Aisha Buhari, has reportedly been out of the country for over two months now and according to Daily Trust, her absence is in protest of the recent developments in the presidency.

A report by the newspaper claims that multiple sources at the presidential villa said the first lady, who left the country in early August to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj (Muslim pilgrimage), has not returned.  Muslims who participated in the hajj exercise have since returned home, but according to Daily Trust credible sources at the Villa said the president’s wife has since left Saudi Arabia for London.

Read the rest of the report below.

“Mama (first lady) is in London. It was from Saudi Arabia that she went to London''” one  source said. Asked when she is likely to return, the source said, “I don’t know. All I know is that she is in London” he said

Her absence became obvious after she did not appear alongside her husband at some recent official functions. She was conspicuously absent during the Eid-El-Kabir celebration in Daura, Katsina State when many were with their families. The president hosted many dignitaries including Guinean president, Alpha Conde, during the Sallah celebrations.

At public events, Dr. Hajo Sani, Mrs Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Administration, has been representing her at different functions. For instance, on September 25th, Dr Hajo represented Mrs Buhari at an event of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), New York. Hajo. According to a statement from the Director of Information to Aisha Buhari, the event was attended by first ladies of Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Niger Republic.

Attempts to reach Mrs Buhari's media aide, Suleiman Haruna, to inquire why she has been absent has proved abortive.

A text message sent to him reads: “In months, her excellency has been out of public glare, locally and abroad. She’s being represented by aides. Where is she?” was sent to him twice but no response was received from him.

The same text message was also sent to presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, yesterday. He replied that her spokesperson should be contacted.

Mrs Buhari drew worldwide attention when she criticised her husband in an October 2016 interview with the BBC. Mrs Buhari in the interview said she feared that her husband's administration was deviating from its mandate to the people who voted him into office in 2015. She also expressed doubt that she would support him if he sought re-election unless he implemented immediate changes in personnel and policies. Mrs Buhari last year also made headline news when she alleged that two men in the ''cabal'' were holding her husband's government ransom.

Abubakar Malami, BREAKING: UK Court grants Nigeria right to appeal P&ID judgement $9.6 billion award: UK Court grants Nigeria stay of execution, requests $200 million payment

Nigeria has been granted a stay of execution of the judgment that gave Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) the right to claim $9.6 billion in Nigerian assets. 

However, the stay of execution is premised on a condition.

The Details: Nigeria has been told to make a security payment of $200 million to the court within 60 days pending the determination of the appeal filed by the Federal Government against the judgement by the British court.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), who is currently in London, confirmed this development.

 “Stay of execution granted subject to payment of $200 million security payment to court pending the determination of the appeal the leave for which has been granted by the commercial court. Application for leave to appeal against the award and enforcement of the award is granted,” he said.

Malami noted that the legality of depositing $200 million in 60 days could be challenged.

“The steps we will consider are to study the ruling and act in a way beneficial to the interest of the nation. We will study the court rulings, exercise the right of appeal and consider the legal options available at our disposal as it relates to the payment of $200m in view of the 60 days window stipulated by the court.”

The Minister of Justice said he was pleased with the judgement and looked forward to a positive resolution of the court judgement.

“I see this as a positive resolution that constitutes an important step in the government‘s efforts to defend itself in a fair and just process.

“We look forward to challenging the UK Commercial Court’s recognition of the Tribunal’s decision in the UK Court of Appeals, uncovering P&lD’s outrageous approach for what it is: a sham based on fraudulent and criminal activity developed to profit from a developing country,” he added.

The Backstory: As earlier reported, P&ID was awarded $6.6 billion in an arbitration decision over a failed project to build a gas processing plant in the Southern Nigerian city of Calabar. With the accumulated interest payments, the sum now tops $9 billion, which amounts to 20% of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.

The firm had initiated moves to identify the Nigerian assets that could be seized, and it might include the country’s oil cargoes.

Demi Moore went all out in her new memoir 'Inside Out' as she dropped some bombshell confession of her turbulent relationship with her ex-husband, Ashton Kutcher and others.

The book which was released on Tuesday September 24, prompted a media tour as the actress revealed being the victim of sexual assault, her turbulent years with ex-husband Ashton Kutcher and her spiral into alcohol and substance abuse.

Demi began her story by discussing her troubled childhood. She recounted digging pills out of the mouth of her teenage mother at the age of 12 and being taken to bars to get attention from men by her suicidal mother. This led to her being sexually assaulted by a man her mother knew. The man claimed that her mother “whored” her out for $500.

“I don’t think it was a straightforward transaction, but she still did give him the access and put me in harm’s way,” she told ABC's Diane Sawyer.

Her mother battled alcoholism and suicide at that time and she also learnt that the man she thought was her dad wasn’t her biological father. The traumatic incident made her believe that she “wasn’t wanted” and she didn’t “deserve to be here.”

The actress also believes that she took fellow actor, Jon Cryer's virginity while they were on set of 1984’s No Small Affair.

“I played a young nightclub singer, and Jon Cryer played the nineteen-year-old photographer who falls in love with her, in his first movie role,” Moore wrote.

“Jon fell for me in real life, too, and lost his virginity to me while we were making that movie.

She continued, “It pains me to think of how callous I was with his feelings — that I stole what could have been such an important and beautiful moment from him.”

Jon Cryer however denied the claim in a tweet which read;

“Well, the good thing about this is she doesn’t have to feel bad about it anymore, because while I’m sure she was totally justified making that assumption based on my my [sic] skill level (and the stunned look on my face at the time), I had actually lost my virginity in high school.”

He did, however, confirm that she was right about one thing: “I was over the moon for her during a very troubled time in her life,” he added. “I have nothing but affection for her and not a regret in the world.”

The actress also talked about cheating on Freddy Moore who she was married to for 5 years in her memoir. According to her, she was just 18 when they married got in 1980 she cheated on him shortly before tying the knot.

“The night before we got married, instead of working on my vows, I was calling a guy I’d met on a movie set,” Moore wrote. “I snuck out of my own bachelorette party and went to his apartment.”

“Why did I do that? Why didn’t I go and see the man I was committing to spend the rest of my life with to express my doubts? Because I couldn’t face the fact that I was getting married to distract myself from grieving the death of my father,” she continued. “Because I felt there was no room to question what I’d already put in motion. I couldn’t get out of the marriage, but I could sabotage it.”

She went on to share details of her marriage to Bruce Willis which lasted for 13 years (1987-2000). The actress said he felt her career was making her take so much time away from the family and that made him unsure of their marriage.

On her marriage with Bruce who she has three daughters with, Moore wrote, “It’s a funny thing to say, but I’m very proud of our divorce.”

