A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bode George on Monday accused Yoruba Nation agitators who invaded the Oyo State Secretariat of committing treason.

Over the weekend, some agitators of Yoruba nation invaded the premises of Oyo State House of Assembly, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.

In a viral video clip, the agitators, decked in camouflage and armed, claimed that a purported ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba’ had been created out of Nigeria.

Responding, the Nigerian Army claimed that the agitators shot at soldiers drafted to ensure law and order.

Reacting, George expressed his anger over the invasion, stressing that the agitators can’t take up arms against their government.

Featuring on Arise News Programme, Morning Show, George said: “You don’t just go and take up arms against your government, it’s treason. That they called Amotekun and the police is something; if it were people from my old profession, they would have seen them as enemies and fired at them.

“I was completely very angry because that is not the way you talk to your government. What could have driven them into that? My conclusion is that they might not be educated. You don’t take up arms against your nation.

“It’s unimaginable; you brought guns and charms; were they dreaming? It’s unacceptable, it’s the highest breaking of the law of the land. You have your freedom of speech which is the most sensible way to approach this problem. The problem is that this thing never leaked to the intelligence of this nation.

“Agitators carried their weapons in military uniforms, and nobody stopped them on the road; you now see the urgent need for state police because they could not have been meeting somewhere if we are well organized like the state police.”

The Anambra State Police has spoken on the controversy surrounding the burial of the victims of the Anam boat mishap by the riverside.

According to the police, three of the deceased were buried by the riverside but actor Junior Pope and one other are still in the morgue.

Tht police also disclosed that one of those buried by the riverside has been exhumed and taken back to her state for burial.

Anambra State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement: “The Command on an inquiry about the unconfirmed information that the recovered bodies including Junior Pope were buried by the Riverside where the boat accident happened, discovered that three of the deceased Families accepted the victim should be buried beside the river.

“But later, the family of one of the victims decided to exhume the body to be given a proper burial in her State while the other two were still buried there.

“Also, Junior Pope and one other are still in the morgue and await the deceased family’s funeral arrangements, Please let’s be guided.

“Meanwhile, the producer of the movie and the two boat drivers’ Statements have been obtained, and other necessary actions/moves already emplaced by the Operatives as directed by the Commissioner of Police to determine the criminal liability of any person, if any, in the mishap.”

Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Victor Boniface has stressed that he and his club, Bayer Leverkusen are determined to win three titles this season.

On Sunday, April 14, Victor Boniface scored from the penalty spot in Bayer Leverkusen‘s 5-0 win over Werder Bremen at the BayArena. The win sealed the club’s first German Bundesliga triumph in the history of the club.

With the German Bundesliga title sealed ahead of the perennial winners of the title, the sight of the only undefeated team in the top five leagues in Europe are set on winning two more titles.

They are currently one draw away from reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League after beating West Ham 2-0 in the first leg of the tournament’s quarter-finals.

Victor Boniface and his teammates have also booked themselves a place in the final of the DFB Pokal where they will take on lowly-rated Kaiserslautern on May 25.

After helping Bayer Leverkusen to win their first Bundesliga title, the 23-year-old Boniface told Soccernet that he and his teammates are aiming for the treble.

“Of course, we have two [more] important trophies we are aiming at. We are in the DFB-Pokal Cup final, and we are also in the [UEFA] Europa League quarter-finals,” Boniface said.

“So it doesn’t stop here. So we have to push hard. We know we won the league, it’s a big achievement for us.

“But we also have two things [trophies] we are aiming at. So if we can have the perfect three, of course, we will celebrate more.”

The Edo State government demolished the security post at the residence of former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, on Sunday.

Officials of the Edo State Network and members of the Public Works Volunteers in the Government Reservation Area, Benin, took this action.

Shaibu, who was impeached last Monday by the Edo State House of Assembly over allegations of leaking official secrets and perjury, has seen his privileges swiftly rescinded following the impeachment.

The demolition is part of a series of repercussions Shaibu faced after his removal from office. The Assembly’s decision was based on the findings of a seven-man panel set up by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.

Governor Godwin Obaseki has since appointed Marvellous Omobayo as the new deputy governor, further solidifying Shaibu’s exit from the state’s executive.

Naija News understands that Shaibu has challenged his impeachment in court, claiming his removal was an act of persecution for his aspirations to succeed Governor Obaseki.

