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Timi Frank Raises Alarm Over Threats to Life Allegedly From ex-Minister Sylva

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Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over threats to his life allegedly from a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Frank who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said he has officially reported the matter to the Police via a petition to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetotkun, for investigation and necessary action.

He urged the Inspector General of Police,
Nigerians and the international community to hold Sylva responsible should any harm befalls him in the near and foreseeable future.

Frank’s  petition to the IGP, dated 27th June 2023 and titled: “Incessant threats to life of Comrade Timi Frank” was signed by his counsel, Edward Omaga,  who is the principal partner of GRAYLAW Practice LP, Abuja.

The petition reads in part: “Re: Petition against Chief Timipre Sylva for committing acts bordering on identity theft, impersonation, forgery of academic certificates and giving false evidence contrary to Section 486 of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 read together with Sectons 366, 364 and 158 (2) of the Penal Code Act, CAP 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.

“The above matter and our petition dated 22nd May, 2023 which was received at your former office being Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Nigeria Police Force, Area 10, Garki, FCT – Abuja on 26th May, 2023 refers:

“We write to report that while investigation activities are ongoing, Chief Timipre Sylva has resorted to threatening the life of our client, Comrade Timi Frank, for daring to blow the whistle regarding the anomalies contained in his academic certificates.

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“Our client informed us through a distress call this morning that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer in Bayelsa State Governorship Election coming up 14th November, 2023, has made active plans to hunt him down wherever he is within or outside Nigeria.

“It is obvious that Chief Timipre Sylva has revealed this sinister plans to several of his close aides and associates, some of who have called our client under condition of anonymity to take caution.

“According to the reliable information gathered by our client, Chief Timipre Sylva is already funding a deadly squad to monitor our client in his residences in Accra and Dubai with the sole  aim of eliminating him.

“Sir, it is important that you handle this alarm about threat to the life of our client with utmost seriousness because Chief Timipre Sylva is a man known to be associated with cultists and other deadly squads ready to carry out any order at his behest.

“Recall that Chief Timipre Sylva was fingered to have orchestrated the failed attempt to lynch and kidnap Senator Adams Oshiomhole when as a sitting Governor of Edo State he visited Yenagoa, Bayelsa State to conduct the APC primaries ahead of the 5th December 2015 Governorship Election.

“Chief Timipre Sylva did not only hire thugs to take over Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, venue of the primaries, he made sure that the exercise was scuttled.

“Senator Adams Oshiomhole May have been lucky to escape by the whiskers years ago but we cannot tell the extent to which Chief Timipre Sylva would go this time around to ensure that our client is totally silenced.

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“In the light of the above therefore, we call on the Inspector General of Police to take note that should anything untoward happens to our client, Chief Timipre Sylva should be held liable.”

The lawyer insisted that never in the history of Nigeria as a democratic country has it become an offence for a patriotic citizen such as Timi Frank to expose corrupt and fraudulent activities of serving or retired public officers.

“We pray that you take urgent actions capable of protecting the life of our client in line with your statutory duties under Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020.

“We are confident that as a man of competence and integrity you will do everything possible to assure local and international observers that criminality will no longer thrive in Nigeria,” the lawyer added.

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Abdulaziz Who Joins SDP Not Minister Of Environment’s Aide – Source Clarifies

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By Israel Bulus, Kaduna

A source from the Ministry of Environment, has distanced the Minister’s office from Abdulaziz Musa Alhassan’s recent political move, saying Abdulaziz is not currently an aide to the Honorable Minister.

The source in an exclusive interview with Elanza News on Thursday, clarified that Abdulaziz was officially released to the office of the Kaduna State Accountant General, Alh. Bashir Suleiman Zuntu and has no working relationship with the Ministry of Environment.

“For the record, Abdulaziz Musa Alhassan is no longer with the office of the Minister,” source stated.

“He was released months ago, and any attempt to tie his recent political defection to the Minister or the Ministry is entirely misleading.”

According to him, a letter obtained by the Minister’s office in March 2025 showed that Abdulaziz had sought to return as a Personal Assistant to the Minister, but the request was denied.

“In his letter, Abdulaziz appealed to be reinstated in his former capacity,” source added.

“However, the Honorable Minister did not approve the request, as the office had moved on and reassigned responsibilities.”

The source emphasized that linking Abdulaziz’s resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with the Minister’s office is “unfounded and should be disregarded.”

He concluded by urging the public and media outlets to verify such claims before publication.

