Month: April 2025

Daily Trust

Parties involved in the investigation of the alleged drug-related case involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 1990s are expected to release investigation reports on Friday, May 2 as ordered by the court.

The agencies expected to make their investigation reports available are US Attorneys, Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The release followed an order of a US District Court for the District Court of Columbia, which in early April ordered remaining parties in the matter, apart from CIA, to jointly file the report on the status of any outstanding issues in this case, as described in the accompanying order to release the documents on May 2, 2025.

The orders, according to the Premium Times, came from Judge Beryl Howell, on a freedom of information request, which he affirmed that withholding same from public disclosure is “neither logical nor plausible.”

The suit was filed by an American, Aaron Greenspan, in June 2023 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) against the offices of the US agencies, accusing them of violating the FOIA by failing to release within the statutory time “documents relating to purported federal investigations into” President Tinubu and one Abiodun Agbele.

Between 2022 and 2023, Greenspan filed 12 FOIA requests with six different US government agencies and components seeking information about a joint investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS, DEA, and the US Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Indiana and Northern District of Illinois.

In each FOIA request, the American sought criminal investigative records about four named individuals “allegedly associated with the drug ring: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lee Andrew Edwards, Mueez Abegboyega Akande, and Abiodun Agbele.”

Lawyers had earlier told Daily Trust that the order was amenable to appeal.

However, the Presidency said the information being sought was not new and that it did not indict the president.

One of the suspected promoters of the cryptocurrency trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, Adefowora Abiodun, who was recently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, voluntarily surrendered himself to the anti-graft agency on Monday.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in a ruling on Thursday last week, approved the EFCC’s request to arrest and detain six promoters of CBEX pending the conclusion of investigations into the alleged offences and possible prosecution.

Abiodun, alongside five others – Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim – was declared wanted by the EFCC following submissions made by the commission’s counsel, Fadila Yusuf.

After hearing the EFCC’s application, Justice Nwite ruled, “I have listened to the submission of learned counsel for the applicant. I have also reviewed the affidavit evidence and exhibits, along with the written address. I am satisfied that the application is meritorious and hereby grant it as prayed.”

All six promoters were declared wanted by the EFCC for their alleged involvement in a fraudulent investment scheme valued at over $1bn.

Following the declaration, Abiodun, accompanied by his lawyers, turned himself in at the EFCC headquarters at around 4:00 p.m. on Monday.

Abiodun expressed his willingness to cooperate with the EFCC.

Counsel for the suspect, Babatunde Busari, stated that his client decided to submit himself for investigation to clear his name and correct the false narrative being widely circulated in the media.

Punch Newspaper

Warri refinery shutdown drags on since January 25…

P/Harcourt refinery struggles at under 40% production capacity

Industry operators and experts have questioned the operational integrity of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, particularly regarding transparency, efficiency, and overall management of Nigeria’s refineries under its purview.

This is after the revelation that the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company has remained shut since January 25, 2025, due to safety issues in its Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater.

An April 2025 document on the Midstream and Downstream sector obtained from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority revealed that the refinery, which consumed $897.6m in maintenance costs, failed to produce Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and was shut down barely a month after former NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, declared it operational.

Industry operators and experts described this as disheartening, while further findings showed that the Port Harcourt Refining Company, which resumed operations in November 2024, has been operating below 40 per cent capacity.

The PUNCH reports that the 125,000 barrels per day capacity Warri refinery, which had been moribund for decades due to technical issues, was brought back to life by the national oil company on December 30, 2024.

Situated in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji areas of Warri, the petrochemical plant has an annual production capacity of 13,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene and 18,000 metric tonnes of carbon black.

Commissioned in 1978, the WRPC is operated by the NNPC and was established to cater to the markets in Nigeria’s southern and southwestern regions.

The PUNCH reported that President Bola Tinubu commended the NNPCL for completing the refurbishment of the 125,000-bpd capacity Warri refinery, which reportedly kicked off operations at 60 per cent capacity.

It is focused on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene, Automotive Gas Oil (diesel), and heavy and light Naphtha.

Briefing his team before the tour following the revitalisation, Kyari had said many Nigerians doubt such projects were real or possible in the country, but insisted the revitalisation was genuine and visible.

Kyari said, “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.

“I must congratulate our team for their determination and extreme belief that this company can restart this plant. This has brought the result we are seeing in collaboration with our contractors. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down. We have proved this.”

However, the document obtained exclusively from the NMDPRA, providing detailed production data for each refinery in the country, revealed that the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, with an installed capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, has remained shut since January 25, 2025.

The report linked the shutdown to critical faults in the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater, which raised safety concerns and forced a complete halt in operations.

“The Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company was shut down on 25th Jan. 2025 due to safety concerns over the CDU Main Heater,” the document stated.