The demolished security post, which was located adjacent to a golf course and shared the same fence with Shaibu’s residence, served as a temporary shelter and checkpoint for the former deputy governor’s security details.

With his removal from office, the justification provided by a senior member of one of the agencies involved, who requested anonymity in a chat with Punch, was that Shaibu, now a private citizen, no longer warrants such official privileges.

The state Commissioner for Roads and Bridges, Eta Uzamere, responded to inquiries about the demolition, stating that the exercise was not linked to his ministry.

He said, “I have seen some online reports linking my ministry to the demolition of the former deputy governor’s security and I can tell you it had nothing to do with my ministry.”

An aide to Shaibu said, “As I am talking to you, they have destroyed Shaibu’s security outpost. The place was not built by the government, it was built by Shaibu himself. You can see how wicked the state government is.”

The lawmaker representing Benue Northeast senatorial district in the national assembly, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is under a unified leadership and has no other faction elsewhere.

Naija News reports that the former governor of Benue State asserted this in reaction to recent speculations suggesting that the major opposition party has split into two factions.

Reports claimed that the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, and his followers constitute one faction, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his supporters form the other faction.

Nonetheless, Suswam informed the press in Abuja over the weekend that Atiku remains the sole leader of the party.

“I don’t think there are camps in PDP. We have just one PDP and all we are saying is that let us have a strong leadership.

“Wike is the Minister of FCT and he is working with the president, I don’t think he has a camp. Atiku remains the leader of our party.

“By being the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku is automatically the leader of the party who every member should look up to,” Daily Post quoted Suswam saying.

The remaining students of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, who were kidnapped last year by a group of bandits, have regained their freedom.
Naija News recalls that the assailants invaded the Sabon-Gida community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara on September 22, 2023, and whisked away no fewer than 20 students during the unfortunate event.

Predominantly, females were abducted from their hostels.

Despite the tireless efforts made by the university authorities and the families of the victims, only a portion of the captives were released after several months of captivity. Regrettably, 23 students were held back by the kidnappers.

Fortunately, reports emerged on Sunday evening that the remaining students had been rescued from their captors. Security forces reportedly rescued the students in an operation carried out on Sunday.

“They were released at Kuncin Kalgo in Tsafe local government area of Zamfara state and handed over to government officials on Sunday. A total of 23 persons in all,” a source in the know confirmed to Daily Trust.

Pictures of some of the captives were shared with journalists on Sunday evening.

Some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were also kidnapped in Sokoto State have been successfully rescued by the security operatives, as reported by the source.

Naija News reports that Zamfara State is among the states heavily impacted by the violent attacks carried out by bandits in the North West region.

During his visit to Aso Rock last month, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara told President Bola Tinubu that his state is currently under siege.

“There have been several attacks in some of the local government communities. As a responsible governor, I feel I should make this known to Mr President, who is pleased with our discussion and is looking for more military personnel as well as the equipment for them to function effectively and take care of the security situation.

“Zamfara has become the centre of banditry as we speak today, and if nothing is done in Zamfara state, I don’t think we will be able to solve the situation in entire northern Nigeria. Most of the guys or the girls kidnapped in Kaduna state ended up in Zamfara state. That is not good for us, and therefore, we’re doing everything to change the narratives, and that is one of the reasons I came to see the president today.

“That is why I am here today. I have informed Mr President, and I have his assurance that something drastic will be done to take care of the situation as soon as possible,” Governor Lawal had told state house correspondents.

A cozy photo of Nigerian music superstar Davido with a U.S.-based model, Bonita Maria, has caused a stir on the internet, leading to widespread speculation about the nature of their relationship.
The image, which shows the pair in an intimate pose, was inadvertently uploaded by Maria and quickly deleted, but not before it was captured by numerous social media users.

The photo displayed the duo close together, in a relaxed pose, with Davido’s arm around Maria. This unexpected glimpse into the singer’s private life has sparked discussions across various platforms, as fans and followers speculate about the implications for Davido’s personal life.

Further fuelling the controversy, a leaked video emerged shortly after the photo was posted, showing Davido pleading tearfully on his knees.

In the video, the singer can be heard saying, “Please, I’m on my knees, oh my days, oh my days.” Maria captioned the video, “This who y’all attacking me over? Leave me alone.” The post has led to a wave of disappointment among Davido’s fans, particularly concerning the respect towards his wife, Chioma Adeleke.

