The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anger

  • Holy anger

    Holy anger

    Holing up in your bedroom or toilet to evade arrest by law enforcement agencies is not new in this political dispensation. It is not the copyright of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello aka White Lion whose face-off with operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja last week shook the federal capital.

    The patent belongs to the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, who hid in his toilet for five days in 2015 in his Lekki, Lagos home to evade arrest by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). We thought we had seen the last of such dramas until Bello’s theatrics last Thursday in Abuja. Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, where he lives was for the better part of the day a no-go area.

    The EFCC men laid siege to House 9, the White Lion’s den, daring him to come out. He refused and remained indoors until help came from his boy and successor, Usman Ododo, who abused the powers of his office as a sitting governor to help a suspect evade arrest. Ododo will sooner than later realise the gravity of his action.

    By ferrying Bello to safety, with his official clout, the governor obstructed the EFCC men in the course of duty, thereby making him an accessory-to-the-fact. It was a needless show by Bello. His recourse to hiding and running from pillar to post will not help him. Since fleeing his Abuja home with his tail between his legs, he has found solace in Lokoja where he held sway for eight years.

    Now, come and give account of your stewardship, you are running all over the place. Why? Does it imply that he has something to hide? Bello’s action leaves much to be desired. There is nothing wrong in any person being invited for questioning by security agents on any matter. Bello can resort to this kind of action because he has what it takes to do so. How many poor people can try this?

    But, what is the White Lion afraid of? If his hands are clean, he should answer EFCC’s summons and let the case begin. The nation cannot wait to see the matter start. Often times, political giants see themselves to be above the law. This is the card Bello is playing. He wants to dictate his terms of engagement with EFCC.

    How is that possible? Going by what EFCC Chair Ola Olukoyede said on Tuesday, the agency bent backwards to accommodate Bello, something which it does not normally do, but the White Lion rejected the kind gesture. Instead of coming and passing through the chairman’s gate unnoticed, he asked that EFCC men should come and quiz him in his village! His request has no basis in law, the same law which he is waving in the face of EFCC that it cannot arrest and charge him to court.

    The court order that Bello is quoting never said so. It okayed his request to enforce his fundamental rights with a caveat. According to the Lokoja High Court, EFCC can only arrest and charge Bello with an offence based on the order of the Federal High Court. EFCC has since obtained a valid Federal High Court order to arrest and prosecute Bello, but with the aid of his lawyers he wants to play the big man who can defy the law.

    No matter how long it takes, Bello will have his day in court. Let him be running up and down, the long arms of the law will catch up with him. He should perish the thought of never being arraigned in court to account for his acts of omission and commission while in office. If he had done well, he would not be afraid of stepping out for his trial. What lion, whether in human or in whichever form, cowers in the face of prosecution? A White Lion like Bello should have the courage of his name and conviction.

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    So far, Olukoyede has discharged his duty dispassionately. Thus, I will urge him not to allow the Bello case to get to him. It is human for him to be annoyed with Bello’s antics, but he should restrain himself from descending into the arena. He should allow the EFCC prosecutors and witnesses to do their job in court. What should interest Olukoyede is getting justice. He can get it without saying too much about the case in public. He should keep his gunpowder dry for when he really needs it.

    Right now, no matter what he says in public about the case, the evidence that he produces in court is what matters most. If Olukoyede cannot convince the court, no matter how strong EFCC’s case may be in the bar of public opinion, he won’t get Bello convicted and sentenced accordingly. It is as simple as that. He knows this too as a lawyer. I rest my case.

  • Misplaced anger at crowdfunding for ransom

    Misplaced anger at crowdfunding for ransom

    Addressing the press after last Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Defence minister Mohammed Badaru warned about the dangers of crowdfunding for ransom payment. It would exacerbate kidnapping, he moaned, insisting, however, that he was not unmindful of the dilemma hurting families desperate to secure the release of their relations faced. Taking his point of departure from the agonising story of the abduction of the Mansoor Al-Kadriyar family from the Bwari area council of the Federal Capital City (FCT), the minister referenced the existing law on ransom payment to remind the public that paying ransom was counterproductive.

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    Unfortunately, while the minister is right about the drawbacks of ransom payment, especially because it incontrovertibly gives fillip to kidnapping, there is little the government can do to prosecute families of victims. It makes little sense to prosecute families paying ransom when the government has proved nearly impotent in stamping out the mass abductions that have made highways and whole communities unsafe for travelling and habitation. It is evidently misplaced aggression to talk of the law while kidnappers run riot. Nigerians expect the government to fight kidnappers with all it has got rather than nitpick helpless and traumatised victims, some of whom have spent months and years in the den of brigands. No victim or their families will listen to Mr Badaru. They will suggest he reorder his priorities.