It further stated that the Port Harcourt refinery, with a nameplate capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, has been operating at just 37.87 per cent of its installed capacity six months after its long-awaited revitalisation.

The refinery’s monthly production data showed that it produced a monthly average of 82.55 million litres of refined petroleum products between November 2024 and April 2025, 135.45ML less than its estimated optimal production of 218 million litres per month.

The latest development also contradicts claims by the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, that the Port Harcourt refinery recommissioned on November 26, 2024, was operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to increase output to 90 per cent in subsequent months.

The refinery’s output consists of Premium Motor Spirit blending components, including Straight-Run Gasoline and Straight-Run Naphtha, as well as Automotive Gas Oil (diesel). The plant, equipped with a Hydrocracker Unit, produced high-value fuels such as jet fuel, Household Kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and naphtha.

At its recommissioning, the state-owned firm stated that the Port Harcourt refinery would produce daily outputs of 1.4 million litres of Straight-Run Gasoline blended into Premium Motor Spirit, 900,000 liters of Kerosene, 1.5 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 2.1 million litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil, and additional volumes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

The $1.5bn rehabilitation project, funded through a loan facility backed by international financial institutions, was projected to restore the state-owned facility to full operational status after years of dormancy and seven postponements.

The PUNCH recalls several deadlines for the commencement of fuel production at the Port Harcourt refinery, with the latest failure occurring in September 2024, from its earlier target of December 2023.

During the unveiling, NNPC officials embarked on a tour around the facility where they took samples of petrol, diesel, and kerosene. It was stated that about 200 trucks of petrol would be released into the Nigerian market daily.

Similarly, President Tinubu, in celebrating the restart, stated that it would contribute to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing energy security, and boosting Nigeria’s export capacity.

“In alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda focused on shared economic prosperity for all, the President reaffirms his administration’s commitment to achieving energy sufficiency, enhancing energy security, and boosting export capacity for Nigeria,” a statement by the presidency noted.

Recently, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria commended the NNPCL for successfully running the revamped Port Harcourt Refinery for 180 days non-stop. The association, in a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Dr Joseph Obele, said the refinery had been dormant for over 20 years.

He said its members were loading diesel and Dual Purpose Kerosene from the refinery, while NNPC Ltd. retail marketers were loading PMS.

Obele said, “It was commissioned in October 2024 and has been running continuously for 180 days, up to March 2025; it is a remarkable feat that underscores the effectiveness of the rehabilitation project.”

But the new document highlighting the refinery’s true state said the facility didn’t exceed 42.23 per cent of its operational capacity within the six-month period. It disclosed that the facility produced more diesel than PMS blending components of Straight-Run Gasoline and Straight-Run Naphtha.

The total production figure was derived from the cumulative output of various refined petroleum products, including the blending components for PMS, AGO, and HKK products. According to oil and gas experts, one barrel of crude, when heated and refined, can produce 159 litres of refined products.

A detailed breakdown revealed that in November, the refinery produced 9.51 million litres, significantly below its operational capacity of 38.16 million litres. This represents a meagre 24.92 per cent utilisation, with a shortfall of 28.65 million litres.

In December, the refinery saw a remarkable increase in production, rising by 1,044 per cent to 108 million litres. However, this output still fell short of the expected monthly production of 286.20 million litres, utilising just 38.01 per cent of its capacity and leaving a substantial shortfall of 177.41 million litres.

In January, the refinery produced 120.91 million litres of refined products, representing just 42.2 per cent of its full 286.20 million-litre capacity, according to production data.

This was followed by a slight decline in February, where 111.81 million litres were produced, equating to 39.1 per cent of the refinery’s total capacity. In March, production further decreased to 100.03 million litres, which accounted for 35 per cent of the expected output for the month.

In the first 13 days of April, the refinery produced 44.24 million litres, amounting to 35.7 per cent of the projected capacity of 124.02 million litres for the month.

A detailed product-by-product analysis of the refinery’s output reveals significant fluctuations in production across various categories. In November, the refinery produced 4.38 million litres of PMS, which surged to 40.32 million litres in December, and continued increasing in January with 41.76 million litres.

However, production dropped to 39.34 million litres in February and 34.21 million litres in March, before falling further to 15.22 million litres in the first 13 days of April.

For AGO, commonly known as diesel, the refinery produced 3.49 million litres in November, with a sharp increase to 40.72 million litres in December. The output then peaked at 55.10 million litres in January, followed by slight decreases to 47.33 million litres in February, 45.38 million litres in March, and 18.96 million litres in the first half of April.

HKK production saw more modest but still notable variations, with 1.64 million litres in November, rising sharply to 27.75 million litres in December. This was followed by a dip to 24.05 million litres in February and 25.14 million litres in March, before declining further to 10.06 million litres in April. This data highlights the refinery’s erratic production pattern across key petroleum products, underlining ongoing challenges in meeting expected outputs and operational efficiency.

