No fewer than four persons were, on Friday, burnt to death, while 16 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a lone accident on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
A statement by Sector Commander, Ogun State Command, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Hamed Umar, noted that the fatal crash occurred at about 7: 50am on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway around Oniworo, after Foursquare Camp.
Umar added that 20 persons were involved in the accident. He said one female and 15 male adults survived with injuries, while four of them were burnt beyond recognition.
“A total of 16 people were injured. The lone crash involved a Mazda bus with registration number APP934XH.
“The suspected cause of the crash was excessive speed, which led to loss of control and the Mazda bus rammed into the median strip (road divider) and went up in flames.”
Umar said the injured victims were taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere.
The Sector Commander stressed the evil of speed violation and advised motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations.
Eastern Security Network (ESN) militants during training in the bush
My dad, my sister and our driver travelled to our state (Imo state) the other day. On their way back my sister called me.
She said: “I don’t want you to panic but Fulani herdsmen blocked the road and are shooting sporadically.
“We all ran out of our car into the bush waiting for the shooting to stop.
“People are saying they are kidnapping in front, hence the shooting”.
“All the motorists plying that road had to abandon their vehicles and run into the bush pending when the gunfire ceased.”
Ah! My chest sank. I was cooking when she called. I wanted to go crazy. I was imagining my dad and my sister running for cover.
She later told me that a vigilante group called ESN (Eastern Security Network) came with Hilux vehicles and buses and guns to fire back at them and clear the herdsmen.
I didn’t even know such a group existed till yesterday. They engaged them and the road cleared. They now urged people to go back into their vehicles and continue their journey.
When my family got to the spot where the Fulani people laid siege, they saw a burnt army van. And several empty cars with their owners nowhere to be found.
My questions started:
What was an army van doing there since no army person came there?
Did the fulani herdsmen “borrow” the army van to carry out their operation?
Is the army somehow in on this?
Do the empty cars belong to motorists who left their vehicles to hide for cover or to people the Fulani herdsmen kidnapped?
Why weren’t the army or police there to protect the citizens? It had to be a combat between a vigilante group and terrorists. No army, no police!
Why is Hope Uzodimma (Imo State Governor) so comfortable with the heavy infiltration of herdsmen in his state? The insecurity in Imo state is the worst in the east. Uzodimma is just growing fatter and wearing designer watches.
I’m grateful they got back to Enugu safely. In a blink of an eye, Nigeria fit happen to you. Ahapu ihe anako kowa ihe ozo.
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The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has warned against the indiscriminate and illegal use of personal and commercial drones in the FCT.
In a statement released, the police command said information at its disposal as well as public outcry on the sighting of drones hovering around personal and government-restricted air-spaces contrary to extant laws, thereby creating fear and apprehension in the minds of residents, pushed the decision.
The statement adds that the police boss has therefore ordered the immediate enforcement of drone usage regulations, arrest of violators and confiscation of such drones.
The statement in part read,’Consequent upon the above, the Commissioner of Police FCT Command CP Babaji Sunday has directed the immediate Enforcement of Drone usage Regulations, arrest of violators, and the confiscation of such Drones.
In the light of the above, it is pertinent to state that flying drones in the FCT requires meeting certain qualifications, obtaining certifications, as demanded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), & Obtaining approval from the Office of the National Security Adviser- (NSA) as the case may be without which it becomes an offense to at any time and any day be found flying one.
The CP while calling for calm, noted that investigations carried out has shown that the small and lightweight drones sighted are of zero imminent security threat as they are flown by individuals for leisure or commercial purposes. However, to help the Police effectively Police the air-spaces, it is important to in addition to the above notify the Police of the usage of the drone in every instance, especially for commercial purposes.’
The Commissioner of Police, while tasking DPOs and other vital organs of the Command to carry out the enforcement, urged residents to be law-abiding and exercise calm bearing in mind the assurance of the Command’s unalloyed commitment to bringing crime and criminality to its barest minimum. while the Police continue to take proactive security measures, residents are urged to remain vigilant, and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrences to the Police through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883, while the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) desk, could be reached on: 0902 222 2352.”
Federal High Court in Lagos State in Nigeria on Thursday sentenced 20 Ghanaian fishermen to one-year imprisonment each for transporting 13.670 kilogrammes of marijuana, aka cannabis, from Ghana to Nigeria.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo convicted and sentenced them after finding them guilty of the charges of conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the drug.
They were sentenced on Thursday, August 4, 2022.
The convicted fishermen include Francis Teye, Kweke Komel, Gad Adjah, Theophilus Tetteh, Kwesi Aboagye, Ekon Fynn, Kwamena Baah, Kwabina Adjei, Micheal Okutu, Isaac Kofi, Kweku Moko, Kwezi Adzi and Kweku Mensah.
