No fewer than 4,560 kilograms of skunk have been seized in interdiction operations in Lagos, Adamawa and Osun by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who also raided a skucchies factory in Ogun and arrested four members of a drug syndicate including two church officials; female staff of a courier company and another lady, involved in trafficking lethal opioid, fentanyl in Delta.
The bust of the fentanyl cartel operating from Warri, Delta state is coming barely a month after two members of another syndicate: Odoh Collins Oguejiofor and Oliver Chigozie Uzoma were arrested at Ogbogwu market, Onitsha Head Bridge, Onitsha South LGA, Anambra State following months of intelligence-led investigation of the syndicates behind the dangerous drug, which is 100 times more potent than heroin and currently responsible for over 70% overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.
Two officials of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries (aka Mercy City Church), Warri, Delta state: Adewale Abayomi Ayeni, 39, and Ebipakebina Appeal, 41, linked to two intercepted consignments of the illicit drug have been arrested in Warri.
While Ayeni is one of those managing the prayer call centre of the church, Ebipakebina is in charge of movement of international guests from the airport to the church.
Two female accomplices also arrested in Warri in the course of investigating the intercepted shipments include Naomi David, 28, who is a staff of United Parcel Services (UPS), and Stacy Njideka, also known as Nkiruka, 27, who is a business associate of Ayeni.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Agency on Wednesday 5th July, intercepted a Toyota Hilux vehicle marked EPE 863 XD along Ngurore-Mayo Belwa road, Adamawa State. A search of the van with two occupants: Kelvin Efe, 51, and Christian Ogaga, 42, shows that 118 cartoons of Indomie Noodles packs were used to conceal 544 blocks of compressed cannabis sativa, weighing 408kg hidden in a false compartment and meant for distribution in Yola, Mubi and Gombe.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 1st July arrested a suspect, Segun Odeyemi conveying 89 jumbo bags of skunk with a total weight of 3,842kg in his truck around Eleganza area of Ajah, Lekki, while in Osun state an abandoned J5 Peugeot bus marked AAA 521 SQ with bags of fresh pepper used to conceal 25 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 300.5kg was recovered along Akure-Ilesa expressway after its occupants sighted NDLEA officers on patrol on Friday 7th July.
In the same vein, operatives in Ogun state on Thursday 6th July, raided a skucchies factory at Ajaka Sagamu where a suspect, Adekunle Adekola was arrested. Exhibits recovered from the premises include: 10kg cannabis; 1,356 litres of skucchies; 20 litres of codeine; seven deep freezers; a set of firman generator; and two gas cylinders among others.
While commending the team of NDLEA officers tracking the fentanyl opioid syndicate in Nigeria for the success of the operations so far, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) also gave thumbs up to their counterparts in Adamawa, Lagos, Osun and Ogun for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country to continue to set their eyes on the goal of ridding the nation of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, an end-to-end financial services provider in Nigeria and member of Standard Bank Group recently announced various Board appointments across the Group.
Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli, a businesswoman and social entrepreneur, was appointed Independent Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC.
Mr. Yinka Sanni also joined the Board of the Holding Company as a Non-Executive Director, and will serve as a Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Bank.
Mrs. Funeka Montjane was appointed Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC.
Mr. Efe Omoduemuke joined the Board of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management as an Executive Director.
other appointments were Mrs. Joyce Dimpka who was appointed Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers, and Mrs. Temitope Popoola who also joins Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers Limited as an Executive Director.
Mr. Oladele Sotubo was appointed as Executive Director on the Board of Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, while Mrs. Titi Ogungbesan was appointed as the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Ventures.
A statement from the company noted that these appointments ware a reflection of the Group’s commitment to strengthening its leadership teams and driving continued growth and innovation in the financial services sector.
The Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Dr. Demola Sogunle, said: “These appointments represent a significant milestone in the flight plan of Stanbic IBTC as we continue to position ourselves as a leader in the Nigerian financial services industry. The newly appointed directors bring a wealth of multi-dimensional experience, diverse perspectives, and a deep commitment to driving excellence and innovation.”
“We are delighted to welcome these esteemed professionals to our Board of Directors. As we navigate the evolving financial landscape and continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders, clients, and communities, we recognize that people are the driving force behind any company’s growth. Hence, we prioritize people over profits at Stanbic IBTC,” Demola said.
He encouraged the new appointees to make a meaningful impact in their roles while expressing confidence that their collective experience and skills would further strengthen the organization’s corporate governance.
