Author: Tribune Online

ODU’A Investment Company Limited has entered into a $40m partnership with Elektron Energy Development Strategies Limited (Elektron) to develop a 50-megawatt (MW) gas-fired Independent Power Plant (IPP) at the former Cocoa Industries Limited (CIL) Complex within the Ogba Industrial Estate in Ikeja, Lagos. The IPP is expected to deliver dedicated, reliable electricity directly to industrial […]

Former Arsenal player, Martin Keown, has suggested that if the team wants to win the Champions League, they should avoid playing Paris Saint-German in the final.

Keown said he would rather Mikel Arteta’s team face Bayern Munich than Paris Saint-German.

Arsenal has already beaten Bayern 3-1 in the group stage of the tournament.

Bayern are on the other side of the draw and are set to face PSG in the semi-finals.

Keown told TNT Sports, “I think Bayern will get through on that side of the draw. So, an Arsenal-Bayern final.”

He added, “I would still prefer Arsenal to play Bayern because of PSG’s speed, which is really good.”

UCL: Keown names team Arsenal must avoid in order to win trophy

Real Madrid have identified Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino as candidates to become their new manager if they decide part ways with Alvaro Arbeloa.

On Wednesday, Los Blancos were eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

Madrid are also nine points off Barcelona in LaLiga.

As it stands, Arbeloa’s men are set to finish the season without any silverware.

According to Daily Mail, the club’s president Florentino Perez admires both Klopp and Pochettino.

Klopp is currently in a senior role with the Red Bull group while Pochettino will take charge of the USA at the World Cup this summer.

LaLiga: Real Madrid identify two managers to replace Arbeloa after UCL exit

Each morning presents an opportunity to reset the body after hours of rest. Before food, before the day’s stress begins, what you drink can quietly influence how your body functions throughout the day. 

Nigeria’s telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, has attributed the suspension of its airtime and data borrowing services to new regulatory requirements introduced by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC.
The company’s secretary, Uto Ukpanah, disclosed this on Thursday at the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

According to the telecom firm, the decision to pause the services is largely due to the implementation of the FCCPC’s regulations under the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations 2025.

“This relates to the implementation of processes under the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025, which introduced a new compliance and licensing framework for entities providing digital or non-traditional consumer credit services,” the company stated.

MTN, however, assured customers that alternative digital channels for purchasing airtime and data remain available despite the temporary suspension.

“Given the scale within the revenue mix, we do not expect the temporary suspension to have a material impact,” the company added.

Recall that the FCCPC, building on its limited interim regulatory/registration framework and guidelines for digital lending introduced in 2022, rolled out the Digital, Electronic, Online, or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 last year.

Under the new guidelines, all digital lenders operating in Nigeria are required to register with the commission. This requirement also covers airtime credit services, effectively bringing telecom operators like MTN under a stricter regulatory framework.

Why MTN Nigeria suspended airtime, data borrowing services

THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has described the resurgence in inflation in the month of March as posing significant risks to business sustainability, consumer purchasing power and overall economic competitiveness. The chamber, in a statement on Thursday, stated that the latest National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report raises fresh concerns about the […]

Alhaji Musiliu Adeola Smith began his career in the Nigeria Police Force as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Enugu in 1972. Through dedication and distinguished service, he rose to the pinnacle of the force, becoming the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in May 1999, a position he held until his retirement in 2002. Today, […]

 

A Nigerian couple, Luciana and Femi Akanbi, have been jailed in the United Kingdom after investigators uncovered how stolen personal data of Transport for London employees was allegedly used to execute a tax rebate fraud scheme that cost the public purse more than £433,000

 A report by Kent Live on Thursday said that the fraud, which ran between September 2021 and January 2022, was built on sensitive information belonging to at least 40 TfL workers, including passport details, National Insurance numbers and bank records, which were used to file 139 fake tax refund claims.

Court proceedings at Woolwich Crown Court revealed that Luciana Akanbi, 38, who worked in TfL’s human resources department, had access to the personal records of about 107 employees, which were later exploited for the scheme.

