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President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered investigation into the shooting in Aso Villa, Nigeria's seat of power in Abuja.

Buhari in a statement by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said the incident happened outside the main residence of the President.

He said, “The Presidency wishes to acknowledge concerns expressed by several members of the public regarding the recent incident among occupants of the State House, which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police. 

“This is to assure all and everyone that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is not, and was not at anytime in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation. 
 
“This particular incident happened outside the main residence of the President. Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training of especially weapons handling and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and regulations to immediately address them.
 
“Having authorized the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the police, the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law. That a minor occurrence is being used by some critics to justify attacks on the government and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari beggars belief. In this particular instance, the President says the law should be allowed to take its course.”

SaharaReporters had reported earlier that there was crisis in Aso Villa on Thursday night after security details of wife of the President, Aisha, removed

Buhari’s Personal Assistant, Sabiu 'Tunde' Yusuf, from the place after he refused to embark on a 14-day isolation period upon returning from a trip to Lagos. See Also Exclusive EXCLUSIVE: President Buhari’s Personal Assistant Orders Detention Of Aisha’s ADC After Disregarding COVID-19 Guideline At Aso Villa Upon Return From Private Trip To Lagos 0 Comments 2 Days Ago

Shortly afterwards, the First Lady’s ADC, Usman Shugaba, in an attempt to apprehend Yusuf reportedly fired gunshots but the President’s aide escaped to the residence of Mamman Daura where he spent the night.

The arrest of Aisha’s ADC and other security details was soon ordered by Yusuf in connivance of Buhari's Chief Security Officer.  See Also Politics President Buhari's Wife, Aisha, Confirms SaharaReporters' Story, Tells IGP To Release ADC, Others Detained On Orders Of Husband's Personal Assistant 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

They are yet to be released despite calls for Mrs Buhari for them to be freed.
 

See Also Politics War In Aso Rock Villa: President Buhari’s Personal Assistant, Yusuf, Mamman Daura And Aso Rock Cabal Gang Up Against Aisha, Move To Strip Her of Security Details 0 Comments 1 Day Ago

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A 42-year-old man suddenly collapsed and died due to natural causes aboard Air India's Lagos-Mumbai flight on Sunday, the national carrier said.

Air India's flight AI 1906 departed Lagos in Nigeria at 7pm Indian Standard Time on Saturday and landed in Mumbai at 3:45am on Sunday.

"A passenger aboard AI 1906 of June 13 from Lagos to Mumbai passed away due to natural causes today. 

"A doctor aboard along with our crew, trained to handle such medical emergencies, made a valiant attempt to revive the passenger, aged 42, who had suddenly collapsed, through resuscitation etc but all their efforts went in vain," the airline's spokesperson said.

The High Commission of India in Abuja had on Saturday announced the departure of 231 evacuees aboard the Air India aircraft to the Asian country.
 

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We can proudly say that we of the Youth Democratic Front (YDF) and our broader youth coalition Congress of Progress Youth (COPY) were at the forefront of the struggle to revalidate the annulled June 12 mandate.

COPY cadres stormed Ibadan when Adedidu / Arishekola organised a 5 million man march in support of Abacha's transition to civilian president agenda.

We addressed a press conference at University of Ibadan which the SUG initially resisted on Monday 13th of April, 1998. On Tuesday 14th of April, we staged a protest march rally to Adamasingba stadium, venue of the pro - Abacha rally.

The protest led by late Comrade Ola Oni, Omoyele Sowore, Olawale Salami aka Don, Abayomi Asheda, Jide Catt Fadare, Ademola Ashekun, Rasheed Omosanya, Habeeb Gbajabiamila, Adeniyi Faloju, Solomon Gbinigie, Ade Adewunmi, Ibrahim Adeyi and others with my humble self as the field commandant disrupted the pro-Abacha rally. Shola Odunfa a BBC correspondent covered the showdown while the Tribune Newspapers reported how the Jalaruru masquerade was begging for mercy when the pro-Abacha ill-informed crowd were overpowered by the pro-democracy agitators. 