  • Anger in Senate over troops death in Boko Haram attack

    Committees to probe killings, welfare

    Lawmakers to visit officers

    SENATORS yesterday bemoaned the reported killing of 44 soldiers attached to the 157 Task Force Battalion in Melete, Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents.

    A sombre atmosphere enveloped the plenary as the lawmakers took turns to condemn the “monumental loss”.

    The casualty figure and details of the attack remained hazy yesterday. Some sources said the figure was higher than 44; others said it was not up to that.  Military spokesmen did not respond to inquiries by our reporters.

    The upper legislative body ordered its committees on Army and Defence to investigate the killings and examine the welfare and wellbeing of troops engaged in counter insurgency operations.

    The senators also resolved to visit officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces on the counter insurgency campaign in the Northeast.

    Their resolution followed a motion by Deputy Majority Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South) at the instance of the Senate President.

    Na’Allah decried the plight of military personnel fighting insurgency in the Northeast, stressing that one of the officers killed in the attack was his cousin.

    After observing a minute’s silence in honour of the fallen soldiers, the lawmakers resolved to pay a condolence visit to the Chief of Army Staff and families of the slain soldiers.

    The senators plan to conduct a “thorough” investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killings and the welfare of soldiers. The standing committee on Army was mandated to carry out the investigation.

    Other contributors, including Deputy Senate President Ike  Ekweremadu, bemoaned the hazardous tasks of men and officers of the Armed Forces fighting Boko Haram.

    They called on the Federal Government and the military authorities to adequately equip the personnel and address all welfare-related issues.

    Senator Andrew Uchendu (APC, Rivers East), suggested that the Senate shut down for the day, instead of just observing a minute’s silence for the slain soldiers.

    Uchendu said: “Mr President and dear colleagues, I have no reason to doubt the figure of the 44 dead soldiers. But if that figure is correct, then this Senate must come out and show massive concern, not just one-minute silence.

    “We must shut down for one whole day in honour of those fallen heroes.”

    The plenary was brought to an abrupt end.

    There were reports that about nine farmers in the community were killed in the attack.

    Read also: Senate bemoans killing of 44 soldiers by Boko Haram

    Addressing journalists shortly after the plenary session, the vice chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, deplored the “lackadaisical attitude” of the committee.

    According to him, the situation in the Army would have been different if the committee had lived up to its oversight responsibilities.

    Danbaba blamed the chairman of the Army Committee, Senator George Akume, for the lapse, saying there was a clear case of dereliction of duties on the part of Akume.

    He lamented that the committee had remained dormant since Akume assumed its headship in 2017.

    Some soldiers were allegedly killed on Monday when insurgents attacked the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Guzamak Local Government Area of Borno State.

    A large cache of arms, ammunition and military equipment were reportedly carted away by Boko haram fighters during the raid.

    The Monday evening attack was described as a huge setback for troops fighting to end insurgency.

    All efforts to confirm the incidents last night proved abortive.

     

  • PDP: Anger in Mark’s, Jang’s camps over Saraki’s consensus bid

    •Ex-Senate President cautions against ‘imposition of candidates’

    Former Senate President  David Mark and ex-Plateau State Governor David Jang  and their supporters are kicking over alleged moves  by  Senate President Bukola Saraki to  engineer the selection of a consensus presidential candidate for  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Northcentral zone.

    All three are seeking the party’s ticket for the 2019 presidential election.

    A report at the weekend, from Saraki’s camp, suggested that stakeholders from the zone had opted to pick a consensus aspirant from the zone to contest with similar aspirants from the Northwest and Northeast.

    But loyalists of Mark and Jang are not amused by the report.

    Mark’s camp, in particular, warned PDP against imposition of candidates.

    The supporters said the consensus agenda was a plot to ambush their principals to forego their presidential aspirations for Saraki.

    Mark’s loyalists, The Nation gathered, were uncomfortable that a private session organized by Saraki was turned into a consensus forum.

    “What happened on Wednesday was not a meeting of Northcentral leaders per se. It was Saraki who conveyed the session to brief some leaders from our zone on his presidential aspiration.  The former President of the Senate, Chief David Mark was not even there,” a source in Mark’s camp said.

    “There was no communiqué agreeing on consensus. The leaders only advised the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Sen. Walid Jibril to set up a committee to consult with the three aspirants from North-Central and come out with something.

    “They asked the committee to liaise with the aspirants from the zone. No one is talking of a consensus candidate at all.

    “The session was more of a personal agenda by Saraki because at the end of the day, a statement from the gathering was signed by the Director-General, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Campaign Organization, Wakil Mohammed.

    “With such a sensitive decision on consensus, should the statement come from Saraki’s Campaign DG or stakeholders in Northcentral? Shouldn’t there be a communiqué?