The daily average data showed that in November, the facility trucked out an average of 238,080 litres of PMS per day, which spiked to 538,600 litres per day in December. However, the output dropped in January, with a daily average of 275,630 litres of PMS and 347,380 litres of diesel. In February, the refinery produced 85,480 litres of PMS and 639,240 litres of diesel on average per day, marking another dip in PMS production.

Remarkably, the refinery recorded zero litres of PMS evacuation in both March and April, underscoring a significant shortfall. In contrast, diesel production increased sharply, with a daily average of 865,110 litres in March and 968,460 litres in the first half of April.

On its part, the Warri refinery, which has remained shut for four months, produced 1.96ml of AGO, 2.84ml of HKK in December and 10ml of AGO and 12ml of HKK in January 2025.

When contacted by our correspondent, the NNPCL spokesperson declined to comment on the issue. Questions sent to his WhatsApp line were not answered. But Soneye, in a statement released in February, had admitted that the facility was undergoing a planned routine maintenance programme aimed at ensuring optimal operations.

According to him, operations at WRPC were halted to carry out repairs for efficient service delivery. He added that routine maintenance was progressing and operations would be back in the next few days.

The statement read, “NNPC Ltd wishes to clarify that there was no explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company. Any reports suggesting otherwise are completely false.

“On January 25, 2025, operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations.

“These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil and Kerosene. The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and 1 will be back in operation within the next few days.”

Operators, experts react

The company’s silence has further fueled skepticism among operators and energy analysts, who argue that years of investment in Nigeria’s state-run refineries have yielded little tangible results.

Weighing in on the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, described the situation as “disheartening,” calling for urgent reforms and accountability within the nation’s ailing refinery sector.

He also urged the President to declare a state of emergency on the refineries and carry out a holistic review of staff and workers at the facility.

He said, “When the former GMD announced the resumption of these two refineries, it was a relief to not only marketers but commuters and petroleum users nationwide. That was a very significant announcement and an opportunity to be able to buy petroleum products either from Dangote, Port Harcourt, or Warri refinery.

“But it is very, very disheartening that a refinery that gulped a whole lot of money would be shut down in less than two months of operations. That is a total waste, and people should be held responsible. I also urge the President to review the staff and workers in all these refineries and declare a state of emergency on them.

“It is not only in Rivers State that we can declare a state of emergency. It can be declared in an organization that you have put in so much, and they are bedridden. This development has now left us in the hands of Dangote, who is the sole source of petroleum products and profiteering. We have kicked against this as marketers, so for us, it is a bad business because the real competition is not there.”

He noted, however, that while marketers would remain committed to buying and selling, it would be more beneficial to have multiple sources of products.

“When you talk about the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, you must talk about it holistically. Allowing marketers to liberalise the market and be able to buy from wherever they want to source products. Now, we have a mono-source, and anytime Dangote reduces, everyone has to follow, losing billions of naira.

“There is no business anywhere because the beauty of deregulation is competition. You can’t open a refinery, and on the resumption, it would load only four trucks, which is disheartening. The next day, you load six trucks, epileptic loading for a refinery that has gulped so much of our nation’s wealth,” Ukadike stated.

A petroleum expert, Bala Zaka, criticised the ongoing operations of state-owned refineries, stating that despite claims of functionality, Nigerians have yet to see any tangible benefits in the form of reduced prices for diesel, petrol, and other petroleum products

Zaka, speaking in a telephone interview said, “As far as I am concerned, the workability of any aspect of a country’s economy is supposed to be seen practically in the way and manner prices of goods and services come down. And as far as the output of the state-owned refinery is concerned, this objective has not been achieved. If the price of diesel, petrol, and other petroleum products doesn’t reduce, then all the technicalities don’t make any sense.

“If our state-owned refineries were truly functional as claimed by the government, by now, Nigerians should have seen a good and substantial reduction in the price of diesel, petrol, cooking gas, and other products. So far, these products have not reduced in price, there’s no technicality to prove that they were actually working since.”

However, the expert firmly rejected calls for the privatisation of the refineries, emphasizing that member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries successfully operate state-run refineries.

He insisted that the government must take comprehensive and decisive action to restore and maintain the full functionality of its own refineries, rather than relinquishing control to private interests.

An oil and gas expert and former adviser to a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Dan Kunle, described the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries as a scandal.

Kunle stated this while fielding questions on Diaspora Dialogues, an online panel discussion.

Responding to questions from Professor Farooq Kperogi and other panelists on the topic, ’Kyari Out, Ojulari In: Politics and Corruption in NNPC’, Kunle said the removal of Mele Kyari, as well as the appointment of Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, was long overdue.

