By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, says it has released N7.61 billion to nine Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, for the payment of retirement benefits to 4,237 retirees.

The Comptroller-General of NCS, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this during a dialogue with retirees, where he reaffirmed the service’s commitment to improving the welfare of its retired personnel.

NCS’s Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, in a statement on Friday in Abuja said the C-G announced that the funds had been disbursed to the PFAs for onward payment into the retirees’ individual accounts.

Mr Maiwada said the meeting followed ongoing efforts to improve pension of retirees following the Federal Government’s decision to review the statutory provisions governing pensions.

This is includes Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

He said that according to the breakdown presented at the meeting, Access-ARM Pension Managers accounted for 1,223 beneficiaries, Premium Pension 2,268, Leadway Pensions 403, TrustFund Pensions 156 and FCMB Pensions 144.

Others are Veritas Glanvills Pensions 28, Norrenberger Pensions 11 and Fidelity Pension Managers four, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 4,237.

Addressing the retirees, Mr Adeniyi underscored the need for the service to remain strong and financially capable of meeting its obligations to serving officers and retirees.

He emphasised that the welfare of officers who had dedicated decades to the NCS was integral to the institution’s future.

The NCS boss urged the retirees to sustain constructive engagement with the service, describing it as necessary to foster mutual understanding.

“I acknowledged your (retirees) concerns and suggestions raised and it is in view of this we called for this dialogue.

“This is to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the service and its retired personnel,” he said.

The retirees thanked the C-G and his management team for creating a platform for direct engagement.

They also urged the service to sustain the dialogue as part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between serving officers and retired personnel.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday, set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, which nullified parts of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s electoral guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment, held that the Youth Party, which instituted the suit challenging the guidelines, lacked the locus standi to do so.

The lead judgment, prepared by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and read by Justice Okon Abang, held that the party failed to demonstrate how the guidelines affected it or its members in the conduct of its primary election or the submission of names of its candidates for the 2027 polls.

Justice Banjoko held that the Youth Party did not establish any injury arising from the guidelines to justify the institution of the suit.

The three-member panel further held that Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court erred when, on May 20, he nullified the guidelines on the grounds that they were inconsistent with some provisions of the Electoral Act, adding that the decision occasioned a miscarriage of justice.

In the May 20 judgment, Justice Umar had ruled that INEC lacked the constitutional and statutory powers to compel political parties to conduct their primaries within timelines fixed by the commission.

The trial court also nullified aspects of INEC’s timetable requiring parties to submit their membership registers and candidates’ particulars ahead of the timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act, holding that the commission could not lawfully abridge statutory timelines.

Dissatisfied with the decision, INEC appealed, arguing through its counsel, Dr Alex Izinyom, that the Federal High Court failed to determine its preliminary objection that the suit was hypothetical and academic, thereby denying the commission fair hearing.

The Court of Appeal upheld the appeal, and vacated the Federal High Court’s judgment, thereby restoring the validity of INEC’s electoral guidelines for the 2027 elections.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3bn take-off grant approved for a federal agency.

In the suit, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 bn in general damages, N5bn in aggravated damages, N200m as the cost of the action, and an order directing Matthew to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.

He is also asking the court to compel the defendant to pin the apology on all social media platforms and online channels where the alleged defamatory statements were published for 30 days.

The suit was filed by Gbajabiamila’s legal team from Pinheiro LP, led by Kemi Pinheiro, with Folu Oguntade, Olukayode Enitan and Chukwudi Enebeli, who described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory.

According to the statement of claim, Matthew had alleged during a press conference that a dispute arose after Gbajabiamila purportedly demanded a 48 per cent kickback from the agency’s N27.3 bn take-off grant.

He also claimed that N400m had already been paid through a proxy allegedly acting for the Chief of Staff, while an additional N200m was required to secure presidential approvals.

However, Gbajabiamila denied ever meeting or communicating with Matthew or authorising anyone to act on his behalf.

“The claimant has never met the defendant, never held any meeting with him and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf,” the court filing stated.

The suit also referenced Adeyemi’s allegations concerning the death of one Babatunde Tanimola, whom he claimed acted as an intermediary between himself and the Chief of Staff.

Adeyemi alleged that Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, a day after Gbajabiamila allegedly petitioned the police.

He further claimed he survived an assassination attempt along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025 and alleged that a “directive from above” instructed the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force to discontinue efforts to recover his stolen mobile phones, which he said contained vital evidence.

Court documents revealed that Gbajabiamila’s solicitors issued a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, which was published in THISDAY and other national newspapers on July 7, demanding an immediate retraction and apology.

Rather than withdraw the allegations, the claimant alleged that Adeyemi granted an interview to social media influencer VeryDarkMan, where he made admissions that contradicted his earlier claims.

According to Gbajabiamila’s witness statement on oath, Adeyemi admitted during the interview that he had never met the Chief of Staff in person, never held a video call with him, and had no independent means of verifying the identity of the individual he believed to be Gbajabiamila.

The claimant said Adeyemi further admitted that all communications were conducted through the late Tanimola.

Gbajabiamila also told the court that Adeyemi stated he could neither say the Chief of Staff was lying nor confirm that he was telling the truth, adding that he intended to submit his documents to law enforcement agencies for verification.

Despite those admissions, Gbajabiamila alleged that Adeyemi repeated the allegations during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on July 13, 2026.

The court filings further disclosed that Adeyemi was already standing trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026: Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & others, over allegations involving forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters.

According to the claimant, those documents formed the basis of Matthew’s public allegations against him.

The FCT High Court has directed Adeyemi, whose address was listed as unknown but who is deemed to be within the court’s jurisdiction, to enter an appearance within 14 days after being served with the originating processes, failing which judgment may be entered against him in default.

In his witness statement, Gbajabiamila maintained that he had never met Matthew or had any personal, official or professional dealings with him.

He denied demanding any kickback, receiving N400m through a proxy, requesting an additional N200m, abusing his office, manipulating security agencies, intimidating media organisations or interfering with investigations involving the defendant.

He also denied instructing the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, or any other law enforcement agency to harass or investigate Matthew.