The April 14th success motivated our return journey to Ibadan for the popular May 1st protest which led to the arrest and detention of Lam Adeshina, Pa Alayande, late Cicero Bola Ige and Ola Oni - the pro-democracy movement tagged prisoners of conscience. I led a 9 man team from Lagos to  Ola Oni's house at Bodija on the 29th of April. Adeniyi Faloju and I left the following morning to Ilorin, to assist in the mobilisation and coordination of the Joe Okei and Taiwo Otitolaiye led team. Our protest march from Oja gbooro, was easily dispersed, we reconverged at Taiwo oke and were teargassed in a protest Wole Badmus ably participated. The uncooperative attitude of the Kwara State College of Education SUG for us to relaunch the protest from the school gate informed my decision to go and join the Lagos Mainland team at Ibadan, where hell is already let loose when I got to the ancient city.  Adewale Bally Balogun

I met Wale Ola Oni at Oke Ado area where we hijacked a van to take a protester writhing in pains having been shot by the police to the hospital. Against wiser counsel, I decided going back to Lagos and I paid dearly for it, as I was thoroughly beaten by Adedidu boys who found some May Day leaflets on me at the Oke Ado underbridge.

The story in Lagos is not different as Lanre Falola, Idris and 4 others have been arrested and detained. Ahmaddiyah Central Mosque Simpson streets Ebute Metta then become our new home as police are daily casing our 249, Herbert Macaulay street residence to effect my arrest. 

After 32days I was eventually arrested alongside Wale Salami on the 3rd of June, 1998. Ajibola Bashiru whom we are leaving together at that material point in history, luckily escaped arrest. Bola Akiode a lawyer and one of the leaders of COPY had made unsuccessful attempt to secure the release of Muritala Mohammed arrested while distributing UAD leaflets. After Abiola reported police refusal to release 16years old Muri, Suraj escorted her to the bus stop, thus escaped by a stroke of luck when Muri was brought to identify and arrest me, if not the Osun central Senator today, could have been arrested alongside Don and myself.

We were taken before Abubakar Tsav from Iporin police station where we are initially detained. The Commissioner of police, Tsav threatened that our trio won't see daylight again until there is democracy in Nigeria and that we should be fed with a ball of akara at Area F where we are eventually detained. Ebun olu Adegboruwa (SAN) was one of our visitors after his release by the DMI

The death of Abacha led to our release. Bamidele Aturu whom we met at detention alongside Isaac Osuoka was mandated by the UAD after his own release to sue the military government for our illegal detention. We won the case against our illegal arrest and detention but unfortunately, the civilian government in Lagos went to the Court of Appeal where we won again, and had refused to pay us the court awarded compensation of #1m each till date.

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A grand corruption scheme involving two of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trusted aides has been uncovered.

Investigations by SaharaReporters indicated that Senior Special Assistant to the President (Domestic), Abba Sarki, and Personal Assistant and Private Secretary, Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf, in collaboration with some Ministry of Power officials had pushed the government to commit to the purchase of a building for the Transmission Company of Nigeria at a grossly inflated price in Abuja.

Despite the Ministry of Works and Housing not giving approval for the purchase of the building, Sarki and Yusuf had pushed their cronies in the Ministry of Power further to actualise the purchase of the property for around N14bn to N17bn – a rate many times higher than the original cost of the building. 

The plan, according to findings by SaharaReporters, was to at the end give access of the huge funds to the two President Buhari’s aides, who thereafter are to distribute to other partakers in the fraudulent scheme before pocketing the rest.

A top source at the Ministry of Power privy to the corrupt scheme gave more insights while speaking with our correspondent on Sunday.

He said, “This building is being pushed by Abba Sarki, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Domestic) and Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf for Transmission Company of Nigeria.

“Accordingly, the building will be paid by the Federal Government, so the TCN were not directly involved. The Ministry of Works and Housing did not give the approval to the request by Ministry of Power.

“For TCN, they are comfortable where they are and the current building was built by PHCN/TCN superannuation fund. But the ministry is claiming the building was given to them by former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s government.

