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Naira abuse: EFCC detains Cubana Chief Priest ahead of arraignment today

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, preparatory to his arraignment today (Wednesday) before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Cubana Chief Priest will be arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts bordering on abuse of naira, by allegedly spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event, contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday.

Oyewale revealed, “Yes, the Cubana Chief Priest is in our custody, and he’ll be arraigned in court tomorrow (Wednesday).”

Meanwhile, in a suit filed on April 4, 2024, by the EFFC’s prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) and seven other lawyers representing the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, it was alleged that Pascal Okechukwu, on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, by spraying same for two hours, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.

In the charge marked FHC/L/ 246/2024, obtained by The PUNCH, the commission also alleged that sometime in 2020, during a social event in Lagos, Cubana Chief Priest tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, by spraying the same for two hours.

In Count 3, it was alleged: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

The EFCC, on April 5, 2024, secured the conviction of popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on similar charges for which he was sentenced to six-month imprisonment on Friday, April 12, 2024.

Earlier on Sunday, the EFCC revealed that it was probing several celebrities over alleged abuse of Naira notes.

In a statement, its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said, “Many of them have made useful statements to the commission and many more have been invited by investigators working on the matter.

“The EFCC will not relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations and the public should be wary of running afoul of laws against the crime.”

In response to critics, the anti-graft agency further clarified that it would overlook old videos exposing such misdemeanour, while noting that it would, however, probe new cases.

The clarification was in response to the backlash against the commission over the arrest, detention, arraignment, prosecution, and subsequent conviction of Bobrisky over abuse and mutilation of Naira notes.

The EFCC stressed that while the commission had been inundated with videos depicting naira abuse, it would focus on investigating and prosecuting new cases of such infractions.

The EFCC noted that while the commission appreciated the resurgence of old videos of Naira abuse making the rounds, it was, however, sensitive to the fact that its Special Task Force against Naira Abuse and Dollarisation of the Economy commenced operations on February 7, 2024.

Oyewale wrote, “Increasingly, members of the public are drawing the attention of the commission to video recordings of abuse of the Naira by Nigerians from all walks of life.

“These gestures amply demonstrate the rising consciousness of the public to the sanctity of our national currency and the need for collaborative engagement to sustain the tempo.

“The commission will always investigate and prosecute anyone involved in the abuse of the Naira,” he said.

Expressing gratitude for the public’s engagement in combating naira abuse, Oyewale assured that the EFCC remains committed to probing and prosecuting individuals involved in such acts.

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Dunamis ‘celebrity’ testifier, Vera Anyim apologises for seeking accommodation help

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Vera Anyim, the lady who became famous following the controversy that trailed her recent testimony at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja, has tendered a public apology after asking Nigerians for support to secure accommodation.

Nigerians knocked Anyim for seeking support to secure accommodation.

In a video that became viral last Thursday, Anyim who described herself as a celebrity., called on Nigerians to help her secure a new accommodation.

Reacting to her call for help, several Nigerians expressed shock at her request.

Following the backlash, Anyim has tendered a public apology, explaining that everything happened so fast and she was trying to protect herself.

“I’m sorry for seeking public support regarding my accommodation it was because I wasn’t feeling safe and the fear of being kidnapped because everyone around thought I was given plenty money from Port Harcourt and this whole thing I wasn’t ready for it. I didn’t force anyone, please forgive me,” she wrote on Facebook.

Recall that before this, the Senior Pastor of the church, Paul Enenche, interrupted Vera’s testimony of being a law graduate of the Open University of Nigeria in a viral video on social media.

Enenche tagged her testimony as a lie. This, however, did not sit well with Nigerians who demanded an apology from the pastor.

The church, however, apologised to Anyim after the public backlash.

Anyim was offered a sponsored vacation at Portland Resorts Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

However, on her return, she claimed that her residence was no longer safe.

“I want to say to Nigerians, you know this thing that happened is a thing of joy, I never dreamed of it, it came this moment, I never dreamed of being a celebrity.

