At least nine persons have been arrested while 502 bags of foreign rice were seized by the Nigerian Navy on Parrot Island waterways and Mbo River in Akwa Ibom State.
The Navy Director of Information, Commodore Suleman Dahun, made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja on Monday.
He revealed that the arrest and seizure were made by gunboats deployed from Forward Operating Base in the Ibaka area of the state.
According to him, the 502 bags of rice worth over N10m, adding that three outboard engines and two pumping machines were also seized during the operation.
Speaking further, Dahun said that the FOB had also handed over an arrested barge, Ebizarh, and a tug boat, Hebizarh, with three crew members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for prosecution.
He said, “The two vessels were arrested at Nigerian Agip Oil Company Terminal in Brass, Bayelsa, for conveying 600 metric tonnes of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil.”
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A pastor, who lures females to his hideout, rapes them before dispossessing them of valuables, has been arrested by the police in Oyo State.
The man was paraded alongside 29 others at the police headquarters in Ibadan, the capital, on Monday, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Shina Olukolu, said information about the suspect got to the State Anti Robbery Squad in Oyo on August 15.
Olukolu said that the suspect specialised in luring unsuspecting female victims to his hideout at Awe town where he allegedly rapes them.
According to the police chief, the suspect will thereafter dispose the female victims of their belongings as well as engage in ‘spiritual cleansing’ for ritual purposes.
He said, “One cell phone with which he took obscene pictures of his victims was recovered from him.
“He claimed to be the pastor of one Gospel Ministry Commission based in Bashi Quarters in Awe upon interrogation.
“His confessions led to the arrest of one of his accomplices, an alleged quack medical practitioner who performed abortion on one of his victims.”
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Ten persons pretending to be corps members in various camps where orientation exercises are taking place have been arrested by authorities of the National Youth Service Corps.
Spokesperson for the organisation, Adenike Adeyemi, in a statement said that three of the culprits apprehended in Taraba State claimed to have graduated from Istop University, Cotonou.
They are Nasiru Yau from Mass Communication Department, Sheu Muktar, Computer Science, and Iliyasu Usman from Sociology Department.
The NYSC said it discovered that the culprits could neither write nor say anything logical about their certificates or courses of study.
In a similar vein, NYSC Verification Officers also detected two persons claiming to have graduated from Imo State University in Katsina State orientation camp.
They include Offor Blessing Chinelo and Mezenwa Ngozi Chidinma with call-up-no NYSC/ISU/2019/259331.
Adeyemi added that four persons were also discovered with fake credentials of Imo State University in Kebbi State orientation camp, Dakingari.
They are; Nwachukwu Chimaobi Curtis, Ononuju Amarachi Nwamaka, Francis Joseph Arinze and Chigozie Evidence Chijioke.
Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, had warned that anyone caught with fake documents in orientation camps should be handed over to law enforcement agents for prosecution.
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The three suspects, who allegedly raped a female student of Ondo State College of Health Technology, Akure, would be arraigned before a magistrate court on Tuesday, Sahara Reporters has learnt.
The suspects are Eyitayo Charles, 22, Aderoboye Damilola, 20, and Blessing Michael, 24.
A police source, who spoke with our correspondent, said that investigation into the matter had already been concluded.
“We (police) have gathered evidences against the suspects and they shall be arraigned at the Magistrate Court tomorrow (Tuesday).
“It is clear that these students conspired among each other to rape the young lady but the court will finally determine that in its verdict.
“And as the case proceed, we would be calling witnesses most of whom had been victims at the hands of the suspects in the past.
“The school authority is aware that the suspects would be charged to court and we have already advised their parents to get them lawyers.”
Efforts by Sahara Reporters to get the reaction of the school authorities proved abortive as calls placed to the mobile line of the college's Student Affairs Officer were unsuccessful.
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Two persons have been arrested by officials of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control in Niger State for adulterating agro-chemicals.
Coordinator of NAFDAC in the state, Mr Aniko Ibrahim, made disclosed while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna, the capital, on Monday.