“I think Bruce was fearful at the beginning that I was going to make our split difficult, and that I would express my anger and whatever baggage that I had from our marriage by obstructing his access to the kids — that I’d turn to all of those ploys divorcing couples use as weapons,” she continued. “But I didn’t, and neither did he.”

Moore admitted the split “wasn’t easy at first, but we managed to move the heart of our relationship, the heart of what created out family, into something new that gave the girls a loving, supportive environment with both parents.”

In fact, Moore said, “We felt more connected than we did before the divorce.”

Also narrating all that happened in her 8 year marriage to her much-younger ex-husband Ashton Kutcher, the  “G.I. Jane” star  said she was coerced into threesomes that left her with feelings of “shame.”

“I put him first,” Moore wrote. “So when he expressed his fantasy of bringing a third person into our bed, I didn’t say no. I wanted to show him how great and fun I could be.”

Although Moore said the women who participated in the threesomes were “good people,” she called the experiences “a mistake.”

“Because we had brought in a third party into our relationship, Ashton said, that blurred the lines and, to some extent, justified what he’s done,” Moore wrote of her former husband’s alleged cheating.

On her “gradual downward spiral” during her 45th birthday trip to Mexico, Demi said Kutcher took a drunken photo of her to shame her. She revealed that she started drinking heavily and was “passing out and slipping under the water” in a hot tub, an act which made Kutcher who carried her back to bed furious.

“Ashton had encouraged me to go in this direction. When I went too far, though, he let me know how he felt by showing a picture he’d taken of me resting my head on the toilet the night before,” she wrote. “It seemed like a good-natured joke at the time. But it was really just shaming.”

The actress lost a 6-months pregnancy, following a miscarriage she suffered 2 years into her marriage to Kutcher.

“I can’t even really bring fully to words how lost, empty, desperate, confused … I really lost sight of everything that was right in front of me, which was the family that I had,” Moore said of her feelings after losing the child, a girl who she would have named Chaplin Ray.

After her divorce from Kutcher in 2013, she began abusing substances like Vicodin and alcohol. She revealed that her three daughters stopped speaking to her, and her former husband and friend, Bruce Willis, grew distant as well.

“I lost me,” Moore told Diane Sawyer during her Good Morning Am

Over 300 former officials from U.S. security and foreign policy agencies, including a former director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a one-time deputy secretary of state, on Friday, September 27th endorsed the congressional impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

Their statement said the signatories had served in the administrations of both parties. It also said the signatories did not want to prejudge the conclusions Congress may reach in the inquiry.

“President Trump appears to have leveraged the authority and resources of the highest office in the land to invite additional foreign interference into our democratic processes. That would constitute an unconscionable abuse of power.

It also would represent an effort to subordinate America’s national interests and those of our closest allies and partners to the President’s personal political interest” they wrote in the statement sent to news organizations.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week announced she would launch the inquiry after it emerged that Trump had asked the president of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a possible rival in the 2020 presidential election, while delaying aid to the country. The news prompted a testy House Intelligence Committee hearing on Thursday with the acting director of national intelligence. 

The statement was signed by the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia under former President Barack Obama, Evelyn Farkas, as well as the former national intelligence officer for Europe in Obama’s National Intelligence Office, Spencer P. Boyer. 

It was also signed by former officials of the National Security Council, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, State Department, USAID, Homeland Security Department, White House, Defense Department, House Armed Services Committee, Navy, Justice Department and Marine Corps, among others.

Tacha has just been disqualified from the Big Brother Naija reality show, abruptly ending her dreams to be in the house for 99-days!

Her disqualification comes after her very messy and nasty fight with Mercy on Friday morning.

In the judgement by Biggie himself, Mercy was also not spared as she was issued two strikes for provocation.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says he will be waiving his immunity as the number 2 person in Nigeria to enable the appropriate quarters investigate the alleged N90 billion gift the Federal Inland Revenue Service gave to him in the buildup of the 2019 general election.

Timi Frank, a former spokesperson of APC made the allegation in a recent interview. Frank alleged that the FIRS which is headed by Tunde Fowler, a strong ally of Vice President Osinbajo, released N90 billion to the Vice President to facilitate the APC's campaign in the 2019 general election.

FIRS has since denied the allegation and have threatened to take legal action against Frank if he fails to apologise. Frank insists he is saying the truth.

Reacting to the allegation today September 25th, the Vice President via his twitter handle, said he has ordered legal action to be instituted against Timi Frank and another fellow, Katch Ononuju who put out false information abut him.

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote has revealed that he plans to give out a large part of his wealth to charity just like Microsoft founder, Bill Gates.

In his speech at the 2019 Goalkeepers’ event hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in New York on Wednesday September 24, Dangote expressed delight in Bill Gates' philanthrophy which is quite evident in Nigeria.

According to him, the billionaire philanthropist has invested so much in people he has no relationship with and this has made him (Dangote) a better person.

He said "When I started my foundation in 1994, I never realised we had this massive challenge in the health sector.

“Really, it was mind-boggling when we had this agreement to collaborate with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and that really opened my eyes to realise that there are a lot of challenges in health.

“At that time I didnt have the opportunity of meeting Biill but meeting Bill changed me into a different person. This is somebody that has nothing to do with us in Africa or Nigeria but he is putting his money and his soul into everything.

“He is very committed to helping humanity and that really surprises me a lot and I realised that he is a simple person and I never knew Bill would be this simple. He is a very soft-spoken guy and kind hearted.

“It is very difficult to find people like Bill in this world. Bill, we are very grateful and I can assure you that with my association with Bill, my only prayer is that in the next few years, I will try and give my chunk of wealth to charity.”

Empire star Terrence Howard has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The American actor, 50, was joined by his wife Mira Pak and youngest kids Hero Howard and Qirin Howard at the ceremony which took place on Tuesday, September 24, in Los Angeles.

During the ceremony, Howard thanked his wife “because without her I would not be here” and his fans for all of their support throughout the years.

“Because of all of you my fans, my friends, because of friends like this, I will never be forgotten, because my name is written in stone in Hollywood,” he said. “As long as there’s a Hollywood Boulevard, Terrence Howard will still stand and I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you, for all of this.”

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Ibrahim Magu, has raised an alarm over an alleged corruption in the National Social Investment Programme and Anchor Borrower’s Programme which Vice President Yemi Osinbajo superintends.

Speaking at the 15th Anti-Corruption Situation Room organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda in Kaduna on Tuesday September 24, Magu who was represented by the anti-graft agency spokesperson Wilson Uwajuren, said they are working to make sure they don't create more crisis as corruption has crept into the programme.