“Let it be clear that Abdulaziz acted in his personal capacity, and his political decisions do not reflect the position of the Honorable Minister or his office,” the source said.

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Nigeria to exit financial action task force grey list soon – SEC

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has expressed optimism that Nigeria is on the verge of being removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.

This confidence stems from the recent signing of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA 2025) by President Bola Tinubu.

Director-General, SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.

A key component of this new legislation is the inclusion of comprehensive regulations for digital assets, a factor that the FATF has emphasised in its assessment of countries on the grey list.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria was placed on the FATF “grey list” on Feb. 24, 2023, alongside other jurisdictions.

This was due to deficiencies in its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) regime.

Agama said the inclusion of digital assets in the ISA 2025 provided the country with an avenue to exit the grey list.

He noted that the new law aimed to curb fraudulent activities in the digital space, fostering trust and innovation in blockchain technologies.

He said, “The AML CFT issue is what brought about our inclusion in the grey list; the inclusion of this law today provides us an avenue to exit that grey list, and that is very critical to the international community.

“We are telling the international community that we are ready for business, and we are ready to protect every business that operates within Nigeria and all those involved in such activities within Nigeria.”

Agama emphasised that trading in cryptocurrencies does not translate into a weaker Naira.

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He explained that the commission was going to provide guidance for all the actors to ensure that their acts do not go against the national interest.

He said, “SEC now has the power to clamp down on such entities. So, we encourage everyone who is in this space to come under regulation to seek clearance.

“To seek guidance for whatever reason, and we are ready and able to provide solid guidance so that at least the national economic interest is truly protected.

“So we believe that the regulation, the law itself, will bring succor to them, because once clarity is provided, they are safer in dealing in this kind of businesses.

“The essence of regulating is to provide fences around the institutions, the products, the persons involved in it, and to make sure that they do not involve in things that are illegal.

“We are working with the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Office of the National Security Adviser on the regulation of this space, in order that it should not be inimical to the existence of Nigeria as a country.

“We want to make sure that everyone that is involved in this space is properly guided, because for every investment, even when it is a traditional investment, there’s usually the risk aspect of it. That risk aspect of it is what we are managing.”

Agama disclosed that the commission is currently carrying out moderated regulation as it is not possible to grant licenses to all those that have applied to operate in the space at the same time.

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“SEC currently has two programmes: the regulatory incubation programme and the accelerated incubation programme, which are tools that will aid in the evaluation of the risks that the institutions pose to the Nigerian economy and its citizens.

“It is a process, and in the next quarter, we are going to release the next cohort, and after the evaluation of what has happened in the last two quarters, we are going to do that release in this next quarter.

“We are happy to note that the processes around that are almost concluding, and we will inform the public of the outcome very soon,” he said.

He noted that in a bid to deal with challenges that may arise in the process of regulation, the Commission was introducing risk management as a legal instrument to guide the operations of capital market operators and the issuances of securities.

He said this was also to be able to mitigate any risk that will arise in the nearest future.

“Now, once this happens, the tendency is that investors will be more confident, because they know that we have their back.

“That certainly will improve investor protection.

“Therefore, KYC is also beefed up through the risk management process today.

“That also helps us to be able to seek out genuine investors from people who do not mean well for the market, and that also will improve investors’ protection,” he said. (NAN)

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Court summons Rivers Administrator over LGA appointments  

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The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has directed the Rivers State Administrator to appear before it and justify why an interim injunction should not be granted to halt the appointment of Sole Administrators for the state’s 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The order, issued by Honourable Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed on Monday, April 7, 2025, followed an ex-parte motion filed by the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative and its Coordinator, Courage Nsirimovu.

The applicants sought to restrain the Rivers State Administrator and his agents from proceeding with the controversial appointments, arguing that such actions could undermine democratic processes in the state.

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed emphasized the need for fairness, ordering the respondent to be put on notice and to “show cause” why the injunction should not be granted.

The court also issued a hearing notice and adjourned the case to April 14, 2025, for further proceedings.

Legal counsel for the applicants, A. O. Imiete, urged the court to grant the reliefs, adopting a written address in support of the motion. The respondent was absent during the hearing.

This development comes amid heightened political tensions in Rivers State, where the appointment of Sole Administrators has sparked debates over local governance and constitutional compliance.

Observers are keenly awaiting the next hearing, which could set a significant precedent for administrative actions in the state.

The case marked *FHC/PH/CS/46/2025*, continues to draw public attention as stakeholders weigh in on its implications for democracy and the rule of law.

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