“The Minister of Power now wants to buy Gilmo building, which was a small building that cannot accommodate TCN’s staff at a highly inflated price of about N14bn to N17bn which would go to Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf and Abba Sarki.”

In a memo dated July 19, 2019 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing before it was split into two, Louis Edozien, the ministry responded to a request by the TCN for a dedicated and convenient office accommodation and thereafter established a joint committee to look it to all relevant issues on the subject. 

Insiders informed SaharaReporters that underground moves had been going on to achieve the target by the two aides of President Buhari despite the administration’s claims to be waging a war against corruption and looting of public funds in the country especially by government officials.

Yusuf, a young man in his 30s, is regarded as one of the most powerful individuals around President Buhari.

Until his appointment by the President, he was said to be surviving on proceeds made from the sale of call cards in his native Daura, a small community in Katsina State in the Northern part of the country.

Presidency sources said that the young man had amassed so much wealth in a short space of time that he can almost afford anything money can buy these days despite not from a wealthy background or having any known work history apart from serving in Buhari’s government.

Yusuf’s latest scandal is an open war with President Buhari’s wife, Aisha, over his refusal to embark on a 14-day isolation period after returning from a trip to Lagos.

Beaten and forced out of Aso Villa by the security details of Aisha, Yusuf with the collaboration of Buhari’s Chief Security Officer and support of Mamman Daura, ordered the arrest and detention of the First Lady’s security.

The situation has since left the entire Presidential Villa tensed with no respite close by at the moment.

When contacted by SaharaReporters, spokespersons for the TCN and Ministry of Power refused to comment on the purchase of the building for the electricity agency.

Calls and text messages to the mobile numbers were not replied as of the time of this report.

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A grand corruption scheme involving two of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trusted aides has been uncovered.

Investigations by SaharaReporters indicated that Senior Special Assistant to the President (Domestic), Abba Sarki, and Personal Assistant and Private Secretary, Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf, in collaboration with some Ministry of Power officials had pushed the government to commit to the purchase of a building for the Transmission Company of Nigeria at a grossly inflated price in Abuja.

Despite the Ministry of Works and Housing not giving approval for the purchase of the building, Sarki and Yusuf had pushed their cronies in the Ministry of Power further to actualise the purchase of the property for around N14bn to N17bn – a rate many times higher than the original cost of the building. 

The plan, according to findings by SaharaReporters, was to at the end give access of the huge funds to the two President Buhari’s aides, who thereafter are to distribute to other partakers in the fraudulent scheme before pocketing the rest.

A top source at the Ministry of Power privy to the corrupt scheme gave more insights while speaking with our correspondent on Sunday.

He said, “This building is being pushed by Abba Sarki, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Domestic) and Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf for Transmission Company of Nigeria.

“Accordingly, the building will be paid by the Federal Government, so the TCN were not directly involved. The Ministry of Works and Housing did not give the approval to the request by Ministry of Power.

“For TCN, they are comfortable where they are and the current building was built by PHCN/TCN superannuation fund. But the ministry is claiming the building was given to them by former President, Goodluck Jonathan’s government.

“The Minister of Power now wants to buy Gilmo building, which was a small building that cannot accommodate TCN’s staff at a highly inflated price of about N14bn to N17bn which would go to Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf and Abba Sarki.”

In a memo dated July 19, 2019 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing before it was split into two, Louis Edozien, the ministry responded to a request by the TCN for a dedicated and convenient office accommodation and thereafter established a joint committee to look it to all relevant issues on the subject. 

Insiders informed SaharaReporters that underground moves had been going on to achieve the target by the two aides of President Buhari despite the administration’s claims to be waging a war against corruption and looting of public funds in the country especially by government officials.

Yusuf, a young man in his 30s, is regarded as one of the most powerful individuals around President Buhari.

Until his appointment by the President, he was said to be surviving on proceeds made from the sale of call cards in his native Daura, a small community in Katsina State in the Northern part of the country.