The energy expert argued that Kyari did not complete a single project during his time at the NNPC, saying Kyari’s much-celebrated rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries was mere propaganda to deceive Nigerians.

He stated that the former NNPC team created wealth for themselves but failed to create value for the country.

“Ojulari’s appointment is the most desired appointment I have longed for as far back as 2021. Anybody can check the trend of my disposition and exposure to the then management of the NNPC. I said these guys cannot deliver any good to this country.

“I insisted because I knew their level of competency, ineptitude, and irresponsibility in that place. I chose my words carefully. So, Bayo Ojulari’s appointment, whether it is Bayo or any other competent person that would have replaced Mele, I am one of the happiest persons with President Bola Tinubu for taking that decision. He even took it too late.

“There was a time on television when I said if I was privileged to meet President Tinubu, I would ask him, Mr President, when are you going to get Kyari out of that place and put a more competent person in Nigeria to run. The person can be from Maiduguri or anywhere.

“There are competent people from all over Nigeria. I just want a core competent person to replace Mele. That’s all. It’s because I knew the team was not going to deliver any good for the country. And I meant it. And it has been proven. They never surpassed 1.7 – 1.8 million (barrels of oil output per day) for the last six years. See what we have gone through.

“And they never completed any project. Even the only project, the Escravo-Lagos gas pipeline, which they completed, could not be commissioned effectively. So, I know what I’m talking about. The (Ojulari) appointment is very appropriate, very timely, and very welcome by the industry. I speak for the industry,” Kunle stated.

Speaking about the NNPC refineries, Kunle disagreed with reports that Kyari succeeded in bringing back the moribund facilities after many unsuccessful years of trying.

“You see, when public officers use our money to launch media campaigns against citizens, telling lies and propaganda, it pains me. I’m among the people who have fair knowledge and understanding of the industry. So, I see public officers of that rank now using our resources to use the media to project what is not to the citizens; it pains me. And they seem to always get a cross-section of the media and the labour to be on their side.

“They even went to the extent of recruiting past Group Managing Directors to endorse him (Kyari). If what you are doing is so good, it will be transparently known by everybody that you are doing very well. Those projects they claimed he commissioned or revived, was he the one who drove them? Was he the one who drove the Dangote refinery? Dangote refinery and its team, Edwin drove the Dangote refinery — Engineering, procurement, and construction, installation, and commissioning. So, all the projects that were driven by NNPC, show me any one that was completed.

“The refinery rehabilitation is a scandal. We told them not to go that way. They went ahead to do that. As we are talking, all those refineries that have been ‘politically’ completed, as they told us, have they been economically and engineering process-wise completed? No. LNG Train One to Six, is it working? No, two trains are working there. Train Seven is there. All the gas pipeline projects OB3 to Cross River/Niger are stranded. AKK is stranded. So, mention one project to me. With all the propaganda, I am amazed at times. The reason why some of us must talk, even at the risk of our life, is because of this trend since 1966 of the elites looking away from the public managers that run down their country,” he submitted.

The energy expert regretted that public officers ran down critical institutions in Nigeria, including the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited as well as electricity, education, health, and others.

“We ran down the educational system of Nigeria. We ran down the health system of Nigeria. We ran down the public works system of Nigeria. We ran down NEPA. We ran down NITEL. We ran down NPA. We ran down the railway. We ran down everything.

“NNPC was the only institution left that was still generating money for this country. We allowed a team of these boys to run it down. And we will be hailing them. Our political leaders will even be approving national merit awards for them.

“The last team that led NNPC, all the professors of geophysics and geology and engineering that taught them in the university, in the last 15 years, what is the status of those professors compared to that team that those boys led? Just go and compare the kind of wealth those boys created for themselves and their cronies. So, I think we need to start interrogating our public managers and stop using propaganda to support them that they complete this, they complete that. They don’t function. Those things never function.

“They never give you back anything. Is Ajakuta producing anything? And you have a whole minister of steel. And they will tell you the steel industry is doing well. How is the steel industry doing well? These are the issues,” he said.

The stakeholder sought to know Kyari’s project that added value to the nation’s economy.m, accusing him of diverting funds from the upstream to the midstream and downstream.

“Which project did he (Kyari) do to add value to the economy of this country? He took the money from the upstream revenue to waste in the midstream and downstream. Please, this is my take, not biased. I have no problem with the personality of people. If you do good, you are my brother. If you do good, you are my sister. I don’t care about your tribe. I don’t care about what you worship. Humanity must fight for the common good of humanity because our stay on this earth is temporary. That’s my own philosophy,” he stated

Access Bank says it is cooperating with law enforcement authorities after sacking a staff member accused of secretly filming colleagues in the bank’s restrooms.

In a statement signed by the bank’s management in response to the incident, Access Bank confirmed that the incident had been escalated to the appropriate authorities and that an investigation is underway.

