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Tag: Assassination attempt

  • Mbaka: assassination attempt on me real

    •Police order probe

    Fiery Catholic priest and the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu (AMEN), Father Ejike Mbaka, yesterday said the alleged assassination attempt on him was not fabricated.

    Mbaka insisted that “agents of darkness” were after him, going by the reactions that trailed the alleged assassination attempt.

    Also, the police command, through its spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent (SP), said it had begun investigation into the incident.

    In a statement by his media aide, Ike Maximus Ugwuoke, the cleric absolved the Catholic Church of having a hand in the alleged assassination attempt.

    He said he never at any time blamed the attack on the Church.

    The statement reads: “The report in a section of the media that Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria ‘fingers the Church on his alleged assassination’ is a false and a sensational headline curled by mischief makers for whatever ends and it is hereby refuted.

    “First, the assassination plot against Fr. Mbaka was not a mere ‘allegation’ or claim, as reported in the media, but an established fact. The impact of the bullet on his car, which the security agents have confirmed, is there for all who care to see. It is also ridiculous that two fictitious characters masquerading as concerned Catholics could go wild to insinuate in the media that Fr. Mbaka planned his own assassination to curry public sympathy and presidential favour.

    “Such statement depicts how far mischief makers can go in trivialising issues as important as the human life and their absolute lack of fear of God. The statement calls to question the level of concern of such ‘Concerned Catholics’ in such a matter involving the life of a Catholic priest. We call on security agencies to investigate the source of such report as the makers of the report or their pay masters may have some useful information to give them in their investigation into the incident.

    “We challenge the two impostors claiming to be writing for the ‘Concerned Catholics’ to come forward with their real identity, parish addresses and contacts to prove the point that they exist and that they are Catholics.

    Read also: Mbaka ‘escapes’ assassination

    “We state categorically that in all efforts made to inquire from Fr. Mbaka the person or persons behind the gun attack at him, he never at any time named anyone or pointed accusing finger at anyone as the sponsor of his assassination plot, be it the Catholic Church or whomever.

    “It is wrong and out of context to ascribe to Fr Mbaka any deductions made by any person or group of persons, or associations or followers of Fr Mbaka on the issue whether verbally or in prints. Such persons or group of persons may be freely expressing their sentiments on the issue but they are not speaking for Fr Mbaka and should not be taken or quoted as speaking for Fr Mbaka…”

    Also, the police yesterday started full scale investigation into the alleged attempted assassination of Fr. Mbaka.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fr. Mbaka, on December 6, alleged that there was an attempt to assassinate him.

    Police Commissioner Mohammed Danmallam gave the directive for investigation when he visited the cleric in company of other senior police officers at the Adoration ground, Umuchigbo, in Enugu.

     

     

  • Ekweremadu threatens to release video clip of ‘assassination attempt’

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu yesterday threatened to release video clips of how his house was invaded by alleged assassins on Tuesday.

    Ekweremadu said he may be forced to actualise his threat to release the video clip, if the Police fail to withdraw its claim that what happened in his house was a mere case of burglary.

    The Senate resolved to ask the police to do a thorough investigation of the alleged assassination attempt on Ekweremadu, his wife and son in the early hours of Tuesday.

    The upper chamber said the conclusion that the incident was a case of burglary appeared to be hasty.

    Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), who raised the issue, prayed the Senate to condemn the hasty conclusion by the Police that the invasion of Ekweremadu’s residence was a mere burglary case.

    Abaribe lamented that “for the police to quickly without interviewing the very person for whom this incident happened, to come out and determine that it was a burglary, actually burgles the mind. We know in this country that Bola Ige was killed in his home. We know and also it is a fact the former gubernatorial candidate, Funsho Williams was also killed in his home.

    “Our fear today is why the police are engaging in a cover up? Why is the police continually at any time that it concerns people that do not have presidential oversight or cover, they quickly come out and have a report,” the senator queried.

