June 2025 | Page 3 of 6 | Trendbrio.com

Lagos Court Jails Eight Filipinos for Cyber-terrorism, Internet Fraud

Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced eight Filipinos to one year imprisonment each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. The convicts are: Beverlyn Casino, Mae Eribal, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Jamal Polea, Tricia Castro, Rai Camara, Cherry De Leon and Danica Jarapan. They were arraigned on Tuesday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on separate charges of possession of fraudulent documents. One of the counts reads: “That you, Beverlyn Casino sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.” They all pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to them. In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, N.K. Ukoha, prayed the court to convict the defendants as charged. Justice Owoeye convicted and sentenced the defendants to one year imprisonment each, with a fine of N1,000,000.00( One Million Naira). The Judge also ordered the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, to ensure that the convicts are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days upon completion of their sentences. The devices recovered from the defendants were also ordered forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they were arrested by operatives of the EFCC for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. They are among the 792 suspects rounded up in December 2024 in Victoria Island, Lagos. They were charged to court and jailed.

Ondo Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader Resign

Our Reporters1 day ago1 day ago04 mins

The Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Abayomi Akinruntan has resigned his position, citing the need to align with the conventional arrangement of elective position in the state. The resignation letter of the former deputy speaker – representing Ilaje Constituency 1, – who is the son of the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, was read at the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Benjamin Jayeiola. Akinruntan, who was absent during the plenary, was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in June 2023, a position he occupied until his resignation. The resignation letter read: “I hereby tender my resignation from the office of the Deputy Speaker effective from today, 2nd June, 2025. Recall the House was inaugurated June, 2023 and I was unanimously elected as Deputy Speaker by members as stipulated in our standing order. “My resignation is borne out of the need to align with the conventional arrangement in power sharing of elective positions in the state. I want to appreciate all members and staff for their contributions and support.” Following Akinruntan’s resignation, the lawmaker representing Okitipupa Constituency 2, Ololade Gbegude was subsequently nominated by Oluwatoyin Japheth (Akoko North East Constituency) and seconded by Chris Ayebusiwa (Okitipupa Constituency 1) as the new Deputy Speaker. Following the nomination of Gbegudu, which was not contested, he was subsequently sworn in as the Deputy Speaker with the pledge that he will serve in his new role with due diligence. Similarly, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, also stepped down from his position, with the lawmaker representing Ose Constituency, Olatunji Oshati, announced as the new Majority Leader. Also, Muritala Sulaiman, representing Akoko South East, was announced as the new Chief Whip, while Fabiyi Olatunji, Odigbo Constituency 1, becomes the Whip of the Assembly. The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, commended the former deputy speaker and the erstwhile majority leader for their maturity. He said: “He (Akinruntan) has been a peaceful ally. He has support the house. I want to appreciate him for the maturity displayed for ensuring a peaceful transition. “The same thing goes to the former majority leader. He has been a stabilizer in the House and also a good and dependable ally.” It was gathered that the change of the positions of the principal officers became imperative in order to balance the unwritten elective political arrangements in the state. Akinruntan and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa hail from the same Ilaje Local Council Area of the state, while the erstwhile Majority Leader, Ogunmolasuyi is from Owo Local Council, where the Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami hails from.

TV Host, Biola Adebayo, Husband Part Ways

Our Reporters1 day ago1 day ago02 mins

Nollywood actor and producer, Dr. Abiola Adebayo Akinrinde has revealed seperation with her husband 14 months after. The ‘Talk To B’ talk show presenter cum producer, on her official Instagram field on Monday made the revelation while send birthday wishes to her ex-husband. The thespian wrote; “Happy birthday to my Ex-husband and my baby daddy. “I pray that grace will abound unto you, I pray you find peace in all your ways, may God continue light your path abd bless you beyond your expectations in Jesus name. “Yes you heard me right! “My husband and I have beedn decided to maturely and peacefully co-parent our dear son who means everything to us. “To everyone that feels disappointed, I’m sincerely sorry, I wished it worked but it’s better to stay alive to tell the story. “Please keep us in your prayers. “While I go about making other people happy in the day, my pillow is drenched with my own tears almost every night for the past 14 months but I gain strength from Christ who loves me eternally and gave himself for me. “Let’s learn to be kind to people, you have no idea what others are going through until they say it. “Say unto the righteous all is welll. “Peace.” Checks revealed that she married Oluseyi on April 7, 2021, and assured fans that she would manage her home despite any flaws and differences.

