BREAKING: Sacked Lagos Assembly Clerk Onafeko Threatens Contempt Action Against Speaker Meranda For Defying Court Order

The warning follows a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering Onafeko's reinstatement after he was removed amid a leadership crisis in the Lagos State legislature.

Lawyers for Olalekan Onafeko, the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly, have threatened to take legal action against Speaker Mojisola Meranda for contempt of court.

The warning follows a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering Onafeko's reinstatement after he was removed amid a leadership crisis in the Lagos State legislature.


Onafeko was removed from office on January 13, 2025, following the impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa. The court instructed Babatunde Ottun, who was appointed as his replacement, to stop parading himself as the Clerk until the substantive case is resolved.

Justice M. N. Esowe delivered the ruling, granting Onafeko's ex parte application and directing that the status quo ante bellum—the state of affairs before the crisis—be maintained.

However, Speaker Meranda's alleged non-compliance with the court's order has prompted Onafeko's lawyers to consider pursuing contempt proceedings against her.


SaharaReporters learnt that Olalekan Onafeko and his legal team visited the Lagos State House of Assembly to enforce the Industrial High Court's order.

However, they were unable to access his office as it had been padlocked.

Speaking to journalists at the complex, one of Onafeko's lawyers argued that Speaker Mojisola Meranda's actions amounted to contempt of court, and the legal team is determined to hold her accountable.


The lawyer warned that if they return and the office remains padlocked, they would have no choice but to file Form 48 for contempt proceedings against "whoever is there as speaker".

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, one of the lawyers is seen addressing the situation and emphasizing their commitment to upholding the court's order.

He said: "We are here this morning to give effect to the order of court made on the 19th of February 2025. The court by Honourable Justice Maureen Nkechinyereuho Esowe of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), sitting in Lagos, has ordered that Olalekan Onafeko, resume his office as the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“That order was made and we have served the order on the House of Assembly duly acknowledged by the House of Assembly.

"We are here today to give effect to the order of the court. We got here this morning we were not welcomed but the office is not open. As law-abiding citizens, we have to leave and look for another day to come back because we need to effect that order of court.

“He is a civil servant of up to 30 years in service and he has served the Lagos State government meritoriously with several letters of recommendations and promotions till he was appointed the Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

"So you can't just by a motion of one honourable who has not even put five years, 10 years into the service of Lagos State government, just wake up and say you are suspending someone for financial misappropriation without any letter stating what he has done at any point in time.

“Today makes it about 40-something days no letter has been served on him of any infractions he has committed in service of Lagos State government.

"We don't know why this is going on and that's why we are here this morning to give effect to the order of court. He is a civil servant and there are rules and procedures under the Lagos State Public Service 2015, where someone who is on level 13 should be suspended or be dealt with. None of these things have been abided by."

However, he cautioned that the next course of action would be to cite the current Speaker for contempt for disobeying a lawfully issued court order.

“They have joined issues with us in court, they have filed their processes, they have engaged lawyers including a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), they should interpret the law for them and its consequences," the lawyer said.

This development highlights the ongoing power struggle within the Lagos State House of Assembly, which has been plagued by controversy and leadership changes in recent months.

The National Industrial Court in Lagos had ordered the reinstatement of Onafeko, who was removed as Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The ruling followed an ex parte application filed by Onafeko through his lawyer, Yusuf Nurudeen, in a lawsuit against the Lagos State Government, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, and Mr. Ottun Babatunde.

Onafeko was serving as Clerk of the House until January 13, when Obasa was removed as Speaker, and Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, the then Deputy Speaker, was elected as the new Speaker.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin has commended the Igbos for their contribution to the Oyo State economy and reiterated his commitment to peaceful co-existence amongst the various ethnic groups in the ancient city.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday, Oba Olakulehin gave the commendation while playing host to the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Tuesday in his palace.

