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February 23, 2025

February 23, 2025February 23, 2025 IFM Social Media

Tokindrumz Management Defends Nedu Wazobia Against Fraud Allegations, Plans Legal Action Against VDM

A talent management agency, the Tokindrumz Management, says Chinedu Ani, popularly known as Nedu Wazobia, did not defraud anyone with a fake scholarship scheme as alleged by a social crusader, VeryDarkMan, VDM.

Nedu was the host of the Honest Bunch podcast where a guest recently made allegations about VDM’s sexual orientation which led to a social media war where VDM claimed that Nedu used his NGO to commit fraud.

Addressing a news briefing at the Oniru Estate, Lekki, Lagos, the Chief Operations Officer of the Tokindrumz Management, Ms Sarah Williams-Konha said there was the Nedu Scholarship Foundation was promoted by the celebrity presenter but that he did not receive any money into his personal account.

Ms Williams-Konha, said the Tokindrumz Management was the funds manager and that the scholarship scheme had stalled because the partners pulled out of the initiative at the last minute.

She said the agency had been invited by the police following an petition and that the police had cleared it of any wrongdoing and advised parties to the scholarship scheme to seek an out of court settlement.

Ms Williams-Konha said the Agency had begun the process of seeking legal redress against VDM for his defamatory utterances.

On VDM’s claim that Nedu was sleeping with female guests on the show, Ms Williams-Konha said the agency would not respond to gossips and hearsays.

In his reaction, Nedu Wazobia said he had not been fired as the host or the Honest Bunch podcast.

He said he was among the initiators of the podcast and that he only stepped aside to preserve the initiative from suffering from negative publicity.

Nedu, who said he was friend with VDM’s, explained that everyone had a right of reply on the Honest Bunch podcast and that it would be wrong to stop guests from speaking their mind on the show when the focus of the show was to encourage open conversation about difficult issues.

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 IFMNEWS

No State Creation Request Meets Constitutional Criteria – Deputy Speaker Kalu

Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and Deputy Speaker of the House, revealed on Friday during a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State that none of the 31 state creation requests met the constitutional requirements.

The retreat, held from February 20 to 23, 2025, served as a forum for reviewing pending amendment bills and strategizing the next steps in the constitutional review process. Organized by the 10th House in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the event underscored the importance of state creation in Nigeria’s governance discourse.

Kalu acknowledged that while the requests reflected the aspirations of various communities, they failed to satisfy the legal criteria, prompting the committee to extend the submission deadline to March 5, 2025—a deadline that could be further extended depending on the retreat’s outcomes.

He also disclosed that the House Committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at refining governance in Nigeria, with some bills advancing to the second reading while others remain at the first stage. Kalu pointed out that duplication poses a major challenge, noting that several bills address similar issues under different sponsors, which led the committee to categorize them into thematic areas such as federal structure and power devolution, local government autonomy, public revenue, fiscal federation, revenue allocation, Nigerian police and security architecture, comprehensive judicial reforms, electoral reforms, gender issues and human rights, and state creation.

He further emphasized that any proposed changes to the Electoral Act requiring constitutional alterations must pass through the committee, stating that a proactive and cooperative approach is essential for seamless legislative processes and comprehensive legal reforms.

As part of the next phase of the review, the committee has scheduled zonal and national public hearings across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones—North Central (Nasarawa and Niger States), North East (Borno and Gombe States), North West (Kaduna and Sokoto States), South East (Enugu and Imo States), South-South (Bayelsa and Cross River States), and South West (Lagos and Ondo States)—to give Nigerians an opportunity to contribute to the amendment process. Kalu urged lawmakers to work diligently and objectively so that the final amendments reflect the will of the Nigerian people, insisting that the voices of Nigerians be integral to the constitutional reforms.

Expressing confidence in the process, he promised a transparent and inclusive review that would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and governance structure. Echoing these sentiments, Mr Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director of PLAC, expressed delight in supporting the committee and confidence that its mandate would be fulfilled within the set timeframe, noting that his team of co-consultants had been actively meeting to develop suggestions for the committee’s consideration.

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 IFMNEWS

Court Orders Final Forfeiture of $4.7M, ₦830M, and Properties Linked to Emefiele

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of $4.7 million, ₦830 million, and multiple properties linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Yellim Bogoro granted the forfeiture request filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by counsel Bilkisu Buhari-Bala. This decision follows the court’s earlier dismissal of an application seeking to halt the forfeiture.

The forfeited funds were held in accounts with First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank, managed by various individuals and entities, including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

Properties Affected by the Forfeiture

The ruling also affects several high-value properties, including:

•94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

•AM Plaza, an 11-floor office complex on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos.

•Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos.

•Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos.

•Two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

•A plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Eti-Osa LGA, Lagos.

•An estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, USA, owned by Lipam Investment Services.

•A property at 1 Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

•A property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Court’s Justification for the Forfeiture

Justice Bogoro ruled that the funds and properties were proceeds of unlawful activities and, therefore, must be forfeited to the Federal Government.

“I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful. Why should they have a problem of dollars immediately after Godwin Emefiele left CBN as governor and salary payments could not be made?” the judge questioned.

The court also identified Omoile Anita Joy as a close associate of Emefiele, alleging that she had been granted undue influence to unlawfully divert funds from the CBN.

“Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Justice Bogoro ruled.

EFCC’s Legal Basis for the Forfeiture

The EFCC, through its counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), based its application on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution. The commission argued that the funds and properties were proceeds of fraudulent activities.

After the court initially granted an interim forfeiture, it mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper. With no credible challenge or proof of legitimate ownership from the defendants, the court made the forfeiture permanent.

This ruling marks another significant step in the EFCC’s ongoing anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts under the leadership of its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede.

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