Magu, represented by spokesman for the anti-corruption agency, Wilson Uwujaren,  at the event, said, “The crisis in Nigeria today boils down to corruption. The EFCC is doing everything possible to ensure that stolen resources are recovered and returned. Civil society organisations need to play more active role, especially in the National Social Investment Programme.

“Corruption has crept into the implementation of the programme. We want to ensure that we don’t create more crisis from a crisis situation. In the Anchor Borrower’s Programme, there are people who are bagging sand instead of fertiliser.”

The N-SIP programme which is funded by the Central Bank of Nigeria was created in 2016 to ensure primary school pupils are fed, create jobs for 500,000 jobseekers, carry out conditional cash transfer for traders and the poor and enterprise promotion.

Yahoo! unveiled a new logo this Monday, an attempt at rebranding to remain in the game, and Alexis Ohanian had an interesting memory to share.

The Reddit co-founder shared an article that had the headline: "Yahoo redesigns its logo to remind you that Yahoo exists."

The 36-year-old tech entrepreneur, who is married to Serena Williams, then recounted a time when Yahoo was a tech giant and he was just starting his company Reddit and a Yahoo executive told him during a meeting that his startup company was a "rounding error."

Things turned out positively for him and Reddit became a successful platform and he now has some words of advice for Yahoo.

He wrote: " Remembering the time in 2005 that @yahoo  exec told me that @reddit  was a "rounding error" compared to them and asked the room why this meeting was even happening. Fight on, founders. No one will believe in you until you believe in yourself."

He added: "Believe in yourself. Believe in your team. Be grateful for the haters. Because the race is long."

Pep Guardiola's wife has gone back to live in Spain after spending three years with her hubby in England.

According to a report by Sunday Mirror Sport, Guardiola’s spouse, Cristina, returned to Barcelona with one of the couple’s three children to look after her business interests. 

She owns a successful fashion company in Catalonia and has been managing the enterprise by commuting regularly from Manchester for the last three years. But the plan is for her to base herself in Barcelona for the next few months before returning permanently to the luxury city-centre apartment that has become home to the Guardiola family. 

The arrangement means husband Pep will take care of the couple’s other two kids - as well as masterminding his club’s bid for a third successive Premier League title and Champions League glory while his wife is away.

The 48-year-old former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach is in his fourth season at City and is contracted to the club until 2022 after signing an extension in May last year.

Guardiola met his wife when she was working in her family’s exclusive clothes boutique in Barcelona. He was playing for Barca at the time but visited the shop after being asked to do some modelling for designer Antonio Miro. 

They got married in May 2014 and have three children, Marius, Maria and Valentina.

The 71st Primetime Emmys Awards kicked off on Sunday night, Septemeber 22, in Downtown Los Angeles.

The biggest win of the night went to Game of Thrones. The show got best drama series, plus Peter Dinklage won best supporting actor in a drama.

Below is the full list of winners at the 2019 Emmys Awards.

Winners

Outstanding Drama Series

Winner: Game of Thrones

Better Call Saul

Bodyguard

Killing Eve

Ozark

Pose

Succession

This Is Us

Outstanding Comedy Series

Winner: Fleabag

Barry

The Good Place

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Russian Doll

Schitt's Creek

Veep

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Winner: Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

Laura Linney, Ozark

Mandy Moore, This Is Us

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Robin Wright, House of Cards

Directing for a Drama Series

Winner: Jason Bateman, "Ozark"

Lisa Brühlmann, "Killing Eve"

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, "Game of Thrones" ("The Iron Throne")

Adam McKay, "Succession"

David Nutter, "Game of Thrones"(The Last of the Starks")

Daina Reid, "The Handmaid's Tale"

Miguel Sapochnik, "Game of Thrones" ("The Long Night")

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Winner: Billy Porter, Pose

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us

Kit Harington, Game of Thrones

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Winner: Julia Garner, Ozark

Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones

Lena Headey, Game of Thrones

Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve

Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones

Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones

Writing for a Drama Series

Winner: Jesse Armstrong, Succession

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones

Emerald Fennell, Killing Eve

Peter Gould and Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul

Jed Mercurio, Bodyguard

Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder, The Handmaid's Tale

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Winner: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones

Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones

Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul

Michael Kelly, House of Cards

Chris Sullivan, This Is Us

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Jimmy Kimmel Live

The Late Late Show With James Corden

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Director for a Variety Series

Winner: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live

Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas, Documentary Now!

Derek Waters, Drunk History

Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longino and Dan Mazer, Who Is America?

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Winner: Saturday Night Live

At Home With Amy Sedaris

Documentary Now

Drunk History

I Love You, America

Who Is America?

Writing for a Variety Series

Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

Documentary Now!

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee

Late Night With Seth Meyers

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Limited Series

Winner: Chernobyl

Escape at Dannemora

Fosse/Verdon

Sharp Objects

When They See Us

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Winner: Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon

Amy Adams, Sharp Objects

Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora

Aunjanue Ellis, When They See Us

Joey King, The Act

Niecy Nash, When They See Us

Outstanding Television Movie

Winner: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch

Brexit

Deadwood: The Movie

King Lear

My Dinner With Herve

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Winner: Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us

Mahershala Ali, True Detective

Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora

Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

Jared Harris, Chernobyl

Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon

Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama

Winner: Craig Mazin, Chernobyl

Russell T Davies, A Very English Scandal

Ava DuVernay and Michael Starrbury, When They See Us

Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin, Escape at Dannemora ("Episode 7")

Brett Johnson, Michael Tolkin and Jerry Stahl, Escape at Dannemora ("Episode 6")

Steven Levenson and Joel Fields, Fosse/Verdon

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Winner: Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal

Asante Blackk, When They See Us

Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora

John Leguizamo, When They See Us

Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl

Michael K. Williams, When They See Us

Directing for a Limited Series

Winner: Johan Renck, Chernobyl

Ava DuVernay, When They See Us

Thomas Kail, Fosse/Verdon ("Who's Got the Pain")

Stephen Frears, A Very English Scandal

Ben Stiller, Escape at Dannemora

Jessica Yu, Fosse/Verdon ("Glory")

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Winner: Patricia Arquette, The Act

Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us

Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects

Vera Farmiga, When They See Us

Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon

Emily Watson, Chernobyl

Outstanding Competition Program

Winner: RuPaul's Drag Race

The Amazing Race

American Ninja Warrior

Nailed It!

