A 36-year-old Nigerian man, Okezie Ogbata has pleaded guilty to defrauding more than 400 elderly and vulnerable victims of over $6 million before a Southern District court in Florida, United States.. Ogbata was found guilty of operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme by the Southern District of Florida last Wednesday. According to the Department of Justice, Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims “to send money for delivery fees, taxes and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities.” In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of…
Author: Adetutu Audu
Three siblings: a boy aged 5; and two girls aged 7 and 9; were murdered in their home and their bodies stored in a deep freezer in Nnewichi, Nnewi, Anambra state, by unknown assailants. The eldest of the siblings, a girl, Ejezie Chikaima Daviana, with the second daughter, Ejezie Chimziterem Dominica and the only son, Ejezie Chimdilim David, were in the house when their mother, Mrs Chikazor Ejezie, said to be a lecturer and a nurse, left home to partake in an examination on the fateful day. When she returned from the examination, the mother met the door leading to…
A 36-year-old Anambra-state-born Nigerian cardiologist, Ikenna Erinne based in the United States has reportedly committed suicide after losing a child support case to his ex-wife (who is yet-to-be-identified). The incident was said to have occurred on Sunday, 26 January, 2025. It was gathered that the late doctor had a prolonged divorce battle with his estranged wife, including the custody of their children. He, however, lost the case after a US court ruled in favour of his ex-wife and ordered him to pay a monthly child support of $15,000. Confirming the incident in a post shared on X, a Nigerian-American, Clayton…
Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has won the Best African Music Performance category at the 67th Grammy Awards. She secured the award with her song ‘Love Me JeJe’, beating ‘Tomorrow’ by Yemi Alade; ‘MMS’ by Asake featuring Wizkid; ‘Sensational’ by Chris Brown featuring Davido and Lojay; and ‘Higher’ by Burna Boy. This marks Tems’ second Grammy win. South Africa’s Tyla won the award for her hit Water in 2024 in the category’s first edition. Tems received three nominations at this year’s Grammys, bringing her career total to eight. She was also nominated for Best Global Music Album…
The ongoing fraud allegations against gospel record label owner, Ezekiel ThankGod Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as Eezee Tee, have taken a new twist, with prominent cleric Apostle Anslem Madubuko of Revival Assembly Church, Lagos, accusing the label boss of sabotaging reconciliation efforts and defrauding former signees Mercy Chinwo and Judikay. In a public statement, Apostle Madubuko detailed his role in attempting to mediate financial disputes between Eezee Tee and Mercy Chinwo, which dated back to 2022. The cleric disclosed that despite organising meetings and hiring independent auditors to review the label’s accounts, Eezee Tee refused to cooperate, hindering resolution efforts. Mercy…
Veteran Nollywood actor, Asa Koko, has passed away after battling an undisclosed illness. The news of his death was shared by actor and filmmaker Kunle Afod on his Instagram page. “May his soul rest in peace. Asa Koko hmmmm. It’s a WRAP,” Afod wrote in a heartfelt tribute. He also posted a video from his last visit to Asa Koko’s home, where the late actor showed him his swollen leg and spoke about his recent health struggles for more than two years. During his illness, Asa Koko who married ten wives in his lifetime, revealed that the Lagos State Governor,…
First Lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu has decried the increasing rate of new HIV infections in the country which she noted is due among other reasons, to high mother to child transmission. She called for intensifying of efforts to ensure that the global Triple Elimination target of HIV/AIDS, Syphilis and Hepatitis is achieved by 2030. Senator Tinubu stated this in Ilorin Kwara State where she flagged off the Free-to-shine campaign in Nigeria, an advocacy initiative of the African Union (AU), the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and other global partners. According to the First Lady, the…
About 3,690 Nigerians in the United States may be deported as Donald Trump begins a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country. In a document compiled by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations on Tuesday, the agency revealed the data is broken down by nationality and number of people faced with deportation. It also made a clarification that as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders. In the document titled “Noncitizens on the ICE Non-Detained Docket with Final Orders of Removal by Country of Citizenship”, Mexico and El…
An Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta on Tuesday, 28 January, 2025, reversed the installation of Oba Alexander Macgregor as the Olu of Ilawo, declaring the process illegal. Justice Olatokunbo Majekodunmi ruled that Macgregor must stop posing as the Olu of Orile Ilawo, Abeokuta, pending the determination of the suit against the processes that led to his nomination. The court’s decision was in response to a suit filed by Ogunsanya- Ariku Royal Family of Ilawo, who had prayed to the court to stop the installation and declare Macgregor’s claim to the throne invalid. Delivering the ruling, the judge condemned the…
Victoria Ogunremi, a Nigerian-American woman has displayed a rare act of honesty and kindness after returning $5,700 she discovered in a toilet at her workplace in New Jersey, U.S.A. Ogunremi shared her story in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, 27 January, 2025. She said her decision to return the money stemmed from deep concern for its rightful owner. “The thought of the pain or trauma it could cause inspired me,” she said. “I did not hesitate to return it because of my Christian faith and beliefs. Honesty brings peace of mind, and it…