    “Why must only a party be the one to sign and issue a statement? We are suspicious of the session; it was a ploy to outsmart other aspirants in the zone.”

    Responding to a question, the source said: “The former President of the Senate has not been consulted on consensus option; he is going ahead with his aspiration and plans for primaries.”

    A reliable source in Jang’s camp said: “The meeting was called by the Northcentral zone of the PDP at the request of Saraki. It was chaired by the Zonal Chairman,  Theophillus Dakas Shan,  himself.

    “Saraki wanted to brief the zone about his ambition. It was not a Middle Belt meeting but Northcentral and consensus was not up for discussion.

    “Actually, it was ex-Governor Babangida Aliyu who urged the meeting to set up a small committee to encourage the three aspirants from the Northcentral to discuss among themselves.

    “Going by our plans, Jang will on Monday submit his presidential nomination form.”

    When contacted, the Zonal Chairman, Shan said: “We didn’t reach any agreement on consensus.

    “We resolved to allow our elders in PDP in Northcentral to talk to all the aspirants. If there is a possibility, we will bring one candidate and if it is impossible, they will go for the primaries. Whatever we are going to do, the three aspirants must reach an agreement.”

    Asked if the PDP in the zone had raised a committee on consensus by the three aspirants, Shan said: “We are not going to set up any committee; our elders will talk to the aspirants.”

    He admitted that Saraki came around to brief Northcentral PDP on his presidential aspiration.

    He added: “We are expecting Mark and Jang to come and brief us on their presidential aspiration too.”

    A former governor in one of the Northcentral states said: “I think the DG of Saraki Campaign Organization misrepresented the meeting. There was a suggestion by the President of the Senate for the adoption a consensus candidate by PDP Northcentral which does not amount to automatic recommendation.”

    In an address at the session on Wednesday, Saraki said: “Leaders from the North Central need to work together to ensure that a PDP candidate emerges from the zone.

    “It is clear that the only way to achieve unity in the country is when you have a leader who can manage the differences and galvanize our energy towards achieving development.

    “It is not about where you come from, but it is about what you can do for our country. If there is anybody who can do better than those of us in the North Central Zone, let them stand up.

    “It is important that in October, our delegates from the Northcentral should work to ensure that a Northcentral candidate emerges – and they should work together with delegates from across the country to ensure that a Northcentral candidate emerges. We request your support.”

    Mark cautions PDP against imposition of candidates

    In a statement in Abuja, Senator Mark cautioned PDP leaders against imposition of candidates.

    He urged all members of the party to conduct themselves peacefully with a view to ensuring respect for law and order.

    “As we converge to elect delegates to the Congresses beginning from Saturday, we must be guided by democratic tenets and observe the principle of fairness and justice,” Mark said in the statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Paul Mumeh.

    He added: “We must demonstrate to fellow country men and women that we are truly democratic.

    “I am sure that our members nationwide will showcase our reformed and rebranded party as the preferred choice for the people.”

    Senator Mark said he joined the presidential race because “I believe I can make a positive difference in Nigeria.”

    Continuing, he said: “nobody can shy away from the fact that Nigeria is currently faced with intractable security, economic and socio-political challenges that unarguably threatens the corporality of the country.

    “Rarely has our country been faced with such a state of uncertainty, despair, suspicion and division.

    “The time has come for all men and women who care and have the requisite experiences and courage to stand up, retrieve it from the brink and lead our nation into prosperity.”

    Senator Mark expressed optimism that his roadmap to economic recovery and prosperity tagged ‘730 model’ will turn around the economy of the nation within two years of his administration if he is elected President.

    He said he has assembled a team of young professionals who can hit the ground running and facilitate the economic recovery.

    He also pledged to give education top priority as the bedrock for development.

    His words:”We will focus on education and create a pool of highly trained citizens with excellent IT skills who will be employable as well as create jobs.”

    “We will support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) as a matter of priority with interest free cooperative loans and appropriate technology, which will be the main driver of the economy with attendant rate of huge employment opportunities.”

  • Anger over Saraki’s refusal to recall National Assembly

    ‘No plan to recall lawmakers’

    Senate, House leaders warn against constitutional crisis

    MOVES to reconvene the National Assembly remained unsuccessful yesterday, even as the row sparked by the long recess grew.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara said there was no agreement that the National Assembly should reopen. Saraki is the chairman of the Assembly.

    But All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in the National Assembly insisted that there was an agreement to reopen the Assembly.

    House Deputy Speaker Yussuf Lasun, Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan and House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila said presiding officers must reconvene the Assembly immediately to avoid any form of sabotage, which will not augur well for the APC.

    Saraki and Dogara said that no date was fixed to reconvene the two chambers of the National Assembly to consider the budget for the 2019 elections.