Prosecutors said the couple used the stolen details to create multiple self-assessment accounts and submit fraudulent claims to HM Revenue and Customs using at least 38 electronic devices operated from their home and other locations.

Although the total value of claims submitted was put at nearly £650,000, authorities confirmed that the actual loss amounted to more than £433,000.

The court also heard that the proceeds of the fraud were quickly laundered through a complex network, making recovery difficult for investigators.

Delivering judgment, Judge David Miller said the case represented the most severe data breach in the history of the transport authority.

Judge Miller said, ‘TfL suffered their worst ever data breach. It meant they had to change their systems.

“It affected their morale, I am told, and staff performance. You acquired and used the personal details of 40 employees in relation to making the claims for tax rebates but accessed the details of 107 employees.

“There were 139 claims in respect of 40 employees by self-assessment accounts being set up by you and others, using 38 computer devices from your own home and others. The effect was that there were 139 claims for tax rebates totalling just under £649,000.

“The money lost to HMRC amounted to just over £433,000. That money was almost instantly dissipated in a complex money laundering scheme.”

The court heard that Luciana Akanbi, who had been employed by TfL since 2017, used her position to access the personal records of 107 employees, which were subsequently exploited for fraudulent claims.

Prosecutor Andrew Evans described the operation as sophisticated, involving extensive preparation and a large number of victims.

“The fraud was sophisticated in nature, required significant planning and involved a large number of victims,” he said.

He added that the proceeds of the fraud were rapidly moved through a complex money laundering network.

Evidence presented in court showed that about £66,000 was traced to Femi’s bank account, while £16,000 was linked to his wife, although the court held that their total benefit from the scheme exceeded those amounts.

The court further heard that financial pressures contributed to the crime, with Femi reportedly struggling with a gambling addiction following illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Miller said over £50,000 of the stolen funds had been paid into various gambling accounts.

He also noted that Luciana, a mother of three, initially attempted to deflect blame by suggesting that a relative working in the IT sector may have been responsible for the data breach.

The judge, however, ruled that both defendants were central to the scheme, stating that the fraud was only possible because of the access granted to Luciana as a trusted employee.

“You, Luciana Akanbi, had been colleagues with some of these people who were extremely badly let down.

“That is damaging – to have your credit ratings impacted, to deal with HMRC and to have to rearrange your finances. There was immense damage to third parties,” the judge said.

Judge Miller added that no compensation order would be made, stating that the couple had no recoverable assets.

Following the ruling, a representative of Transport for London said the organisation had strengthened its internal data protection systems to prevent a recurrence.

“We take any cases of fraud extremely seriously and welcome the court’s sentencing of these two individuals.

“This crime meant that hundreds of thousands of pounds were unable to be reinvested elsewhere for the wider public benefit and involved working closely with HM Revenue and Customs to secure a successful prosecution,” he said.

A spokesperson for HM Revenue and Customs warned that the agency would continue to pursue individuals who attempt to exploit the tax system.

The court also indicated that the couple could face deportation proceedings after serving their sentences.

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a swipe at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of attempting to “privatise” the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid its ongoing leadership crisis.

Tinubu made the remarks on Thursday while hosting a delegation of Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the State House in Abuja, linking the party’s internal disputes to what he described as Atiku’s political approach.

“The head [Atiku] was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria. He privatised the steel industry in Delta; is it working today? No. He privatised Ajaokuta. Is it working today? No, I can go on to list,” the president said.

“They privatise another man’s political party, but the man (owner) said no,” he added.

The president’s comments come against the backdrop of a protracted leadership tussle within the ADC, which has intensified since an opposition coalition assumed control of the party’s structure in July 2025.

The party is currently divided into multiple factions, including those led by former Senate President David Mark, Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman, and Ogga Kingsley.

Bala has alleged that the Mark-led leadership was illegally constituted, further deepening the internal crisis.

On April 1, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition of both the Mark-led faction and Bala’s group following an interim ruling by the Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has scheduled April 22 to hear an appeal filed by Mark challenging the dispute over the party’s leadership.

When cold and flu symptoms develop, the body often needs more than just medicines and  rest. Across Nigerian homes, food has long been used as a practical and effective way to ease discomfort and support recovery.