“We uphold a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and any form of privacy violation,” the statement read.

“We are fully cooperating with the authorities and engaging with affected employees to provide all necessary support.”

The bank urged the public to rely on updates shared through its official communication channels, emphasising that the safety, dignity, and well-being of employees and customers remain its highest priority.

The response follows viral social media reports identifying the former employee as Stephen Ifeanyichukwu Ejezie, a former quality assurance specialist at Access Bank’s contact centre in Oniru, Lagos.

Ejezie was allegedly caught in the female restroom around 1:30am on Wednesday after secretly recording hundreds of video clips of colleagues.

Although his employment has been terminated, some affected staff have expressed concerns about their chances of obtaining justice.

Access Bank thanked stakeholders for their concern and support as investigations continue.

The Federal government has announced the commencement of routine recruitment for diplomats across 109 diplomatic missions worldwide.

The recruitment exercise covers 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates.

In a circular signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, it was stated that applications are open for both diplomatic and non-diplomatic positions and will be based on merit.

The circular, dated April 17, 2025, called for applications from Nigerians for both administrative and non-administrative roles.

The invite is titled, “The Federal Government Of Nigeria Begins Routine Recruitment Of Diplomats In 109 Diplomatic Missions Worldwide, Comprising 76 Embassies, 22 High Commissions And 11 Consulates.’

It stated, “The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs invite qualified Nigerians at home and in diaspora to submit their merit based administrative and non-administrative diplomats’ applications for routine recruitment.

“Applicants must be of the age 35-65.

“Application Letters and Curriculum Vitae (CV) are to be sent via email to: foreignaffairsnigerians@gmail.com and the following emails must be copied accordingly info@interior.gov.ng and info@foreignaffairs.gov.ng.

“Applicants must contact the Diplomatic Channels via Telegram @diplomaticchannelsng to confirm receipt of their applications.

“Applicants must avail themselves for virtual screening (VIDEO INTERVIEW) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.”

All inquiries and queries are to be directed to the Diplomatic Channels Telegram @diplomaticchannelsng,” it added.

In September 2023, President Bola Tinubu ordered the recall of all career and non-career Nigerian ambassadors.

Tuggar revealed this in response to inquiries after reports emerged that Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Isola, had been directed to return home by October 31, 2023.

Tuggar clarified that the recall of all envoys was comprehensive.

The minister’s media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said, “Sequel to inquiries on the letter recalling the Nigerian ambassador to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has clarified that all career and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on the instructions of President Bola Tinubu.

“Ambassadors, as representatives of the country, serve at the behest of the President, and it is his prerogative to send or recall them from any country.”

Recently, there were reports that Tinubu’s administration had begun screening individuals for ambassadorship positions, but no official confirmation has been made thus far.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in March that the Nigerian government had begun vetting potential candidates to head its more than 100 diplomatic missions, with appointments expected “very soon”.

The Reuters report noted that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist insurgents in West Africa, had been without ambassadors since September 2023. It added that the minister of foreign affairs had previously attributed the delay in appointing new diplomats to a lack of funds.

A government source told Reuters that the issue was “being resolved” and “that means the appointment will be announced very soon.”

According to an intelligence official, Nigeria’s security services were carrying out background checks on potential appointees and had begun sharing their findings with relevant agencies within the presidency and the legislature.

Vanguard News

Babatunde Adetomiwa Stafford “Tomiwa” Edun, professionally known as Adetomiwa Edun, is a talented actor of Nigerian descent based in the United Kingdom.

Born on March 4, 1984, in Lagos, Nigeria, Edun is the son of Adebayo Olawale Edun, Nigeria’s current Minister of Finance, and Amy Adwoa Edun, daughter of Ghanaian statesman Joa Appiah.

His rich cultural heritage has significantly shaped his worldview and artistry.

At the age of 11, Edun relocated with his family to the United Kingdom, where his love for acting and theatre blossomed.

Education and Career Journey
Edun’s academic journey began at the prestigious Eton College, after which he pursued a degree in Classics at Christ’s College, part of the University of Cambridge. In his final year, he was awarded the dissertation prize for his outstanding thesis on Homer’s Odyssey.

Although he initially flirted with the idea of a banking career—completing an internship at Citi Group, inspired perhaps by his father’s success in the finance world—Edun ultimately chose to follow his passion for acting.

In 2008, Edun further honed his craft by enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), one of the world’s leading drama schools, setting the stage for a flourishing acting career.

Tomiwa Edun: A Force on Stage and Screen
Edun began acting professionally in 2000, making an early impression at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his role as Clifford in Kassandra. He went on to star in a range of theatre productions, earning accolades for performances in Lionboy, Romeo and Juliet, and Translations.

His portrayal of Macbeth in a National Theatre production was particularly celebrated, with critics praising him as “charismatic” and “a fine verse speaker.”

