–As police arrest, repatriate $245 million ponzi Chinese suspect

By Our Reporter

Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has called on Nigerians to embark on due diligence with the police before employing or doing any business with foreigners.

This call is coming on the heels of the recent arrest and repatriation of a Chinese fugitive, Qu Qing, to account for his alleged crimes.

Qu Qing was arrested and repatriated to China over $245 million ponzi fraud through a coordinated operation between the Nigeria Police Force and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja.

The repatriation, according to Force spokesman, DCP Anthony Placid, was as a result of a formal request from Chinese authorities, who declared the suspect wanted in Beijing for his alleged involvement in a financial fraud scheme estimated at over Two Hundred and Forty-Five Million United States Dollars ($245,000,000).

Placid added, investigations revealed that the suspect fled China to Nigeria on 5th November 2024 in an attempt to evade arrest, following which an arrest warrant was issued against him on 12th November 2025 by the Shinan Sub-Bureau of Qingdao Public Security.

Acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance operations, operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja successfully tracked and arrested the fugitive at a factory located in Olowotedo, Siun Village, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State on 24th April 2026.

He revealed that after the arrest, the suspect was repatriated to the People’s Republic of China on 28th April 2026 through bilateral police cooperation arrangements to face prosecution for the offences.

The House of Representatives has mandated regulatory bodies on the siting of gas filling stations and outlets to be strict in the enforcement of location rules.

It has also mandated the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to urgently provide relief materials to affected victims of gas explosion in the Apapa area of Lagos.

The resolutions were taken following the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon Adesola Adedayo representing Apapa federal constituency of Lagos state.

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker anoted with grave concern the incident of a gas explosion, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, 5th May, 2026, along Adeleye Street, Area of Apapa Federal Constituency, Lagos State.

He said the explosion took place at a site where construction activities are ongoing at the back of two shops, leading to extensive damage of nearby structures, huge financial and material losses and serious injury of varying degrees to five individuals, of which one of the victims happened to be a student on his way to school.

“Cognisant that the swift response of the residents of the neighbourhood and State Fire Service personnel to mitigate the disaster by conveying the victims to Gbagada General Hospital and other nearby health facilities for prompt medical attention and treatment is commendable.

“Concerned about the recurring incidence of gas explosions in such high density, low-income residential areas and the huge losses of lives and properties”.

The motion was unanimously adopted at the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Kalu.

Speaking to the media after the plenary, the lawmaker said it was important that the various government agencies act swiftly.

He lamented that indiscriminate opening up of gas shops and outlets was response for several avoidable accidents.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on European Union (EU) countries to deepen investment ties, strengthen cultural exchanges, and partner with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in areas of mutual interest to build a prosperous Abuja and Nigeria.

Wike, while addressing EU Heads of Mission during a meeting at the European Union House in Abuja on Tuesday, said he will continue to look forward to a continued collaboration and engagement with the EU countries to foster development of the FCT.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Gautier Mignot, had in attendance Envoys of Italy, Austria, Ireland, France, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic and Denmark.

Ambassador Gautier Mignot, who set the tone for the meeting while introducing the Minister, described the EU as Nigeria’s first trade and investment partner.

Addressing the EU Heads of Mission, the Minister spoke about the FCTA priorities as a government, investment opportunities in the FCT, and the political landscape of Nigeria.

He also noted FCT’s position as a business-friendly capital city, listing investment opportunities to include real estate and housing, entertainment and tourism, agriculture, solid minerals, waste management, among others.

“I thank the European Union Delegation to Nigeria for the invitation and continued partnership with the Nigerian Government in advancing shared values of development, stability, and prosperity.

“Today, drawing from the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I will briefly highlight the priority areas of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the investment opportunities therein, and offer an overview on Nigeria’s evolving
political landscape,” Wike said.

He noted that the government has prioritized urban/rural development and infrastructure, security, education, health, social welfare, land administration reforms/revenue generation and rule of law.

“We have embarked on a deliberate and sustained investment in infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth and social inclusion by expanding road networks, modernizing public transport and improving water supply.

“As a priority too, the administration has strengthened security infrastructure through the building of 12 new fully equipped/furnished Divisional Police Headquarters and Officers’ Quarters, (2 each in the 6 Area Councils).”

Wike, who fielded questions from the ambassadors, described the amended Electoral Law as part of governance reforms to further guarantee the integrity and credibility of electoral processes, while also saying growing reliance on legal, institutional and constitutional mechanisms to resolve political disputes by aggrieved parties rather than resorting to self-help and violence was a reflection of greater trust in judicial processes and maturing democratic culture.

“In the newly ammended Electoral Act, there is provision for electronic transmission of results. But because of our peculiarities, it was included that where electronic transmission fails, manual transmission can be used. Meanwhile, there is no such provision in the 2022 ammended Electoral Act,” he said.

Wike also said in a country like Nigeria, where democracy is evolving, opposition should not be seen as an avenue to cause or promote crises, but to provide alternative and guide government.

The Minister said, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s political trajectory was increasingly evolving towards a governance-focused paradigm where competence is increasingly prioritized over ethnic, partisan and religious considerations.

“Compared to earlier periods, there is a decline in highly volatile and rancorous politicking that characterized the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. The relationship between these two key institutions have become that of ‘partners-in-progress’ in the making and implementation of policies and programmes for the welfare of Nigerians,” Wike said, while highlighting the importance of cordial relationship between the Executive and the Legislative arms of government.

On the policy direction of the President Tinubu’s administration, which the Minister said is anchored on bold and difficult reforms, he explained that; “The Current Administration in its Renewed Hope Agenda framework, has made bold and at times, difficult reforms aimed at repositioning the economy and improving citizens’ welfare.

“These include; Economic Reforms and Fiscal Restructuring/Discipline, which ensured Subsidy Removal to eliminating a long-standing but corruption-prone system and free up public funds, unification of foreign exchange rates to stabilize the currency and tax reforms aimed at Streamlining the Tax System to improve revenue generation.

“Expansion of Social and Welfare Interventions with initiatives like the conditional cash tranfster and support for Small and Medium Enterprises to cushion the effect of difficult economic reforms on vulnerable populations and student loan tailored towards giving the Children and Wards of the poor, access to education even at the tertiary education levels.”

He admitted that there are security challenges like the presence of internationally backed terrorist groups in the Sahel, translating into insurgency, farmer-herder conflict, banditry and kidnapping

The Minister however emphasized that there are ongoing and sustained efforts to address insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal conflicts, which he said has continued to shape policy decisions and political narratives.

Wike also said that sustained efforts are being made to strengthen security architecture, enhance inter-agency coordination and invest in intelligence gathering and technology.