Olubadan, who spoke through the Agba Akin Balogun of Ibadanland, Senior Chief Rafiu Onideure, said Ibadan would continue to appreciate the economic contributions of the Igbo not just in Ibadanland but in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

“I implore you to continue with your business, social and religious activities peacefully and lawfully at all times as you have done in the past for the progress of Ibadanland.

“The contributions of the Igbos to commerce, trade and business in Ibadanland is worthy of commendation and well appreciated by all and sundry as it is a significant contributor to the Oyo State economy and by extension our nation

“I want to enjoin other non-indigenes in Ibadan to emulate the good gesture of members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in extending the hand of friendship and fellowship to Ibadan indigenes.”

Earlier, the Coordinator of the group, Tallest Innocent, who doubles as the Special Assistant, Community Relations to Governor Seyi Makinde, expressed his gratitude to the Olubadan and the Oba-In Council for the warm reception accorded them during the visit.

“Apart from paying this visit, they were at the palace to introduce the newly elected executives of the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide to His Imperial Majesty.”

He appreciated the monarch’s support before, during and after the peaceful process plus the inclusive governance approach of the traditional stool

Saga16:


So that he can start remote controlling her like Trump?

malali:


LOL....She is a billionaire
She has already seen the best eye doctors in the world.
Trust me.
Unfortunately there is no eye transplant.

Christistruth02:

She should go to the Moorfields eye Hospital in London they would treat her successfully

They are actually very good with such cases even if she is 90 years old

EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Billionaire Folorunso Alakija, Former Protégé Of Babangida, Loses Sight ‘Completely’

Nigerian billionaire Folorunso Alakija has lost her sight, according to medical sources involved in her care.

Sources revealed to SaharaReporters that the 73-year-old founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil [b]began experiencing health issues after a near air mishap. She was travelling with her husband, Modupe Alakija, Chairman of Famfa Oil, when the incident caused a spike in her blood pressure.

The distressing event is said to have affected her vision.

Following the incident, Alakija reportedly ordered a new jet to avoid travelling on the same flight as her husband. However, her vision continued to deteriorate until she ultimately lost her sight completely.

“She had a near air mishap with her husband on board and her blood pressure reportedly shot up affecting her eyes,” one of the sources said.

“She has been having eyesight issues but instead of treating the illness, she chose to start a church to help her.

“Now she can’t see.”

Folorunso Alakija is a Nigerian billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist who began hosting a small fellowship in her home around 2004, which eventually grew into the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International. On her 69th birthday, she was ordained as an Apostle.

She is the founder of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian company with a significant stake in OML 127, a highly profitable oil block located on the Agbami deep water oilfield in Nigeria.

According to Forbes, her net worth was estimated at $1 billion as of 2020. In 2015, she was ranked as the 87th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes and was one of only two African women on Forbes' list of the richest people in Africa.

Alakija pursued secretarial studies at Pitman Central College in London in the 1970s. She began her career as an executive secretary at Sijuade Enterprises in Lagos in 1974.

Her wealth is reflected not only in her business ventures but also in her taste for luxury.

One of the aircraft linked to her is a Bombardier Global Express XRS (model BD-700-1A10) with serial number 9416, registered to Wings of Grace Limited on November 25, 2011. This jet has the tail number VP-CEO.

Flight records show that it departed from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on February 26 for an undisclosed location.

She also owns a Bombardier Global Express 6000 private jet known for its long-range capabilities and luxurious amenities. It offers a range of up to 6,000 nautical miles with a cruising speed of Mach 0.89.

The jet's cabin is designed for maximum comfort, featuring advanced entertainment systems, fully equipped workspaces, and premium seating. This aircraft is registered under the tail number VP-CTO.

Records obtained by SaharaReporters show that it departed Lagos at 11:34 WAT on February 24 and arrived in London, UK at 4:18 GMT on February 25.

Folorunso Alakija is involved in several companies, including Famfa Oil Limited, Rose of Sharon Group and Dayspring Property Development Company Limited.

