AFOLABI

AFOLABI

As the 2027 presidential election approaches, President Bola Tinubu has reportedly initiated efforts to win back the support of northern politicians who have expressed dissatisfaction with his administration.

A northerner politician who spoke with Punch on condition of anonymity disclosed that Vice President, Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje have been tasked with reaching out to aggrieved northern stakeholders.

 

This move comes after several northern political figures voiced concerns about the Tinubu administration’s perceived neglect of northern interests.

Key issues raised by northern politicians include alleged marginalization in federal appointments and governance.

These concerns have led to significant discontent, with some northern leaders openly expressing regret for supporting Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.

The source said, “Some political bigwigs were interested in certain positions but were not given them, and they have resorted to working against Asiwaju’s return, which is not good. But that does not bring any fear to Asiwaju’s camp. To be a little more open, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, and I are all from the North.

“We are reaching out to the aggrieved stakeholders, and we are also accessible. We are critical stakeholders who hold ground for Asiwaju in the North. We will reach out to everyone; it is a collective effort.”

Recall that last week, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, had also lent his voice to the agitation for a northern leader in 2027, vowing to jettison his presidential ambition if former President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to contest.

According to him, the former president has the requisite experience to revamp the economy and would do a good job if given a second mandate to manage the country.

But a former Minister of Communication and prominent APC chieftain, Adebayo Shittu, said Nigerians should be wary of such moves.

He said, “If you are calling for a change in government, you still have to wait until the current one run its term. Now, you are even calling on Jonathan to come back. He, just like others, is free to return and contest election in 2027. But certainly, there won’t be any election before then and there cannot be any change of government. If Jonathan has done very well, Nigerians won’t have voted him out after spending about six years in office. Tell me, if the PDP had done very well, would the people have voted them out? Nigerians only voted them out after their term expired.”

A former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central between 2015 and 2019, Senator Shehu Sani, warned against the desperation of some northern elites to return to power.

He said, “If President Tinubu succeeds in addressing the security situation, education, and poverty in Northern Nigeria, no northern elite will stop him from being re-elected in 2027.

“The desperation to return to power in 2027 by some northern political elites is not in the interest of the North but is driven by personal reasons, as some of them have been schemed out. So, they often turn to a sectional agenda when their own personal interests are affected.”

Speaking with Punch, a former Minister of State for Works and National Coordinator of South-West Agenda for Asiwaju, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, said Tinubu had “sufficient loyalists on his side to confront any opposition coming from any angle.”

“I believe that by the time we approach 2027, Nigerians will know that the president will win his second term as president,” he added.

Several northern political figures and groups have expressed deep dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing him of neglecting northern interests and mistreating the politicians whose support helped him rise to power.

These grievances range from concerns about governance and security to the perception that Tinubu has favored the Yoruba ethnic group in major government appointments at the expense of northern representation.

 

Prominent northern leaders have pointed to the concentration of key positions, such as the Petroleum Minister, Finance Minister, Chief Justice of Nigeria, and others, in the hands of the Yoruba ethnic group.

They argue that since Nigeria’s independence, no ethnic group has held such a large number of influential roles simultaneously.

This perceived marginalization has fueled growing resentment within the northern political establishment.

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), a significant socio-political group in the region, has voiced regret over supporting Tinubu in the 2023 elections.

According to Vanguard, Professor Usman Yusuf, a member of the NEF, reportedly lamented that Tinubu’s administration has led to “deception, destitution, and hopelessness” for many in the North.

He said, “People have lost hope. It pains me to see our people lining up to collect cups of palliatives. Renewed Hope has turned into hopelessness. People have lost hope.”

NEF Spokesman, Abdulaziz Sulaiman echoed these sentiments, promising that the North would not repeat the mistake of backing Tinubu in 2027.

The North-East Governors’ Forum has also raised concerns, accusing Tinubu’s administration of neglecting their region, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development and electricity provision.

The forum’s chairman, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, highlighted the lack of road and rail connections between the South-East and North-East as a particular grievance.

Recent meetings among northern political heavyweights, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir, El-Rufai and NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso, as well as visits by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to former President, Muhammadu Buhari, have further stoked speculation of a northern political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although Atiku described his visit as a Sallah homage, many analysts view these moves as strategic positioning for the next presidential contest.

