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Return the Money!’ – AGF Accuses Osun of Flouting Court Order, Seeks Refund of LG Allocations
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has urged the Supreme Court to order the Osun State Government to refund seven months’ worth of local government allocations to the Minister of Finance.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This demand was contained in a response filed by Fagbemi’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), in reaction to a suit earlier instituted by the Osun State Government through its Attorney General.
In the suit, marked SC/CV/379/2025, Osun alleged that the Federal Government failed to release the statutory allocation due to its 30 local government councils for March 2025. The state claimed that when it queried the Ministry of Finance about the delay, the Minister of Finance, Wale Odun, allegedly stated he was acting on the directive of the AGF.
However, Fagbemi refuted the allegation, challenging the legitimacy of the suit and accusing the Osun State Government of contempt for allegedly disregarding a July 11, 2024 Supreme Court judgment.
He further argued that Osun’s reliance on the 2004 case of AG Lagos State v. AG Federation—where the Supreme Court ordered the release of withheld funds to Lagos—was irrelevant to the current situation.
In a counter‑affidavit deposed by Taye Oloyede, Special Assistant to the President on Legal Matters, the AGF maintained that neither he nor the Finance Minister ever instructed the withholding of Osun’s allocations. Oloyede stated that during a meeting held on May 22, 2025, the Finance Minister also denied issuing or receiving any such directive.
According to Oloyede, Osun failed to provide evidence that the President ordered any withholding or that the state’s local governments had submitted the required account details to the Finance Ministry for direct payments.
He also pointed out that the councils currently administering Osun’s LGAs were elected under the former APC-led administration and remain in office until October 2025. Therefore, the state lacked both the legal authority and the consent of the LG councils to initiate the suit.
The affidavit further alleged that Osun intended to channel the allocations into state‑level health and education programs, which directly contravenes the Supreme Court’s ruling that forbids state governments from managing LG funds.
Oloyede highlighted that an earlier Federal High Court judgment in Osun’s favour had already been overturned by the Court of Appeal.
Fagbemi insisted that Osun was in contempt of the landmark July 11, 2024 Supreme Court ruling in AGF v. Attorney General of Abia State & Others, which ordered that LG allocations be paid directly to councils without state interference. Osun, listed as Defendant No. 29 in that case, had acknowledged the ruling but allegedly continued to receive and spend LG funds between July 2024 and February 2025.
Describing the current suit as a “calculated attempt” to secure judicial backing for its violations, Fagbemi branded Osun’s actions as “egregious contempt” and urged the Supreme Court to enforce its authority by ordering Osun to refund all LG allocations collected during that seven‑month period. These funds, he said, should be remitted to the Minister of Finance for onward transfer to the respective local governments.
In a five‑point preliminary objection, the AGF further contended that:
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Osun is not entitled to be heard due to contempt;
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It has no right of appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision;
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The matter does not constitute a genuine dispute to trigger the court’s original jurisdiction under Section 232(1) of the Constitution;
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The state lacks locus standi to sue on behalf of local governments;
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And only the councils themselves—not a state government—can seek redress for unpaid allocations.
He concluded, “If any local government has been wrongly deprived of its funds, it is the council itself—not the state government—that has the right to sue.”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the Osun State Government has filed to withdraw the suit. However, Olujimi confirmed that until the application for withdrawal is formally heard by the Supreme Court in September, the matter technically remains pending.
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The Bulldozers Are Coming! Kano Targets Azman University In Massive Illegal Property Crackdown.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has dismissed recent claims by 2027 presidential hopeful Peter Obi regarding Nigeria’s power generation goals. During an Arise Television interview, Onanuga clarified that Nigeria’s core electricity crisis stems from structural deficits—such as gas supply shortages, a $4 trillion legacy debt owed to suppliers, and an aging national grid—rather than a lack of generation capacity.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Onanuga noted that the nation already possesses an installed capacity of 13,500 megawatts, exceeding Obi’s promise to add 10,000 megawatts. He argued that the former governor lacks a clear understanding of the existing infrastructure limitations. Furthermore, Onanuga highlighted that the Tinubu administration is actively tackling these issues through the Electricity Act, which decentralizes power management, and the establishment of the Grid Asset Management Company Limited (GAMCO) to improve performance. He maintained that power generation has seen marked improvement since the current administration took office in May 2023.