    Saraki and Dogara, in a joint statement issued yesterday, said no date had been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.

    The statement by the media aides of Saraki and Dogara, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, said that “the leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.”

    The joint committees, it said, were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.

    “However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.

    “Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess, especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj,” the statement said.

    It did not say, however, if the committees were already meeting.

    The failure to reconvene the National Assembly, to the APC Assembly chiefs, could spark a constitutional crisis that will pose a potential threat to the current democratic dispensation as it will affect the preparation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for next year’s elections.

    Speaking at a meeting with the members of the National Working Committee of the party in Abuja, Lasun, Lawan and Gbajabiamila said presiding officers must reconvene the Assembly immediately.

    House Speaker Dogara did not attend the meeting.

    The Deputy Speaker said it was unfortunate that the National Assembly could not reconvene on Tuesday as earlier agreed by the presiding officers.

    He said: “I am not particularly happy that we are not able to reconvene the Assembly today because we decided few days back that we are going to sit and consider those items that are very important and may likely hamper the function of INEC and other programmes without which the implementation of the capital component of the 2018 budget would have been slightly difficult.”

    Lasun asked the leadership of the party to make good on their promise not to abandon the legislators, saying: “We are party members and I must say that I like the assurance of the chairman that members are not going to be abandoned because it is always very hot outside there.

    “I have always told people that if you want to become part of the endangered species, come to the National Assembly. That is why whatever efforts we make while conducting our businesses while in the hallowed chamber must be adequately compensated for by the party.”

    Lawan said the APC Senate Caucus and the House caucus would ensure that the constitutional crisis hanging in the air is averted by ensuring that the Assembly reconvenes to pass the budget of INEC.

    Lawan said “We have been talking and yearning for the National Assembly to reconvene, but it appears to be a dream. The deputy speaker had informed us a few days ago that we may reconvene either today or tomorrow. Well, tomorrow is yet to come.

    “We are insisting that the National Assembly reconvene and reconvene quickly so that we pass the budget request of Mr President for INEC to start its preparation for 2019 in earnest. We also need to pass the request by the Federal Government for loans from foreign countries which will be the only basis for now for the funding of our capital budget.

    “To do otherwise would amount to sabotage because we are in a very unusual time; we have the leadership of the National Assembly divided between the opposition PDP and the APC. We have to work hard to ensure that our government is not sabotaged.

    “If we don’t pass the budget request, it serves the PDP very well, but it doesn’t serve us at all because it will negate what we stand for and all the promises we made to Nigerians. In fact, it could spark a constitutional crisis because if INEC is not able to conduct the election in 2019, that will be a serious constitutional crisis.

    “So, we insist the National Assembly reconvene immediately. We are working on this in the Senate Caucus and we will continue to liase with the House caucus to ensure that we are on the same page on this so that we could get the National Assembly reconvened.”

    Gbajabiamila said: “We have to find a find a way of reconvening the Assembly because as it is, we are heading for a constitutional crisis and an inevitable government shutdown because the two things that need to be done if the budget for the election and the funding of the capital project and without the approval, that will be difficult.

    “I was with the Minister of Finance a couple of weeks ago and she told me in no uncertain terms that if she does not get the necessary approval from the National Assembly by end of August, we should forget funding for the capital budget. That is why I said it is a task that must be done.

    “A lot of our members are supposed to be in Saudi Arabia right now.

    “We had to go to the Hajj Commission to have their flight delayed because today was supposed to be the last day. They agreed to delay the last flight till Thursday, with the hope that we will reconvene today and tomorrow and do what is necessary.

    “I know that these members will be rewarded for their unalloyed loyalty to the party. We have 196 members in the House and that is about 40 members more than the PDP. With that number, we can do the party agenda in the House. Even within the PDP, we also have some members who will join us.”

    APC Chairman Adams Oshiomhole assured the legislators that the party will ensure that the high turnover of legislators is curtailed.

     

  • Sorrow, anger trail Lagos tanker explosion as two die in another accident close to scene

    Sorrow, tears and anger continued to trail the tanker explosion that claimed nine lives and razed 54 vehicles on the popular Otedola Bridge in Alausa area of Ikeja on Thursday.

    When The Nation visited the scene of the accident yesterday, many of the sympathisers and eyewitnesses at the spot insisted that the death toll from the accident was more than the figure quoted by rescue agencies.

    Others said the casualties could have been fewer if the nearby Otedola Estate had not shut its gates against victims who sought refuge at the estate.

    A sympathiser who claimed to know a woman who lost four children to the explosion lamented, saying: “Four children in one fell swoop? God! That is too much to bear for a woman. Where would the woman begin from, particularly now that she is older.”