Davido, known for his contributions to the Afrobeats genre and his private personal life, has yet to respond to the incident. His representatives have also remained silent, leaving the public to draw their own conclusions from the viral images and video.

Nigerians are demanding that Pastor Paul Enenche apologises to a member of his church whom he disgraced at the altar and accused of lying.

The member mounted the pulpit to give a testimony on Sunday, April 14, after successfully graduating with a "Bachelor of Law" degree from the National Open University of Nigeria on Saturday, April 13.

However, in the middle of her testimony, Pastor Enenche interrupted her and accused her of lying. He told her she didn't sound like a Law graduate, going by how she speaks. He also told her that there is nothing like a "Bachelor of Law" and demanded she leaves the pulpit (See here).

Subsequently, Nigerians found the woman's Facebook page and photos showing her graduating from National Open University, Abuja.

Also, a list of graduates who had their convocation on Saturday,  April 13, had the lady's name.

LIB did a search on the National Open University’s website and it revealed that, indeed, the institution has a "Bachelor of Law" program.

Nigerians have now shared all these on Facebook while demanding that Enenche apologises for his actions.

See below.

A top official of the Nigerian Correctional Service has given an update on how crossdresser, Bobrisky is being treated in prison.

Recall that Bobrisky was handed a six-month prison sentence over naira abuse. While sentencing him, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos, said the judgment would be a deterrent to others who are found abusing and mutilating the naira.

An official of the prison who spoke to Punch said the crossdresser was taken to prison after the judgement and he was examined at the point of admission. It was also stated that no realignment of gender or genital organ was discovered as his male biological features were the same.

The source told the publication;

“Bobrisky made a public declaration that he was a male and court proceedings are public records. Every inmate brought into a facility during admission is examined. He was equally examined and no realignment of gender or genital organ was discovered. The male biological features were the same.

“After that, a cell was allocated to him, and he had a certain number of inmates with him. A bed space was also allotted to him. It is just like a boarding house where your housemaster will issue you your personal belongings.

“When it is time for class, he attends. When it is time for food, he will go and get his portion. The same goes with prep and light out. He observes all these without preference. He has been going about his business just like other inmates since he was brought in here.

“He is not getting any five-star treatment and is not being protected from anybody. He follows the same rules and regulations just like every other inmate. Single cells of isolation cells are to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases. In a male prison, homosexuality is outlawed and it is a grievous offence. Sodomy or homosexuality, is frowned upon here in the custodial centre. So any inmate that tries to violate him will face the law.”

Manufacturers have lamented the high cost of automotive gas oil (AGO), also known as diesel, which is used in generating power for their operations, noting that product gulps about 80 percent of their profits.

Speaking on the plight of manufacturers against the backdrop of rising prices of their products, the Director General of MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said manufacturers should not be blamed for inflating prices of products, considering their high cost of production.

However, a bit of relief may have come the way of the manufacturers following the recent crash of the price of diesel by 29.4 percent by Dangote Refinery.

The refinery now supplies the product at a substantially reduced price of N1,200 per litre, representing a 29.4 percent reduction from the previous market price of about N1,700 per litre.

On the high cost of energy, Ajayi-Kadir stated: “We have at different fora informed government and relevant agencies of what to do to bring down these inimical worsening high operating costs in the country. Nigerians should not blame local manufacturers for increasing the cost of goods, because they are being confronted with debilitating conditions.

“Do you know that diesel is taking 80 per cent profit of surviving manufacturing firms in Nigeria currently at the rate of about N1,700?

“Which manufacturer can cope with that astronomical price for energy to produce and you won’t expect him to increase his products in the country?

“Also, look at the new Customs exchange rate, new interest rate, scarcity of foreign exchange (FX), NAFDAC ban and others. How do you want to cope in production and make profit?”

Recall that the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, recently confirmed that his refinery is offering diesel at N1,200, below the market rate of N1,700, adding that the significant cut in the price will have a positive effect on inflation in Nigeria.

He stated: “Quite a lot of prices have gone up. When you go to the market, for example, something that we produce locally like flour, people will charge you more. Why? Because they’re paying very high diesel prices.

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“Now, in our refinery, we started selling diesel at about N1,200 instead of N1,700 and I’m sure as we go along, things will continue to improve quite a lot.

“If you look at it now, when you are buying N1,650 or N1,700 for a litre of diesel, and that one has been cut off by almost one-third, you are now paying N1,200 for diesel,” Dangote said.