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Tag: Nigeria

  • We did not exonerate Osinbajo of N90bn allegation – CAN

    The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday said it did not exonerate Vice President Yemi Osinbajo of the N90 billion allegation.

    CAN on Friday threw its weight behind Osinbajo over the N90 billion allegation leveled against him by a former spokesman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Timi Frank.

    National President of (CAN), Rev. Supo Ayokunle and its members last Friday visited Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa over the alleged N90 billion and ,according to Ayokunle, prayed for him.

    Frank had alleged the Vice President collected N90 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) to fund the 2019 election.

    A statement in Abuja by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant (Media &Communications) to Rev. Samson Ayokunle said the Christian body does not endorse corruption.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Osinbajo will have the last laugh, says Pastor Bakare

    According to him: “The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) can never endorse corruption and has never exonerated anyone accused of corruption because we are not a court of law.

    “Anyone accused of corruption has to prove his or her innocence with documentary evidence before the court of competent jurisdiction as we all know before his or her innocence can be upheld.

    “CAN leadership visited the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last Friday to hear his side of the story instead of rushing to the press either to condemn him or throw our weight behind him. This we believe, there is no law that is against our action.

    “After we had interacted with him and he said that the allegation was baseless and should be treated as rubbish, and not only that, that he said that he was going to pursue the matter legally to prove his innocence, we then assured him that if he is proved innocent, then we throw our weight behind him.

    “We thereafter prayed for him and our nation Nigeria. We urged him to continue to serve the nation with clean hands.

    “The leadership of CAN has never endorsed corruption. In our earlier visits to President Muhammadu Buhari, we had praised him for fighting war against corruption but urged him to make it comprehensive, sparing no one irrespective of political affiliation.”

  • DSS arrests human rights activist, Chido Onumah

    The Department of State Security Service (DSS) has arrested a human rights activist, Dr. Chido Onumah.

    According to a statement by The African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), the activist, who authored a nook called, “We are all Biafrans”, was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his return from a trip abroad.

    Onumah has just completed his PhD course.

    But there were fears that Onumah was picked up by operatives following inscriptions on his T-shirt, suspected to have reflected the title of his book.

    Read Also: Court orders DSS to release Sowore to Falana

    The statement by AFRICIMIL, which was signed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said it was alarmed over the arrest of its Coordinator, Mr Chido Onumah, this evening, by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS).

    The stayement said: “Onumah was picked up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his return from a trip abroad.

    “AFRICMIL condemns in strong terms the unjustifiable arrest of Onumah and demands his immediate and unconditional release.

    “Waylaying law-abiding citizens should not be turned into the preoccupation of an entire security outfit.”

  • 11 things you should know about Nigeria

    11 things you should know about Nigeria

    Below are 11 important facts about Nigeria:

    – Nigeria is the 32nd-largest country in world with a landmass of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi).    – The highest point in Nigeria is Chappal Waddi at 2,419 m (7,936 ft) in Taraba state.- Late Benedict Odiase, a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, composed the music of the national anthem.

    – The words of the national anthem was composed by four Nigerians: Dr. Omoigui, John Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B.A Ogunnaike, and P.O Aderibigbe

    – There are  37 federal owned Universities, 37 State-owned and above 50 private owned universities.

    – The 2006 census puts Nigeria’s population at 140,431,790 million – although there is now an estimate of about 170,000,000 Nigerians.

    – The name Nigeria was coined by Flora Shaw, wife of Lord Lugard, a British colonial administrator.

    – Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world

    – On 1 January 1901, Nigeria became a British protectorate, part of the British Empire.

    – On July 6, 1967 a 30- month war begun with a long siege of Biafra and its isolation from trade and supplies. It ended in January 1970

    – Nigerians went through 33 years of military rule (from 1966 until 1999).

    -Ever heard of the Ship House? That is the name of Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters

  • April trip: Constitution didn’t require me to hand over to Osinbajo, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his decision to not hand over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo when he visited the United Kingdom privately from April 25 to May 5, 2019.

    Buhari said there was no constitutional requirement for him to do so for trips less than 21 days.

