Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has died at the
age of 56, according to a state house press statement. Lt. General Lagbaja passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos following an illness, as announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

President Tinubu expressed profound sadness over the loss of a “dedicated servant
of the nation” whose military career spanned over three decades.

Lt. General Lagbaja, born on February 28, 1968, was appointed Chief of Army Staff on June 19, 2023. His service history includes numerous leadership roles in critical security operations such as Operation ZAKI in Benue, Lafiya Dole in Borno, and Forest Sanity across
Kaduna and Niger States. A distinguished alumnus of the U.S. Army War College with a Master’s in Strategic Studies, Lt. General Lagbaja was recognized for his strategic acumen.

Lt. General Lagbaja is survived by his beloved wife, Mariya, and their two children. President Tinubu expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces during this difficult time. The president wishes Lt. General Lagbaja eternal peace and honors his significant contributions to the nation.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have detained a former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, for the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion of the 13 percent derivation fund from the Federation Account between 2015 and 2023.

A source close to proceedings says that Mr Okowa was detained on Monday, 4 November, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he reported at the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC on the invitation of investigators handling his matter.

The former governor allegedly failed to account for the funds and another N40 billion he allegedly claimed to have used to acquire shares in the UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

Mr Okowa allegedly bought N40 billion worth of shares in one of the major banks in Nigeria, representing eight percent equity, to float the offshore LNG.

The funds were allegedly used for other purposes. The anti-graft agency is also investigating the former governor’s alleged diversion of funds to acquire estates in the nation’s capital, Abuja, and Asaba in Delta State.

He is being held at the EFCC holding facility in Port Harcourt.When contacted on Monday evening, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed Mr Okowa’s detention but declined to give details.

Baltasar Ebang Engonga, a top government official in Equatorial Guinea, is at the center of a scandal causing ripples across the world. Engonga, who leads the National Agency for Financial Investigation (ANIF), is responsible for tackling financial crimes and corruption. But in a surprising twist, he’s now under fire for his involvement in an alleged sex tape scandal involving hundreds of private recordings.

According to reports, Engonga secretly recorded over 400 explicit videos that allegedly feature high-profile individuals and their family members, including some very close to Equatorial Guinea’s political elite. In the various tapes circulating online, Engonga is seen having sexual intercourse with various married women, including his brother’s wife, cousin, the Director General of Police’s wife, about 20 of the country’s ministers’ wives, and a sister of the President of Equatorial Guinea. According to reports, the 400 sex tapes were retrieved during an investigation of the official for alleged fraud and released online to the general public. The tapes show Engonga in places like his office, hotels, and toilets recording the act with the consent of his partners.

Engonga’s job is to lead investigations into financial misconduct (just like the EFCC boss does in Nigeria), but this scandal has nothing to do with his professional responsibilities. Instead, it focuses on his alleged private activities. Reports reveal that Engonga allegedly made secret recordings of intimate moments of those involved. To make things even more controversial, some of the tapes are said to involve his cousin and even the sister of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

This scandal has rocked Equatorial Guinea’s political circles, where privacy and loyalty are highly valued. Engonga is well-connected within the government and even has ties to the president, which makes these accusations especially shocking. Many people are now questioning the integrity of those in power, wondering if leaders who enforce laws and fight crime are also breaking ethical boundaries

For a country that’s already under international scrutiny for corruption, this scandal is drawing even more attention. Engonga’s role as head of the financial crime agency means he’s supposed to promote transparency and fight corruption. But with these allegations hanging over him, people are wondering if these values are genuinely upheld within the government or if it’s all just a front

This scandal goes even deeper. Engonga was initially under investigation for corruption. Authorities claim he redirected approximately 1,223 million CFA francs (about $2 million) of state funds into his personal accounts during his leadership at ANIF. This led to asset seizures and his initial arrest. But it was during this financial probe that officials stumbled upon the tapes on his computer, revealing another layer of Engonga’s controversial lifestyle.

The Attorney General’s Office, led by Anatolio Nzang Nguema, is now fully investigating the case against Baltasar Ebang Engonga. This isn’t just about the tapes themselves, the authorities are also examining whether Engonga may have exposed others to health risks by potentially spreading sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to sources, Engonga could face serious charges for “endangering public health” if it’s proven that he knowingly put others at risk.