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Sèx Scandal: Chidinma Okeke’s Father Speaks At Last
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
When Miss Chidinma Okeke, a 19-year-old student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka won Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant organised by the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) in 2015, little did she or anyone else know that her reign as a beauty queen would record a sad end.
The 300-level student of Medical Laboratory who hails from Ogboji community in Orumba South council area of Anambra State had been enjoying the benefits of her position until October 11, 2016 when she was unceremoniously stripped of her crown by the organisers of the pageantry.
The star prize, a car given to her was not only taken away from her and parked at the premises of the radio/TV house, but the Miss Anambra 2015 inscription on it was erased.
According to the management of the station led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Nze Uche Nworah, Miss Okeke was stripped of her crown because “she had served out her tenure in line with the terms and conditions placed by the pageant organisers.”
The unceremonious event, televised on October 11 had some senior members of staff of the station in attendance.
Shortly after she was stripped of the crown, the social media was awash with video clips where the beauty queen allegedly engaged in lèsbianism with another girl.
At first, Miss Okeke was said to have denied being the one in the video until about a week later when a more explicit version of the video, which she later owned up, was released by those she described as her traducers.
Although the beauty queen switched off all channels of communication following the attacks she was receiving from the public court, her lawyer, Mr Ikenna Obidiegwu, on October 26, arranged for a World Press Conference to be addressed by the beauty queen to tell her own side of the story.
The media parley, which was scheduled to hold at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Awka, was called off abruptly when information filtered into the complex that some gunmen were coming to disrupt it.
Miss Okeke, was said to have sworn to expose “the powerful cabal” behind her ordeal in the sordid video, but her lawyer later said that she could no longer address journalists because “her life had been threatened.”
Mr Obidiegwu alleged that the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sam Okaula, had denied his client police protection for the press briefing on the grounds that the police got a short notice. “The Commissioner of Police said the notice was too short, and that he could not mobilise police security for the queen immediately,” he said.
According to a post she made on her Facebook wall, the dethroned beauty queen said she had been warned not to step the venue or risk assassination.
It read: “Considering the need to make the world know the truth about the trending scandal, and what we have been going through before then and now, I decided to hold World Press Conference at the NUJ Press Centre, Awka today. But from the moment I made public this intention; I have been under siege of threats by my blackmailers and traducers.”
“They are seriously threatening to shoot me at the press conference if I ever open my mouth to say the real truth about the ugly episode.
“Since I have no protection and if I die now the truth would be buried forever, it’s my objective to sacrifice myself to save not just myself but other girls and other upcoming pageants by letting the world know the truth and what we go through,” the post added.
Her family breaks silence
For more than two weeks of the ugly development, all the concerned public could get was a chilling silence from her family. But Saturday Sun took a bumpy ride to Chidinma’s hometown of Ogboji.
On arrival, our reporter met the family residence under lock. The thick bush growing inside the compound easily discloses to any visitor that the family must be residing somewhere else in the city. But members of their extended family living in the next compound gave their words on the raging controversy.
Speaking to our reporter on the telephone, Chidinma’s father, Sir Jeremiah Okeke who is living in Aba, Abia State with his family, lamented that the family had been going through emotional and psychological trauma since it all started. With a voice laden with heavy emotions, the 65-year-old man told our reporter that the family had handed over the situation to God.
“Chidinma is my own daughter” he said, “but there is nothing much I can say about this because there is a lifestyle adopted by my family. We don’t foment troubles.
“I, as the father, have committed everything to God in prayers. Human being cannot fight our cause but only God in heaven. We are in serious prayers for God to intervene. I don’t have anybody on earth except God.”
Asked if his daughter has before the incident complained to him that she was being sèxually harassed, he said he was confused about the whole matter, even as he raised the alarm over the whereabouts of his daughter.
“I am confused about the whole thing as of now. It is only when I set my eyes on my daughter that I will know about all these. As it stands now, I don’t know where my daughter is.”
He said he was not suspecting anybody of having a hand in his daughter’s ordeal as speculated in the social media. Going back memory lane, Mr Okeke recalled that God’s mighty hand on him was evidenced on his miraculous survival from his childhood tragedies.
“There are many ways God is fighting my battle. I was only five years when my father died. I don’t know whether I got up to six years before my mother died too. I don’t have anybody but it is only God that sustained me all through. It was same God that assisted me to raise and train all my children. All the family members are praying.