[Ripples Nigeria]
Apart from the activities of bloodthirsty bandits, terrorists and other assailants causing mayhem in the country, several citizens have also lost their lives following extrajudicial killings called jungle justice.
Jungle justice, an ugly trend common in most African countries, is a form of public extrajudicial killing where an alleged criminal is publicly humiliated, beaten and subsequently executed by an angry mob.
Many of these incidents are left unreported mostly due to the fact that it occurs often in remote areas.
DAILY POST reports that despite condemnation from relevant authorities, the blameworthy act has continued in many parts of the country over different allegations ranging from blasphemy to witchcraft and robbery.
Worried by the trend, some stakeholders have asked the incumbent administration led by President Bola Tinubu to put up measures that would ensure that Nigerians no longer take laws in their hands.
Blasphemy
Jungle justice over allegations of blasphemy, an act of making a profane talk or speaking sacrilegiously against God, prophets or sacred things has led several persons particularly in the Northern part of the country to their early graves.
Recently, one Usman Buda, a popular butcher at the Sokoto Fish and Vegetable market, otherwise known as Kasuwan Dankure was lynched by a mob comprising his colleagues for alleged blasphemy.
On June 25, Usman Buda, who was in the market for his usual business was surrounded by an angry mob, bombarded with stones, and fatally wounded before he was set ablaze for allegedly speaking against Prophet Mohammed.
The horror scene was captured in a viral video, with even children participating in the gruesome act.
This ugly trend has been recorded in many other parts of the country.
DAILY POST recalls that a similar incident had occurred in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on April 4, 2022, when a victim identified as Ahmad Usman was stoned to death over an alleged blasphemous comment.
Usman, a 30-year-old resident in the Lugbe area of Abuja, was stoned to death and burnt by a mob over an alleged blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammed and Allah, in the Lugbe area of the country’s capital city.
Similarly, on May 12, 2022, Deborah Samuel, a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State was burnt alive by Islamic extremists over similar allegations.
The 200-level student was set ablaze after she reportedly advised her classmates against posting religious contents on their WhatsApp group which was reportedly created for academic purposes.
Although some persons were nabbed by the police in connection with the censurable act, they were said to have been acquitted by the court.
Witchcraft allegations
Over the years, several old men and women accused of practicing witchcraft have been killed. These abominable acts are usually carried out by community youths who ascribe their misfortunes to witchcraft.
Most of these geriatrics were often denied the privilege of defending themselves when the mob descended on them.
On April 24, 2023, youths in Ikyve community of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State buried two aged persons alive for allegedly practising witchcraft.
The victims, according to witnesses, were buried alive following a thunder strike that killed one of the villagers identified as Henry Ihwakaa, his wife and his two-week-old child.
It was learnt that thunder struck in the village, killing Henry, his wife and their infant. The incident triggered suspicion that two elderly persons, Ihwakaa (Henry’s father) and his alleged collaborator, were wizards and responsible for the thunder.
A few days ago, one Madam Martina Okey Itagbor was burnt alive in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State over the same witchcraft allegation.
According to reports, on the 13th of June, 2023, some youths in the community gathered themselves in a chartered vehicle heading to the inauguration reception of the member representing Akamkpa 1 State Constituency, Hon. Okon Owuna.
Unfortunately, the youths who were suspected to be drunk had an accident and two of them lost their lives on the spot. Many others were injured.
A day after, some of the youths came and dragged Madam Martina out of her house to the main road, alleging she masterminded the accident and the death of the two youths using witchcraft.
The mob reportedly poured fuel on the woman and set her on fire. She was burnt alive despite her cry of innocence.
On Tuesday, the Cross River State Police Command said it has arrested 26 suspects in connection with the unfortunate murder.
Report of the arrest was contained in a statement by the command spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo which he issued and made available to newsmen in Calabar.
Robbery
Just recently, on June 8, a mob burnt to death a man suspected to have stolen a motorcycle in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
An eyewitness Adah John, who is also a commercial motorcyclist in the area, told DAILY POST on Saturday that the suspect allegedly killed a commercial motorcyclist around Adoka Street in Otukpo after overpowering the victim, dispossessing him of a new bike.
“After some weeks, he was passing with the motorcycle to another state before luck ran out of him and he was burnt alive.
“Those who know Otukpo very well will know that we don’t support violence. The thing is, those who kill by the sword should also die by the same sword.