He said, “Before now, we have been getting bad reports about adulteration of agro-chemicals in Niger State.
“Therefore, we decided to set up a surveillance team to monitor them and eventually it yielded positive results.
“The two suspects involved were apprehended within their facility in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state.”
Ibrahim said that the suspects, who confessed to have been in the illicit business for over five years, are Jibrin Abubakar, chairman of Agro-chemicals Dealers Association in the area and Babangida Ado.
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Executive Chairman of CHRSJ, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman, has condemned the continued detention of activist and convener of RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration as a way divert the attention of Nigerians away from government’s incompetence.
Sulaiman stated that the country is currently suffering from insecurity and economic meltdown, which President Buhari had failed to attend to.
He noted that Sowore did not commit any offence warranting his continue detention, adding that the move was politically motivated and an abuse of power.
He said, “The continued detention of Sowore is a diversionary tactics from the incompetence of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.
“The allegations lacked modicum of truth and basis in a sane society of the world.
“As a law-abiding and reputable human rights organisations, we would not fold our arms and allow anti-democratic forces and fascist elements pretending to be democrats to subvert the will of Nigerians.”
Sulaiman added that 53 groups would be holding a protest against the illegal and continued detention of Sowore and other political prisoners across the country.
He stated, “The planned march would draw members from no fewer than 53 organisations across the country and beyond, including artisans, transporters, market men and women, Coalition for Revolution and a host of others.
“The protest would commence from Ikeja and end up at the Command Headquarters of the Department of States Services in Shangisha, Lagos, where protest letter would be submitted to the head of the command.”
The International Press Center, Lagos, has condemned the continued detention of Publisher of CrossRiverWatch online newspaper, Agba Jalingo.
The police arrested Jalingo last Thursday in Lagos for publishing an article revealing how Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, approved and diverted N500m for Cross River Micro-Finance Bank.
IPC also denounced the growing crackdown on freedom of expression following the continued molestation of journalists and the media by security agencies.
In a statement by its director, Lanre Arogundade, IPC said, “The detention of the journalist for doing his job of informing the public is an abuse of power and human rights violation.”
Speaking further, Arogundade condemned Jalingo’s detention for more than 48 hours without being charged to court, adding that he should be released immediately.
The Kogi State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria has said that it had not endorsed any aspirant or party for the November 16 governorship election in the state.
Chairman of the organisation in the state, Dr John Ibenu, made the disclosure at the end of a meeting in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday.
Ibenu said, “CAN is a spiritual and religious organisation, and not a political organisation.
“All our members belong to as many political parties of their choices and they are free to do so.
“CAN is a father body to all political parties, and so cannot and should not adopt any political party in any election (unless it is compelled to do so and must be the decision of an emergency plenary).
“CAN has not adopted any candidate, every member is encouraged to join the political party of his or her choice. CAN is open to all.”
The body however, added that any political party that needed and demanded its support must be committed to the fear of God; ensure peace and unity of polity; justice, equity and fairness to all.
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Former Vice President and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2019 Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has said that it was wrong to criminalise donations to institutions promoting peace in Nigeria and Africa.
Abubakar said this in a statement issued by his Media Office in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on Monday.
His position was in reaction to a publication alleging that his son-in-law, Babalele Abdullahi, donated cash to the Olusegun Obasanjo Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Abdullahi, did not donate any money in cash to the Obasanjo Library.
“Yes, he did facilitate a donation of N50m to the Obasanjo Presidential Library, but so did many other individuals, including civic-minded traditional rulers, state governors, bankers and captains of industry.
“This is because the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library is a non-governmental organisation that plays a pivotal role in promoting peace and stability in Nigeria, and that should be applauded.
“The sources of these funds are completely legitimate and have been conclusively proven to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Let it be known that the government established the EFCC to be an investigative body and not a propaganda or enforcement arm.”
The Ministry of Budget and National Planning, which has since been collapsed by President Muhammadu Buhari into the Ministry of Finance, has failed to account for a N7.3bn subhead in the 2018 budget.
