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Immigration Officer Tells Court Ozekhome’s ‘Tali Shani’ Passport Wasn’t Issued By NIS.
A Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) official told the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Friday that the agency did not issue a Nigerian passport in the name “Tali Shani.”....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The officer, Aridegbe Akim, testified as the first prosecution witness in the trial of Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mike Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni, son of the late former FCT Minister Jeremiah Useni. He stated that the passport with number A07535463, allegedly belonging to Tali Shani, was not issued by the NIS.
“The passport was not issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service. It is not in our database… the passport belonging to Tali Shani is fake,” Akim said.
He explained that the NIS received a request from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to verify two passports linked to Ponfa Useni and Tali Shani. After checking its database, the NIS found that one passport was genuine while the other, Tali Shani’s, was not issued by the agency. These findings were communicated to the EFCC.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), submitted the EFCC’s authentication request and the NIS response as evidence, with the defense raising no objections.
Akim described the passport issuance process, noting that applicants must make an online payment and submit documents, including their National Identification Number, before details are entered into the NIS database. Nigerian passports are encrypted in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards, allowing border authorities to access biometric data. “Once you insert a name, it brings up the person’s particulars, but no record exists for Tali Shani,” he added. He also said there was no payment record for the alleged passport.
The witness further revealed that the NIS verified a letter supposedly written by Abdulkadir Lawal, who claimed association with the agency. The service found no record of such a staff member and concluded the letter was fake.
Correspondence between the EFCC and NIS regarding the matter was admitted as evidence by Justice Chizoba Oji. Defense lawyers Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) for Ozekhome and E.R. Onoja for Useni reserved their objections for the final address.
During cross-examination, Akim said he became a principal staff officer in December 2023 and had been on foreign posting before July 2023. The court adjourned the trial to April 15 to continue cross-examination.
Case Background
Ozekhome and Useni were arraigned on February 27 at the FCT High Court, Maitama, on a 12-count charge. Both pleaded not guilty and were granted N10 million bail each, with a similar surety owning property within the FCT.
The case involves a property at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which Ozekhome claimed he received as a gift from “Mr Tali Shani” in 2021. Lawyers for “Ms Tali Shani” asserted she was the rightful owner, presenting documents including an obituary notice, National ID, and ECOWAS passport. However, a UK tribunal later ruled the documents were fake and concluded that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed, dismissing all property claims.
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Police Arrest NSCDC Officer With Pistol, 17 Bullets At Abuja Kubwa Market.
An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been arrested for allegedly firing gunshots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The officer, identified as Onoja Samuel, reportedly arrived at the market armed with a pistol following allegations that some traders had assaulted his wife.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while addressing journalists at the command on Wednesday, Naija News reports.
Sanusi said the police received a distress call from Kubwa Market, located in the Bwari Area Council, reporting that a man was shooting into the air.
Following the report, officers attached to the Kubwa Police Division were deployed to the scene, where they arrested the suspect.
According to the police commissioner, preliminary investigations revealed that Samuel holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) in the NSCDC.
He explained that the officer allegedly fired several shots during an argument with the traders.
“During the ensuing argument with the traders, Onoja Samuel, who is a DSC with the NSCDC, fired several shots into the air,” Sanusi said.
The police recovered a CZ pistol and 17 rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the suspect.
Sanusi added that Samuel remained in police custody and would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The commissioner also urged personnel of other security agencies operating in the FCT to exercise restraint and notify the police divisions responsible for their areas before conducting authorised operations.
He stressed that effective coordination among security agencies was essential to preventing confrontations and maintaining peace across the territory.
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‘We Don’t Want Another Mohbad Case’ – Laolu Gbenjo Speaks On Toluwanisings.
Nigerian gospel singer Laolu Gbenjo has cautioned the public against spreading unverified information about the circumstances surrounding the death of his colleague, Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Gbenjo’s warning comes amid growing controversy surrounding the late singer’s death and burial arrangements, with reports of disagreements among members of his family.
The gospel singer spoke on Tuesday during a night of tributes held in honour of Toluwanisings in Ibadan, Oyo State. He warned against allowing the situation to degenerate into a controversy similar to the one that followed the death of Nigerian singer Mohbad.
Describing the deceased as a devoted Christian and a genuine servant of God, Gbenjo said Toluwanisings was passionate about his faith and had a good relationship with people.
He urged the public to stop fuelling unnecessary controversy over the late singer’s death, particularly through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
“You can never see Toluwani in the midst of jobless people. He had a good heart. He was a friend to everybody. He served the Lord with all his heart. Don’t turn Toluwani into Mohbad. That madness on TikTok and Instagram must stop. If you are jobless, go and look for a job,” Gbenjo said.
Meanwhile, comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have threatened legal action against individuals allegedly linking them to Toluwanisings’ death.
Woli Agba disclosed this in a public notice shared on his Instagram page on Sunday.
In the notice issued by their solicitors, Gemgold, the comedians warned members of the public against publishing or circulating allegations they described as false and defamatory against them.
The legal notice maintained that the allegations were baseless and intended to damage the reputations of the two entertainers.
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El-Rufai’s ₦1bn Legal Battle Takes New Turn As Court Fixes Judgment Date.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2, 2026, for judgment in the ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other respondents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date after lawyers representing the parties adopted their respective court processes.
However, El-Rufai’s lawyer was absent when the case was initially called. The judge subsequently deemed the former governor’s filed processes adopted.
Counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), adopted the commission’s court processes and urged the judge to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Similarly, the lawyer representing the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), adopted their respective processes and asked the court to dismiss the case.
During the proceedings, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, arrived in court and apologised for his lateness.
When Akpan sought the court’s permission to adopt his client’s processes, Justice Abdulmalik informed him that the documents had already been deemed adopted.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2, 2026, when judgment is expected to be delivered.
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