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Alleged N5bn Fraud: FG Arraigns Former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah

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Stella Oduah

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian government on Wednesday arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on a N5 billion corruption charge.

She was put on trial by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, on five counts relating to advance fee fraud and conspiracy.

The federal government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is prosecuting her and eight co-defendants on a 25-count charge involving alleged conspiracy and money laundering of public funds.

The specific amount in the main charge is approximately N5 billion, though some reports have mentioned N7.9 billion or N10 billion in total across all charges.

Mrs Oduah and the other defendants were first formally arraigned on July 21, 2023, after multiple delays, and they all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In July and November 2023, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) take over the prosecution from the EFCC to ensure diligent handling of the case amidst procedural controversies.

Those charged alongside Mrs Oduah include her former aide Mrs Gloria Odita, other individuals, and several firms, including China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Limited.

Mrs Oduah also faces a separate eight-count charge filed in June 2023 for alleged document falsification, specifically for falsely claiming the loss of her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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NURTW Crisis: Police Arraign Baruwa After ‘Coup’ Against MC Oluomo

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tajudeen baruwa

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The attempt by Mr Tajudeen Baruwa to forcefully overthrow Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, otherwise known as MC Oluomo, as the chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has landed him in trouble.

The factional chairman of the group was arrested by the police in Abuja on Monday after he led other members to the headquarters of NURTW to dislodge his opponent.

Mr Baruwa claimed that he won a case against MC Oluomo at the court, empowering him to take over the leadership of the union.

The action triggered pandemonium at the secretariat of the organisation yesterday, prompting officials of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pick him up.

The police have arraigned him alongside the factional General Secretary, Mr Sulaiman Musa, and five others in connection with the incident.

They were charged at Magistrate Court 1, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, by the police for disrupting public peace, though normalcy has since been restored to the area.

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Empowering Women Goes Beyond Celebrating IWD, Others—Interswitch HR

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Interswitch HR Franklin Ali

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Group Chief Human Resource Officer of Interswitch, Mr Franklin Ali, has highlighted the importance of creating deliberate opportunities that support women’s professional growth.

Speaking at a virtual session organised by the company to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 under the theme Give to Gain, he noted that, “At Interswitch, we believe empowering women goes beyond celebrating milestones like International Women’s Day. It requires creating meaningful platforms where women can learn, share experiences, and gain the visibility needed to grow as leaders. Through initiatives like Give to Gain, we encourage our women to recognise the value they bring and confidently amplify their impact within the organisation and beyond.”

At the event, which also featured the Deputy Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited, Ms Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, the leading African technology company reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women across its workforce and fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

In her presentation, which focused on Give to Gain – Give Value, Gain Visibility, Ms Dayo-Olagunju emphasised the importance of intentional value creation and visibility in shaping professional growth for women in the workplace.

Drawing from her experience in the financial services sector, she also shared perspectives on how women can intentionally position themselves for greater impact, build influence within their organisations, and translate consistent value delivery into meaningful professional growth.

It was gathered that Interswitch distributed customised care packages to female employees across its offices. The gesture served as a token of appreciation for the resilience, dedication, and excellence demonstrated daily by women across the organisation.

Beyond the session and care packages, Interswitch continues to support women across its workforce through a range of internal policies to promote well-being and work-life balance. These include access to top-notch creche facilities, a robust maternity leave policy, and an exclusive spousal allowance initiative, all of which reinforce the company’s broader commitment to creating a supportive environment where women can thrive both professionally and personally.

This year’s International Women’s Day initiative reflects Interswitch’s recognition of the vital role women play in shaping the company’s continued growth and success. Across technology, operations, product development, finance, and leadership, women within the organisation continue to drive innovation and strengthen service delivery.

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Eight Die as Terrorists Blow up Niger Bridge

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A bridge connecting the Luma-Babana-Agwara communities in Niger State was destroyed by terrorists on Monday. The incident claimed the lives of eight people.

The bridge is a vital route used by residents travelling to the Babanna border market, which operates every Monday.

According to reports, the hoodlums used an improvised explosive device (IED) to bring down the facility located along Luma Road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Chairman of Borgu Local Government, Mr Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, who confirmed the attack, noted that authorities were working to verify the full extent of the damage.

“There was actually an attack by the bandits, and we are trying to verify the magnitude. A bridge was actually damaged. Already, we have sent people to the area to verify things for us,” Vanguard quoted him as saying.

It also quoted a source as saying, “In the early hours today, bandits stormed Borgu local government area of the state and bombed the Lunma-Babana bridge. Apart from bombing the bridge, the bandits also detonated bombs between Rafingiwa and Babana, and another at Woro and Kaiama, forcing residents to flee the area.”

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