Sahara Reporters made the discovery in a response to a Freedom of Information request addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry on July 3 2019.
The request was sent through the Civic Media Lab’s Citizens Enquiry platform of SaharaReporters and it was discovered that two duplicate subheads voting N7.3bn and N2.3bn to “Entitlements of Former Presidents/Heads of State and Vice Presidents/ Chief of General Staff,” were in that budget.
Responding to the observation in a letter dated July 23 2019, the ministry through its Chairman, FOI Implementation Committee, said, “The 2018 Appropriation did not provide the sum of N7.3bn to this subhead but N2.3bn.
“The former Presidents/Head of State and Vice Presidents/ Chief of General Staff are not on the payroll of the MBNP but are paid salary for life.
“Their details can be obtained from Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
Sahara Reporters had also asked the budget ministry before its merger with finance, for the breakdown of N21bn budgeted as contribution to international organisations and the details of another N40bn reserved as subscription to shares in different financial institutions but the ministry directed the publication to the Ministry of Finance, refusing to answer the question asked.
It said, “Contributions to internal organisations (N21bn) are statutory contributions that the Federal Government of Nigeria makes to international organisations such as Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, United Nations, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund etc.
“The details of the organisations that were paid from the vote should be obtained from the Federal Ministry of Finance that executes the budget.
“Subscription to shares in international organisations (N40bn) are subscriptions the FGN pays to international organisations such as African Development Bank, Islamic Bank, etc.
“It is the investment that the FGN makes on behalf of the country. The request for details of the organisations and payments should be directed to the Federal Ministry of Finance in the country’s budget.”
The Citizens Enquiry platform spotted myriad of duplicate line items in the country’s budget without anyone willing to give any sort of explanation on why this is so despite being contacted by Sahara Reporters.
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The Presidency on Monday denied reports that President Muhammadu Buhari was attacked by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Japan.
Buhari is currently in the Asian country attending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development together with other leaders.
In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, the Presidency said that news of such attack on Buhari were false.
The statement said, “The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra group has had nothing to do with President Muhammadu Buhari since he arrived Yokohama, Japan, on Monday.
“Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are urged to disregard concocted stories backed with spurious visuals of any protest or harassment of the President and his team.
“It is the stock-in-trade of hate mongers, who do not realise that the rest of Nigerians have left them far behind.
“President Buhari will make his presence at the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) count for Nigeria, and no scare-mongering or sabre-rattling will detract from the outing.”
Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, had earlier said that members of the group in Japan had received orders from him to disgrace and arrest President Buhari upon his arrival in the Asian country.
According to him, Buhari must “answer for his alleged mass murder and crimes against humanity, which he allegedly committed in Nigeria between 2015 and 2019”.
Recall that members of IPOB attacked former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Nuremburg, Germany, on August 17, 2019 during a ceremony to celebrate New Yam Festival, sparking fears among top politicians especially those of Igbo extraction of a similar treatment by the group in foreign lands.
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The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership has accused a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, of plotting another medical trip overseas to stall his ongoing corruption trial.
Chairman of the group, Debo Adeniran, said this in a statement on Monday.
He said, “The fresh plot by the former governor of Abia State to re-enact his fake foreign medical trip is a renewed bid to stall his trial.
“It was said that the defence against him would start on Monday before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
“Also, it was gathered that the former governor and his cohort are working towards another fake medical trip in order to frustrate his resumed hearing for the second time.”
The trial of Kalu was stalled on Monday due to the absence of his lawyer.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting him and two others for money laundering and conspiracy.
Adeniran added, “We urge the court to expedite action on the former governor in order to restore public confidence in the anti-corruption crusade of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
“Also, probing all financial dealings of ex-governors with a view to bringing culprits to book and recovering much of the stolen wealth, would go a long way in ameliorating the social frustration and economic downturn in the polity.”