Controversial cross-dresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has said that he does not mind returning to Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

He explained that he considers his time in jail as a vacation.

 

The entertainer explained that he has being working hard and rested while he was in prison.

Recall that Bobrisky was released on Monday, August 5, 2024, after serving six months imprisonment for abusing the naira, by spraying it at parties.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment on April 12, 2024, without the option of a fine by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Appearing on the ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’ show, hosted by content creator Bae U Barbie, Bobrisky said he would love to go back to jail.

According to him, “I see my jail term as a vacation. You know, on vacation, you go and rest. I’ve been working so hard, and I think their decision was okay for me.

“The decision was to break me, but sadly, nothing happened to Mummy of Lagos. I’m still fine, I’m still good, and I will continue to be fine and good.”

The host, Bae U, asked, “Prison fit you o! Would you like to go again?”

Bobrisky replied, “I would love to go, maybe for a short term like that again. Short term, not long-term.

“The reason why I would love to go again is that these people really want to break me. I have never seen anywhere you are going to sentence someone to prison for spraying money.

“It’s funny to me. Everything happened like a movie. Spraying of money? It’s my money. I’m not owing anybody money. I did not steal money. I did not kidnap, I did not rape. I did not kill anybody. I spent my own hard-earned money, and I was sentenced to where we have a lot of criminals.

“But like I always say, I’m a very strong person. If I have chosen this lifestyle to be who I wanna be, then I should be ready for the worst. And the worst that has happened is sending me to prison because, obviously, I did not do anything, I did not kill anybody.”

However, he insisted that he is not an ex-convict, arguing that he can’t be convicted for spraying money.

I’m not an ex-convict because I can’t be convicted for spraying money. So I won’t accept it,” he said.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Bode George, a former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for asserting that he (Atiku) would have collapsed had he been elected president in 2023.

In a statement released via social media on Saturday, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, characterized George’s remarks as an ‘unwise’ discourse and underscored the advantages that would have been realized under Atiku’s leadership.

Ibe contended that Atiku’s governance would have fostered prosperity, promoted appointments based on merit, and protected Nigeria’s interests in contrast to the current administration’s prejudice and favouritism.

Furthermore, Ibe lampooned Bode George for his lack of public critique regarding the current administration’s performance, suggesting that his silence may be attributed to Atiku’s non-Southern heritage.

He wrote: “Contrary to Chief Bode George’s imprudent talk, an @atiku presidency would have heralded an era of prosperity, driven by a cabinet brimming with seasoned and adept individuals, chosen solely on merit regardless of their background or beliefs.

“Such leadership would have safeguarded Nigeria’s interests, steering clear of the bigotry and nepotism and brigandage that characterizes this administration. Instead of the current state of disarray, driven by haphazard policies, Nigeria would have thrived under Atiku’s guidance.

“In contrast, we see Bode George, who once threatened exile should Tinubu ascend to power, now oddly silent about the present administration. Is Bode’s reticence caused by Atiku not being from his region? It is prudent to consider Bode’s opinions with caution.

“Furthermore, Bode’s conduct is a disservice to the military, an institution esteemed for its unity. Here is a Commodore who, paradoxically, embraces tribalism and undermines the very principles of the military. It is a source of shame for the armed forces to have such a figure in their ranks.”

I Knew Atiku Would Collapse In The Future

Speaking on Arise TV’s “The Morning Show” earlier, George stated that Atiku would have collapsed in the future, and the country become unstable if a northerner (Atiku), had succeeded Muhammadu Buhari, another northerner.

He stressed that Nigerians would not have accepted this scenario, citing the party’s zoning arrangement as the root of the problem.

“If Atiku had won — I would have stayed in my house because I knew that for real in the future, he would collapse. This country would never accept.

“If he had won that election, you think this country would have been stable? Because somebody from the north (Buhari) had just finished eight years and our own norm is that after the eight years, the presidential candidate must come to the south,” George had said.

The PDP chieftain alleged that the party’s zoning arrangement was manipulated to favour Atiku, leading to the current issues.

The Federal Government has been asked to sell the government-owned Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries to fund modular ones.

All three refineries are under the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Federal Government’s oil firm.

The Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria made the call for the sale of the refineries in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, saying that it is the only way out of the incessant fuel crisis in the country.

Since over a month ago, Nigerians started to experience fuel queues in filling stations even as the pump price rose to as high as N1,000 per litre in some areas.

 

Despite promises by the NNPC, the queues have refused to disappear, and this keeps impacting the cost of transportation,

CORAN Publicity Secretary, Eche Idoko, expressed concerns that the Federal Government has expended over $1bn to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt refinery, yet the facility has yet to start production despite six postponements.

Idoko argued that the fuel queues would not go away unless the country starts refining its crude locally.

 

According to him, modular refineries should be given intervention funds which would also give the government stakes in the refineries.

He noted that the reason for the fuel crisis in Nigeria was that the country does not have enough refined products as the cost of importing fuel with foreign exchange is a burden on the government, especially when subsidy payment is involved.

“We are not asking for free money. The government should set up an intervention fund in which people can access credit. So, it’s not free money. There are a lot of intervention funds in the agricultural sector,” Idoko said.

He spoke further, “The $1.5bn spent on the Port Harcourt refinery could be used to develop 10 modular refineries to be able to produce PMS of a minimum of 10,000 barrels per day. That is about 100,000 barrels a day.

“And if you have 100,000 barrels per day, at least, with the Dangote refinery, you would have solved that problem. We would actually have enough to begin to export,” he stated.

Idoko maintained that no one else could import PMS because of the government subsidy and the lack of foreign exchange.

Suggesting a way out of repeated fuel scarcity, he said, “The low-hanging fruit is simply to empower the modular refineries.

A modular refinery takes an average of 12 to a maximum of 18 months to set up. This administration can identify and select from the modular refineries that are already on stream to support them.

“Right now, we have about 15 of them – five are operating but not producing PMS; the other 10 are at various stages of completion. If the government supported these 15 modular refineries to produce PMS, in about 12 months or less, they would have solved this problem of fuel scarcity, rather than say, you are putting money into the Port Harcourt refinery, Warri refinery, or Kaduna refinery.

“That was why there was a particular administration that tried to sell those facilities. Most of them are obsolete. Technology has changed. I would have said that the government should sell them off. We know that the issue of fuel crisis is a serious issue, but do we have a solution to it now? We don’t have a quick-fix solution other than what is being done right now, which is importation.

“But that is simply not sustainable. For how long can you continue like this? And so, what we are saying is that give yourself a target of the time to completely wind down the importation of petroleum products. Bring stakeholders like the modular refineries and the traders together. We will all put our heads together and then work out a scheme.”

Idoko added that in countries where there is self-sufficiency, the private sector drives the oil refinery segment.

“Saudi Aramco is a purely private-loaned entity. It has shares, it has boards, it runs as a private entity. In the United States, in all the countries where you are seeing self-sufficiency in their refineries, the private sector takes the lead. All the government does is to create an enabling environment to provide support,” he submitted.

The NNPC said it spent over N9.3tn to import petrol in 2023.

 

After many months of denying subsidy payment, the firm confirmed on Monday that it imports petrol and sells at 50 per cent below the landing cost, saying the government pays the shortfall.

Many have argued that this is why the NNPC is having challenges to import enough petrol for Nigerians.

In the 25 years since Nigeria’s return to democracy, the 1999 Constitution has undergone five amendments and billions of naira expended on the process.

 

This stark reality has raised questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of the constitutional amendment process in the country.

 

The constitutional amendment process has become a recurring phenomenon in Nigeria, with each attempt generating significant hype and expectation. However, the outcome has often been underwhelming, with few tangible results to show for it.

According to Sunday Vanguard findings, the Constitution has been altered five times – twice in 2010 under President Umaru Yar’Adua and thrice under President Muhammadu Buhari.

They include the first, second and third alterations of 2010, the fourth alteration of 2017 as well as the fifth alteration of 2023.

The constitutional review exercise under President Obasanjo was derailed in May 2006 over his purported third term ambition.

Former President Jonathan, on his part, vetoed the constitutional alteration bills in 2015 and advanced reasons for doing so in a seven-page letter read on the floor of the Senate on April 15, 2015.

Then-President said he could not sign the new proposals into law due to irregularities and an attempt by the lawmakers to violate the doctrine of Separation of Powers.

