A Nigerian national, Aremu Adegboyega, has been convicted by a Circuit Court in Accra, Ghana, for smuggling counterfeit CFA francs worth over $100,000 into the country through an unauthorised border route.

He is now set to be deported to Nigeria, DAILY GAZETTE has learned.

Justice Christiana Cann, who presided over the case, ordered Adegboyega’s immediate deportation, a directive expected to be carried out by the Ghana Immigration Service.

According to a report by Ghanaian news outlet The Chronicle, ASP Isaac Anquandah stated that Adegboyega was arrested in 2023 by customs officials stationed at the Aflao border while he was riding a motorcycle.

The 55-year-old was charged with two counts of possessing forged notes under Section 18(2) of Ghana’s Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242), and one count of illegal entry into the country.

For possessing counterfeit CFA francs, the court imposed a fine of 250 penalty units, equivalent to GH¢3,000.

In the event of non-payment, he faces a two-year prison sentence with hard labour.

He was also fined 120 penalty units or GH¢1,440 for entering Ghana illegally.

If he defaults on this payment as well, he would serve an additional two-year term.

However, the sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will spend a maximum of two years in prison if he fails to pay both fines.

In addition to the fines and prison term, the court also ordered Adegboyega’s deportation to Nigeria.

The incident reportedly occurred at Beat Zero, an unauthorised crossing along the Ghana-Togo border.

Adegboyega, who was a pillion passenger on a motorcycle and carried a backpack, raised suspicion and was searched by officers.

The search uncovered bundles of suspected counterfeit currency: CFA francs totalling CFA 80,653,000 and Nigerian naira amounting to N101,500.

Further investigations revealed that Adegboyega had smuggled the counterfeit money from Togo into Ghana.

In a caution statement, he confessed to knowing the money was fake.

He also admitted receiving the counterfeit notes from a man identified as Alhaji Saibu in Nigeria, allegedly acting under the instructions of Alhaji Dials, a suspected mafia boss based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Meanwhile, authorities revealed that Adegboyega is not the only Nigerian recently involved in financial crime in Ghana.

Another Nigerian, Abu Arome, is currently on trial with three Ghanaians for alleged fraud involving forged documents, falsified signatures, and fraudulent claims.

According to a statement issued on Friday by Nigeria’s Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, the suspects are accused of orchestrating a criminal operation using “forged documents, falsified signatures, and fraudulent claims.”

During President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Saint Lucia, the President of the country’s Senate, Alvina Reynolds, reaffirmed the deep ancestral connection between the Caribbean island and Nigeria.

Speaking at a joint session of the bicameral parliament, Reynolds referenced historical records to emphasize the African roots of many Saint Lucians.

According to her, a British census from 1815 confirmed that a significant portion of the enslaved population on the island originated from Nigeria.

“Of the 16,282 enslaved people in Saint Lucia that year, 3,488 were born in Africa,” she said.
“Of these, 34 per cent were from Nigeria, 11 per cent from Nigeria-Cameroon, and 22 per cent from the Congo.”

“The remaining 12,794 were born in Saint Lucia, with most of their forefathers coming from Sene-Gambia and Nigeria.”

Reynolds described Tinubu’s visit as a landmark occasion for the Saint Lucian Parliament and its people.

She linked the enduring cultural ties to the painful legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, which, she said, spanned over 350 years and forged long-lasting bonds between Africa and the Caribbean.

Calling the occasion symbolic, she said,

“A mission to reunite us with our homeland and for our people to work together.”

Reynolds also paid tribute to Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who once served as Chief Justice of Nigeria (1975–1979), underscoring the historical connections between the two nations.

“This mission, Your Excellency, continues with Catholic priests from Nigeria who have answered the call and come to Saint Lucia to serve, one of whom is our special guest this morning—Father Festus,” she added.

She highlighted the significance of Tinubu’s address, noting its alignment with World Parliament Day.

“Your address to this Parliament today could not have occurred at a more auspicious time, for today is World Parliament Day—an occasion to reflect on the essential role of Parliament and the service we provide as representatives to our people.”

In his response, Prime Minister Philip Pierre called the visit a time of unity and celebration. He emphasized Saint Lucia’s deep spiritual and cultural ties to West Africa, describing the island as “a small fragment of Africa.”

“Our people have been separated, but nothing has ever been able to separate us spiritually and culturally from West Africa, where some of our ancestors came from and for whom our hearts continually yearn,” Pierre said.

“We are African people who have made permanent homes for ourselves on this side of the Atlantic, on the hills and valleys of the plantations on which we were enslaved.”

“But, we have built these homes, Mr President, not for ourselves but in the service of all humanity, especially Africa, in whose direction we continually watch, wait, hope and pray for our future redemption.”

Pierre humorously remarked that Saint Lucia’s population is smaller than Eti-Osa Local Government in Lagos, yet reaffirmed the island’s global standing.

“We are a sovereign nation deeply connected to the world, Nigeria, and West Africa,” he said.

He also acknowledged the significant role played by Nigerians residing in Saint Lucia in several sectors:

“We warmly welcome every Nigerian hand of support and embrace with gratitude their contributions to Saint Lucia’s cultural, social, and economic development.”
“We are the richer for it.”

On strengthening Africa-Caribbean relations, Pierre applauded progress made since the Africa-CARICOM Summit in 2021, expressing optimism for the next summit in Addis Ababa.

He outlined areas ripe for collaboration, such as tourism, fintech, air travel, renewable energy, creative arts, sports, and medical services.

Noting the tourism potential, he pointed out the challenges of limited connectivity with Nigeria.

“While Saint Lucia receives over one million tourists annually, few come from Nigeria due to limited air connectivity.”

He proposed new partnerships in sports, especially football and cricket, and invited Nigerian professionals in healthcare and fintech to explore opportunities in Saint Lucia’s growing economy.

The event was attended by diplomats, top officials, and leaders from across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), marking a significant moment in the deepening relationship between Nigeria and the Caribbean.

Two rockets landed in the military section of Kirkuk airport in northern Iraq late Monday, injuring two security personnel, according to a senior Iraqi security official who spoke with AFP under anonymity.

“Two Katyusha rockets fell in the military section of Kirkuk airport,” the official stated, noting the injuries sustained were minor.

The military area of the airport houses units from the Iraqi Army, federal police, and the Hashed al-Shaabi, a former Iran-backed paramilitary group now incorporated into Iraq’s regular armed forces.

In addition to the attack at the airport, a third rocket struck a civilian home in the Uruba neighbourhood of Kirkuk, causing structural damage but no casualties.

“A third rocket struck a house in the Uruba neighbourhood,” the source said, adding it caused only “material damage.”

According to the official, one of the rockets fired at the airport failed to detonate.

Local reports cited by Iraq’s state-run INA news agency corroborated the incident, confirming that two rockets had struck the military base at Kirkuk airport, with one landing close to the runway and another impacting a residential building within the city.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the assault, which adds to a string of similar attacks that have plagued Iraq in recent years.

While such incidents have decreased, they remain a reminder of the country’s volatile security landscape.

Iraq has been a focal point for rocket and drone strikes, often attributed to ongoing proxy conflicts and regional rivalries.

Despite recent improvements in overall stability following years of unrest, the nation continues to experience periodic violence.

Just last week, in the final hours leading up to the ceasefire that ended the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, unidentified drones targeted radar systems at two separate military bases—one in Baghdad and the other in southern Iraq.