The 16 abducted church worshippers who remained in captivity in Kaduna State, were released by their abductors on Sunday, after a Muslim community paid money and bought a motorcycle for the bandits.

It could be recalled that 40 worshippers were abducted by bandits at Bege Baptist Church, Madala near Buruku in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state during a Sunday service on May 7, 2023.

Some had managed to escape and returned home leaving the remaining 16 in the hands of the bandits.

Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State, Rev John Joseph Hayab, told journalists in Kaduna on Monday that they were full of gratitude to the Muslim community in the area, who assisted before the captives regained freedom.

According to him, “the Muslim community where the worshippers were abducted contributed money and bought a motorcycle as part of ransom required for the release of their Christian brothers and sisters in captivity.”

“This goes to show good, caring and sincere neighbours that practically showed concern to the plight of their brothers and sisters that were abducted and their sincere wish that they return home to live together with them in peace and harmony.”

“The exemplary life shown by the Muslim community in Madala should be emulated by all in other parts of the state for a united and peaceful coexistence that is needed for the overall development of the state,” he said.

“The Muslim community has shown that one does not need to be educated before doing the needful. Nigerians from all walks of life should be their brothers keepers in order to eliminate all forms of insecurity in every part of the country,” he said.

The 16 freed worshippers have reunited with their families while those with injuries were in hospital receiving treatment.

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of President Bola Tinibu, Monday in Abuja, assumed office as Nigeria’s First Lady.

Mrs Tinubu who arrived at the First Lady’s wing was accompanied by her security aides.

The first lady on arrival, was received by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr Tijjani Umar and other Heads of Units in the First Lady’s Office.

Mrs Tinubu was therefore guided on a tour of offices within the First Lady’s wing, comprising the Administrative, ICT, Catering, Media and Protocol Units.

Mrs Tinubu was born on Sept. 21, 1960, to Itsekiri’s mother and Yoruba’s father.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Ife and has undertaken several courses in some higher institutions.

She served as the wife of the Lagos State Governor between 1999 and 2007 and thereafter was elected Senator representing Lagos Central in the Senate.

Mrs Tinubu executed many philanthropic activities to alleviate the plight of vulnerable people in her Constituency.

A suit filed by Festus Keyamo, SAN, seeking investigation of former vice president and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for alleged corruption has been dismissed by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Keyamo, a former campaign spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu, had accused Atiku of using ‘Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)’ to corruptly enrich himself while he was vice president of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007.

The former Minister of State for Labour relied on an affidavit allegedly deposed to by Atiku’s former media aide, Michael Achimugu, against his former boss in filing his suit.

He wanted the court to compel anti-corruption agencies in the country to investigate Atiku for his alleged corrupt activities.

But Keyamo, in statement by his lawyer on Monday, revealed why his case was dismissed and vowed to appeal it.

“Earlier today, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the case filed by Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, against the candidate of the PDP in the last Presidential Election, Alhaji ATIKU Abubakar over the SPV saga principally because the court was of the opinion that the law-enforcement agencies were not given enough time to commence investigations before the suit was filed, amongst other sundry reasons,” Keyamo’s lawyer, John Ainetor, said.

“Our client respectfully disagrees with the reasons for the said decision because the law-enforcement agencies did not indicate their willingness to commence investigations, even if they were given more time. We want to establish a legal principle that the society cannot wait as infinitum for law-enforcement agencies to do their statutory duties.

“The suit was designed to prompt the agencies to show their READINESS to investigate. We are immediately filing an appeal against the said decision to the Court of Appeal as the struggle on this issue continues.”

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress as mercenaries of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi.

Fani-Kayode said this on Monday in a statement he personally signed.

He stated, “The leadership of the NLC did not threaten to go on strike during the politically-motivated, unconstitutional and illegal cash confiscation and money deprivation policy that resulted in the suffering, hunger, destruction, death, hardship, depression, frustration, madness and despair of millions of our people.

“Instead they are threatening to go on strike over the implementation of a well-thought out and credible policy on oil subsidy which the Nigerian people endorsed by voting for a President who promised to remove it and which;

“…though initially tough, will inevitably and eventually result in the restoration and resurrection of our economy and ensure that we have the necessary funds and resources for massive infrastructural development.

“Is this not strange and is it not a reflection of the insincerity, double standards and hypocrisy of the leadership of the Labour Congress?

“Does it not prove the fact they are acting out a script and that they are nothing more than a pack of implacable adversaries, insidious subversives and opportunistic mercenaries who are in the hands and power of Peter Obi?

“If Peter orders them to jump they will ask, “Bwana, how high?” Yet the truth is that whether the NLC likes it or not the oil subsidy MUST and WILL go.

“That is the only way to save our country from the fiscal challenges, rot and deterioration that it has suffered over the last 15 years and put us back on the right track for national development,” he said.

A former Head of Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, has been discharged and acquitted of the N2 billion fraud charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Oronsaye was in 2015 arraigned alongside the Managing Director of Frederick Hamilton Global Services Limited, Osarenkhoe Afe on allegations of corruption.

They were accused of using two companies – Frederick Hamilton Global Services Limited, and Xangee Technologies Limited – for dubious biometrics enrolment in the N2 billion fraud.

However, during the ruling on Monday, the court discharged and acquitted Oronsaye of the charges levelled against him by the anti-graft agency.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja in his judgment held that the prosecution failed to provide enough evidence to warrant a conviction.