Among alterations of the Constitution signed into law in 2010, ex-President Yar’Adua put the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on First Line Charge in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federation.
This gesture was similarly extended to the National Assembly and the Federal Judiciary.

The age qualification of INEC Chairman was reduced from 50 to 40 years and those of National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners reduced from 40 to 35 years.

It was also then that the number of judges at the Election Petition Tribunals was reduced from five to three and governorship election petition was made to now terminate at the Supreme Court rather than Court of Appeal where it used to end before 2011. Also, election petitions were now given a time limit of 180 days at the tribunal and 60 days each at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. It was also in the 2010 constitutional amendment that the National Industrial Court became the Court of Superior Records.

‘Not-Too-Young-To-Run’

On May 31, 2018, President Buhari signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run bill which reduced age qualifications for some political offices into law.

They include that of President from 40 to 35 years, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly from 30 to 25 years.

On June 8, 2018, Buhari signed four constitutional alteration bills into law.

 

They include Constitution Amendment Number 21 which relates to the determination of pre-election matters.
It has reduced the date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure that pre-election matters in court do not get into the time of the elections and do not linger thereafter.

Slow pace

With billions of naira spent on the process, stakeholders said the slow pace of amendments has hindered the country’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances and address emerging challenges.

 

Former Nigerian ambassadors have said the new upward review of the fees for Nigerian passports would not reduce the japa syndrome but rather worsen the hardship afflicting the people.

The Nigeria Immigration Service recently announced that a 100 per cent price increment for the passport would begin on September 1, 2024 to ensure the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport system.

The NIS said a 32-page passport booklet with five-year validity previously charged at N35,000 has increased to N50,000, while a 64-page passport booklet with 10-year validity which was N70,000 will be N100,000.

But speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a former ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, explained that although the increment might be necessary given the upsurge in inflation rate, the move would only worsen the hardship in the country.

The former ambassador said, “There is nothing whose price has not gone up in the last one year. Unfortunately, the poor people are the carriers of this burden so rather than ease the burden on the common man or the average Nigerian, we have only added to it. Increasing the cost of passports by almost 100 per cent or thereabouts will not discourage those who want to leave because they are being pulled by stronger forces than the cost of passports.”

Also speaking, a former Nigeria Consul to Cameroon, Rasheed Akinkuolie, noted that there were important issues the government should concentrate on rather than increasing the passport fees as more people were currently suffering from insecurity and the high inflation rate affecting prices of items.

In a shocking incident in Cross River State, a young woman known as Pretty Goddess has been accused of luring her friend, identified as Debit Queen, to a hotel where she brutally assaulted her, stripped her naked, and posted videos of the ordeal online.

Our correspondent learnt that the disturbing act, which has sparked outrage on social media, was reported to have occurred on Thursday evening.

According to several online video sources, the victim, Pretty Goddess, whose real name has not been disclosed, discovered that Debit Queen, whose real name is also not publicly known, was allegedly involved with her boyfriend, identified as Ralph.

In a fit of rage and under the pretext of a friendly visit, Pretty Goddess arranged a meeting with Debit Queen at a local hotel in Calabar, the state’s capital.

 

Debit Queen, unaware of the true motive behind the invitation, arrived at the hotel where she was quickly rounded up by the four girls, and flogged.

The situation escalated rapidly when Pretty Goddess accused Debit Queen of having an affair with Ralph.

The confrontation turned violent as Pretty Goddess and her friends subjected Debit Queen to severe physical assault.

 

The attack included flogging her with a cane, stripping her naked, and recording the entire incident on video.

Pretty Goddess later posted online videos, including images of Debit Queen in a compromising state.

Our correspondent can confirm that traces of the nude videos of Debit Queen have been trending on X for over 48 hours.

Also, in swift retaliation, another popular X blogger (name withheld) posted Pretty Goddess’ nude videos online, tagging several other blogs, our correspondent can confirm.

This act of humiliation and violence has provoked widespread condemnation and distress among the public.

Debit Queen, recounting the harrowing experience in a video she made after the incident and posted by a popular blog on X on Saturday morning, revealed that she was unaware of the conflict with Pretty Goddess’s boyfriend and expressed her shock at the brutal treatment she received.

