Author: The Nation

Thugs suspected to be loyal to some governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State yesterday threw dynamites close to the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa in their failed bid to stop the ward congress.

It was gathered that the dynamite exploded on the main road some kilometres to the PDP secretariat and that nobody was injured.

Sources said the hoodlums, who could not have access to the secretariat because the area was cordoned off by armed police operatives, decided to throw the explosive along the road.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said persons at the secretariat heard the sound of the dynamite, adding that the thugs also fired some gunshots.

“Where they threw the explosive was a little far from the PDP secretariat. They could not beat the security around the secretariat because there were policemen everywhere.

“They were on a fast-moving vehicle. The area they discharged their weapons was lonely because most party people were clustered around the PDP secretariat.

“Some persons are simply planning to create an atmosphere of violence to discredit the Congress. But the Congress had already concluded, and it was a massive success,” he said.

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Loyalists of some aspirants led a protest to the party secretariat where they expressed their grievances to the congress committee and demanded the cancellation of the exercise.

A PDP Ward Congress Committee headed by the Ebonyi State governor, Mr. David Umahi, arrived the state on Thursday to conduct the ward congress.

They held meetings with the governorship aspirants at the Government House and later met with other PDP members at the Secretariat where they declared the process open.

Umahi told the protesters that there was no need to demand the cancellation of the congress since it held peacefully within the laid down rules and regulations of the party.

Although the Commissioner of Police, Uche Anozia, could not be reached for comments, a senior police officer confirmed the incident and said the explosion and gunshots occurred far from the secretariat of the PDP.

He said they occurred in an empty space far away from the secretariat because security was tightened around the PDP building.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has declared inconclusive its probe into the rape allegation by celebrity photographer, Mrs Busola Dakolo, against the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo.

The Christian body said the five-man investigative panel it set up sat for over a month with presentations and attendance by key stakeholders, such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), church leaders and others.

PFN’s National Publicity Secretary, Bishop Emma Isong, who addressed reporters yesterday on the outcome of the panel’s sitting, said Mrs Dakolo and her husband, Timi, also attended the sittings.

The cleric said the panel could not conclude its assignment because Fatoyinbo refused to show up, despite “several invitations and efforts”.

He said: “The panel met for over one month and interfaced with parties involved in the matter. Unfortunately, all attempts to meet with Fatoyinbo failed, despite many efforts we made.”

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Asked about the efforts the panel specifically made, Isong said Fatoyinbo was invited through letters, calls and proxies without any success.

He added: “Several efforts were made. Several calls were made, but he rebuffed us. He shunned the invitation of the panel to defend himself.”

The PFN national spokesman stressed that since the “accused” was absent, it would be impossible for the panel to conclude its investigation.

The Christian body hailed the Dakolos for showing up at the panel’s sittings.

“PFN appreciates the respect that Mrs. Dakolo and her husband accorded the panel by showing up and interacting with members,” Isong said.

He regretted that Fatoyinbo snubbed the panel, despite his call for the body to intervene in the matter in the heat of the accusation.

Mrs Dakolo accused Fatoyinbo of raping her 20 years ago when she was a 16 and attending the church with her family in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The accusation attracted public outcry and protests in the Abuja headquarters and Lagos branch of the church.

The public outcry forced Fatoyinbo to step aside from the pulpit on July 1 to enable appropriate bodies investigate the matter. The COZA founder denied the allegation, saying he had never raped a woman in his life.

But he returned to the pulpit on August 5, sparking another round of public outcry.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has promised to provide adequate funding to the Federal Fire Service (FFS).

Aregbesola said this during a familiarisation visit to the FFS on Friday in Abuja.

He said that he had been briefed on some of the challenges faced by the agency and was ready to eradicate those shortcomings.

“I am aware releases are not adequate and you already have some committed expenditure you cannot fund,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FFS had seek special intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari for funds of the sum of N9.20 billion to ensure the delivery of the remaining 32 firefighting equipment.

Aregbesola promised to attend to the immediate needs of the service by providing adequate support to the agency’s growth.

“We will ensure we get you to the operations of the best fire service in the world,” he said.

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He however reiterated that the agency’s role of ensuring the safety of lives and properties was of paramount importance.

The minister said that it was important to enforce preventive strategies by being proactive.

Mr Liman Ibrahim, Controller General (CG), FFS, said that he was grateful the Minister had promised to tackle the challenges faced by the service.

Ibrahim said that the agency has 32 already manufactured fire fighting trucks in Austria and Turkey but were yet to be delivered by the contractor due to inadequate funds.

He said that the earlier 12 newly acquired fire fighting trucks had not been delivered because operators and drivers of the vehicles were undergoing training.

“By Sunday, 25th August, 2019, these vehicles will be moved to various zones across the country,” he said.

NAN reports that 2 vehicles will be allocated each to the newly established 6 zonal fire service stations: Minna, Sokoto, Yola, Owerri, Asaba and Osogbo.

(NAN)