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02/18/20

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Imo: Soyinka Denies Being On Team Monitoring Supreme Court Ruling

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has denied being a member of any team monitoring the review of Supreme Court's judgment that removed Emeka Ihedioha from office as governor of Imo State on January 14, 2020.

The respected scholar in a statement on Tuesday said that contrary to widespread report, he had nothing to do with politics and any group, adding that those peddling wrong information about him should desist from doing so.

Soyinka said, "A link to a report by one of the national newspapers on the Uzodimma vs Ihedioha electoral tussle has just been sent to me.

"That report claims that I have been engaged to serve on a monitoring team regarding a forthcoming Supreme Court review of that case.

"I know nothing of this development and I am not involved in any aspect of the tussle.

"I know nothing of this Third Force Democracy whatever. I have no intention of participating in any judicial monitoring activity and demand to be kept out of any such false attributions.

"Hopefully, someday in the distant future, it will be possible for the nation to regain the respect of the world in its democratic claims.

"That time, alas, is not immediately apparent."

On Tuesday, a seven-man panel of judges of the Supreme Court adjourned ruling on the review of the earlier verdict of January 14 until March 2 after Ihedioha’s legal team ask for time to file all process of court.

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JUST IN: Boko Haram Attacking Chibok Community

Members of the Boko Haram terrorist group are attacking Korongilum, a community in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.

The insurgents burnt houses as residents scamper for safety, according to residents, who confirmed the attack.

The insurgents came into the community and shot sporadically into the air, TheCable reports.

“People were just returning to their houses from the farm when the insurgents came in.

“They came in through Forfor, and our people are running for safety as we speak,” a resident, who escaped the invasion told TheCable.

A military source said troops from the Nigerian Army’s 28 task force brigade and 117 battalion, are already on their way to Korongilum to stop the attack and rescue the people.

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After Spending Two Years In Custody, Buhari Vows To Rescue Leah Sharibu

President Muhammadu Buhari has once again vowed to rescue Leah Sharibu from the captivity of Boko Haram.

Buhari said this while speaking on the second anniversary of the kidnap of Sharibu from her school along with 109 girls.

The government negotiated the release of the girls but failed to make the terrorist group release Sharibu.

Boko Haram held on to her because she refused to denounce Christianity and convert to Islam.

Recall that SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Sharibu gave birth for one of Boko Haram's commanders after she was forcefully married.

Reiterating his promise to rescue Sharibu, Buhari, in a statement, said that he would continue to push for her release from her captive. See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Leah Sheribu Gives Birth To Baby Boy For Boko Haram Commander After Being Forced To Convert To Islam 0 Comments 3 Weeks Ago

He stressed that everyone has the right to choose religion without intimidation or fear.

He added that his administration would double its effort to rescue Sharibu as he called for unity among Nigerians in ending insurgency and terrorism in the country.

Buhari said, “Two years ago, 110 innocent children from the town of Dapchi were taken, against their will, by the terrorists of Boko Haram. 107 survived the ordeal. Today all but one – Leah Sharibu – are returned to their families.

“Now aged 16, Leah remains in the hands of the terrorists – they say because she refuses to renounce her Christian faith.

“We say, as the government for and of all Nigerians, that no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will and that all life is sacred.

“This government continues and seeks to secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists – and we do so regardless of their creed or the name of their creator.

“As we redouble our efforts for Leah’s return, we can never allow the terrorists to divide us – Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian. We are all Sons of Abraham. And all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law, and before God.”

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JUST IN: Aso Rock Official Assassinated In Abuja

Laetitia Dagan, an Assistant Director of Administration at the State House, Abuja, has been killed in her residence by unknown persons.

Dagan, who was 47 before her death, was gruesomely murdered in her home around 11pm on Monday after she got home from the day’s work.

Confirming the death of Dagan, the Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja, Jalal Arabi, said that the deceased worked in her office on Monday till 8pm.

He described the killing of Dagan as “a painful loss, not only to her immediate family, but also the entire State House.”

He also said that Dagan was “a dedicated, hard-working officer, and we all feel pained by her untimely death.”

Arabi expressed confidence that the police will fish out the killers and the law will take its course.

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Civil Servant Arraigned In Court For Receiving Salary Overpayment

One Mrs Opadule Caroline Abimbola, a former staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service (formerly Nigerian Prison Service), Ondo State Command, has been arraigned before Justice Olabode Adegbengbe of High Court 5 sitting in Akure, the capital, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for concealing the receipt of salary overpayments.

Opadule was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on dishonesty and corruption.

She was alleged to have been overpaid at various times in 2012 while being a public officer in the employ of the then prison service.

According to the charge sheet, she was overpaid through her First Bank Salary account No. 2004992044 amounts that were far above her monthly remuneration, totalling N1.2m.

Instead of reporting the anomaly that resulted in the overpayment of her monthly salaries to the Finance and Accounts Department of her organisation, she refused to do so and was investigated by ICPC when information reached the commission.

She was also accused of making false statement to officers during investigation.

