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Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered a lawyer, Mr. Kehinde Awowole to produce his client, a popular businesswoman, Princess Toyin Kolade, who was alleged to be involved in a $32 million USD fraud, in court on December 3.
Princess Toyin Kolade alongside six others were charged before the court by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in a charge marked FHC/L/407c/2019, for an alleged fraud of the above-mentioned sum, by false pretense.

Others charged alongside the Businesswoman are four Indian Nationals, Prem Garg, Devashish Garg, Bhagwan Simgh Rawat, and Mukul Tyagi, and two Britons, Marcus Wade and Andrew Fairie said to be at large.
Also, four companies: Metal Africa Steel Products Limited, Wilben Trade Limited, Fisolak Global Resources Limited, and Kannu Aditya India Limited, were also charged before the court on the alleged offenses.
The lawyer had undertaken to produce the businesswoman in court when the matter first came up before the judge.
At the hearing of the matter on November 4, the lawyer had failed to produce the businesswoman, the event which made the presiding judge order the lawyer to show cause for failing to produce the businesswoman, Princess Toyin Kolade.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, Princess Kolade’s lawyer, Awowole, who was led by Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN) pleaded with the court for forgiveness over his failure to produce his client as ordered by the court.
Awowole told the court that he and his client were not aware of the Court’s last sitting. And that he became aware of today’s proceedings through social media, specifically Facebook and his WhatsApp group.

Awowole also pleaded with the court to forgive his client, who he said was out of the Court’s jurisdiction. He promised to produce the defendant in court at the next sitting of the court.
In countering the lawyer’s plea, the prosecutor, Dr. Pius Akutah, a Chief Counsel in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), told the court that hearing notice was duly served on the Businesswoman and same was filed with the court.

The presiding judge confirmed the prosecutor’s submissions and also read out how the lawyer undertook to produce Princess Kolade in court.
However, upon the counsel’s plea for mercy and forgiveness, Justice Lifu reordered Awowole to produce Princess Toyin Kolade in court at the next adjourned date. 
He then fixed December 3 for hearing of all applications filed by other defendants in the charge, by the consent of all parties.

The air force has arrested Torsabo Solomon, a sergeant, in connection with the attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna.
Two officers were killed and one other officer was abducted when the NDA was attacked by suspected bandits in August.
The development caused an uproar in the country and raised concerns about the rising insecurity.

Military sources said that Solomon was arrested on Monday at the NAF’s 153 BSG in Yola, Adamawa state capital.
Solomon is currently serving at Air Force Comprehensive School in Yola.
The personnel is also suspected of selling arms and ammunition to bandits and criminals.

Following his arrest, he was said to have been taken to Kaduna for further investigation.
In the wake of the NDA attack, the presidency had described the incident as a deliberate attempt to make the government look bad and discourage the military in its fight against insecurity.

“The NDA attack was meant to throw a dampener into the morale of our military. And the negative chorus, always on standby, is reinforcing the intention. But some people know better, and they will not be discouraged,” Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, had said.

 • Tinubu, Nasarawa gov visit site, death toll now 42
Emotions ran high on Saturday as families of those who died in the 21-storey building collapse on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, besieged Lagos Mainland Hospital morgue in the Yaba area of the state to identify corpses of their loved ones.

This is just as the wife of Femi Osibona, the developer of the collapsed high-rise, and his family reportedly clashed over access to the deceased’s cash and luxury vehicles in his house on Mosley Road, Ikoyi, barely 24 hours after his body was recovered from the rubble.

One of our correspondents, who visited the mortuary on Saturday afternoon, observed a mix of emotions steeped in tears, grief and anger as families went into the mortuary premises.
The skyscraper owned by Fourscore Heights Limited collapsed on Monday, trapping over 50 persons, including the firm’s Managing Director, Osibona, his friend, Wale Bob-Oseni, and personal assistant, Oyinye Enekwe.

Other deceased persons included a corps member identified as Oyindamola, an aluminium installer, his partner, Kenneth Otu, an engineer and pastor at Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Water Parish, Ibafo, Ogun State, Ola Ogunfunwa, among others.