Others are Micheal Kofi, Ekon Bentum, Kwesi Amissah, Joshua Huago, Otu Otipeseku, Isaac Yorsson and Nana Kodwo.
The convicts were arrested with the drug conveyed from Ghana into the Nigerian territorial waters on January 14, 2022.
They were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the substance.
The prosecutor, Mr Fingere Owen, told the court that the offences were contrary to and punishable under sections 11(b) and 14(b) of the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following their guilty pleas, the prosecutor reviewed the facts of the case.
Owen also tendered some exhibits and urged the court to convict and sentence them in accordance with the sections they were charged with.
However, lawyers for the convicts, Mr Uche Okoronkwo, who led Calistus Onyewueke, both of Minerva Legal Practice, told the court that all the defendants were first time offenders without previous criminal records.
Okoronkwo told the court that his clients were fishermen, who were engaged by a purported customer, who did not tell them the content of the bag.
Justice Oweibo sentenced them to one-year imprisonment each, the Punch reported.
The judge also ordered that the sentence should commence from the date of their arrest.
He, however, ordered the convicts to pay the sum of N50,000 each in lieu of the sentence and ordered that the boat used in smuggling the banned substance be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, a lawyer to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has said that the United Nations has affirmed that separatist agitation is legal and that referendum is a legitimate tool for settling separatist agitations.
Barrister Ejimakor made the remarks on his Twitter handle @AloyEjimakor on Friday, citing the recent directives from the United Nations.
UN indicted both Nigeria and Kenya Governments for the arrest and extraordinary rendition, torture and continued detention of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, without due process.
Reacting to the directive, Ejimakor upheld the decision as affirmation that separatist agitation is legal and that referendum is legitimate.
He also recalled that Nigeria gained Adamawa through referendum, while losing Southern Cameroon through same process without consequences.
He tweeted:
“The United Nations directives on #MNK affirmed that separatist agitation is legal & that referendum is a legitimate tool for settling it.
“Nigeria gained Adamawa & lost Southern Cameroon through referendum & nobody was detained, killed or extraordinarily renditioned.”
The United Nations directives on #MNK affirmed that separatist agitation is legal & that referendum is a legitimate tool for settling it.
Nigeria gained Adamawa & lost Southern Cameroon through referendum & nobody was detained, killed or extraordinarily renditioned.
When contacted by News Band correspondent for clarification, he added:
“It is referendum that made Abubakar Atiku a Nigerian and which may as yet make him President.
“It’s through referendum that Midwest Region came into being in 1964.
“This is all within Nigeria; not counting the many nations that were created through referendum, such as Eritrea, Kosovo, South Sudan, etc.
“The problem is not the separatist agitation, IPOB or Nnamdi Kanu.
“The problem is the misguided militarist response to it, which, instead of containing it, is actually validating the agitation and convulsing Southeast and Nigeria to boot”.
In a related development, Ejimakor earlier paid a visit to Nnamdi Kanu in court.
Informing about the latest development on his twitter handle, he noted that Kanu was cheery and happy to see his relatives who were part of the entourage.
According to him, Kanu however expressed sadness over the continued detention of all prisoners of conscience in the Biafra struggle, including Mama Biafra and Idara Gold and urged Nigerians to remember them in their prayers.
He tweeted:
“I just ended today’s visitation with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Onyendu was cheery and happy to see his two relatives who also visited him.
“He however expressed sadness over the continued detention of Mama Biafra, Idara Gold and all other prisoners of conscience. He asked that you [remember] them in your prayers.
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Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has intercepted a truck that conveyed about 151 persons who were suspected to invaders.
It was gathered that the corps made the arrest while acting on intelligence on the incursion of terrorists into the South- West of Nigeria.
The suspects included five women, hidden behind beans and rice bags inside the trailers.
They were intercepted around the Sango area of Akure-Ado Expressway by the operatives of the corps who were on ‘stop and search’ on Thursday as they became suspicious of their movement.
The state Commander of Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the suspects were concealed behind bags of rice inside the truck.
He said, “We intercepted two trucks conveying 151 people who were cleverly concealed behind bags of rice and beans in a way that one may not know these number of people were tucked in the trucks.
“Upon interception, we asked of their destinations. Some said Akure, while others said Osogbo in Osun state. Although, we have not completed profiling them, as none of them has an idea of what they were going to do or their mission.
“All they were able to tell us is that they entered the vehicle and came to Ondo State.
“While searching the vehicles, we saw 10 bikes and various dangerous charms. If we check and do not find anything on them as long as they don’t have anybody ready to take custody of them in Ondo state, we will send them back to their various states.”