Connection To Babangida

Alakija's first company was a fashion label whose customers included the wife of former dictator Ibrahim Babangida.

The Nigerian government awarded Alakija's company an oil prospecting licence in 1993, which was later converted to an oil mining lease.

The Agbami field has been operating since 2008.

Folorunso Alakija's journey to acquiring an oil block is closely linked to her connection with Maryam Babangida, the late wife of the former dictator.

In the late 1980s, Folorunso Alakija was a successful fashion designer, running a high-end fashion label, Supreme Stitches, which catered to Nigeria's elite, including Maryam Babangida.

Through her fashion business, Alakija developed a close relationship with Maryam, who was influential as Nigeria's First Lady at the time.

In 1993, Folorunso Alakija applied for an oil prospecting licence. At that time, Nigeria's military government was granting oil blocks to indigenous companies to encourage local participation in the petroleum industry.

She was awarded an Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) by General Babangida's regime.

It is widely believed that her close relationship with Maryam Babangida played a significant role in securing the license.

Initially, the oil block was considered high-risk and of low value. However, after partnering with Texaco (now Chevron) for exploration, it was discovered to contain significant reserves, transforming it into one of Nigeria's most lucrative oil blocks.

This discovery drastically increased her wealth, making her one of the richest women in Africa.

The Nigerian government attempted to reclaim the oil block in 2000, but Alakija fought a legal battle to retain her stake. In 2008, the Nigerian Supreme Court ruled in her favour, restoring her 60% share in the block.

So her connection with the Babangida family played a pivotal role in her journey from a fashion entrepreneur to a billionaire oil magnate.

IBB Book Launch

On February 20, 2025, Alakija attended the launch of Babangida's book, A Journey in Service, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja. The event also served as a fundraiser for the IBB Presidential Library. While Alakija made a donation, she chose not to publicly disclose the amount.

The event was graced by numerous dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu, former Nigerian leaders Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Yakubu Gowon, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Yemi Osinbajo. Notable business figures such as Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu also attended, with Dangote pledging N8 billion, which could rise by a further N2 billion annually if the project extended beyond four years and Rabiu donating N5 billion towards the library project.

Meanwhile, there have been reports suggesting that Alakija and her husband, Modupe Alakija, have separated after over 30 years of marriage. These reports, which emerged around March 2024, indicate that the couple has been living apart due to personal differences.

However, there has been no official confirmation from the Alakija family regarding their marital status.

kedeojo:
Only the igbos are praising the book. You can read all lies by the maradonna. He knows Abacha is not alive to defend himself about the annulment of the best election conducted so far. How can Abacha is subordinate will decide for him the head of state. A coup that was carried by the major actor left his tribe and killed other military personnel from other zone, the old cargo now say it wasn't an igbo coup. Other Nigerians know truth. That coup remains Igbo coup.

MasterJayJay:
Why wasn't Reno Omokri appointed?

He begged Nuhu Ribadu to help him meet Tinubu so he can appoint him.

Reno Omokri has been licking his ass to get favour after calling him a druglord.

floss:
Truly this man is the biggest asslicker I’ve seen…

Hmmm

FULL LIST: US excludes UK, others from visa-free entry for 2025


The United States, on Monday, released the list of eligible countries for its 2025 Visa Waiver Programme.

The United Kingdom was excluded from the programme but remains eligible under specific conditions.

The list also does not include any African countries, such as Nigeria, Ghana, or South Africa.

While most of the VWP list remains unchanged, the addition of Romania marks a significant update. The US has also focused on enhancing security checks and prioritising countries with strong diplomatic ties and border security standards.

According to the US Bureau of Consular Affairs website, the Visa Waiver Programme allows most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

The agency stated, “Travellers must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval prior to travel and meet all requirements explained below. If you prefer to have a visa in your passport, you may still apply for a visitor visa.”

