Entertainment
Seven Years Jail Term Awaits Naira Marley If…, Says EFCC
Upcoming musician, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, courted controversy when he openly supported youths involved in online fraud commonly called ‘Yahoo Yahoo’.
Following his arrest last Friday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has preferred 11 charges bordering on fraud against him, including alleged credit card fraud.
The musician effectively risks seven years in jail if found guilty, as Section 33 (2) which he was accused of breaching, reads: “Any person who uses: a counterfeit access device; an unauthorised access device; an access device issued to another person; resulting in a loss or gain commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than seven years or a fine of not more than N5,000,000.00 and forfeiture of the advantage or value derived from his act.”
The charges with suit number FHC/L/178C/19 were filed before a Lagos State High Court.
Some of the credit cards, according to the EFCC, bore the names – Nicole Louise Malyon, and Timea Fedorne Tatar.
The alleged crimes were in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the Cyber Crimes Act.
The charges also read in part, “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.
“That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea Fedorne Tatar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.”
The Punch
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Genevieve Nnaji, is making her return to television in “Wahala”, a new six-part drama produced by BBC Studios.
The series is based on the novel “Wahala” by Nikki May and will air on BBC One, with episodes also available on BBC iPlayer.
It is adapted for television by BAFTA-nominated writer, Theresa Ikoko.
BBC confirmed the cast on Tuesday, announcing a female-led ensemble that includes Adelayo Adedayo, Deborah Ayorinde, Cush Jumbo, and Susan Wokoma, alongside Nnaji.
Set in London, Wahala follows four Nigerian-British women whose close friendship is tested as they navigate work, relationships, and family life. Their lives begin to shift when hidden secrets from the past resurface, bringing betrayal and tension to the surface.
Speaking about the project, Nnaji said: “I’m very happy to be joining Wahala and to be working with such a brilliant team. It’s an intriguing story, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Popular Nollywood actor, Alex Ekubo, is dead. He was 40.
His death was confirmed on Tuesday by his colleagues, Funke Akindele, Bolanle Ninalowo, and Godwin Nnadiekwe, who claimed to be his ally.
Sharing on her Instagram story, Akindele wrote, “Hmmmmmm. Rest in peace, Alex. I tried to reach out to see you one more time, but I guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. ‘Ore mi like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times we shared together. Rest in Peace, Alex.”
Meanwhile, Ninalowo, who is now in the United States, also mourned on his page, writing, “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.”
Nnadiekwe, on the other hand, shared, “I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me. Nollywood has lost a rare soul, and I’m lost for words because this wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo. To think you already prepared your Will — It’s heartbroken, I can’t quite describe. Rest well, my friend.”
As of the time of filing this report, his family has not issued a statement on his death.
Recall that fans across social media recently expressed concerns for Ekubo following his first public appearance after months of social media silence.
The light-skinned movie star had been absent from Instagram since December 30, 2024, sparking speculation about his well-being.
However, a recent video that surfaced online brought him back into the spotlight, though it also raised further questions.
In the viral clip, Ekubo was seen interacting with a group of children, appearing noticeably slimmer and subdued.
The video, posted by user @AsakyGRN on X (formerly Twitter), was captioned, “Alex Ekubo spotted for the first time since disappearing from social media.”
The footage triggered a wave of emotional reactions from fans, many of whom noted a significant change in his appearance and questioned his wellbeing.
Before his demise, the actor dismissed marriage in favour of his quest to earn more money in the film industry.
In January 2023, his then-lover, Fancy Acholonu, in an interview, revealed that she dated the late actor for five years without them having any intimacy.
The US-based model also called off her wedding to Ekubo in December 2021, after apologising to the film star a year later for calling it off.
Acholonu affirmed her love for the actor, saying that “like our shirt says, Nothing makes sense when we’re apart @alexxekubo you still have my heart.
“I miss you, I love you, and I’m truly sorry for all the hurt & pain you and your family went through with our breakup.”
She noted that her actions were out of character, and she has realised she could have controlled her emotions and not been so overreactive.
However, in a post on his Instagram page, Ekubo implied that he was aware that some people were curious about why he has not yet been married.
The film star said he was more interested in making money. He urged people not to bother about his marital status.
The Punch
Media personality, Frank Edoho, has sensationally declared that he will never commit to a woman again.
In a recent exchange on his X account, the presenter confirmed that he is currently single when asked by a follower.
He added that he has had enough of commitment and does not intend to pursue it in the future.
“Yes. I have had my share. Never getting committed again. Ever,” he wrote.
Edoho followed up with a post addressing the dynamics of forgiveness in marriage, particularly when a wife cheats.
Best known for hosting the long-running game show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’? Edoho stated that some men who choose to forgive their cheating partners often face continued infidelity, deep resentment, and extreme disrespect from their spouses, ultimately realising the relationship had ended long before the act of cheating.
“If a Wife cheats & she asks her Husband to forgive her and he does — she will not only continue cheating but she will also resent the Man for forgiving her & disrespect him in extreme ways until he gets the ultimate message — she checked out of the marriage way before she cheated,” he concluded.