Top Chef

The Voice

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag

Christina Applegate, Dead to Me

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll

Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Winner: Bill Hader, Barry

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

Don Cheadle, Black Monday

Ted Danson, The Good Place

Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method

Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek

Director for a Comedy Series

Winner: Harry Bradbeer, Fleabag

Alec Berg, Barry ("The Audition")

Mark Cendrowski, The Big Bang Theory

Bill Hader, Barry ("ronny/lily")

Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("We're Going to the Catskills!")

Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("All Alone")

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag

Alec Berg and Bill Hader, Barry

Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle and Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Pen15

Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler, Russian Doll ("Nothing in This World Is Easy")

David Mandel, Veep

Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan, The Good Place

Allison Silverman, Russian Doll ("A Warm Body")

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Winner: Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Sian Clifford, Fleabag

Olivia Colman, Fleabag

Betty Gilpin, GLOW

Sarah Goldberg, Barry

Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Winner: Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method

Anthony Carrigan, Barry

Tony Hale, Veep

Stephen Root, Veep

Henry Winkler, Barry

Tunde Bakare, the founder and senior pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, a Lagos-based Pentecostal church has declared he would be Nigeria’s next president come 2023.

Bakare, in a video which has gone viral on social medial, declared that he would succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as 16th president of Nigeria, saying this is why he was born. 

“Take it to the mountain top if you have never heard it before. I am saying it to you this morning, in the scheme of things, as far as politics of Nigeria is concerned, President Buhari is number 15 and yours sincerely is number 16. I never said that to you before, I want to let you know it this morning; nothing can change it, in the name of Jesus. He (Buhari) is number 15; I am number 16,” Bakare said, placing his right hand on his chest.

 “To this end was I born and for this purpose came I into the world. I have prepared for this for 30 years. When he (Buhari) chose to run in 2019, he is still number 15, when he steps out, I step in.  “His assignment is that of Moses, to take Nigeria to River Jordan, but he can’t cross it. It will take a Joshua to go to the other side and begin to distribute the resources to the people of this nation,” Bakare told his congregation in the video. 

Bakare, who is seen in some quarters as a controversial preacher cum politician, had many times criticised previous and present governments in the country. In 2012, Bakare was among those who mobilised forces for daily protests that lasted more than two weeks at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, against the removal of subsidy on petroleum products and consequential price increase announced by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. 

In the 2011 presidential election, Bakare was the running mate to the then presidential candidate of Congress for Progress Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari, who lost the election to Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

England, Nigeria, and Canada are ready to battle for the services of Chelsea's defender Fikayo Tomori.

The 21-year-old was born in Calgary, Canada, to Nigerian parents but raised in England. He is eligible to represent the senior national teams of Nigeria, Canada, and England despite playing for Canada's Under 20 team and for England's Under 20 and Under 21 teams.

Speaking on the situation,  Tomori said: 'I'm a citizen of all three [countries] so we'll see. I was born in Canada and lived there about seven or eight months old. My family is Nigerian, obviously I live in England. It's nice to have that. I can't play Under-21 football anymore so the last international break I didn't get called up to anyone. Next one maybe we'll see.'

His manager Frank Lampard also spoke on the situation and insisted that he won't try to influence his decision.

Lampard said: 'It's his choice. I wouldn't tell him where to play internationally. But he's played for [England] Under-21s and if he continues with his form and keeps improving then of course I would expect there to be potential for England if Gareth chooses to select him.

'He shouldn't worry about it at the minute. He should just worry about how he's playing every game or how he trains every day and That will be a nice problem for him, hopefully, if he's eligible for three. He can chose which one he wants.'

NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown has been dropped in his endorsement deal with Nike and fired by the New England Patriots amidst sexual accusations.

"We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time," the New England Patriots said in a statement, according to ESPN.

"Antonio Brown is not a Nike athlete," a Nike spokesman told the Boston Globe.

Football helmet manufacturer Xenith have also ended its endorsement deal with Brown.

This comes after Brown’s former classmate and trainer filed a lawsuit on September 10, alleging that the football player sexually assaulted her three times.

On September 16, Sports Illustrated published a story that included new allegations of sexual misconduct from an artist, domestic violence allegations, multiple reports of unpaid debts, and a theft from a charity auction.

The artist’s attorney reached out to the NFL and alleged that Brown had been sending threatening text messages to his client.

Former Manchester United player, Roy Keane and recently sacked Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, lay into Manchester United following the English clubs' disappointing 2-0 loss to West Ham on Sunday.

Since the shock away victory over Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League, the result which helped Solskjaer to be given the manager’s job on a permanent basis, United have lost 10 of 19 games, winning just five, and with key players Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw absent through injury, Solksjaer's boys lost to a West Ham side who beat them 3-1 last season.

Keane said he was “saddened” by his former club’s lack of quality and warned that it would be a “long way back” for United.

“I don’t know where to start,” said Keane to Sky Sports.. “I knew they weren’t in a great place but I am shocked and saddened by how bad they are. You can lose a game of football but everything about United was lacklustre.

“No quality. A lack of desire. A lack of leaders. A lack of characters. It is a long way back and it is scary just how far they have fallen.”

Mourinho, who was sacked in December last year and replaced by Solskjaer, said: “We were bad last season but I do not see any improvements, even with three new players [Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel Ja

“I have to say they are three new players with a positive impact. I like these three players and they are bringing some good quality but the team, as a team, I don’t like at all. I am not surprised by the result and I don’t think Ole can take any positives from the game.”

Ole Gunnaer Solksjaer, who is now without injured Marcus Rashford, will be hoping his players Anthony Martial and Greenwood, will be fit for next week's clash with Arsenal.

Anthony Joshua has admitted he suffered heavily following shock defeat by Andy Ruiz.

The British Nigerian boxer lost his IBF, WBA and WBO titles after he was defeat to Ruiz Jr back in June at Madison Square Garden. The Mexican boxer defeated Joshua in the seventh-round to hand British/Nigerian boxer his first professional loss.

The pair will fight once again in Saudi Arabia on December 7, and Joshua has admitted that he suffered heavily after their first fight.

He said: 'I think I had to grieve and ask myself all the questions you would expect. People say 'you lost', I call it a blip.

'I can't wait to get in there and fight him. Every time I have fought a champion I have risen to the occasion.'

Joshua also said he might change his approach in order to be more proactive at the start of fights.

I need to start taking this approach to my fights where I'm a bit more lively. I know I'm capable of it. There is too much at stake.

'If I go in there where I'm switched on, a time like the Ruiz fight where I am so relaxed, that might be the difference.'

Portugese Football star, Cristiano Ronaldo who has a world's best player (Ballon d'Or) awards tie with Lionel Messi, has stated that he deserves more awards than the Argentinian player.