Presidency sources said that the young man had amassed so much wealth in a short space of time that he can almost afford anything money can buy these days despite not from a wealthy background or having any known work history apart from serving in Buhari’s government.

Yusuf’s latest scandal is an open war with President Buhari’s wife, Aisha, over his refusal to embark on a 14-day isolation period after returning from a trip to Lagos.

Beaten and forced out of Aso Villa by the security details of Aisha, Yusuf with the collaboration of Buhari’s Chief Security Officer and support of Mamman Daura, ordered the arrest and detention of the First Lady’s security.

The situation has since left the entire Presidential Villa tensed with no respite close by at the moment.

When contacted by SaharaReporters, spokespersons for the TCN and Ministry of Power refused to comment on the purchase of the building for the electricity agency.

Calls and text messages to the mobile numbers were not replied as of the time of this report.

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Malam Musa, an Islamic scholar and medicine seller in Nguru town, Yobe State, has been accused of raping and inpergnating a 14-year-old girl.

The victim, who is a JSS1 student of Higher Islamic School, Nguru, Nayi-nawa area of Nguru town, Yobe State, is now reportedly four months pregnant.

The victim told SaharaReporters that the 40-year-old Islamic scholar, who is also her neighbour, first raped and then proceeded to give her N2,500 after repeating the act four times despite her resistance.

She said when she discovered that she wws pregnant, she approached another 60-year-old Muslim scholar, who lives in the Bulabulin area of Nguru town for ‘spiritual’ abortion.  UNHCR

The scholar however, demanded a huge amount of money from her to abort the pregnancy, which she couldn't provide. She said the man asked her to pay him in kind and went on to rape her shortly afterwards.

But the pregnancy became noticeable despite promises by the Islamic scholar that it will ‘spiritually’ be aborted. 

Despite overwhelming evidence, the family of the victim said the alleged rapist, Malam Musa, has taken them to court for alleged defamation of character.

"We are worried she will not get justice for the repeated sexual abuse she suffered in the hand of the Islamic medicine seller and the Islamic scholar," they said.

The 60-year-old Muslim scholar, SaharaReporters gathered, has however, admitted raping the girl when she approached him for ‘spiritual’ abortion.

 

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The UK-built Solar Orbiter will track by our star on Monday at a distance of just over 77 million km.

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In a case seen as a test of the Philippines' media freedom, journalist Maria Ressa has been found guilty of libel.

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The award-winning journalist and presidential critic faces jail after being found guilty of libel.

The Federal Capital Territory Ministerial Enforcement Task Force on COVID-19 Restrictions has sealed Jabi Lake Mall indefinitely for violating the government's directive on ban on public gathering.

Naira Marley flew in private jet alongside his crew to perform at the concert in Abuja organised by Network Africa and Traffic Bar at Jabi Lake on Saturday, thereby breaching the Coronavirus safety guidelines out in place by government.

 

See Also Celebrity Nigerians Call For Arrest Of Naira Marley For Holding Night Party Despite Ban On Large Gathering 0 Comments 8 Hours Ago

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Orho Obada, a former Federal Commissioner for Works in Nigeria, has died.

He passed away on Saturday night after a brief illness, it was gathered.

Obada hails from Agbarho Kingdom under Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

He was a retired Nigerian Army personnel.

 

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Orho Obada, a former Federal Commissioner for Works in Nigeria, has died.

He passed away on Saturday night after a brief illness, it was gathered.

Obada hails from Agbarho Kingdom under Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

He was a retired Nigerian Army personnel.

 

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Ibidun Ighodalo, ex-Nigerian beauty queen and wife of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of The Trinity Church, has died.

Ibidun was reported to have died of cardiac arrest on Sunday morning.

A family friend confirmed to SaharaReporters that her demise had left family and close friends devastated.

Mrs Ighodalo successfully ran her events company, Elizerbeth R, as well as her foundation, Ibidun Ighodalo Foundation, during her lifetime.
 

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Ibidun Ighodalo, ex-Nigerian beauty queen and wife of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of The Trinity Church, has died.