“There were four girls in the room,” she said. “There was nothing I could do. She was with her friends and I was alone.”

 

Debit Queen claimed that Pretty Goddess had invited her under false pretences, initially presenting the meeting as a casual visit for a house party.

“She said there was a party, and I agreed to go. When I arrived, she began beating me,” she recounted.

The victim also denied the allegations of infidelity.

“I know him (Ralph) but he is not my friend. I have not seen him before. I didn’t sleep with him. It is untrue that I was caught sleeping with her boyfriend,” she asserted.

In a controversial attempt to justify her actions, Pretty Goddess admitted to luring Debit Queen to the hotel and subjecting her to physical assault.

She explained that she was driven by anger upon discovering that Debit Queen had been in contact with her boyfriend.

“I checked my boyfriend’s phone and saw that he had her number, which he didn’t have before. I also noticed they had been chatting recently,” she said.

 

She added that her anger was further fueled when she found out that Debit Queen had allegedly slept with her boyfriend.

Pretty Goddess claimed that the assault was not premeditated and that the intensity of the attack was an expression of her rage.

“I didn’t plan to beat her up. It was anger. All I wanted to know was if she had my boyfriend’s number,” she explained.

She also mentioned that while she initially intended to keep the video private, it was inadvertently shared by her friends.

In an apology addressed to Debit Queen, the lady said, “I am very sorry. I didn’t mean to take it this far. I will take care of anything you want and do anything you want. Please, find a place in your heart to forgive me.”

 

Police to probe incident

The Cross River State Police, led by Commissioner Augustine Grimah, has responded swiftly to the incident.

 

Following the viral spread of the assault video, the police have ordered an immediate investigation, calling for the perpetrator’s arrest.

Grimah condemned the act, stating that it involved severe physical assault and trauma.

“The arrest will assist the police in ascertaining the circumstances surrounding the disturbing incident and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” he said.

In a statement sent to Sunday PUNCH by the police command’s spokesperson, Iren Ugbo, Grimah emphasised the need for vigilance within the hospitality industry.

“We urge hotels to conduct thorough background checks on guests to prevent such incidents,” the statement read.

The police also confirmed that Debit Queen was receiving medical attention in a hospital in Calabar due to the injuries sustained during the assault.

The authorities have promised to keep the public informed about the progress of the investigation.

 

Netizens’ outrage

The incident between the two ladies has ignited a fierce reaction on social media platforms.

Many users have expressed outrage over the brutal nature of the assault and the public humiliation suffered by Debit Queen.

Reactions ranged from calls for legal action to condemnation of Pretty Goddess’s actions.

On X (formerly Twitter), user @FGirlrita wrote, “I’ve never seen someone carry a cane and beat someone like that. Even if there were five of them, I’d still stand up to them. This is unacceptable.”

Another user, @AgbakaEye, demanded immediate action: “They need to arrest that girl. What is this?”

Samuel, another concerned individual, said, “That girl needs to be taught a lesson. I’m personally working on it!!”

 

Chima Echefule expressed support for legal action, stating, “She needs to be arrested for such an act.”

The sharing of explicit videos online has only amplified the public’s response, with many condemning the act as an egregious violation of privacy and dignity.

In Nigeria, assault is governed by several legal frameworks, including the Penal Code, the Criminal Code, and specific state laws.

These laws define assault as any form of force or threat used against another person without their consent. Under the Penal Code, applicable in Northern Nigeria, assault includes physical violence and the threat of harm.

The Criminal Code, relevant in Southern Nigeria, distinguishes between different types of assault, such as common assault and more serious forms that result in actual bodily harm.

A human rights lawyer, Mrs Selena Onuoha, speaking to our correspondent, said, Pretty Goddess’s actions could be classified as assault under Nigerian law.

“If the flogging caused physical injury, it would be considered assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Even in the absence of visible injury, the use of force without consent constitutes assault. 

“The legal consequences for such actions can include criminal charges, with potential penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the assault and local laws. Additionally, Debit Queen may seek civil remedies, such as compensation for the harm suffered.

“Victims of assault are encouraged to file reports with the police, who will investigate the matter and take appropriate legal actions based on the evidence. Legal counsel is also recommended to understand one’s rights and available options,” she said.

FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark has asked President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency,  declare state of emergency on food as Nigerians are hungry and angry, just as he urged Ministers who are misadvising the President to wake up or resign now.

 

Speaking yesterday at his Asokoro residence in Abuja when the President of  Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas ( HOSTCOM) High Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi led a delegation of his team on a visit to him, Chief Clark said that Nigerians voted for President Tinubu, have been supporting him and his government, but he should not take Nigerians for a ride, adding that he must come down and align with the people.

 

According to him, two years after the signing into law, the Petroleum Industry Bill, now PIA, it is not working because it was rashly passed and the problem of leadership is affecting its implementation, adding, “The PIB which has been signed into law with 3% to be paid to hostcom, not regularly paid. Not only that, signed into law 2 years ago, almost 2 years ago, but it’s not implemented.

“This thing was rushed and the President Buhari, signed the PIB law as one of the quickest or something that he has to do. Only to realize that they have made mistakes and they said for 18 months or 2 years before it will be implemented. Today, it has not been implemented.

“Things have not changed. I thought we were going to talk about Niger Delta hostcom problems. I prepared a very long address which I wanted to read, but now that I am surprised why you brought this into me.

“Big problem of this oil subsidy has been on for years. Oil subsidy is not confined to Nigeria alone, everywhere in the world, but it’s the management that will exist. Everything in Nigeria does not work because of poor management, poor leadership.

“True, we all realize later that the oil subsidy was a scam. It did not even exist sometime, and the money was just fleeting. That was why in 2012, during the administration of President Jonathan, in January 2012, his government removed the oil subsidy.

“And there was a lot of agitation in this country. When people talk down protests against government, they are not being sincere, they are not talking the truth. You cannot violate your own constitution, not only violating it, prevent people from speaking their minds, prevent people from moving around, fighting for their rights.

£Nigeria has become a true country. As you already mentioned, the middle class has been fighting to deal with poverty. People are begging, people are very worried, they talk about all this.

 

“The government is spending so much money on issues that could be delayed with the introduction of the stoppage of the oil subsidy, which has caused problems, which was never anticipated by President Tinubu in fairness to him. And I want to say at this juncture, President Tinubu did not, I say again, did not remove the oil subsidies himself. It has history.

“During the 2023 presidential campaign, all the major parties talked about removal of subsidies. How it will come about, nobody knew. But in 2020, 2020, 2021, the President of Nigeria, at that time, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Finance, Ahmed, and the Minister of State Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, announced to Nigerians that there was no longer subsidy in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the recent protest by Nigerians, the Elderstatesman who noted that Protest is a way of following the constitution where the people are defending their rights, said that the government cannot stop the people from protesting as it has been part of us in the past, just as he said that President Tinubu organised protest that lasted some weeks against President Goodluck Jonathan when he removed oil subsidy.

The leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum,  PANDEF said, “What is wrong with the procession, a protest now? The constitution allows it. So, I do not blame Tinubu, President Tinubu.And therefore, in 2021, there was no subsidy in the budget. But how it came back, nobody knew. But in 2021, let me go back again, in 2012, when it was removed, it was Mr. President himself, President Tinubu, who sponsored procession, bring Jonathan’s government down.

“And members of the APC who are here now, all of them were together. Our own organization, PANDEF, our South-South People’s Assembly, we have to gather people to counteract them. Every day, they were demonstrating.

 

“They supported a strike, general strike, to bring Jonathan’s Government down because of the subsidy. We have to, we’re replying them. I invited all our people, leaders, from the six states, from the Middle Belt, and from, even from the South, East, and West.

“We gathered in my house here for the period of two weeks. Replying to the protests, the agitation, we were lucky. When I sent for them, Ayakame, who was our secretary, Dr. Ayakame, whiskey.

“They were able to fly in that Sunday, before the strike was to start. And we had a series of meetings to counteract the procession. Food was being provided by them.”

Edwin Clark who noted that  President Bola Tinubu should not be blamed for the removal of fuel subsidy since budgetary provision for it , ended in June 2023, however advised the government to find practical  means of alleviating poverty ,fuel  subsidy removal is inflicting on many Nigerians.