The suspects were said to have been coming from Kastina, Kano, and Jigawa states heading to South-West states.
He continued, “Some of them claimed they are from Kastina, Kano, and Jigawa states, but on how they came together, they said they couldn’t figure it out, but that they were conveyed by the truck down to Akure in Ondo State.
The dust over the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the choice of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has not settled.
Although Atiku and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike met yesterday in Abuja at the instance of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), led by Senator Walid Jibrin, a source said it did not lead to a truce.
The meeting was hosted by former Information and Culture Minister Prof. Jerry Gana at his residence.
At a meeting with BoT members on Wednesday, Atiku boasted that PDP can win next year’s election without many votes from Rivers State.
He said there was no cause for alarm if Wike did not want to fall in line with him.
Exuding confidence, Atiku recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, who did not win Rivers State, relied on votes from Lagos, Kano and other strategic states to win the 2019 presidential poll.
He also said PDP ran into crisis because Wike allegedly monetised the presidential primary.
Wike, who was privy to what transpired at the BOT meeting, was said to have complained about Atiku’s recent comment about him.
A source said: “Wike joined issues with Atiku over his recent comments or pronouncements at the second meeting.
“He asked Atiku some questions:
”Did I tell you I want to be the next Minister of Petroleum Resources?
”Have I not been a minister before?
”Do you control Lagos and Kano, like President Muhammadu Buhari, if you don’t need Rivers?
”Have I asked for anything to support you?”
Atiku responded with “no” to most of the questions.
“Throughout the meeting, Wike was busy with posers to clear some impressions from Atiku’s camp in public space. Obviously, he was uncomfortable with some comments attributed to Atiku and some of his strategists.
“But the presidential candidate of the PDP was calm in managing the situation.”
Sources said Atiku and Wike had been engaged in a hide and seek game over a session with the BoT.
However, BoT members have consistently pleaded with Atiku to reconcile with the Rivers governor.
Although the two leaders got invitation letters from the board, none of them was interested in a face-to-face meeting before yesterday.
Atiku and Wike had resorted to bitter verbal exchanges and name-calling in the media in the past few weeks.
Their loyalists had also picked the gauntlet, with the two camps launching media attacks against each other, leading to a gradual alienation of Wike and his loyalists by the PDP leadership.
The BoT had waded in on Wednesday, with the setting up of a reconciliation committee headed by Senator Jibrin.
It was also gathered that party stakeholders will empanel another committee comprising nominees from the Atiku and Wike camps to resolve the differences.
It was also learnt that whatever the committee agreed upon would be tabled before a larger meeting of stakeholders for approval and ratification.
“One takeaway from the meeting is that supporters of Atiku and Wike must stop the media war with immediate effect,” a party source said.
Worried by the protracted rift, BoT members had on Wednesday met with Atiku in Abuja behind closed doors.
A member of the BoT said: “When the two leaders did not honour our invitation, we decided to meet with Atiku on Wednesday. We will still have an audience with Governor Wike. Our main interest is to keep the party united before we start the campaign.
“Atiku took time to explain to us how he is ready to work with all party leaders and governors to enable PDP to regain power in 2023.
“He said since 1993, he has desired to contest and win the nation’s presidency without bitterness. He then asked: “‘How can a first-time presidential aspirant be so bitter for losing the primary? What of President Muhammadu Buhari who contested four times for the office?’
“Atiku also revisited the primary and how it was heavily monetised by Wike, but he said he still won.
“He urged the BoT members to prevail on Wike to work with him and others for the success of the party.
“He said otherwise, he will go ahead with the campaign without Wike and his team.
“He also said there are other PDP leaders from Rivers State who have bought into his candidacy, including Abiye Sekibo, ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, Sen. Lee Maeba and others.”
The source quoted Atiku as telling the BoT members that “if Wike does not want to fall in line, we will go ahead with our campaign. One man alone does not make a state. Some PDP elders in the state are solidly with us.”
He added: “After all, President Buhari won the presidential election without many votes from Rivers State. He lost Rivers and still became the nation’s President after winning in Lagos, Kano and other strategic states.”
The BOT members, however, pleaded with Atiku to “allow more interventions to have a united campaign structure for the party’s victory.”
But Wike flew into Abuja yesterday afternoon to hold a session with his strategists before storming Gana’s residence.
But a source close to Wike’s camp said it was wrong to have accused Wike of monetising the presidential primary of the party.
He added: “We got to know all that transpired between Atiku and the BoT members. Wike did not monetise the PDP primary. Maybe, the Atiku group did. We don’t know what he is saying.”
The source said Wike rallied his friends, supporters and associates to boost the campaign of the PDP’s candidate with a huge amount in 2019.
