The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti

  • Buhari, Osinbajo, Tinubu, others meet in Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday met in Abuja in the party’s caucus meeting.

    The meeting started at the APC National Secretariat around 11.30am when the President arrived.

    Those in attendance included the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

    State governors at the meeting included that of Zamfara, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Borno, Bauchi, Kebbi, Niger, Lagos and Kaduna state.

    Read Also: Buhari: no plan to remove INEC Chairman Yakubu

    Also in attendance were the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, senators, Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Boss Mustapha, ministers, among others.

    Discussions at the meeting will not be unconnected with the issues affecting the party, including the postponement of the general elections by a week.

  • Ekiti residents protest killing of farmer by suspected herdsman

    The Residents of Ayegbaju Ekiti, Oye local government area of Ekiti State, on Thursday evening staged a protest to vent anger over the alleged killing of a farmer by suspected herdsman.

    Elijah Ogor, 30, who hailed from Benue State, was killed on his farmland situated between Ayegbaju and Ido Ekiti on Wednesday after his farm was allegedly invaded and destroyed by the herdsman with cattle.

    The protesters barricaded Ifaki-Ayegbaju and Ayegbaju-Oye road with vehicular movements restricted for over an hour.

    According to one of the protesters, Adeleye who spoke with The Nation, said the victim was shot dead by suspected herder at the back and soaked in blood.

    “All we want is justice. How could any cattle rearer go to someone’s farm to destroy it and still went ahead to kill him? This is unjust and callous.

    “This issue must be investigated thoroughly and whoever was involved should be prosecuted accordingly”, he said.

    Read Also: Subjects shut Ekiti monarch out of palace

    Immediately the death was reported through the Seriki Fulani in Ekiti, Alhaji Abashe Adamu, the task force of Gan-Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN), Ekiti chapter , swung into action.

    The task force searched thoroughly the expansive Ayegbaju-Ido-Iludun farmland and apprehended one Umar Abubakar Sanda, in connection with the death.

    While speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Sanda’s arrest, GAFDAN’S Secretary in Ekiti, Hon. Toyin Ibrahim, said: “We got the information from Seriki Fulani that a farmer was killed in Ayegbaju . Our task force , comprising virtually all the ethnic groups in Nigeria moved into that bush and arrested Umar Sanda.

    “At the point, we saw him, he was holding a rifle and with live cartridge inside. We queried the rationale behind the carrying of firearm which contravened Ekiti State Anti-Grazing Law, but he gave no reason. He was just raising issues that would make him look innocent.

    “The reason why we suspected him was that, two other people were with the deceased when he was shot, they escaped from the scene and the description they gave showed that the suspect was involved.

    “As law-abiding group, we immediately took Sanda to the police station at Ido Ekiti where he was detained. Part of our mandate in GAFDAN is to arrest cattle rustlers and errant herdsmen, who destroyed farmlands or commit other offences”.

    When called for confirmation, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command. DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said a suspect has been arrested in connection with the crime.

    “We learnt a farmer was killed inside the farm and he had been apprehended and brought to the police. He is presently being detained in our custody and once we conclude investigation, we shall charge him to court”, he added.

    The GAFDAN Boss appealed to the government to empower the group to be able to carry out the mandate of ensuring peaceful coexistence between farmers and Fulani herders.

    He said the group would also support the security agencies in all forms to decimate indiscriminate killings by knight-errant Fulani herdsmen.

  • Subjects shut Ekiti monarch out of palace

    Residents of Odo Ora in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State have locked their monarch out of palace.

    The aggrieved residents faulted the procedure that produced the monarch, saying he failed to observe traditional rite, an act they claimed was antithetical to the tradition of the town.

    The kingmakers and other community leaders also alleged that the monarch was not formally installed as traditional procession were circumvented.

    One of the community leaders, Prof. Olawumi Ajaja, disclosed Odo Ora indigenes had nothing against the embattled monarch but the process produced him.

    Ajaja, former Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, said the locals still see the monarch as an Oba-elect alleging that traditional rites were yet to be performed.

    The monarch Obalemo of Odo Ora, Oba Samuel Akinola Adeyemo appealed to the State Government to save him from being deposed from the throne.

    The monarch in his Save My Soul (SOS) petition forwarded to the State Government on the crisis told the Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi that he had been locked out of the palace by suspected hoodlums allegedly mobiliSed by some interest groups in the community.

    Egbeyemi, during a peace meeting in his office on Wednesday, condemned the violence that recently rocked the community.

    According to statement by his Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, Egbeyemi warned that the full weight of the law would be visited on individuals fomenting trouble in Odo Ora.

    Egbeyemi said government had to summon the peace meeting following intelligence report from security agencies on possible outbreak of violence over the kingship crisis.

