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Court stops CBN from releasing allocation to Rivers
A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Central Bank of Nigeria from disbursing further monthly allocations to the Rivers State Government, citing alleged constitutional violations by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
In her ruling on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to a four-member House of Assembly breached constitutional protocol.
Justice Abdulmalik highlighted that since January, Rivers State has received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, describing this as a “constitutional aberration.”
The court order further restricts the CBN, the Accountant General of the Federation, and the state’s accounts at Zenith Bank and Access Bank from releasing any funds to Fubara.
The judge contended that the governor’s actions ignored constitutional requirements for budget approval by a fully constituted House of Assembly.
Delivering judgment in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2024, Justice Abdulmalik declared that decisions made by the four-member Fubara-backed assembly were void, referencing prior rulings by the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal that had annulled its authority.
Justice Abdulmalik stressed the CBN’s responsibility to ensure that state budgets are approved by a constitutionally recognised House of Assembly before releasing funds.
“Any appropriation bill must pass through the constitutionally recognised House of Assembly,” she stated, “without which any budget implementation is unlawful.”
The ruling also held that Fubara’s actions violated Sections 91 and 96 of the 1999 Constitution, and warned that any continued bypassing of legislative processes constituted an affront to the rule of law.
The court’s decision followed a suit filed by the Rivers House of Assembly faction led by Martin Amaewhule, challenging the legitimacy of the four-member faction loyal to Fubara.
The Amaewhule-led Assembly had earlier declared in July that all state expenditures would be halted until the governor resubmitted his budget to the legitimate legislative body.
Justice Abdulmalik denied a request to stay the proceedings, dismissing the application as “frivolous and vexatious.” She also refused to recuse herself from the case, rejecting the defence’s allegations of bias.
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Baltasar Engonga: Wife of Equatorial Guinea ANIF boss sextape with another man leaked
Wife of the sacked Director General of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency, ANIF, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been caught in extra-marital affairs.
Video footage emerged of Engonga’s wife having an intimacy with another man.
This was disclosed by popular social critic, Martins Ortse aka VeryDarkMan via an Instagram post on Saturday.
Sharing pictures of the Engonga’s wife from the video footage, VeryDarkMan said: “Just when I thought it was all over about this Equatorial Guinea man, the whole thing is getting more interesting. I just saw a video of his wife and another man, if you watch this video; it’s crazy. If you see how another man was na*cking his wife.”
Engonga was recently caught with about 400 sex tapes with several women during an investigation into a fraud case.
The leaked videos have continued to generate controversy via the social media space.
Reacting, First Lady Constancia Mangue Obiang expressed outrage over the scandal during a meeting with Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue.
Mrs Obiang called for immediate government intervention to uphold the dignity of Equatoguinean women and protect their privacy in the digital age.
Following the discovery, Engonga was relieved of his duty and subsequently arrested. He was remanded in prison on Friday.
News
Three police officers arrested for torturing student to death in Kwara
Three police officers, who allegedly beat a student of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Suleiman Olayinka to death at Tanke Bridge in Ilorin, the state capital, have been arrested and detained.
The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Friday.
Reports said that the incident occurred on Tuesday around 2 p.m. when the victim got off a motorcycle and was approached by three officers who then dragged him to the ground.
An eyewitness claimed that the victim had arrived to collect N1,000 he had already transferred to a Point of Sale (POS) operator, intending to give the money to the rider who brought him.
“I was with him, as soon as he got the money, the officers came out of a tricycle and dragged him to the ground. The victim kept asking what offence he had committed, but they didn’t let him speak,” the source said.
The witness further explained that the victim pleaded with the officers, informing them that he was asthmatic, but they ignored his pleas.
In a reaction on Friday, the spokesperson said, “the Kwara State police command is aware of this unfortunate incident which led to the sudden death of Suleiman Olayinka (M) 27yrs.
“A complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust was reported against the deceased. Police detectives were immediately detailed to investigate the case.
“Meanwhile the officers involved in the incident have been identified, arrested and detained for further investigations as regards the death of the suspect.
“Further updates will be provided promptly as investigations unfold,” the statement added.
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400 sex tapes: Equatorial Guinea’s Baltasar remanded in prison
The former Director-General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been remanded in Malabo’s Black Beach Prison, Saturday PUNCH has reported.
The embattled former anti-graft chief was arrested days ago for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes involving the wives of prominent figures in the country.
This scandal surfaced during a fraud investigation into the 54-year-old economist, resulting in an impromptu search of his home and office by ANIF officials, who reportedly discovered several CDs that revealed his sexual encounters with different married women.
As the footage leaked online, causing a media uproar, Equatorial Guinea’s President, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, dismissed Engonga.
According to Decree No. 118/2024, dated 4th November, the dismissal was due to “irregularities committed in the exercise of his functions, as well as inappropriate family and social conduct for the performance of public duties.”
A viral video surfaced on social media on Friday, showing Engonga handcuffed on both hands and legs during a court appearance.
Confirming the situation, French online blog Afrikmatin reported that Engonga, who was officially removed from his role on November 6, 2024, was subsequently chained and transferred to Malabo Central Prison.
He faces charges of corruption and embezzlement.
Additionally, online newspaper UGStandard reported that the sex tapes began circulating on social networks while Engonga was already held at Malabo’s notorious Black Beach Prison on charges of embezzling public funds, as reported by state television, TVGE.
In a fact-checking report published Wednesday, Dubawa verified that Engonga had indeed been taken into custody on corruption charges and is currently being held in Black Beach Prison.
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