By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The sum of N17.1 million domiciled in Access Bank, believed to be proceeds of a romance scam allegedly by one Mr Ifeanyi Alele David has been forfeited to the federal government.

Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, ordered the final forfeiture of the fund on Monday, June 1, 2026, after no interested person or entity could explain why it should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The order followed a motion on notice filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Ms C.C.Okezie.

The court had, on February 26, 2026, granted an interim forfeiture order of the fund and directed the commission to publish the order in a national newspaper.

While moving the application for the final forfeiture, Ms Okezie informed the court that the agency complied with the publication order by publishing the interim forfeiture notice in The Punch newspaper on April 10, 2026.

The legal practitioner also stated that no individual or entity came forward within the stipulated period to contest the forfeiture, further stating that the application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, Samson Aguma, who detailed the findings of the Commission’s investigation.

According to the affidavit, the EFCC received a petition from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Mr David, who is under investigation, was involved in a romance scam scheme connected to the tragic death of a United States of America citizen.

According to him, on September 15, 2021, a romance fraud victim committed suicide in a hotel room in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Following the discovery of her body, law enforcement officers recovered her mobile device and observed multiple messages from an individual identified as Garry Micheal through the Google Hangouts application.

Investigations further revealed that the suspect repeatedly solicited funds from the victim under various false pretences, including requests for money to secure his release from prison and facilitate his return to the United States.

The affidavit disclosed that on the day the victim took her own life, the suspect allegedly demanded an additional sum of $60,000 from her, despite her expressing severe financial distress and indicating that she had exhausted her resources.

Further investigations by the FBI allegedly established that the victim sent approximately $154,500 between August 30 and September 13, 2021, through various channels connected to the fraudulent scheme.

Aguma stated that forensic analysis traced email accounts, internet protocol (IP) addresses, telephone records, and an Apple iCloud account linked to the romance fraud activities to David in Nigeria.

He further disclosed that the sum of N17,100,595.40 found in Mr David’s Access Bank account was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and formed part of the funds derived from the fraudulent scheme.

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has declared that the Nigerian Navy has successfully eradicated piracy and drastically brought down crude oil theft.

The President spoke on Monday while launching the Nigerian Navy International Fleet Review (IFR) at the Eko Atlantic Waterfront in Victoria Island, Lagos, commending the maritime force for its role in securing the nation’s territorial waters.

The historic event serves as the flagship activity marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary (Platinum Jubilee celebrations), honouring the service’s establishment on June 1, 1956.

Addressing naval personnel, foreign dignitaries, and military chiefs, President Tinubu praised the modern operational capabilities of the force, noting that it directly protected coastal communities.

“Through effective integration of surveillance, rapid response mechanisms, and operations, you have successfully eradicated piracy in our waters and significantly curtailed crude oil theft and associated maritime crime.

“These achievements have enhanced the security of communities and contributed to increasing, thereby supporting national economic growth. I am confident that the Nigerian Navy will continue to secure the maritime environment as a thriving engine of our blue economy,” the President said.

The event featured the commissioning of three naval vessels, NNS Mambila, NNS Gurara, and NNS Oloibiri, alongside a presidential trooping and presentation of new colours.

Looking beyond immediate maritime duties, the President also drew attention to the navy’s involvement in internal security operations across the country, particularly highlighting the actions of its elite forces.

“Beyond the maritime domain, I also commend the Nigerian Navy for its contribution to counter-terrorism and insurgency.

“The courage and professionalism demonstrated by the Special Boat Services in executing complex missions are truly commendable,” he stated.

Charging the leadership to keep up the momentum, Tinubu requested that the navy maintain its strict standards to meet future security obligations.

“I charge the officers of the Nigerian Navy to sustain this high standard of professionalism and continually deepen your operational capability and effectiveness to safeguard our waters.”

Reflecting on the milestone 70-year journey of the service, the President said the Nigerian Navy has become a strong force in Africa.

“The Nigerian Navy has evolved in tandem with our nation’s sovereignty, growing from a fledgling service into a modern, sophisticated naval power and an anchor of stability for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

“The Nigerian Navy has reached a pinnacle of continental leadership. Congratulations to the Nigerian Navy for emerging as the most formidable naval force in Africa,” he stated.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has pledged to increase Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution by at least 10,000 megawatts within four years if elected president in the 2027 general elections.

Mr Obi made the commitment on Saturday in Abuja while accepting his nomination as the party’s presidential flagbearer, as part of his pledge to transform the economy, tackle insecurity, create jobs, and end widespread hunger through targeted investments in key sectors.

The former Anambra State Governor said his administration would be driven by transparency, productivity and national unity, stressing that Nigeria’s current challenges required urgent and decisive leadership.

Mr Obi noted that the country continues to face significant socio-economic challenges, including insecurity, poverty, unemployment, hunger, and limited access to healthcare and education.

He, however, expressed confidence that Nigeria could overcome its challenges through efficient resource management and visionary leadership.

He highlighted that a core focus of his manifesto was to overhaul the power sector, which he described as central to economic growth and industrial development.

“Nigeria today is the nation with the highest number of citizens lacking access to electricity globally,” he said.

He noted that Nigeria generates and distributes about 4,000 megawatts of electricity for a population of over 200 million people, describing the figure as inadequate.

Comparing Nigeria with countries such as South Africa and Egypt, which generate over 40,000 megawatts in spite of smaller populations, Mr Obi said the gap reflected a major structural challenge.

“Over the next four years, I commit to ensuring a minimum of 10,000 megawatt increase in power generation and distribution,” he said.

On security, Mr Obi pledged to deploy intelligence-driven and technology-based approaches to tackle insecurity, while addressing root causes such as poverty, unemployment and social exclusion.

He also promised to strengthen the healthcare system, including increasing health insurance coverage from about 10 per cent to over 20 per cent within four years.

According to him, his administration would raise healthcare spending to at least 10 per cent of GDP and ensure that every one of Nigeria’s 8,809 political wards has a functional primary healthcare centre.

On education, Mr Obi pledged increased investment in schools, teacher training, technology and vocational skills development, saying human capital is the foundation of national transformation.

He expressed concern over rising food insecurity, noting that over 35 million Nigerians are projected to face acute hunger in spite of the country’s agricultural potential.

“We have absolutely no justification for being among the world’s hungriest nations,” he said, adding that his government would prioritise agricultural productivity to shift Nigeria from consumption to production.

Mr Obi also promised targeted support for micro, small and medium enterprises through tax incentives, access to affordable credit and job-creation policies aimed at empowering young Nigerians.

Mr Obi, who was the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, joined the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) earlier this month.