    An eyewitness, Mrs Adijat Okanlomo, said a number of deceased victims would have been saved from death if they had been allowed to move their cars into the estate immediately the fire broke out.

    Okanlomo said: “A number of the victims died while they were trying to escape from the scene. Many of them ran towards the nearby Otedola Estate but the gate to the estate was shut on them and they were consumed by the raging fire while they were looking for escape routes.

    “It was this same spot that another tanker explosion killed many innocent people a few years ago. A popular Yoruba actor and film producer, Alade Aromire, also died at this spot while he was trying avoid a stationery tanker.

    “Government should stop tankers from moving in day time. If they are not stopped from travelling during the day, accidents will continue to happen here.”

    Another eyewitness, Austin Okonofua, echoed Okanlomo, saying: “Had it been that Otedola Estate’s gate was not locked against victims who ran there for safety, some of those who lost their lives would have survived. Although it has become the habit of security men at the estate to prevent motorists from passing through the estate, in an emergency situation like that, they should have allowed them to pass through.”

    Sulaiman Adamu, an operator of a commercial motorcycle popularly called okada, said four school pupils were among the casualties, adding that a woman was almost burnt to death while she was rushing out of her car.

    He said: “I had just dropped a passenger at Isheri and the incident occurred while I was returning. Among the vehicles burnt, I saw a bus carrying school pupils who were returning from school at about 5.20 pm.

    “The bodies of the pupils were still there when I left the scene yesterday. Four of the pupils were children of a woman who rushed there and burst into tears. She was being consoled by bystanders. The account of FRSC that nine persons died in the incident may not be correct because the children burnt to death were more than 11.’’

     

    Items found at accident scene

    A Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2015 conference bag containing a brush, toothpaste, company invoices and a complimentary card belonging to one Uchenna Nwadialo was among the items spotted at the scene. Attempt to confirm the whereabouts of the bearer from the law firm of Emeka Ngige displayed on the card was futile. When our correspondent called the firm’s mobile telephone number displayed on the card, a female voice, who did not identify herself but claimed to be one of the partners at the law firm, denied any knowledge of Nwadialo.

    “There is no such name among the partners here. I am one of the partners in the law firm of Emeka Ngige and I can tell you that we do not have anyone or lawyer bearing the name you just mentioned in our employ,” she said.

    Although Nwadialo’s complimentary card claims he was the social secretary of the Lagos branch of NBA, with office at Lagos High Court complex in Igbosere, it was also difficult to ascertain his membership via a mobile telephone number on the card.

    A male voice who answered the call placed by our correspondent to the number said the telephone number did not belong to Lagos NBA.

    Other items found at the scene include the land transaction documents and invoice bearing the name of a man, Imoisi Julius Omoregie and his wife, Blessing Omoregie Imoisi.

     

    Another tragedy

    While the evacuation exercise was ongoing yesterday, another accident involving a Hummer bus and Volkswagen Vanagon bus collided, killing two persons close to the scene of the tanker explosion at about 11 am.

    The driver of the Vanagon bus was driving on the wrong side of the road on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and was running away from some law enforcement agents when it collided with the Hummer bus. The bodies of the victims and their vehicles were evacuated from the scene by rescue personnel of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

    Director of Search and Rescue Operations, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Air Commodore Akugbe Iyamu, said the agency would ensure the injured are taken care of.

    He said: “I am here on behalf of the Director General of NEMA, who has asked me to come here and express his sympathy to the relatives of people who lost their lives and those who lost their property to the tanker explosion. The DG has asked me to assess the situation and give him a report when I return to the office.

    “You know that it’s NEMA’s responsibility to manage emergencies anywhere in Nigeria, and this is just one of them. When I go back to our office, we shall give our report to ensure that the injured among the victims are well taken care of or get relief.

    “My job is also to see how my men have intervened in search and rescue operations in situations like this, and I am satisfied with the performance of our operatives so far because they have been able to coordinate other agencies such as LASEMA, FRSC and others to carry out rescue and evacuation exercise here.”

  • Anger as NSCDC operative allegedly kills teenage girl in Ibadan

    • Ajimobi: justice must be done

    There were wailing and anger yesterday at Idi-Oro area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital when a young girl was allegedly shot dead by a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC).

    The girl, simply identified as Kofoworola, was shot dead at about 12:00 noon after the dust settled following a clash by hoodlums.

    Our correspondent learnt there was a clash among hoodlums in the area while the local government election was going on peacefully.

    There was restriction of vehicular movements because of the election.

    An eyewitness who spoke in confidence said a white patrol vehicle conveying about eight men of the NSCDC arrived the area expectedly to quell the clash.

    One of them was said to have shot twice into the air to scare the trouble makers.