The adjustment to electricity tariffs made by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission last Wednesday, has been described as an attempt at outwitting regulations guiding power price increases.
Convener of Nigerian Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, told Sahara Reporters on Monday that the commission cannot carry out a ‘major review’ without due consultation.
The commission had released 11 documents for the 11 electricity distribution companies titled ‘NERC Order on 2016 -2018 Minor Review of MYTO2015+Minimum Remittance’
In a statement, the NERC insisted that it had not increased the cost of electricity but only made a ‘retrospective adjustment of the tariff regime released in 2015 to account for changes in macroeconomic indices for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018, thus providing certainty about revenue shortfall that may have arisen due to the differential between tariffs approved by the regulator and actual end-user tariffs.’
Olubiyo explained the quoted excerpt to imply that the commission had implemented a minor price hike, which it should effect every six months at once.
This means it had executed eight minor price reviews with the order dated August 19, 2019.
Olubiyo interpreted this to be a major review in itself and hinted that the major hike, which is done every three years, could be done in 2020 – just a year after the lumped minor increment.
He said, “You don’t shave a man’s head in his absence. The enabling law did not envisage that something is going to be done in retrospect or something is going to be done in lump sum.
“They have put together 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, four years. What they are supposed to do eight times, they have summed the total value together to implement it at once.”
In 2014, NERC released a time table of its minor review from 2015 to 2018 and it indicated that minor reviews will take place every March and September till the next major review scheduled for 2018.
However, the commission failed to execute any of the reviews as stated.
Speaking to Sahara Reporters, spokesperson for Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Godwin Idemudia, said, “I don’t know about that, we follow directives.
“NERC has the knife and the yam, I think you should ask them to explain.”
NERC uses the price of gas, the inflation rate, foreign exchange and actual generation capacity to set tariffs.
Attempts to seek clarification on NERC’s new position on electricity tariff didn’t yield positive outcomes as inquiries by Sahara Reporters was not answered.
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The last 10 days have been very damaging for Nigeria’s already-battered international image. The spark was Obinwanne Okeke, once remembered for his listing by Forbes among the 100 Most Influential Young Africans 2018 but now an emblem of dirty wealth, following his arrest by the FBI over an $11m advanced Internet scam traced to him. This was followed by the belated revelation of Jumia, Africa’s largest e-commerce operator, about fraudulent orders placed by its network of commissioned agents in Nigeria, costing the company $17.5m between the last quarter of 2018 and the first two quarters of 2019.
FBI then released another bombshell: 80 suspects of high-wire fraud cases, 77 of them Nigerian, would be charged to court. Some of them had been arrested in the United States, in fact, with the suspicion that many of the rest were hiding in Nigeria. FBI said many of the suspects hailed from Nigeria; once their names were published, Nigerians themselves identified 74 of the 77 as Igbo.
The latest scandal has been reduced to the Igbo and their supposedly unquenchable thirst for ill-gotten wealth. An IgboYahooBoys hashtag even trended on Twitter. Such reductionism of a fraud scheme described by the US as “one of the largest cases of its kind in history” underscores a gross underestimation of the implication of this scandal for Nigerians and, more importantly, the pervasiveness of financial shadiness in our day-to-day life.
Nigeria is already a laughing stock all over the world. Of course we’re not pointedly the worst set of humans currently gracing the surface of the earth but our reputation has sunk so low that ours was the only country mentioned when South African newspaper Mercury educated its readers on how to avoid being scammed on dating sites. International online luxury stores, among them Nordstrom and Vanity, despise shipping to Nigeria. Target, a renowned online shop, is so Nigeria-apathetic that access is immediately denied if you attempt connecting to its website with a Nigerian Internet Protocol (IP) address. In a number of banks, Nigerians are prohibited from opening investment accounts. Numerous Nigerians have lost valid online deals or missed silver platter opportunities for certification because of nothing other than their nationality. Even authors can’t get heavyweight online bookstores — the likes of Barnes and Noble or Amazon-owned Book Depository — to deliver their own books to Nigeria!