    The deputy governor warned stakeholders in Odo Ora to maintain peace stressing that government won’t depose any monarch in the state.

    He advised Odo Ora indigenes aggrieved with the emergence of Oba Adeyemo as the Obalemo to seek redress in the court of law.

    Egbeyemi further stressed that government would not fold its arms and allow the situation to degenerate into anarchy adding that anybody caught fomenting trouble would be arrested and prosecuted.

    The deputy governor urged parties in the crisis to report back in his office on February 21 for a follow-up peace parley to resolve the impasse.

  • Scores injured as PDP, APC supporters clash in Ekiti

    •APC accuses Olujimi of instigating crisis ·•Senator is peace-loving, says aide

    Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed on Monday at a campaign rally in Omuo Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area.

    About 20 persons sustained various degrees of injuries.

    Members of the APC were said to be holding a joint rally for the senatorial candidate in Ekiti South, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, and the House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti South Federal Constituency, Femi Bamisile, when suspected PDP thugs invaded the rally and attacked them.

    Those who allegedly carried out the attacks were said to be those loyal to Senate Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi, PDP’s Ekiti South senatorial candidate.

    Some APC supporters who were attacked – Adeniyi Saliu, Kayode Ojo and Adeniyi Ayo – sustained deep cuts in the heads, backs and stomachs.

    They were taken to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti for intensive medical care.

    Fifteen others were said to have been wounded during the attack.

    It was gathered that the perpetrators fled the town; the police are said to be on their trail to arrest and prosecute them.

    Bamisile, a former House of Assembly Speaker and APC House of Representative candidate, described the attack as unfortunate and a threat to democracy.

    The former Speaker noted that the desperation of some PDP members would subvert democracy.

    He urged security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators without further delay.

    “APC will not fold its arms and watch its members attacked by members of other political parties; hence, the need for a strong warning to troublemakers to retrace their steps and allow peace to reign in the land.

    “Nobody has monopoly of violence. Therefore, PDP members should be aware of that and stop provoking peace-loving APC members in the state,” Bamisile said.

    APC senatorial candidate and former Minister of Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, warned miscreants and political thugs planning violence and mayhem ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections to be careful or risk going to prison.

    Reacting to the attacks on APC members in Omuo Ekiti, allegedly sponsored by Senator Olujimi and the PDP, Adeyeye said the long arms of the law would catch up with political louts, no matter how fast they run.

    Adeyeye said: “Arresting and prosecuting the suspects will serve as a deterrent to others inclined to political violence. I enjoin the security agencies to be on red alert to curtail the overbearing influence of these political violence perpetrators.

    “Ekiti is a peaceful state and nobody should turn it into a theatre of war in the name of politics.”

    But the Special Assistant (SA), Media, to Oluujimi on Public Communications, Chief Sanya Atofarati, exonerated the senator and her supporters from the attack.

    He said the senator had no cause to unleash mayhem on her people.

    Atofarati said: “Attacking political opponents is of no point. It is the APC that has been attacking others because violence is their principal identity.

    “We have been going round campaigning in the senatorial district. There are no cases of violence. There is no reason for us to fight anybody. Residents of the senatorial district know this.

    “We are going to the polls; we are sure of winning. So, why would we embark on attacking others? We are peace-loving. They should settle their differences.”

     

  • Security operatives begin stop and search in Ekiti

    Members of the Nigeria Police Force, Armed Soldiers and other sister security agencies Friday started thorough operation stop and search in Ado Ekiti, following the killing of a policeman in the capital city on Thursday by a gang of armed robbers.

    The policeman, Sgt Kamoru Momoh, was shot dead along new Iyin-Ilawe road by these bandits who had earlier robbed a filling station at Basiri area of Ado Ekiti around 8.13am on that day.

    The robbers were said to have besieged the petrol station and carted away cash worth over a million naira.

    It was gathered that the robbers upon sighting the police Hilux Van driven by the late police officer, which seemed to be on their trail, had blocked the road at the NTA junction with their vehicle and rained bullets on the policeman and got his head shattered.

    The killing, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti

    Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu could be connected with the massive flushing operation carried out by a special task force under the aegis of ‘Operation Make Ekiti Safe’, where many criminals had been killed with some apprehended and detained for trial.

    Read Also: Robbers kill policeman in Ekiti

    “This could be a reaction to the series of cleansing operations carried out by our special Joint Task Force in recent time. Those with criminal tendencies might want to go after our men in reaction to our actions, but we won’t be deterred,” he said.

    Among other security operatives carrying out the operations were: Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigerian Immigration Service, Department of State Services (DSS), among others.

    Their operations were visible along Ado-Ilawe road, Ado-Iyin road, Ado-Ijan –Ikare road, Ado-Ikere-Akure road, Ado-Iwiroko-Ifaki road and the inner city like Ijigbo, Okesa and Okeyinmi areas.

