General
Court Remands Ex-Code of Conduct Tribunal Chair Danladi Umar in Kuje Prison
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has remanded the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Custodial Centre after he was arraigned on corruption charges brought by the federal government.
Justice Peter Kekemeke on Thursday ordered Mr Umar’s remand following his arraignment on a four-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and corruption.
According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that the former CCT Chairman used his position to obtain financial benefits from contractors while in office.
The federal government alleged that in 2021, Mr Umar received N5.5 million through his wife’s bank account from a contractor engaged to repaint the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The prosecutors further claimed that on January 25, 2024, he also received N6 million, again through his wife’s account, from a contractor responsible for the digitisation of the tribunal’s records.
In another allegation, the government accused Mr Umar of directing a contractor to pay N2.43 million as tuition fees for his daughter at Baze University, Abuja.
The alleged offences are said to contravene Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Mr Umar pleaded not guilty to all four charges. Following his plea, prosecuting counsel, Christopher Mshelia, asked the court to remand the defendant to a correctional facility and fix a date for trial.
The counsel of defence, however, urged the court to admit him to bail pending the hearing of the case.
The prosecution opposed the request, informing the court that it had only just been served with the bail application and required time to file its response.
Justice Kekemeke subsequently adjourned proceedings until July 15 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in Kuje Custodial Centre pending the determination of the application.
Mr Umar served as Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and presided over several high-profile cases during his tenure, including the 2019 trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Mr Umar was responsible for issuing the ex parte order that paved the way for Mr Onnoghen’s suspension, after which the late President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Justice Tanko Muhammad as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
Although Mr Onnoghen later resigned from office, Mr Umar proceeded to convict him over allegations of false asset declaration and ordered the forfeiture of funds in several of the former CJN’s bank accounts while also removing him from key judicial positions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) distributed a total of N1.5 billion to 6,129 students across three institutions in the country for the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to an update on its verified X handle on Thursday, it was disclosed that the beneficiary schools include Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI) in Ekiti State, Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State, and the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences in Benin City, Edo State.
A breakdown of the documents noted that N1,360,920,800 was disbursed to Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ekiti State, covering 5,396 students across five tranches, N104,530,000 to Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology, Omu-Ajose, Ogun State, covering 680 students, and N36,485,000 to the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, Benin City, Edo State, covering 53 students.
The largest disbursement went to BOUESTI, which received N1,360,920,800 across five tranches covering 5,396 students, followed by Sikiru Adetona College, which received N104,530,000 for 680 students, and the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, which received N36,485,000 covering 53 students.
The Registrar of Sikiru Adetona College, Dr Bukola Makinde, confirmed the funds had already reached individual students.
“The said money had since been disbursed into the bank accounts of the students’ beneficiaries,” she said, describing the support as enabling students “to enjoy financially hitch-free academic progress.”
The Provost of the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, Mrs Mabel Omobude, pledged full accountability in the use of the disbursed funds.
“The disbursement will be judiciously applied strictly for its intended educational purposes in tandem with global best practices,” she said, adding that the college reaffirms its “continued commitment to compliance, transparency, and accountability in the administration of this facility.”
BOUESTI Vice-Chancellor Prof. Andrew Babatunde Omojola confirmed receipt of the full N1,360,920,800 disbursed across five tranches and commended NELFUND’s leadership for delivering the funds efficiently.
“We hereby confirm the receipt of a total sum of One Billion, Three Hundred and Sixty Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira only, being the total payment of the five tranches of student loan approved to 5,396 students of BOUESTI, disbursed for the 2025/2026 academic session,” he said.
“We want to appreciate the Federal Government and sincerely applaud the Managing Director of NELFUND and his team for their efforts and efficiency in ensuring the objectives of the scheme are achieved nationwide,” he added.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Mr Bello Bodejo, has been arraigned before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja for an alleged $2.33 million fraud.
Mr Bodejo was brought before the court on Thursday, July 9, 2026, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering.
At Thursday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Mr Wahab Shittu (SAN) drew the attention of the court to a 12-count charge application dated June 24, 2026, and filed June 25, 2026, urging the court to allow the defendant to take his plea to which the judge granted his request.
“That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo (male, adult), on or about the 11th day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of $100,000 in physical currency from one Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, which sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of 5 million prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act,” Count one of the charge read.