However, nine persons survived the incident with three of them treated and discharged from the Lagos Island General Hospital. The six others admitted are Nurudeen Solagbade, Timileyin Oduntan, Waliu Lateef, Ahmed Kinleku (the Benin Republic national), Sunday Monday and Adeniran Mayowa.
Six more survivors located in Lagos hospital
It was said that six more survivors taken to another hospital were discovered on Saturday.  

On Saturday, many affected family members visited Lagos Mainland Hospital morgue to find out if their loved ones were among the corpses recovered so far.
They sat under two canopies mounted on the premises as a female attendant called them one after the other into an office from where they were led to the morgue for identification.

“The most recent picture of the missing person and a photocopy of the identity card of his/her blood relation are required,” the attendant announced. “You will then be called in to identify the body but you have to be strong,” she advised.
Otu’s sister, who declined to give her name, broke down in tears as she came out of the office. Flanked by four relations, she was consoled and led out of the premises.
“I have seen his corpse. They said they would contact us to collect it as soon as the governor gives approval,” she said briefly, fighting back tears.

Shortly after, another bereaved family member surfaced from the office, looking downcast. He held his head in distraught, nodding dejectedly as he walked out of the premises together with his relations.
After a while, a light-complexioned woman in a white gown stormed out of the office, holding a piece of paper containing a female photograph.

“Let’s go,” she yelled, beckoning at a family member who had also stepped out of the room.
“They said we should bring her photograph. We went to a business centre to do a printout containing her picture and brought it only for them to say it has to be a hard copy,” the family member explained to some policemen who approached him to find out what was wrong. “Are we happy to be coming here?” the man fumed.

They returned to the office about 30 minutes later to identify their relation’s corpse. The woman emerged from the office afterwards sobbing as she was led out of the facility.
Also, a middle-aged man donning a blue native dress headed to an office inside the mortuary visibly angry. He initially shunned entreaties when some attendants tried to direct him to “the appropriate section.”

He was eventually led to where he checked his relation’s corpse. Minutes later, he came out with a frown, snapping his fingers. A family member quickly walked up to him and patted him on the back.
“It’s okay. I will be fine,” the bereaved man murmured as they both left the facility in tears.

 Meanwhile, a crisis is brewing in the Osibona family as his wife and relations are reportedly fighting over the ownership of his property.
It was gathered that the wife, who flew in from the United States of America following the death of her husband, was denied access to the Ikoyi residence of the late developer by his siblings.

Osibona’s wife and siblings were said to have arrived at his residence with mobile policemen to lay claim to his assets, including luxury vehicles, cash, and other valuable items.
But the late developer’s neighbours were said to have shut them out to avoid being caught up in the crisis.
A reliable source close to the family, who confirmed the clash to one of our correspondents, said though the deceased did not die intestate, his family members fought over his assets.

The source said, “There is big fighting going on. The wife had been mostly abroad. There is a will but once a man dies, there is a problem. Instead of them (the family) focusing on the collapsed building, they are looking at the property (on Mosley Road). They are waiting to gain access (to the apartment); they are still there.”
Giving an update on the tragedy on Saturday, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed that 42 bodies had been recovered from the site as of 6 pm.

The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, also stated that six additional persons rescued from the debris had been traced to another hospital.
He said, “They were taken to the Police Hospital in Falomo for treatment and some of them have been discharged. We have taken the full records of survivors in the incident. And this gives a total of 15 people rescued alive.

“Among the latest survivors are a 38-year-old woman, Glory Samson, Ndajor Ahmed, Yunusa Abubakar, Ajiboye Habib, Jeremiah Samson, and one man identified as Emem. While most of them sustained varying degrees of injury, Samson, 20, is said to be in a coma.”
The governor also said 49 families had filled the missing persons’ register as of Saturday morning, adding that DNA examination was being undertaken on some of the bodies difficult to be identified by their families.
He stated, “There is a sum of money that has been reserved by the state government for succour and to give for befitting burial for those who died in the incident. Families that wish to accept it are being supported for the burial arrangement. Also, survivors in hospitals have been given the financial support to help them settle and cope with challenges of feeding in the aftermath of the incident.”

The All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, also visited the scene of the incident on Saturday in company with Sanwo-Olu.