“Wike has been a party man and he has never wavered in his commitment to his party’s return to power in 2023.
“If he did it for Atiku in 2019, he will do the same this time around.”
The executive governor or Imo State, Hope Uzodimma has said multi-national oil exploration giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), is set to resume operations after years of exiting the State owing to insecurity and oil theft.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku on Friday, Uzodimma said that the return of the oil company follows an agreement signed between the State Government and SPDC Chairman and Managing director, Mr. Osagie Okunbor in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the planned return of Shell to Imo is one out of numerous efforts he had made recently to bring back companies that left the State either as a result of insecurity or liquidation based on debt overhang.
This comes as the governor successfully brought back the Standard Shoe Company Limited hitherto operating in Owerri but was taken over by AMCON because of indebtedness.
Uzodimma cleared the debt overhang of N1.6 billion and was handed over the Certificate of Occupancy by AMCON management to resume operations.
Commenting on the meeting he held with Okunbor, the Governor said: “One of the observations of my administration upon resumption of office, was the fact that Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) had been off-site and suspended operations in Imo State as a result of insecurity, vandalism and illegal oil bunkering within the region.
“Having restored peace and tranquility along the coastline, today, I met yet again with the Managing Director and Chairman of the oil giant, Osagie Okunbor and I am elated at his assurance and confirmation of the company’s resolve to resume exploration in the State.
“This development is expected to create a ripple effect and economic boost for the growth of local contents within the region and the State at large while contributing to more developmental projects from the Government.
“On behalf of the Government and good people of Imo State, I express my profound gratitude to the management and staff of SPDC. Rest assured, that the State Government is committed to any partnership that would bring about the development of the State.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has completed one of his landmark projects, the University of Transportation located in his hometown, Daura in Katsina State, barely two years and nine months after take-off of the project.
Barring any change in plans, the Federal Government said the newly established Transport University will commence academic activities in September, 2022.
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Mu’azu Sambo, disclosed this during an inspection visit to the university on Thursday in Daura.
The minister, while inspecting the University project, added that the work which started a year ago is now at 60 per cent completion level.
Minister of Transportation, Mr Mu’azu Sambo (middle), during inspection visit to University of Transportation Daura, in Katsina State
Sambo said: “The company handling the project as a corporate social responsibility intends to hand over and commence the academic session in September this year.
“They have, however, asked for additional time to complete the project due to some circumstances.
“I have asked the consultant to meet the engineers and review how they can at least complete phase one of the project so that the academic session can begin.”
In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Magdaline Ajani, said the University when completed would be run by the Chinese government for two years.
“And it will be taken over by the Federal Ministry of Education afterwards.
“The management will run the university pending all the necessary approvals from the Federal Ministry of Education,” she said.
Ajani further explained that the National Universities Commission (NUC) would provide the necessary regulations like any other tertiary education system in the country.
The site of the Transport University in Buhari’s hometown has been condemned by an analyst with News Band, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as nepotistic as it is just one of the many federal projects the president located in his Daura hometown.
He said: “President Buhari’s administration is not a great fan of educational policies but eagerly completed the university in so short a time.
“Buhari is concentrating effort on the project leading to its inauguration after just three years of construction but ignored the yearnings of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“As we all know, ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, but he completed the institution in just three years evidently because it is located in his hometown.”
Three years after, the University is about to commence academic activities.
Praising the then newly conceived university, which will be the first in Africa, Buhari said it will provide technical skills, enhance managerial capacity and pave way for innovation in Nigeria’s transport system, while creating more job opportunities.
Speaking at ground-breaking ceremony of the pioneer University on December 3, 2019, the President noted that the transport sector was in dire need of new thinking, skills and investment, assuring that the university will open up opportunities for economic growth.
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Gunmen have abducted three children of an electronic dealer, Mr Kadiri (a.k.a Kado) in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.
It was gathered that the incident happened around 8pm on Wednesday, August 3, at Kaduna Estate, Ajaokuta Steel township complex.
An eyewitness said the gunmen invaded a compound where the children live and started shooting into the air to scare neighbours before they abducted the children aged 5, 7 and 10.
A family source, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune, said the gunmen contacted the family of the victims on Thursday afternoon, demanding N100 million ransom.
“The gunmen invaded the house of Mr Kadiri, our brother who sells television, radio and other electronic devices. They shot repeatedly to scare people from coming close. When they could not see their target victim (Kadiri), they decided to abduct three of his children,” the source said.
” The kidnappers contacted some of our family members and they are demanding N100m. Where on earth can we raise such amount of money?
