General
Edo Traders, Teachers, Others Back Obaseki
**Vow to Form New Party for Governor if…
By Dipo Olowookere
The administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki further received a huge boost when some teachers, market women, pensioners, youths, religious leaders and other groups stormed the Museum Ground, Kings Square, in Benin City, on Thursday to express support for the Governor.
Representatives of the various groups said the solidarity march was embarked upon to tell Nigerians how much impact the Obaseki administration has made in their lives.
They expressed appreciation to the governor and his team for prioritising their wellbeing with the regular payment of workers’ salaries, pension, revamp of public schools, health centres amongst other people-centric programmes and policies.
Speaking at the venue of the rally, Edo State Chairman of the National Youth Council, Mr Osahon Obasuyi, thanked the governor for the work being done in the state as it relates to job creation for youths, noting, “We have EdoJobs, Edo Production Centre, Edo Innovative Hub and the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme. The governor is delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state and come August 12, the Edo chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria will decorate him as a performing governor.”
He said the Governor deserves a second term to enable him consolidate on his achievements.
The State Market Women leader, Madam Blacky Omorogbe, hailed the former Governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for giving the people of the state a good successor who has continued to transform all sectors of the state.
She said, “Oshiomhole assured us that Obaseki will deliver the dividends of democracy to us, and today, Obaseki has not disappointed us.” She added that the market women are fully in support of the governor’s second term bid.
The Secretary of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Sir Humphrey Best Iriabe, said Christians in the state are solidly behind the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration and support his re-election bid in 2020.
The CAN secretary noted, “Obaseki is a man with a knack for excellence and has a consummate passion to work for the people and develop Edo State. We will support him to prevail just as Nehemiah in the bible prevailed. Do not be distracted as the God-servant governor.”
The Chief Imam of Benin Central Mosque, Alhaji Fatai Enabulele, said since the emergence of Obaseki as governor, he has shown respect for both young and old, adding that the governor has shown commitment to all people regardless of faith and creed.
He stressed that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) failed to give the governor ticket to run for the governorship position in 2020, Edo people will form another party for the governor to contest the election.
A representative of teachers under the Edo-BEST programme, Ehigie Isoken, said: “Before now, we were mourning because of the condition in which we worked. But the governor has trained and groomed us to bring out the best in us. While some people said we were incompetent and good for nothing, the governor trained us to become digital teachers.”
In his remarks, representative of National Union of Pensioners commended the governor for prompt payment of monthly pension, noting, “payment of pension arrears is almost complete. We get our pension before month end. We have never had it so good until when Obaseki came in as governor.”
Meanwhile, the governor assured that Edo is in safe hands with himself, Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq. on the saddle.
He said the political tension was to distract him but he would remain focused on delivery of democracy dividends.
According to him, “We will continue to remain focused. Our focus is to use the money we have in Edo State to build infrastructure, assist our children get the best education and maintain leadership in education in the country and continue to produce the best manpower for our country.
“I will continue to commit to my electoral promises to Edo people to create a minimum of 200,000 jobs in my first term in office. By the grace of God. I have already created over 100,000 jobs. We are not there yet, but we will get there.”
He added, “What I will not do as a governor and an Edo man, is eat the seed yam which is meant for cultivation so that we can have a bumper harvest. The little money we have today, I will not allow anyone eat it. The money is meant to be invested so that we can have a future for our children in this country. This is the struggle which started 12 years ago and which we must lead. We have not started. This is the beginning.”
The support Mr Obaseki is getting from these group is coming after he dared politicians in the state, who now operate from Abuja, to come and take over activities of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Governor Obaseki, said it was regrettable that some politicians who had in time past joined in the struggle to entrench ‘Let the people lead’ mantra in Edo state now seek to work against the people.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The share certificates, seven landed properties, and $2.1 million linked to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, have been finally forfeited to the federal government.
The final forfeiture was affirmed by a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court on Friday, July 17, 2026.
The panel led by Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Saulawa set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which had ordered the final forfeiture of the assets on the grounds that they were reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.
Following the final forfeiture order made by the Federal High Court, Mr Emefiele challenged the decision before the Court of Appeal, which reversed the judgment of the trial court.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s decision, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) approached the apex court, which has now restored and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court.
