The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria News

  • Court remands Sowore, co-defendant in DSS custody

    The Federal Court High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, in the custody of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), pending the hearing of their bail application.

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu fixed Friday for the hearing of their bail application.

    Read Also;  Sowore declines to take plea to FG’s 7-count charge

    Sowore was arraigned on seven counts of treasonable felony and other sundry offences.

    They pleaded not guilty to the seven counts when read to them.

  • Nigerians say they have reasons to celebrate country at 59

    Many Benue residents say are grateful to God for sustaining the corporate existence of the country and guiding its leaders to navigate it through difficult times.

    A cross section of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi that they had many reasons to celebrate the country at 59 years of age.

    They, however, appealed for more patriotism from the citizens to help sustain its corporate existence and attain higher heights.

    They said that significant achievements were made in all sectors of the economy over the years but admitted that there was need to urgently address the challenges facing the country for rapid development.

    A don, Dr Aondoakaa Asambe, said there was every reason to celebrate Nigeria at 59 as there was no country in the world today without its own share of challenges to bear.

    “For the fact that Nigeria has been able to manage her affairs for those past years is enough reason to celebrate.

    “Those that see Nigeria as a sinking ship; it is time for them to realise that the country belongs to all of us and they have no other country they can call their own other than Nigeria.

    “This is the time for them to contribute in whatever little way they can to redeem their own image and that of the country.

    Read Also: Muslims offer prayers to mark Nigeria’s independence anniversary

    “For the irredentist secessionists and revolutionists, this is the time to reassess the Nigerians psyche and realise that Nigerians are not ready to commit any act of senseless and nonsensical killings in the name of secession and revolution,” he warned.

    For Mrs Mimi Orubibi, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue, ” it is time for the country to place more emphasis on vocational education rather than certificates”.

    According to her, having come such a long way, the country needs to emulate other nations by urgently developing the human capacity of her citizens as most certificate holders at the moment cannot defend them in the open market.

    She, however, lauded the country’s achievements in the communication sector, but expressed regret that it still faced infrastructure deficits.

    The former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said the nation’s challenges were not religious, ethnic and restructuring but greed, selfishness and brazen criminality by a few powerful people across the country.

    “A few powerful people use ethnicity and religion to rape and milk Nigeria dry. They hypnotize the ordinary people with religion and ethnicity.

    “I don’t think we have started. We only seem to be moving fast but just to remain where we are. The rot is too much and has overwhelmed the anti -corruption fighters, “he said.

     

    (NAN)

  • BREAKING: Sowore declines to take plea to FG’s 7-count charge

    Convener of the #RevolutionNow Protest, Mr Omoyele Sowore, pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

    Sowore, who has been in detention since August 3, was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Service, (DSS).

    Details shortly…

  • Gunshot in Bayelsa Assembly as Speaker makes away with Mace

    There was panic and gunshots in Bayelsa House of Assembly on Monday as speaker leaves with mace.

    It was gathered that while the House was sitting, Speaker Emmanuel Isenah adjourned the plenary indefinitely in a tactical manoeuvre to foil his removal.

    But thugs were said to have immediately stormed the House, shooting sporadically and made away with the mace.

    Details shortly…

  • BREAKING: Gunmen abduct professor, kill brother

    Gunmen have abducted a Professor of Soil Science in Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, Adamu Zata and killed his brother, Dr Sheda Zata.

    The kidnappers killed the professor’s younger brother, a veterinary doctor, possibly in panic, according to a family source, Mr Padio Phin.

    He said the twin incidents occurred in the early hours of Monday at the professor’s residence in Girei, near Yola

    The source told our correspondent that Dr Sheda, who decided to spend the night with the professor after having come from his rural posting to collect his salary in the state capital, was coming out of his room on hearing the commotion of the gunmen in the house when they shot him.

    “You know, these people are on edge when they operate. They shot Dr Sheda when they heard his door open and sighted him come out of his room,” Phin said.

    This is the second time in a year that the MAUTECH professor would be kidnapped.

    Read Also: Three suspected kidnappers burnt to death in Abuja

    Last October, he was abducted from the same residence and released after his family reportedly paid a ransom of N2 million.

    A neighbour said more than 10 armed men broke into the house of the professor around 2:00am and took him, killing his 49-year-old younger brother in the process.

    The Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident.

    He said the Commissioner of Police had deployed operatives to apprehend the kidnappers.

     

     

  • Three suspected kidnappers burnt to death in Abuja

    Angry Mob Monday morning burnt to death three suspected kidnappers at Dutse Alhaji area in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The suspects were three young men and a female victim, who has been rushed to Kubwa General Hospital for treatment.

    At the scene of the incident, a Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) officer, Mr Aminu Umar, told NAN that the incident happened at about 8:00a.m. when a lady inside moving vehicle was heard screaming for help.

    “The lady was suddenly pushed out of the vehicle while screaming. A motorist, who saw what had happened, pulled over in front of the vehicle and blocked it under the Dutse Bridge.

    “From there, Okada riders (motorcyclists) surrounded the vehicle and told them to come out.

    “They asked them if the vehicle was one chance (kidnappers) and the next thing, they started beating them and eventually put fire on them and the vehicle,” he said.

    Mr Sylvanus Ekpenyong, Route Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said that his men were alerted of the event by some people while on duty at Dutse.

    “We were at Dutse junction and we got information that there was traffic building up before the Dutse Bridge because a vehicle was on fire.

