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Why I will not sleep in prison, EFCC Chairman speaks on court judgment
• EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrashid Bawa, has reacted to the judgement which sent him to prison.
An Abuja high court sitting in Maitama convicted Bawa for contempt of court, according to media reports on Tuesday.
The court had ordered the EFCC to return to a defendant, a former Director of Operations at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo, his Range Rover, and N40 million.
The EFCC had arraigned Ojuawo on a two-count charge before Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris of the High Court of the FCT in Nyanya in 2016.
He was accused of receiving N40 million and a Range Rover Sport (Supercharged) from one Hima Aboubakar of Societe D’Equipment Internationaux Nigeria Limited.
Ojuawo, in a suit filed by his lawyer, R.N. Ojabo, complained that the EFCC declined to comply with the order for the release of his seized property made by the court in a judgment delivered on November 21, 2018.
In the October 28, 2022 ruling, Justice Chizoba Oji held that, “The Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is in contempt of the orders of this honourable court made on November 21st 2018 directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja to return to the applicant his Range Rover (Supercharged) and the sum of N40, 000,000.00 (Forty Million Naira).”
However, the commission failed to comply with the order of the court.
Consequently, the Judge ordered that Bawa should be committed to prison at the Kuje Correctional Centre for his wilful disobedience to the order of the court.
Reacting to the judgement in a chat with Daily Trust correspondent and some other journalists, Bawa said an appeal had been filed.
The anti-graft czar, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption to defend his agency’s budget, on Tuesday, said the law would take its natural course.
“Well, we have appealed against it, so we will allow the natural course of law to take its effect.”
He also said the EFCC requested more funding for its Academy and the agency’s operations which he said requires money.
He said, “We are building a brand new EFCC Academy and we need funding for that. Last year N3 billion was allocated and this year nothing was allocated for it, and that is why we are pleading to members that we need to have this new EFCC Academy because of course we have to learn, as fighters of crime we have to be ahead of these criminals and the only way you can do that is by training and re-training and re-training and re-training again. It can never end.
He expressed confidence that, the 9th National Assembly which he described as purposeful would heed the request.
While answering question on the agency’s operations and recoveries made so far, he said that, they have recorded a lot of recoveries and were working in line with the laws guiding forfeiture, disposal and remittances of proceeds of crimes. (Daily Trust)
Gunmen on Thursday night ambushed and beheaded a 30-year-old man, Elisha Abbas Saku, at Riwhie-Chwo in Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred around 10 pm when the gunmen stormed the community, throwing residents into panic and confusion.
A statement issued on Friday by the Irigwe Youth Movement described the killing as a brutal ambush.
The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Yonkpa, who signed the statement, prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul while calling for divine comfort for the entire Irigwe Nation.
“Yesterday night, 16th April 2026, gunmen ambushed and beheaded Mr. Elisha Abbas Saku, 30 years old, at Riwhie-Chwo, Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa LGA, Plateau State,” the report stated. “May his soul rest in peace, and may God comfort the entire Irigwe Nation.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of results for 632,788 candidates who participated in the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), held on Thursday.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Friday.
According to the Board, candidates can now access their results by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to either 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number registered during the examination process.
At this stage, only result viewing is available, as printing of result slips has not yet been enabled.
JAMB emphasised that the UTME exercise is still ongoing, adding that additional batches of results will be released progressively as marking and processing continue.
The Board also issued a stern warning against any attempts to manipulate or falsify results.
It cautioned candidates against altering SMS messages received from its official platforms to misrepresent their scores to others, including parents and guardians.
JAMB Releases Results of 632,788 Candidates from Day One of the 2026 UTME
The results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.
To check their results, candidates should send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019…
— Fabian Benjamin (@FabianB58246501) April 17, 2026
Describing such actions as a serious criminal offence, JAMB disclosed that it has already taken action against offenders. “Two candidates and one parent are currently in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement revealed.
The Board reiterated that anyone found guilty of such misconduct would face the full weight of the law.
JAMB urged candidates to adhere strictly to official channels and maintain integrity throughout the examination process, as it continues efforts to ensure a credible and transparent admissions system in Nigeria.
The Arewa APC Forum, Kano State chapter, has announced the withdrawal of its support for the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing concerns over governance and leadership direction.
In a statement dated April 17, 2026, the forum said its decision followed “extensive consultations and careful reflection” on the state of affairs at the federal level.
The group stated that it could no longer, “in good conscience,” continue to support the current administration, which it criticised over alleged issues including nepotism, incompetence, and corruption.
“We believe that leadership must inspire confidence, uphold fairness, and demonstrate a sincere commitment to national unity, institutional integrity, and responsible governance,” the statement read.
It added that where such values are persistently undermined, “silence becomes complicity.”
The forum further declared that its confidence in the current political direction has been withdrawn, urging its members to align with this position in future political engagements.
The statement was signed by Sallah Hakilu Kibiya, chairman of the forum in Kano State.
The development signals potential cracks within support structures linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the northern region, as political alignments begin to shift ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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