Ronaldo expressed how eager he was to finish with at least one more trophy than Messi as he sat for an interview with Piers Morgan on Britain’s ITV on Tuesday September 17.

"I would love [more], and I think I deserve it," the Juventus forward told ITV's Piers Morgan in an intreview.

The 34-year-old said, "Messi's in the history of football - but I think I have to have six or seven or eight to be above him," hinting that retirement is not in his plans anytime soon.

The superstar footballer also said he considers himself the best footballer in the world even if football fans think otherwise.

"I'm sure I'm in the history of football for what I have done and what I'm continuing to do, but one of the best players in history," the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star said.

"For me, the number one in history, but for some fans, if the number one is another one and I'm second, it doesn't matter. I know I'm in the history of football as one of the greatest ever," he added.

He reiterated that he's not friends with Messi but added that they have a good relationship.

"My relationship with him is, we are not friends, but we have shared this stage for 15 years. I have a good relationship with him and I know that he has pushed me to be a better player and I have pushed him to be a better player as well," Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo has been locked in a head-to-head battle with the Argentinian maestro for more than a decade. They currently find themselves tied with five Ballon d’Ors each.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) just announced that the full implementation of the cashless policy will become effective from March 31, 2020.

In the circular titled: “Re: Implementation of the Cashless Policy,” that was addressed to all banks, it announced the commencement of charges on deposits in addition to already existing charges on withdrawals. 

According to the circular, the charges, which take effect from today, would attract three per cent processing fees for withdrawals and two per cent processing fees for lodgements of amounts above N500,000 for individual accounts. 

Reacting to the proposed development, Don Jazzy wrote, 'my dear the whole thing just reeks of a desperate move to generate revenue. When they load their own stolen money in the bank, they don’t care whatever charges they have to pay'.

A Nigerian man took to Twitter to share photos of a "garden" he stumbled upon at a hospital his son was born in last week.

However the underlying story of the photos he shared was Patience Jonathan allegedly being a huge donor to the Canadian hospital. According to him, a check he ran backed his claim of one being a huge donor for such honor to be put up at the hospital.

Saw this at the hospital in Toronto where my son was born last week. Patience Jonathan has a “garden” put up in her honour. Checked and found that to get that kind of recognition here, one must be a huge donor (if you know what I mean).

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced that the nationwide implementation of the cashless policy will begin by March 2020. In a circular released on Tuesday September 17th, the apex bank said this in a circular to all Deposit Money Banks in the country.

According to the apex bank, the implementation of the policy would signal the imposition of charges on deposits in addition to already existing charges on withdrawals. The charges which take effect from today Wednesday September 18th will attract three per cent processing fees for withdrawals and two per cent processing fees for lodgments of amounts above N500, 000 for individual accounts.

The circular stated that for corporate accounts, DMBs would charge five per cent processing fees for withdrawals and three per cent processing fee for lodgments of amounts above N3, 000, 000.

The circular however disclosed that the charge on deposits would apply in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Abia, Anambra, and Rivers States as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

It added that the implementation of the cashless policy would take effect from March 31, 2020.

50 Cent has said he's been doing everything possible to make peace with his eldest son Marquise Jackson, 22, but the boy has refused to have a relationship with him.

50 Cent and his son have been known to go at each other online and 50 has sometimes directed his savagery at his son. Before Marquise turned 18, 50 was known for going on Instagram to troll the boy's mother, saying he will soon be free from paying child support and her meal ticket will be gone.

But the rapper wants peace now and he revealed during an interview with Big Boy's Neighborhood in Los Angeles that he has made attempts to make peace with his son but the younger man always curves him.

50 Cent was asked during the interview: "What is your relationship like with your eldest son Marquise?"

And he responded, "I don't really have a relationship with him, it's an unfortunate situation."

Fifty Cent claims it was a feeling of "entitlement" that caused their relationship to fall apart. The rapper claims that Marquise's mom programmed him over years, to feel like his father never did enough for him. He said over time Marquise began to resent him and ignore all the things he did for him.

50 was asked, "When was the last time you talked with Marquise."

And he replied, "We don't talk. But this is by [Marquise's] choice. I've gone places where he was to try and talk with him."

50 hopes that someday their relationship can be salvaged. He added that he's committed to fixing things.

Nigerian billionaire, Femi Otedola has taken up the medical expenses of legendary reggae icon, Majek Fashek who is terribly sick and stranded at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in London.

Otedola's intervention came after Majek Fashek's manager, Uzoma Day Omenka, painted a pathetic picture of the dire situation the musician is in.

Confirming Otedola's magnanimity to LIB, Uzoma Day said, 'we really appreciate him for coming through and taking care of the hospital bills. Its a huge relief and we are grateful. We however still need more support from well meaning Nigerians to take care of other expenses.

According to him, Majek is recuperating and hopefully will be out of danger in no time.

John Legend has reacted to the outrage that trailed the sentencing of Felicity Huffman to 14 days in prison over a college admission fraud she was found guilty of.

Recall that LIB reported that the Desperate Housewives star was also handed 250 hours of community service and $30,000 fine, after she pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 (£11,500) to have her daughter's exam answers secretly corrected in 2017.

However the Judge's verdict led to an outrage as social media users pointed out some court cases in which women of colour were given harsh sentences and more time in prison over similar offences.

John Legend who reacted to controversy the sentencing sparked, called for equality in prison time. He also advocated for less time in prison.

Adekunle Gold in his latest fan engagement email wrote on his struggles as an independent artist and how he's been able to pull through.

In his words, 'my team is very tiny and I work really hard I actually have a terrible sleeping habit. I’m always on and I don’t know how to take breaks. Because of how much energy I expend, Sometimes, I get frustrated when the progression or validation does not match the amount of work I put in'.

See the full post below...

It’s been like what? 2 months? since my last letter? How are you? Hope you are keeping sane and taking breaks off the crazy timeline?

I was away from home on tour for the longest time in my life on tour. I’m not going to lie to you, this “Africa to the rest of the world” is not a cheap exercise, especially if you are an independent artist. And while there is great reward in coursing uncharted territory for me and watching my music cut through language barriers and put smiles on unfamiliar faces in the world, being up there was hard work.

I toured 4 countries, played large festivals and headlined my own shows, all of which I didn’t think was possible just a few years ago. I never went to boarding school but, I now know what homesickness is. It’s good to be back home.

While chatting with my best friend yesterday, I had an epiphany I wanted to share with you.

I love this music thing so much.

My team is very tiny and I work really hard I actually have a terrible sleeping habit. I’m always on and I don’t know how to take breaks. Because of how much energy I expend, Sometimes, I get frustrated when the progression or validation does not match the amount of work I put in.