Bill Gates Pledges $200bn Fortune to Transform Health and Education in Africa by 2045

Our Reporters2 days ago2 days ago06 mins

Microsoft founder Bill Gates says that most of his $200bn (£150bn) fortune will be spent on improving health and education services in Africa over the next 20 years. The 69-year-old said that “by unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity”. Speaking in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, he also urged Africa’s young innovators to think about how to build Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare on the continent. Gates announced last month that he would give away 99% of his vast fortune by 2045, by when his foundation planned to end its operations. “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa,” he said in an address at the African Union (AU) headquarters. Mozambique’s former First Lady Graça Machel welcomed his announcement, saying it came in a “moment of crisis”. “We are counting on Mr Gates’ steadfast commitment to continue walking this path of transformation alongside us,” she said. The US government has cut aid to Africa, including programmes to treat patients with HIV/Aids, as part of US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, raising concerns about the future of healthcare on the continent. Gates said his foundation, which has a long history of operating in Africa, would focus on improving primary healthcare. “What we’ve learned is that helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before she gets pregnant, while she is pregnant, delivers the strongest results,” he said. “Ensuring the child receives good nutrition in their first four years as well makes all the difference.” In a message to young innovators, the tech billionaire noted that mobile phones had revolutionised banking in Africa, and argued that AI should now be used for the continent’s benefit. “Africa largely skipped traditional banking and now you have a chance, as you build your next generation healthcare systems, to think about how AI is built into that,” he said. Gates pointed to Rwanda as an example, saying it was already improving services using AI-enabled ultrasound to identify high-risk pregnancies. The Gates Foundation said it had three priorities: ending preventable deaths of mothers and babies, ensuring the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases, and lifting millions of people out of poverty. “At the end of 20 years, the foundation will sunset its operations,” it said in a statement. Last month, Gates said he would accelerate his giving via his foundation. “People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them,” he wrote in a blog post. Giving away 99% of his fortune could still leave the fifth-richest person in the world a billionaire, according to Bloomberg. Along with Paul Allen, Gates founded Microsoft in 1975, and the company soon became a dominant force in software and other tech industries. Gates has gradually stepped back from the company in recent decades, resigning as its chief executive in 2000 and as chairman in 2014. He said he had been inspired to give away money by investor Warren Buffett and other philanthropists. However, critics of his foundation say Gates uses its charitable status to avoid tax and that it has undue influence over the global health system.

Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks End Without Ceasefire Deal Prisoner Exchange Agreed

Our Reporters2 days ago2 days ago04 mins

Kyiv demands full ceasefire, Moscow pushes “lasting peace” amid deep divides A second round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, held in Istanbul, Turkey, has ended without a major breakthrough. The only agreement reached was on a limited exchange of prisoners of war, with both sides pledging to swap all sick and heavily wounded captives, as well as those under 25. Ukraine’s negotiating team, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, accused Russia of rejecting its key demand for an “unconditional ceasefire” across land, sea, and air for at least 30 days. Kyiv said it had submitted a ceasefire proposal days before the talks, but Russia only presented its plan during the session. Russia’s delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, offered a limited truce in unspecified areas of the front line for two to three days. Medinsky also confirmed that Russia would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv next week. No timeline was given for the agreed prisoner exchange. Deep Divisions Persist The talks, lasting just over an hour, highlighted the ongoing rift between both sides. Moscow insists on Ukraine’s withdrawal from its four partly occupied regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Russia also demands Kyiv’s demilitarisation, a ban on NATO membership, Russian as an official language, and an end to sanctions. Kyiv and its Western allies have firmly rejected these demands, calling them tantamount to Ukraine’s de facto surrender. Ukrainian officials also presented a list of hundreds of children allegedly deported to Russia, demanding their return. Next Steps Unclear Umerov said Ukraine expects Russia’s formal response to its ceasefire proposals by the end of June and called for a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, no concrete plans have been made for such talks. In Vilnius, where he was attending a summit, Zelensky said, “While there are no meaningful signals from Russia to end the war, it is important to strengthen our defence.” He also urged for more sanctions pressure on Russia. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has continued to advocate for a quick settlement but has delayed imposing tougher sanctions on Moscow. Trump, who previously called Putin “absolutely crazy” after a wave of Russian drone and missile attacks, has been criticised for what some see as a soft stance on Russia. With no major progress from the peace talks, the war—now in its third year since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022—grinds on, with Moscow still controlling around 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Future Uncertain as Al-Nassr Push for New Deal Amid Transfer Rumours