    But he had hardly achieved the quelling when the man allegedly pointed his gun straight and pulled the trigger.

    Kofo, as she was fondly called, with the bullet coming out of her left eye, leaving her dead instantly.

    The law enforcers reportedly left the scene immediately.

    The eyewitness said Kofo came to buy drug from a store where she was killed.

    Wailers said Kofo, 17, just finished writing her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

    The incident immediately drew a crowd of angry sympathisers, mostly youths.

    When a team of policemen arrived the scene, the crowd prevented them from taking the corpse to the hospital.

    It took efforts of Kofo’s uncle who appealed to sympathisers for several minutes before they allowed the police take away the corpse.

    When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Corp, Olusegun Oluwole, however said information available indicated one of the hoodlums must have shot the teenager dead.

    He however added he was yet to receive official report of the incident.

    He said police were already investigating the incident, adding the Corp would also investigate the matter.

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi attributed the incident to the resurgence of the cult war.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Ajimobi condoled with the family of the victim and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

    Ajimobi said: “I want to use this opportunity to condole with the family of the victim for the irredeemable loss.

    “Let me again warn that those bent on scuttling the peace that we have enthroned across the state in the last seven years will live to regret their action.

    “I have directed the security agents to ensure that they fish out the perpetrators of the crime and ensure that they are brought to justice. I want to appeal to the good people of Oyo State to join hands with the government to sustain our hard earned peace.”

     

  • Day of anger, anguish in Benue

    Day of anger, anguish in Benue

    CROWDS of people in black dresses, weeping women, frightful kids and 73 polished mahogany caskets. Benue State was in pains yesterday.

    It was all at the funeral of the victims of the herdsmen killings that have sparked a big outrage.

    The sober ceremony, to many, marked the 41-year-old state’s most tragic moment.

    The herdsmen invaded villages in Guma and Logo local government areas at night and dawn on January 1, killing people on farms and in their homes.

    Many bodies were not found until one week after.

    Thousands of people, including prominent citizens of the state, led by the paramount ruler, the Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty Prof James Ayatse, were at the IBB Square, venue of the mass burial.

    The burial was preceded by an interdenominational service.

    Manny shed tears, women rolled on the ground as trucks bearing the caskets snaked into the arena. Vigilante members in black tee-shirts and black trousers accompanied the vehicles.

    Makurdi’s streets were deserted.

    •Women crying during the burial…yesterday

    Governor Samuel Ortom had declared yesterday a public holiday after the two previous days were observed as mourning period.

    The Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Most Rev. Williams Avenya, prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead and called for prayers for the survivors of the attacks.

    Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Benue State Chairman Rev Akper Leva praised Ortom for his charisma and love for Benue, having passed  the Anti-Open Grazing Law, adding that the spirit of the departed ones and the God of Benue would  rise up to torment the terrorists who brought tears and sorrow to the state and the people.

    After the admonition came the grim task of laying to rest the dead in a row of graves dug and paved with blocks. One by one the 73 caskets were lowered. Before then, the atmosphere had been charged with relatives of the dead wailing as they crowded around the row of caskets.

    A woman crying…yesterday PHOTOS: NAN

    A survivor, Akaatenger Azinga, told reporters that he was asleep in his house with his wife when the marauders  came and knocked at the door. His wife went to open the door but was captured and killed.

    He said: “I heard my wife screaming because they came in the dead of the night and when l went to rescue her, I discovered that they had killed her and the next thing, they started chasing  me but l escaped  narrowly to a nearby bush.”

    Ortom led the moving speeches. He said he was ready to lay down his life to implement the Anti-Open Grazing law. He was supported by the leaders of thought.

    The Tor Tiv said the attack was the 47th  in five years by Fulani herdsmen. He likened the killings to genocide.

    He said: “I, therefore, call on the Federal Government to act swiftly by putting an end to these killings; this act of impunity must stop.”

    He encouraged the governor to stand firm in his resolve to implement the anti open grazing law, no matter the threats from the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore – the umbrella body of the cattle breeders.

    The paramount ruler called for prayers for the dead.

    Ortom restated his opposition to the cattle colony proposed by the Federal Government.

    He said the suggestion was not acceptable to Benue people.

    He said since the state did not even have adequate land for farmers, it would have no space to  give  herdsmen for grazing.

    He insisted on ranching, saying “it is the best way to go and it is in conformity with global best practices”.

    Ortom said if the recent killings were meant to intimidate the state government to repeal the law, the herdsmen  had failed woefully.

    He blamed the  killings on the  silence of the Federal Government and others responsible for the security of lives and property.

    •The bodies being lowered into the graves…yesterday

    To Ortom, if the Federal Government had acted on the reports he gave it on the threats of attacks by the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, the killings would have been averted.

