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NiDCOM Probes 50-Year-Old Nigerian’s Death In S’Africa’s Police Custody

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The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 50-year-old Nigerian man, Jeremiah Okoye, while in police custody in Limpopo, South Africa.

The commission’s spokesperson, Abdulrahman Balogun, revealed this to PUNCH Metro on Saturday, following reports of Okoye’s death on Friday.

Okoye, who lived at 71 Magazyn Street, Polokwane, Limpopo Province, had been residing in South Africa for 22 years before his death.

The victim, a native of Eziniffite Nnewi in Anambra, reportedly died while in police custody in Limpopo Province on January 13.

The President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, Frank Onyekwelu, confirmed the incident in a statement provided to The PUNCH on Friday.

Onyekwelu expressed concern over the police brutality faced by Nigerians in South Africa, calling for strict adherence to the rule of law. He added, “Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of his untimely death.

“We implore all our citizens to be law-abiding and allow the authorities to utilise all their resources to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Okoye,” he said.

Onyekwelu, as reported by The PUNCH, added, “We hope that his death will not become a statistic like others before it. The deaths of Nigerians in South Africa, particularly under police custody, have become a recurring issue that needs to be stopped.

“We fear that these recurring deaths of Nigerians in police custody, if unchecked, will become a dangerous pattern.”

In a separate report by the News Agency of Nigeria, the NICASA president stated that he had officially notified the Nigerian High Commission and Consulate in South Africa and had also reached out to Okoye’s family and friends in Limpopo following the tragic incident.

“Nigerian citizens in South Africa say no to police brutality and killings and demand justice for the late Okoye.

“Our lives matter; nationality is not criminality,” he maintained.

In response to our correspondent’s enquiries about the actions being taken by NiDCOM regarding police brutality against Nigerians in South Africa, Balogun confirmed that the commission was aware of the situation and that an investigation had already begun.

“True. It is under investigation,” Balogun simply stated.

A similar incident occurred when four suspected South African men allegedly killed a 37-year-old Nigerian, Mr. Julius Chukwunta.

Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on December 7, 2024, while driving to his home in the Midrand Protea Estate in South Africa.

According to reports, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men as he approached his residence.

The four men allegedly inflicted a severe head injury on him, which was reportedly the cause of his death on December 13, 2024.

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Just In: Dangote Refinery Announces Petrol, Diesel Price Reduction

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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery officially reduced its gantry prices for petrol (PMS) and diesel (AGO) following a series of price hikes earlier in the week.

According to a new pricing template released by the refinery on March 10, 2026, the gantry price of petrol has been reduced by N100, dropping from N1,175 to N1,075 per litre.

The refinery also stated that the price of PMS for coastal supply will now be N1,050 per litre. The difference in price reflects additional costs linked to maritime distribution.

Similarly, the price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) has been reduced to N1,430 per litre at the gantry, down from the previous N1,620 per litre. This represents a decrease of N190 per litre.

The refinery noted that these gantry prices do not include regulatory charges from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

Meanwhile, JomogNews earlier reported on Monday that Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its gantry PMS price to N1,175 per litre — the third upward adjustment in seven days

The refinery communicated the new ex-depot price to marketers and depot operators, up ₦180 from the N995 per litre announced last week Friday, an 18.1 per cent increase in three days.

 

 

 

 

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Drama At Rivers Assembly Over Nominee’s ‘I don’t pay tax’ Statement

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A video circulating online has captured a tense moment during the screening of commissioner nominees submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The footage seen shows the Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, questioning one of the nominees, Charity Deemua, over the status of her tax clearance certificate.

During the screening of commissioner nominees, the Rivers State House of Assembly rejected nominee Charity Deemua after she claimed that as a politician, she did not pay taxes.

Speaker Martin Amaewhule and other lawmakers expressed shock at the statement, leading to the rejection of her nomination along with three others due to lack of tax compliance.

During the screening session, Amaewhule pointed out that the nominee’s tax clearance appeared outdated.

“I just wanted to know, so there’s no current tax clearance. Madam has not been paying tax since 2018. I just wanted to know if she’s been exempted from paying taxes. So let her tell us now,” the Speaker said.

Responding, Deemua explained that she had not had a steady source of income in recent years.

“Like I said before, I’m a politician, I don’t have work,” she stated.

When asked to clarify her employment history, Deemua told the lawmakers that she had previously served briefly in government.

“I was a member, a commissioner in the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission,” she said.