The new Visa Waiver Programme for 2025 introduces policy updates on permit eligibility and revisions to the list of participating countries, as well as new travel policies.

This update simplifies visa-free entry into the United States for millions worldwide, making business, tourism, and transit travel more accessible.

The 2025 Visa Waiver Programme includes 40 countries whose citizens can now travel to the United States without a visa.

See the full list below:

1. Andorra,

2. Australia,

3. Austria,

4. Belgium,


5. Chile,

6. Czech Republic,

7. Croatia,

8. Denmark,

9. Estonia,

10. Finland,

11. France,

12. Germany,

13. Greece,

14. Hungary,

15. Iceland,

16. Ireland,

17. Italy,

18. Israel

19. Norway,

20. Poland,

21. Portugal,

22. San Marino,

23. Singapore,

24. Slovakia,

25. Japan,

26. Slovenia,

27. Latvia,

28. South Korea,

29. Liechtenstein,

30. Spain,

31. Lithuania,

32. Sweden,


33. Luxembourg,

34. Switzerland,

35. Malta,

36. Netherlands,

37. New Zealand,

38. Qatar,

39. Romania

40. Monaco

UK-Based Nigerian Woman Accuses Ogun Monarch Of Marriage Scam Involving N65Million, N120Million In Gold, Other Valuables

She told SaharaReporters that the monarch later went ahead to help her obtain a forged divorce certificate to leave her former husband so that the monarch could marry her.

A UK-based Nigerian woman has accused a traditional ruler, Oba Adekeye Adeyemi Olanrewaju, the Abepa of Joga Orile, Yewa North, Ogun State, of using marriage as a ploy to defraud her.

The woman, identified as Christy Oluwabunmi, claims that the monarch exploited her trust, leading to financial and material losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.

She told SaharaReporters that the monarch later went ahead to help her obtain a forged divorce certificate to leave her former husband so that the monarch could marry her.

“Kabiyesi went to forge a divorce certificate for me to leave my husband and also took me to the court registry to formalise my marriage with him.

“It was later I realised this is his usual way of deceiving women. In fact, it was later I knew no fewer than five women were once his victims. He always preyed on wealthy ones like me,” the woman told SaharaReporters in a telephone conversation.

In petitions submitted to the Osun State Governor; Ondo State Governor; Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Inspector General of Police, and Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), otherwise known as Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chairman of Ogun Council of Obas, Ms. Oyewole narrated how Adekeye Adeyemi approached her on June 30, 2022, with romantic advances, promising marriage and financial stability.

“He pretended to be in love with me, vowing to marry me and support my business. Eventually, I was manipulated into transferring over N53 million via electronic transactions, N12 million in cash, mobile phones worth N10.8 million, and gold valued at N120 million,” she wrote in the petition, attaching receipts as evidence.

The victim further alleged that after extorting her, the traditional ruler attempted to lure her into a dubious ritual in Ekiti State, where she was told she would need to sacrifice an eye or a leg to attain financial prosperity.

Realising she was being deceived, she resisted, only to find herself financially ruined and abandoned.

In a shocking revelation, she claimed the monarch had forged a divorce judgment and had used the same fraudulent scheme on at least three other women.

When she demanded a refund of her money and valuables, he allegedly threatened her life, boasting about his influence and ties to cultists and thugs.

“He has converted my hard-earned money, gold, phones, and valuables to his personal use unlawfully. All efforts to retrieve them have proved abortive. Instead, he threatens to kill me, claiming nothing will happen because he is a king,” she alleged.

In her petitions, she wrote, “That one Adekeye Adeyemi Olanrewaju approached me on 30th day of June, 2022 with a confidence trick, pretended to be romantically interested in me when he claimed and vowed that he would marry me being a single mother struggling alone to cater for myself and children without husband.

“It was thereafter revealed to me that the suspect has been using same style to defraud single women who are blessed with wealth. The suspect had used the similar criminal style to defraud three different ladies who were later threatened to be killed if the matters were reported to the law enforcement agencies.”