“Jungle justice is actually a terrible thing, I personally don’t support it but if you think very well, these bad boys are no longer scared of the police anymore. The only thing they fear now is jungle justice”, he said.
On Thursday, a suspect was apprehended by vigilant youth in Gyado Villa, Makurdi, Benue State capital and was subjected to jungle justice before the authorities intervened.
The incident unfolded when two individuals attempted to snatch a motorcycle from an unsuspecting rider at a busy intersection in Gyado Villa.
Their heinous act did not go unnoticed as the youth present at the scene quickly sprang into action, chasing down the culprit.
With the help of other passersby, the bike snatcher was caught just a few blocks away from the crime scene. Angered by the development and the rising cases of such criminal activities in the area, the enraged youth decided to take matters into their own hands.
Although the suspect was said to have sustained life-threatening injuries, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Sewuese told DAILY POST that “he is in our custody receiving treatment”.
According to the PPRO, the suspect was close to his grave when the command was informed of the development.
She said operatives of the command were sent to the area when the suspect was about to be set ablaze.
Asked what the command is doing to stop the ugly trend, the PPRO said: “on several occasions, I have been on radio stations and Television stations educating the people on the dangers of jungle justice.
“We have been sensitizing the people against taking the law into their hands and that has been going on for a very long time now. This is not the first time we are having such an incident.
“Most times, the culprits are arrested and even prosecuted to serve as a warning to others.”
She, however, lamented that sometimes, such incidents happen in very remote areas where mobility is relatively impossible.
According to Dr Christopher Ejeh, a psychologist working with the Benue State University, poverty and illiteracy are responsible for jungle justice in the country.
He explained that “the decision to tag old people as witch and wizard is largely because of poverty. When youths in a certain community are not doing well, they begin to inquire what is responsible for their problems.
“It is at this moment that they start suspecting old people. So old age, which should be seen as a blessing, becomes a problem. They will continue to nurse the suspicion until it escalates and they finally put the law into their hands and kill the suspected witch.
“But the question is, does killing solve their problems? No! They have only succeeded in channeling their grievances in the wrong direction.
“People who perpetrate this evil are mostly illiterate. They are obviously living in obscurity. They are not educated so they continue to find primitive ways of solving issues.
“This government should look into this matter seriously, it should give priority to the rural dwellers; they also need a good life. They need social amenities that can aid their business and whatever sources of income they have”.
Meanwhile, on his part, a security columnist, Elder Ben Okezie pointed out that until there is a law that specifies a heavy punishment on the offenders, jungle justice may continue in the country.
He called on the Federal Government and the 10th National Assembly to quickly enact a law that would put an end to the ugly trend.
He said, “This is an issue of legislation, there should be a law that will indicate heavy punishment like life imprisonment for offenders who are found guilty.
“By the time some persons are given life imprisonment, others will see such crime as a serious matter and run away from it.
“The police also have their own role in this matter. When anyone is caught, the person or group should be prosecuted with immediate effect. This is not a lawless country where everyone will be a judge. Nigeria should have gone beyond practicing jungle justice.
“It was even the police that used to be involved in these extrajudicial killings but thank God for EndSARS. It has obviously reduced. But we still need the law to stop it entirely.
“This still goes back to what we have been saying. The country right now cannot survive without state police. When the issue of police is decentralized and the governor and the state lawmakers have power over the police, a lot of things will change.
“Many countries including Britain that brought civilization to us, dwell on this state police to tackle security problems.
“The people perpetrating these crimes are members of one community or the other. When you have state police, the operatives will be natives of where they are serving. This means that they know your name, know your grandfather. You can’t run away from them.
“But in a situation where those in Abuja are determining what should happen in Ebonyi state, there will always be problems.”
[Dailypost]
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission issued power generation licences to 21 investors in 2022, data obtained on Friday from the Federal Government agency has shown.
Findings showed the commission issued 114 registration/permits for the development of mini-grids to boost power supply across the country during the period.
The Federal Government and stakeholders in the power sector have been making efforts to increase the country’s power generation and supplies after the successor electricity generation and distribution arms of the sector were unbundled and privatised in November 2013.
Since then, Nigeria’s power generation has been hovering between 3,500 megawatts and 5,000MW, a figure which operators and experts described as too low for a population of over 200 million people.
Data sourced from the Federal Ministry of Power on Friday showed that power generation on the national grid as of 6am that day was 4,472MW, up from an off-peak of 3,989.5MW recorded on Thursday.
