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NNPC, NCDMB, NPA, Shell, NLNG, NCC, Zenith, Access Bank back Realnews 12th anniversary lecture
SOME bluechip companies and organisations are supporting hosting the Realnews 12th Anniversary Lecture at the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday, November 19, starting at 10 am.
The organisations include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Shell Nigeria, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Zenith, and Access Bank Plc.
Expressing Realnews’ appreciation to the organisations, Maureen Chigbo, its publisher, prayed to God to bless them and give their management the wisdom to lift their organisations to greater heights and prosperity.
Chigbo also expressed her deep appreciation to all the banks, institutions, companies, and other organisations that have placed online advertisements on the Realnews website in the last 12 years.
“Without their support, we would not have remained in business all through the years to do what we love best – investigative journalism,”
The theme of Realnews 12th Anniversary Lecture is “Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Democracy, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Natural Resources”.

The Lecture which will be chaired by Ms. Beatrice Eyong, Country Chair, UN Women, will be delivered by Ambassador Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff of former President Muhammadu Buhari. Dr. Karim El Aynaoui, Executive President of Policy Center for New South, Rabat, Morocco, will keynote the conference.
The lecture, which will be held at the Sheraton Hotel by 10 am will feature Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman as the Special Guest/discussant along with Engr. Shehu Tijjani, Managing Director, Amal Technology Ltd.
Chigbo, the publisher of Realnews, said there will be an investiture of all the speakers into The Realnews Hall of Fame immediately after the Lecture. Chigbo explained that the Realnews Hall of Fame was established to honour only those who played key roles during the anniversary lectures.
Realnews, a general interest magazine, is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism. We have expertise in reporting the oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges. We aim to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they face in their day-to-day activities. We do this bearing in mind that government can only act to influence the lives of people positively if they are aware of their true situation. Hence, our objective is to use our investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors we focus on and produce an unbiased report that will influence the government and decision-makers to take actions that will make society better.
Realnews is populated by seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. The online publication believes that journalism as the fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute its quota towards building a fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and citizens have the freedom to pursue their interests anywhere in the world without hindrance. Its editors have a combined experience of several decades in active journalism practice and are highly dedicated to serving humanity. Hence its motto: “For God and Humanity.”
The Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate our society’s best minds and tap into them to enrich the discourse on our national development.
The 11th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director General of the ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Senegal, on the “Threats of Illicit Funds Flow to the African Economy”. The 10th Anniversary lecture in 2022 on “Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections” was delivered by Brig General Buba Marwa, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; 9th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews in 2021 was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective”; 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience; Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa while Prof. Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 Lecture. The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President.
The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 19, 2015, under the theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid? The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
News
Firm expresses concern over repeated missing Court File in Ojukwu Property case
Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, has raised concerns over what it described as the repeated absence of court records in its ongoing property dispute with Bianca Ojukwu and her sons, even as it filed a motion for stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.
Proceedings before Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, last Monday were stalled for the second time in six weeks due to the unavailability of the case file.
The matter was adjourned after the file was reportedly not returned to court.
A similar situation occurred on May 8, 2026, when the case could not proceed because the file was unavailable.
OTL alleged that the file had been taken from the Ikeja Judicial Division to Lagos more than two months ago for the execution of a warrant and had not been returned.
The claimants’ legal representatives were absent from court on both occasions.

Describing the development as troubling, OTL said the repeated absence of the file had effectively stalled proceedings and raised questions about accountability in the handling of court records.
Amid the delays, the company disclosed that it had filed and served a motion for stay of execution at the Court of Appeal, seeking to halt enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of its appeal against the 2022 decision in Suit No. LD/1539/2012.
OTL maintained that the application became necessary because steps were being taken to enforce the judgment despite its pending appeal.
The company also contended that the properties in dispute had previously been the subject of a warrant of execution arising from a separate judgment delivered in 2018 by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji in Suit No. LD/794/2011.
The case was subsequently adjourned to October 8, 2026.