She said she was hypnotised to an extent of being defrauded of more than N53 million via electronic transfer, cash of N12 million, mobile phones worth N10.8 million, gold worth N120 million “under the false pretences to help me boost, develop my business and rebrand my financial status and repertoire”.

As of the time of filing this report, Oba Adekeye Adeyemi has not responded to the allegations.

He did not answer multiple phone calls and has yet to react to a follow-up message.

Canada denies asylum, moves to deport retired officer Wale Akinpelu, wife for serving in corrupt Nigeria Police Force

Mr Akinpelu’s asylum application was denied “on grounds of violating human or international rights due to his past employment as a police officer in Nigeria.”

Canadian immigration authorities have denied the asylum application of retired Nigerian police officer Wale Akinpelu and his wife, Ajarat Mojirola, citing his previous employment under the Nigerian police —with a reputation for corruption and human rights violations— as a stumbling block to his request.

Justice Norris of a federal court in Ottawa, Ontario, on January 2, rejected the refugee status request of the Nigerian couple who fled Nigeria in 2017 and claimed that a criminal gang was after their lives.

Mrs Akinpelu was the first person to travel to the U.S. in May 2017 and was later joined by her husband in October 2017 “shortly after quitting his job as an officer with the Nigerian Police Service,” court filings seen by Peoples Gazette stated.

The couple left the U.S. for Canada in 2018 and immediately sought refugee protection, asserting that they were in danger of being harassed and attacked by a criminal gang.

Court filings showed that the couple admitted that Mr Akinpelu’s former corrupt colleagues at the Nigerian Police had “scores to settle” with him, a statement that led the Canadian immigration authorities to immediately suspend his asylum request.

Mr Akinpelu’s asylum application was subsequently denied “on grounds of violating human or international rights due to his past employment as a police officer in Nigeria.” A judicial review of the matter upheld the denial.

The foreign government separated the couple’s applications into two to allow the processing of Mrs Akinpelu’s documents while her husband’s request was suspended.

The Refugee Protection Division (RPD) later in March 2019 rejected Mrs Akinpelu’s asylum application, having found loopholes in her claims of needing protection. She appealed the rejection.

The Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) granted her appeal and ordered a fresh hearing of her case.

The RPD again denied her asylum in February 2023, upholding a previous decision that she was “neither a Convention refugee nor a person in need of protection because she had not credibly established the core elements of her claim.”

Mrs Akinpelu marched to court to seek redress, claiming her asylum denial reeked of procedural unfairness and unreasonableness.

But Justice Norris said the RPD found that her application was predicated on the documentary evidence provided by her husband, which was riddled with inconsistencies.

The judge reiterated findings from the RPD stating that Mrs Akinpelu fabricated fraudulent documents to support her asylum request.

“The RPD found that the applicant’s husband’s narrative (which, for the most part, the applicant had simply adopted as her own) was not credible,” stated court filings.

The RPD adjudged Mrs Akinpelu as not being a credible witness “due to the abundancy of inconsistencies and contradictions in her evidence, evolving testimony, and relying upon multiple fraudulent documents created specifically to bolster her allegations.”

Mrs Akinpelu’s claims that her father-in-law, husband’s first wife and daughter were killed in an attack were not properly substantiated.

When questioned to clarify inconsistencies, the police officer’s wife gave a “vague, rambling testimony” and said she was not aware of any discrepancies because her husband was the one who obtained the evidence.

The RPD said Mrs Akinpelu did not show any willingness to ask her husband to clarify the contradictions in the documentary and that “it would serve little purpose to belabour these issues in questioning” her.

When the Canadian immigration authorities raised some concerns, they soon realised it was an “exercise in futility.”

Consequently, the judge dismissed Mrs Akinpelu’s request for judicial review and will soon commence standard deportation protocol on her case.