In its bid to boost the power supply in Nigeria, the NERC has been issuing licences to investors to generate electricity.
In its latest report on licensing and permits in the power sector, the commission stated that in the fourth quarter of 2022, it approved two power generation licences, with a combined capacity of 56.5MW, adding that 27 mini-grid registration/permits were issued in the same quarter.
“In 2022/Q4, the commission approved the issuance of two new generation licenses with a combined capacity of 56.50MW and authorised the amendment of two on-grid embedded generation licences.
“The commission also approved 13 mini-grid permits and 14 registration certificates for mini-grids with individual capacities below 1MW.
“It also granted approval for the amendment/renewal of seven captive power generation permits with an aggregate capacity of 65.36MW,” NERC further stated.
It added that applications from seven meter installers, three meter manufacturers and two meter importers were also approved by the commission in the last quarter of 2022.
In the third quarter, six power generation licences and 23 mini-grid registration/permits were issued.
The power sector regulator said, “In 2022/Q3, the commission approved the issuance of six new generation licences and one trading licence. The commission also approved 23 mini-grid registration/permits and granted captive power generation permits to two new companies with an aggregate capacity of 14.6MW.”
It noted that four Meter Asset Provider permits, and seven Meter Service Providers were also approved by the commission in 2022/Q3.
According to NERC, two power generation licences and 23 mini-grid permits/registration were issued in the second quarter of last year to investors.
It said, “In 2022/Q2, the commission approved the issuance of two new generation licences, one trading licence, renewal of one existing licence and amendment of one on-grid generation licence.
“The commission also approved 23 mini-grid registration/permits and granted captive power generation permits to eight new companies with an aggregate capacity of 174.08MW.”
The industry regulator said 14 Meter Service Providers consisting of nine meter installers, three meter manufacturers, one meter importer and one meter vendor, were also approved by the commission in 2022/Q2.
The highest number of power generation licences and mini-grid registration/permits were issued in the first quarter of 2022. The NERC issued 11 electricity generation licences and 41 mini-grid registration/permits in Q1 2022.
“In 2022/Q1, the commission approved the issuance of 11 new generation licences, renewal of two existing licences and transfer of one on-grid generation licence.
“The commission also approved 41 mini-grid registration/permits and granted an aggregate capacity of 186.06MW captive power generation permits to seven new companies,” the regulator averred.
It mentioned that 12 Metering Service Providers, consisting of eight meter installers, three meter manufacturers and one meter importer, were also approved by the commission in 2022/Q1.
Commenting on this, the National Secretary of Nigeria Electricity Consumer Advocacy Network, Uket Obonga, told our correspondent that the challenges in the power sector were enormous, stressing that the new administration must work hard to address them.
“I held a town hall meeting in Akure about three weeks ago, and after my lecture, I found out many things. One of them is that many people have paid for meters and still don’t have them. I am aware of the problem of power generation, but there are many others.
“These people in Akure are electricity consumers who have been disconnected for some years. They bought their transformer and have spent about N14m to put up that transformer and yet they have not been connected to electricity.
“Some of them have money to pay for meters but nobody is answering them. So, the challenge in the sector is myriad, from lack of meters to distribution issues and generation problems. The new government has a lot to handle in this sector and must work hard to deliver,” Obonga stated.
[Punch]
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto State, Bishop Matthew Kukah, will tomorrow, deliver a lecture titled, ‘The Future of Constitutional Democracy in Nigeria: Imperative of a New Constitutional Order,” at the 60th Call to Bar anniversary of Chief Afe Babalola, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is billed to chair the event, while the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola and the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III are to be in attendance.
Also expected at the event are the immediate past Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun; the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, Prince Lateef Fagbemi and other respected personalities from within and outside the country.
Babalola, a legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales on July 9, 1963.
According to a statement by the Chairman, Organising Committee, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju, the event being put together by Aare Babalola’s mentees, admirers and beneficiaries, will hold at the Alfa Belgore Hall, ABUAD, Ado-Ekiti.
Ogunwumiju stated that the event would also feature testimonials and goodwill messages from friends, admirers and associates of Babalola.
He added that it would also feature a book launch that will have Dr. Taiwo Afolabi as Chief Launcher and Wema Bank, Fidelity Bank, Union Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, Polaris Bank, among others as launchers.
[Guardian]
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has declared that the state was winning the war against sit-at-home enforcers and would never take orders from people he described as murderers and enemies of Igbo land.