The forfeited properties include a fully detached duplex of identical structures situated at No. 17B Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped parcel of land measuring 1,919.592 square metres, covered by Survey Plan No. DS/LS/340, situated at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos; and a bungalow situated at No. 65A Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos;
Others are a four-bedroom duplex situated at 12A Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of undetached apartments on a plot measuring 2,457.60 square metres, situated at No. 8A Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; and a full duplex together with all its appurtenances on a plot measuring 2,217.87 square metres, situated at 2A Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ebonyi State Police Command has insisted on conducting a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death of Miss Mary Habila, a physiotherapist who died at the residence of the Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The demise of the deceased, which occurred in late June, recently became public and has sparked calls for a probe from many quarters.
Meanwhile, the family of the deceased has approached the court to stop the autopsy, but experts tell Business Post that the family has no authority to file an affidavit, as this is a case of suspected murder against the state and not the family.
Mr Umahi has also called for a probe.
The Ebonyi Police Command said the autopsy was necessary to establish the cause of death and support its ongoing investigation, despite objections from the deceased’s family.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, stating that the police had commenced a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms Habila’s death.
Mr Ukandu said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased and a colleague were members of the medical team attached to the Minister of Works and had accompanied him to his hometown in Uburu, where she later died in a room within the compound of his residence.
According to him, detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) have visited the scene, documented relevant evidence and obtained statements from persons connected to the incident.
He added that the command had concluded arrangements to engage a qualified pathologist to carry out a post-mortem examination, which it considers crucial to determining the actual cause of death.
Mr Ukandu explained that the police became involved in the matter after receiving a distress call on June 27, 2026, from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ohaozara Division, informing the command of a medical emergency involving Habila and requesting his presence at the David Umahi Federal Teaching Hospital, Uburu.
“On arrival, the DPO was informed by hospital authorities that Miss Mary Habila had been brought in dead.
He immediately briefed the Commissioner of Police, who directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for thorough investigation,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson disclosed that while the family of the deceased had opposed the conduct of an autopsy, the command considered the procedure necessary in view of the circumstances surrounding the death.
“The Command therefore awaits the attendance of the family or their duly appointed representative, as their presence is essential to the conduct of the post-mortem examination,” Mr Ukandu said, assuring the public that the investigation would be conducted professionally, transparently and without bias, stressing that every necessary step would be taken to uncover the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.
Mr Ukandu further assured that the command would continue to provide updates as the investigation progresses.
Family Seeks to Stop Autopsy
The family of the deceased, who is a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and was seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works, formally requested the withdrawal of further investigation into her death and declined an autopsy.
In an affidavit titled Affidavit of Withdrawal of Case filed before the High Court of Justice of Ebonyi State, her father, Tanko Habila Wisdom, said the family was not alleging any foul play in her death and wished to proceed with her burial.
According to the affidavit, Mary Habila died on June 27, 2026, in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The deponent stated that before her death, Habila was a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and had been seconded to the Federal Ministry of Works in Mabushi, Abuja, where she served in the Office of the Minister of Works for about three years.
By Adedapo Adesanya
A Federal High Court in Apo, Abuja, has ordered the final forfeiture of billions of Naira worth of assets linked to businesswoman and socialite, Ms Aisha Achimugu, to the federal government.
Justice Jude Onwugbuzie granted the order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), directing the permanent forfeiture of jewellery valued at N4.645 billion, 11 exotic vehicles worth N4.293 billion, $50,000 and N30 million in cash.
The ruling followed the EFCC’s request for the final forfeiture of the assets, which the commission said were linked to Ms Achimugu.
The forfeited assets include: Jewellery valued at N4,645,170,294.90; 11 exotic vehicles worth N4,293,000,000; $50,000 in cash; and N30,000,000 in cash.
The court’s judgment vests ownership of the assets in the federal government, bringing the forfeiture proceedings to a close.
In March, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to the Lagos socialite. However, in an interview in April, she denied that $13 million was discovered by the EFCC in her residence, describing the claim as inaccurate and misleading.
Justice Nwite had, on August 22, 2025, granted the anti-graft agency’s motion ex parte for an interim order forfeiting the sum of $13 million linked to Oceangate Ltd to the federal government over allegations that the fund was proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge had then directed the commission to publish the order in a national daily for interested people to show cause within 14 days why the fund should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
In 2024, the businesswoman gained significant media attention for a seven-day birthday celebration in Grenada, which was attended by high-profile guests, reportedly including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The socialite also defended her widely publicised birthday celebration, noting that it had been “planned for 10 years” and was not funded with any money under investigation.