These scenarios are far more worrying than the ongoing attempt to scapegoat the Igbo as the masters of Internet fraud. In any case, how can we even scapegoat the Igbo in this moment when we didn’t hero-worship them in the times they spearheaded some collective feat for the country? The victorious 12-member Nigerian team to the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket contained nine Igbo names. Since retaining their title for the second time on the spin one week ago, those vilifying the Igbo today haven’t found the voice to dub the Afrobasket title an Igbo win. If we shine together as a country, we must sink together as one. Having previously tracked corruption in some of our public institutions — from mortuaries and cemeteries to hospitals, seaports, police and military — I know for a fact that fraud does not have an ethnic face. In any case, the United States, where the 74 Igbo fraudsters are wanted, doesn’t care a hoot whether they’re south-easterners or westerners. It’s the totality of Nigerians that the US has now become warier about — not just the Igbo. No matter the attempt to hang the ‘FBI 80’ around the Igbo, Nigerians of all tribal/ethnic extractions will suffer some consequence or the other, be it extended airport scrutiny or needless visa denial.
Therefore, more than ever before, this should be a moment of deep introspection for the country. What exactly is driving our people to pursue wealth with a get-rich-or-die-trying mentality? Without waiting for FBI, we know the number of Nigerians pushing drugs, scamming unsuspecting victims, propagating fake love and generally involved in crime abroad is astounding. The counter argument will always be that so many Nigerians abroad are doing big things and breaking new grounds, shattering long-held academic records, rendering sterling services to communities and pioneering discoveries in medicine and other fields. But if we will be honest with ourselves, we will admit too that our shining lights are far outweighed in number by the bad eggs.
So we must think, and do it conscientiously. No society with our level of moral decadence, destruction of institutions, collective perfidy and me-first ethos can ever carve out a meaningful future for itself, much less earn the respect of other serious countries. Our latest shame in the eyes of the rest of the world must drive us to repair the rotten foundation of wealth at all costs upon which far too many Nigerians have built their life aspirations. Maybe the current generation is already a lost cause, but for the next, we really do have to try.
Soyombo, former Editor of TheCable, International Centre for Investigative Reporting and Sahara Reporters, tweets @fisayosoyombo
Some gunmen have attacked and abducted the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State, Prof Sylvanus Okogbenin.
The hoodlums also killed two policemen detailed to him in the process.
The incident is coming after a similar attack last week where two assistant directors of the hospital were abducted and released after payment of ransom.
Two other persons in the convoy whose identities were yet to be ascertained were shot in the leg.
An eyewitness told PUNCH that the gunmen abducted Okogbenin after killing the policemen.
The incident happened at Ramat Park in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state while the CMD was coming to Benin.
Police Spokesperson in the state, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said an investigation into the incident had commenced.
Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital Research Institute and Associated Institutions of Nigeria, Irrua branch, Emmanuel Igiechi, said the union would protest against insecurity in the area, adding that the abduction showed that workers at the hospital were being monitored.
Igiechi said, “This tells us how serious the security situation has become. It is a very dire situation we are in.
“The security agencies should strengthen their presence in Irrua and environs.”
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The Human Rights Writers Association has called on the Nigeria Police Force to account for 500 paraded suspected armed Fulani bandits, kidnappers and other armed hoodlums arrested at the beginning of the year.
The group wondered why hoodlums are frequently paraded while no prosecutions or convictions are heard of thereafter.
In a statement on Monday, HURIWA said, “It is inconceivable that the offices of the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation will allow the Zamfara State governor to embark on negotiated settlements with armed Fulani bandits who are responsible for some 3,000 mass murders instead of bringing these culprits to face justice in accordance with the law.
“There is the urgency for the top hierarchy of the Nigeria Police Force to transparently render accounts publicly and open up the books and detention facilities to the National Human Rights Commission and credible civil rights advocacy groups all across the country to verify the exact situation concerning the progress of prosecution or otherwise of the well over 500 paraded suspected armed Fulani bandits and kidnappers.”