“Here in Ajaokuta, we can no longer sleep with our two eyes close. There is armed robbery and kidnapping everywhere. Things are already falling apart. Nowhere is safe again.” he added
Singer, writer and social activist Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa aka Charly Boy has described the last meeting of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi meeting with outgoing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as significant.
He said the meeting may be UK’s way of pointing to the next President.
Every election year, according to Charly Boy, British leaders welcome their chosen presidential candidate to Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence of every serving Prime Minister.
Lagos Area Fada provided instances where a presidential candidate was invited for a meeting with UK’s PM and ended up emerging president at the general elections
Charly Boy wondered whether a message was being passed by Britain given Obi met with Johnson earlier this year.
Sharing a photo collage Obi, Buhari, Jonathan and Obasanjo with Britain’s Prime Minister’s, Area Fada wrote: “Is dis how Britain lets us know our next President?
“Every election year, they invite their preferred Nigerian presidential candidate to Number 10 Downing Street, the permanent home of every active Prime Minister.
“They invited Obasanjo in 1998. ’99 he became President.
“GEJ in 2010. 2011 he became President.
“Buhari in 2014. 2015.
“Now they have invited Peter Obi in 2022.
“Wetin wan happen now? Think about it,” Charly Boy wrote.
Muhammadu Sanusi Lamido II, former Emir of Kano, has expressed great concerns about the current state of the country.
He said Nigeria is now in a worse situation compared to what obtained in 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari took over from former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sanusi disclosed this while speaking on Thursday in Lagos at the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF), leadership colloquium and awards.
“This is the only oil-producing country that is grieving at the moment when oil prices have gone up as a result of the Russia/Ukraine war. Our total revenue is not able to service our debt. And if anybody does not understand that we are in a complete mess, we are.
“We were in a deep hole in 2015. And between 2015 and now, we have been digging ourselves into a deeper hole.
“We thought we had a big problem in 2015. 2015 is nothing compared to what will happen in 2023. We have terrorism, we have banditry, we have inflation, we have an unstable exchange rate, and the worst thing is that those in leadership actually think we are going to thank them when they leave office, that we are going to appreciate them. There is no change.
“There is no sense of urgency. If you are running a company and your sales revenue cannot pay interest, you know you’re bankrupt.
“When the total revenue of the Federal Government cannot service debt we are smiling. These are the kinds of questions we need to ask. And the reality is that there are so many Nigerians, who, given the opportunity will do well but they simply cannot contest in that space,” he said.
The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, hinged the challenge on the lack of vision of some of the country’s leaders.
He added, “What is our vision for Nigeria? Do we have a vision of one country? Do we have a vision of one united country, that lives peacefully with itself — diverse, multicultural, multi-religious but one?
“Leaders after leaders, most of those who have ruled did not have a vision for a united Nigeria. How would you like to be remembered after eight years as a President, after eight years as a governor, eight years as a minister, eight years as Governor of CBN? How will you like history to remember you? They have not thought about it.
“The vast majority of those in office have a vision that is limited to the next election. It is to win. And when you’ve won, you’ve reached a destination, not a journey.”
Aggrieved soldiers beat a policeman to death in an attack which happened along the Mile 2-Badagry expressway in Lagos State on Wednesday.
The deceased policeman was an Inspector attached to Ojo Division of the Lagos State Police Command.
The officer and his colleagues were attacked by soldiers while controlling traffic on the ever-busy expressway.
It was learnt that the soldiers who were coming back from a course got infuriated when their line was stopped to allow other road users easy passage.
An eye witness, Sule Abiodun, said that the soldiers jumped down from their vehicle, grabbed the policemen and hauled them into their vehicle before zooming off.
“We later heard that they took them to their barracks where the policemen were thoroughly beaten,” he said
Another witness alleged that the soldiers attempted to dump the body of the deceased in a nearby drainage, but for the timely intervention of the military authorities in charge of the barracks.
“The second policeman is still being hospitalized while the body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue” the witness who identified himself as John Okereke, said.
However, both the Police Authorities and the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army have described the incident as quite unfortunate and avoidable.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, tweeted about the incident on his handle.
He said a military delegation led by Brigadier General KN NAWOKO, ML Abubakar and IE Akpaumontia, paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Abiodun Alabi, on Friday morning over the unfortunate incident.
Also reacting to the incident, the Assistant Director, Public Relations of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Olaniyi Osoba said the Authority in charge of the Division was already in touch with the hierarchy of the police in the state to resolve the matter.
“This incident is highly regrettable given the Division’s disposition and zero tolerance for any misconduct. Accordingly, the Division has instituted a Board of Inquiry to unravel the circumstance surrounding the unfortunate incident At the end of the investigation, anyone found culpable will be made to face the full wrath of the disciplinary provisions.. Consequently, the Division wishes to commiserate with the Ojo Police Division and members of the family of the victim” he said in a statement.