“As it stands now, my daughter is still a small girl. I don’t know whether she is still alive or dead. But all I know is that God will prove Himself worthy to fight His children’s battle. I don’t have much to say for now.
“So many people have told me to take certain actions but me and my God are still communicating through prayers.
“There are several ways God reveals some things to me. I am not suspecting anybody but only God knows who is behind that; whether he is human or spirit. I’m leaving whoever that is behind it to his conscience. The life of my daughter is most important to me now. Wherever she is, let her be alive for me.”
The depressed Mr Okeke, who obviously needs assistance to enable him bounce back to his years of comfort, told Saturday Sun that his business which hitherto was flourishing was hit by the economic tsunami sweeping through the country.
“I am a businessman but because of this harsh economic condition, my business is no longer moving as expected. You understand? I am just doing little things to feed.
“I was a distributor for Peak Milk here in Aba, Abia State but for some time now, I have stopped because I don’t have strength for fomenting troubles. We borrow money from the banks to embark on the Peak Milk distribution business but when it became too competitive, in addition to the losses incurred in the course of doing the business, I stopped.”
Chidinma’s cousin, Blessing Chinenye Nwafor, who our reporter met in their village in Ogboji, told Saturday Sun regrettably that the sèx video had gone round their village.
“There was a day I was going out on a mission, some persons stopped me and told me about the sèx video but I didn’t believe it. One of them said he saw the picture but not the video. I left them in anger.
“After walking some distance, another guy called my attention and showed me the video. The people in that area started mocking me; saying all sorts of foul things. I started crying and walked away from their midst.
“But later on, I learnt that what that boy did in the village was to share it with the villagers. I am personally annoyed about his attitude and I have resolved to call him later and caution him. They have an only daughter in their family. Suppose it were to be her, would he be going about and be showing it to everybody in the village? I have not seen him but once I see him, we would have some axe to grind.”
Though the video had gone viral, Blessing told Saturday Sun that she was yet to believe it.
“When I heard about this sèx video for the first time, even though I didn’t believe it, I was not happy at all. I told my mother about it when I returned home and she was very sad all through. She could not sleep that night.”
She described Chidinma as “a good girl” pointing out that “personally, I don’t believe that she did that stuff. I am of the view that she was drugged and forced to do that thing. It is also possible that her enemies are behind that.”
For Mrs Hope Nwaka, Sir Okeke’s niece, her spirit tells her that Chidinma was innocent of the allegations.
“My spirit tells me that Chidinma did not do that thing she was being accused of; I know her very well. I see it as something planned to smear her name and that of our entire family. It is also paining my daughter, Chinenye but I told her to relax that it was not true.
“We are living in the last days. The love among brethren would grow cold. Nobody would want another person’s success. But I have not believed that stuff was true. It was forged. She could not have done that. Even if she did, know it that she was forced to do it.”
Asked on the implications it could have on the yet to be married sisters of Chidinma, Mrs Nwaka said that it would not in any way stop them from getting suitors.
“For now, it is only one of her sisters that has gotten married but it will never stop others from getting married too. God is with our family and He will continue to bless us with everything we need including ensuring that her remaining sisters get married at the appropriate time.”
UNIZIK reacts
Meanwhile, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka said it was yet to decide whether to expel the beauty queen as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku was yet to be briefed.
In a telephone chat with its Director of Information and Public Relations, Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, he said: “The Nnamdi Azikiwe University has not taken any position yet on the matter. For now, we regard everything we have been hearing as speculation. We will find out from the head of her department and the Dean of her faculty what is happening. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, will be briefed and then the University will know the next line of action.
“This thing is procedural because the Head of the Department would be told to find out what is happening because for now, the whole thing is speculation to us and he will report to the Dean. You know the reporting system in the university. And then the Dean will brief the Vice-Chancellor.
“And you know at Nnewi, we have a Provost in charge of College of Health Sciences who is like the boss of all the medical departments and faculty in Nnewi. So the Vice-Chancellor has not been briefed. Whatever that is happening is still within the realm of speculation”
Pageant organisers disown beauty queen
As the controversy raged, officials of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, organizers of the pageant, through a statement signed by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Uche Nworah, denied their complicity in the circulation of the video.
The statement read: “The attention of the management of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, organizers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant has been drawn to a video with lurid contents purportedly showing former Miss Anambra, Miss Chidinma Okeke (Miss Anambra 2015).