JagabanBorgu:
Don't forget the people of Rivers Abonnema also celebrated being liberated from Biafra, they celebrate 21st June, this year they will still celebrate it, but somehow, the probIem is the Yoruba according to lgb0 propagandists.

I'm not a Yoruba, I don't have any tie or relationship with Yoruba, but lgb0 propaganda must be check mated, same propaganda ran against the north all the years Buhari was in power, it has been shifted to Yorubas now because the president is a Yoruba.

flokii:
Awolowo was too learned and sophisticated for such.. it's only Igbos that will go and kill people unjustly (errand noone sent them) and then turn around to claim they did the evil acts to install Awolowo.. install Awolowo as what?

Do you have any legal power to install someone as PM or Preisident without election or due process?.. you lots should keep deceiving yourselves.

After Ibrahim Babangida’s ‘A Journey In Service’, here are the top 10 revisionist books to expect in the next 20 years, their predicted year of publication, and their authors:

2026: Restoring Nigeria After One Million Years Of PDP Misrule — By Muhammadu Buhari

2028: Contentment: Rejecting The Offer Of A Third Term — By Olusegun Obasanjo

2030: My Sacrifice: Defeating Insecurity In Kaduna — By Nasir el-Rufai

2032: Resilience! How I Broke Down The Walls Of Boko Haram — By Goodluck Jonathan

2034: ENDSARS: Saving Lagos From The Children Of Anger — By Babajide Sanwo-Olu

2036: A Peaceful Man’s Way of Breaking The Yoke Of Political Godfatherism — By Nyesom Wike

2038: Eight Years Of Fighting Corruption To A Standstill — By Bola Tinubu

2040: How I Won Opposition #EndSARS Protesters Seeking To Remove Me From Office — Muhammadu Buhari

2042: A Democrat’s Approach To Defending Democracy And Press Freedom — By Bola Tinubu (Again)

2044: A Presidential Guide To Winning Elections By The Ballot — By Bola Tinubu (AGAIN!)

EXTRAS
2046: All Of Nigeria’s Politician-Authors Are Deranged — By David Hundeyin

2048: UNDERCOVER: Inside Nigeria’s Multibillion-Naira Revisionist Ghostwriting Industry — By ‘Fisayo Soyombo

Judolisco:
Exactly.... Someone that hurriedly murdered his best friend

madone:
That is rather insulting that no ibo soldier had the chance to want to grab power. Was it the greed they lacked or the courage.

Nislee:
Flush out those bastard terrorists from the bushes!

yarimo:
Gathering of VIPs the agulu fraudster was not invited 😂😂😂😂😂

Astronomers spot flares of light near the black hole at the center of our galaxy

An artist’s illustration depicts the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, known as Sagittarius A*. It’s surrounded by a swirling accretion disk of hot gas and dust.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have spied dynamic flares of light near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The constant, rapid-fire display includes seconds-long short flashes and longer, blindingly bright flares of light on a daily basis.

The Webb observations mark the longest, most detailed look researchers have been able to make around the Milky Way’s central black hole, called Sagittarius A*, building on past evidence of its highly energetic activity.

While black holes are invisible, the flares unleashed by the swirling disk of hot gas and dust, or accretion disk, that orbits Sagittarius A* resemble a pyrotechnic extravaganza. A study describing the findings was published Tuesday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Astronomers believe the flares are coming from the inner edge of the accretion disk just beyond the black hole’s event horizon, or the area around a black hole where the pull of gravity is so strong that not even light can escape, according to NASA.

“In our data, we saw constantly changing, bubbling brightness,” said lead study author Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, a professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, in a statement. “And then boom! A big burst of brightness suddenly popped up. Then, it calmed down again. We couldn’t find a pattern in this activity. It appears to be random. The activity profile of this black hole was new and exciting every time that we looked at it.”

The observations could shed light on how black holes behave and the ways they feed on their surroundings.