The Proprietor of Tana Suites Ogbomoso, Olugbenga Owolabi and one of his staff, Racheal Opadele, a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, who were abducted last week, have been allegedly killed by their abductors.
According to The Nation, the Okada rider, who conveyed a family member of the victims to the designated point for the ransom payment, was also killed while his passenger was injured.
The duo was kidnapped in Abaa community, Ogbomosho last week with their abductors demanding N100m ransom.
A family source said after negotiation, the family arranged N5m which was taken to the gunmen on Tuesday, who confirmed the cash and shot the victims.
The family member who conveyed the money to them was also shot but escaped, The Nation gathered.
It was learnt the police have deposited the corpse at a morgue while the person who sustained gunshot injury, is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
One of the residents of Abaa community told our correspondent that residents are already protesting the development, which led to the blockage of major roads in the town.
Oyo Police spokesman Adewale Osifeso said he would get back when contacted on the incident.
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The Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-West zone, Salihu Lukman, has asked opposition parties not to expect victory during the 2023 elections.
Lukman said this in in Kaduna at an interactive session with newsmen shortly after a meeting with APC Chairmen in North West zone.
According to him, the ruling party is working tirelessly to ensure victory in the next election because the zone belongs to APC.
Lukman said that the reconciliatory drive with aggrieved party members is recording positive results, but needs to be pushed harder before the commencement of the campaign.
“We have been working tirelessly to ensure victory for our party in the next election. No party should expect to win the 2023 election from the North West zone just because they feel they can win,” he said
He explained that to achieve victory for his party, there are efforts towards building a stronger relationship with the leadership of each state.
According to him, each of the states within the zones had set up the reconciliation committees, adding that as leaders in the zone they have visited all the states and will return to push to ensure that all aggrieved members are reconciled.
“Each state set up a committee to reconcile its members and resolve the crisis. Progress have being made in all these states. One of the decisions we took is to revisit the state to push for reconciliation. We will conclude reconciliation before the commencement of the campaign,” he said.
He said the zone had also reviewed the report from the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) with regards to the closure of voter registration.
He explained that the party agreed for the Committees to equally mobilize people who have registered to pick up their permanent voter’s cards (PVCs).
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the trial of PC Okoi Liyomo, a policeman caught flogging a man with cutlass in Cross River State.
Early this week, the social media was agog with the video of the policeman, using the side of a cutlass to flog an individual, which attracted the attention of the authorities of the Nigerian Police Force.
However, in a tweet, the force spox, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Liyomo met the IGP in Abuja on Thursday and will face trial over the unfortunate incident.
He said, “PC Okoi Liyomo, the policeman who was caught in the viral video flogging one man with a cutlass in Cross Rivers State has been brought to the Force Headquarters Abuja. He met with the IGP today. The IGP has ordered for his trial. I await the outcome of the trial.
“We will update you asap. We still reiterate our commitment to sanitising the NPF, no room for nonsense, as we will not condone any act of lawlessness, unprofessionalism, corruption, harassment and incivility.”
Power outage was recorded across some parts of Abuja on Thursday night after an explosion was heard at the Katampe transmission substation.
The substation belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, is a major artery supply to Abuja, bringing in power from the Shiroro hydropower in Niger state.
While the fire was contained immediately, officials of the company said they were investigating the fault at the facility’s switchyard.
A source at the company said officials had isolated the area while working to transfer load to other sections of the substation to restore normal bulk power supply to the distribution load centres.
As of Thursday night, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in a notice to customers said the outage at Central Area, Gwagwalada, Mpape, Suleja, Katampe and its environs was due to an explosion at the TCN station serving these areas.
Intense efforts are ongoing to restore supply in earnest stated the DisCo.
The support base of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi got a boost as the coalition for good governance, composed of de-registered political parties, have thrown their weight behind his candidature ahead of the 2023 election.
The fifteen former presidential candidates of the deregistered political parties and their supporters have queued behind the presidential candidature of Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP), in what they described as most credible by their assessment.
This was contained in a statement, jointly signed by the National Chairman, Coalition for Good Governance, Engr. Okey Chikwendu and its Secretary, Don Anthony Harmattan and made available to newsmen.
The coalition said it has assessed the 15 presidential candidates and have come to the conclusion that her support was better for the Labour Party (LP) presidential and vice candidates.
The statement read in part: “the CGG on the 28th of July held a meeting in Abuja. It was well attended by the National Party Chairmen and former Presidential candidates of Deregistered political parties.