President Bola Tinubu’s aide, Bayo Onanuga, has challenged Peter Obi’s pledge to increase Nigeria’s electricity generation by 10,000 megawatts within four years. In a recent interview, Onanuga stated that Obi’s plan ignores the reality that Nigeria’s installed capacity is already 13,500 megawatts—a figure that remains underutilized due to structural failures.
Onanuga identified the country’s primary obstacles as an outdated national grid, chronic gas supply issues, and a massive legacy debt of over ₦4 trillion owed to gas companies. He asserted that the current administration is addressing these systemic problems through legislative reforms, specifically citing the Electricity Act, which allows states to manage their own power generation, transmission, and distribution. Onanuga concluded that electricity output has already trended upward since May 2023 and that the government’s focus remains on optimizing existing assets rather than merely chasing higher capacity targets.
Bayo Onanuga is pushing back against Peter Obi’s recent promise to boost Nigeria’s power supply by 10,000 megawatts. According to President Tinubu’s spokesperson, the real issue isn’t a lack of capacity, but a broken system.
Onanuga pointed out that Nigeria already has 13,500 megawatts of installed capacity, most of which sits idle due to three main roadblocks:
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The Grid: Outdated infrastructure that cannot handle current demands.
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Gas Supply: A crippling lack of fuel for power plants.
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Legacy Debt: A massive ₦4 trillion debt pile-up owed to gas suppliers.
Onanuga credited the Tinubu administration with tackling these hurdles head-on, specifically through the new Electricity Act that empowers states to generate and distribute their own power. He insists that the sector is already performing better than it was in May 2023 and that the focus is on fixing the structural bottlenecks, not just expanding capacity.
Would you like me to focus on a specific aspect of this report, such as the economic implications or the political disagreement between the two figures?
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Court Orders Probe Of Leaked Video In Alleged Coup Plot Trial
On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja initiated an investigation into the unauthorized release of a video linked to the ongoing trial of six individuals accused of conspiring to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Investigation into the Leaked Video
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Court Directive: Following a complaint from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), regarding a video statement that surfaced on the social media platform of influencer “VeryDarkMan” despite a court-imposed restriction, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to conduct an inquiry.
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National Security Concerns: The DPP characterized the leak as a national security risk that prejudices the ongoing judicial proceedings, noting the video had already surpassed 6,000 views.
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Defense Stance: While defense counsel denied involvement in the leak, they held varying views on a probe; some welcomed an investigation, while others, like Sanusi Musa (SAN), cautioned against acting without formal evidence.
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Judicial Ruling: Invoking Section 232(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Justice Abdulmalik mandated the DSS to identify and bring any responsible parties before the court, noting that such prosecution would be handled separately from the main coup trial.
Trial Testimony and Bail Proceedings
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Witness Testimony: A prosecution witness, an Army officer codenamed “DDD,” testified that the investigation was conducted by a multi-agency team—including the Army, DSS, DIA, and EFCC—and explicitly denied that the defendants were chained, coerced, or tortured during interrogation.
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Defense Challenges: During cross-examination, defense lawyers challenged the interrogation process, specifically noting the absence of family members or legal representation during the suspects’ questioning; however, the witness stated no such requests were made by the defendants.
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Bail Applications: The court heard bail arguments from the defense, which the DPP opposed; Justice Abdulmalik has reserved her ruling on these applications and adjourned the trial-within-trial for the first three defendants until June 25 and June 30.
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No Mercy! US Authorities Deport Nigerian Over “Violent Crimes” & Abuse Allegations!.
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Deportation of Nigerian National: A Nigerian citizen named Ayodeji Ajayi has been deported from the United States following a series of criminal convictions, which include domestic violence.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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Immigration Status: According to a statement released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on their official account, Ajayi had been living in the US illegally for nearly two decades after failing to depart the country following the expiration of his student visa.
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Criminal History: ICE reported that after abandoning his studies, Ajayi amassed a significant criminal record that includes convictions for domestic violence, trespassing, intimidation, and obstruction. Furthermore, his record includes charges involving kidnapping, rape, and family neglect.
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Administrative Context: ICE attributed the removal of Ajayi to the immigration enforcement policies of President Donald Trump, noting the administration’s commitment to deporting criminal undocumented immigrants.
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Missing Details: While the agency confirmed the deportation, they did not specify when it occurred, nor did they provide additional details regarding the jurisdictions of the convictions or the current status of his pending criminal charges.
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Policy Enforcement: This action reflects the ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to intensify enforcement and increase the number of removals of undocumented individuals with criminal backgrounds across the United States.
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