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Falana Picks Major Holes In Tinubu’s Presidential Pardon

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Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has faulted the recent presidential pardon granted to some convicts by President Bola Tinubu in exercise of his power of prerogative of mercy, describing the exercise as a “colossal embarrassment” tainted by Illegalities and constitutional errors.

 

 

Speaking on ARISE News Channel’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Friday, Falana said the controversial state pardon exercise once again exposed flaws in the nation’s justice administration and disregard for constitutional limits.

“It is not the first time that the exercise has been mishandled, but this time around, the country was exposed to odium, and there was no basis for it,” Falana said.

The legal luminary criticised the process that led to the inclusion of undeserving individuals on the clemency list, citing cases where persons recently convicted for corruption were granted pardon.

“Those who were not deserving of pardon were recommended,” he stated. “Take one for instance—the EFCC had prosecuted a guy for 11 years, he was convicted in April this year and sentenced to terms of imprisonment, yet his name was on that list.”

Falana further accused the Federal Government of breaching the Constitution by including individuals convicted under state laws in a federal pardon list.

“Those who were prosecuted under state laws found their way, I mean, they were put on the list. By virtue of Section 212 of the Constitution, only the governor of a state can pardon people convicted for stealing, obtaining by false pretences, murder, or culpable homicide, but all those names were there,” he explained.

He described the presidency’s decision to review and reduce the original list from 175 names to about 84—as inadequate, insisting that the process had already embarrassed the country.

“It is not enough to say we have reviewed the list, we now want to reduce 175 names to 84 and begin to clap for the government,” Falana said. “The government owes itself a duty to ensure that such a colossal embarrassment does not occur again.”

He called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to publicly apologise to Nigerians, saying that was the least expected after the controversy.

“The very least the Attorney General can do is to apologise. It is not enough to say, ‘oh, we are going to review the list or we have now reviewed the list’—no, it is not done that way,” he declared.

The recent presidential pardon had sparked yet another controversy earlier in the week after President Bola Tinubu reviewed the pardon he earlier granted to 175 convicts, reducing the list to about 84.

Recall that Tinubu had previously granted pardon to about 175 people, including a pre-independence nationalist, drug offenders, murderers, among other convicts. That pardon was condemned by many Nigerians forcing the administration to conduct a review.

“Following consultations with the Council of State and public opinion on the matter, the President directed a further review of the initially approved list for consideration in furtherance of the President’s discretionary powers under Section 175(1)(&(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Consequently, certain persons convicted of serious crimes such as kidnapping, drug-related offences, human trafficking, fraud, unlawful possession of firearms/arms dealing, etc, were deleted from the list. Others who had been hitherto pardoned in the old list had their sentences commuted,” Presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, had wrote.

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NDLEA warns public against fake auction offers using officials’ names

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudsters impersonating its officials to defraud unsuspecting members of the public through fake auction offers for forfeited vehicles.

 

In a statement issued on Friday, the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the scammers have been using the names of senior NDLEA officials, particularly the Secretary to the Agency, Barrister Shadrach Haruna, to circulate fraudulent letters and messages offering cheap forfeited vehicles for sale.

 

Babafemi described the offers as a deliberate scam aimed at swindling people of their money.

“The public is hereby notified that these offers are a complete scam. The Agency wishes to categorically state that these fraudulent offers are a malicious gimmick designed solely to defraud targeted individuals of their hard-earned money,” he said.

 

The agency stressed that no NDLEA official is authorised to privately allocate, sell or offer forfeited vehicles or any other seized assets to individuals.

According to the statement, all forfeited vehicles and assets are disposed of only through public auction processes conducted by government-approved auctioneers in line with legal and public procurement guidelines.

Babafemi added that legitimate auction exercises are always widely advertised in national newspapers and through the agency’s official communication channels.

He urged members of the public to disregard and report any letters, text messages or social media posts claiming to offer forfeited vehicles through Barrister Haruna or any other NDLEA official.

“The NDLEA remains committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in all its operations. Do not fall victim to these criminal elements. If you are approached with such fraudulent offers, please report immediately to the nearest NDLEA command or through our official communication channels,” the statement added.

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Initiators Promise Big As NIGMA Gets August 2026 Date

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The organisers of this year’s Nigeria International Gospel Music Awards ( NIGMA) have announced that the upcoming edition will celebrate the very best of the gospel music industry in an atmosphere of excellence, creativity, and inspiration.

 

The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the prestigious Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Kingsley Omoefe, Founder and Team Lead of NIGMA and Chief Responsibility Officer of Golden Heritage Limited, said the August event is designed to bring together gospel music ministers, industry stakeholders, fans, and supporters for a memorable celebration of talent, faith, and excellence.

He stated that attendees should expect an unforgettable experience featuring outstanding performances from leading gospel artists, alongside special recognitions for individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the industry.

The organisers also revealed that the event will feature meaningful conversations designed to inspire participants, promote collaboration, and foster the continued growth of gospel music.

The organisers said the August gathering would create memorable moments that would leave guests inspired, enriched, and motivated long after the curtains close.

They further called on corporate organisations, media outfits, and well-meaning individuals to take advantage of the opportunities available to support the event through sponsorships and strategic partnerships.

The organisers encouraged interested organisations and individuals seeking sponsorship, partnership, media accreditation, or participation to contact the event management for further information and registration ahead of the highly anticipated August programme.

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Nottingham Forest Sacks 5th Manager In 10 Months, To Wrap Up Oliver Glasner’s Deal

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Oliver Glasner is in advanced talks to replace Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach, a move which would see the Austrian become the club’s fifth manager in less than a year.

 

Pereira announced his departure from the club in a statement on Wednesday, saying that it came as a “complete surprise to me and without any warning”.

Glasner is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace — where he won the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield and Conference League the following campaign — and is set to stay in the Premier League.

The 51-year-old confirmed in January that he would leave Palace at the end of the season after two years in charge.

On Thursday, Forest confirmed Pereira’s coaching staff Filipe Almeida, Luis Miguel, Bruno Moura, Marco Knoop and Pedro Lopes had all left the club alongside the head coach.

Pereira, 57, was appointed Forest head coach in February on an 18-month contract which runs until 2027.

The Athletic reported in May Forest had been planning to show their faith in Pereira by handing the head coach a new long-term contract, but those talks were subsequently put on hold.

“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” he said in his statement.

“I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club. Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future.

“Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.

“Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club’s Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever. Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.

“I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment—only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories. Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.”

The Portuguese succeeded Sean Dyche and was Forest’s fourth permanent boss of the season following the departures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.

Nuno had led Forest to Europa League qualification the previous season but he departed in September, less than three months after signing a new deal. Postecoglou was appointed his replacement but was dismissed just 39 days later. Dyche took charge of the team in October before his dismissal in February.

Forest were three points above the relegation zone when Pereira was appointed and he subsequently steered his side to Premier League safety with two games of the campaign remaining.

His appointment marked his second managerial spell in the Premier League after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety during the 2024-25 campaign.

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