Present in court on both adjourned dates on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Limited was one of its directors, Dr. P. Ike Ojukwu.
Counsel to OTL are Ifeanyi Okumah Esq and Chief O. Ugolo, SAN, while Bianca Ojukwu and her sons are represented by Nick Omeye Esq and Co.
News
DSS releases, compensates man wrongfully arrested over alleged links with Boko Haram
The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of a man wrongfully linked to Boko Haram terrorists.
The setting free followed a DSS investigation review panel that cleared Nura Idris of allegations of collaboration with Boko Haram terrorists.
Aside from giving Idris N3 million monetary compensation to meet his immediate needs, the DSS DG promised to help the wrongfully detained herder in his business, a practice common with the DG.
According to a security source, the farmer and animal rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested by a sister security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024, for alleged links with terrorists, and was thereafter transferred to DSS custody.
Following a thorough review of Nura’s case, the DSS investigation panel found no basis for the charges against him, prompting the DGSS to order his immediate release and payment of compensation.
Receiving the compensation, Nura thanked the DGSS for what he described as a kind gesture, saying the money would help him restart his life.

“I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” the source quoted Nura as saying.
His father, Yusuf Idris, who received Nura upon his release, also expressed appreciation to the DGSS for his compassion and generosity, and assured that the compensation would be put to good use.
“When such cases are recorded, the DSS would usually follow up with the detainee, provide psychological and medical support, after which the Agency would further set up any business of the victim’s choice”, another source disclosed.
The release is part of an internal review exercise which the DSS began last year. The exercise is aimed at reassessing prolonged inherited cases to ensure that erroneously detained individuals do not remain in detention.
“The setting free and compensations across multiple cases underscores the DSS’s growing reputation for institutional integrity and humanness,” added the source.
“The Service under the current DG, has continued to show that safeguarding national security and citizens must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” declared the source.
“Recall the case of Sunday Ifedi and his wife, Calista who were arrested on 8th November 2021 and detained in Wawa facility, three years before the appointment of the current DG in August 2024,” added the source. Sunday was released on 16th December, 2025, after the review of detainees ordered by the DG cleared him of ties with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the DG awarded him N10 million as compensation.
“Importantly, plans are underway by the DSS to rebuild a restaurant in memory of Ifedi’s wife, Calista, who died while in custody in a detention facility in Wawa. The initiative is to compensate Sunday for the allegations that his late wife operated a restaurant being patronized by IPOB, for which they were arrested. This brings to bear, over thirty cases that have since been reviewed with over N300m paid as compensation,” the source disclosed.
It would also be recalled that, barely one month after ordering the release and payment of N10 million compensation of one Abuja-based business woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, in October 2025, the DSS boss ordered the release of one Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, arrested in July 2022, for his alleged involvement in the activities of the proscribed IPOB. Five other detainees wrongfully linked to IPOB were by the same directive of the DG, released and each given an initial N2 million cash compensation. Last month, the DSS also released a Yobe State resident, Ya’u Mohammed, after investigations confirmed that he had no connection to terrorism.
Following his release, the Service provided initial financial support worth N2 million to assist his reintegration and restoration of his livelihood.
“There are many more instances where DSS investigations have established innocence and have been followed by efforts to facilitate reintegration,” stated the source, adding, “these are the kind of measures the DSS is using to build public trust.”
News
Adeboye, Oyedepo thank Trump, seek more US action against terrorism in Nigeria
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have praised the United States President, Donald Trump, for taking recent military actions against terrorism and called for more of such action to stem the tide of the unrelenting terror attacks by extremists in Nigeria.
They spoke to a packed audience drawn from a cross section of activists of all races and cadres from across the United States.
The event was in Washington DC during an award night for President Trump, two Congressmen: Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Riley Moore, both of whom have tabled a bill seeking to end terrorism in Nigeria by punishing the sponsors, and other activists who have championed the cause of religious freedom in Nigeria.
