A 24-year-old Nigerian man, Mercy Ojedeji, has pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court in St. Louis, Missouri, to charges of wire fraud and using fraudulent immigration documents. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri, Ojedeji admitted on Wednesday to fraudulently obtaining a student visa and securing admission into the University of Missouri’s chemistry PhD program for the Fall 2023 semester. He used fake academic transcripts, forged recommendation letters, a fabricated resume, and a falsified English language proficiency report to support his visa application. With the visa, he acquired a Social Security number, a Missouri…
Author: Ado Oyeyemi
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Dr. John Metchie, the Traditional Prime Minister of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), has raised alarm over the role of fake native doctors in pushing young people in the state toward crime. Speaking in Abuja, Metchie, who also serves as the Deputy Commander-General of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, said many youths had been misled by fraudulent spiritualists into engaging in criminal activities, including drug trafficking. He praised Governor Charles Soludo for his efforts to steer Anambra youths away from the dangerous path of the “get-rich-quick” mentality, warning that the situation could have worsened significantly without the…
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has begun a full-scale investigation into the disappearance of a black Toyota Hilux assigned to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The vehicle was reportedly stolen while an ONSA official was attending Juma’at prayers on Friday in Abuja. According to insider sources, the vehicle was parked around 1:05 p.m. directly opposite the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) complex in Area 10. The official had left the vehicle to observe prayers at a nearby mosque. However, upon returning, the car was nowhere to be found. Security analyst Zagazola Makama, who…
The Ondo State Police Command has initiated an investigation into allegations of extortion against the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igbara-Oke, Ganiyu Dauda, following a protest by residents of the town in Ifedore Local Government Area. Police spokesperson, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, confirmed the probe on Friday, stating that while no formal complaint had been officially lodged, the command was taking the claims seriously and had already begun the investigation. Ayanlade appealed to the public, urging anyone with credible information or evidence related to the allegations to come forward to assist the investigation. “The command has begun investigating the extortion claims…
Christian Chukwu, former coach of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 74. His passing was confirmed earlier today, though specific details about the cause of death are yet to be disclosed. In 2021, Chukwu was the subject of widespread false death reports, which he personally debunked during his 70th birthday celebration on January 4 of that year. “I am terribly embarrassed with this news that I am dead. Several people have been calling me from across the world since the news broke. I am still investigating the source of the story,” he had…
The United States Embassy has announced new requirements for Nigerian visa applicants, set to take effect on April 22, 2025. According to a statement issued on Friday, all applicants attending interviews at the US embassies in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 form with a confirmation barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). This barcode must exactly match the one used when scheduling the appointment online. Applicants who arrive with mismatched barcode details will be denied access to the Consular Section and will not be allowed to proceed with their interviews. “Starting April 22, 2025, all…
The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a police officer accused of stabbing a resident in Ise-Ekiti following a dispute involving the officer’s girlfriend and the victim’s son. The incident came to light after a viral video posted on X by Yoruba Times, in which the victim’s daughter alleged that the officer—reportedly an orderly to a local chairman—attacked her father at their home. She claimed the altercation stemmed from a disagreement at school between her younger brother and the officer’s girlfriend, who is said to be a classmate. “They came to our house looking for my brother, but when they…
Troops of Operation Delta Safe arrested 49 suspected oil thieves and dismantled 22 illegal refining sites in the past week, according to the Defence Headquarters. Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, disclosed this in Abuja on Friday during a briefing on ongoing military operations. Kangye said the troops prevented oil theft valued at approximately N869.2 million. Recovered items included 325,990 litres of stolen crude oil, 24,645 litres of illegally refined diesel, 19,500 litres of petrol, and 1,600 litres of engine oil. He added that troops also destroyed 86 crude oil cooking ovens, 181 dugout pits, 25 boats,…
Nigeria’s gas exports have been disrupted after a major pipeline in Bayelsa State was hit by three sabotage attacks. The Ogboinbiri-Obiobi 24-inch gas pipeline, which links Angiama and Angiamagbene in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was bombed in three locations on April 3. The pipeline supplies gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) export terminal in Bonny, Rivers State. Oando Plc, the operator of the facility, confirmed the attacks and said it had shut down the pipeline to prevent further damage and environmental harm. The company’s Assistant Manager for Public Relations and Internal Communications, Idongesit Edet, said emergency response…
Kidnappers in Kaduna State have released Pastor Samson Ali, a 30-year-old cleric with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), but have detained the individual who delivered his ransom, Yusuf Shehu Ambi. Pastor Ali was abducted from his residence in Mararaba Aboro, Sanga Local Government Area, on April 8, 2025—just two weeks after his posting to the community. The abductors initially demanded N100 million, though the final ransom amount paid remains undisclosed. Sources said a joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, police, and the Department of State Services was mobilized, but the pastor’s release was ultimately achieved through negotiation. After…