News
Court Restrains Bash Ali, Bars Him From Defaming Sports Minister
The Honourable Justice O.C. Agbaza of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has issued a restraining order, barring Bash Ali from further making or publishing any denigrating or defamatory material against the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare.
The Minister has far back as June 25th, 2021, the Minister approached the Federal High Court, Abuja division seeking a restraining order and charging Bash Ali with libel and defamation of character. The lawyers to the Ministers from the Keyamo Chambers spent months unable to serve Bash and the judicial workers strike. Upon resumption and with the serial defamation by bash Ali Continuing the lawyers approached the court this time the Keyamo team and Wole Olanipekun team as counsels secured the restraining order. See documents.
It will be recalled that sometime in April, 2021, Bash Ali had in a letter, which he made available to the public, made several allegations against the Honourable Minister. The Honourable Minister denied those allegations and to assert his innocence, the Honourable Minister filed Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1269/2021 seeking injunctive reliefs and pecuniary damages from Bash Ali on account of the defamatory publication. Despite the pendency of this suit, Bash Ali recently published a video on social media in which he repeated those false allegations against the Honourable Minister and also issued several threats against the Honourable Minister and the Ministry.
In response, the Honourable Minister through his counsel, Festus Keyamo Chambers, filed an Interlocutory application with Motion No. M/7145/2021 seeking an order restraining Bash Ali from further denigrating the Honourable Minister until the pending suit is resolved one way or the other. The Honourable Court presided over by Honourable Justice O.C. Agbaza granted the reliefs sought by the Honourable Minister on the 27th October, 2021.
While confirming this position, counsel to the Honourable Minister, Festus Ukpe, Esq of Festus Keyamo Chambers further stated that by virtue of this order, any further denigrating or defamatory publication by Bash Ali against the Honourable Minister is contemptuous of the majesty of the court and is punishable as a crime under our laws. The matter has now been adjourned till February 2022 for further hearing.
News
AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs
By James Samuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.
This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.
“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.
“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”
He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.
“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.
He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.
“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.
She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.
“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.
The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.
The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.
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