“We wish to make the following clarifications: The said Miss Chidinma Okeke who is allegedly linked to the lurid content in circulation has served-out her term as Miss Anambra 2015 and handed over the crown in line with the terms and conditions of the Miss Anambra pageant.
“We condemn in clear terms any amoral behaviour/conduct as suggested by the alleged lurid content in circulation and do not condone such. It is on record that the Miss Anambra Beauty pageant has been a platform to empower Anambra women and celebrate our rich culture and heritage. Winners of the pageant are bound by contracts to be of good conduct and moral behaviour and to uphold/maintain the honour in their position as queen.
“Winners of the pageant also contract to refrain from any personal relationship that could appear to hinder their ability to perform the duties of their office as queen and role model and we do not expect any less. We therefore wish to dissociate the Miss Anambra pageant from any discussions on the said allegations.
“We feel sufficiently perturbed by the mere reference already made to the pageant and hereby state that we are in no way connected to the controversy.
“We apologize to the government and good people of Anambra State, our sponsors, supporters, friends and all those associated with the Miss Anambra project for the embarrassment the mere reference to the pageant in the controversy may have caused; whilst reassuring of the good intentions of the Miss Anambra pageant franchise.”
Chidinma seeks asylum
Following the cold silence from the accused, speculations were rife that she had travelled out of the country to seek asylum. Her family in a chat with Saturday Sun raised the alarm over the whereabouts of their daughter. But her close friend who pleaded anonymity in a telephone chat with our reporter claimed that although she had not heard from her since the controversy started, she believed that she had travelled out of the country.
This was even as her lawyer, Mr Ikenna Obidiegwu, said his client has not sought for asylum outside the country.
He said: “I have said it severally that my client, Chidinma is in Nigeria. She is in Awka. We shall address a press conference this week to say everything about this issue.”
Meanwhile, the state police command had said it has no knowledge of the sèx scandal.
http://sunnewsonline.com/aftermath-of-sex-video-scandal-family-declares-beauty-queen-missing/
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed two fuel stations in Ogun State engaging in under-dispensing of petroleum products and non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021.
Leading the enforcement team around the Akute-Ajuwon axis of the state, the Head of Distribution Systems Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Adebowale, said the move became imperative in view of repeated breaches of regulatory requirements by the affected stations and the need to protect the rights of consumers from sharp practices.
According to him, the development is part of its ongoing efforts to enforce compliance with industry regulations, protect consumers from sharp practices, and ensure that petroleum marketers dispense the correct quantity of products across the state.
He explained that records available to the authority showed that the fuel stations have consistently violated regulatory compliance by under-dispensing petroleum products, illegally breaking official seals placed on the facility, and resuming operations without authorisation.
According to him, such actions amount to a violation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 and undermine efforts to protect consumers from exploitation.
“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority is carrying out a lawful enforcement on this facility. Our records have consistently shown that this company has been violating regulatory compliance.”
“It is high time we made it clear that they cannot continue to under-dispense products, deliberately remove our seals, and believe that nothing will happen; that is why we are here to enforce the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2023 he said.
“When it comes to under-dispensing, they are cheating members of the public by not selling the correct quantity of fuel. Also, once a station is sealed, it has no authorisation to operate. But this station deliberately removed our seal and continued operations, which is against the law.”
Mr Adebowale disclosed that the authority has been monitoring the station’s activities since 2025, describing the violations as persistent despite several enforcement actions.
He revealed that the affected station had been sealed no fewer than six times within the period, but continued to remove the authority’s seals and ignore invitations extended by the regulator.
“From our records, this has been happening since last year. The station has also refused to honour our invitations. It has been sealed not less than six times, yet it keeps removing our seals and resuming operations.”
On the sanctions awaiting the operators, Adebowale said the authority had served the stations with enforcement notices, while the facilities would remain shut until all stipulated conditions are met.
He added that the NMDPRA management would also consider suspending the operating licence of the affected stations, while also sending a strong warning to any fuel station intending to go against the rules of PIA.
“That is against the rules. They do not have any right to operate until we authorise them to do so. This is a clear deviation from regulatory compliance. According to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), when this happens, we must carry out enforcement, and that is why we are here today.
Beyond conducting this exercise, we are also using this opportunity to address the public through the media. As long as operators are doing the right thing, they have nothing to fear. However, for those going against compliance levels—whether through under-dispensing or direct violation of our seal—all necessary enforcement, penalties, and sanctions will be strictly applied against such offenders.”
