An Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court, on Wednesday, remanded one Ibrahim Muntari, 35, in the Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly causing the death of commuters in a road accident that occurred along the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.

TheNigerian Metro had earlier reported that five students of Osun State University, Osogbo alongside other passengers lost their lives in the accident that occurred last Sunday in Ikire, involving a bus that the defendant drove, heading towards the Ife end of the dual carriageway and an 18-passenger bus, conveying the deceased going towards the Ibadan-end.

The Osun varsity students who died in the road accident included; Olagbemide Olaoluwadotun, Funmilola Mary Olawuyi, Ogundare Oluwapelumi Rhoda, Ogundare Ayomide, and Farooq Suleiman.

Appearing before Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, the defendant was arraigned on eight counts of reckless driving that caused death, violation of traffic rules and driving without valid vehicle papers.

The offences committed were said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 27 of RTA CAP 584 Laws of Nigeria, Section 18 (b) CAP 115 laws of Osun State of Nigeria and Section 18 of cap 146 vol ii laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

The defendant, in his plea, pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against him by the police.

Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Jacob Akintunde, said on the day the accident occurred, Muntari drove a bus with the registration number LAGOS EPE 796 VH on the public highway in a manner that was dangerous to the public and caused the death of six people and injured four others.

But the defence counsel, Shaibu Gomina, who had earlier announced appearance for Muntari, urged the court to admit his client to bail.

However, in his ruling, Magistrate Ayilara remanded the defendant in the Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till June 2, 2025.

An Osogbo Chief Magistrate Court, on Wednesday, remanded one Ibrahim Muntari, in Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly causing the death of commuters in a road accident that occurred along the Ife/Ibadan expressway.

The TheNigerian had earlier reported that five students of Osun State University, Osogbo, alongside other passengers, lost their lives in the accident that occurred last Sunday in Ikire.

The accident involved a bus that the defendant drove, heading towards the Ibadan end of the dual carriageway and an 18-passenger bus, conveying the deceased, going towards the Ibadan end.

UNIOSUN students who died in the road accident include Olagbemide Olaoluwadotun, Funmilola Mary Olawuyi, Ogundare Oluwapelumi Rhoda, Ogundare Ayomide, and Farooq Suleiman.

Appearing before a magistrate on Wednesday, Olusegun Ayilara, the defendant, was arraigned on eight counts of reckless driving that caused death, violation of traffic rules and driving without valid vehicle papers.

The offences committed were said to be contrary to and punishable under section 27 of the RTA CAP 584 laws of Nigeria, section 18 (b) CAP 115 laws of Osun State of Nigeria and section 18 of Cap 146 Vol II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

The defendant, in his plea, pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against him by the police.

Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Jacob Akintunde, said that “on the day the accident occurred, Muntari drove a bus with the registration number LAGOS EPE 796 VH on the public highway in a manner that was dangerous to the public and caused the death of six people and injured four others.”

But the defence counsel, Shaibu Gomina, who had earlier announced appearance for Muntari, urged the court to admit his client to bail.

owever, in his ruling, Magistrate Ayilara remanded the defendant to Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till June 2, 2025.

A magistrate court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has remanded a 56-year-old, Adenike Okunrinmeta, in the Ilesa correctional facility for allegedly obtaining a sum of N25 million from one Azizi Danjuma under the pretence of assisting him to procure visa to the United Kingdom.

Okunrinmeta was arraigned before a magistrate, Olusegun Ayilara, on three counts of fraud and pervasion of justice on Monday.

According to the charge sheet obtained by The TheNigerian, “Okunrinmeta between April 2023 and January 2024 allegedly obtained the sum of twenty-five million, two hundred and ten thousand naira (#25,210,000:00k) from one Azizi Danjuma under the pretence of procuring a Contract of Sponsor (COS) visa to the United Kingdom for him.”

After the matter was reported at the State Criminal Investigation Department of Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Okunrinmeta was arrested and granted bail on November 24, 2024.

The police, however, alleged that the defendant upon her bail, refused to make herself available again before she was rearrested.

Addressing the court, the Police Prosecutor Elisa Olusegun said the offences committed by the defendant, were contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the three charges levelled against her.

Mr J.P Jones, who had earlier announced an appearance for the defendant, prayed the court to admit her to bail in the most liberal term, noting that she was presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

But the prosecutor objected to the oral bail application, arguing that the defendant had earlier jumped administrative bail granted her by the police.

Ayilara subsequently adjourned the case till March 26, 2025, for ruling on bail and subsequently remanded the defendant.