On television, Tomiwa Edun became a familiar face with his role as Sir Elyan in the popular BBC series Merlin. His television credits also include appearances in Lucifer, The Fixer, Law & Order: UK—where he portrayed a soldier returning from Afghanistan—Elementary, and a memorable role as Mr. Brocks in a Doctor Who Christmas special.

Edun’s film work is equally impressive. He has appeared in movies such as A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life, What Happened to Monday, Cinderella, and In the Cloud.

Embracing His Nigerian Roots
In addition to his international projects, Edun has proudly connected with his Nigerian roots.

He starred in Nollywood films like Banana Island Ghost and From Lagos with Love (2018), where he portrayed Paul de Sande.

Breaking New Ground
Expanding his versatility even further, Edun ventured into motion capture and video games, lending his voice and likeness to the character Alex Hunter, the protagonist of The Journey story mode featured in FIFA 17, FIFA 18, and FIFA 19.

Tomiwa Edun ties knot with lover
Tomiwa, in April 2025, tied the nuptial knot with actress Leanne Elizabeth Best in a beautiful ceremony in Lagos.

Among those in attendance were Vice President Kashim Shettima, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Minister Atiku Bagudu and his wife, Senator Sani Musa, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is said to be a longtime family friend of the Eduns, Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Chairman of Heirs Holding, Mr Tony Elumelu.

Punch Newspaper

No fewer than 40 persons have been arrested and are facing prosecution for impersonating candidates during the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has disclosed.

This is as many parents and guardians are lamenting that the 6.30 am resumption time for the exam was too early for candidates, adding that many may have to travel several kilometres to their examination centres.

The 2025 UTME, which commenced on Thursday, April 24, will run until Monday, May 5.

According to JAMB, over 2,030,627 candidates are sitting for this year’s examination across accredited Computer-Based Test centres nationwide.

A mother of a candidate who claimed to live in Awoyaya in the Lekki area of Lagos but whose 14-year-old son was posted to a centre in Ikorodu stated that the young man may miss the examination because of the time.

“The examination slip states that candidates are expected at the centre by 6.30am. So, that means my son must be on the road by 4 am. I don’t drive. We don’t have a car. He would have to take a bus. Even if I decide to go with him, how are we supposed to get a bus at that time, and how are we supposed to get to Ikorodu before 6.30am?

“This is wickedness. JAMB should look into this and move the exam forward. 6.30am for an examination is too early.”

A guardian, Olaoluwa Yinka, lamenting on X, wrote, “My younger sister has just travelled today for her UTME tomorrow morning. From Abeokuta, she was sent to Ijebu Igbo by 6.30am. This is very absurd.

“When I wrote JAMB, I did so around 9 am and the heavens did not fall. This CBT is the problem. Students get to the centre, and sometimes the systems don’t work as well.”

Another X user, Lucas Oluwadare (@lucasoluwadare1), wrote, “My younger sister is scheduled to sit the exams tomorrow by 6.30am, too. She has to come sleep over at my apartment since it’s closer, so she will meet up as early as possible tomorrow morning. The anyhowness of this country is top notch.”

Social media activist, Rinu Oduala, tweeted, “Again, why are you scheduling exams for 6.30am, @JAMBHQ? And expect teenagers to find their ways 50km plus away from home? How can educated people make nonsensical policies for citizens and kids in this country? Does it make any sense?”

A mother, Nnem Chacha-Gold, who spoke to this reporter on Saturday, said her only daughter had to leave home by 4.30am to get to the venue of her exam by 6.30am.

“I had to follow my daughter to her centre in Ikorodu from Ejigbo. When I got there, they said we (parents) were not welcome at the centre. I even learnt that candidates slept outside their centres to meet up. I can’t imagine my own child sleeping on the street overnight just to meet up. Goodness!”

Meanwhile, a young female candidate, said to be 16 years old, Esther Oladele, was said to have missed her way to her centre.

A man on X, Richard (@Rickson_), who claimed to be her brother, said she travelled from Ajah to Epe on Thursday, April 24, but was said to have joined the wrong bus.

Richard added that it had been nearly 24 hours since anyone had last heard from her, as he shared a message she had sent to their other sister.

The post read, “It’s been almost 24 hours since we haven’t heard from my sister. She was going to Epe from Ajah around 1 pm yesterday (Thursday) for her UTME. The last message she sent to us reads thus: ‘I’m scared. I think I entered the wrong car, and my eyes are itchy. E be like say I want to sleep.’”

This elicited many X users to begin a search online, alerting the authorities to look for the young lady.

After almost 48 hours, Richard came back to X to confirm that Esther had been found in faraway Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The picture that surfaced online of Esther showed her in tacky clothing, and parts of her hair were untidy.