Mbah said there was no way Enugu could become the premier destination for investment, living, and tourism or its economy grown from $4.4 billion to $30 billion when the people were still talking about or taking orders from faceless persons outside our state, insisting “we cannot be defeated by evil and we must not allow that to happen”.
The governor urged concerted efforts by the media community and Enugu people against scaremongering and fake news, which he described as the latest resort by the sit-at-home promoters, having lost their capacity to inflict havoc on lives and property as was previously the case due to reenergised security measures applied by the government and security agencies since the ban on Monday sit-at-home in the state.
Mbah spoke during his maiden media chat with Enugu-based newsmen and media executives at the Government House, Enugu, at the weekend.
The governor urged the newsmen to be professional in their duty by seizing the opportunity presented by investigative and modern journalism to fact-check and verify the authenticity of information before feeding them to the public.
“The truth is that we have won the actual war against sit-at-home enforcers and murderers out to destroy Enugu State and Igboland. We have unleashed the security resources on them and they have been thoroughly defeated and discomfited.
“Because they no longer have the capacity to unleash terror on lives and property of Ndi Enugu, that is why they have now resorted to scaremongering, peddling fake news, and all manner of dramas to instill fear in our people and control their minds and actions.
“We practice democracy. We can never allow murderers and terrorists to dictate to us. We must not allow those who do not have the mandate of the people to dictate for us how to live our lives; when to go out; when to close our businesses and when to sit at home.
“What we are facing now are media terrorists using social media to instigate fear and peddle fake news. We must not allow them to succeed. It is totally unacceptable. Nobody can make you inferior without your consent. These hoodlums are very few compared to our numbers. We cannot be taking instructions from hooligans.
“We must not allow those without our mandate tell us how to live our lives. We have a duty to ensure that we flush them out in all directions. They have no stake in the affairs of our state.
“It is, therefore, our responsibility to re-orientate our people to start coming out and going about their normal businesses. We have a duty to kill fake news and counter it with our superior pen and media.
“Therefore, as we are leaving here, we must begin to tell our people the right thing; that nobody can make them inferior without their consent; that we can’t be cowed by the cowardly acts of a few people,” the governor declared.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mbah urged the people not to be deceived by those who use the name of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as a cover for their criminalities, noting that Mazi Kanu had since expressed his displeasure at the enforcement of sit-at-home and consequent havocs on Igbo land.
Mbah said the state was equally exploring the option of dragging both the instigators and enforcers of violence and illegal sit-at-home order in the State before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague to answer to the crimes against humanity, noting that in the 21st Century, nobody should be allowed to stay in one part of the world to enjoy life while causing deaths and pains in other parts.
“As media people, it is important you educate our people for them to know that these sit-at-home enforcers are not after Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s welfare or freedom. We must be able to separate the two.
“Ndigbo are on one page in demanding for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. I have also seen the President over this matter. Other Igbo leaders have made the same demand and we are not relenting.
“However, the so-called sit-at-home enforcers are mere criminals and our people must face them frontally.”
The governor also disclosed that technology had already been deployed to guarantee safety of residents, saying there were no longer hideouts for criminals in the state.
While responding, members of the media community lauded the efforts of the government in stamping out insecurity, offering suggestions on how to bring lasting peace and security to the state.
They expressed their readiness to collaborate with and support the government to achieve its plans for the people, promising that they would play a pivotal role to ensure the people return back to work through their reports.
[Tribune]
Sokoto state government has set up a Commission of Inquiry to probe all land allocations and government assets sold or auctioned during the tenure of Governor Aminu Tambuwal.
The 5-man committee was led by Justice M.A. Pindiga (rtd) while Barrister Nasiru Muhammed Binji would serve as its Secretary.
Other members of the committee include Chief Jacob E. Ochidi, SAN; Alhaji Usman Abubakar and Barrister Lema Sambo Wali.
A statement signed by the Press Secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu noted that, the committee would also ascertain the government bank account and amount realized from the sales and auctions of the assets.
The statement added that the committee would examine the various allocations of Lands throughout the
state including government owned houses sold or auctioned.
The committee was given two months from the date of its first sitting to submit it report.
Former Kaduna Lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has berated those linking the Anambra Student, Mmesoma Ejikeme’s confession of forging her University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result to the fallout of the 2023 election.
Naija News reports that the Anambra State Government committee of inquiry set up to look into the controversy surrounding the JAMB results indicted Mmesoma of forging her result unaided.