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court on Tuesday ordered the remand of a businessman, Sunday Okorie, at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for allegedly failing to declare the sum of $299,000, and being in possession of counterfeit $250 and €100 Euros.

The judge made the remand after Okorie took his plea.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had arraigned the defendant earlier on four counts bordering on money laundering, and unlawful importation of counterfeit foreign currencies, preferred against him.

The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Chineye Okezie, told the court that the defendant concealed the  $299,000, $250 and €100 Euros, counterfeit foreign currencies in relaxer containers to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Okezie told the court that Okorie committed the alleged offences on March 19, 2025.

She said the incident took place at the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

The prosecutor also told the court that Okorie without lawful authority imported into Nigeria five pieces of counterfeit $50, totalling $250, with serial numbers, MB67951730 D, MB93612802 A, MB67957416 D, MB67957308 D, and MB121997428 C, knowing the same to be counterfeit.

She said the defendant unlawfully had in his possession five pieces of counterfeit $50 totalling $250, with serial numbers, MB67951730 D, MB93612802 A, MB67957416 D, MB67957308 D, and MB121997428 C, knowing same to be counterfeit.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 3 (5), of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and 3(1)(a), 5 (1)(b)and (2), of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, Law of the Federal of Nigeria 2004.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Following the arraignment, the prosecutor urged the court to remand Okorie in prison custody.

The defence counsel, Uche Okoronkwo, urged the court to remand the defendant in EFCC custody.

Consequently, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case till March 26, 2025, for trial.

Earlier, when the case was called at 3 pm, the defendant’s counsel told the court that he had not had the opportunity to discuss with his client and that he had not seen the proof of evidence in order to advise the defendant on what he should plead.

Okonkwo then urged the court to arraign Okorie on Wednesday (March 26, 2025), adding that he was served the charge sheet at 10:30am.

But the prosecution counsel said the charge was served on the defendant since 9 am and that the defence counsel had ample time to discuss with his client.

She then asked the court to arraign the defendant today (Tuesday), adding that they had their witness around and that it was already 3:25 pm.

After listening to both counsel submissions, Justice Dipeolu stood the arraignment down you till 4 pm, for the arraignment of the defendant.

A Magistrate Court sitting in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State last Thursday remanded the traditional ruler of Okai Item, His Royal Highness Eze James Ogbonna and two others in the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Umuahia, the state capital, over a case of alleged murder.

Eze Ogbonna and one Igwe Anyim and Ndukwe Sunday Igara were brought before the court in connection to the alleged gruesome killing of 20-year-old Ndukwe Isaac by angry youths of the community.

TheNigerian Metro reports that the father of the deceased, Mr Isaac Maduka, a native of Umuikpa Akanu, had cried out for justice over the incident which occurred on January 28.

The presiding magistrate, His Worship Elizabeth, however, ordered the prosecuting attorney to remit the case file to the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Although the prosecuting counsel, U.Ekpo, argued that having already filled the information before the court, he ought not to remit the case file again, he accepted the order in the interest of public peace.

Ekpo said the prosecution had shown much seriousness in the case by filing information before a high court, which he said would enable the defendants to appear and take a plea.

But the counsel for the defendants, J. Osisiogu, said the prosecution counsel did not serve any information to any of the defendants even as of Thursday when the matter was going on.

The case was adjourned to March 27 for a hearing.

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The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ordered the remand of a Nigerian, two Chinese, and their company, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly conspiring to destabilise Nigeria’s economic structure.

Justice Daniel Osiagor ordered their remand after they took their plea on 12 counts of cybercrime, preferred against them by the EFCC.

The defendants are Huang Haoyu, Friday Audu, An Hongxu and a company, Gentting International Ltd.

The defendants are standing trial before Justice Osiagor on 12 counts of cybercrime.

The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the defendants committed the offence sometime in 2024 in Lagos.

She said they allegedly conspired with one Dualiang Pan, who is now at large, and wilfully caused to be assessed, computer systems, organised to destabilise Nigeria’s economic structure.

The defendants were alleged to have procured Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as persons of foreign nationalities.

The EFCC also alleged that they procured one Chukwuemeka Okeke to retain the sum of $1.2m in his crypto wallet, which sum they ought to know formed part of fraudulent activities.

They were alleged to have procured one Alhassan Garba and Ifesinachi Jacobs, to retain the sum of $1.3m in their crypto wallet, being proceeds of crime.

The commission further alleged that they retained in the Union Bank account of Genting International Ltd the sum of N3.4 bn, which also formed part of the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.

Buhari alleged that they transferred, among others, the sums of N106m, and N913m to Dualiang’s UBA account, which also formed proceeds of their fraudulent activities.