The court held that no credible evidence was presented by the 21 witnesses called by the EFCC.

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has denied endorsing former Abia governor, Sen.Orji Uzor Kalu as its preferred candidate for the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly.

Alhaji Musa Saidu, a member of the forum said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Saidu was reacting to a statement created to Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the leader of the Arewa Youth Conservative Forum, AYCF, claiming that the ACF had endorsed Kalu for the position.

“I want to say without fear of contradiction, that the ACF has no youth wing and there was no time that we sat to make Shettima the AYCF leader.

“The whole thing is false.

“The ACF has not endorsed Kalu as the next Senate President, because we have our own ways of doing things.

“It is shocking to hear Shettima asking Sen. Abdulaziz Yari to step down for Kalu in the race for Senate Presidency,” he said.

Saidu, also the leader of the Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria, said that the ACF would have preferred that the position be zoned to the North because of its contribution to the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the Feb. 25 election.

“The North contributed the highest votes for Tinubu in the presidential election, so we can’t just endorse candidates from other zones for the Senate Presidency.

“How can we work for Tinubu to become president and then turn around to start campaigning for other zones to become Senate President.

“In fact the Vice-President slot given to the North is just like a spare tyre, everybody in Nigeria knows that the position has no much value.

“Since the North West gave Tinubu the highest votes, then it should be given the Senate Presidency, the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is too small for the zone,” he said.

Saidu added: ”It is a payback time for the North, so it should be given the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly.

“For fairness and justice, the North should be considered for the Senate Presidency and Sen. Abdulaziz Yari should be endorsed for the position.”

A witness of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has testified that both the party’s candidate and President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are not qualified to be declared as president for not scoring 25 percent in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

While testifying under cross examination by counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mohammed Aliyu, he said the 25 percent was compulsory condition to be declared as president.

When he was asked if his statement was his personal opinion, he said no, that it was based on the constitutional provision.

In response to a question on whether his candidate got the required result in the FCT, he said “My candidate did not score 25 percent of votes in the FCT by the purported result published by INEC.”

Under cross examination by counsel to Tinubu, Akin Olujimi (SAN), he insisted that his assertion was based on the law.

He, however, admitted that he was neither a lawyer nor a mathematician.

Under cross examination by counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Madaki admitted that FCT is like any other state.

Daily Trust recalls that Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, polled over 25 percent in FCT during the February 25 election.

The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has disclosed what he would do if President Bola Tinubu offers him an appointment.

Wike said he would consult his wife and friends if Tinubu gives him an appointment.

Speaking with BBC Pidgin, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain also noted that he wants to rest after serving as a governor for eight years.

According to Wike: “I’m going to rest; I have worked for eight years, so I’m going to rest.

“Tinubu has not informed me about getting an appointment; I’m not too big to serve my country, but he has never told me that he would give me an appointment.

“If he asks me, the first thing I will do is ask my wife and friends what they think about it.

“I will also assess myself if I’m prepared. I will never do what I’m not ready for.”

The Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta on Monday commenced hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, against Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Both the APC and the PDP mobilised their members to be at the tribunal for solidarity.

However, political thugs stormed the venue of the tribunal with canes, otherwise known as pankere, attacking percieved opponents while police officers and other security agents watched.

Although the road leading to the court was barricaded at both ends by the police, it did not prevent the hoodlums from attacking their targets.

As the political thugs roamed about with canes in their hands, the police made no attempt to arrest or stop them from causing chaos.

A policeman said, “there is nothing we can do, we can’t arrest them. Everything about Ogun is always different.”

A PDP member, who was attacked by the thugs, said he lost his phone, money and other valuables in his possession while being beaten.

As of the time of filing this report, members of the PDP have fled the court premises to avoid further attacks.

DAILY POST reports that attacking opposition members at the tribunal has now become a dangerous trend in Ogun after every election.

A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and former National Director of Legal and Public Affairs of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Evangelist Kwamkur Samuel has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be steadfast and disassociate himself from the Islamization conspiracy of the former Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-rufai.

Kwamkur stated this while addressing newsmen in Jos the Plateau state capital.

He also condemned in strong terms the vituperations of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in a video against the Christian community and non-Muslims in Nigeria in his recent address in Hausa language to some Islamic clerics at the end of his tenure.

According to him, for El-Rufai to think that the Asiwaju vote is a victory for Islam is very unfortunate and speaks volumes of his kind of bigotry. He said his outburst has destroyed the remaining respect he enjoyed from patriotic Nigerians while calling on Asiwaju to be mindful of friends, associates and politicians like El-Rufai who seek to work with him as they will do more harm to the system and the nation at large.

The APC Chieftain further said Christians who supported Bola Ahmed Tinubu did so out of sincere hope that both himself and his Vice will work to ensure sustainable development of Nigeria through their policies, experience and exposure.

“It should be known that we did not vote Tinubu out of El-Rufai”s deception (Taqiya) as he claimed. It should be made known to El-Rufai that against his wild imagination of achieving an Islamization agenda through dominance and persecution of Christians, Christianity grows better in persecution and supposed dominance.”

He further stressed “We shall continue to preach inclusiveness, equity and fair play in the true sense of these words. We shall never practice deception to cling to power. No it is against our faith.” He said.

Kwamkur also appealed to the Northern governors to truly work towards dealing with poverty, insecurity and the likes and ensure the provision of good healthcare and other benefits of good governance, rather than to dwell on preaching hates, religious and tribal differences.