In a post via Twitter on Saturday, Sani said Mmesoma committed that crime at a time people are looking for a reason to keep the flames of verbal war alight.
Responding to how many people have used ethnicity to publicize the issue, the former Senator said the JAMB fraud would not have been a top issue of social discussion if it had happened in the North.
He further made a reference to a woman who allegedly stabbed her husband in Bauchi and people seemed uninterested because it is not from the East or West.
Sani tweeted: “The Girl forged UTME result. The commentaries for and against her are more of the fallout of the 2023 election than just forgery. For most people talking, their tongues are about the forgery but their hearts are politics. The Girl committed an offence at a time when people are looking for a reason to keep the flames of verbal war alight. The Girl flew a helicopter in between the Border of Ukraine and Russia.
“If the Girl is from Plateau or Niger, it wouldn’t have been as hot as this. A woman from Bauchi allegedly stabbed her husband to death. No one seems interested. If the woman is from the west and the husband is from the East or vice versa, the internet would have been on fire by now. Most Nigerians are now wearing ethno religious and political Sunglasses;everything is viewed from the perspective of that lenses.We are likely going to live like this for a very long time.”
In a bid to clamp down on banditry and terrorism, popular Islamic scholar, Sheikh Gumi has disclosed his willingness to participate in negotiations with their foot soldiers.
Gumi said the negotiation process has to be holistic to address the issue of insecurity across the regions where the groups operate.
“We need the involvement of emirs, scholars, and university professors who have conducted extensive research on these matters. Let’s all sit down together so that we can achieve peace and enable people to return to their farms,” Gumi told Daily Trust.
According to him, “I don’t have to lead it, but I would volunteer myself to be part of it”.
This is not the first time the popular cleric has stated willingness to negotiate with terrorists.
In 2021 and the early part of 2022, Gumi had openly advocated for terrorists, saying he was concerned for the country and his state, Zamfara
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the state chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti, Paul Omotosho.
Although detail of the incident is still sketchy, Sunday Tribune gathered the APC chairman was kidnapped on Saturday evening along Agbado – Imesi-Ekiti road in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the State.
A reliable source who confirmed the development to our correspondent explained that Omotosho who is from Imesi-Ekiti was driving alone to his home town when the gunmen ambushed his vehicle with sporadic gunshots before taking him away.
The source said, “The chairman still called me this morning(Saturday) and we spoke at length and from what we gathered, he actually came to drop his driver in Ado-Ekiti and was returning to his hometown alone when the kidnappers fired gunshots at his vehicle and deflated his tyres.
“They moved him from the scene which is around Agbado – Imesi-Ekiti road with their vehicle to a forest around Ise-Ekiti, that is what I know about the incident for now.
“The governor, Biodun Oyebanji is aware of the situation and has taken immediate action towards securing the release of the party chairman.”
The state APC publicity secretary, Segun Dipe confirmed the abduction of the party chairman when contacted on Saturday evening
“Yes, my brother, our chairman has been kidnapped and we are already working with security agencies towards securing his release,” the party spokesperson told Sunday Tribune.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Sunday Abutu when contacted said he was not aware of the incident and promised to get back to our correspondent, but yet to do so, as of press time.
More...
A former governor of Zamfara State and senator representing Zamfara West, Abdulaziz Yari, is being grilled by operatives of the Department of State Services. The reason for his detention and interrogation is not clear yet.
According to a source close to the lawmaker, Yari reported at the office of the secret police after plenary on Thursday.
The source claimed that he escorted the lawmaker to the DSS office to honour its invitation.
“Senator Yari is still in the DSS custody, but he should be out soon in sha ’Allah. He went to their office himself after the plenary. I escorted him there and he has been there since then,” the source said.
He, however, did not disclose why the lawmaker was invited by the security agency.
Peoples Gazette, an online publication, had earlier reported that Yari was arrested by the secret police after receiving a call from the director-general, Yusuf Bichi, to report at the DSS headquarters for an urgent discussion.
When our correspondent tried to reach the lawmaker on Saturday, his mobile phone indicated that it was switched off.
Yari went against the All Progressives Congress zoning arrangement by contesting the Senate presidency with the party’s choice, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who eventually emerged victorious in the election for the president of the upper legislative chamber.
Attempts to get a confirmation of the lawmaker’s detention from the DSS were not successful as the mobile telephone of its spokesman, Dr Peter Afunaya, did not connect.