“It just came all of a sudden. I never prepared for it. I want to use this medium to urge us to assist me with accommodation because I am not buoyant now to rent a house. Where I am staying now is risky and insecure. It is a very open place and everybody already knows I am a celebrity.

“When I left Abuja, some people in my compound didn’t know what was happening, but I was there, and so many of them heard what was going on. Some have said they are waiting for me. My brother, who stays with me, told me that people gathered, all waiting for me,” she stressed.

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P&ID fraud allegation: Seun Kuti apologises to Ayorinde

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Afrobeat musician and son of legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Seun Kuti, has apologised to Bolaji Ayorinde, over a defamatory and libellous statement he made against the senior lawyer.

Seun had, in a video on social media, insinuated that Ayorinde intentionally passed information to Process and Industrial Development, P&ID, while representing Nigeria during arbitration proceedings over their disputed gas contract.

The afrobeat musician also said he was battle ready to meet Ayorinde in court over the controversy surrounding the P&ID gas processing contract case.

Following this, Seun was slammed with a libel and defamation of character lawsuit by Ayorinde before an Oyo State High Court sitting at Ibadan.

However, at the hearing of the suit on April 18, 2024, parties informed the court that they had met and adopted the terms of settlement dated 15/4/2024 and filed the same date.

They urged the court to adopt the terms of settlement as the judgment of the court.

Consequently, Justice K. Olawoyin adopted the term of settlement as the judgment of the court.

The court said: “In view of the foregoing and in accordance with the expressed desire of the parties in this suit as confirmed by the respective counsel in court, I hereby enter the foregoing terms of statement as the judgment of the court.”

In the term of statement, Seun stated unequivocally that his statements made and published on his Instagram Handle @bigbirdkuti on October 31, 2023, against Chief Ayorinde were not true and unfounded and stand retracted.

He said “It is not true that the claimant (Chief Ayorinde SAN) leaked confidential documents to the adverse side in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria arbitration matter or in any way conducted himself in any unethical or corrupt manner in his work as legal Practitioner for Nigeria in the said case.

“It is not true that the claimant deliberately planned with the opponent to lose in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter and sabotaged the interests of Nigeria in the case.

“It is not true that the claimant committed Treachery against Nigeria in the said P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter.

“It is not true that the claimant charged $197 million for a case in which the claimant intentionally sabotaged his country, Nigeria.”

Seun in his defence before the court, said: “Having now conceded that my allegations are untrue and unfounded and that I have unjustifiably impeached the character and reputation of Chief Ayorinde, SAN, I hereby publicly recant and retract my aforesaid untrue imputations against Chief Ayorinde, which stood to damage the hard earned good name and good will of Chief Ayorinde’s character.”

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‘Labels are trying to clone me… no more Big 3’ — Rema goes on fresh X rant

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Divine Ikubor, the singer better known as Rema, has voiced his frustration about everything concerning Afrobeats in a lengthy X rant.

In a flurry of tweets, Rema alleged that music labels are “trying to clone me” — implying that some record labels are trying to model their artistes after him.

The Afrobeats star also argued that most artistes have used him as a template since he broke onto the scene in 2019.

The ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker declared that he is officially on par with the country’s biggest three artistes — Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy.

“No more Big 3 there’s now a Big 4,” he wrote.

“Tell your stylists to stop sending mails to brands with my name to get clothes imma pull up to your show and strip u on stage cuz that’s my sh*t HOE! fake celebrities, fake industry.

“Labels get creative, stop trying to clone me. Rema made Afrobeat EP’s a Big statement. Every new Artist since 2019 ate from the same template. Uh oh.

“They wanna live fast. They take the crazy advance. The music is fueled by pressure. Then they dump it on y’all. The new age Afro cycle, I love it.”

Reacting to the assumption that he must be kicking off an album cycle with the rant, Rema wrote: “No new music. Sorry. I’m Too big for fake PR bye!”

https://twitter.com/CableLifestyle/status/1784253965846155562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1784253965846155562%7Ctwgr%5Ed21362b87d6b269d8187b1d874410b4dcb58151b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Flifestyle.thecable.ng%2Frema-goes-on-fresh-x-rant%2F

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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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