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In the words of Scotty Aluta: "Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor."

So, if after reading this article, you refuse to lift a finger of solidarity, may it not all end up like the analogical case of ‘Rat Vs Farmers Trap’ on the farmers farmstead and the pathetic fate that befell ‘Chicken, ‘Goat’, ‘Pig’ and ‘Cow’ simply because they refused to lend helping hands.

My name is Arotiba Olawale Affluence Zayd. I am a 500 level Law student of Lagos State University, who has just been unjustly expelled by Vice Chancellor, Fagbohun, solely for exercising my political right as against his personal political interest.

I was a three-time Senator in LASU-SUG Parliamentary Council and the Majority Leader of the House. I am currently the National Secretary of Constitutional Law Club and Director General of Arty4NANS President 2020 Campaign.

I am a student activist, a pro-democracy and anti-modern slavery (Neo-Colonialism) in all its ramifications. As a radical student unionist, I strongly believe in the principle of salute populi est suprema lex -- the welfare of students in all areas should be the primary working objective of the school management and government.

The allegation plotted and laid against me is admission racketeering (the only English Fagbohun employs whenever anyone revolts against his anti-masses and anti-student policy) after a few scenes of well scripted but poorly executed drama.

They conspired, connived, plotted and concocted a baseless charge of admission racketeering against me. Thereafter, they administered a summary judgment with zero evidence, called me to come and collect an expulsion letter.

In actual fact my major offences are: (1) During the last concluded election, I and some of my colleagues in school led a campaign for Sanwo-Olu as against his wish being Ambode.

(2) That I contested election for the office of LASU-SUG President as against his will.

It is important to quickly state at this juncture that it is the culture and tradition of the Fagbohun-led administration to meddle into students' union elections so as to guarantee the nomination and successful emergence of his stooges into LASU SUG presidency and other sensitive offices.

I am only the latest victim of this series of repeated monumental injustice and oppression of student activists (even staffs). There are several others victimised that were swept under the carpet (the case of Balogun Hammed Funsho (BHF) a two-time LASU-SUG Speaker is a notable reference) and there are about 32 others of my colleagues, who have been shortlisted for similar fate.

Hypothetically, as I prepare for the looming transition from an honest aspiring legal practitioner to organised crime with my intelligence, political upbringing, experience in comradeship and knowledge of Law, I am terrified by what I will metamorphose into (given the undeniable fact that I will be a 500 level Law drop-out, who is incontrovertibly very good at my studies. I know the law (local, national and international). The ones I don't know, I sure know where to find it. Therefore I am guaranteed to know how better to circumvent it). Possibly an incurable virus will I be, constituting a leech-like menace to this already perverted society. A scalar quantity, roaming about directionlessly, bearing active and unrepentant volcanic animosity in vengeance to whoever my heart apportions the blame for my kettle of fish in career starting from the present to future generations of Napoleon (and all his loyal dogs).

However, if I cross the bar without satisfying my crave for vengeance over all these people, I will transfer this boiling aggression to their past generations in hell.

I hereby call on the executive governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Mr Moyo Onigbanjo (SAN), the Attorney-General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice and Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, to come to my rescue as LASU’s management is using discriminatory practices that will disproportionately affect me and other vibrant students.

There is a wilful, wasteful and discriminatory war on LASU’s vibrant students and I call on the executive governor of Lagos State to confront the racism and class-based discrimination that persists in our institution. 

 

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At least 30 people were killed following an attack on two villages in Kastina State.

According to reports, the incident happened on Friday at Tsauwa and Dankar villages in Katsina State.

The ward head of Tsauwa, Salisu Lawal, said residents were preparing for Magrib, the islmaic 7:00pm prayer, when the bandits attacked.

He said, “Yesterday (Friday) when we were preparing for the Magrib prayer, we heard that bandits were attacking Dankar village.

“Unknown to us that they were also coming to this village, we saw them in large number; some of them trekking, some riding motorcycles.

“Upon their arrival, they started shooting sporadically from across all areas in the village; they equally restricted movement of all the people in the village.”

Katsina State Police Command confirmed the incident.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Sanusi Buba, who visited the villages, noted that those killed by the assailants were mostly elderly women and children, who could not run while other villagers fled.

Buba revealed that 21 people were killed in Tsauwa village out of which 13 were set ablaze while nine were killed in Dankar.

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Faisal Maina, son of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, has revealed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission how his father created a bank account for a farm without owning one and how the account was used to syphon millions of naira.

Faisal, who is being charged over an allegation of fraud to the tune of N58m and for operating accounts that were used as conduits for illegal transactions, also explained how he evaded arrest and attempted to shoot at operatives of the EFCC.

In a confessional statement of Faisal exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, he confessed that he runs two accounts in the name of Faisal Farm 1 and Faisal Farm 2 even though his father and don’t operate a farm business.

It was observed that in his statement to the commission collected in the presence of his lawyer, most of his answers were neither in the affirmative or denial as he preferred to use “I do not recall” when answering questions related to bank accounts and companies that had his name on the documents.

Faisal revealed that he was listed as shareholder of some companies accounts belonging to his father, Maina.

He said he registered Faisal Farms and he and his father are the two signatories to the accounts domiciled with the United Bank for Africa.

He said, “I registered the company and the company has been dormant for as long as I can remember.

“The company, Faisal Farms, has a corporate account at United Bank for Africa.

“The company, Faisal Farms, has two signatories, who are my father and I and the company has two accounts, which are Faisal Farms 1 and Faisal Farms 2. Faisal Farm does not have a farm

“I have made withdrawals and deposits into the account and my parents have also funded the account as the account is merely a personal account as it does not have a farm.”

He, however, denied operating, owning or being signatory to any other accounts opened in his name.

