News
REVEALED: True story of how female lawyer died while chasing her husband’s girlfriend
The true story has emerged of how a female lawyer in Calabar, the Cross River state capital, Mrs Clara Bassey died in a car crash last Sunday while chasing her husband, Mr Sonnie Bassey in the company of his alleged girlfriend.
Barrister Sonnie Bassey was said to have come from Akwa Ibom State while his wife was from Imo State. There have been different versions of the incident and the identity of the person in the centre of the saga who tipped off the deceased wife prompted her to go after her husband.
According to a family source who begged for anonymity, the late wife had been suspecting the husband for a long time but didn’t know who the girlfriend really was. He told Saturday Vanguard that the relationship between the husband and the girlfriend had been going on for a long time.
A close friend of the husband who did not want his name in print said, “Sonnie and I attended St Patrick’s College. He grew up here in Calabar. He was a car dealer before he became a lawyer. We play chess together. He lived at Barracks Road, near Bogobiri before moving to his present home. He and his wife had been having issues over the girl and when information got to the wife that her husband who said he was travelling out of town was actually in town, she was terribly angry and that was the reason for the hot chase”.
It was learnt that the said girlfriend, who hails from Yakur Local Government Area of the state, who is a single mother was not just a girlfriend but also a brilliant lawyer who had been assisting the husband to write his legal briefs and that they had been dating for a long time.
Last Sunday, the husband was said to have travelled out of town but when he came back he decided to see his girlfriend first before going home and that was when a third party saw them together at the Spar Supermarket and called the wife to tip her off. The late wife reportedly waited for them at the Stadium very close to the Supermarket in a Toyota Highlander and when she sighted her husband and his girlfriend driving past in a Mercedes Benz car, she pursued them.
About a kilometre away from point of taking off, at the New Secretariat, the husband on top speed veered off the highway and headed towards Atekong Drive and the wife in an effort to follow the husband on the same route lost control and rammed into one of the ornamental trees by the roadside completely wrecking the car and sustaining mortal wounds in the process.
From his rear mirror, the husband saw what happened, stopped the car asked his girlfriend to alight from the car and went back to attempt to rescue his wife. Other road users joined in the rescue and she was taken to the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, about a kilometre away, still on the same route for medical attention.
A family source at the hospital said before the wife gave up the ghost, Mr Sonnie was remorseful and with tears in his eyes, he knelt beside his dying wife begging the lifeless body for forgiveness and urging her to come back to life and take care of their three children.
According to the source, “it was at the hospital that the man wailed seriously begging the wife to forgive him, while professing all his love for her, asking her to wake up. The woman who made the call to the deceased wife that her husband was with his girlfriend was actually at the hospital when she was pronounced dead. But the family members didn’t realise this at the time until they checked the deceased’s phone and discovered that the woman who had been with them all along in the hospital was the one communicating with the deceased.
“All that said, I can tell you that the husband loved the wife and never joked with his family, he is very passionate about them, and did everything that a father and husband should do. The stories and so many versions you have been reading are mostly false. Just a few days ago he was said to be in a coma, some said that he was dead, but all were pure falsehood.
“It is natural for someone in his shoes to feel sober, withdrawn from people when bereaved but I can also tell you that he might be feeling all that, but he is definitely not in any dangerous situation at the moment.
“The single mum who was his ‘side chick’, and has now deactivated her social media accounts was not the cause of the accident and the death of the victim, the lady who tipped off the deceased is the real killer. As a matter of fact, she was also at the hospital when the victim was pronounced dead. When I realized that she was the one who was responsible for sending the victim to her early death, I felt like beating her, but it was late by that time we realized it.
“The husband might be in a sober mood but there is no serious health issue arising from the incident that I’m aware of. He is a great father, husband and hardworking man, but was just a victim of circumstance,” the source said.
Another friend of the family who also pleaded anonymity told Saturday Vanguard that what happened was just unfortunate because the husband was a gentleman to the core.
“He was indeed hospitalised but we hope he gets better soon, he battled with stroke some time ago, he is just recovering and coupled with what happened again, he is only human, they should stop peddling death rumour and remember his kids in the mix. The relationship with his late wife started as far back as 2004 or thereabout and it ended in marriage with three kids, it’s rather sad that this kind of thing happened to him because both of them were inseparable love birds, he was always with her all the time.