Earlier in his remarks,  HOSTCOM President , High Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi who  called on the federal government to end the incessant fuel scarcity in the Country,  also lampooned the International Oil Companies ( IOCs) and others , for allegedly frustrating the Dangote Refinery from accessing crude oil from them for local refining and production .

 

Chief Tamaranebi who lamented that as a result of scarcity of fuel supply , a lite of PMS is now sold for N2,000.00 in most parts  of the Niger Delta now ,where the crude are explored, exploited and exported outside the country, said that the International Oil Companies ( IOCs) are not helping matter by refusing to sell crude to Dangote Refinery which has 650, 000 litres capacity per day .

He said : ” Our visit to the residence of our Leader and Father in the Niger Delta Region today , is voice out our displeasure to the federal government and in particular , publicly owned key players in the oil sector on the endless fuel scarcity in the country.

“It is a sad commentary to state here that a country like Nigeria, an oil producing Nation, the 2nd largest oil producer in Africa, that has four  Refineries is still suffering from endless fuel scarcity and bent on importation of refined Petroleum Products to her Country for over 20 years.

“Only recently, some Nigerians trooped to the street in all parts of the country to protest against hardship in the country. Some of them were calling for the re- introduction of OIL, SUBSIDY.

“We are  aware that the current fuel scarcity in some parts of the country is caused by marketers’ refusal to import petrol into the country due to the huge debt issue. It is alleged that NNPC is owing marketers huge sums of monies and as such, they can no longer continue to import when NNPCL is owing them, while same NNPCL is coming to celebrate gain but using same token to appeal to use the profit for subsidy, what an IRONY?

 

“We are here today to appeal through you to call on the Federal government ably led by our dear President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to have a rethink.

“Just last Saturday, I bought a liter of fuel at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at N1200, while I was reliably told that at the creeks in Ekeremor LGA, Southern Ijaw LGA down to other riverine communities they are buying at rate of N2000 per litre. This is indeed very worrisome,.

“We therefore call on the government to ensure that the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries are fixed immediately and made to work optimally.

“We are also  calling on the Federal government to as a matter of urgency,  compel the International oil companies operating in our Niger Delta to begin sale of crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local Refinery in Naira so as to reduce and possibly eliminate importation of finished petroleum products into Nigeria.

“With the Nigeria Refineries producing locally, the price of petrol will reduce, which will ultimately reduce inflation and hardship in the country so that prices of commodities and staple foods like Fufu, Rice, Garri ete can come down.”

Suspect owns Badagry mansion

 

 

 

Detectives in Lagos have continued to unleash terror on kidnappers and have carried out several onslaughts against their deadly activities by making several arrests. 

Notably, a major victory was recorded in Ajah, a suburb of Lagos, the sequel to the recent killing of nine notorious billionaire kidnappers in the city.

The victory took place after a gang of kidnappers abducted an oil magnet at Ado Road in Ajah, a few months back, and escaped through the waterways to the creeks in far-away Ondo State.

The oil magnet was in his dredging site when a six-man armed gang came to kidnap him into a flying boat and took him to an unknown destination through the waterway.

The heavily armed kidnappers shot sporadically into the air to scare everyone who might approach them.

Attempted escape

While in motion, the hostage managed to jump from the flying boat into the river in a desperate bid to escape but they also plunged into the river and went after him.

After catching him, they whisked him away to their stronghold in the creek at Ikorodu area of Lagos. The kidnappers, who transferred him from the flying boat into a wooden canoe to access the creek, only allowed him to make contact with his family on the third day when they demanded a ransom of N200 million.

N42m ransom

The family was able to raise N42 million which they converted to dollars as demanded by the kidnappers and it gave them 30, 000 U.S dollars and an additional cash of N100, 000 which they packaged and got ready for the trip to an unknown direction.

 

When the elder brother of the victim volunteered to deliver the ransom, they rather insisted that they must speak with the wife of their victim.

Shockingly, when the victim’s wife spoke with them, they insisted she must personally deliver the ransom to them.
Passionate pleas by the distraught lady that she was almost on the verge of delivering a new baby failed as they shouted back, asserting that if she failed to deliver the ransom, they would kill her husband.

At this stage, the love for her husband took over, and she assured that she would carry out their directives.