This frustration causes me great despair sometimes, but I’ve been fortunate to be around people who ground and remind me of the love I have for it especially when I get carried away in the business of things.

At the beginning of my conversation yesterday, my biggest fear was failing miserably and that all my work would count for nothing. But I was reminded of these facts; music-making is only one-sided if you are making it for yourself, in this business, you hold a key, the audience is a lock.

It’s a game of probabilities where half of our successes are within our control, the rest is up to you. We can only hope that our keys match the locks and the audience likes what you put out while being true to your evolution. We can only hope that our work meets you at a point of your need.

Here’s the epiphany...on the days when your keys don’t match, you must remember to retain the love and joy of creating and pat yourself on the back for the doors you’ve already unlocked. On the days new doors open, be thankful that you tried because that was the reward for trying.

As I wind down to bed, you know what my biggest fear is now, leaving this earth, full of creativity and ideas because I was afraid someone wouldn’t like it and I ended up not working my gifts. What a shame that would be.

Not sure what you are passionate about Adedayo, my prayer for you this early morning is that the modalities of it don’t rob you of the joy of creation. May that joy keeps your fire burning, give you the diligence and the wherewithal to finish what you’ve started.

I have a little something I’m joyful about.

It’s called “AFRO POP”.

If you read through this email, then you have a super high chance of getting invited to hear my baby first.

Anyways that’s my little update.

Have an incredible week.

AG BABY 

A video making rounds online captured moment South Africans engaged in a peaceful demonstration to beg Nigerians and citizens of other African countries for forgiveness over the xenophobic attacks.

The South Africans sang as they marched through the streets and also held up a banner which called for unity among Africans, weeks after the attacks which led to destruction of properties and looting of shops owned by foreigners.

This follows up LIB's report of President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatching a special envoy to seven African countries to deliver a solidarity message and also brief each country's government on the South African government's effort to address the xenophobic attacks.

A special envoy made up of three officials have been dispatched by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to some seven African countries after he was booed at former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's funeral in Harare on Saturday September 14.

The special envoy made up of former minister Jeff Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mmabolo and Khulu Mbatha, a veteran leader of the ruling African National Congress will be visiting Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to deliver a message of solidarity and also brief each country's government on steps South Africa is taking to end the xenophobic attacks.

“The special envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account,” the statement from South Africa's presidency read.

Recall that the South African President was booed as he addressed mourners at Robert Mugabe’s state funeral service at the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe's capital Harare. He apologised on behalf of South Africans but was told by angry Zimbabweans that an apology is not enough. Zimbabweans told him that they want his government to arrest those behind the attack and ensure the protection of their foreign nationals.

The Osun State Government has directed its ministries, departments and agencies to immediately implement the report of the panel that recommended sacking of workers who secured employment with forged certificates. 

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Jacob Adekomi, confirmed that   422 workers would be affected. He said the NLC’s intervention helped to reduce the number of those listed for the exit door from 5,000 recommended to 422. 

A statement by the Head of Service, Dr Festus Oyebade, dated September 13th said the immediate past Rauf Aregbesola government engaged the services of a firm, Captain Consulting, to verify the certificates of all civil servants in the state in 2015. The statement reads;

“The panel submitted its report and it was adopted for implementation by the immediate past administration.

However, when the new administration came on board in November 2018, the leadership of Organised Labour Movement in the state appealed passionately to the state government to have a rethink on the implementation of the report. 

“After much pressure from  labour, the government set up  a five-man  panel to further examine the report and make necessary recommendations in line with extant public service rules and regulations.”

Adekomi said labour was involved in the verification from the beginning, adding that the  NLC insisted that the report and recommendations be reviewed because it was convinced that the recommendations of the firm was not a true reflection of the audit.

“When the report was reviewed, only 422 civil servants, whose cases were beyond us due to the rules of the service, will be affected.

But we interceded for the affected officers to ensure that they were not prosecuted or even made to refund the money they earned during their stay in service,” he said.

British Heavyweight, Tyson Fury, despite being blind in one eye for a majority of the match, held his own, and took down the undefeated Swedish fighter, Otto Wallin in their heavyweight boxing fight Saturday night.

The undefeated Fury, standing at 6ft9, won the 12-round bout against Otto Wallin, 6ft5, in a unanimous decision and with the victory, Fury improves to 29-0-1, including 20 wins by knockout, setting up a mouth watering multi-million dollar rematch fight with Deontay Wilder next.

According to the three judges, Tyson Fury won 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110

"It was a great fight ... For a majority of the fight I couldn't see out of my left eye," Fury said to ESPN after the fight.

“That was just what I needed, I will get the eye stitched up and come back ten times stronger. I had one eye from the third round.

“There was no sense of panic, I am a Gypsy warrior. Just congratulations to Otto Wallin.

“I enjoyed feeling a bit of blood spilling into my mouth. Now lets just get Deontay Wilder on February 22.”

Wallin said: "I did everything I could, I tried my best and Tyson is a great champion. Nobody can question my heart or question that I'm a good fighter."

Wallin, who lost for the first time in 21 outings, was seen as an easy night's work on Fury's route to a rematch with WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder but he admitted he tried to hit Fury's cut "even more" and his come-forward tactics delivered a true scrap.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex has paid tribute to her husband, Prince Harry, who is celebrating his 35th birthday, today, September 15.

The Sussex Instagram account posted a collage of some special moments in Harry's life, including a picture of him as a baby with Princess Diana. In the lovely post, the former Hollywood actress, 38, praised Harry for being the best husband and an amazing father to their four-month-old son Archie.

The post reads: 'Wishing a very happy birthday to His Royal Highness Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex!'.

It continued: 'A birthday message from The Duchess of Sussex: 'Your service to the causes you care so deeply for inspires me every day.

You are the best husband and most amazing dad to our son. We love you. Happiest birthday!'.

Prince William and Kate's Kensington Royal Instagram account also paid tribute to Harry with a picture of the brothers, along with the caption: 'Wishing a very happy birthday to The Duke of Sussex today!'.

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, challenging the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 23, 2019 poll.

The Justice Mohammed Garba-led tribunal unanimously dismissed the case for lacking in merit after resolving all the five issues raised in the case against the petitioners.

Justice Garba, who read the lead judgment held that none of the grounds upon which the petition was anchored was proved.

The tribunal held that the petitioners merely dumped documents particularly electoral materials, including result sheets, used for the election on the tribunal without demonstrating them by tying the evidence of any of their 62 witnesses to the documents in their bid to prove the allegations in their petition.