    They stopped all motorists moving into Ado Ekiti metropolis and checked their identities while motorbike riders were made to disembark and pushed their machines for as long as 50 metres before being allowed to take off.

    The Police spokesman, who reacted to the thoroughness of the Special Forces’ operations since Thursday, dismissed the insinuation that such could be as a result of the killing of the police sergeant.

    Ikechukwu said: “Stop and search was part of the operations of the special task force . I think they have the constitutional power to carry out routine checks on people moving in and out to test their compliance to simple rules.

    “Let me emphasize here that this special force stated its operations in Ekiti two months ago and since that time they have been carrying out their jobs in a civilized way, no harassment, no intimidation of any member of the public.

    “As its name suggest, operation keep Ekiti Safe, it has to perform the task of making Ekiti peaceful and habitable for all and stop and search is one of those ways to ensure this.

    “Again, if you observed critically, you would realize that they didn’t mount any roadblock that suggested that they were not out to suffer motorists or extort anybody. They are only carrying out their statutory routine checks,” he said.

    He urged members of the public not to be disturbed by the operations, saying the operatives are only after criminals and those with sinister motives of making destabilising the peace of the State.

  • Robbers kill policeman in Ekiti

    A man identified to be policeman was shot dead on Thursday in Ado Ekiti, the State capital, while trailing a gang of robbers.

    The Nation gathered the armed robber had earlier robbed a petrol station along Fajuyi -Secretariat road and were escaping through the old Iyin –Ilawe road when the police officer in a white hilux van sighted them and gave them a hot chase.

    An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the police van had trailed the armed robbers up to NTA junction, where they were said to have waited and blocked the way in readiness for a gun duel.

    “When the hilux chased them up to that point, the armed robbers used their vehicle to block the way and rained bullets on the car.

    “The bullets hit the driver of the vehicle and died on the spot after which the robbers entered their car and sped off.”

    The sound of the assorted rifles brandished by the bandits were said to have caused confusion within that vicinity.

    People coming towards the Ekiti State House of Assembly cimplex and the State Secretariat and motorists going to Ilawe road were said to have scurried to safety to prevent being shot.

    “Some of the motorists had to take a detour and escaped the scene because the sound of the guns caused panic in the area,” he stated.

    Police officers from the State police command later visited the scene of the incident to evacuate the corpse, which they deposited in the morgue of the Ekiti State University Teaching hospital.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, confirmed the incident.

    He said: “The attack on the police officer could have been a reaction of criminal elements to the cleansing operation being carried out by the command.

    “You know that since our new Police Commissioner, Mr. Asuquo Amba came on board, he initiated a Joint Task Force carrying out Operation Make Ekiti Safe and many criminals had either been arrested or killed in the process.

    “The men carrying out the operation were drawn from the Army, Police, Immigration and NSCDC. They were diligent in their duties and this might be one of those ways to frustrate us by criminals.

    “We are assuring our people that we remain focused. We won’t be bogged down by this incident and we shall trail the perpetrators of this crime and make sure they face the full weight of the law.”

  • Court resumes trial of Fayose Feb. 7

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday fixed Feb. 7 for continuation of trial of the immediate past Governor of Ekiti, Mr Ayodele Fayose, over alleged N6.9 billion fraud.

    The case which was earlier fixed for today for continuation of cross-examination of the fifth prosecution witness, has been shifted to Thursday.

    On the next adjourned date, both the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), and the defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), will address the court on the admissibility of an extrajudicial statement made by a party who is not standing trial.

    Fayose was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Oct. 22, 2018 alongside a company Spotless Investment Ltd on 11 counts.

    He had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court had granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

    EFCC had opened case for the prosecution on Nov. 19, 2018, and called four witnesses.

    On Jan. 21, the prosecution called its fifth witness, Sen. Musliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence.

    At the last adjourned date on Feb. 5 (Tuesday), Obanikoro was still under cross examination by second defence counsel Ojo, who was expected to continue on the next date.

    According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

    Read Also: Obanikoro: No record of cash collected from Dasuki for Fayose

    Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

    He was also alleged to have retained N300 million in his Zenith Bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which sum he ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

    Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

    Besides, the accused was alleged to have used the aggregate sum of about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which sums he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

    The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.

    The offences contravened Sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

  • Buhari thanks Ekiti Obas for supporting Fayemi

    • Promises more FG projects

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Ekiti Obas for their support which led to the election of Governor Kayode Fayemi during the July 14, 2018 election.

    The President, who recalled he enlisted support of the Obas for the governor during his meeting with them few days to the election, said he was happy they are still supporting the current administration in the state.

    He said he was convinced that Governor Fayemi would perform creditably as Governor, having put up a stellar performance as Minister in his cabinet. He added that he is impressed by the Governor’s record of performance so far.