Amaewhule then pressed further about her role in a local government caretaker committee.

“When were you? Hold on… local government caretaker committee member, right?” the Speaker asked.

“I was just three months there,” Deemua replied.

“When? When was that?” Amaewhule asked.

“And I think November last year,” she responded.

“November when? What year?” the Speaker asked again.

“2025,” she answered.

The Speaker then questioned whether she earned income during that period.

“You were not paid salary? Were you not paid salary?” Amaewhule asked.

“In the caretaker committee, we were paid,” Deemua admitted.

“You were paid? Yes. Is that not income? But you said you have not had any income from 2018 to date as a politician. So no tax clearance, and that’s what you are telling Rivers people. Madam, that is not nice. You are misleading the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly,” Amaewhule said.

In response, Deemua apologised and suggested she could address the issue.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Speaker. But I think I can still go back for…,” she began before being interrupted.

“No, but you say you have not had any income now,” Amaewhule replied before moving on to the next nominee.

The video of the exchange has since drawn reactions online, with many Nigerians asking that if politicians say they don’t work, what exactly are taxpayers paying for.

See video:

 

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Aiyedatiwa Loses Legal Bid To Stop Amendment Of Re-election Suit

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s appeal against a Federal High Court ruling in Akure that allowed Dr. Akindele Egbuwalo to amend a suit questioning the governor’s eligibility to run in 2028.

The suit seeks to clarify if Aiyedatiwa, having been sworn in twice already, is constitutionally barred from seeking another term.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court held that the trial court properly exercised its discretion when it granted an application by the plaintiff, Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, to amend his originating summons in the case.

Egbuwalo, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, had filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking the interpretation of Section 137(3) of the Constitution in respect of the eligibility of Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, to contest for a second term in office.

In a ruling on November 24, 2025, Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court in Akure granted the plaintiff’s request to amend the originating processes.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aiyedatiwa lodged an appeal, alleging a breach of his constitutional right to a fair hearing.

He claimed the trial judge acted ultra vires her powers and wrongly assumed jurisdiction.

Owing to Aiyedatiwa’s contentions, the Court of Appeal in Akure, where the matter was initially lodged, directed the high court to halt proceedings, which were already slated for judgment.

The case was later transferred to the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

Reading the lead judgment on Monday, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that Aiyedatiwa failed to show that the Federal High Court’s decision to allow the amendment occasioned any miscarriage of justice or denied him the right to a fair hearing.

The appellate court, therefore, dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and awarded N2m in costs against the governor.

The ruling affirmed the November 24, 2025, decision of the Federal High Court in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo leave to amend the originating summons in his suit challenging Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.

Earlier in the proceedings, the Court of Appeal also dismissed an application filed by Aiyedatiwa, seeking to set aside an order it made on January 27, 2026, staying further proceedings in the suit before the Federal High Court.

The court held that the stay of proceedings did not amount to arresting the judgment of the trial court but was a lawful exercise of the appellate court’s jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of its proceedings.

According to the court, the appeal had already been entered, records compiled, and briefs filed as of the time the order was made.

The panel further held that the order was necessary to preserve the res in the matter and prevent the appellate proceedings from being rendered nugatory.

It added that asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the order it validly made on January 27, 2026, would amount to inviting the court to sit on appeal over its own decision.

The court noted that the option available to the governor was to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.

The panel subsequently ordered Aiyedatiwa to pay an additional N2 million in costs.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, speaking with The PUNCH, said the judgment of the appellate court was not the main case of the eligibility of Aiyedatiwa to contest the 2028 governorship election at the Federal High Court, Akure.

Adeniyan said the case was still pending in the lower court.

“The main case is still in court. This was just an appeal on an amendment to the main case,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa was first sworn in on December 27, 2024, to complete the tenure of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

He was subsequently inaugurated for a second time on February 24, 2025, following his victory in the governorship election held on November 16, 2024.

Although Aiyedatiwa has yet to indicate interest in running again, Egbuwalo approached the court in July 2025, insisting that Aiyedatiwa was not eligible to recontest in 2028, having already taken the oath of office twice.

The litigant sought an interpretation of Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regarding Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility to run for governor again.

Section 137(3) provides that a person sworn in as president to complete the term for which another person was elected shall only be elected to such office for a maximum of one additional term.

Meanwhile, Section 182(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulates that any person sworn in as governor to complete the term of another elected official is disqualified from being elected to the same office for more than a single term.

 

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