The tribunal held that none of the documents tendered by the petitioners was utilised to prove the allegations, such as overvoting.

It added that contrary to the claim by the petitioners, Buhari was eminently qualified educationally to contest the election.

It added that Buhari did not give false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission to aid his educational qualification to contest the poll as alleged by the petitioner.

Justice Garba also held that the petitioners failed to prove that the results were transmitted electronically by card reader.

He ruled, “In the final result, I have come to the conclusion, which is inevitable and unavoidable, that the petitioners have not discharged the burden of proof required of any of the grounds of the petition in paragraph 15 of the petition.

“This petition is accordingly, and hereby dismissed in its entirety.”

Other members of the panel were Justices Abdul Aboki, Joseph Ikyegh, Samuel Oseji, and Peter Ige.

The judgment which started around  9:30 a.m. on Wednesday ended at 5:58 p.m. when the other members of the panel delivered their supporting opinions.

Federal authorities in United State have announced a significant coordinated effort to disrupt Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes that are designed to intercept and hijack wire transfers from businesses and individuals, including many senior citizens.

Operation reWired, a coordinated law enforcement effort by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of State, was conducted over a four-month period, resulting in 281 arrests in the United States and overseas, including 167 in Nigeria, 18 in Turkey and 15 in Ghana.  Arrests were also made in France, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom (UK). The operation also resulted in the seizure of nearly $3.7 million.

BEC, also known as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam often targeting employees with access to company finances and businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments.

The same criminal organizations that perpetrate BEC also exploit individual victims, often real estate purchasers, the elderly, and others, by convincing them to make wire transfers to bank accounts controlled by the criminals. This is often accomplished by impersonating a key employee or business partner after obtaining access to that person’s email account or sometimes done through romance and lottery scams.

BEC scams may involve fraudulent requests for checks rather than wire transfers; they may target sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII) or employee tax records instead of, or in addition to, money; and they may not involve an actual “compromise” of an email account or computer network.  Foreign citizens perpetrate many BEC scams.  Those individuals are often members of transnational criminal organizations, which originated in Nigeria but have spread throughout the world.

“The Department of Justice has increased efforts in taking aggressive enforcement action against fraudsters who are targeting American citizens and their businesses in business email compromise schemes and other cyber-enabled financial crimes,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen. 

“In this latest four-month operation, we have arrested 74 people in the United States and 207 others have been arrested overseas for alleged financial fraud. The coordinated efforts with our domestic and international law enforcement partners around the world has made these most recent actions more successful. I want to thank the FBI, more than two dozen U.S. Attorney’s Offices, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, our partners in Nigeria, Ghana, Turkey, France, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, and the UK, and our state and local law enforcement partners for all of their hard work to combat these fraud schemes and protect the hard-earned assets of our citizens.  Anyone who engages in deceptive practices like this should know they will not go undetected and will be held accountable.”

“The FBI is working every day to disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises that target our businesses and our citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.  “Cooperation is the backbone to effective law enforcement; without it, we aren’t as strong or as agile as we need to be.  Through Operation reWired, we’re sending a clear message to the criminals who orchestrate these BEC schemes: We’ll keep coming after you, no matter where you are.  And to the public, we’ll keep doing whatever we can to protect you.  Reporting incidents of BEC and other internet-enabled crimes to the IC3 brings us one step closer to the perpetrators.”

“The Secret Service has taken a multi-layered approach to combating Business Email Compromise schemes through our Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC),” said U.S. Secret Service Director James M. Murray. “Domestically, the GIOC assists Secret Service Field Offices and other law enforcement partners with analysis and investigative tactics to enhance the impact of local BEC investigations.  Internationally, the GIOC targets and identifies transnational organized crime networks that perpetrate these cyber-enabled financial fraud schemes.  Through this approach, the Secret Service continues to strive to protect the citizens of the United States and our financial infrastructure from these complex crimes.”

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), together with its law enforcement partners, has proven once again, that cyber-enabled financial fraud will not be tolerated in the United States,” said Acting Director Matthew T. Albence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “Operation reWired sends a clear message to criminals, that no matter how or where crimes are committed, we will do everything within our means to dismantle criminal enterprises that seek to manipulate U.S. institutions and taxpayers.”

“The consequences of this type of fraud scheme are far reaching, affecting not only people in the United States, but also across the world,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale.  “This investigation is just another example of how effective law enforcement agencies can be when they join forces.  By working together, we can keep our communities and our vulnerable populations safe from financial exploitation.  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is proud to be at the forefront of the fight against fraud and Postal Inspectors will continue to adapt to the ever changing landscape to stop the scammers and protect our customers.”

“In unraveling this complex, nationwide identity theft and tax fraud scheme, we discovered that the conspirators stole more than 250,000 identities and filed more than 10,000 fraudulent tax returns, attempting to receive more than $91 million in refunds,” said Chief Don Fort of IRS Criminal Investigation.  “We will continue to work with our international, federal and state partners to pursue all those responsible for perpetrating this fraud, preying on innocent victims and attempting to cheat the U.S. out of millions of dollars.”

“The investigation of these crimes crossed international borders,” said Director Todd J. Brown of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).  “Today’s charges are another successful example of our commitment to working together with both foreign colleagues abroad as well as local, state and federal law enforcement partners here at home in the pursuit of those who commit cyber-related financial crimes.”

A number of cases involved international criminal organizations that defrauded small to large sized businesses, while others involved individual victims who transferred high dollar funds or sensitive records in the course of business.  The devastating effects these cases have on victims and victim companies affect not only the individual business but also the global economy.  According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), nearly $1.3 billion in loss was reported in 2018 from BEC and its variant, Email Account Compromise (EAC), nearly twice as much as was reported the prior year.  BEC and EAC are prevalent scams and the Justice Department along with our partners will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute the perpetrators, including money mules, regardless of where they are located.

Money mules may be witting or unwitting accomplices who receive ill-gotten funds from the victims and then transfer the funds as directed by the fraudsters.  The money is wired or sent by check to the money mule who then deposits it in his or her own bank account.  Usually the mules keep a fraction for “their trouble” and then wire the money as directed by the fraudster.  The fraudsters enlist and manipulate the money mules through romance scams or “work-at-home” scams, though some money mules are knowing co-conspirators who launder the ill-gotten gains for profit.  

