Niger Governor Abubakar Sani- Bello has taken over the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He acted as Acting National Chairman of the party’s Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).

Sani-Bello told newsmen he has the blessing of President Mihamnadu Buhari to function in the capacity.

He presided over the CECPC meeting, which had all members except Hon. Akinremi Olaide in attendance.

Those in attendance were women representative Stella Okotete; the Youth Leader Ismail Ahmed; Mr David Lyon; Prof. Tahir Mamman; Senator Ali Abba; Sen. Ken Nnamani; Sen. Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf and the caretaker committee Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

He later inaugurated and conducted the swearing-in of party-state chairmen elected last year but only given a certificate of returns by the CECPC.

The acting chairman also received the report of Governor Abdulraham Abdulrazak led an eight-man committee on zoning arrangements for adoption at the forthcoming national convention.

Addressing newsmen at the party’s Secretariat in Abuja shortly after presiding over the Caretaker Committee meeting, Sani- Bello confirmed his position as the acting chairman of the party’s CECPC.

READ ALSO: 2023: Sani-Bello makes case for young leaders

He said he has been acting for a while in the absence of the chairman, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State since he travelled.

Disclosing what transpired at the meeting, the new acting chairman said: “There are some events that happened here today as part of activities going forward to our national convention. We just received the report of the zoning committee headed by the Governor of Kwara State and the Deputy Senate President.

“The States Chairmen took their oath of office today and we discussed progress made so far on Convention and what needs to be done next so that we will achieve the March 26 date for Convention.”

When asked in what capacity he presided over the meeting and carry out all the activities, Sani Bello answered: “I have been acting for a while since the Chairman travelled.”

He also said he will be coming to the party secretariat “almost every day” now to carry out his duties as the new helmsman of the party.

When asked about the status and position of Buni in the scheme of things in the caretaker committee, Sani- Bello simply said: “I am not aware of his position at this moment. I know he has travelled.”

But Akpanudoedehe on the sideline told newsmen that “Buni was on a medical trip abroad and when he returns, he will resume his duties.”

Buni jetted out last Wednesday to Germany for a medical check-up.

The driver of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) bus that took the late fashion driver Oluwabamise Ayanwole on February 26 has been arrested.

Police confirmed the arrest of the driver identified as Nice Andrew on Monday afternoon shortly after the death of Bamise was made public.

READ ALSO:  #JusticeForBamise: Outrage over alleged murder of lady in BRT

Spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the arrest, promised to provide further details later.

Details Shortly…

The Lagos Police Command has confirmed the death of 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, who went missing after she boarded a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) service on February 26.

Oluwabamise boarded the state-owned transport service at Chevron Bus Stop, Lekki, enroute Oshodi around 7pm but never got to her destination.

Her disappearance raised concerns especially as her friend made public their communication when Bamise entered the bus and expressed fears over the conduct of the driver.

When the news of her disappearance became public, the police immediately arrested the guarantors of the BRT driver who has since been at large.

It was gathered that detectives had gone to the last known address of the suspect said to be from Ekiti State but were told that he moved out about a year ago.

But the whereabouts of Bamise was finally unravelled by residents around Ebute Ero in Lagos Island, who disclosed she was tossed out of a BRT bus half naked with her private parts missing.

According to a Twitter user, Akinwunmi King, Bamise’s brother was at Ebute Ero Police Station where he was shown a picture of the body and he confirmed it was his sister’s.

He also shared screenshot of messages he received, which indicated that Bamise’s private parts were harvested inside the BRT bus before she was tossed out.

The sender claimed her body was seen in their area, Ebute Ero, Lagos Island, near the Oba Palace, adding that some witnesses saw when she was thrown off the bus naked.

Read Also: BREAKING: Police arrest Lagos BRT driver

“They saw the bus drove away and a jeep follow the bus, according to people she was shouting for help before she gave up. People around report(ed) the case to Ebute Ero Police station,” the message said.

In his further update, King wrote: “Bamise’s brother was at Ebute Ero Police Station this morning to confirm and when he was shown the picture of the body, he affirmed that it was his sister’s. He’s on his way to the mortuary to identify the body.

“The driver is nowhere to be found. The police went to the address he gave, the occupants of the house said he left the house about a year ago.”

Confirming news of her death, police spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said her body was found on Carter Bridge by Ogogoro Community, Lagos Island.

“The corpse has been deposited at the morgue of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy.

“The bereaved family has been contacted and family members have identified the corpse as that of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, the lady earlier declared missing.

“The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, is saddened by this incident and, therefore, expresses, on behalf of the management, officers and men of the command, his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.

“Notwithstanding the death of Oluwabamise, the detectives handling the case would not rest on their oars until her killers are found.

“We, therefore, assure the concerned public and the bereaved family that we are closing on the culprits and we are sure that soon the suspects would be arrested and made to face justice for this murderous act.

“While soliciting the cooperation of all and sundry, we once again appeal to anyone with additional information that could help the police in arresting the suspects to kindly oblige us. Such information, we assure, will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

“The command is ever determined and committed to protection of lives and properties of residents in the state; and has strengthened its security apparatus to prevent a recurrence of this ugly, disturbing incident.”

The 22-year-old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, who went missing after boarding a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) service, has been reportedly found dead.

Bamise’s body was reportedly found by the police at Ebute Ero in a mortuary.

According to a social media user, Akinwunmi King, her brother was shown a picture of the body at the police station and he confirmed it was his sister.

Bamise boarded the BRT bus at Chevron Bus Stop en route Oshodi around 7pm that day when she suddenly felt uncomfortable over the behaviour of the driver, now at large.

She was said to have sent distress messages to her friend which included details of the bus and asked that they prayed for her.