    President Buhari, who cited the national railway line that was re-designed to ensure it passes through Ekiti State and the dualiasation of Ado-Ekiti- Akure road as some of the federal government projects in Ekiti State, said the state would benefit more in the next four years if voted in again as President.

    “I am here again to ask for your support which I usually get from you”, the President told the obas, who were led to the meeting by the chairman of the state council of traditional rulers, HRM, Oba Michael Oluwole Ademolaju.

    In his welcome address, Governor Kayode Fayemi said the APC-led government has a record of putting the people first. This, according to him is the experience of the people of Ekiti, who he said had started enjoying the dividends of good governance in the past three months.

    Dr Fayemi said regular payment of workers salaries and pensions was being given priority attention by his government in line with the President Buhari’s belief that workers should not be denied their wages under any circumstance.

    Fayemi who said the Ekiti people fully embraced the change agenda said the party is busy working to ensure that it post 90 per cent of the votes for President Buhari in the February 16 election.

    Governor Fayemi who also congratulated President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo over the latter’s escape from the helicopter crash attributed the Vice President’s escape to the fact that God has a purpose for his life.

    The spokesperson for the traditional rulers and Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, HRM Oba Adebayo Adewole, thanked the President for his developmental strides in Ekiti State including connecting the state to the national railway project, adding, however, that the state would be expecting more in the next four years.

    Specifically, the Oba Adewole urged President Buhari to appoint an Ekiti son or daughter to fill the state quota as minister in the federal cabinet.

    Present at the meeting were the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Governors of Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ondo states.

    Others include the state deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; deputy national chairman of the party and former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Deputy Governor, Osun state, Otunba Iyiola Omisore.

  • Ekiti introduces e-receipt to eliminate tax fraud

    Ekiti State Government has introduced electronic receipt (e-receipt) as part of reforms in the collection of taxes and revenue generation.

    The state Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said the use of e-receipt would block loopholes through which the state revenue finds its way into private pockets.

    Egbeyemi said this while hosting the national executive officers of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) led by its President, Chief Cyril Ede, in Ado-Ekiti.

    Egbeyemi said with the introduction of e-receipt, no revenue officer in the state was permitted to take cash from members of the public

    He explained that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been directed to stop using manual receipts and key into the new e-receipt regime consequent upon the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    The deputy governor warned people of the state against patronizing middlemen or touts to pay money into any government account.

    He added that the government had also introduced the Direct Bank Lodgment System (DBLS) which would assist in blocking leakages and boost IGR of the State.

    According to him, the state government has hired consultants that will be working round the clock to ensure that no revenue will be lost.

    Read also: Ekiti deputy governor seeks effective justice system

    Egbeyemi explained that with the engagement of consultants, the state now has two operational electronic platforms which are the Auto-reg and e-receipt centre.

    He stated that Gov Kayode Fayemi’s administration was more determined to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to reduce dependence on federal allocations.

    Egbeyemi also called on the people to assist the administration by paying their taxes as and when due to assist the government to provide better service and more social amenities.

    “We know the importance of taxation, it assists the government to perform its responsibilities and we urge our people to always pay their taxes.

    “Regular payment of taxes will boost our IGR and we want our people to be committed to payment of taxes for Ekiti to depend less on allocations coming from the Federal Government,” Egbeyemi said in a statement.

    Earlier, Ede said that CITN, in Ekiti for its joint district society meeting, assists in providing manpower need and professionals in the nation’s tax system.

    The CITN boss, who advocated autonomy for the states’ Internal Revenue Services (IRS), said revenue could be increased through pragmatic reforms of the tax system.

    He also used the forum to request for allocation of land to build the state secretariat of the institute.

  • I’m not surprised with Ekiti tribunal judgement- Fayose

    Former Governor of Ekiti state Ayodele Fayose has declared that he was not surprised by today’s verdict of the tribunal on the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate, Prof Kolapo Olusola.

    “The judgement was already in the public domain and celebrated by the APC more than a week before today,” he said.

    Reacting to the tribunal judgement, dismissing the PDP petition, Fayose said he would have been surprised if it had been otherwise because the judiciary was already coerced by the All Progressives Congress (APC) – led federal government.

    In a statement by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the former governor said the judgement will be appealed and pursued to the Supreme court.

    He expressed optimism justice will prevail ultimately.

    Read Also: Ekiti tribunal upholds Fayemi’s election

    He enjoined Nigerians and Ekiti people to keep hope alive against what he called perversion, suppression and gagging of judges and by extension the judiciary.

    His words: “In fact, the judgement was in public domain and celebrated by APC since the last few days.

    “In the face of all these shenanigans, I still want to congratulate our candidate, my beloved Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola. Be assured victory is ahead.“