“They took very critical appraisals of all the current presidential contenders for the 2023 presidential elections and their Vice presidential candidates, the house unanimously voted Mr Peter Obi/ Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as the most credible among the candidates and as such resolved to support and work with them and their campaign group on the platform of Labour party.
“We therefore agreed to rebrand our offices nationwide as Campaign support offices for the project. Our structures all over the 36 States and 774 local government areas are henceforth required to support the Peter Obi/ Datti Baba-Ahmed ticket under Labour Party,’ the group said.
The coalition in the statement said its support for the Labour party was because it believed that the Labour party candidates are prepared to change the narrative from the bad experience Nigerians have been exposed to in recent times.
The statement said: “Nigerians have had enough of the disunity, imminent disintegration, lingering ASUU strike, terrorist threats, killings, kidnappings, hunger, unemployment, unbearable petrol cost and scarcity, high electricity tarrifs, its epileptic situation, rising food cost etc and the continued lack of resolve by the establishment to put an end to these crises.”
“Therefore, we as leaders in mainstream politics in Nigeria wish to make clear that only an efficient, effective and credible candidate of renowned character can resolve most of Nigeria’s lingering problems and we therefore urge Nigerians to heed to our advice and support our goals of returning Nigeria as the true giant of Africa and the production hub of West Africa,” the coalition stated.
Nigerian Gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, has tied the knot with her fiance, Pastor Blessed Uzochikwa.
Recall that the award-winning singer had earlier shared the pictures of their introduction on her Instagram account, describing their union as a testimony of God’s Grace.
She wrote: “A testimony of God’s grace. Introduction done and dusted. Mercy is indeed blessed. I love you sweet”.
In a recent post, on August 4, the couple sealed their union with a court wedding.
She also wrote, “To God be the glory, great things He has done. Forever to go with you my sweet”.
The news of the two lovebirds was revealed in June when they both shared the moments on their various Instagram account.
The 31-year-old singer wrote: “I am blessed to be blessed with the blessed official. The thoughts of doing the next phase and the rest phase of my life with you make the blessing more real… I love you, Sweet”.
Pastor Blessed, of Waterbrook Church also wrote: “I’m THE MAN THE LORD SHOWED MERCY! Mercy Chinwo, thanks for saying YES! I LOVE YOU DEARLY!”.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed sadness at the disunity in the Abia State chapter of the party, saying the Abia crisis was the most toxic among all the problematic states.
Adamu, who spoke at a meeting with Abia APC stakeholders in Abuja, criticised the former Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Uche Ogah, over his alleged role in the lingering crisis.
He was said to have expressed disappointment with Ogah for allegedly leading a dissident group within Abia APC, even after all the major stakeholders had reconciled the feuding groups at a meeting on June 18, 2022, at Ntalakwu Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The APC National Chairman lamented that several efforts to unify Abia APC had failed, adding that it was only in Abia that he imposed a sharing formula for elective positions in a bid to harmonise the two feuding groups.
He expressed surprise that even after the two groups had accepted the sharing formula some aggrieved persons still went back and continued fishing for trouble.
Adamu advised Ogah to humble himself and work with the governorship candidate of the APC in Abia, Ikechi Emenike, to ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
He was said to have told Ogah that the APC had taken a final decision on its choice of Emenike as the governorship candidate for Abia.
Adamu opened a new window of opportunity for peace to return to the party by appointing Senator Chris Adighije to head an eight-man peace and reconciliation committee.
He described the Adighije-led committee as “the last step” for peace and unity to reign in Abia APC, warning that he would not accept any excuses if, because of disunity, the party failed to take control of Abia in 2023.
“We will now leave it to the leaders of Abia to go and play their politics in Abia State. Abuja is not about Abia, go to Abia, play politics there, do the necessary lobby, reconcile there because all politics is local,” he said.
Adamu rebuked the trouble makers in Abia APC for giving the national leadership headaches and taking much of their time in settling disputes, saying that Abia would no more be allowed to bring their dispute to Abuja for the National Working Committee to resolve.
A coalition of civil society groups, Coalition for Good Governance (COG) has endorsed the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, for the 2023 poll.
The coalition is made up of 15 deregistered political parties in the country and some former presidential candidates.
According to a statement signed by their National Chairman, Engr. Okey Chikwendu and National Publicity Secretary, Don Anthony Harmattan, the group described Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed as the most credible among other candidates.
“The choice is based on identifying the ticket with the most credible candidates who are tested, trusted and exhibit sufficient intellectual capacity to salvage our nation from the wreck we find ourselves in and meet the yearnings of the Nigerian people which is equitable, fair and just irrespective of tribe or ethnicity.
