NEWS
EXPLOSIVE: How Titan Trust Bank allegedly used Union Bank’s assets to secure $300m takeover deal
What was sold to Nigerians in May 2022 as a clean and powerful takeover is now looking like something far more troubling. When Titan Trust Bank announced it had acquired Union Bank of Nigeria, a 100+ year-old institution, the story was simple: a young bank buying a legacy giant. But fresh documents are now pointing to a shocking twist that raises serious questions about how the deal was actually done.
According to findings, Titan Trust Bank allegedly secured a $300 million loan from African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to fund the acquisition of Union Bank of Nigeria. On paper, Titan Trust Bank was the borrower. But in reality, the collateral reportedly included shares, treasury bills, and assets belonging to Union Bank itself.
Let that sink in: the bank being acquired was allegedly used to secure the loan that bought it. Titan Trust Bank—linked to Rahul Savara and Cornelius Vink— is believed to have engineered a scheme so bold it’s almost unbelievable. The plan? Have Union Bank allegedly repay the very illegal loan used to purchase it—using depositors’ funds! If allowed to succeed, the outcome is stark: TitanTrust Bank’s shareholders would end up owning one of Nigeria’s oldest banks for free!
Even more alarming is the alleged complicity of Godwin Emefiele, then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who is said to have turned a wilful blind eye to a deal that flew in the face of the CBN’s strict rules against using borrowed funds to acquire Nigerian banks.
It is unbelievable that Godwin Emefiele would allow an inconsequential bank like Titan Trust Bank to plunge a legacy and systemically important bank like Union Bank into a huge and needless debt – just to satisfy the greed of the owners of Titan Trust Bank.
The Afreximbank loan is reportedly structured in a manner that will force Union Bank to keep using its depositors’ funds to repay the unlawful loan.
By the third quarter of 2025, the situation had reportedly worsened. Exchange rate shocks and rising interest costs pushed the total exposure to over ₦500 billion. What started as a $300 million facility ballooned into a massive financial burden.
It gets deeper. An audit later allegedly described the acquisition/loan arrangement as “unethical financial engineering.” The audit allegedly pointed to possible misuse of foreign loans, questionable financial reporting and improper withdrawals from customer funds.
The fallout has already begun. Following leadership changes at the CBN, the board and management of Union Bank were removed in January 2024. That decision is now being contested in court, adding another layer of controversy to an already explosive situation.
Behind the scenes, ownership of Titan Trust Bank also raises eyebrows. The bank, incorporated in 2018, is largely owned by Dubai-based firms linked to powerful business interests, including individuals such as Rahul Savara and Cornelius Vink.
This is no longer just a banking story. It is a test of transparency, regulation and accountability. If these allegations hold true, then one question refuses to go away: Who really paid for the takeover of Union Bank and at what cost to depositors?
NEWS
Governor Dauda Lawal Hails Troops for Successful Fight against Banditry, Terrorism across Zamfara State
Governor Dauda Lawal has commended the troops of the Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Fansan Yamma for achieving significant operational successes against bandits in Zamfara State. The troops of the Joint Task Force launched an elaborate and coordinated onslaught in the early hours of Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas of Zamfara State. Following the encounter, troops effectively neutralised three gang leaders and recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition, which included an AK-47 rifle, a machine gun, a locally fabricated handgun, seven rifle magazines and a total of 571 rounds of ammunition.Governor Lawal described the renewed military offensive as timely, particularly due to the successful operation recorded on May 10, 2026, which disrupted a significant gathering of notorious terrorist leaders and neutralised several commanders. The troops acted on an intelligence report that confirmed that the terrorists had converged at a concealed location in Tumfa Village, Shinkafi Local Government Area, with the intention to coordinate attacks and criminal activities targeting innocent communities in the state. The Air Component launched a precision airstrike on the identified terrorist hideout that successfully destroyed the structure, which served as the terrorists’ meeting point. The governor further reiterates Zamfara State Government’s commitment to ongoing support and logistics for the military and other security agencies operating in the state.
His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, has officially approved the sum of N3.2 billion for the complete renovation, accreditation, and commencement of academic activities at the Zamfara State School of Nursing and Health Sciences, located in Zurmi Local Government Area. This was confirmed in an official statement released marking a major intervention in the state’s ailing healthcare education sector, which has suffered years of neglect and infrastructural decay.According to government sources, the funds will be channeled into three critical areas: the overhauling of lecture halls, administrative blocks, student hostels, and practical demonstration labs to meet modern standards; the settlement of regulatory fees and implementation of curriculum upgrades required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN); and enabling the school to admit its first batch of students in over five years, with a focus on midwifery, community health and general nursing. Speaking on the development, the state Commissioner for Health described the approval as a new chapter in healthcare manpower development, noting that the Zurmi school has remained non-functional for nearly a decade due to poor infrastructure and loss of accreditation. Governor Dauda Lawal is not just renovating a school but rebuilding the backbone of primary healthcare delivery in Zamfara, adding that without trained nurses and community health workers, the state’s hospitals cannot function and that this N3.2 billion investment will change the narrative.Residents of Zurmi and prospective students have greeted the news with excitement, with many having lost hope of ever seeing the institution reopen. Governor Dauda Lawal, who has made health sector revitalization a cornerstone of his administration, was quoted as saying that his government remains committed to accessible, quality education and healthcare across all 14 local government areas of the state, adding that no Zurmi child should travel hundreds of kilometers just to become a nurse. The state government has issued a directive to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to ensure the project is completed within nine months, with accreditation visits scheduled to begin before the end of the current fiscal year.
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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has received the Award of Excellence from the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) in recognition of his administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and social protection delivery.
The award was presented during a stakeholder engagement event with local government chairmen, held at the Transcorp Congress Hall in Abuja.
NASSCO, a federal agency operating under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is responsible for implementing social safety-net programmes designed to protect and empower vulnerable populations across Nigeria.
In her remarks while presenting the award, the National Coordinator of NASSCO, Dr. Funmi Olotu, stated that the honour reflects Governor Lawal’s dedication to improving social protection systems and promoting inclusive governance in Zamfara State.
Accepting the award, Governor Lawal commended the Federal Government, the World Bank, and other development partners for their continued support of ongoing reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection architecture.
“This engagement is timely and strategic,” Governor Lawal said. “In Nigeria, especially in conflict-affected states like Zamfara, social protection has shifted from welfare to a vital tool for governance, security, poverty reduction, and community resilience.”
He noted that insecurity in Zamfara has led to displacement, disruption of livelihoods, food insecurity, and significant economic hardship, which disproportionately affects women, children, displaced persons, people with disabilities, and rural communities.
The Governor stressed the need for better coordination, transparency, data-driven targeting, and stronger collaboration among federal, state, and local governments to ensure resources reach those who need them most.
He also praised the expansion of the National Social Register and the integration of the National Identification Number (NIN), describing these as steps that improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in service delivery.
Governor Lawal further called for inclusive development that goes beyond cash transfers to include livelihood support, skills training, agriculture, healthcare, education, financial inclusion, and community resilience. “This will help vulnerable populations move from dependency to sustainable participation,” he said.
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