BEC scams are related to, and often conducted together with, other forms of fraud such as:

“Romance scams,” where victims are lulled into believing they are in a legitimate relationship, and are tricked into sending or laundering money under the guise of assisting the paramour with an international business transaction, a U.S. visit, or some other cover story;

“Employment opportunities scams,” where victims are convinced to provide their PII to apply for work-from-home jobs, and, once “hired” and “overpaid” by a bad check, to wire the overpayment to the “employer’s” bank before the check bounces;

“Fraudulent online vehicle sales scams,” where victims are convinced they are purchasing a nonexistent vehicle and must pay for it by sending the codes of prepaid gift cards in the amount of the agreed upon sale price to the “seller;”

“Rental scams,” where a scammer agrees to rent a property, sends a bad check in excess of the agreed upon deposit, and requests the overpayment be returned via wire before the check bounces; and

“Lottery scams,” where victims are convinced they won an international lottery but must pay fees or taxes before receiving the payout.

Starting in May 2019, this coordinated enforcement action targeted hundreds of BEC scammers.  Law enforcement agents executed over 214 domestic actions including arrests, money mule warning letters, and asset seizures and repatriations totaling nearly $3.7 million.  Local and state law enforcement partners on FBI task forces across the country, with the assistance of multiple District Attorney’s Offices, also arrested alleged money mules for their role in defrauding victims.

Among those arrested on federal charges in BEC schemes include:

Following an investigation led by the FBI’s Chicago Division, Brittney Stokes, 27, of Country Club Hills, Illinois, and Kenneth Ninalowo, 40, of Chicago, Illinois, were charged in the Northern District of Illinois with laundering over $1.5 million from proceeds of BEC scams.  According to the indictment, a community college and an energy company were defrauded into sending approximately $5 million to fraudulent bank accounts controlled by the scammers.  Banks were able to freeze approximately $3.6 million of the $5 million defrauded in the two schemes.  Law enforcement officials seized a 2019 Range Rover Velar S from Stokes and approximately $175,909 from Stokes and Ninalowo.

As a result of a joint investigation by the FBI, HSI, and DSS, Opeyemi Adeoso, 44, of Dallas, Texas, and Benjamin Ifebajo, 45, of Richardson, Texas, were arrested and charged in the Northern District of Texas with bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.  Adeoso and Ifebajo are alleged to have received and laundered at least $3.4 million.  In furtherance of their scheme, they are alleged to have assumed 12 fictitious identities and defrauded 37 victims from across the United States.

As part of a larger investigation by the FBI and the USSS in Miami, Yamel Guevara Tamayo, 36, of Miami, Florida, and Yumeydi Govantes, 39, of Miami, Florida, were charged in the Southern District of Florida with laundering more than $950,000 of proceeds of BEC scams.  The two individuals were also responsible for recruiting approximately 18 other individuals to serve as money mules, who laundered proceeds of BEC scams for an international money laundering network.  The victims of the BEC scams included title companies, corporations, and individuals.  The individuals were indicted June 18, 2019 and arrested June 20, 2019.  The change of plea for both individuals is scheduled for Sept. 16.

In an investigation by FBI Atlanta, two individuals were charged in the Northern District of Georgia for their involvement in a Nigeria-based BEC scheme that began with a $3.5 million transfer of funds fraudulently misdirected from a Georgia-based health care provider to accounts across the United States.  Two Nigerian nationals, Emmanuel Igomu, 35, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Jude Balogun, 29, of San Francisco, California, have been arrested on charges of aiding and abetting wire fraud for their part in receiving and transmitting monies derived from the BEC.

Following an investigation by the FBI, Cyril Ashu, 34, of Austell, Georgia; Ifeanyi Eke, 32, of Sandy Springs, Georgia; Joshua Ikejimba, 24, of Houston, Texas; and Chinedu Ironuah, 32, of Houston, Texas, were charged in the Southern District of New York with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud for their involvement in a Nigeria-based BEC scheme that impacted hundreds of victims in the United States, with losses in excess of $10 million.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The cases were investigated by the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.  U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Districts of Arizona; Central, Eastern and Southern California; Colorado; Delaware; Southern Florida; Northern Georgia; Northern Illinois; Kansas; Eastern Louisiana; Massachusetts; Nebraska; Nevada; Southern New York; Middle North Carolina; Northern Ohio; Oregon; Northern, Western and Southern Texas; Western Tennessee; Eastern Virginia; Eastern Washington, and elsewhere have ongoing investigations some of which have resulted in arrests in Nigeria.  The Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, and Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division provided assistance.  District Attorney’s Offices of Harris County, Texas; Fort Bend County, Texas; and Washington County, Arkansas are handling state prosecutions.  Additionally, private sector partners and the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ghana Police Service (GPS) and Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Turkish National Police (TNP) Cyber Department, Direction Centrale de la Police aux Frontieres (PAF) of France, Squadra Mobile Di Caserta and Italian National Police, National Police Agency of Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (TPMD), Royal Malaysian Police, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) of Kenya and the National Crime Agency (NCA), North Wales Police, Metropolitan Police Service and Hertfordshire Constabulary of the UK provided significant assistance. 

This operation serves as a model for international cooperation against specific threats that endanger the financial well-being of each member country’s residents.  Deputy Attorney General Rosen expressed gratitude for the outstanding efforts of the participating countries, including law enforcement actions that were coordinated and executed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria to curb business email compromise schemes that defraud businesses and individuals alike.

The Justice Department’s efforts to confront the growing threat of cyber-enabled financial fraud led to the formation of the BEC Counteraction Group (BCG), which assists U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department with the coordination of BEC cases and the centralization of related expertise.  The BCG facilitates communication and coordination between federal prosecutors, serves as a bridge between federal prosecutors and federal agents, centralizes and manages institutional knowledge and training, and participates in efforts to educate the public about protecting themselves and their organizations from BEC scams.

The BCG draws upon the expertise of the following sections within the Department’s Criminal Division: the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, which regularly investigates and prosecutes cases involving computer crimes, including network intrusions; the Fraud Section, which manages complex litigation involving sophisticated fraud schemes; the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which brings experience in seizing assets obtained through criminal activity; the Office of International Affairs, which plays a central role in securing international evidence and extradition; and the Organized Crime and Gang Section, which contributes strategic guidance in prosecuting complex transnational criminal cases.

Operation reWired was funded and coordinated by the FBI and the Justice Department’s International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) and follows “Operation Wire Wire,” the first coordinated enforcement action targeting hundreds of BEC scammers.  That effort, announced in June 2018, resulted in the arrest of 74 individuals, the seizure of nearly $2.4 million, and the disruption and recovery of approximately $14 million in fraudulent wire transfers.

Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the IC3 at bec.ic3.gov.  The IC3 staff reviews complaints, looking for patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity, and refers investigative packages of complaints to the appropriate law enforcement authorities in a particular city or region.