The flier read, “We are overjoyed to share that Esther is home safe and sound! Words cannot express our gratitude to everyone who played a part in bringing her back. Your reposts, prayers, and unwavering support gave us strength and hope throughout this difficult time. We are eternally grateful for the kindness and compassion of our community.”

Speaking on the issue of impersonation, Benjamin lamented the persistent cases of malpractice despite the board’s efforts to sanitise the examination process.

He noted that although other countries have successfully conducted centralised examinations remotely, Nigeria’s context made such innovation impracticable for now.

“If Nigerians want comfort, let us behave very well. If we are transparent, we can do these CBT exams at home and submit them online. We will just send questions to them and they will answer and send them back to us. Then, we will grade and send them back the results,” Benjamin said. “But, you know what will happen if we try to do that. Several countries are doing their central examinations from home. But, can we do that in Nigeria?”

UTME starts at 8am, not 6am – JAMB

Benjamin also clarified that the ongoing 2025 UTME commences at 8am daily, not at 6 am or 6.30am as widely misunderstood.

Speaking in an interview on Saturday, Benjamin explained that while candidates are expected to arrive at their designated CBT centres by 6.30am for necessary pre-examination formalities, the examination proper does not start until 8am.

“Our exams (UTME) start at 8am. There is no exam by 6am or 6.30am,” Benjamin said. “If you are flying today and your exam is by 8am, you are advised to be at the airport an hour or so before that time.

“There is no examination at 6.30am. All exams start at 8 o’clock, but no one is expected to stroll to the examination hall by 8am without any pre-examination checks. We do this to guide these candidates.”

He noted that announcing the exam time as 8am without adequate pre-arrival expectations would lead many candidates to arrive late.

“Once we tell them the examination is by 8am, they will show up at 8.30am or 10am and start telling us cock and bull stories. I know a reasonable number of them will come late even if it is fixed at 12pm,” he added.

Addressing concerns about candidates having to leave home very early to meet the check-in time, Benjamin maintained that daybreak across Nigeria typically occurs around 6am, making it safe enough for candidates to set out early.

“In any case, 6.30am anywhere in Nigeria is daybreak. I came out today at 6am, and it was as bright as anything. But I need to stress that the examination is not at 6am. The first session of our exams starts at 8 am.

“But candidates are expected to be at the centre from 6.30am. Some of them still come by 7am or 7.30am. But if you come to that centre 30 minutes late, you won’t sit the examination because they must have done some preliminaries that you won’t be able to do.”

Faraway centres

On concerns over long distances to examination centres, the JAMB spokesperson insisted that the board had made adequate arrangements to ensure that no candidate travels excessively.

“Do they want JAMB to build a centre for them in their backyards so they can write the exam there?” Benjamin queried.

“This is something someone does once a year. That same person would get to the airport by 4am if he were billed to travel to London and British Airways sets the check-in time at 4.30am. But when they come to Nigeria, they don’t want to make any sacrifice.”

He further explained that the 6.30am check-in arrangement applies to less than 10 per cent of the total number of candidates sitting for the examination.

“We have four schedules in a day. There is a schedule for an exam at 8 am, another at 11 am, another at 2 pm, and there is the last one at 3pm. Within this 10 per cent, the number of candidates who would need to travel one or two kilometres to their exam centres is less than one per cent. Most of these candidates scheduled for 8 am will stroll to their centres,” he said.

Benjamin also clarified that candidates are allowed to select their preferred examination towns during registration, ensuring that centres assigned are within reasonable proximity.

“We have what we call examination towns. Within these towns, centres are clustered. Candidates are at liberty to choose their examination towns. If you are on the mainland of Lagos, there are many exam towns in that region. The way it is designed, we look at centres that are close to the towns these candidates have chosen, and we fix them in a nearby centre. It is a matter of proximity.”

He added, “We know the transport system in Lagos is clumsy, but there is no town that is so far away from the centre that the candidate is going to write from. It is assumed by JAMB that the candidate has chosen a centre closest to them. We have put measures in place so that candidates don’t travel more than 1km to sit the examination. We quite understand the security situation. We don’t have centres built for everybody.”

Benjamin assured that in the future, as Nigeria’s infrastructure develops, the country could have an even more candidate-friendly system.

“When we develop like Qatar, Singapore and other developed countries, we will have centres for everyone,” he said.

Adamawa parents demand cancellation

Meanwhile, parents of candidates who sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination at the Modibbo Adama University Computer-Based Test centre in Yola, Adamawa State, have demanded the cancellation of the exam following major disruptions caused by a power failure.

The parents, who protested at the centre on Friday, expressed outrage after the generator powering the computers ran out of fuel midway through the examination.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that for over 30 minutes, the candidates were left stranded, with their time ticking away after they had already logged into the system.

Speaking with our correspondent, a parent, Peter Vandu, said his daughter was unable to complete her examination due to the unexpected power outage.