    He stated this in response to a suit by a Lagos-based lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, challenging him and the Attorney-General of the Federation for the failure to hand over power to Osinbajo in April.

    The suit marked, FHC/L/CS/763/2019, is before Justice A. O. Faji of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos and will be heard on Monday, October 7, 2019.

    Effiong asked the court to determine whether in view of Section 145 (1) of the Constitution, the President can validly proceed on vacation for any length of time without transmitting a written declaration to the National Assembly to that effect, which will empower the Vice President to perform the functions of the President in an acting capacity.

    Read Also: Buhari denounces Kaduna school of torture

    He asked the court to determine whether Buhari’s vacation without transmitting the written declaration envisaged in Section 145 (1) of the constitution to National Assembly is not in conflict with the provisions of Section 145 (1) of the constitution.

    But the President defended his action via a six-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to on his behalf by a litigation officer in the Civil Litigation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Friday Atu.

    The affidavit reads in part, “It is a fact that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regulates the performance of the duties of the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria in situations where the President is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.

    “That it is a fact that where the President embarks on a vacation or otherwise is unable to discharge the functions of his office and fails to transmit a written declaration to that effect, he will be considered not to have complied with the constitution (as amended).

    “That the time within which the President has to transmit a written letter to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is 21 days.

    “That the President’s foreign trip lasted for nine days from April 25, 2019 to May 5, 2019. The President did not exceed the 21-day period required by the constitution. It is in the interest of justice to dismiss the claims of the plaintiff.”

    Buhari equally asked the court in a preliminary objection to strike out the suit because the lawyer lacks the locus standi to institute the case.

  • Six disasters to watch out for in the ‘ember months’

    Many Nigerians perceive the ember months — September, October, November and December- to be synonymous with mysterious happenings.

    Within these four months, a fever, perhaps sort of anxiety, grips most Nigerians.

    Without doubt, the ‘ember’ months are always the busiest on roads for many reasons and the air of festivity within these periods makes everyone ecstatic.

    From the religious perspective, many people believe these tragic occurrences are caused by evil spirits associated with these months.

    They argue it is a season when prayers should be intensified to curtail the incidence of evil.

    While this fear for the ‘Ember months’ seems to be a natural phenomenon, it is important that we also pay attention to the dangers that have now been associated to what is now termed “the ember months”.

    Fire Outbreak – Fire is one of the major causes of accident during Ember months because the air becomes dryer, thus encouraging chain reaction of fire.

    Ember months usually come with gradual subsiding of the rains and encroachment of the Harmattan haze.

    These Harmattan hazes fuel fire outbreak in marketplaces, offices, worship centers, farms, bushes

    Accidents – In Nigeria, the ember months are known as a period of hectic activity on roads.

    People use this end of year period to engage in business and travel to visit loved ones living far away.

    According to the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), a total of 5,181 Nigerians lost their lives in road traffic crashes (RTC) in 2018.

    Further analysis revealed that the top five causes of road accidents are:

    • Speed violation
    • Wrongful overtaking
    • Dangerous driving
    • Tyre burst
    • Brake failure.

    Other factors that also cause road accidents during this period are: excessive speeding, overloading and impatient passengers making passive comments to the driver while driving.

    Many drivers place their safety at risk by overloading their vehicles.

    Kidnapping – Though insecurity and kidnapping are not new in Nigeria, there are always on the increase in during the ember months.

    Kidnapping has evolved into a lingering, pervasive security threat and fast-paced and multifaceted criminal enterprise.

    It is now perpetrated by diverse armed groups and criminal gangs operating across the country

    Young and old have been victims; others have had the gruesome experience of loosing loved ones to these kidnappers.

    Robbery and other criminal activities – Some of the most common types of robberies experienced in Nigeria are home robberies, car robberies and bank robberies.

    Today, armed robbery is not only one of the biggest threat in Nigeria, but also a social scourge

    Robberies can occur almost anywhere at any time, but tend to occur more often in anticipated settings and at expected times.

    All that is necessary is a motivated robber and an unwilling victim at the wrong place at the wrong time.