“The children are currently being taken care of by a family friend, all we are doing is praying for him to be strong, the deed has already been done, and people should allow the family to mourn in peace. This kind of thing that happened to him could have happened to anybody.
“There are cases of divorce that he even refunded money to female clients while preaching peace because he doesn’t believe in separation or divorce, he is just a gentleman people should consider his children and stop judging him”, the source stated.
A friend of late Clara, Mrs Ann told Vanguard that the man should be held responsible for the death of his wife because of his action. “The man refused to take his children back to school that day on the pretext that he was travelling out of town for business but the trip was to keep a date with a ‘side chick’. Which woman would hear that and not be infuriated?”
Another lady, Oge Okafor in her reaction blamed the deceased for her action which she described as “thoughtless”. She said, “was it the best thing for her to run after her husband and his girlfriend? No now. Let us assume she caught up with them and exchanged words or fought them, would that have stopped the man from going out? Omo there are many ways to kill a rat, abeg”.
The family of the deceased could not be located but the home of the couple was under lock and key when we visited.
….Lagos-based daughter who supplies the drug arrested
A 101-year-old woman, Esther Ogunmabo, has been arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly selling cannabis in Ilisan, Ogun State.
The centenarian was arrested on Saturday, August 15, 2026, with 90 grammes of skunk, a form of cannabis, which was reportedly packaged in small quantities for sale.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed that the supect, Ogunmabo admitted that she sold the substance to people in the community.
Babafemi said the suspect told investigators that she became involved in the illicit trade after a fire destroyed her provisions store.
The agency spokesman added that the woman claimed one of her daughters, based in Lagos, was responsible for supplying her with the cannabis at regular intervals.
“She said one of her daughters, who resides in Lagos, arranges the supply of the substance to her every four days, which she in turn sold in bits,” the NDLEA spokesman said.
The arrest was listed among the agency’s recent operations against drug trafficking and illicit drug activities across the country.
Following her arrest, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed that the elderly suspect be granted bail and referred for counselling because of her age.
The agency also disclosed that the daughter allegedly linked to the supply of the cannabis had been arrested.
The NDLEA said its latest operations also recorded other interceptions and arrests at different locations, including the country’s land and maritime borders.
The agency has continued to intensify its campaign against the cultivation, distribution and sale of illicit drugs across the country.
A yet-to-be-ascertained number of worshippers have been abducted from the Central Mosque in Dekara town, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Reports said the victims were kidnapped from worship place when terrorists, in a large number, struck while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing.
According to some sources, the terrorists shot sporadically before assembling some of the worshippers and leading them out of the mosque into the forest.
One of the residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent by telephone that Borgu LGA recorded various incidents of insecurity, on Friday.
“So many things have happened in Borgu LGA today. Terrorists attacked three communities, including Dekara. In Dekara, they went to the Central Mosque while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing and kidnapped more than 60 people. But they did not injure anybody,” the resident said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said he would verify the information and revert, but he had not done so as of the time of filing this report. (Daily Trust)
The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze, has denied the allegation of running a “fake agency” in the country.
Nwabueze, who spoke on Saturday, noted that he oversaw an office which was under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He noted that the office had been in existence for 16 years.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission had on Friday said the President had ordered Nwabueze’s arrest for leading and promoting the outfit, which it tagged as a fake federal agency.
The ICPC said the accused was running it with the collaboration of senior public servants in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
But responding to our correspondent, the embattled executive director said, “Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from. A programme that has been in the SGF’s office since 16 July 2010 was just discovered yesterday (Friday). After 16 years; Nigeria is a funny country.”
Nwabueze spoke while responding to our correspondent’s enquiries on LinkedIn, where he had earlier posted his appointment letter to rebuff ICPC’s claim of illegality.
The letter, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It was referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.
The letter, addressed to “Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja,” conveyed the approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the OSGF.
According to the document, the appointment was for a five-year tenure beginning from July 2025 and was renewable.
“I am directed to formally convey the approval of your appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the letter stated.
It added that the appointment followed “a careful evaluation of your commitment, contribution, and capacity in delivering on the mandate of the Special Project Office.”
The document listed Nwabueze’s responsibilities to include the supervision and development of programmes, projects and policies; supervision of regional and state coordinators across the 36 states; and organisation of exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other promotional initiatives aimed at promoting indigenous products and services.