According to reports, her friend had advised she alight the vehicle at Oworonsoki and not follow through to Oshodi.

But Bamise never made it to the Mainland as she was allegedly thrown off the bus at Ebute Ero with her private parts missing.

He also shared screenshot of messages he received which indicated that Bamise’s private parts were harvested inside the BRT bus before she was tossed out.

Read Also: Fresh facts emerge on woman, 22, missing from BRT

The sender claimed her body was seen in Ebute Ero, Lagos Island, near the Oba Palace, adding that some witnesses saw when she was thrown off the bus naked.

“They saw the bus drove away and a jeep follow the bus, according to people she was shouting for help before she gave up. People around report(ed) the case to EbutevEro Police station,” the message said.

In his further update, King wrote: “Bamise’s brother was at Ebute Ero Police Station this morning to confirm and when he was shown the picture of the body, he affirmed that it was his sister’s. He’s on his way to the mortuary to identify the body.

“The driver is nowhere to be found. The police went to the address he gave, the occupants of the house said he left the house about a year ago.”

The Police Command was yet to confirm or refute the latest information on the case.

Lagos Police spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, when contacted, said a statement would soon be issued but denied stating if the girl has been found dead.

The leadership crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) took a new dimension on Monday when armed security men took over the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

No less than 15 patrol vehicles of security operatives cordoned off access roads to the party secretariat as early as 9 am.

Over 70 armed operatives barricaded all the Blantyre Street, stopping all human and vehicular movements into the Secretariat.

Read Also: No leadership change in APC, says CECPC

But APC workers were granted access to the complex after thorough screening while visitors and journalists were turned back.

No member of the CECPC was on ground to speak on the development.

But APC security guards told newsmen that the security measure became very important because of the meeting by the State chairmen of the party.

“We were given the order to allow only the State Chairmen into the Secretariat. We don’t also know what is happening but we are only obeying the order from above. You can see that even your media centre has been locked,” the security agent said.

Suspended DCP Abba Kyari  on Monday pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charge filed against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Kyari told Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Monday, following his arraignment, alongside six others, on allegations bordering on drug trafficking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while Kyari pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three, four and eight levelled against him, the other four police officers, who are defendants in the trial, also pleaded not guilty to counts one, two, three and four filed against them.

But Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne, who are 6th and 7th defendants respectively, pleaded guilty to counts five, six and seven preferred against them.

Although their names were also mentioned in counts three and four where allegations bordering on conspiracy were leveled against Kyari and others, they were not ask to take a plea on these two counts.

The four members of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022 include ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

Umeibe and Ezenwanne are the two alleged drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

Shortly after taking their plea, the NDLEA lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, prayed the court for a trial date for the 1st to 5th defendants.

Sunday also urged the court to grant a leave to review the charges against

Umeibe and Ezenwanne who pleaded guilty for the charges against them.

“We hope to file our prove of evidence latest tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

Kanu Agabi, SAN, who led a delegation of Senior Advocates of Nigeria that appeared for Kyari and Ubia,  however informed that a bail application had been filed in respect of his clients.

Read Also: BREAKING (Alleged drug deal): Abba Kyari, others arrive for arraignment

The NDLEA’s lawyer, Joseph Sunday, Director, Prosecution and Legal Services, who confirmed being served with the bail application, said a counter affidavit had been filed in its opposition.

The NDLEA, in the charge it filed through a team of lawyers, accused Kyari and the four other police officers of conspiracy, obstruction, and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55kg.

It equally alleged that Kyari and his men, who are currently in its custody, also unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine.

The duo of Umeibe and Ezenwanne were accused of conspiring with others at large to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country.

NAN had, on Thursday, reported that Kyari, formerly head of IRT, and six others would be arraigned before Justice Nwite.

NAN, in a related development, reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had, on Wednesday, filed an application for the commencement of extradition process of Kyari in the FHC.

The Federal Government, through the Office of the AGF, had filed the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, under the Extradition Act as part of Nigerian government’s approval of the request by the U. S. for Kyari’s extradition.

NAN reports that Kyari is to stand trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.

He was accused of conspiring with a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, to commit the crime, and Kyari had denied the allegations.

A grand jury, on April 29, 2021, had filed an indictment against Kyari with the approval of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and the court issued a warrant of arrest for him.

However, the extradition proceeding is yet to be heard by the FHC as at the time of filing the report.

NAN also reports that Justice Zainab Abubakar of a FHC had, on Feb. 22, gave the NDLEA the go-ahead to detain Kyari and six others in custody for another 14 days to conclude its investigation.

His application for bail was, on Feb. 28, turned down by a sister court, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on the grounds that a court of coordinate justification had already granted an order for his further detention.

But Ekwo, who said that he was inclined to hear Kyari’s fundamental enforcement rights suit with the urgency it deserves after the expiration of the 14-day court order, fixed March 15 to hear Kyari’s application.

NAN reports that Kyari, earlier through his lawyer, had, on Feb. 21, approached the court with an ex-parte motion and originating summons seeking for a bail and asking the court to enforce his fundamental human rights which he alleged had been breached by the unlawful arrest and detention.

He said that the allegations preferred against him were trump-up and baseless.

Kyari, in the main suit, urged the court to make an order directing the NDLEA to pay him N500 million for infringing on his rights.

He also asked the court to direct the agency to tender a public apology in national dailies.

The suspended DCP had also challenged the order made on Feb. 22 by Justice Abubakar, empowering the NDLEA to detain him for more days.

In an application filed by his counsel before Abubakar, Kyari prayed the court to set aside the order for his detention, arguing that the order was issued without him being accorded a fair hearing.

Abubakar had fixed tomorrow (Tuesday) for hearing Kyari’s application.(NAN)www