Our Reporters2 days ago2 days ago02 mins

By [Kamal Yalwa] The future of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has become a hot topic of speculation as the summer transfer window kicks off, with his contract at Al-Nassr set to expire on 30 June 2025. Reports have swirled about the potential next chapter for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who remains one of the most marketable and iconic figures in global football even at 40 years old. Rumours have linked Ronaldo with several clubs, including Wydad Casablanca and Botafogo, both reportedly keen to secure his services ahead of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. There has also been talk of a sensational switch to Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr’s fierce rivals in the Saudi Pro League—a move that would undoubtedly shake up the Saudi football landscape. Renowned football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has shed light on the situation, reporting that Al-Nassr are actively working to keep Ronaldo at the club. “Al-Nassr are set to present their plan to Cristiano Ronaldo hoping to get new deal sorted,” Romano shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. While the details of Al-Nassr’s offer remain undisclosed, it is clear that the club is eager to extend their partnership with Ronaldo, who has been a major draw in the Saudi Pro League both on and off the pitch. Fans around the world eagerly await confirmation of Ronaldo’s next move, as the summer transfer window promises more drama and intrigue surrounding the future of the football icon.

FIFA Club Management Program Berths in Nigeria

Our Reporters2 days ago2 days ago03 mins

Officials of world football-ruling body, FIFA, have arrived in Nigeria to superintend a two-day workshop for chairmen and chief operating officers of Nigeria’s football leagues and premier league clubs, taking place at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, 3rd June and Wednesday, 4th June 2025. The workshop is geared towards taking a critical look into the management model of Nigeria football clubs and the leagues, with the purpose of opening new vistas and insights in proper governance, improving commercial viability and broadening the world-view of the administrators to drive their teams towards real growth and sustainability. A total of 40 persons are expected from the 20 Nigeria Premier Football League clubs (Chairman and CEO of each club), with the Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women Football League and the Nigeria Nationwide League One also to take part. President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, will lead a small team from the Federation, alongside the NFF 2nd Vice President, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi. FIFA’s delegation is led by El Hadji Wack Diop, Head of FIFA Regional Office for West and Central Africa, and includes Rasoamahenina Sanda Manonisoa, Marcos Piccalo, Federico Perez, Javier Sobrino and Laurent Colette. Colette is a former managing director of French top club Olympique de Marseille, while Sobrino is a former chief strategy and innovation officer of Spain’s leading club, FC Barcelona. Each of the 20 NPFL clubs is expected to submit a document indicating a clear pathway to financial autonomy, while taking good advantage of the history and assets of the clubs to grow them into global brands. The sessions will offer nuggets on strategic planning, finance, commercial and marketing, and governance.

Int’l Friendly: Injuries, Withdrawals Alter Chelle’s Army to Face Russia

Our Reporters2 days ago2 days ago04 mins

A number of withdrawals and injuries to some players have combined to alter the list of players who will appear for Nigeria in Friday’s international friendly match in Moscow, from the original list drawn up by Super Eagles’ Head Coach Eric Chelle. The goalkeeping sector is unaffected as first choice Stanley Nwabali was not listed for the trip in the first place, as a result of the upcoming burial rites for his late parents. Italy-based Maduka Okoye and Tanzania-based Amas Obasogie will still fight for the goal-tender’s starting shirt. In the rearguard, captain William Ekong is in Moscow alongside Bright Osayi-Samuel, joining the Unity Cup trio of Bruno Onyemaechi, Semi Ajayi and Igoh Ogbu. However, Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina excused himself from the friendly, and Coach Chelle has had to draft in the Unity Cup duo of Sodiq Ismaila and Benjamin Fredericks. Former junior international Fredericks impressed on his debut against Jamaica on Saturday. In the midfield, injury to Wilfred Ndidi has handed Enugu Rangers’ ace Saviour Isaac the opportunity to shine. Isaac is a key member of the Eagles B, which will participate in the African Nations Championship finals in August. He will join Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Christantus Uche and Papa Daniel Mustapha to fight for shirts in the middle of the pack. At the fore, Unity Cup ace Samuel Chukwueze, and Kelechi Iheanacho, have excused themselves to attend to family matters, while Spain-based Sadiq Umar has suffered an injury. Nathan Tella’s United Kingdom passport is undergoing a renewal process, so he is unable to travel. This situation has left Chelle with only Victor Boniface, Simon Moses and Tolu Arokodare in the attack, and he has had to call up Russia-based former junior international Olakunle Olusegun, who plays for Krasnodar FC. The team, which arrived in Moscow on Monday, will begin training sessions on Tuesday. The match will take place at the 78,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium, which is the largest football stadium in Russia and the ninth-largest in the whole of Europe. SUPER EAGLES FOR RUSSIA FRIENDLY: Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania) Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Sodiq Ismaila (Remo Stars); Benjamin Fredericks (Brentford FC, England) Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes); Saviour Isaac (Enugu Rangers) Forwards: Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Olakunle Olusegun (Krasnodar FC, Russia)