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Court orders ex-gov Nnamani’s arrest for alleged N5.3bn fraud

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The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against a former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, and his ex-aide, Sunday Anyaogu, with whom he was charged with an alleged fraud of N5.3bn.

Justice Chuka Obiozor ordered the arrest of the ex-governor and Anyaogu for failing to appear in court on Monday for their scheduled re-arraignment.

The judge rejected the explanation by Nnamani’s lawyer, Mr. Abubakar Shamsudeen, from the chambers of Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), that his client was at the moment in a hospital in the United States, reportedly recuperating after a heart surgery.

He declined the lawyer’s request for an adjournment till January next year, expressing displeasure with the former governor’s appearance, noting that the case had lasted for 10 years.

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The judge stated that the judiciary had always been blamed for the delay in such cases.

Justice Obiozor added, “This matter was slated for re-arraignment today; and I have not found any justification for the absence of the accused persons before this court to take their pleas.

“There must be an end to litigation. The charge before me was filed in 2007 and it is now 10 years.

“In the peculiar circumstances of this case, and particularly in the absence of any convincing explanation on the absence of the defendants before this court today, it is hereby ordered that a bench warrant be issued against the first and second defendants as well as a summon for the sureties to show cause.

“Consequently, this case is adjourned until December 14 for further proceedings.”

When the case was called for hearing on Monday, the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Kelvin Uzozie, had noted that the matter was scheduled for the re-arraignment of Nnamani and Anyaogu but explained that they were absent.

He then applied that the judge should issue a bench warrant against them.

“I humbly apply that bench warrants be issued against the first and second defendants and their sureties,” Uzozie pleaded.

But Shamsudeen urged the judge to decline the application for the bench warrants, saying his office had been unable to reach Nnamani in the US or his family since last Thursday that the matter came up afresh in court.

“I was reliably informed that the defendant had a heart surgery last month, and we wanted to get a medical report but unfortunately, we could not,” Shamsudeen added.

He argued that the defendants’ absence in court was not deliberate, stating that they had regularly attended their trial before Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who was handling the case earlier.

But the judge, who noted that the case came up last in 2015, asked the lawyer why Nnamani stopped attending trial even before his heart surgery last month.

Shamsudeen told the judge that some of the companies, charged alongside Nnamani and Anyaogu, had entered into a plea bargain with the Federal Government.

He said though Nnamani and Anyaogu pleaded not guilty, Nnamani had interest in the companies that entered into a plea bargain and forfeited their assets, adding that Nnamani’s ill health was part of the reasons for the plea bargain.

Justice Obiozor however said since Nnamani was being tried in his personal capacity and was not affected by the plea bargain entered into by the companies, there was no justification for his absence in court.

He stated, “A defendant may be guilty or not guilty but the law requires such a defendant to appear and stand his trial, and the sole duty of the court is to do justice.

“You are asking for an adjournment till January when this case has lingered on since 2007 which is almost 10 years.

“Justice, as we all know, is a three-way traffic and once it is lagging, you blame the judiciary.

“This is not a case of more haste and less speed; no, I won’t allow that in my court. This is a 2007 charge and up till now, we are still talking of plea.”

The EFCC lawyer, Uzozie, also countered Shamsudeen, saying the photograph he brought to court, to prove that Nnamani was bedridden in a US hospital, had been in circulation since 2014.

 

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech.

 

The founder of coHouse.ng is reimagining how millions of Africans access, experience, and share housing through technology.

 

In Africa’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape, the most transformative companies are no longer defined by the industries they enter, but by the systems they redesign.

 

For Dennis Ekamah, the opportunity was never about constructing buildings, it was about confronting a deeper question.

 

why is access to housing still so structurally difficult for millions of Africans in a digital age?

 

Rather than stepping into real estate as a developer. Dennis chose a different path, positioning coHouse.ng as a PropTech platform rethinking how housing is accessed, experienced, and shared. At the heart of this vision which is connecting potential home owners together via resource pooling for the purpose of either Living or Growth. Simply, *Connect. Live. Grow.*

 

*A Platform Not a Property Company*

 

coHouse.ng is not a real estate company. It is a technology-driven ecosystem connecting like-minded individuals into structured communities where they can live intentionally, invest collectively, and grow within a shared system.

