He gave a similar explanation regarding deposits dated February 22 and transactions recorded on March 10 and 11, 2022.

The witness also identified Exhibit AK, another account statement, and attributed several cash deposits made on December 29 and 30, 2021, as well as January 31 and February 1, 2022, to Adaudu or individuals acting on his behalf.

He maintained that the transactions were related to foreign exchange dealings.

Witness Makes Admission During Cross-Examination

During cross-examination, however, Abdullahi admitted that he could not establish whether any of the defendants personally made the cash deposits because he was not present at the bank when the transactions occurred.

He also confirmed that the names of the first and second defendants did not appear in E-Traders Limited’s account statement as depositors.

The witness further disclosed that he was the sole signatory to the account.

Despite these admissions, Abdullahi maintained that the transactions involving Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited were forex dealings associated with Adaudu.

He said he could not remember the total amount of foreign currency he supplied to Adaudu but explained that he usually provided the equivalent value of the transactions, either in cash or, occasionally, through bank transfers.

According to him, payments made in cash were delivered in foreign currency.

Witness Testifies On School Fees Payments

Abdullahi also gave evidence concerning payments made towards the school fees of children attending the American International School.

He told the court that Adaudu supplied the account details and names of the beneficiaries for the transactions.

The children were identified as Fatima Bello, Zarrah Bello, Zayan Bello, Farid Bello and Na’ima Bello.

The witness said he arranged the payments through colleagues rather than carrying them out personally. He added that neither Adaudu nor the children’s parents complained about the transactions.

He identified Exhibit AX10(1–4) as telex documents issued by the American International School in connection with the payments.

According to Abdullahi, he forwarded the documents to Adaudu for confirmation after the transactions had been completed.

During cross-examination, the forex dealer admitted that he did not know the parents of the children whose school fees he helped to pay. He also confirmed that he did not personally execute the payments but relied on colleagues to handle the transactions.

The witness further disclosed that he operated another company known as De Remita.

He told the court that the statements he made to the EFCC in 2022 contained details and illustrations of the transactions with Adaudu that he could recall at the time. He also confirmed that he had not made any further statement to the commission since then.

Court Adjourns Trial

Earlier in the proceedings, a lawyer informed the court that an application had been filed seeking the withdrawal of the surety of the third defendant.

The lawyer said all parties had been served with the application, but it was not yet ready for hearing.

Counsel representing the third defendant confirmed receipt of the application and requested time to prepare a response.

Pinheiro suggested that the application be heard on the next adjourned date to prevent disruptions to the ongoing trial.

The court subsequently proceeded with the hearing.

However, after defence counsel indicated that the witness was tired, Justice Anenih adjourned the case until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for the continuation of proceedings.

Bello and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count charge involving alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to ₦110.4 billion.

The court has yet to determine the allegations against them.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been asked to make public documents concerning his abandoned World Cup commercial rights proposal and provide answers to unresolved questions, with his leadership position potentially facing further challenges if he fails to do so.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The demand followed a three-and-a-half-hour meeting of the FIFA Council in Zurich on October 15, the first since details of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal became public.

The proposal, which Infantino withdrew within days of its disclosure, would have transferred part of FIFA’s commercial rights to a private investment firm.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who is also a FIFA vice-president, said Infantino apologised during the meeting but did not address questions raised by council members.

According to the BBC, Hewitt expressed disappointment that the council had not received answers to its specific requests, including access to documents relating to the FFE proposal.

“One of the disappointing things is that we didn’t get answers to anything that we had specifically requested; for example, getting the papers from FFE,” Hewitt said.

She explained that she had asked why the documents were not provided but was instead told to submit the questions in writing.

“I think the man has to answer those questions and if he doesn’t answer those questions now, he’s not fit to be FIFA president, and that was what was shared in the meeting,” she added.

Hewitt acknowledged that Infantino had expressed regret but questioned the sincerity of his apology, particularly because he had failed to present the proposal to the council before it became public.

She said council members had openly voiced their concerns about how the matter was handled.

“What he really apologised for was not bringing it to the council. If you regret it that deeply, share it with us,” she stated.

Beyond the controversy surrounding the FFE proposal, the meeting also addressed other issues, including the suspended red-card ban involving United States striker Folarin Balogun, the FIFA Peace Prize and funding for national football associations.

Meanwhile, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has continued to oppose Infantino’s leadership, repeatedly calling for him to resign and preparing criminal legal proceedings against him.

UEFA has also filed claims in three United States courts seeking the disclosure of all documents connected to the FFE proposal.

When asked whether Infantino’s apology had changed her position, Hewitt said she had not received any new information that would alter her assessment of the controversy.

“From my position, nothing has shifted. I’ve no new information that makes me feel any differently, other than we do have an apologetic president,” she said.