At least five people were confirmed dead, while several others are receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, following their participation in a ‘Love Feast’ —popularly known as Ipese — organised by a white garment church in Ibadan.

According to reports, the incident, which occurred last Sunday within the church premises in Apata, Ido Local Government Area, has thrown the community into a state of confusion.

A church source, who requested anonymity, revealed that it has yet to be established whether the Ipese meal was responsible for the deaths.

“I ate the same beans that everyone else, including the victims, ate, and nothing happened to me.

“It’s not clear that the incident is related to the Ipese, as some people are claiming. Various government agencies, including the police, DSS, media outlets, and even the World Health Organization, have been here to investigate. Their findings haven’t been made public yet, but I can assure you it’s not about Ipese,” he said.

Confirming the incident, a staff member at the Infectious Disease Centre, who spoke anonymously, stated that 50 of the victims who were rushed to the centre had been treated and discharged.

“Some of the affected people were brought here for treatment. So far, 50 have been discharged, while others are still receiving care,” the official said.

The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident, noting that investigations are ongoing.

The Police Command in Lagos State has summoned four policemen to explain their roles in the alleged extortion of N1 million from some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

An X user, @YemieFash, shared the encounter on Thursday.

According to the post, the officers threatened the corps members before taking them to where they were “robbed.”

The netizen said alleged that failure of one of the corps members to submit a hard copy of his driver’s license sparked the extortion.

“Your officers today in Surulere extorted 1 million naira from 3 corps members. They were threatened with firearms, kidnapped, and taken to the KAFARU OLUWOLE TINUBU HOUSE AREA C POLICE COMMAND of the @LagosPoliceNG where they were robbed.

“Their offense was the absence of a physical copy of a driver’s license. This is evil!,” the post read.

Some videos were also shared alongside the post.

“What about your driver’s license?” one of the officers asked the driver in one of the clips.

The motorist replied: “I’m renewing it.”

The officer then demanded the renewal paperwork, which the driver could not provide in hard copy.

Following this, a man dressed in plain clothing was seen removing the vehicle’s number plate, sparking an argument.

Giving an update on Friday, Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the state command, said the officers had been summoned.

He added that their trial has begun.

“The men have been summoned and their trial has commenced. We urge the complainants to visit the Complaint Response Unit at the State Headquarters to testify at the ongoing trial,” Hundeyin wrote on X.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented its first witness in the ongoing trial of Saleh Mamman, former minister of power, for alleged N33.8 billion fraud.

In July, the EFCC arraigned Mamman on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and conspiracy with officials at the ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” the sum of N33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydro electric power projects.

The former minister pleaded not guilty to the charges.

During the court proceedings on Thursday, Abubakar Kweido, an operative of the EFCC, said investigation showed how multiple monetary transfers were allegedly made from the account meant for Mambilla power project to bureau de change (BDC) operators.

Kweido said 13 entities, who were said to have received about N33.8 billion from the Mambilla project fund, were not authorised for the power project.

“We commenced the investigation by writing letters of investigation to different ministries and agencies of the government and various commercial banks,” Kweido said.

“The responses received revealed that he authorised the payment to some contractors and companies using One Joint Venture of Tractebel and De-Crown Projects Ltd and Sino Hydro Groups.

“De-Crown projects Ltd was used as a project consultant, and Sino Hydro Groups was the engineering procurement contractor.

“Our investigation revealed that a huge amount of money from the project account of Mambila was sent to different entities that were not authorised on the project.

“We then wrote letters of investigation activities to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for Mambila and Zungeru hydroelectric power plant projects.

“When we analyzed the responses, we saw that over N33.8bn from the project account were sent to over 13 entities that are not the authorized contact.

“Some of them are Prymint Investment Ltd, Gurupche Business Enterprise, Shipikin Global Enterprises, Silverline Ventures, Intech Nigeria Ltd, Breathable Investment Ltd, First Class Contraction Ltd, Spinhillls Biz International Ltd, Fulex Utility Concept Ltd, Platinum Enterprise among others.

“We also requested the bank record of the accounts from corporate affairs and other commercial banks which revealed that the persons behind the operation of these entities were mainly Maina Goje, Abdulahi Suleiman and Abdulahi Garba.

“We invited them to account for the funds they received from the Mambila project account. They reported to our office where they informed us that they have never applied for any contract with the federal ministry of power or the Federal Government.

“They said they were bureau de change operatives. They also mentioned that all the monies received were disbursed based on the instructions of one Mustapha Abubakar Dida.

“The disbursements were usually in foreign currencies, naira cash and sometimes via bank transfers.”

The EFCC witness said Mustapha Dida was the project accountant of the Mambilla and Zungeru power plant projects.

Kweido added that the owners of the BDC entities said they have never met with Dida or Mamman but that they had physical contact with Bawo Idris, a personal assistant to the former minister.

The EFCC witness said when Idris was invited by the agency, she confirmed receiving instructions from the defendant for funds disbursement.

The case was adjourned to October 9, 2024 for continuation of trial.

Mamman was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 and was sacked in September 2021.

In May 2023, the former minister was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged fraud.