The transfer, as well as several other transfers, was said to be made from Gentting Ltd.

Besides, the defendants were said to have illegally negotiated a foreign exchange transaction with one Alhassan Garba, to the dollar equivalent of N1.1 bn, N962m as well as other sums.

The EFCC alleged that they engaged in foreign exchange without going through the official foreign exchange market authorised by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

All monies are said to have formed part of the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Section 29(2) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2004, sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act 2015, as well as Section 18(2)(d) and 21(c) of the Money Laundering Act 2021.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Consequently, Justice Osiagor ordered the defendants to be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail.

He adjourned the case until March 20, 2025, for the hearing of the defendants’ bail application.

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of the former manager of the defunct hip-hop music group, P-Square, at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application over alleged $1m, and £34,000 theft.

Justice Oshodi ordered his remand after taking his plea.

Okoye and his Northside Music Limited Company were arraigned before the court on four counts bordering on stealing and conversion of $1m and £34,000 royalties got from the music digital distribution/publishing.

During the arraignment, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecution counsel, Mohammed Bashiru, told the court that Okoye and Northside Music Limited allegedly stole the sum of $1,019,763.87 and £34,537.59.

Bashiru told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime between 2016 and 2023.

He said Okoye and his Northside Music Limited dishonestly converted the sum of $767,544.15, to his use, the alleged sum which was paid by Lex Records limited as payment for music digital distribution/publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye, his special interest in the property.

The prosecutor also accused Okoye of dishonestly converting the sum of £34,537.59, paid by Lex Records Limited as payment for music digital distribution/ publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

The EFCC alleged that P-Square’s ex-manager dishonestly converted the sum of $133,566.49, which sum was paid by Kobalt Music digital distribution /publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

The anti-graft agency said the defendant dishonestly converted the sum of $118,652.23, paid by Mtech Limited as payment for music digital distribution publishing royalties with the intent to permanently deprive Peter Okoye his special interest in the property.

According to EFCC, the offences committed contravened Sections 278 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date.

He told the court that the EFCC had 29 witnesses but that it’s only 10 who would testify against the defendants.

But the defence counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), informed the court that the defence had filed a bail application dated February 27, 2025.

Onwuenwunor said the prosecution was served the bail application on February 28, 2025.

He noted that Okoye was arraigned before the Federal High Court on a similar charge and was granted bail on Monday.

“Onwuenwunor said the defendant is a prominent entertainer in this country. They are three brothers who formed the group P-Square.

“If granted bail, he will not jump bail. He did not jump the administrative bail the EFCC granted him. For two years after the EFCC investigated this case, he was granted administrative bail.

“It is our appeal that My Lord allows the defendant to continue to enjoy the administrative bail granted to him by the EFCC.”

However, Justice Oshodi adjourned the hearing of the bail application till March 6, 2025.

He ordered that the defendant be further remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre where he was brought to the court.

The judge adjourned the commencement of the trial till May 16 and 23, 2025.

It will be recorded that Jude Okoye, the elder brother of the singing duo, Peter and Paul, is facing a similar case of seven counts before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court.

The Federal High Court on Monday granted him bail in the sum of N100m, with two sureties in like manner.

The proprietor of Aliyu Mustapha College, Yola, Adamawa State, Mrs Amada Pam and his school teacher, Mr. Morgan Effiong, were on Thursday remanded in Jimeta prison for torturing a 14-year-old SS 1 student, Jafa Bashiru.

TheNigerian Metro gathered that when the charges were read to the two accused persons, they both pleaded not guilty of the offences levelled against them.

The counsel for the defendants, Chris Ezenwelu, told the court that the offences were bailable and moved an oral application for the bail of the two accused persons.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Rakat Kardam, who requested time to conclude his investigations, told the court that the two accused persons might tamper with the investigations if released on bail.

The Upper Area Court 1 Judge, Shehu Mustapha, after listening to the counsel for the defendants adjourned till 2:30 pm for ruling on the application.

However, a drama played out at the court, at  2:30 pm, as instead of the judge ruling on the application, he invited the proprietor into his office for a closed-door meeting that lasted for over three hours.

Friends of the complainants and family members became apprehensive within the court premises over the judge’s secret meeting with one of the accused persons.

In his office, the judge made a U-turn and directed that the two accused persons should be remanded in prison and adjourned ruling on the bail application to Friday (today).

The father of Jafa, Bashiru Hamman, told TheNigerian Metro, that he was in the school to submit his son fees teller when he saw him with blood all over his back and he was forced to kneel in the hot sun.