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Leaders of the Muslim community in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have
condemned the demolition of Rainbow Town Central Mosque located at the
Trans-Amadi, accusing state officials of harassment.
The chairman of the mosque, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa Tabaco, told Daily
Trust the mosque was demolished on August 20 by government officials.
He said the officials, who came with armed policemen, pulled down the
fence and the foundation of the mosque which had gone up to DPC level,
citing non-compliance with the state urban development laws.
He said: “We bought the land about four plots from one Chief Amadi in
2008 and approval was given for the building in 2009. In 2010, we
started putting up pillars and fencing of the land; while the
foundation of the mosque was laid in 2010. The first demolition was
carried out by (former Governor) Amaechi on the 5th of February, 2010
and this resulted in litigation between Chief Amadi and Rivers State
Government.
“On November 2, 2017, a judgment was delivered in favour of Chief
Amadi. Rivers State did not appeal the judgment and we started another
round of construction of the building in 2018.”
He appealed to the state government to allow them to use the property
for worship, noting that “the mosque is the only worship centre in the
whole of Trans Amadi area where more than 4,000 worshippers worship
every Friday".
Also speaking the leader of the Hausa community in the state, Alhaji
Musa Saidu, condemned the demolition of the mosque, Daily Trust
reports.
The imam of the mosque, Alhaji Haroon Muhammed, said: “This is the
most populated mosque. Muslims all over the world can see what has
happened to a mosque that is duly approved by the state government. We
have been harassed three times now – once on the 29th of last month,
then on August 16 and 20 without any formal notice.”
When contacted, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of
Information, Polinious Nsirim, said, “I am not aware of the demolition
of the Mosque. I have no information on this.”
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The trial of a former Abia state governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, will resume today (Monday) at a federal high court sitting in Lagos.
The judge handling the case is Justice Mohammed Idris.
The former governor is standing trial alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, and a company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on an amended 39-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N7.6 billion.
Gunmen have shot the President of the National Union of Benue State Students, Tyonor Smith.
Smith was attacked on Sunday in Makurdi, Benue State and currently in a hospital.
The student leader, according to Punch, was shot at the gate of the Benue State University College of Health Sciences while on his way out of the school.
Confirming the report, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, said Smith was shot by unknown gunmen at the gate of the State University College of Health Sciences.
She explained that upon investigation, it was discovered that Smith was involved in campus politics, adding that the students’ union election was around the corner and that his opponent(s) might be responsible for the act.
Anene maintained that the command had launched investigations to unravel those who shot the students’ leader. She added that no arrest had been made.
She added that the NUBESS president was in a stable condition.
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The Chairman, Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, says Nnamani, who is representing Enugu East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, stated this while reacting to the recent spate of killings in Igboland, the latest being in his own constituency.
Nnamani, in a statement issued on Sunday, noted with concern, the recent murder of Rev. Fr. Paul Offu and a pregnant woman, Regina Mba, saying: “I condemn in totality the odious and dastardly acts and extend my heartfelt commiseration to the families of the victims.”
He commended the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for holding emergency security meetings, and having consultations with traditional rulers, leaders of autonomous communities and other relevant groups and stakeholders regarding insecurity.
“I also have full confidence in the government and people of Enugu State and all relevant groups within the system that this too shall pass,” the statement added.
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Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur BurataiDaily Post
The Nigerian Army is concluding arrangements to move its soldiers, who may be indicted by the Defence Headquarters’ Joint Investigative Panel’s report, to the 3 Division headquarters, Jos, Plateau State, for a possible general court-martial, Punch reports.
The DHQ joint panel, headed by Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya, which investigated the killing of three policemen and one civilian by some soldiers in Ibi, Taraba State, is expected to submit its report to the Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, today (Monday).
The DHQ panel concluded its work on Friday after sitting for three days at the Defence Intelligence Agency, Abuja, during which it interrogated soldiers, policemen, civilians, and the suspected kidnapper, Hamisu Wadume.