    Excessive alcohol intake and smoking – Alcohol is a major factor in many speed-related crashes. Sadly, manufacturers of alcoholic beverages have not been very supportive of anti-drink drive campaigns.

    Small-sized bottles of alcoholic drinks are being consumed by drivers without a thought for safety on the road.

    In some advanced nations such as the United Kingdom, members of the public have adequate information about the legal alcohol limits.

    Reckless driving of commercial vehicles – Some drivers are very reckless. They see themselves as the kings of the road. So, they park, stop and swerve the car indiscriminately. Funny enough, they involve themselves in a car race to know who is a faster driver.

    While doing this, they mistakenly hit pedestrians crossing, traders or even bystanders. This can result in grave injuries or even deaths.

    All these acts are very dangerous to road users and needs to be looked into if we want people to be safe.

    As it has done over the past several years, it is expected that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) will once again embark upon its annual road safety campaign.

    In all that you do during this Ember months, remember to stay safe, be watchful and careful

  • Ukpo – Abba land dispute: Youths warn Chimamanda over attack on Arthur Eze

    The National Association of Igbo Youths (NAIY) have expressed displeasure over comments made by Chimamanda Adichie, a writer, against Prince Arthur Eze in her recent write-up on the land dispute between Ukpo and Abba communities, both in Anambra State and warned that a leader like Eze should be accorded the respect he deserves.

    Describing Eze as “a leading light of Igbo land”, the group said in a statement signed by Okechukwu Ndubuisi, its  National President; Barrister Orji Emeka, its National Secretary and Nnanyelugo Chuks, its Director of Publicity, that it was “with shock and utter disbelief” that they read Adichie’s recent comments.

    “We take this step because Prince Arthur Eze is an uncommon persona and an enigma of the Igbo race. We therefore cannot stand by and watch someone rubbish all that the Prince has worked for over the years with unblemished global acclaim.

    “Prince Eze should be respected by all and sundry, if not for anything, for his philanthropic disposition in the entire Southeast, in assisting Igbo men and Nigerians in general to start-up businesses and escape the scathing heat of poverty and deprivation. This is a man who has lifted so many Igbo youths from misery and made them useful to the society,” the group said.

    Read Also: Who owns the land?

    On the land dispute, the group said: “Many Igbo people, including those of Abba and Ukpo communities have the historical records of the land dispute which Chimamanda has now dabbled into without corresponding knowledge.

    “But we hasten not to put all those facts into writing in view of the fact that the Supreme Court had ruled on this issue and the judgement has put to rest the controversy and affirmed that Ukpo community is the rightful owner of the disputed land.

    “So for the Abba community, where Chimamanda claims to hail from, to now go to a lower court to file a fresh case to hear the matter again as stated by Chimamanda is to say the least, a case of judicial rascality and abuse of judicial processes. Chimamanda has exposed herself that she is not vast in the jurisprudence of the Nigerian legal system, because every pronouncement by the Supreme Court is not only binding on the parties but is an authority which can be cited in other courts and cases,” NAIY said.

    The novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, had, in an article entitled, ‘My Hometown Under Siege,” accused Prince Arthur Eze of being the mastermind behind attacks on her people over the disputed land. According to her: “Prince Arthur Eze has a documented history of muscling his way into contested land – in the past few years he has used the police to terrorize another nearby town, Abagana, after which he annexed their land. But perhaps the clearest evidence that Prince Arthur Eze is the mastermind of the harassment in the Abba-Ukpo case comes from his own words.”

    It would be recalled that although the Supreme Court, in its judgement, declared Ukpo community as the rightful owner of the land, Abba community reportedly took the matter back to a lower court.

  • 2023: ‘We didn’t sponsor campaign group’

    The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has disclaimed a group that stormed the State secretariat of the party in Akure, on Thursday, canvassing support for the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, ahead of 2023. The group had stormed the state secretariat, with banners in a campaign tagged: ‘OSINBAJO 2023.’ It was led by one Bamise Akintomide. The party viewed the effort as “an avoidable distraction.”