Marriage Cannot Stop Education, Yerima Defends Child Marriage, Says 14-Year-Old Egyptian He Married Is Doing Her Master’s Now
AdminSays Poverty, Ignorance Responsible For Bandits’ Actions
Senator Ahmad Yerima, a former governor of Zamfara State has vehemently defended his decision of marrying an underage Egyptian bride.
Recall that Yerima was accused of marrying a minor – the 13-year-old daughter of his Egyptian driver.
While speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Friday night, Yerima said: “Marriage cannot stop education. How many married women are in education now?”
When asked about his wife’s education, he responded by saying “She is doing her Master’s now. I told you my own daughter who was married at the age of 16, is doing her Ph.D.”
He also criticised the Child Rights Act (2003) saying whatever act is passed at the National Assembly has to be domesticated by the state assemblies.
“And once they have not done that, it’s no longer a law,” he added.
The former governor alleged that former President Olusegun Obasanjo “tried to smuggle the Child Rights Act”.
“He passed it at the National Assembly through some manipulations but I don’t think any state in the North domesticated it and passed it,” Yerima said.
The former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani Yerima, also asserted that those involved in acts of banditry are doing so because of poverty as well as ignorance.
This is coming off his earlier remarks asking the Federal Government to engage in negotiations with bandits as a way of eradicating the abduction, killings and incursions plaguing parts of the North.
“No educated person, Christian Muslim, Jew or Hindu who is in his right state of mind and has something to do and does not have a poverty problem that will take up arms and kill an innocent person.”
“The major problem facing these people is poverty and ignorance,” Yerima said when quizzed about the reason for the growing case of banditry.
Speaking further, the former Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate also claimed that the previous governments had failed to address the plights of the bandits
“In the past various state government have not taken care of them, and the cattle routes and forest reserves left for them have been taken over by farmers,” he said.
Senator Yerima was quick to debunk speculations that the presence of natural resources such as gold played a major part in the rise of banditry in his state
“This has always been there and the illegal mining that is going on there is of a very small scale; artisan mining.”
“We don’t have any industry or any large-scale or medium-scale mining going on in the state. People are just talking about it but we have solid minerals in the Northern part of Nigeria but that is not the cause at all,” he said.
“The Federal government’s previous administration banned all sorts of mining in Nigeria because they are all illegal.”
On his successor, Bello Matawalle’s assertion that bandits were involved in the commerce of gold for firearms and ammunition, Yerima said ” I think he just said it.”
“When I saw him presenting gold to Mr President (Muhammadu Buhari) I was shocked because where do we process such in Nigeria.”
He also dismissed what he described as “speculations” of the involvement of foreign corporations in the illegal trade of gold in the country.
When asked about possible involvement in the trade as well as turning a blind eye to it, the Senator said, “I assure you that nothing going on as far as large-scale mining in Zamfara state, we have artisan mining, in fact it is villagers that are going into it. But for a proper mining, it is capital intensive.”
Following the conclusion that Mmesoma Ejikeme falsified her results for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Commission of Inquiry constituted by the Anambra State Government withdrew the scholarship it had previously granted her.
On Saturday, Cornel Osigwe, the Innoson Group’s Head of Corporate Communications and Affairs, made this information public.
The top scoring in the 2023 UTME, according to Miss Mmesoma, a student at the Anglican Girls Secondary School in Nnewi, Anambra State, was 362.
The ‘feat’ earned her praise from Nigerians on social media, including the Anambra State Government.
Later on, the candidate will get a N3 million scholarship from Innocent Chukwuma, the founder of the Innoson firm.
However, JAMB charged the candidate with falsifying her UTME scores and inflated them from 249 to 362. However, the applicant stated that the 362 was the mark that appeared on the JAMB website and in the SMS that the board gave to her.
The candidate’s first UTME score was subsequently withdrawn by the testing organisation, and she was disqualified from taking the exam for the following three years.
However, Miss Mmesoma, the applicant, stated in a widely shared video on Monday that the contentious result of 362 she claimed to have received was printed off the JAMB website and that the test body’s accusations had scarred her.
Several Nigerians called for an “independent” investigation into the controversy.
Consequently, the Anambra State Government, last week, set up a panel of inquiry into the controversy.
The eight-member panel, led by professor Nkemdili Nnonyelu, concluded on Friday that Miss Mmesoma had fabricated the 362 score that the JAMB had earlier claimed.
The candidate acknowledged, as stated in the eight-page report, that she had fabricated the outcome on her own before going to a cybercafé to have it printed.