“A letter has been served, the station has been completely shut down, and they must meet all the conditions, including payment of the applicable penalties. We are also looking at suspending the operating licence, subject to management’s approval,” he said, warning that any further attempt to tamper with the seals or resume operations illegally would attract criminal prosecution.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has moved to reduce port gridlock by releasing trucks into Apapa and Tin Can ports in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, while enforcing strict rules against indiscriminate parking on port access roads.
The General Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Mr Debo Lawal, said the NPA management, led by Managing Director, Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, was committed to ending indiscriminate truck parking around the ports and aligning operations with global best practices.
He said the authority was working with Truck Transit Parks Limited (TTP) to regulate truck movement into terminals through a phased release system.
According to him, trucks will now be released in scheduled batches based on terminal demand, instead of allowing all approved trucks to enter the port corridor simultaneously.
“If a terminal requires 100 trucks, they will not all be released at once. They will come in batches to reduce pressure on the port access roads,” he said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Mr Lawal said a joint task force had been clearing Apapa and Tin Can port access roads since June 26, 2026, operating until about 8 pm daily to prevent indiscriminate parking.
He added that another clearance exercise would soon be conducted to sustain the gains and prevent a return to the persistent gridlock that previously characterised the port corridors.
The port manager, however, urged truck operators to support the initiative by exiting the port environment immediately after loading or offloading cargo.
He noted that some truck drivers still parked along access roads after completing port operations, despite repeated engagements by the authority.
“We engage truckers and their leadership every day, but enforcement will continue alongside sensitisation to ensure compliance,” he said.
On infrastructure, Mr Lawal said the federal government, through the NPA, had begun payment of the five per cent counterpart funding required for the 726 million dollar port rehabilitation project.
He disclosed that preliminary activities, including borehole drilling and site investigations, had been completed, while contractors were expected to mobilise to the site before the end of July.
According to him, a technical stakeholders’ meeting was held on July 7, while a broader stakeholders’ review was scheduled for July 13 to assess progress and address implementation gaps.
Mr Lawal said the rehabilitation project, alongside ongoing reforms, was aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, eliminating documentation bottlenecks and improving operational efficiency at the nation’s seaports.
He added that the National Single Window project was about 80 per cent completed, with a dedicated office already established near the port to improve inter-agency coordination.
According to him, the digital platform will integrate banks, the Nigeria Customs Service, shipping companies and other government agencies to improve efficiency, plug revenue leakages and enhance revenue collection.
Mr Lawal expressed confidence that improved digitisation, reduced human interference and more efficient truck management would strengthen Nigeria’s trade competitiveness and enhance operations at the Apapa and Tin Can ports.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has said the implementation of the Defined Benefit Scheme Pension Harmonisation is a reform meant to advance and enhance pension payment equity in the country.
The chief executive of PTAD, Mrs Tolulope Abiodun Odunaiya, said this initiative was a landmark reform designed to restore fairness, improve retirees’ welfare and strengthen confidence in the administration of the country’s legacy pension system.
The harmonisation exercise marks one of the most significant policy interventions in the Defined Benefit Scheme since PTAD was established in 2013 to take over the management of pensions under the old federal pension arrangement.
Unlike periodic pension increases that merely raise existing benefits by a percentage, she stressed that pension harmonisation was further than that by recomputing pensions using the latest approved salary structures that existed before the closure of the Defined Benefit Scheme.
She noted that the objective is to ensure that retirees who held similar positions and rendered comparable years of service receive equitable pension benefits regardless of their retirement dates.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of years of agitation by pensioners over historical disparities in pension computation.
She added that the PTAD’s harmonisation programme seeks to resolve that challenge by restoring parity within the system. According to her, pension harmonisation is the formal recomputation of pensions using approved salary structures applicable before the DBS cut-off date.
In practical terms, it ensures that pension outcomes are determined by rank, grade level and years of service rather than the year of retirement.
The Directorate believes the exercise will significantly improve social justice by correcting historical inequities that disadvantaged thousands of retirees.
The harmonisation applies primarily to pure Federal Government pensioners as well as eligible retirees under the Parastatals Pension Department (PaPD), Defunct and Transferred Agencies Pension Department (DTAPD), and the Education and Health Pension Department (TEHPD), particularly those who initially served under the Federal Government before their agencies were transferred to state governments.