    He urged the Federal Government to arrest the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, which he accused of making inciting statements against the state.

    He condoled with the families of the dead and the injured as well as those who lost their property.

    Ortom’s wife, Eunice, Deputy Governor Benson Abounu and his wife Mary as well as APC national Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun attended the ceremony.

    Also there were Northern Elders Forum (NEF) Chairman Dr. Paul Unongo, Gen. Lawrence Onoja, Senator George Akume, Senator Kennedy Waku, religious and traditional leaders.

    Former Governor Akume noted that the Federal Government had failed in its responsibility  of protecting  lives.

    He urged President Buhari to proscribe the faction of the Miyetti Allah as terrorists whose actions are treasonable.

    Unongo said the state would not hesitate to raise its own army if the herdsmen attacks persisted.

    He said a huge number of Benue indigenes fought the Nigerian civil war to keep Nigeria one.

    ”Benue people sacrificed enough blood for the unity of this country and would not allow a section of Fulani terrorists to come,  kill our people in cold blood.

    “I am  begging Nigerians that my people cannot continue to be canon fodder  of this country. If government can’t protect us, we will mobilise and train our people into an army to defend us. We are 100 per cent in support of what Governor Ortom has done. I am the spiritual leader of Tiv Nation; enough, is enough“

    Unongo said the entire Beuue people were watching President Buhari  and had  joined in the persistent calls by Governor Ortom that the Federal Government should address the killings and arrest the leader of MAKH.

    Talking tough, Unongo said: “If the Federal Government cannot stop or arrest those behind the killings, in two weeks, we shall raise an army of our own. We cannot allow people to colonise us again.  We have all it takes to do that.”

    A former Katsina State Military Governor, Gen. Onoja, who described the killings as genocidal conspiracy against Benue people, said it must stop.

    Onoja said: “Some of us in 1966 fought in the Nigeria civil war, Benue has contributed to the unity of this country. Therefore If the Federal Government refuses to address the killings, we will decide to raise our army as advocated by our elders to defend ourselves, l will not mind to command that army, despite my age.”

    He appealed to the Federal Government to replicate “Operation Python Dance” or “Fulani dance” in Benue as being done in other states. He urged Benue indigenes to support Ortom for the successful enforcement of the anti-open-grazing law.

    Senator Waku said: “It is unfortunate that someone would oppose a law that is legally enacted and begin to kill and the Federal Government would refuse to make arrest in a quest to end the carnage. This is enough provocation; nobody has the monopoly of killing. Therefore, enough is enough”.

    A representative of the United Nations (UN), Dr. Mathins Ejibike, who attended the funeral, condoled with the government and people. He said the situation demanded international attention.

    “We want an enlightened approach to this matter. We should continue to pray. This kind of killings should be the last in the Benue state”.

    Ejibike promised to look into the case of the over 50,000 displaced persons.

  • Man cuts cousin’s manhood in anger

    A 25-year-old man, Aliyu Mohammadu, has cut off his cousin’s manhood after accusing him of stealing his N3,500 in his New Bussa, Niger State residence.

    Mohammadu, who lives in Babana Borgu in New Bussa, claimed he caught his cousin, Ibrahim, take the money from his room and ran away.

    The suspect said he had no regret over the inciden. He  threatened more harm, if his money was not given to him.

    “What I need is my N3,500, otherwise I am going to do more harm in the family. I have two wives and two children to carter for, I need my money to look after them,” he said.

    It was learnt that Mohammadu and Ibrahim have not been in good terms and when he confronted the victim for his money,  he claimed he never touched his money.

    “And when I confronted him on his way to farm, he told me to go and look for where I kept my money, insisting that I should not disturb him again about the money.  I got annoyed and attacked him with my cutlass.

    “My cousin was rude to me after he made away with my N3,500, he fought me, that was why I cut off his genital organ leaving him in pool of blood,” he explained.

    Police spokesman Peter Sunday confirmed that the suspect was arrested for cutting off his cousin’s manhood.

    Sunday said Ibrahim was rushed to a specialist hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, for treatment.

  • Protests, anger rock PDP ahead Dec. 9 convention

    Protests, anger rock PDP ahead Dec. 9 convention

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains unsettled as it heads for its December 9 convention.

    National chairman aspirant Prof. Tunde Adeniran has kicked against the list of panelists to conduct the ward delegates’ election ahead of the convention. He has petitioned the leadership.

    The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting has been fixed for Abuja to ratify the list, among other decisions on the convention.

    Adeniran said many members of the committee are sympathisers and supporters of Prince Uche Secondus, another chairmanship candidate.

    In the Southwest, the faction led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe is laying claim to legitimacy. The leadership recognises Dr. Eddy Olafeso as the Vice Chairman (Southwest). Makanjuola is threatening a law suit should his faction be denied participation at the convention.

