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Kremlin Warns France Against Political Persecution of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
Kremlin Warns France Against Political Persecution of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
The Kremlin issued a stern warning to France on Thursday, cautioning against turning the criminal case involving Telegram founder Pavel Durov into an act of “political persecution.” Durov, who holds both Russian and French citizenship, was arrested in Paris earlier this week, prompting accusations from Russian officials that the charges against him are politically motivated.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
French authorities have charged Durov with multiple offenses related to his failure to control extremist and illegal content on the widely used messaging platform. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed concern over the situation, stating, “The main thing is for what is happening in France not to run into political persecution.” He emphasized that Russia considers Durov a citizen and assured that assistance would be provided as needed. Peskov added, “We will be watching what happens next.”
Despite the Kremlin’s claims, French President Emmanuel Macron denied that the arrest was politically motivated. Durov’s arrest has drawn significant attention, especially given Russia’s ongoing crackdown on political opposition amid its offensive in Ukraine.
After his arrest at a Paris airport, Durov was granted conditional release on a bail of five million euros. He is required to report to a police station twice a week and must remain in France as the case proceeds.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over N279 million recovered from a fraud case to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts, formerly the National Theatre in Lagos.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The funds were officially returned during a ceremony on Friday at the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 office in Ikoyi, Lagos, as part of the commission’s efforts to fight corruption and ensure that misappropriated public funds are restored to their rightful owners.
According to the EFCC, the case traces back to 2009 when Kabir Yusuf, then General Manager and CEO of the National Theatre, submitted a petition accusing Prince Benjamin Apugo and others of misconduct regarding a contract at the National Theatre.
The contract, valued at N299,707,828.00, was awarded through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation to Techno Exportstroy Nigeria Limited for the construction of five gates and sand filling/reclamation work at the theatre complex.
Investigations revealed that Yusuf Ahmed Atai, then Acting General Manager of the National Theatre, approved and released a total of N334,229,794.24 to the contractor—N34,521,966.00 above the original contract value. Further findings showed the contractor completed only N55,910,744.00 worth of work, leaving an unexecuted balance of N243,799,132.25, while the excess payment was never returned.
The EFCC prosecuted the case in court and successfully recovered N279 million from the defendant on behalf of the complainant, which was subsequently handed over to the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.
During the handover, EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, represented by Acting Zonal Director ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, emphasized the commission’s commitment to accountability in public funds and urged the Centre to utilize the recovered money appropriately.
“We cannot recover this money for you only for it to be misused. We expect full transparency on how it will be spent and will monitor its use closely,” he said. “Our eagle eyes will keep track of the project to ensure the funds benefit Nigeria.”
Receiving the bank drafts on behalf of the Centre, Head of Finance and Accounts, Jatto Kabiru, thanked the EFCC for its work in recovering the funds and assured that the money would be managed responsibly.
“We are deeply grateful for this remarkable recovery. The EFCC remains one of Nigeria’s most effective and reliable law enforcement agencies. I assure you the funds will be used judiciously,” he said.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has pledged to restore normalcy to Nigeria’s electoral system.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
IPAC’s National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, made the declaration on Friday during an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television.
He spoke in response to concerns surrounding the controversial Electoral Amendment Act.
Reports had indicated that IPAC had threatened to boycott the 2027 general elections over the recently passed and signed Electoral Act.
The National Assembly had approved the electronic transmission of election results, while retaining manual collation as a backup.
Less than 24 hours after the bill’s passage, President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law.
The rapid passage and signing of the Act have sparked widespread debate across Nigeria.
On IPAC’s stance, Dantalle said, “Nigeria has endured 26 years of uninterrupted democracy. Where we see issues of concern, just as IPAC stood up in 2023, we will rise again to ensure that normalcy is restored.”
The family of former Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Governor of Kaduna State, has called for his immediate and unconditional release from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement issued on Friday, the family argued that the continued detention of El-Rufai by the anti-graft agency lacks any legal basis.
The statement was signed by Bello El-Rufai, the former governor’s son and a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency.
According to the family, El-Rufai was first taken into custody on February 18, after which the ICPC secured a remand order from a magistrate court on February 19. They described the order as defective, noting that it allowed only a 14-day detention period, which has now expired.
“As of today, March 6, 2026, Nasir El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody under circumstances that have no basis in law. We state categorically that there is currently no valid legal instrument authorizing his detention,” the statement read.
The family added that the ICPC has not filed any charges against El-Rufai in a competent court, nor has it obtained a fresh or extended order to lawfully continue holding him.
“Following his detention, the ICPC obtained a remand order from a magistrate court on February 19. However, this order was defective from the outset and, by law, provided only a 14-day window for his detention. That 14-day period has now ended. The ICPC has not charged him with any offense in a competent court. Neither have they secured a fresh or extended lawful order to continue detaining him,” the statement emphasized.
They described the ongoing detention as unlawful.
“Despite the expiration of any legal cover for his detention, the ICPC persists in holding him. This is no longer a matter of lawful procedure; it is unlawful, brazen self-help,” the family said.
The statement further alleged that the anti-corruption agency is being used for political persecution.
“The path forward is clear and logical: release him immediately. Their refusal to do so confirms what we have long feared, that the ICPC is being wielded as a tool for political persecution rather than operating as an impartial institution of justice,” it added.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, after earlier being released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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