The strong, gravitational influence of black holes pulls in gas and dust from any celestial object that wanders too close. The gas and dust swirl together at high speeds, forming the accretion disk that feeds the black hole. The rapid movement of the material causes it to heat up, releasing energy in the form of radiation as well as jets of material that don’t make it into the black hole.

The radiation and jets can change the way gas is distributed throughout galaxies and feed the formation of stars, which is why supermassive black holes are regarded as giant engines at the centers of galaxies.

Yusef-Zadeh and his colleagues observed Sagittarius A*, also called Sgr A*, for 48 hours over the course of one year in eight to 10-hour increments, using Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera to track the black hole’s activity. The team spied five to six big flares a day as well as smaller flashes of light in between.

“Flares are expected to happen in essentially all supermassive black holes, but our black hole is unique,” Yusef-Zadeh said. “It is always bubbling with activity and never seems to reach a steady state. We observed the black hole multiple times throughout 2023 and 2024, and we noticed changes in every observation. We saw something different each time, which is really remarkable.”

This composite image of nebula NGC 1333 captures minute detail of young stars and brown dwarfs. These details were previously obscured in Hubble Telescope's images of the same nebula.

The variability of the black hole’s activity is likely due to the random nature of the material flowing into the accretion disk, Yusef-Zadeh said.

The team believes the short bursts of light are created by minor, turbulent fluctuations within the accretion disk that could squeeze hot, energetic gas called plasma and cause a flash of radiation.

“It’s similar to how the Sun’s magnetic field gathers together, compresses, and then erupts a solar flare,” Yusef-Zadeh said in a statement. “Of course, the processes are more dramatic because the environment around a black hole is much more energetic and much more extreme.”

Meanwhile, the longer, bigger flares may occur due to magnetic reconnection events, or when two different magnetic fields collide near the black hole and release energetic particles moving near the speed of light.

“A magnetic reconnection event is like a spark of static electricity, which, in a sense, also is an ‘electric reconnection,’” Yusef-Zadeh said.

A ‘rainbow’ of activity
Webb’s capabilities enabled the team to observe the black hole’s flaring across two different wavelengths of light simultaneously.

“(It was like) seeing the world in color versus in black and white, and (we) found rainbows,” Yusef-Zadeh said. “This tells you about the nature of flaring activity and the physical characteristics of the radiation mechanism, the magnetic field and the density of flares more directly.”

The observations provide a deeper look at how the black hole’s activity varies in brightness over time, said Tuan Do, associate professor in the physics and astronomy department and deputy director of the Galactic Center Group at UCLA.

Do was not involved in this study but has led research on Sagittarius A* in the past, including when the black hole showcased unusual activity in 2019.

“Sgr A* got about half as bright in the new data as was seen in 2019, so I think that 2019 is still unusually active for the black hole,” Do said. “The black hole and its environment (are) always changing though so we are never sure what we’ll find! This is what makes observations of the galactic center so exciting, even though we’ve stared at this spot in the sky for decades now."

When the authors of the latest study observed the two different wavelengths of light from the black hole simultaneously, they realized the shorter wavelength changed in brightness just before the longer wavelength. The observation suggested that as the particles spiral around magnetic field lines, they lose energy more quickly.

The changes in brightness have been noted in previous research and recent complementary data from the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the Webb telescope and other observatories.

“I think the next big step would be to try to connect these different data sources together to form a fuller picture of the physics of the environment around the supermassive black hole,” Do said.

The new study also confirms the black hole has “non-stop variability,” as previously observed, said Mark Morris, distinguished research professor in the department of physics and astronomy at UCLA. Morris was not involved in the new study.

“X-ray astronomers see reasonably strong evidence that in the last few hundred years, there has been at least one, maybe two instances of enormous flares taking place,” Morris said via email, “with intensities (10,000 to 100,000) times larger than anything we’ve seen in the last quarter century that we have been closely examining Sgr A*.”