Early the next day, she took off with a driver from their home in Ajah, and they directed her on the phone to move towards Ore, about 167 kilometres from Lagos. As their journey progressed, the kidnappers kept on monitoring and dishing out orders on where to stop and proceed. Eventually, when they got to Ore, the daredevils directed them to turn back and stop at Sagamu. They did as directed and, at Sagamu, a call came again directing them to move back to Ajah.

All this while, the kidnappers were warning that any attempt to engage the police would make them kill their victim, the lady and her driver, stating that they were closely and keenly monitoring their movement.

 

From Ajah, their call came again, ordering that they should move back to Sagamu. In total, the kilometres travelled were more the 334.

Lastly, the rigmarole, which kicked off around 6 am with the pregnant lady groaning in pain, ended around Odogbolu in Ogun State where they were directed to stop and trek through a bush path for about twenty minutes and drop the ransom.
This was around 6 pm. After that, they were shouted upon to race back to the road without looking back by three stern-looking and heavily armed young men.

Luckily, when they got back to base in Ajah, their breadwinner was already in the house. He regained freedom eventually in another riverside area in Epe from where he found his way home.

He narrated that his abductors dispossessed him of a gold necklace valued at N25m, a gold hand chain valued N11.8m and two gold rings valued N3.4m. His abductors called their colleagues immediately after they got the money to release him.

Police sources said that after the kidnapping took place, relations to the victim reported the case but failed to carry detectives along in their efforts to pay the ransom. 

Based on this, it was learned that the state Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, directed his technical team, led by CSP Kehinde Oni, to swing into action and arrest perpetrators of the crime.

Police sources said they kept a tab on both the family and other criminal elements in the area, but narrowly missed their target while they were going to drop the ransom hence they resorted to scientific, technical and human intelligence gathering.

At the end of their frantic operation, three of the kidnappers, namely Adelaja Ikuesan, 37, Tosin Oke, 40, and Oluwabunmi Yusuf, 39, were arrested in their hideout after they shared their loot.

Confession

The suspects narrated how the operation was carried out to Sunday Vanguard and lamented that, if set free, they would never take part in any criminal act again in life. Ikuesan said to be a professional speedboat driver, told our reporter: “I am from Pare town in Igbokoda LGA of Ondo State. “I own two flying boats code-named Trips on Marine, with each of them having a 40HP engine.

“I knew the other suspects when we were doing bunkering, i.e., stealing petroleum products from vandalized pipelines within the creeks. “Three weeks before the operation, we met in a hotel at Ajegunle, where we finalized plans to carry out the kidnapping.

 

“Tosin Oke whom we call Old Soldier, brought the engine of the flying boat. “On the day of the operation, two of our members were armed with AK47s, and before taking the hostage to the creeks, we disposed him of his gold chains and other valuables.

“When we got to the creeks, I left them with Old Soldier and came back to Apapa. We benefitted from both the sale of the gold chains and the ransom paid later”.

Police sources disclosed that Oke (a.k.a Old Soldier) had been involved in bunkering and kidnapping for a long and had erected a mansion in Badary area of Lagos. The suspect admitted that he benefitted from the ransom and used it to take care of his family problems. He denied building the mansion alone from the proceeds of his crime but stated that he erected it with some members of his family.

“I honestly regret getting myself involved in this”, Oke said.


“Even my family members were questioning my involvement because they were surprised knowing I don’t involve myself in any sort of bad act. “Before, I was an agent for police at Zone 2. What could have made me involve myself in this kind of thing?.

“I don’t know. Maybe, it was juju Adelaja (his colleague) used in talking me into it, I don’t know, only God understands because it is not like I didn’t have money to feed or for other things before I followed them to do this.
“I just don’t understand how the situation happened.

 

I don’t understand.” On his part, Adelaja said: “After he (the third suspect) met me and Old Soldier, Old Soldier collected the hand chain we collected from the victim and sold it.
“After selling it, he sent N150,000 and later, N250,000 to me. A total of N400,000 was what he sent to me. It was Old Soldier who gave me money, he was the one who changed it. He transferred from POS. “In all, I got N2.3 million from the operation”.

The second suspect, Adelaja, also said that he used his share of the ransom to buy a new boat. The suspects said they were married. While Old Soldier said he has nine children from different women but is now married to only one, Adelaja said he has just one wife and a daughter.