The usual heavy traffic flow associated with the daily activities of the residents of the Eastern part of Freetown, Sierra Leone turned into a Black Friday night for the inhabitants when a tanker collision with another vehicle resulted in an explosion,

The explosion, occurred around SLPMB, Wellington area also located in the Eastern part of Freetown, Sierra Leone leading to fire outbreak which gutted the lives of thousands of lives, most of who were stocked in the traffic, as well as those trading along the street for their daily bread. The incident caused huge damages to properties around the area.

According to an eyewitness account, after the tanker collision with another vehicle on Friday night, passers-by embarked on a free spree of fuel haulage after the collision.

Thereafter, an explosion occurred which resulted in thick flames on the gas stations around the area, and as at the time of filing this report, the government-owned hospital in Freetown, popularly known as Connaught hospital is facing the challenge for beds space to accommodate patients as they are considering referral to other hospitals,

The unfortunate incident resulted in the death of many, including people trapped in traffic who suffered serve high degree burns on Friday night.

Femi Osibona, the owner of the collapsed 21-storey building is dead
Popular journalist, Dele Momodu, confirmed Osibona’s death via his Instagram page on Thursday evening. Osibona’s body was discovered among others during the rescue process at the site of the building on Thursday.

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), also confirmed the development.
The late Osibona owns the popular Fourscore Homes, a Lagos-based real estate firm located along Gerrard Road, collapsed on Monday afternoon. The building is one of a group of three under construction.
Earlier, the dead body of Mr. Osibona’s PA (Personal Assistant), Nifemi, was recovered from the rubbles.

No less than 38 people have so far been confirmed dead since the building collapsed.
Rescue efforts are still ongoing at the scene of the incident with families and friends of those trapped in the building accusing government officials and rescue workers of being ineffective.

Iconic gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele, has reaffirmed his love for Afropop singer, David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, following their meeting at Atlanta in the United States.

Ayefele, who is also the owner of Fresh 105.9 FM, a popular radio station in Ibadan, Oyo state, shared a picture of their meeting via his verified Instagram page on Monday.

The gospel singer went on to hail the Risky crooner, stating that his love for Davido has increased due to his humility.

Describing their meeting, Ayefele revealed that Davido was the one who ran to meet him, adding that the singer was ‘different from them.’
Ayefele said, “I admire your humbleness, my brother. I didn’t see him but he saw me from a distance and ran down to me. @davido I love you more today. You are different from them.”
Davido, in turn, shared Ayefele’s post on his Instagram story.
This current meeting is not the first between the duo, as Ayefele and Davido once met at an event in Ogun state.

In April this year, Davido was filmed dancing to Ayefele’s song at the event and proceeded to spray the gospel singer on stage.
During his benevolent act, Ayefele smiled on and it was also alleged that Davido gifted him a sum of one million naira at the event.

At the resumed hearing before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Osborne, Ikoyi on Wednesday, the Court threatened to jail executives of banks who fail to disclose the amount to the credit of Imagine Global Holding Company Ltd, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd, Mr Bamise Samson Ajetunmobi and Mrs Elizabeth Anuoluwapo Ajetunmobi.

The two firms and the Ajetunmobi couple have been associated with an N11,795,090,000 investment scam by the claimants/applicants who are aggrieved Nigerian investors.

According to the Claimants/Applicants’ motion, over N11,795b is the outstanding investments and return on investments accruing to them from the defendants.
Justice Toyin Oyekan-Abdullahi, who gave the warning, noted that some banks are yet to comply with the court’s October 24, 2021 orders that it granted in favour of the investors.

The orders restrained commercial banks in Nigeria from releasing funds up to N11,795,090,000 to the two firms and the Ajetunmobi Couple.
The orders also commanded the banks too, among others, file and serve on the Claimants/Applicants’ counsel, Adetunji Adedoyin-Adeniyi of AAA Chambers, within seven days of service of the order on them, an affidavit disclosing the balance on the defendants’ accounts.

The orders followed a Motion on Notice for a Mareva Injunction filed ex parte by the Claimants/Applicants on October 15, 2021, in suit LD/579CM/2021.
At the commencement of yesterday’s proceedings, Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi expressed displeasure with some of the banks’ conduct that failed to strictly comply with the Order of Court.

She warned that besides sanctioning any defaulting bank executive, any lawyer that acts anything contrary to the order of court would also risk being sanctioned, because “the court will not allow the citizens of this country to keep weeping because of the absconding investors.”

