Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ufoma Joseph Immanuel, Managing Director of Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited, before Justice Mojisola Dada at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on a two-count charge of obtaining by false pretence and forgery involving $1.5 million.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement issued Wednesday, naming both Immanuel and his company as defendants.

The EFCC alleged that between April 2022 and October 2023, the defendants induced Adebisi Adebutu of R28 Holdings Limited to invest $1.5 million in purported petroleum ventures, including “Cash and or Capital Cost in Chappal Petroleum Development Company Limited” and shares in Intermediate Investment Holdings Limited.

Count one states: “UFOMA JOSEPH IMMANUEL and INTERMEDIATE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LIMITED… with intent to defraud, induced Adebisi Adebutu… to deposit the total sum of $1,500,000… on the understanding that R28 Holdings Limited will be reimbursed the investment amount, paid a development capital fee of $2,250,000, and allotted 22.4% shares… which representation you knew to be false.”

Count two accuses Immanuel of forging a “TERM SHEET” purportedly executed by Sherrif Oluwo and Olaniran Osotuyi to facilitate the fraud between April 2022 and April 2025.

Immanuel pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel Babatunde Sonoiki sought a trial date and remand in INTERPOL custody pending investigations. The court heard allegations that defence counsel Oluseun Awonuga, SAN, assaulted colleague Emenike Mgbemele on March 2 while serving processes.

Awonuga raised a preliminary objection citing a Federal High Court order barring EFCC arrest, but the prosecution argued it applied only to a prior civil case. Justice Dada adjourned to May 7, 2026, for ruling, ordering Immanuel remanded in INTERPOL custody before transfer to a correctional centre for bail hearing.

This case underscores EFCC’s intensified fraud crackdown. In January 2026, businessman Wilson Opuwei and Dateline Energy Services Ltd. faced charges over a $550,000 scam involving fake Dual Purpose Kerosene allocation.

In March 2026, Obiajulu Emeka Emmanuel received a one-year sentence, N1 million fine, and property forfeiture for an $850,000 fraud at Lagos High Court.

Federal government of Nigeria has announced plans to connect schools across the country to reliable internet services as part of a major initiative aimed at strengthening digital learning and expanding access to modern educational tools.

The government said the programme will help equip students with the digital skills needed to thrive in a technology-driven global economy while ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to quality education comparable to global standards.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Folasade Boriowo, director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria.

According to the statement President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed Tunji Alausa, minister of Education, and Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, to work together to implement the nationwide connectivity project.

Speaking during a high level meeting with stakeholders in Abuja, Alausa explained that the initiative builds on earlier connectivity efforts through the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN), which previously supported broadband connectivity for tertiary institutions under a World Bank-funded project.

He noted that although the programme initially recorded significant progress in connecting universities and other tertiary institutions, the momentum slowed after the initial funding cycle ended, making a renewed and expanded strategy necessary.

The minister said the new effort aims to revive and strengthen the programme while extending connectivity across all levels of the education sector.

“Connectivity is not limited to broadband fibre alone. It also involves telecommunications towers, satellite systems and other digital infrastructure required to provide reliable internet access across the country,” Alausa said.

He revealed that the government is implementing major connectivity projects, including the deployment of about 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic broadband infrastructure, the installation of 3,700 telecommunications towers, especially in rural and underserved communities, and the expansion of satellite capacity to improve nationwide coverage.

According to him, the goal is to ensure that schools from primary to tertiary institutions are deliberately connected as broadband cables are deployed and towers installed across the country.

Alausa also said the meeting produced several concrete steps to accelerate connectivity within the education sector, including the expansion of the NgREN governing council to include representatives responsible for foundational and secondary education.

Two technical working groups have also been established to drive implementation one focusing on connectivity for tertiary institutions and another dedicated to foundational and secondary schools.

He expressed optimism that the first phase of the initiative would begin to deliver visible improvements within the next three months.

The minister added that improved connectivity would enable students and teachers to access digital learning platforms, global knowledge resources, and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He further disclosed that the project would support the gradual transition of major national examinations to Computer-Based Testing (CBT), with plans for exams conducted by West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) to fully adopt CBT within the next two to three years, similar to the system currently used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Also speaking, Tijani emphasized that technology-driven education cannot succeed without reliable internet connectivity.

He noted that although Nigeria hosts about eight international submarine internet cables the highest number in Africa the challenge lies in distributing that capacity inland through fibre networks capable of reaching communities nationwide.

“Most of the internet capacity enters Nigeria through submarine cables landing in Lagos, but without sufficient inland fibre infrastructure, that capacity cannot effectively reach schools and communities across the country,” he said.

Both ministers reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaboration between the education and communications sectors to ensure that investments in digital infrastructure translate into improved learning outcomes for Nigerian students.

WhatsApp said yesterday it would allow parents to ​create accounts for pre-teens, restricted to messaging ‌and calling, amid rising global concerns about the impact of social media and chat apps on children.

A number of ​countries around the world are now seeking ​to follow Australia, which last year became the first ⁠country to adopt a social media ban ​for teenagers because of mental health worries.

Messaging apps have ​also triggered concerns following hacking incidents where users were persuaded to divulge security verification and pin codes giving malicious ​actors access to personal accounts and group chats.

WhatsApp ​said the idea of parent-managed accounts came after feedback from ‌parents, ⁠who wanted a messaging service tailored for under-13s.

“These accounts come with strict new default settings, parental controls and options for parents to guide their ​pre-teens’ (under 13s) first ​messaging experiences,” ⁠the messaging app said in a blog post.

“Once set up, these accounts ​are controlled by the parent or guardian ​who ⁠will be able to decide who can contact the account and which groups they can join. ⁠In addition, ​parents can review message requests ​from unknown contacts and manage the account’s privacy settings,” it ​said.