“We therefore agreed to rebrand our offices nationwide as Campaign support offices for the project. Our structures all over the 36 States and 774 local government areas are henceforth required to support the Peter Obi/ Datti Baba-Ahmed ticket under Labour Party,” the statement said.
Akwa-Ibom State government has announced that it’s international 18,000 capacity stadium is almost ready.
This was announced in a statement by the executive governor of the state, Emmanuel Udom.
Udom in the statement said that the completion of the stadium is part of his promise to the people of the state to provide a world class sports center as to encourage young people at the grassroots to take interest in sports and harness their talents.
He said, “Our new 18,000 capacity sports stadium in Eket is almost ready. This project is so dear to me because I specifically promised our people a world class sports center to encourage more young people at the grassroots to take interest in sports and harness their talents.
“If our youths must match the skills, mental and physical strengths of their contemporaries in other parts of the world, then they shouldn’t be strangers to world class sports facilities.”
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman
Following the protracted internal security challenges bedeviling the nation, the Explosives Ordinance Disposal-Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Command of the Nigeria Police Force has trained 324 personnel on explosives techniques as part of effort to combat terrorism in the nation.
Addressing the 324 auxiliary personnel at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende Hills in Nasarawa Eggon LGA of Nasarawa State on Thursday, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, charged the trainees to use the knowledge acquired to tackle the menace of insecurity.
The IGP, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Federal Operations Department, Force Headquarters, Mr Bala Ciroma, said the training was aimed at enhancing and reinvigorating EOD-CBRN’s operations across the nation.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in charge of EODD-CBRN, Mr Zannah Shettima, warned the operatives to shun corrupt practices and display high sense of professionalism.
On his part, the Director, Peacekeeping and Coordinator, Police Special Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police Augustine Mose-Jagaba, expressed worry that insurgents were leveraging explosives and other weapons.
In his keynote address, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Adesina Soyemi, represented by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Shehu Umar-Nadada, charged the personnel to be proactive and work with other security agencies at all times.
A senior staff of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Plateau State, Muhammed Nasiru, has been ordered by a state high court sitting in Jos to refund the salaries he received for 11 years as head of administration on appointment.
He was also sentenced to six months imprisonment for false declaration of documents and failure to give accurate documents in seeking employment with NVRI.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned him before the court on a two-count charge.
ICPC held that Nasiru was not qualified for the employment based on the fact that he was compulsorily retired from service by the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja, in 2003.
Justice Christy Dabup, however, gave him an option of N150,000 fine in lieu of the jail term.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Barde
A Police Inspector attached to one of the formations in the Imo State Police Command has, in a commendable show of gallantry, neutralised two armed bandits who invaded his house at Aforukwu, Orogwe in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State.
The gallant officer also recovered two locally made guns, four expended cartridges and an identity card in the process.
This was disclosed in a press release issued by the Command on Thursday and signed by CSP Michael Abattam, the Police Public Relations Officer, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Barde.
According to the statement, on Thursday, at about 02:22 hours, armed bandits in their numbers, invaded the house of a Police Inspector.
The bandits jumped the perimeter wall fence into the compound and rushed to the flat of the Police Inspector.
They destroyed the iron burglary protector and front door and entered the flat.
They were, however, taken by surprise as the Police Inspector who professionally placed himself at a vantage position, engaged the bandits in an aggressive gun duel.
The hoodlums who were stunned and confused by the staccato sound emanating from the rifle of the Police officer, took to their heels, scampering for safety.
They were given a hot chase and in the process one of them was neutralized at the spot and others escaped into the surrounding bushes fatally injured.
The Police Inspector did not relent, he quickly alerted the Divisional Police Officer of Ogbaku Division, who mobilized and rushed to the scene.
On arrival, they positioned themselves strategically and professionally, combed the surrounding bushes where a corpse, two locally made Pistols and an Identity Card were recovered.
The recovered identity card belongs to one of the neutralized bandit in the name of Chukwumezie Chukwu ‘m’, a native of Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State and an electrician.
The Police PRO, CSP Abattam further stated that a few days ago, precisely 1st of August 2022, at about 20:00 hours, bandits came on a black Lexus Jeep with no identification number and three motorcycles carrying two persons each.
He said that they shot and killed seven persons and injured six others in a building at Orogwe in Owerri West LGA of Imo State, belonging to one Sir Chima Ogbuehi, residing in Lagos.
“Coincidentally, the Police Inspector lives just a pole away from where the previous attack took place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the two corpses have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, while concerted efforts are being made to arrest the other bandits that escaped.
The officers believe that they cannot go far because of the various degrees of bullet injuries they sustained.
Consequently, the Command called on the good people of the state to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within their communities.
Citizens are urged to report such person to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency control numbers 08034773600 or 08098880197.
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