“When I wanted to enquire what my son had done that he was treated like an animal, the proprietor started raining insults on me and asked me to leave her office,” he said.

He appealed to Nigerians to stand with the family to ensure that his son would get justice and that other parents were not victims of the brutal treatment of students by those who should be their guardians.

Justice Ibrahim Yusuf of the Kwara State High Court has ordered that the seven suspects linked to the murder of Mojisola Awesu, a student of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, be remanded in a correctional facility.

The court order followed the absence of the counsel for the three hotel workers; Adeoye Adeola, Lawal Aminat and Peter Bulus, who were the 5th, 6th and 7th defendants in the case.

Seven persons were earlier arraigned before the court charged with the alleged murder of Awesu, a final year student of Kwara State College of Health Technology, Offa, in Offa Local Government Area.

Those charged included Happiness Adebayo and Timileyin Kolawole, who were the prime suspect,s as well as Adebayo Adeniyi and Bukola Adeniyi, who were the two parents of Happines,s while Adeoye Adeola, Lawal Aminat and Peter Bulus who were the three workers of the hotel where the late Awesu was murdered.

The seven accused persons were slammed with six counts bordering on alleged conspiracy, murder, disappearance and destruction of evidence and dumping of corpse at a dump site.

They were accused of conspiring and causing the death of Awesu on August 9, 2024.

The offences, according to the prosecution, were contrary to and punishable under Sections 97,221,167 of the Penal Code, CAP. P4, Laws of Kwara State, 2006 and Section 9 of the Kwara State Prohibition of Dealing in Human Parts Law 2018.

When the case first came up at the court on February 3, the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Ayoola Akande, who led five other lawyers, appeared for the prosecution while Fatai Ahmed appeared for the parents with A.I. Orisankoko appearing for the hotel workers.

The court however ordered the remand of the two prime suspects, Adebayo Joshua Happiness and Timileyin Kolawole, to a correctional facility as they had no legal representation.

However, when the case came up again on Monday, Mr Lawal Chinwo announced his appearance for Happiness while H. R. Sulu-Gambari also appeared for Timileyin, the two prime suspects, while the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Ayoola Akande, appeared for the prosecution and Fatai Ahmed appeared for the parents of Happiness, the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the case.

But the counsel for the hotel workers: (5th 6th and 7th defendants) was absent in court when the case came up which did not go well with the judge who ordered that all the seven defendants be remanded in a correctional facility in the state till the next adjourned date for the case.

Justice Yusuf said, “When this case came up on February 3 for hearing, some of the defendants did not come to court with a counsel to defend them, and I gave you the grace. Today, some of you also came to court without bringing your counsel to represent you. I’m also giving you another grace and by the next adjourned date, I will no longer allow it. This is a criminal case which involved the murder of a human being. I will no longer take it. You are trying to delay the case. All defendants should come to court with their counsel, who will defend them in the cas,e because we will no longer tolerate this kind of delay in this type of criminal matter.

“I hereby order that all the defendants should be remanded in the federal correctional facility in Ilorin till the next date of adjournment. All defendants should bring their counsel to the court on the next date of adjournment. The case is adjourned to March 4, 2025, for hearing”, the judge said.

The Anambra State High Court, sitting in Awka, on Thursday, remanded one of the three suspects arraigned for the alleged kidnapping of the co-founder and Vice Chairman of Dubai Estate, Awka, Benjamin Ezenma, popularly known as “BigBen.”

Ezenma was kidnapped on November 12, 2024, and his whereabouts have remained unknown to date.

The three suspects facing trial in connection with Ezenma’s disappearance are Jeff Nweke, Nwokoye Tochukwu, and David Chukwunonso.

The defendants were arraigned before Court One in Awka presided over by Justice Ike Ogu.

The charges against them relate to conspiracy and the kidnapping of Ezenma.

In the suit marked AWK/6C/2025 and read in court, the three defendants, who were present, were accused of “conspiring to kidnap” Benjamin Ezenma, alias “Big Ben,” vice-chairman of Dubai Estate, Awka, Anambra State, within the court’s jurisdiction on November 12, 2024.

Each of the defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the two charges.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Alex Ajesieme, represented Jeff Nweke in court while the prosecuting counsel, a deputy director from the Ministry of Justice, presented the case against the defendants.

In his ruling, Justice Ike Ogu ordered that two of the defendants be allowed to return home, while Nwokoye was remanded in custody.

“Two of the defendants will be allowed to go home while the third defendant will be remanded in custody till the next adjourned date,” the judge declared.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to March 7, 2025.