The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, Ikoyi, on Monday, June 29, 2026, arraigned Abdulkarim Muhammad Arome, and his company, Cresco Oil and Gas Limited before Justice O. A. Okunuga of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over an alleged N336,993,863.35 ( Three Hundred and Thirty-six Million,  Nine Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand,  Eight Hundred and Sixty Three Naira, Thirty-five kobo) fraud involving Lotus Bank.

The defendants were arraigned on an amended three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and retention of proceeds of criminal conduct.

According to the charges, the offences are contrary to Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, Section 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, and Section 17(a) and (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.

Count one reads:

“Abdulkarim Muhammad Arome, Peter Daniels Prosper, (at large) and Cresco Oil and Gas Limited sometime 2022 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to Steal money, property of Lotus Bank”.

Count two reads:

“Abdulkarim Muhammad Arome, Peter Daniels Prosper and Cresco Oil and Gas Limited sometime between 2022 and 2023, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use an aggregate sum of N336.993,863.35 (Three hundred and thirty-six million, nine hundred and ninety-three thousand eight hundred and sixty-three Naira, thirty-five Kobo), property of Lotus Bank”.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to them.

Following the arraignment, prosecuting counsel, E. S. Okongwu, asked the court for a trial date and urged that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional facility pending the commencement of trial.

Defence counsel informed the court that she intended to file bail applications and prayed for a short adjournment to enable the applications to be heard.

Justice Okunuga ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

The lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, says the Peace Movement Party, PMP, is being used to block the participation of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in the 2027 general elections.

Umeh made this allegation on Monday when he appeared as a guest in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He maintained that the victory-sign logo is a global symbol, stating that it does not belong to the PMP.

“PMP is being used to block the NDC’s participation in the 2027 Elelection.

“When Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and some of us joined the NDC on May 3, the very next day, May 4, an application was filed seeking to set aside the party’s registration, even though the NDC had already been registered for about five months.

“The logo does not belong to the PMP because it is not a registered political party. A symbol only becomes exclusive to a party once it is registered with INEC as part of that party’s official registration.

“After that, no other political party can use it because it legally belongs to the registered party,” he said.

Recall that a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC as a political party.

Following the recent judgment nullifying the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress,NDC, as a political party, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has said that no judicial setback, political intimidation, or administrative obstacle will diminish its commitment to its ideals or weaken its resolve to offer Nigerians a credible democratic alternative.

Speaking in a statement signed by its spokesman, Dr. Muhammad Sale Habibu, the movement said it received with concern the recent judgment setting aside the earlier decision directing the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“We reaffirm the position consistently articulated by our leader and principal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that Nigeria deserves a government founded on justice, competence, equity, accountability, and the genuine welfare of its people.

“While we acknowledge and respect the constitutional role of the judiciary as the final arbiter of disputes, we cannot ignore the troubling questions that this judgment has raised regarding the integrity of our democratic process and the future of political pluralism in Nigeria.”

The statement explained that, at a time when millions of Nigerians are yearning for credible alternatives to the current administration, this development inevitably reinforces the growing public perception that powerful forces are determined to shrink the democratic space and ensure that only politically convenient parties are allowed to flourish ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“The litigation has suddenly assumed renewed urgency precisely when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced activities under the timetable for the 2027 general elections, including processes leading to party nominations and candidate submissions.

“Nigerians are therefore entitled to ask whether this sequence of events is merely coincidental or part of a broader pattern aimed at frustrating the emergence of a formidable opposition platform before the electoral process gathers full momentum.”

The Kwankwasiyya Movement noted that even more disturbing is the legal controversy surrounding the decision itself.

Distinguished legal practitioners have already expressed divergent opinions on whether a court that has delivered a final judgment possesses the jurisdiction to set aside its own decision under the circumstances presented, or whether such authority properly belongs to the appellate courts, except in narrowly defined situations recognised by law.

“These legal questions deserve to be answered transparently by the appellate courts, not only in the interest of the NDC but also in order to safeguard public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.

“Yesterday was ADC. Today, NDC. Tomorrow, it could be any other opposition platform. Once judicial processes begin to create uncertainty around political participation at critical stages of the electoral calendar, the greatest casualty is democracy itself.

“Democracy cannot flourish where viable opposition parties are weakened through prolonged legal uncertainty. Competitive elections require a level playing field, equal access to justice, respect for due process, and institutions that inspire confidence among all political actors.