    Read Also; Photo: Fire razes car on Abuja highway

    “We rushed down there to clear the road only to see three dead burnt bodies and a burnt vehicle.

    “When we made inquiries from eye witnesses, they said it was one chance (kidnappers).

    “So we are here to ensure free traffic flow of vehicles but we don’t know the exact group of people who burnt them,” he said.

    An eye witness who is also a motorcyclist, Mr Aliyu Mohammed said that angry motorcyclists attacked and burnt the suspects because it was obvious they were kidnappers as described by the victim.

    Mohammed said that it was the normal tactics of kidnappers operating in Abuja to push victims out of their moving vehicle after carrying out their illegal act.

    He, however, said that the incident of today would serve as a warning to all those involved in such activities within the territory.

    NAN also reports that security agents were on ground to ensure the bodies of the suspects were evacuated to a nearby mortuary as they ensured peace and free flow of vehicles in the area.

  • BREAKING: Court rejects suit against composition of FG, Service Chiefs’ appointment

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit challenging the composition of the Federal Government and appointments made in military and paramilitary agencies of the Federal Government.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Monday, held that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi (the legal right to approach the court) to file the suit.

    Justice Ekwo held that not only was the subject of the suit outside the objectives for which the plaintiff – Incorporated of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International (KHRFI) – was registered, the group, on whose behalf it claimed to have filed the suit – Igbo Youths Democrats – was not a registered body with the power to sue and be suit.

    Read Also: Five held for real estate ‘scam’

    The plaintiff had, in the suit, filed in 2017 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/81/2017, argued among others that the exclusion of Nigerians of Igbo extraction from the appointments made in most of the agencies of the Federal Government, particularly the military and paramilitary agencies was discriminatory against the Igbo of Nigeria and a breach of the Federal Character principle contained in the Constitution.

    Details shortly…

  • Photo: Fire razes car on Abuja highway

    A car on Monday caught fire on the outer Northern Expressway by Phase three junction at Kubwa in Abuja.

    NAN

  • PHOTOS: Sowore arraigned before Fed High Court Abuja

    Convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, has arrived the Federal High Court in Abuja for his arraignment on charges of treasonable felony and other sundry offences instituted against him by the Federal Government.

    The DSS on August 3, 2019 arrested Sowore for calling for a revolution through a protest scheduled to hold on August 5.

    This is the first time Sowore will appear in court and any public place since he was arrested.

  • Native doctor, five ‘robbers’ held in Imo

    Police have arrested a native doctor and five robbery suspects in different locations in Imo State. Two of the suspects sustained serious injuries during a gunfire exchange with police.

    Parading the suspects at the Command headquarters Thursday,  Commissioner of Police Rabiu Ladodo gave the names of the suspects as Ikenna Eze, aka Fela, 23, Chukwudi Ezeala aka Infinity, 33, John Ogubuike, 23, Harrison Okoroafor aka Doctor, 21, Abdul Ahmed, 41, and Eze Emeka, 33.

    He said Ogubuike, an alleged notorious armed robber, who had been terrorising Ideato North and South councils of Imo State was arrested on September 4th, 2019 at about 2 pm at Rock View area Owerri, Imo State, by SARS operatives led by ASP Banjoko Oluwemimo.

    Ladodo said the suspect confessed to the crime and took operatives to Isiala Mbano on September 4th,  2019 at about 4.30 pm where one Harrison Okoroafor aka doctor was arrested, adding that Harrison Okoroafor confessed to the crime that they all belong to a five-man armed robbery syndicate.

    “On 11 September 2019 at about 8.30 pm the arrested suspect John Ogubuike took the operatives to their criminal hideout at Anara in Isiala Mbano L.G.A of Imo State, where the leader of the gang Ikenna Eze aka Fela and Chkwudi Ezeala aka Infinity were arrested.

    Read Also: Native doctor jailed 21 years for raping, impregnating daughter

    The police commissioner said during the arrest there was the exchange of gunfire and in the process, Ikenna Eze aka Fela and Chukwudi Ezeala aka Infinity sustained gunshot injuries on their legs. According to the CP, they were later rushed to hospitals for treatment.

    “They further took police operatives to Lumpata Gariki Market along Abia Okigwe Expressway Abia State, where one Abdul Ahmed was arrested on 18 September, 2019 while  Abdul Ahmed, in turn, took operatives to North Bank Area of Makurdi in Benue State, where the robbed Toyota Spider 2017 model saloon car black in color was recovered.

    “On 20 September 2019 at about 8 30 pm, one of the arrested notorious armed robbers Chukwudi Ezeala aka Infinity took police to Igbele Enugu Ezike in Igbueze North L.G.A of Enugu State, where one Eze Emeka a native doctor was arrested.”

    The police boss said immediate search was conducted in the native doctor’s shrine which led to the recovery of the gang’s weapons: one double-barrel gun cut to size; one locally made single barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended cartridge.

    Eze Emeka confessed to the crime, stating that he bought the guns from Chukwudi Ezeala aka Infinity.

    On 23 September, 2019 the arrested suspects Ikenna Eze and Chukwudi Ezeala aka Infinity further took operatives to Anara in Isiala Mbano L.G.A of Imo State, where one robbed Toyota sienna bus color blue was recovered in a Mechanic workshop. The recovered Toyota Spider saloon car was robbed on 6 August 2019 at about 8.30 pm from the owner one Mbah Romanus along Umueshi Dikenafai Road Ideato South L.G.A of Imo State on gunpoint.