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Court Grants N200 Million Bail To Abubakar Malami, Wife And Son Pending Trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz Malami. Presiding Judge Joyce Abdulmalik on Friday set bail at N200 million for each defendant, with two sureties of equal value. One surety is required to submit title documents for a property located in either Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja. The court also ordered that the defendants deposit their international passports. Until these conditions are fulfilled, the Malami family will remain in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). Case Background The family was re-arraigned on Friday following a reassignment of the case. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged them with 16 counts, alleging that between 2015 and 2025 they conspired to launder proceeds from unlawful activities. The agency claims the defendants used personal and corporate bank accounts to conceal the source and ownership of over N8.1 billion. According to the EFCC, significant sums were routed through companies linked to the Malami family, including Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited and Meethaq Hotels Limited, using multiple commercial banks. The funds were reportedly structured to hide their illicit origin and evade regulatory oversight. Part of the money, including approximately N600 million, was allegedly held as cash collateral for bank facilities, despite the defendants allegedly being aware—or reasonably expected to be aware—that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activities. The EFCC further accused the Malami family of using the money to acquire high-value residential and commercial properties in Abuja, Kano, and Kebbi states, either directly or through proxies, in an effort to disguise ownership. The agency claims the defendants conspired to maintain control of illicit funds, acquire assets indirectly, and conceal the true source of the money through a network of financial transactions and corporate entities.

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Lionel Messi And Inter Miami Celebrated At White House By Donald Trump After 2025 MLS Cup Win

Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates were celebrated at the White House by Donald Trump on Thursday in recognition of their 2025 MLS Cup victory. Messi led the team as players, coach Javier Mascherano, and co-owner Jorge Mas joined Trump at the ceremony. The president opened with remarks on military matters in the Middle East before turning to the team’s triumph and reflecting on Brazilian legend Pelé’s impact on U.S. soccer during his 1970s stint with the New York Cosmos. “I shouldn’t say this because I’m old, but I watched Pelé play,” Trump said. “I don’t know, you (Messi) may be better than Pelé. Pelé was pretty good.” The team presented Trump with a No. 47 jersey from their signature pink kit, honoring his role as the nation’s 47th president. Trump also gave shout-outs to Miami stars Luis Suarez, rising talent Tadeo Allende, and Rodrigo De Paul

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Bandits Raid Peze Community In Abuja, Kidnap 16 Including Pastor’s Children And Vigilante Commander’s Wife

Heavily armed gunmen carried out a deadly raid on Peze community in the Byazhi area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, abducting at least 16 residents. According to Sahara Reporters, the victims include four children of a local pastor, the wife of a vigilante commander, and her younger sister, who had been visiting the family. The attack took place on Tuesday night between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., with the gunmen moving from house to house, attempting to force their way in. One resident said the assailants had assembled in an unfinished building opposite his home before beginning the operation. “They started banging on my door and moving around the house, shouting to see if anyone would react. The way they operate is that once you respond, they break the window to gain entry,” the resident said. He added that the attackers threatened to kill anyone who refused to open their doors. Unable to enter his house, the gunmen moved on to other homes, eventually abducting several people. The pastor’s four children were taken while he was away, leaving only the youngest at home. The vigilante commander’s family was also targeted. He had just left his home when a neighbour warned him of the attack. Unaware that his own house was surrounded, he rushed toward the scene, only to be blocked and fired upon. The gunmen then entered his home, abducting his wife and her visiting sister, leaving behind the woman’s newborn, who was less than 40 days old. The resident noted that the kidnappers even ate the food the woman had been preparing before taking her. Security operatives later arrived, but the assailants had already fled with their captives. The abductors have since contacted the families, demanding ransom for their release.

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Donald Trump Says He Wants “Good Leader” For Iran After Khamenei’s Death, Calls For Leadership Overhaul

Donald Trump has expressed his vision for Iran’s leadership following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump said he hopes for a “good” leader in Iran and indicated he wants the country’s current leadership structure completely dismantled. “We want to go in and clean out everything,” he said. “We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period.” Trump added that he has certain individuals in mind who could assume leadership but chose not to disclose their names. “We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job,” he said. The remarks follow a joint operation by the United States and Israel in Iran, which led to the death of Ali Khamenei.