The newspaper said the army was “anxiously awaiting the outcome and recommendations” of the panel’s report and the 3 Division in Jos would receive any indicted personnel for the military court trial.
A week ago, Wadume was re-arrested in the Layin Mai Allo Hotoro in Kano State and made confessions implicating the officer and soldiers in Ibi.
A top military source confirmed to the newspaper that soldiers at the Ibi Unit suspected to be indicted by the panel report would be moved to the 3 Division in Jos.
The newspaper quoted a DHQ source as saying, “The captain, Balarabe Tijjani, is back in detention in one of the military facilities after he was cross-examined by the panel. Depending on the outcome of the panel’s report, he and other soldiers will be moved to the 3 Division in Jos, Plateau State, which is the mother of the 23 Brigade and Ibi
Unit.
“We don’t know the recommendations of the panel yet, but the army is expected to make further inquiries on the matter and prepare the personnel for a General Court Martial. In fact, that is ongoing already.”
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Policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Anambra State Police Command have allegedly beaten up a 98-year-old woman, Cecilia Okpalaku of Achina in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state, over a family dispute.
“The policemen said they were looking for a document in my house but they ended up taking my granddaughter from me and assaulted me with an AK-47 rifle,” the nonagenarian told Punch.
It was gathered that the incident happened when the cops invaded the family home of one Emeka Okpalaku in Achina on the invitation of his estranged wife, Chiemerie Nzekwe, from the same local government area.
Emeka, a Japan-based businessman, our correspondent learnt, was married to Esther from Uga some years back.
While Emeka was in Japan, Esther and their daughter stayed back in Achina with the mother-in-law, Cecilia.
The newspaper quoted a family source as saying, “Emeka was occasionally visiting home to see his wife and daughter. But trouble started when the husband visited home recently and observed certain strange things.
“It was Esther’s inability to explain some of these things that made Emeka threaten to opt out of the marriage.
“Emeka, having sent his wife away, left their only daughter in the custody of his nonagenarian mother, Cecilia.
“His embattled wife stormed the husband’s place in Achina with some SARS operatives to forcefully take away their daughter.”
It was alleged that the SARS operatives assaulted Cecilia in the process as she tried to stop them from taking away the child.
The nonagenarian’s family has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for his intervention in the matter.
In the petition by its lawyer, Charles Asadu, the family decried the alleged assault on Cecilia by the police over a matrimonial issue.
The petition read in part, “We have been briefed and our legal services have been retained by Messrs Josephine Anudu and Euphemia Ekwebele of Umuezeiyi village, Achina in the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Information reaching us is that armed policemen with Ak-47 rifles and wearing black T-shirts with the inscription, F-SARS, in company with Mrs. Chiemerie Okpalaku, invaded the premises of our client and physically assaulted their aged mother, Mrs. Cecilia Okpalaku, 98.
“The reason behind the attack was that Mrs. Chiemerie Okpalaku is an estranged wife of Emeka Okpalaku, son of the aged woman, who resides abroad and has been in marital problems.
“We gathered that it was the aftermath of the matrimonial faceoff that prompted Chiemerie and the officers to attack the aged woman.
“They ransacked the entire household, damaged the doors of the rooms and went away with so many household items belonging to our clients.
“In an effort to subdue our clients, the police used the butts of their AK-47 rifles on the aged woman, who according to our clients, is now admitted in one of the hospitals in Achina.”
When contacted on the telephone, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident.
Mohammed said the persons in dispute were not formally married, adding that the command had commenced an investigation into the matter.
“The complainant’s lawyer sent in a petition to the Anambra State Police Command and the Commissioner of Police ordered a discreet investigation into the matter.
“However, as soon as the suspect sighted the police, he escaped through a window. The police then used the power of ingress to gain access to the house.”
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A 32-year-old man, Ojo Owoeye, was on Friday, arraigned before chief magistrate's court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, for molesting and impregnating a 16-year-old secondary school pupil.