    Ekweremadu said a Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations visited his house with the FCT Police Commissioner on Tuesday afternoon to sympathise with him.

    “I showed them round and of course they were very sympathetic of what happened.”

    He also informed the Senate that he was shocked when he woke up yesterday morning to hear police saying that what happened in his house was “a mere case of burglary”.

    Ekweremadu said: “I am at a loss because as we speak, they have not taken any statement from my son, who was hospitalised; they have not gone to the hospital to find out what exactly happened to my son. They have invited security personnel attached to me, who reported yesterday. Some are still reporting this morning.

    “They (the Police) looked at the CCTV tapes operated by the DSS and a staff of my house; apparently they were not able to figure it out. So, it was easy for them to quickly dismiss what really happened.”

    He noted that he has been able to figure out the correct picture of what happened and added that he now has the video clip.

    “Unfortunately for them, later yesterday evening, a technician came and was able to figure out and was able to produce the CCTV footage, including how they gained entrance into my house and how they got a way into my room and the fight between them, my wife and my son and all the efforts we made to save our lives. I am happy that we have that in our custody, which the police is not aware of.

    He added: “I may now be forced to release those footage to the media, international communities so that Nigerians and ordinary people will judge whether it was a case of burglary or attempt to kill me or whether they just want to come to my house to have a breakfast or have a handshake with me.”

    The House of Representatives also yesterday resolved to constitute an ad hoc Committee to investigate the alleged assassination attempt  on Deputy  Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and members of his family.

    The committee is also mandated to find out the circumstances surrounding the late response of the Police to the emergency.

    The committee is to report back to the House in two weeks for further legislative action.

    The chamber also urged the relevant security agencies to ensure increased security surveillance around the Deputy Senate President as well as other members of the National Assembly.

  • ‘Assassination attempt’: Court orders prosecutor to appear with Melaye’s case file

    ‘Assassination attempt’: Court orders prosecutor to appear with Melaye’s case file

    Justice Fola Ajayi of the Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered the prosecutor in the case of assassination attempt on Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) to appear with the case file at the next adjournment.

    Justice Ajayi, yesterday at the resumed hearing of the case brought against the Chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area (LGA), Alhaji Taufiq Isa and four others for the alleged assassination attempt, frowned at the continuous absence of the prosecutor, Lough Simon and his team.

    He said he has a limited time to conclude the case, being a criminal case that “requires us starting afresh”.

    He urged the prosecuting counsel to appear physically with the case file at the next hearing before granting an adjournment till March 22.

    The death of the former judge handling the case, Justice Arome Akogwu, last December, cause the reassignment of the case to Justice Atayi.

    Since the reassignment, the prosecution counsel and his team have failed to appear in court for the second time running.

  • Melaye assassination attempt: Court orders prosecutor to appear with case file 

    Melaye assassination attempt: Court orders prosecutor to appear with case file 

    Justice Fola Ajayi of the Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, has ordered the prosecutor in the case of assassination attempt on Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) to appear with the case file at the next adjournment.

    Ajayi Monday at the resumed hearing of the case brought against the chairman of Ijumu LGA, Alhaji Taufiq Isa and four others for the alleged Assassination attempt frowned at the continuous absence of the prosecutor, Lough Simon and his team, saying that he has a limited time to conclude the case, being a criminal case that “require us starting afresh”.

    He urged the prosecuting counsel to appear physically with the case file at the next hearing, before granting an adjournment to 22nd March, 2018.

    The death of the former judge handling the case, Justice Arome Akogwu, last year December, cause the reassignment of the case to Justice Atayi.

    Since the reassignment, the prosecution counsel and his team have failed to appear in court for the second time running.

    Read Also: Assassination attempt: Dino Melaye arraigned, granted bail

  • Assassination: Daniel lying against me, says Kashamu

    Assassination: Daniel lying against me, says Kashamu

    The senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, has said he has no hand in the attack on the Abuja home of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    Kashamu, in a letter to Inspector-General of Police Idris Ibrahim, said “the less than clever attempt to link me with the alleged attack on Daniel’s residence is politically-motivated”.