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Bukayo Saka Goes Viral After Admitting He’s Never Heard Of Celine Dion During Interview With Tems

Arsenal and England midfielder Bukayo Saka sparked online chatter after revealing he had never heard of legendary Canadian singer Celine Dion during a relaxed interview with Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Tems. The candid moment happened on the debut episode of The Link Up, a new show launched by Arsenal. While talking about her early musical inspirations, Tems mentioned Dion, prompting Saka to laugh and admit, “I don’t know who that is.” Tems, clearly amused, replied, “You don’t know who Celine Dion is? Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.” Born in 2001, Saka gravitates toward modern Afrobeats, hip-hop, and R&B, with artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Drake regularly on his playlist. He also admitted to enjoying Tems’ music and acknowledged how much music influences his life. Dion, whose hits like My Heart Will Go On and Because You Loved Me defined the 1990s and early 2000s, has sold over 200 million records worldwide and remains one of the best-selling artists ever. The brief exchange gave fans an intimate look at Saka, highlighting his humility and focus both on and off the pitch.

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Pete Edochie Laments High Electricity Costs, Says He Spends ₦40,000 Daily To Keep Lights On

Veteran Nollywood actor Pete Edochie has spoken out about Nigeria’s ongoing electricity challenges, revealing that he spends around ₦40,000 daily to maintain power supply in his home. The 78-year-old actor made the disclosure during an interview on African Independent Television, where he discussed the struggles many Nigerians face due to unreliable electricity. Edochie explained that the amount he spends each day goes into different sources of power used to keep his household running. “I spend about ₦10,000 every day buying electricity units. Then I spend ₦20,000 on diesel to power the generator and another ₦10,000 on petrol for a smaller generator. That brings the total to ₦40,000 daily just to provide electricity in my house.” He also expressed concern over what he described as the lack of attention given to the struggles of ordinary Nigerians. “It disturbs me a big deal. Then I listen to people who are only interested in getting into politics and enjoying power. Nobody seems to be bothered about what’s happening to the common man,” he added.

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Netnaija CEO Emmanuel Analike Remanded In Kuje Prison Over Alleged Copyright Violations

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Emmanuel Analike, the Chief Executive Officer of Netnaija Media Enterprises, at the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged copyright infringement. Analike was brought before the court on Wednesday by the Nigerian Copyright Commission on charges related to the unlawful distribution of copyrighted materials. According to the commission, the media entrepreneur used his online platform to make films and other digital content belonging to third parties available for public download without authorization. During the court session, the NCC’s prosecution counsel, Gladys Isaac-Ojo, informed the court that the matter had come up for the defendant’s arraignment. She told the court that Analike allegedly violated Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act 2022 through the distribution of protected digital media content on an online platform. However, the defendant pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him. His lawyer, Nnemeka Ejiofor, subsequently asked the court to grant his client bail, explaining that the application had already been filed on Monday. He added that the request was supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit alongside a written address. Presiding judge, Suleiman Liman, declined to give an immediate ruling on the bail request. Instead, he adjourned the matter to March 9, 2026, for the hearing of the application and directed that Analike be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre until then.

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DIG Frank Mba Retires After 34 Years In Nigeria Police Force

Frank Mba, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training and Development at the Force Headquarters, has voluntarily retired from the Nigeria Police Force after spending 34 years in service. His exit is part of a recent development within the police hierarchy following the retirement of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the emergence of Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the new Inspector-General of Police. Before attaining the rank of DIG, Mba served as the Force Public Relations Officer and also worked as the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command. He began his career in the Nigeria Police Force in May 1992 when he enlisted as a cadet officer and later graduated from the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano as the best cadet in academics. In his farewell remarks, Mba expressed appreciation to Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving him the opportunity to serve the country during his administration. “I am deeply grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the privilege of serving our great nation during his administration. The confidence reposed in the Nigeria Police leadership and the support given to the institution during this period have been invaluable. It has been a great honour for me to contribute my quota to the security and stability of our country”. He also thanked Nigerians for the support he received throughout his years in the police force.

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