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Nigeria, US collaborate to probe Wigwe’s helicopter crash

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is collaborating with the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the helicopter crash that killed Herbert Wigwe, the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc.

The GCEO of Access Holdings was in the chopper alongside his wife, son and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group).

All six people onboard have been confirmed dead.

In a statement on Monday, Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s director, public affairs and consumer protection, said the collaboration between both countries is in line with chapter 5 subsection 27 of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) annex 13, to the convention on international civil aviation-aircraft accident and incident investigation.

“Regrettably, the United States authorities have now confirmed that everyone onboard the aircraft lost their lives in the crash,” the director said.

“The deceased are two crew members comprising a pilot in command and a “safety pilot” and four passengers namely Dr Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, (NGX Group).

“In the aftermath of the accident, the Director-General, NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh, established contact with NTSB, in accordance with Chapter 5 subsection 27 of ICAO’s Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation-Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, which grants a State (nation) special interest in an accident involving its citizens.

“This participation ensures access to relevant information and facilitates cooperation with the investigating authorities, towards ensuring the investigation reaches a conclusive outcome.

“The ongoing discussion between the NSIB and NTSB has highlighted the diligent investigation efforts of the NTSB.

“NTSB investigators were present at the crash scene in Halloran Springs, California, on Saturday to collect evidence and conduct initial on-scene documentation.

“The documentation process included aerial mapping of the wreckage with a drone, and site measurements.

“Correspondence between the NSIB and NTSB further revealed that the NTSB investigation into the crash is being led by Aaron Sauer as the investigator in charge, supported by Mark Ward as the deputy investigator in charge.

“Several other NTSB investigators will also be examining various aspects of the accident, including airworthiness and maintenance structures, operations, meteorology and air traffic control.”

Oladeji said the NTSB is already moving the wreckage to a secure location for in-depth examination and analysis.

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OpenAI chief, Sam Altman, debunks sister’s sexual abuse accusations

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Open AI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday denied allegations from his sister Annie Altman, who has filed a complaint accusing him of childhood sexual abuse.

“…Annie has made deeply hurtful and entirely untrue claims about our family, especially Sam,” the boss of the California startup said in a letter co-signed by his mother and two brothers, and published on social platform X.

“Our family loves Annie and is very concerned about her well-being. Caring for a family member who faces mental health challenges is incredibly difficult,” they wrote.

One of Silicon Valley’s more charismatic figures, Altman shot to global fame with the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, which ignited a race to advance AI research and development.

A prolific entrepreneur and already a billionaire, Altman, 39, has set himself the mission of developing a so-called “general” AI, with cognitive abilities similar to those of humans and which “benefits all of humanity”.

The Altman family said that they have tried to help their daughter and sister, covering her expenses and guaranteeing her “monthly financial support, which we expect to continue for the rest of her life”.

“Despite this, Annie continues to demand more money from us,” they said, pointing out that they have decided to respond publicly following Anne’s legal complaint filed on Monday, and after years of tension.

“The worst allegation she has made is that she was sexually abused by Sam as a child,” said the family.

“Her claims have evolved drastically over time. Newly for this lawsuit, they now include allegations of incidents where Sam was over 18.

“All these claims are utterly untrue.”

According to the complaint, Annie — who is nine years younger than Sam Altman — alleges the assaults took place from 1997, when she was three, until 2006.

In a report for New York Magazine in 2023, a journalist who met Annie in Hawaii described her as an artist suffering from depression and the growing rift with her family and supporting herself mainly through online sex work.

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ICPC files money laundering charge against el-Rufai’s ex-commissioner

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Muhammad Sa’idu, a former commissioner during the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, to court over alleged money laundering.

TheCable reported that the Kaduna police command arrested Sa’idu over a petition for alleged diversion of public funds.

Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the ICPC’s assistant legal officer, filed the case against the former commissioner on Tuesday at the federal high court in Kaduna.

Sa’idu served as the commissioner of local government affairs, chief of staff, and commissioner of finance during the administration of el-Rufai.

The ICPC dismissed an earlier claim that Saidu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The former commissioner is charged alongside Ibrahim Muktar, a staff in the ministry of finance.

According to the suit No. FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are charged on a two-count charge of money laundering.

“Sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, who at that time commissioner of finance, did accept cash payment of the sum of N155m from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the charge sheet reads.

The ICPC also alleged that within the same period, Saidu “indirectly took control of the sum of N155m received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which he reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

The anti-graft agency noted that section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both”.

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NBS website still down three weeks after hack

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The website of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) — www.nigerianstat.gov.ng — has remained inaccessible for three weeks after it was hacked.

Checks by TheCable on Monday showed that the website can not be reached according to feedback from the landing page.

Efforts to reach Ichedi Sunday, head of communications at the NBS, were unsuccessful.

The website breach was confirmed by the NBS on December 18, 2024, in a post published on X.

In the post, NBS asked members of the public to ignore any report published on its website until it recovers the website.

The hack was reported a day after the NBS published its crime experience and security perception survey.

In the report, the NBS said Nigerians paid N2.23 trillion as ransom in one year between May 2023 and April 2024.

NBS indicated that an estimated 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across Nigerian households during the period.

The report said the north-west recorded the highest crime incidents estimated to be over 14 million, while the south-east has the least with over six million cases.

According to the publication, the crime incidence in the rural area (26,526,069) was higher than that of the urban area (25,360,963).

On December 19, reports emerged that the Department of State Services (DSS) invited Adeniran Adeyemi, statistician-general of the federation, for questioning on the report.

However, NBS denied the report, saying that no invitation or arrest had occurred.

Since the bureau confirmed the hack, NBS has not provided further updates on the restoration of its website or any progress in addressing the hacking incident.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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