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NSA Nuhu Ribadu confirmed El-Rufai tapped his phone, according to the DSS in a Federal High Court Abuja investigation

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The trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on charges of treason and breach of national security continued on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with prosecutors presenting a television interview in which he allegedly discussed receiving a wiretapped conversation involving the National Security Adviser (NSA).

During the proceedings, the prosecution played a 43-minute TV interview featuring El-Rufai, in which he reportedly stated that someone had intercepted a private conversation involving the NSA and forwarded it to him. In the interview, the former governor was said to have defended the practice, claiming that governments routinely monitor communications.

A prosecution witness testified that investigators interviewed the National Security Adviser following the broadcast. The NSA verbally confirmed that the conversation referenced by El-Rufai had taken place between him and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The ICPC Chairman also corroborated the existence of the discussion after portions of the interview were played to him.

The court heard that the TV anchor, Charles Aniagolu, activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju, and the cameraman were invited for questioning. Aniagolu reportedly confirmed that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that the conversation was intercepted and passed to him, while reiterating that such practices are common among governments.

The prosecution tendered statements from Aniagolu and Adeyanju, which were admitted without objection from the defence as Exhibits C, C1, and E respectively. A statement from the cameraman, Ugochukwu Agalayana, was admitted as Exhibit D. Agalayana confirmed setting up the recording equipment but said he did not follow the content of the conversation.

According to the witness, investigators viewed El-Rufai’s remarks in the interview as an “open confession” regarding the interception of the NSA’s conversation. The team concluded that the act could undermine national security and recommended prosecution. A preliminary investigation report was admitted as Exhibit F.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Paul Erokoro, the witness admitted that investigators did not examine any communication devices belonging to the NSA, obtain IP addresses, or carry out forensic analysis of the alleged interception. He explained, however, that such steps were deemed unnecessary after the NSA confirmed the authenticity of the conversation.

The witness acknowledged that El-Rufai did not claim in the interview to have personally carried out the interception, but maintained that the former governor repeatedly stood by the assertion that the conversation had been tapped and forwarded to him. When asked if El-Rufai might have been boasting in a politically charged appearance, the witness described him as “a person of integrity” and said he believed the statements were genuine.

After the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to June 22 and 23 for continuation of hearing.

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Streams Of Joy International Reverses Erroneous Transaction Following Viral Video

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SOJ has confirmed the successful reversal of an erroneous transaction involving a woman whose complaint was recently shared in a viral video.

In a statement, the Streams of Joy International said its direct-message channels and official contact lines remain open to members of the public for reporting transaction-related concerns.

SOJ explained that it routinely receives, investigates and resolves reports of erroneous transactions through an established verification process.

According to the statement, no call, email, direct message or formal complaint had been received from the woman before the video was published.

However, upon becoming aware of the video, streams of Joy international said it immediately attempted to contact her using the phone number provided and through direct message.

The woman has since responded, and following the necessary investigation and confirmation, the transaction was successfully reversed.

SOJ reaffirmed its commitment to addressing genuine complaints promptly, transparently and responsibly through its official communication channels.

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Controlling Roaming Cows in Abuja Not Our Responsibility – Police

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The Nigeria Police Force has said it is not responsible for controlling roaming cattle in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, stating that its intervention would only become necessary when the animals are linked to an offence.

The police spokesperson, CSP Ani Iniedu, made this known on Tuesday during a joint security spokespersons’ briefing while responding to concerns over the increasing presence of cows on Abuja roads and other public spaces.

According to Iniedu, the responsibility for controlling animals, including cattle, lies with the relevant environmental authorities.

“The responsibility for the control of animals is the Ministry or Department of the Environment. Where we come in is if the cow has committed an offence or the cow is involved in the destruction of your property or trespassing your property.

“If that is the case, it is reported to the nearest police station,” he said.

He added that the police would investigate any formal complaint involving offences allegedly committed by roaming cattle.

“We will commence investigation immediately. That is if a complaint was made. If it is going out to look for cows, it is not one of our responsibilities,” Iniedu stated.

The clarification followed growing concerns over cattle roaming freely on major roads and in other parts of Abuja, with residents raising fears about traffic disruptions, public safety and possible damage to property.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had earlier declined to comment extensively on the issue, saying it was connected to national security.

Wike said, “I have the capacity to deal with cow grazing in Abuja, but I won’t talk about it because it’s national security. Go to the NSA and the DSS DG. You know why I can’t touch it.”

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Vice-Chancellor Not Involved In Recruitment Process, MOUAU Clarifies

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The management of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has issued a clarification stating that its newly appointed Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, played no role in the institution’s recent staff recruitment exercise.

In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Anyaso Anyaso, the university explained that the recruitment process, including the capture of successful applicants for payroll, had already been concluded before March 1, 2026, when Prof. Akanwa assumed office as the university’s 7th Vice-Chancellor.

According to the statement, the Federal Government approved a waiver for the recruitment of 426 staff, a figure also endorsed by the University’s Governing Council. However, appointment letters were reportedly issued to 618 persons, while 553 names were captured on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). The statement added that the system ultimately uploaded only the 426 positions approved by the Federal Government and the Governing Council.

The university further stressed that the Vice-Chancellor has no access to the GIFMIS platform and therefore cannot add, remove, or alter any names on the payroll.

MOUAU urged members of the public and stakeholders to disregard what it described as misleading insinuations regarding the Vice-Chancellor’s involvement in the recruitment, advising the public to rely only on official university communication channels for verified information.

The statement reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to transparency and called on the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports.

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