What might have caused these flares? Astronomers still don’t know, but it’s possible the black hole gobbled up a planet a few hundred years ago, Morris said.

This artist’s illustration shows the largest radio jet ever found in the early Universe. The jet was first identified using the international Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Telescope, a network of radio telescopes throughout Europe. Follow-up observations in the near-infrared with the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS), and in the optical with the Hobby Eberly Telescope, were obtained to paint a complete picture of the radio jet and the quasar producing it. GNIRS is mounted on the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Historically, such large radio jets have remained elusive in the distant Universe. With these observations, astronomers have valuable new insights into when the first jets formed in the Universe and how they impacted the evolution of galaxies.
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When the sun releases solar storms, scientists worry because such activity can potentially affect GPS, communications and the power grid on Earth. But at 25,000 light-years away, the highly energetic and variable activity of the Milky Way’s central black hole isn’t a concern, Morris said.

However, the Webb telescope observations allow researchers to understand what kind of “storms” are created when matter is compressed and heated as it is drawn toward the black hole.

“Beyond pure interest in the most dazzling fireworks that the universe can produce, those fireworks can have a profound effect on the evolution of the galaxies that they are in,” Morris said. “They can provoke or impede star formation on large scales, they can remove gas and clear out galaxies, leaving them unable to form stars.”

A longer look
The study authors don’t believe the black hole was experiencing an unusual spike in activity, but they want to observe Sagittarius A* for an uninterrupted 24 hours to be sure.

“We also can see if these flares show periodicity (or repeat themselves) or if they are truly random,” Yusef-Zadeh said.

Astronomers still don’t know how fast Sagittarius A* is spinning as it gobbles up matter, but longer observations could provide the data necessary to find the answer.

Ultimately, more data from Webb observations of Sagittarius A* could help astronomers simulate how accretion disks behave around black holes, as well as comparing the behaviors of less energetically active, black holes with more active ones.

Magnetic010:
Is this not the same lady that had something something with a popular General Overseer of a big church sometimes ago?

Posers For Anambra Police Command Following The Escape Of Two Kidnap And Murder Suspects From Its Custody

Since my Facebook and Live interview with Superintendent Tochi Ikenga, the Anambra Police Command PPRO on Tuesday, 18th February 2024, to discuss the escape of two suspects from police custody who are linked to the kidnapping and murder of Anambra lawmaker, Late Hon. Justice Azuka, further shocking information has come to light. (Watch the interview here

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1B3So37YjT/?mibextid=wwXIfr)

(1) The suspects already escaped before the current Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, fwc MNIPS Ph.D took over. Why wasn't the incident made public? This is scandalous.

(2) The current Police Commissioner was not aware of the incident until yesterday, Monday, 18/2/2025. This informed his directive to launch a manhunt for the escaped suspects and disciplinary action against the officers involved.

(3) We have information that the suspects did not escape from the Police cell but during an operation to arrest another gang member who kept their operational vehicle.

(4) Why didn't the former CP Itam brief CP Orutugu during handing and taking over about this?

(5) Is this a calculated attempt to sabotage the efforts of the Governor of Anambra State and the government over their ongoing onslaught to dislodge criminal elements in the state?

I intend to bring the PRO SP Ikenga Tochukwu back to myUche Nworahive show if he would oblige to respond to these posers.

Uche Nworah Ph.D

GeneralPula:
Mtchew..

Sowore is here again to use headless mob head to play ping pong... They can’t kuku think upright..

Karma is the one dealing with Igbos, not Nigeria. Adaka boro was the first to declared secession away from Nigeria. It was Ibos that frustrated the guy’s dream (Ojukwu, Ironsi). A year later, Ojukwu declared Biafra and he expected success? How? You spoilt someone’s dream then you expect you own dream to come to reality? Life doesn’t work like that..

There will never be anything like Biafra! It has always been a figment of imagination and it will always be..