Ibidun was reported to have died of cardiac arrest on Sunday morning.

A family friend confirmed to SaharaReporters that her demise had left family and close friends devastated.

Mrs Ighodalo successfully ran her events company, Elizerbeth R, as well as her foundation, Ibidun Ighodalo Foundation, during her lifetime.
 

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Governors elected under the platform of All Progressives Congress have met and agreed to intervene in the current crisis rocking the party in Edo and Ondo states ahead of the governorship elections the states.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja and signed by Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said, "Governors have collectively agreed to work to ensure strengthening fair and democratic internal party mechanism for the selection of party candidates in all elections, especially in respect of Edo and Ondo states 2020 governorship elections.”

The National Working Committee of the APC on Saturday affirmed the disqualification of Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen, thereby further escalating the political crisis in the state's chapter of the party.

 

Akeredolu and Obaseki

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Governors elected under the platform of All Progressives Congress have met and agreed to intervene in the current crisis rocking the party in Edo and Ondo states ahead of the governorship elections the states.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja and signed by Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said, "Governors have collectively agreed to work to ensure strengthening fair and democratic internal party mechanism for the selection of party candidates in all elections, especially in respect of Edo and Ondo states 2020 governorship elections.”

The National Working Committee of the APC on Saturday affirmed the disqualification of Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen, thereby further escalating the political crisis in the state's chapter of the party.

 

Akeredolu and Obaseki

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Governors elected under the platform of All Progressives Congress have met and agreed to intervene in the current crisis rocking the party in Edo and Ondo states ahead of the governorship elections the states.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja and signed by Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said, "Governors have collectively agreed to work to ensure strengthening fair and democratic internal party mechanism for the selection of party candidates in all elections, especially in respect of Edo and Ondo states 2020 governorship elections.”

The National Working Committee of the APC on Saturday affirmed the disqualification of Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen, thereby further escalating the political crisis in the state's chapter of the party.

 

Akeredolu and Obaseki

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Four people have been reported dead after a bridge collapsed at Oko-erin, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The bridge collapsed after a heavy downfall on Saturday night.

A car carrying three passengers was on the bridge when it collapsed, according to an eyewitness, who spoke with SaharaReporters. 

The driver and passengers dived into the canal and died before they could be rescued. 

“The bridge collapsed around 10pm on Saturday nightbecause of heavy downfall. The driver was on the bridge when it tore apart and they fell into the canal.

“They died because they could not get help as people don’t have means of rescuing them, we had to standby and expect the emergency team to come.”

The emergency response team is currently at the scene making efforts to retrieve the car and bodies.

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Four people have been reported dead after a bridge collapsed at Oko-erin, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The bridge collapsed after a heavy downfall on Saturday night.

A car carrying three passengers was on the bridge when it collapsed, according to an eyewitness, who spoke with SaharaReporters. 

The driver and passengers dived into the canal and died before they could be rescued. 

“The bridge collapsed around 10pm on Saturday nightbecause of heavy downfall. The driver was on the bridge when it tore apart and they fell into the canal.

“They died because they could not get help as people don’t have means of rescuing them, we had to standby and expect the emergency team to come.”

The emergency response team is currently at the scene making efforts to retrieve the car and bodies.

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The Osun State Government has denied instructing banks to stop direct payment of monthly allocations directly into the accounts of local governments in the state.

In a statement by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, the state government said the administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola was complying with NFIU rules and guidelines. 

He said, "To set the record straight, the mandate for the payment of salary, which consists of statutory and non-statutory ones had been presented to the bank for onward transfer to all necessary accounts since Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Governor Oyetola

"Since he was sworn into office, payment of salary has always been on the priority list of Governor Oyetola and he has paid full salaries since assuming office mostly between 25th and 29th of every month.

"At a time when some states are yet to pay May salaries and with a few already slashing salaries due to the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, Osun has paid its workers.

"For emphasis, the governor did not at any time instruct any bank to stop the payment to local government accounts or flout the NFIU rules and guidelines.”

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