The Count four stated, “That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo (male, adult), on or about the 7th day of February 2024, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court, did knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of $980,000 in physical currency from one Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigeria Police Force, which sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5 million prescribed under Section 2(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”
After pleading “not guilty” to the charges, the prosecution counsel asked the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service, while the defence counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), prayed the court to admit his client to bail in respect of his bail application, filed on June, 30, 2026.
The bail application was, however, strongly opposed by prosecution counsel, who drew the attention of the court to his counter-affidavit of 28 paragraphs, dated July 6, 2026.
He pointed out that the defendant is a public risk as the Department of State Security Services (DSS) is on the lookout for him, and that being an influential person, he may manipulate the witnesses and the progress of the case.
Justice Ekwo ordered the remand of the defendant in EFCC’s holding facility and adjourned the matter till July 20, 2026, for ruling on the bail application.
By Adedapo Adesanya
EMERGE, an acceleration platform powered by TheBoardroom Africa, has launched its digital platform to connect young African professionals with the skills, networks, structured support, and employer opportunities they need to build sustainable careers.
Industry stakeholders say Africa’s challenge is no longer a shortage of talent but the lack of systems that enable skilled professionals to advance their careers. Despite having the technical expertise and ambition, many workers struggle to access the mentorship, professional networks, career development programmes, and employer connections needed to sustain long-term career growth.
EMERGE will bring together the elements of career development, including structured learning, professional diagnostics, mentorship, peer support, employer engagement, and access to opportunity.
According to a statement, the organisers said – for professionals, EMERGE provides greater clarity, confidence, skills, visibility, and support to progress with intention. For employers, it creates access to a stronger, better-prepared, and more visible talent pipeline. For the wider economy, it helps more of Africa’s young professionals move into roles where they can contribute, lead, and grow, strengthening organisations and labour markets across the continent.
Developed with support from the Mastercard Foundation, EMERGE is already home to a growing community of more than 1,700 young African professionals, creating a powerful network of emerging talent across the continent. Around six in ten EMERGE members are women, reflecting a deliberate commitment to widening access for talented professionals who are too often overlooked by traditional career pathways. Open to professionals across the continent, EMERGE is building a more inclusive and representative pipeline for Africa’s next generation of leaders.
Speaking at the launch, the chief executive of TheBoardroom Africa, Mrs Marcia Ashong-Sam, said, “The issue has never been a lack of capable talent in Africa. The real challenge is that access to opportunity remains uneven, and career progression is too rarely supported in a structured, intentional way. EMERGE was created to change that. We are building the career infrastructure that too many young professionals have had to navigate without: a platform that helps them translate ambition and ability into sustainable, meaningful careers, while connecting employers to a stronger and better-prepared pipeline of African talent.”
The platform gives members access to a dynamic mix of live masterclasses led by industry practitioners, career-focused programming designed to build resilience and progression, self-paced courses through its Learning Hub, and thoughtfully selected career opportunities with some of Africa’s most innovative employers.
The EMERGE journey begins with the Leadership Compass, the platform’s proprietary baseline assessment, which gives each member a clearer view of where they are in their professional journey and where focused development could unlock the greatest growth. Insights from the assessment help shape a more personalised pathway through the EMERGE experience.
For employers, EMERGE offers a seamless way to invest in professional development at scale. Organisations can enrol staff cohorts on the platform, giving their teams continuous access to high-quality career development tools, masterclasses, learning pathways, and progression-focused support through the programmatic rhythm of the EMERGE experience.
Employers also benefit from aggregate cohort insights, enabling them to track progress, understand development priorities, and make more informed decisions about talent growth, retention, and internal mobility. In this way, EMERGE becomes more than a learning platform; it becomes a practical development pathway for building stronger, more prepared leadership pipelines from within.
Mrs Ashong-Sam added, “The needs of employers and professionals are closely connected. Employers want people who can grow with the business, contribute to strategy, and take on greater responsibility over time. Professionals want work that gives them progress, purpose, and financial stability. EMERGE brings both sides into the same conversation, with a focus on readiness, development, and opportunity.”
The platform reflects TheBoardroom Africa’s wider work to strengthen leadership ecosystems across the continent. Over the past decade, the firm has worked with senior executives, board leaders, and institutions across African markets and globally, giving it direct insight into the gaps that begin much earlier in people’s careers. EMERGE applies that experience at an earlier stage, supporting professionals before they reach senior roles and building a stronger pipeline of talent prepared for greater responsibility and decision-making.
EMERGE is open to professionals across Africa and will continue to expand its membership while engaging employers looking to strengthen their talent pipelines.