 

From Insight to Recognition

 

In 2025, coHouse.ng was recognised among the Top 50 Tech Startups in Africa. Even ahead of its official launch, the platform attracted over 1,000 early waitlist users, individuals eager to be part of a new way of living and investing.

 

Solving for Access, Alignment, and Trust

 

Dennis Ekamah’s diagnosis goes deeper than supply shortfalls. The real barriers he argues are access, coordination, and trust. coHouse.ng tackles all three through identity verification powered by a third party verification system api. coHouse is not flying solo without the help and collaboration with government bodies across Nigeria and other African countries.

 

In his words;

“Imagine what you would achieve as an individual or group if you’re living with the right people or like-minded individuals around you.”

 

I’m not a developer, I’m not a professional realtor, I’m just someone who sees the need for this solution based on the problem we face as youth/young entrepreneurs in today’s housing deficiency across Africa.

— Dennis Ekamah

 

Join our waitlist by visiting www.cohouse.ng

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has dismissed a ₦50 billion lawsuit filed against ExxonMobil, sued as Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, now Seplat Energy Producing, in a ruling analysts say could significantly reshape oil spill litigation and compensation claims in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Delivering judgment on April 29, 2026, Justice Onyetenu held that the suit instituted by the Ejige Ore Njenyisi Muma & Fishing Co-operative Society Ltd was incompetent and liable to dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs had sought ₦50 billion in damages over an alleged hydrocarbon spill said to have occurred on September 12, 2021.

However, counsel to the defendant, Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP, successfully argued that the claimants failed to disclose any legally recognisable violation attributable to the oil firm.

In its findings, the court held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any actionable wrongdoing against the defendant.

A key element in the court’s decision was the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) Report tendered by the plaintiffs themselves, which showed that the alleged spill incident was confined within ExxonMobil’s operational facility and did not impact the members of the cooperative society or their sources of livelihood.

The court further ruled that claims arising from such incidents must be pursued strictly under the statutory compensation framework provided in Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act, rather than through common-law claims founded on negligence or nuisance.

Justice Onyetenu held that the plaintiffs’ attempt to circumvent the statutory regime by framing the suit as a tort action rendered the matter incompetent before the court, thereby depriving it of jurisdiction.

Legal analysts say the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the Oil Pipelines Act in determining compensation procedures relating to oil pipeline incidents and environmental claims in Nigeria.

The ruling is also seen as strengthening the evidential weight of Joint Investigation Visit Reports, particularly in cases where such reports indicate no direct impact on claimants or host communities.

Industry observers believe the judgment will have far-reaching implications for future oil spill litigation, especially regarding the procedural requirements for compensation claims against oil operators.

The court’s decision further provides clarity for operators within Nigeria’s energy sector by reaffirming that compliance with Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act is mandatory and cannot be sidestepped through alternative legal formulations.

While K.O. Uzuokwu appeared for the plaintiffs, the defence was led by Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP on behalf of ExxonMobil.

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

 

 

Lagos, Nigeria – Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its reputation as a strong supporter of Nigerian businesses, receiving the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award for 2025 from the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, held recently in Lagos.

The award was presented to the Bank in recognition of its strategic leadership in advancing the growth and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises, through a differentiated suite of solutions designed to enable business expansion and long-term value creation.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Ayokunnumi Abraham, Head of SME Segment at Union Bank, described the recognition as a strong endorsement of the Bank’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. He said:

“We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects Union Bank’s continued commitment to helping SMEs grow by making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible. Through enhancements to our specialised platforms such as Union360, we have meaningfully reduced the time it takes for businesses to come on board and begin transacting. These improvements have shortened onboarding, increased digital adoption among our SME customers, and supported the acquisition of new business clients. Our focus remains on delivering practical solutions that help Nigerian businesses thrive.”

Organised by ASBON in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the event convened stakeholders from the public and private sectors to recognise individuals and organisations driving meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.

Union Bank remains focused on deepening its support for SMEs through customer-led solutions and processes that strengthen business growth across the ecosystem.

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