Given that Miss Mmesoma received the scholarship from Innoson Motors in acknowledgment of her allegedly outstanding achievement, the company’s spokesperson, Mr. Osigwe, called the discovery that she cheated on her UTME results “deeply disappointing.”
According to him, the candidate’s manipulation of the results “stands in direct contravention of the values” of the organisation.
“In line with these principles and in response to the confirmed findings, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw the scholarship awarded to Miss Joy Mmesoma Ejikeme. This action is a testament to our unyielding commitment to honesty, integrity, and merit-based recognition.
“We acknowledge that this development is regrettable, and it has undoubtedly caused dismay among those who stood by Miss Joy including her school principal and other well-meaning supporters. However, it is crucial to maintain the integrity of our scholarship program and the values it represents,” he said.
IVM added that it believes in rewarding exceptional students who display not just academic prowess but also embody the values of honesty, transparency, and respect for the processes that govern the educational system in Nigeria.
My children grew up in Ibadan, but I took them back to the North and married them off — visually impaired beggar
Admin“I came to Ibadan, Oyo State 30 years ago I remember that time very well. I was really scared of vehicles, my body was shivering throughout the journey and I was scared it was a big vehicle. I came here to look for food to feed my children. I was left with the children, after my two husbands died. I fell out of love with my first husband after I had two children with him unfortunately he died and I married my second husband who also later died. Both of us were blind and you know some of us are not lucky.”
Rahinatu Ibrahim, popularly called Ganga, recalled with nostalgia when she first embarked on her journey to the South West many years ago from Kano State.
After the demise of her two husbands, the visually impaired woman decided to travel far with her children in search of food to feed them.
Despite being scared of vehicles at that time, the thought of her children starving and her inability to farm made her face her fears. She was determined to conquer.
“My children were young and I couldn’t farm, I did not have the strength to do so, so I had to come here to beg. Nobody was helping me with the children; I was only depending on God. I came here with seven of them and we begged everywhere together and along the line, one of them died here, he was a twin,” she told Saturday Tribune in an interview during the week.
After begging for many years, when her female children were ripe for marriage, Rahinatu took the girls back home and married them off.
“They all grew up here and when they were due for marriage I took them back home and I married them off. Someone asked for one of the girls hands in marriage here in Sabo but I refused, I didn’t want her to marry a Yoruba man and maybe he wasn’t lucky or God didn’t want him to marry her,” she said.
The visually impaired woman said she stopped moving around to beg many years ago after her legs developed some pains and because of the harsh begging conditions, she had to return her granddaughter who was her aid, back to her mother in Kano. “I used to move around to beg a long time ago with my sister but since my leg developed some pains I stopped moving round to beg, I just come to the roadside and sit to beg.”
I’ve stayed to beg at Oke Bola, Oke Ado and many areas with my children. My granddaughter was helping me to cross the road but I had to take her home because it is not easy to be out here under harsh conditions with a child, so, I took her home to her mother.
“After my daughters got married, I travelled home to visit them. I just a returned a couple of days ago; I went for Sallah. My son wanted me to stay longer to rest, he wanted me to wait and return after the raining season but I refused. There is no money in the north; those who stay in the north are trying.
“If you have money and food, no problem, you’d enjoy the north. But this era, everything is hard, food is expensive. We buy a measure of corn for as high as N1,050 and one of my daughter’s husbands abandoned her and her four children. He said he wanted to go and work in Ile Ife and he has refused to go back. With the high cost of goods in the market, I had to send her some money two weeks ago to buy food for the children,” she said.
Rahinatu revealed that the people in Ibadan have been good to her since she moved to the South West as no one has ever talked down or harassed her.
“I thank God because since I came here, no one has ever harassed or taken advantage of me. The people here have been good to me. If someone has not done anything bad to you, you shouldn’t say he did.
“But I can remember one time here at Mobil, there was some crisis. I did not come out to beg that Sunday so I was told what happened. The crisis unsettled us so I went to Apata to beg and that was my first time of going there to beg.
“When I got there, the beggars there chased me away. They said I should not sit there because I was not begging with them. I moved away from them and fortunately one woman gave me a place to sit and that was how I was able to get money to feed that period. After a while, peace returned to Mobil Junction and I came back,” she told Saturday Tribune.
Would she ever go back to live in the north? She revealed that it was not easy begging in the North because “we usually don’t get much alms back home.”