He described the situation as unfair, calling on JAMB to cancel all results from the affected sessions.

“We cannot allow our children’s future to be jeopardised because of negligence. My daughter was in the middle of her exam when everything shut down. JAMB must cancel the exercise at this centre and reschedule it, or we will seek legal redress,” Vandu said.

Several other parents shared a similar view, threatening to sue JAMB if the results from the disrupted sessions are released without rescheduling the exam.

Reps panel to probe UTME

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies has assured the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board of its readiness to assist in addressing the challenges militating against the conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination across the country.

The Chairman of the Committee, Oboku Oforji, made the promise during an oversight exercise to monitor the ongoing UTME in some centres within the Federal Capital Territory, on Friday.

A statement issued by the media unit of the committee on Saturday quoted Oforji as describing UTME as a vehicle used by young Nigerians in their journey to self-discovery.

“To me and the committee, we are very proud of what JAMB is doing. Seeing what they are doing today gives us hope for our country,” Oforji said.

Oforji, however, noted a few challenges at some of the centres, particularly the absence of basic amenities such as air conditioning and first aid services.

This was just as the committee identified some challenges, including poorly ventilated halls and the lack of medical personnel on standby to handle possible emergencies.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a strong warning against what it describes as persistent misinformation surrounding its examination centre placements.

The board says it would offer a cash reward to anyone who can provide credible evidence that a candidate was posted outside their chosen examination town.

In a statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s public communication advisor, the board said candidates are given the liberty to select their preferred examination town at the point of registration.

Contrary to widely circulated claims, the board insisted that no candidate is assigned to a town different from the one they selected.

“Some parents are continually being deceived, misled, and duped by their wards and some secondary school proprietors who continue to propagate the falsehood that JAMB assigns candidates to centres outside their chosen examination towns,” the statement partly reads.

To challenge the “false but popular narrative”, JAMB has promised a cash reward to anyone who can present verifiable proof of such a case.

The evidence, the board added, must be submitted within 96 hours to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) via WhatsApp on 08056003030 for independent verification.

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Defending its procedures, JAMB stressed that it only assigns candidates to computer-based test (CBT) centres within the town chosen during registration.

The board further appealed to the public to show greater trust in public institutions, insisting that it is committed to fairness and transparency.

JAMB drew parallels between airline protocol and exam logistics, urging parents to understand why candidates must arrive at CBT centres at least 90 minutes before exams begin, citing necessary pre-examination verification.

No fewer than 27 impersonators have been arrested by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB said the 27 impersonators apprehended have been handed over to the Nigeria Police for immediate prosecution.

The board also announced that it delisted four Computer-Based Test, CBT centres that have failed to meet the stringent technical standards required for the UTME.

JAMB named the delisted centres as Adventure Associate, Behind Sheshe Supermarket, Off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State; Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano, Kano State; Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd, Centre 2, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal and Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd, Centre 1, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.

“While JAMB commends the 883 centres that have demonstrated exceptional performance, it unequivocally warns that any centre which failed the ethical or technical standards , regardless of ownership, will be blacklisted, “JAMB said in a statement on Friday night by its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin.

“Candidates who were previously scheduled to take their exams at the delisted centres are urged to urgently reprint their examination notification slips to access their new centres and rescheduled dates. We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but we will not tolerate excuses by candidates who fail to reprint their slip to get their new schedules , “it said.

The board revealed that “As of Friday, 25th April, 2025, over 900,000 candidates have successfully completed the UTME out of the 2,083,600 registered for the 2025 examination.“

Meanwhile, JAMB said it has been alerted to the unauthorized restrictions imposed on candidates wearing hijabs in its Caleb University Centre, “and swift action has been taken to address this unilateral decision, which has been categorically condemned by the Vice-Chancellor of the university.”

“This misguided action was the result of an overzealous security officer.

“We extend our sincere apologies to the affected candidates and commend the leadership of both the centre and the university for their prompt intervention, which ensured that no candidate suffered undue disadvantage, “it said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared four persons wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated on crypto bridge exchange (CBEX), a trading platform.

The four suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, and Seyi Oloyede.

The EFCC published the wanted notice across its social media platforms on Friday.

“The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX),” the notice read.

This development followed the Abuja Federal High Court injunction granting the anti-graft agency the permission to arrest and detain six CBEX promoters.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who gave the order after the EFCC’s lawyer, Fadila Yusuf, moved an ex parte motion to the effect, said the detention would be pending the conclusion of the investigation of the alleged offences and possible prosecution.

Earlier in April, the digital asset trading platform collapsed and subsequently swept over ₦1.3 trillion from investors’ wallets, leaving many Nigerians devastated.

The crash, which occurred on Monday, has sparked renewed debate about Nigerians’ susceptibility to fraudulent investment schemes.