He added, “I was asked if I am a director or shareholder of any other company apart from Faisal Farm and my answer is that I am not and I do not recall being part of any other company.

“I was asked if I own an account in Fidelity Bank and my answer is that I am not. I have an account in Zenith Bank.

“I was asked if I have an account in First Bank and I do not recall. I was asked if I have in Keystone Bank and I do not recall.”

Explaining one of the instances he saved funds into Faisal Farms account, he said that he converted dollar to naira before handing over to his father for deposit.

He said, “I deposit a total of approximately $8,000, which I converted into naira before giving my father and telling him that I wanted those gifts of money that I got to be deposited into the Faisal Farms account for the purpose of saving."

During another session of questioning by the commission, Faisal identified a company that had his name, siblings and mother as directors.

He stated, “I was shown another company, which I am familiar with namely Spotless and Flawless International Ltd. And I am part of the directors of this company and I am familiar with the other directors listed on this company and the other directors are all my siblings including my mother.”

Explaining to the commission how he was in possession of a gun, he said he saw it in his car.

He said, “In an attempt to run for my life, I then began to drive and locked my car from inside.

“The soldiers began to shoot at my car in an attempt to kill or subdue me but they weren’t successful as the vehicle I was driving was armored.

“I saw the gun by the hole next to the driver’s seat, I picked it up, dropped it and later picked it up to go outside, which I then put the gun in my pocket as several officers were laying down positioned and aimed to shoot at me.”

Faisal and his father, Maina were arrested in September 2019 by a joint operation of the State Security Service and the EFCC.

They were officially handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.

Maina, who had been on the wanted list of the EFCC for the past four years for N2.1bn pension fraud, was apprehended by DSS operatives in Utako, Abuja, shortly after entering the country from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he had been hiding.

Maina, sources said, had been in the country since June, 2019 but managed to evade arrest for many months until he was eventually apprehended.

Both are facing trial on separate but similar charges of money laundering and operating fictitious bank accounts.

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Acting Chairperson of Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Fadimatu Alfa, has been found to have wrongly awarded N16,138,500 contract to herself, SaharaReporters can confirm.

Documents obtained from ADSUBEB revealed that Alfa used her position as chairperson to award the contract to her own company, F.A Catering Services, in contravention of procedure.

The documents categorically revealed that the N16,138,500 was part of Federal Government's counterpart funds for Teachers Professional Development.

The said TPD money was syphoned through her company when she provided lunch for teachers attending a workshop in Yola, the state capital.

Documents from Corporate Affairs Commission seen by SaharaReporters including a certificate of registration of business name, contains Alfa's name and is embossed with her passport photograph.

As discovered, on November, 28, 2019, Alfa's first child, Sadam Idris, signed an application letter to ADSUBEB proposing to provide lunch for teachers during a training on behalf of F.A Catering Services.

Furthermore, the chairperson was alleged to have without recourse to the procurement law, which requires tenders board to consider and approve contracts; unilaterally approved and awarded the contract to F.A Catering Services.

One week later, precisely on December 5, 2019, she signed the contract document and forwarded same to F.A Catering Services headed by her son.

In a rapid turn of events, on December 10, 2019, Alfa approved the release of N16,695 000 to service a Local Purchase Order No.0153 raised on December 12, 2019 in favour of F.A Catering Services.

Alfa is also accused of highhandedness, running the board as her personal enterprise.

The Adamawa State procurement law prohibits government officials or procurement entities from bidding for project or services either personally or through companies in which they have vested interests.

The law equally rejects the practice of single shopping without prior approval or obtaining a waiver to that effect from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

It also prescribes a jail term of five years in case of breach of the law.

When contacted, Alfa accepted ownership of F.A Catering Services but denied any wrong doing.

She said, "Yes, it is my restaurant, I have been operating F.A Catering Services for over six years with experience of providing services for organisations like the UNICEF."
 

DOCUMENT: Adamawa SUBEB Chairperson, Fadimatu Alfa, In N16m Corruption Scandal by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

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Adebayo Raphael

A civil society organisation under the umbrella of Center for Advancement of Civil Liberties and Development has kicked off an awareness and sensitization programme tagged "Electoral Reform Advocacy".

The programme is aimed at galvanising the public towards electoral reform by creating awareness on the current deficit in the electoral process.

Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, Co-convener of the group, Raphael Adebayo, said the advocacy would facilitate the needed reform required in our electoral system.

The programme, which was also supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, would ensure the immediate passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 by the National Assembly. 

Adebayo expressed concern on the repeated failure to organise elections according to global standard, which had damaged the Nigeria's reputation in the comity of nations. 

Adebayo said, "We believe that the National Assembly has a responsibility to actively aggregate the general view of all stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process. 

"The group includes civil society organisations, political parties, international partners and especially the electorate to legislate an enduring electoral reform act that will reinforce the trust of the electorates and other stakeholders in the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process." 
 

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Adebayo Raphael

A civil society organisation under the umbrella of Center for Advancement of Civil Liberties and Development has kicked off an awareness and sensitization programme tagged "Electoral Reform Advocacy".

The programme is aimed at galvanising the public towards electoral reform by creating awareness on the current deficit in the electoral process.

Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, Co-convener of the group, Raphael Adebayo, said the advocacy would facilitate the needed reform required in our electoral system.

The programme, which was also supported by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, would ensure the immediate passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 by the National Assembly. 

Adebayo expressed concern on the repeated failure to organise elections according to global standard, which had damaged the Nigeria's reputation in the comity of nations. 

Adebayo said, "We believe that the National Assembly has a responsibility to actively aggregate the general view of all stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process. 

"The group includes civil society organisations, political parties, international partners and especially the electorate to legislate an enduring electoral reform act that will reinforce the trust of the electorates and other stakeholders in the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process." 
 

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