    He accused Daniel of raising the allegation to subvert due process and the rule of law in Ogun State “where he seeks to foist an illegal caretaker committee on the PDP in the state despite the subsisting and binding court judgment, which expressly states that the  Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco – which I belong to – should remain in office till 2020.”

    Kashamu said there was no better proof the petition was politically-motivated than his reference to the Supreme Court judgment on the party’s national leadership crisis.

    He said: “The authentic PDP Exco in Ogun State, under the leadership of Dayo, has a final judgment and orders in its favour that are yet to be appealed, set aside or upturned. What is more, the orders and judgment are binding on the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which were parties in the suit.

    ”This cock-and-bull story of an attack is part of Daniel’s desperate bid to seek relevance, revive his dimming political career and hijack the structure of PDP in Ogun State.

    “He merely wants to turn the heat on his perceived political opponent and perpetuate the illegal caretaker in Ogun State. He is afraid some genuine and concerned party members could resist the brazen illegality and disregard for the rule of law, which his actions represent being the arrowhead of the illegal caretaker committee despite being aware of the existence of the democratically-elected and the judicially approved Ogun State PDP Exco.

    ”It might interest you to note that as law-abiding citizens, instead of raising false alarm like Daniel, the Adebayo Dayo-led State Exco had written two letters dated August 14 and 15, 2017, to your office wherein your attention was drawn to the illegal acts of Daniel and his collaborators and how they could threaten the peace and lead to chaos in Ogun State, if not checked. A careful perusal of the two petitions and the attached documents would give you an insight into the undercurrents of this unfounded alarm.

    ”It was, therefore, a surprise to me when at 7p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017, my attention was drawn to the fact that Daniel, a known pathological liar wrote a petition against me and that the document was being circulated on the social media by his cyber team,” he said.

  • Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    Assassination attempts: Saraki seeks special protection for Senators, others ‎

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Thursday said that the Senate will work out special protection strategy to protect its members against rising cases of assassination attempts and harassment.

    Saraki, who spoke against the backdrop of the reported assassination attempt against Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and the raid of the home of Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, noted that the upper chamber would take steps to ensure the protection its members.

    The Senate President spoke at the inauguration of an ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged attempted assassination on Melaye.

    Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, Saraki said that investigation into the assassination attempt on Melaye should be fully investigated by the committee.

    He noted that the probe would also articulate ways and means to protect members of the National Assembly against infringement and threats to their lives.

    He said: “The 1999 Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to life. Like every Nigerian, a Senator or member of the National Assembly deserves to be protected against infringement, threat and harassment.

    “The reported incidence in Kogi State where armed assassins invaded the house of a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Dino Melaye with the intention of taking his life is frightening and must be fully investigated.”

    Saraki added that effort must be made to “ensure that no Senator or member of the legislature is put in a position where he or she will feel his life is threatened in such a manner as to affect his judgment and thereby weaken hiss moral compass and ability to act without fear or favour.

    “The investigation will seek to unearth the remote and immediate issues connected with, and leading to the ugly incident.”

    Saraki asked members of the committee to discharge their task with great sense of responsibility, diligence and care.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Jibrin Barau, noted that though “the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incidents are still unclear”, the panel would dig deep into the matter to establish the truth of the issue.

    Barau assured that the committee in carrying out its mandate would do so with the utmost sense of duty, bearing in mind the seriousness of the assignments.

     

  • How I escaped assassination in UK – Prof. Thomas

    How I escaped assassination in UK – Prof. Thomas

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    It is true that Professor Alexia Thomas, Chairman, The Commonwealth Liberation Party and Chieftain, Commonwealth Alliance Treaty Commission in the United Kingdom has been in the fore-front of fighting against the act of slavery, injustice and dehumanization of United Kingdom Border Agency, UKBA against Commonwealth citizens.

    Obviously, the consistent and various justifiable steps undertaken by Professor Thomas, famously known in most homes in almost two decades as ‘Her Knowledgeable’ had not gone down well with some people at United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA).