Owoeye was charged with one count of sexual abuse.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Johnson Okunade, said the defendant sexually abused the girl some months ago in Ado-Ekiti, which eventually led to her being pregnant.
“The offence contravenes Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2011,” Okunade stated.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However, the defence counsel, Ojo Abioye, said in court that the accused would take responsibility for the pregnancy and prayed the court to grant him bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Aderopo Adegboye, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N20,000 and two sureties in like sum.
Adegboye adjourned the case until September 18.
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Hong Kong police arrested 65 people over an intense weekend of anti-government protests.
The police said in a statement on Monday that a 12-year-old child was among those arrested.
The police charged the protesters with various offices including unlawful assembly, possession of an offensive weapon, and assaulting police officers.
The chaotic weekend saw protesters throw rocks and petrol bombs at riot police from behind barricades assembled on major roads in the Kowloon peninsula.
Late on Sunday, a group armed with bamboo poles also clashed with riot police, prompting one officer to fire a warning shot with his service weapon.
Police, in turn, deployed a water cannon for the first time on protesters on Sunday and used extensive tear gas over the weekend in an attempt to disperse crowds.
According to Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority, a total of 48 people sustained varying degrees of injury over the weekend.
More than 830 people have been arrested since protests began on June 9, NAN and DPA report.
The German Government has disowned a letter claiming that its Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for the attack on Ike Ekweremadu, a Nigerian lawmaker in Nuremberg, by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Ekeweremadu was assaulted when he visited the city to attend an event organised by the Igbo community in Germany.
Following the incident, the federal government and some Nigerians condemned the action of the members of the proscribed IPOB.
However, three days ago, a letter purportedly from Maas began circulating on the social media.
The letter titled, 'Request for prosecution of Nigerian political demonstrators in Nuremberg', condemned President Buhari for seeking the prosecution of IPOB members who attacked Ekweremadu.
It read: "I find it extremely provocative and unusually undiplomatic when a government that has created the conditions that exiled its citizens demands the same people's prosecution by the host country for demanding justice and justice from its government officials.
"Germany is a democratic country that grants asylum to refugees from all over the world. Freedom of association and the right to political protest are the right of all persons resident in Germany. I, Heiko Maas, have been doused by my voters with rotten eggs and tomatoes. It comes with the office. No protester was shot dead, imprisoned, killed or deported.
"Every day, my ambassador to Nigeria, Bernhard Schlagheck informs me of the atrocities Fulani terrorist Herdsmen committed against unarmed, innocent Nigerians as part of an ethnic cleansing program and eventual rug- nation of Nigeria. These atrocities include abductions, rape, torture, mutilation, slaughter, and evisceration. Obviously, the demonstrators have enough.
"The German Government will respond to your request to prosecute the demonstrators who have requested their representative to do his work in Nigeria as soon as you have your Fulani terrorists detained.
"If Senator Ike Ekweremadu has not slept at the workplace and performed his duties as a representative of his constituents, his constituents in Nigeria will eat Yam and not eat Yam in Germany. Yam roots do not grow in Germany. Creating a suitable environment in Nigeria would lead to a brain drain that would significantly accelerate development in Nigeria.
"If my ambassador in Nigeria confirms that the Fulani terrorists have been appeased, I am glad to advise the Nigerians in Germany to politely treat Nigeria dignitaries. Political protest is not a criminal offense in Germany."
However, the German government has now denied knowledge of the letter, claiming it did not emanate from any of its offices nor the office Maas.
Ruonna Meyer, a Nigerian journalist based in Germany, said the office of Maas confirmed to her that the letter did not originate from it.
She made this known via her Twitter handle. "Dear Nigerians, Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just confirmed to me in writing: That letter purported to be from the Minister to President Buhari is FAKE.
Please: STOP SHARING it. STOP STOKING ETHNIC TENSIONS. SAY NO TO FAKE NEWS. Thank you. God bless Nigeria," she tweeted.
Similarly, AFP Fact-Check said the Garmany Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the letter.
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