The RCCG leader also spoke on the criticism that he had maintained a stoic silence while extremists carried out the killing and kidnap of Christians and other vulnerable communities across Nigeria, noting that as an elder religious leader, he embarked on a “spiritual warfare” rather than scream to escalate tension with concomitant reactions.

Bishop David Oyedepo delivered his keynote address at the gala night represented by 4 persons- Pastor Deji Akin Abiri, Pastor Dayo Ojo, Apostle Jacob Sharpe and Pastor Seyi Adeyeri
According to him it was not a surprise when President Trump intervened, having followed events and warned of dire consequences for the perpetrators of the violence.

The grand event, tagged: “Faith Heroes Award Gala.” was organised by the Save Nigeria Group, USA with the participation of the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition at the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.Nigerian lifestyle content
Adeboye, who rued that “terrorism is now at my doorstep,” appealed for a global coalition, led by the United States and its Western allies, to help defeat terrorism in Nigeria, while cautioning that the violence that has consumed communities across the country was no longer distant from him.
The appeal came as former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, and Dr. Katrina Swett, a prominent advocate for human rights, religious freedom and international justice, criticised Nigerian authorities for failing to protect citizens of all faiths from extremist violence.

In an emotion-laden address after receiving an award at the gala, Adeboye said terrorism had worsened since the December attacks on terrorist camps in northern Nigeria.
He said the United States and other Western powers would need to take more decisive action if peace was to return to Nigeria.
Drawing from Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, he said Nigeria was trapped by what he described as a structure of untouchables, powerful actors who make the fight against terrorism difficult from within.
He said: “There are certain people in my country that, I regret to say, are untouchable, and only God can deal with them.
“If you want to help us, help us more.
“No matter who is in office in Nigeria, only God can help us.
“Use your influence to help us.”
Adeboye thanked President Trump and the United States Government for what he described as assistance to Nigeria. Nigerian lifestyle content
But he said the work had not gone far enough.
He said Nigeria needed the combined effort of countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, and other Western allies to help confront terrorist groups and restore peace.
While acknowledging that people of different religions have suffered from terrorist attacks, Adeboye said Christians had become the prime targets of many of the killings.
He added that none of the major ongoing attacks could be traced to Christians.
The cleric also responded to criticism that he had not done enough because much of the violence was concentrated in northern Nigeria.
He said the scale of the crisis had moved beyond what any religious leader or local institution could address alone.
He warned that without external support, Nigeria might not know peace, saying terrorists were emboldened and communities were being overrun.
Adeboye said his church had established an internally displaced persons camp to help victims of terrorist violence.
He said victims were being provided food and relief, and that plans were underway to establish a secondary school for young people in the camp, along with skills training for adults.
The crisis, he said, had created an estimated 11 million displaced persons, many of whom had lost homes, livelihoods, and access to education.
Adeboye, however, said he did not support sweeping accusations that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was doing nothing to fight terrorism. Executive Branch
He said, like Trump, Tinubu’s role as commander-in-chief was to give instructions to the military, but the effectiveness of those instructions depended on execution.
He also said he had advised Tinubu to meet with Trump to demonstrate seriousness in the fight against terrorism before the December military action.
Though Adeboye said he does not agree with everything Trump says, he described the American president as the best politician he had ever known because, according to him, Trump acts on his promises.
“To be a good politician, you must be able to speak two different things from the same mouth,” Adeboye said, adding: “And I like him because when he says: ‘I want to do this,’ you better get ready.”
He said that as Trump winds down the Iran war, he should complete what the cleric described as the good work he started in December against terrorist camps in Nigeria.Nigerian lifestyle content
He said the terrorists were mocking the faith of their victims.
“They are asking: ‘Where is their God?’” Adeboye said, adding that he had gone to God in agony and deep prayer several times over the crisis.
Brownback, a former Governor of Kansas, who also served in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, said it was painful that Nigeria was still bleeding, making apparent reference to the latest killings of 22 persons in Plateau State by suspected Islamist terrorists.