    In Oyo State, a meeting on Sunday to settle the differences between the two factions on Sunday broke up in disagreement.

    The director general of Adeniran’s Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, said the peace accord entered into by the eight chairmanship aspirants is threatened.

    ”A particular state has members on that list and some of  them are the leading campaigners for Prince Uche Secondus. We as campaign organisation were not consulted to bring one or two persons and I am sure other aspirants were not consulted too.

    “It is an indirect way of short-changing other aspirants. The spirit behind the MoU we signed has been violated, not by the aspirants but by the party managers,” Gabam said.

    The Adeniran camp mentioned Senator George Sekibo, Mr. Austin Opara, ThanGod Danagogo, Chief Kenneth Ubani Emeka Ihedioha as some of the Secondus loyalists on the list.

    The Adeniran camp said: “Now you have just one chairmanship aspirant having his men deeply entrenched in a system that would determine how the delegates will emerge.

    “The party created the division among the aspirants. The party should provide equal base for all aspirants and I want to say that we disagree with the composition of this list.”

    Adeniran urged the party leadership to shun impunity and imposition of candidates, saying PDP must learn from past mistakes.

    The camp yesterday rejected the call by the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose for shadow primary elections for aspirants from the South West, saying the governor had already taken sides.

    The Caretaker Committee of the PDP said: “We have received a petition written by Prof Adeniran on the matter and the Caretaker Committee will meet to discuss the petition this week.”

    Ogundipe told reporters that the faction remained the authentic executive in the zone based on a subsisting court judgment.

    Ogundipe said the continued recognition of Olafeso as Vice Chairman (Southwest) ran foul of the law as there had been no superior order to nullify the subsisting Abuja court judgment.

    “We are the authentic Southwest zonal executive of the PDP, based on a subsisting court judgment and we want the party to accord us the due recognition.

    “Any other group parading themselves as exco from the zone is committing an illegality as there has been no better judgement to nullify the court judgement affirming us as the authentic executive.

    “Moreso, the subsisting court order restrained Olafeso and his group from participating in the Dec. 9 national convention.

    “We do not want to constitute any problem to the convention and that is why we are saying the party should operate in accordance with law and allow us to present delegates from the zone.

    “In the event that we are excluded, just as we were at the non-elective convention in Port-Harcourt, we shall take the necessary legal action, and that will affect the party in the long run,” he said.

    Ogundipe said the Supreme Court judgment affirming Sen. Ahmed Makarfi as Caretaker Chairman did not nullify the leadership of his faction in the zone.

    He urged all stakeholders to abide by the rule of law in order not to jeopardise the progress of the party.

    Ogundipe cleared Chief Olabode George of any involvement in the leadership impasse in the zone.

    He said an all-encompassing meeting of stakeholders in the zone, including national chairmanship aspirants, would soon hold, to decide on a united position of the zone to the convention.

    Olafeso, in a statement yesterday said the Southwest PDP did not micro zone the chairman’s post.

    He denied that the Southwest executive at its last meeting with stakeholders directed that national chairman aspirant must come from a particular state.

    “This is patently false as no such decision was taken. We only zoned other offices that were zoned to the Southwest among all the states in the region and this action is traditional.

    “The position of national chairman and deputy national chairman is zoned to the southern states and, as such is beyond the scope of the South West zone to unilaterally adjudicate on. We declare that all those gentlemen that have signified their intentions to contest for those positions remain at liberty to continue to prosecute their ambitions without hindrance.”

    The attempt to resolve the crisis between the two factions in Oyo State failed at the weekend.

    Senator Rashidi Ladoja called a parley in his home on Sunday but it ended in a stalemate as the faction led by Seyi Makinde, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi and Senator Hosea Agboola rejected the terms of truce.

    At the meeting, the representatives of the Makinde faction – Akande-Adeola, Agboola and Hon. Kehinde Ayoola- rejected the offer of a position for Akande-Adeola and Agboola to appease the faction.

    The faction, it was learnt, insisted on harmonisation that will see both factions have almost equal number of slots in the State Executive.

    The factions held parallel congresses on November 4.

    The National Caretaker Committee invited Ladoja for a resolution. Ladoja was said to have promised the committee that he would resolve the crisis.  His promise made the national leadership to stop its intervention. The committee also considered the fact that both factions accepted the former governor as the leader.

    At the Sunday meeting were also Sen. Femi Lanlehin, Chief Yemi Aderibigbe and Sen.  Ayo Adeseun from the Ladoja faction.

    The meeting, which lasted for over two hours, failed to resolve the problem, with each camp not ready to shift grounds.

    It was learnt that Makinde also rejected the two slots already given to him, saying he should have been allowed to present his own candidates.