    ‘Royal Mother,’ as this British fiery human right is called observed that she was been stalked daily, followed and closely monitored. She kept receiving anonymous-blocked phone lines. Matters came to the worse, when she knew a third party had bunged her phones.

    In a letter by this advocate of freedom to Commissioner of Police, Metropolitan Police, New Scotland Yard dated 24th July 2015, under a subject titled: ‘UKBA Personnel Plot, Decoy to Assassinate me and Eliminate my Family’ reads “My life is threatened daily by some personnel of UKBA especially from Oakington and Collinbrook detention centers, because I fight against the injustice orchestrated on Commonwealth citizens.

    “As an activist, an advocate, it is my will to fight for social justice and liberty for Commonwealth citizens and the Black Race. The oppression of Commonwealth citizens and Black Race in detention centers like Oakington, Collinbrook and many more should never be undermined because the truth of the saint cannot protrude against the saint.”

    In Professor Thomas words: “I have heard enormous support from the government, the Prime Minister, Prince of Wales and Her Majesty the Queen. This is because the Government has proven justice to the vulnerable is freedom, an act to willful their redemption, this can never be denied.

    She listed the clandestine monitoring of her activities by stating that: “The personnel of UKBA has persistently tailed me, spy on me and quietly bunged my phones. In their decoyed stunt, they make anonymous people call me to set me up by faking the names of different government agencies. I am persistently followed and monitored because I speak the truth and I speak justice to fight against the slavery act of UKBA against Commonwealth citizens in the 21st century.

    “Some personnel of UKBA have informed many detainees of their desire to assassinate me. And that I am been monitored daily. If justice for my people is meritable by my quest, then the plot to eliminate the genuine course of my combat must not be covered up. I have persistently questioned the credibility of UKBA.

    “The positive stands of my action are recognized by the UK Government. Detailed below are evidence of the government recognition for every submission I made to the government on my stand in support of the government good governance and my odds opposing oppression of Commonwealth citizens. Rather than the UKBA recognizing my excellent endeavour for standing to eradicate the suffering of my people, my country and my nation; instead they are plotting to kill me because I fight against oppression of the Black Race and Commonwealth citizens.”

    In her letter copied to Prince of Wales, Prime Minister, Secretary of State Home Office, Professor Thomas sought for the following protection to show her security alert at 98 percent: “To protect the personal information and that of my family from public register, to register my statement for any assassination attempt made on my life, to investigate who wants me dead, to issue a restriction warning that anybody who wants an audience with me must officially request an official appointment from me, if the source of the person is known by me; then it is at my discretion to invite the person.

    “Also, to restrict any government agency direct contact at my home, unless in my office premises with my permission. I will stand by my God as my first security and now I request the Metropolitan Police Authority to take my security alert paramount. The act to rub me of my life is an extent to undermine my consistent questioning of the provocative oppression of my people. My actions are just by my reality from their realms.”

    Buckingham Palace writes Her Knowledgeable

    Responding in a letter written by Sonia Bonici, Senior Correspondence Officer, Buckingham Palace, it reads: “Further to our telephone conversation 7th July 2015, I write to thank you for your fascimile letter and enclosures which were received in this office this morning. As we discussed, I am forwarding your letter to the Police Department in Buckingham Palace, so that your further approach to The Queen may be known and considerations given to the points you raise.”

    MET Police Reacts

    On behalf of the Metropolitan Police, Madhu Dodia, representing the Commissioner’s Private Office writes under Reference Number 2008070007060 states: “I wish to acknowledge receipt of your fax dated July 24, 2015 addressed to the Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair. This correspondence has been forwarded to Commander to Commander Ian Quinton, to arrange for a response to be sent to you as soon as possible regarding the issues raised.”

    Till date, this freedom advocate has not relent in her struggle in fighting to securing freedom by legal means for the Black Race and Commonwealth citizens, since “safety is only in the hands of God.”