“The Kwankwasiyya Movement therefore calls upon the judiciary to remain steadfast as the last hope of the common man by ensuring that justice is not only done but is manifestly seen to be done. We equally urge INEC to act strictly within the confines of the law and to avoid any action that may prejudice ongoing legal processes or undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“We also call on Nigerians, civil society organisations, professional bodies, and the international democratic community to closely observe developments surrounding this matter. The health of our democracy depends on strong institutions, an independent judiciary, and genuine political competition—not on the systematic narrowing of democratic choices available to the electorate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Kwankwasiyya Movement remains resolute and unwavering in its commitment to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a platform for democratic renewal and national transformation.

“History teaches us that democracy is not sustained by the comfort of those in power but by the courage of those who defend the people’s right to freely choose their leaders. We remain confident that truth, justice, and the rule of law will ultimately prevail.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to support efforts to protect critical national infrastructure by reporting acts of vandalism and suspicious activities.

FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, made the appeal in Abuja on Monday, warning that infrastructure vandalism threatens national development and undermines government investments in public facilities.

He urged residents to provide timely intelligence to security agencies, stressing that protecting public assets is a collective responsibility.

“Many people turn a blind eye when acts of vandalism occur around them. Residents must be proactive and promptly report such incidents through our emergency hotlines,” he said.

“We are maintaining round the clock surveillance across the territory, and anyone apprehended for vandalising public infrastructure will be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he added

Mr Odumosu also warned vandals to desist from criminal activities, stating that the Command has intensified surveillance across the FCT and would prosecute anyone caught vandalising public infrastructure.

The commandant further cautioned operators of Private Guard Companies against operating with fake, expired or invalid licences, disclosing that enforcement actions against defaulting firms would commence soon.

He advised affected operators to regularise their documentation or risk arrest and the closure of their businesses.

The renewed warning comes amid growing concerns over the destruction and theft of public infrastructure in several parts of the country, where vandals frequently target electricity installations, telecommunications equipment, pipelines, rail facilities and other strategic assets, resulting in economic losses and disruption of essential services.

The Taraba State Emergency Management Agency, TSEMA, has distanced itself from a reported operation by the Department of State Services, DSS, at a warehouse in Jalingo, denying any involvement with the facility or the relief materials reportedly discovered there.

In a statement issued on Monday, the agency said it neither stored nor authorized the storage of relief materials at the warehouse where the DSS operation allegedly took place.

TSEMA maintained that it played no role in the events surrounding the operation and urged members of the public and the media to direct all inquiries regarding the warehouse, the operation, and the materials involved to the Department of State Services, which it described as the appropriate authority handling the matter.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to discharging its statutory responsibilities, stressing that it remains focused on emergency management, disaster response, and humanitarian interventions across Taraba state.

The statement, signed by the management of TSEMA, said it was issued to clarify the agency’s position and dispel speculation linking it to the warehouse and the relief materials reportedly discovered during the DSS operation.

The clarification follows reports alleging that DSS operatives raided a private warehouse in Sintali Ward, Jalingo Local Government Area, where relief materials worth millions of naira were found during a late-night operation.

According to the reports, the items, including large quantities of food supplies, were allegedly donated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) to TSEMA for distribution to disaster victims.

The reports also claimed that four persons, including the owner of the warehouse and three rice traders from Jalingo Main Market, were arrested in connection with the discovery.

The DSS, as at the time of filing this report, has yet to issue an official statement detailing the outcome of the operation or confirming the allegations.

The Nigerian military, in continuation of its sustained air campaign against armed bandits and other criminal elements, have neutralized unspecified number of the assistants at Dogon Dawa, along the strategic Niger–Kaduna–Zamfara border.

A report by a security expert, Zagazola Makama said the strike was executed after intelligence indicated that a large number of armed bandits had converged at the location to coordinate and plan a series of attacks against nearby communities.

“The precision engagement effectively struck the gathering, resulting in the neutralisation of a substantial number of the terrorists”, he said.

According to Makama, intelligence obtained following the operation also indicated that more than hundreds of motorcycles, believed to have been assembled for the planned offensive and mobility of the criminal elements, were present at the target area at the time of the strike.

Battle Damage Assessment, BDA, and follow-up intelligence further revealed that several surviving terrorists, many of them wounded, fled in disarray towards the forests between Shadadi and Ma’undu through the Mangwaro axis, abandoning their coordinated plans as the devastating effects of the air strike disrupted their operations.