    A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Alex Kalejaye, said, “The party wishes to firmly declare that it has no link whatsoever with the said group.” He contended that “the unusual campaign” was an embarrassment to the leaders of the party in the State.

    For the records, the group that could best be described as a non- governmental body, and looked a bit unorganised, only stormed the State secretariat of the party unannounced with their banners and other write-ups.

    “The party notes with deep concerns that a politically sophisticated state like Ondo knows better than engaging in premature campaigns for any election,” the statement read in part.

  • Arson: Man arrested over death of three family members in Kano

    The Kano State Police command on Saturday confirmed the arrest of a 25-year-old man, Salisu Idris, for allegedly setting a house ablaze, killing three occupants who are believed to be members of the same family.

    The incident occurred last Wednesday at Gayawa Tsohuwa village, Ungogo local government area of the state.

    Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who confirmed the arrest, said the victims included the father, the pregnant mother and their 2-year-old daughter.

    “After the incidence, the command’s commissioner of police, Ahmed lliyasu, raised all the tactical units, the area commander of the metro division and the DPO of Zango division and he gave them 24 hours to produce the perpetrators of the heinous act.

    They immediately swung into action. Using our community policing strategies we were able to trace, track and arrest one person by name Salisu Idris at mijinbir town,where he went to take cover at the local government area,” he said.

    Read Also: Cultism: Police arrest cultist for murder of final year student

    Responding to inquiries from reporters, the suspect confessed that he was hired on a promise of N200, 000 to carry out the act. Idris, a mobile phone seller, said he wanted to use the money to enroll into the Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano. “A friend of mine asked me to accompany him to the house. He asked me to come along with him that at the end of the operation he will give me N200, 000. We came around 2pm. And when we came we both climbed unto the building with petrol and immediately the fire was ignited I got caught up and burnt my hands and legs” he confessed.

  • Two drown in Ondo rivers

    A commercial motorcyclist identified as Idowu Akomolafe and one Abiodun Olomiye have reportedly drowned in two separate rivers at the weekend in Ondo State.

    Akomolafe was found dead in a stream at Ijoka area of Akure, the state capital, on Saturday morning, while Olomiye reportedly drowned when he went to swim in a river in Uso town, Owo Local Government on Friday evening. Eye witness said Akomolafe drowned during the heavy rainfall which caused flood in Ijoka area.

    The down pour was said to be too heavy following which the road was flooded and as the late Okada rider was trying to pass through the road he lost control of the motorcycle and was swept away by the raging flood.

    The source said, “The okada rider was swept away by the flood during the rainfall on Friday, it was on Saturday morning that his lifeless body was found by the road side.” Similarly, a police source in Uso said Olomiye went to swim in the river and could not come out of the river. “It was through the help of the local swimmers that his corpse was recovered after several hours of searching for him,” the source stated.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Femi Joseph, confirmed the incidents and said investigation into the matter had commenced.

  • Obaseki suspends another council boss

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has suspended the Chairman of Etsako East Local Government, Alhaji Aremiyau Momoh, for a period of two months over allegations of misappropriation of funds and low revenue profile.

    Last month, the Chairman of Etsako West Local Government, Mr. Yakson Musa, was suspended over alleged fraud in salary payment to ghost workers.

    The suspension of Momoh followed a petition signed by 10 councilors in which several fraudulent allegations were made against him.

    Among the allegations were that the suspended council boss claimed to spend N7m on Sallah gift whereas only N2m was spent and failure to remit N67m collected from trucks taking cement from BUA Cement.

    Read Also: Obaseki is NUT’s best governor

    In a related development, Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has directed the immediate sack of the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Sanitation Agency (ASEPA), Mr Okechukwu Apugo.

    A release by the Commissioner of Information, Chief John Okiyi, said Apugo was sacked over poor sanitation situation in Umuahia, the state capital.

    According to Okiyi, the governor gave the directive while on project tour in the state after passing through Ochendo bypass road and saw heaps of refuse littered along the road.

    Ikpeazu also said he would, in the next four weeks, personally coordinate and supervise evacuation and disposal of refuse within the Aba metropolis.