Counts one to five of the charge sheet stated that at various times in 2012 she was outrageously paid amounts that were far above her monthly statutory remuneration, thereby committing fraudulent receipt of the property, an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

In the sixth count, the accused person was said to have made a false statement to a public officer, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 25 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 25 (1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

The last count stated that she used her office to confer corrupt advantage on herself, thereby committing an offence contrary and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.

Opadule pleaded not guilty to all charges and her counsel, A. O. Oluwole, made an oral application for bail, which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Kehinde Adetoye.

The accused person was granted bail by the judge on the conditions that she should make a payment of N1.5m and provide two sureties in like sum.

One of the sureties must be in the employment of the state government and must be on Grade Level 10 or above.

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Buhari Can’t Sack Service Chiefs Now, Says Secretary To Federation, Mustapha

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari would not heed the demand of some Nigerians and sack security chiefs in the country.

In the wake of renewed attacks by Boko Haram terrorist, Nigerians have urged President Buhari to sack service chiefs in the country and inject some fresh blood into the security apparatus.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Mustapha said that Buhari couldn’t sack service chiefs as there are processes to be followed.

He added that there are some people fuelling the destabilisation of the country.

Mustapha urged Nigerians to unite and also cooperate with the military in fighting insurgency in the country.

He said, “We are in a very difficult time now. We need everybody to be on board. We need synergy within an intelligent community, within the military formations that will help fight this war.

“You don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune time, those processes will be followed.

“You don’t just wake up and say sack people, it doesn’t happen like that.

“What government wants is for everybody to be on the same page, fight the battle of securing the nation for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian has the opportunity to live a prosperous life. I think that should be our main focus.”

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How Rotimi Amaechi's Chief Security Officer Died Inside Hotel Belonging To Friend Of Kaduna Governor, El-Rufai

Facts have emerged as to how Tony Iwelu, Chief Security Officer to Nigeria's Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, died at a hotel in Kaduna on Monday.

Iwelu was suspected to have bee electrocuted while taking a shower in his room at StoneEdge Hotel belonging to a friend of Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai.

A source at the hotel at the time of the tragic incident confirmed to SaharaReporters that Iwelu, a top Department of State Services personnel attached to Amaechi since he was governor of Rivers State, was found inside the bathtub in his hotel room and may have died of electrocution.

The source said, “He died inside his room. The hotel is brand new and owned by Governor el-Rufai's friend.

“We found him dead inside the bathtub and we think he was electrocuted.” See Also Politics Chief Security Officer To Nigeria’s Transportation Minister, Amaechi, Dies 0 Comments 7 Hours Ago

The tragic incident took place few hours after Amaechi and members of his team escaped being killed by bandits, who attacked the train they were riding in from Abuja to Kaduna.

Confirming the attack, one of the passengers, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said that not only was there an attack but that Amaechi was present at the train station when the incident took place.

The eyewitness said, “It was when we were dispersing that the people were attacked, not the train.

“The Mando Road is a bit lonely but there are some security posts just that they are far away.

“Amaechi and the security took the same road and few minutes after, there was a shout and people were turning back from the road.

“Amaechi and his entourage along with other people going through Mando Road turned back and took the other road at the train station.

“We don’t know whether the bandits came for Amaechi or other passengers but it is confirmed that there was an attack.”

Amaechi had earlier denied reports that his entourage was attacked by bandits during the train ride on Sunday, prompting rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, to come out to slam the former Rivers governor for telling a lie.

Yesufu, taking to her Twitter handle, said, “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, you should be ashamed of yourself. My sister, brother and sister-in-law were in that train.

“When your convoy scattered and you fled like a new born mouse whom water had been poured on, it was witnessed!. Governance is not by lies and propaganda!”

Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation also denied an attack on passengers on January 2, 2020 when some gunmen shot at a train on the Abuja-Kaduna route.

Since bandits took over most parts of Kaduna-Abuja highway, many prominent and ordinary Nigerians have resorted to travelling between both cities using the rail system.

As a result, corrupt officials have pounced on the opportunity created to hike ticket fare and make illegal earnings for themselves.

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SARS Illegally Arrests, Tortures Innocent Man In Rivers State

Some officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad has illegally arrested, tortured and humiliated an innocent man in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The arrest took place at about 3:00am on February 13, when SARS officers stormed the house of the man identified as John Chibuzor also known as DJ Ninja White.

Even though the victim was father of a suspect being sought after by SARS, the officers arrested Chibuzor instead of the suspect.

He was taken to SARS office at Obennhe, Abia State, where they chained his legs with other inmates.

Afterwards, he was forced to sweep the police station and his dreadlocks were cut off.

The victim's wife and daughter, who visited the station, were also severely beaten with machetes by police officers.

Although the victim's family were eventually pressured to produce the suspect, they were also made to pay N22,000 from before the victim was released.

Speaking on the development, rights lawyer and National President of Revolutionary Lawyer's Forum, Mr Tope Akinyode, argued that the arrest of a person in place of another was unknown under the Nigerian law and the brutality meted out to one of the victims by cutting his hair was unlawful and disgraceful.

He said, "We will file an action for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the victims, shortly."

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