It further stated that the project was to operate temporarily from Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex.
“Please note that this appointment is at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and in line with the objectives of the Made in Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the letter said.
Efforts to engage Nwabueze further on the matter proved abortive as he declined response.
Special status request
Also, another document shared on Saturday on Linkedin by Nwabueze showed that his office sought to be granted the status of a Special Project.
The document, dated April 17, 2025, was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Gagare, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It was referenced PS-PEAO/2025/008/4.
The document, titled, ‘A proposal for the Made-in-Nigeria Project to be granted Special Project status’, stated that the initiative had been operating for about five years and had promoted Nigerian-made products and services locally and internationally.
It claimed that the project had organised economic forums and trade exhibitions in several parts of the world and contributed positively to the Nigerian economy, particularly in the area of foreign direct investment.
The document listed increased employment opportunities, economic growth and poverty reduction among the expected benefits of granting the project special status.
According to the proposal, the initiative would also contribute to Gross Domestic Product growth by supporting local industries and encouraging domestic production.
It further stated that the project would reduce importation by encouraging Nigerians to consume locally made products, thereby reducing dependence on imported goods, conserving foreign exchange and improving the country’s trade balance.
The document added that the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on crude oil and promote the non-oil sector.
The Permanent Secretary subsequently invited the SGF to note that granting the project special status would enhance its credibility and performance and enable it to meet its mandate and responsibilities.
However, the proposal made clear that the activities of the project were to be reviewed and operational modalities developed.
A fake agency?
The ICPC chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, had identified the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office as one of the outfits uncovered during the commission’s investigation into the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Aliyu, while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, said investigators discovered the office while probing the PFIPC and what he described as procedural weaknesses within the public service.
According to him, the office had been allocated space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation.
He identified the promoter of the outfit as Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, alleging that he operated under different variations of his name and had the backing of some senior public servants in the OSGF.
The ICPC had described the outfit as part of the structures uncovered during its investigation into the alleged PFIPC.
However, documents released by Nwabueze appear intended to challenge the allegation that the project office had no official backing.
One of the reports shared on the LinkedIn page of the organisation documented a stakeholders’ engagement in Nasarawa State involving Governor Abdullahi Sule.
In the report, the governor was heard saying the state had domesticated the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria initiative and captured it in its 2026 budget.
“For us in Nasarawa State, we have since domesticated this initiative of the Federal Government in our solemn commitment to promote local contents and have value for resources abound in our dear state,” Sule was quoted as saying.
“I’m happy to inform you that we did not only domesticate this project, but we also accord special attention to its operationalisation by including it in our 2026 budget,” he added.
The report also quoted the National Coordinator of the Made in Nigeria Project as saying the initiative was domiciled in the OSGF and was responsible for promoting the national brand.
Nwabueze was further heard saying the decision had been taken to locate a National Brand Processing and Packaging Centre in Nasarawa State.
The organisation’s website also identified “Nwabueze George” as “Executive Director, National Coordinator,” linking the position to the person named in the ICPC investigation.
Checks on the organisation’s website showed a structure featuring national, zonal and state coordinators.
At the national level, the organisation listed Dr Bassey B. Unaowo as Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary on Political and Economic Affairs in the OSGF, while Dr Hajara Njidda Amoni was listed as Director, National Administration.
The organisation also listed zonal directors and coordinators across several states.
It maintained social media accounts on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn under the handle “@pmainpro.”
Office shut for months, says OSGF official
However, a staff member of the OSGF told Sunday PUNCH that the office had been shut for months.
“It was not operating as an agency but I know was under investigation… The office was shut months ago,” the source said.
The development leaves questions over the status of the project office, particularly the conflicting claims over its authorisation and relationship with the OSGF.
While the ICPC maintains that the office was illegally allocated space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation, documents released by Nwabueze show an appointment letter purportedly issued by the OSGF formally appointing him to head the project office.
The OSGF spokesman, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, when contacted, asked our correspondent to write a letter to his office before a response could be obtained.
Efforts to reach the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, proved abortive as of the time of filing the report, as calls to his number indicated that it was not reachable.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that the police had yet to be officially briefed about the suspect.
Credible sources in the police force told our correspondent that a manhunt would only be launched after a formal briefing on the matter. (Sunday PUNCH)
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