He warned that Nigeria risked losing the nation if terrorists were allowed to overrun it.
He said the United States wanted to help Nigeria defeat terrorism so that Nigerians could fulfil the promise of their country.
He described Nigeria as being “out in the fork” and urged Nigerians and their allies to subdue terrorist networks, including Fulani terrorist groups, and resist any attempt to turn the country into a caliphate.
Swett, in her remarks, described Nigeria as a country of extraordinary people and said America must do more to help Nigeria fight terrorism.
“Yes, the future is in the hands of Nigerians, but America has powerful leverage to do more,” she said.
She expressed satisfaction that the Trump administration was placing Nigeria at the centre of international discussion on religious freedom and terrorism.
In his remarks, Stephen Osemwegie, President of Save Nigeria Group USA and convener of the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition, said the mission would not be complete until the entire terrorist network in Nigeria was dismantled.
“Terrorism is not a Nigerian or American issue,” Osemwegie said, adding: “We need global support to establish global peace.”
He urged both chambers of the United States Congress to speedily pass H.R. 7457, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2025, and send it to President Trump for signature.Nigerian lifestyle content
Osemwegie paid tribute to two members of Congress, Christopher Smith of New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District and Riley Moore of West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, for their sustained efforts in keeping terrorism in Nigeria on the American policy agenda.
He also praised Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo and Leah Sharibu, describing them as symbols of Christian resilience in the face of persecution.
The event, which organisers called: “Thank You, America,” brought together religious leaders, Nigerian diaspora advocates and American human rights voices pressing for stronger action against terrorism and religious persecution in Nigeria.
Among those honoured with the Faith Heroes Award was Bishop Oyedepo, who was represented at the event.
For the organisers, the Washington gathering was both a tribute and a warning: a tribute to those they say have stood for persecuted Christians in Nigeria, and a warning that without global intervention, the crisis could further unravel Africa’s most populous nation.
My Heart Bleeds — Oyedepo
Echoing the profound urgency in a powerful keynote address, Bishop Oyedepo, who extended his apologies for his physical absence, but whose words resonated deeply through the hall, declared that Nigeria is “virtually at the brink of collapse.”
The fiery Chancellor of Covenant University threw his weight behind a monumental legislative move unfolding in Washington: “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.”
Citing the horrific data compiled within the US Congressional findings, Oyedepo confronted the stark reality of Nigeria’s bleeding landscape.
The findings reveal that between 2009 and 2025, an estimated 50,000 to 125,000 Christians have been martyred, with over 19,000 churches destroyed.
Shockingly, the report confirms that Nigeria alone accounts for a staggering 72 percent of all Christians martyred worldwide.Nigerian lifestyle content
Pointing directly to the operations of Fulani-ethnic militias, Boko Haram, and ISWAP, Oyedepo backed the US legislative framework seeking to designate these militant groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under international law, referencing the brutal massacres in Benue and Plateau States that claimed over 9,500 lives between 2023 and 2025 alone.
“From the above, you can see that the happenings in our country today call for urgent action from all stakeholders and well-meaning individuals to prevent a situation of total anarchy,” he warned, adding: “The intervention of the United States of America in Nigeria’s affairs is a most welcome one.”
He expressed deep gratitude to President Trump for his passionate concern.
He added: “My heart bleeds as I put down these few lines.
“We look forward to a nation that will be safe, peaceful, and prosperous again.”
Diaspora Ignites Washington
The Gala Night capped off a week of intense advocacy by Save Nigeria USA, which began on Saturday with a massive, roaring Save Nigeria Rally at MacPherson Square, just steps away from the White House.
With 26 civil society groups united under a single banner, the diaspora community has made it clear: they will no longer remain silent while their homeland bleeds.
Oyedepo was represented by Pastor Deji Akin Abiri, Pastor Dayo Ojo, Apostle Jacob Sharpe, and Pastor Seyi Adeyeri.
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