The judge’s allusion to abscondment was in reference to news reports that the Ajetunmobis had obtained the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda, with the country’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne stating on October 20 that they would be captured if they entered the Caribbean country.
The court heard that one of those affected by the conduct of the Ajetunmobis and their companies was Wema Bank, which allegedly gave the loan to Imagine Global in September 2021, after accepting the defendants’ properties as collateral, as contained in the application filed by Wema Bank seeking to discharge the Order of court as an interested party.

But Adedoyin-Adeniyi opposed the application on the ground that Wema Bank is equally a victim as much as the claimants, by virtue of the personal guarantees the Defendants executed in favour of the claimants as far back as January 2020.
Furthermore, Babalakin & Co equally filed an application on behalf of a firm known as Mainstreet Capital Ltd, which also invested in the defendants, as contained in an application filed through the law firm seeking to join as co-claimant in the suit.
Adedoyin-Adeniyi also opposed the application, arguing that many organisations which lacked the courage to go after the couple due to the sensitive nature of the matter, now wanted to piggyback on the claimants who had approached the court for Mareva orders.

He argued that the claimants should not be compelled to allow other parties to join the case, rather, anyone with grievances against the couple “should go and file his own case.”
Adedoyin equally alleged that N17Billion had passed through Imagine Global’s account with Wema Bank between May 2020 and May 2021 and the Bank is yet to place before the court the detailed statement of account of Imagine Global Ltd.

Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi has adjourned till November 11, 2021, for the banks to show cause in compliance with the order of the court.
Part of the court’s orders includes barring the four defendants from accessing funds up to N11,795,090,000 in their accounts with the banks, pending the hearing and determination of a Motion on Notice for a Mareva Injunction.

The court also barred the banks – in the interim – from dealing with all monies and/or whatsoever assets due to the defendants from any account maintained by the 1st – 4th defendants and also all accounts with BVN: 22168443525 (3rd Defendant) and BVN:22141952749 (4th Defendant), up to the N11,795,090,000.

It further restrained the defendants from selling, transferring, assigning and/or dealing with the following properties: Apartment 7, Oakwood Residences, 23, Cooper Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and B4, Gate 3, Lafiaji Road, Victoria Crescent Estate, Olugborogon, Chevron, Lekki, Lagos or any other properties/assets of the 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th Defendants that can be traced and located by Claimants/ Applicants during the pendency of the suit.

The gas leakage in Ikeja has been brought under control, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has announced.
It stated that people could go about their normal activities.
The agency however said, “traffic diversion around the areas is still in force.”
Earlier in the day, the agency raised the alarm over a reported gas leakage in the Ikeja area.

The agency, therefore, warned residents and other people around the area against the use of naked fire.
Shops, NEMA had also warned, should not be opened.

The areas concerned it was said included Computer Village, Anifowose Street, Underbridge Awolowo Way, Oba Akran and Medical Road.
The warning is contained in a statement by the agency’s spokesman in Lagos, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye.

Wale Bob-Oseni, a real estate dealer and executive director of the African Bureau for Legislative Empowerment, was on his way to the US on Monday. Then he got a call from Femi Osibona, owner of Fourscore Homes, to check out the ongoing development at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos state.

On his way to the airport, he stopped by to see the 21-storey building being developed by his friend and associate. 
The building collapsed with Bob-Oseni and Osibona inside, and they are now presumed dead after 48 hours of rescue efforts.
Dele Momodu, former presidential candidate and publisher, who was close to both of them, said on Wednesday that both men were his “aburos” — an affectionate term for younger friends.

“Wale was on his way to the US… this is so tragic,” he said on phone.

In a video that went viral some minutes after the collapse, a man believed to be Bob-Oseni’s driver was seen crying, saying he was to take his boss to the Lagos airport.
“He was heading to America. I want to go and drop him in the airport,” the driver said in tears.

There is no official figure of the number of persons who were in the building before the incident happened but over 50 persons are said to have been trapped.
Bob-Oseni is also the corporate affairs manager of the First Premiere Mortgage, according to his profile on LinkedIn, which also states that he had a master’s in international relations and diplomacy from the Howard University in the US.

It had been reported that the owner of Fourscore Homes is believed to be trapped in the rubble or in hiding.
As of Wednesday, the death toll of the incident had risen to 22, while nine persons have been rescued.