Human rights advocate Dele Farotimi, who was released from prison on Christmas Eve after being granted bail of ₦30 million, released an emotional video on Sunday thanking Nigerians for standing by him during his time in prison, regardless of tribe or religion.
The activist, spent 21 days behind bars after he was accused of defaming senior advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, in his book Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. Farotimi broke down in tears while thanking Nigerians who rallied support for him, in the video which has since gone viral.
Activist Martins Otshe, who goes by the name “VeryDarkMan” (VDM), was trending over the weekend after he announced that his new NGO website was hacked and ₦180 million donated to the NGO was stolen.
The NGO account, which had a balance of ₦240 million, was partly funded by music executive Don Jazzy, who donated ₦100 million in October.
VDM came under fire as many Nigerians and tech experts doubted the accuracy of his story, saying it is impossible to hack a website and steal money from a bank account.
Some Nigerians claimed that VDM used the funds to purchase a Mercedes worth around ₦200 million. However, VDM, in a video posted on Instagram, reported the missing funds, saying he was on his way to Jos in Plateau State to arrest the suspect.
VeryDarkMan later revealed that ₦78 million of the ₦180 million allegedly stolen from his NGO’s account had been recovered.
The activist expressed gratitude for the progress made in a post via Instagram on Sunday and shared details about the ongoing investigation, revealing that one of the suspects had escaped to Ghana.
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at a former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, who he said was politically dead, until he brought him back to life.
Wike spoke on Sunday during a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt. The minister was responding to comments made by Odili, who had said that the governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara had prevented Wike from turning Rivers state into his Private Estate.
Wike in his speech warned odili, that as an elder statesman, he should desist from being a sycophant all the time.
In Bayelsa State, a boy tragically drowned while swimming in an overcrowded pool at the Aridolf Hotel in Yenagoa on Christmas Day.
The boy was among a group of children celebrating at the popular facility when the incident occurred.
Reports indicate that the boy was submerged in the crowded pool, which made rescue efforts difficult.
In the United States, world leaders have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, who passed away on Sunday at age 100.
In his final moments, Carter was surrounded by his family at his home in Plains, Georgia.
Jimmy Carter, was a peanut farmer and U.S. Navy lieutenant before entering politics. He served one term as governor of Georgia and as president of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
He was the only former U.S. president to reach 100 years old. Known for his humanitarian efforts and commitment to peace, Carter’s legacy transcends his political career, with many praising his post-presidential work through the Carter Center.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advance democracy and human rights, and promote economic and social development.”
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also extended his condolences to the government and people of the United States on the passing of Jimmy Carter. Special adviser to the president, Bayo Onanuga, posted his tribute in a post on X.
Follow us on:
