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  • Troops nab bandits’ logistic supplier, weapon manufacturer

    Troops on operation “Exercise Harbin Kunama III’’, have arrested a suspect the army described as “notorious’’ bandit logistics supplier, Marwana Abubakar in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    Similarly, Army Spokesperson, Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement that troops have also arrested a local weapons fabricator, Salisu Ibrahim during a raid on suspected facility at Kontagora in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger.

    On Wednesday, based on credible information, troops raided kidnappers’ hideout in Kaduna, killed two suspected bandits and recovered two AK 47 rifles and ammunition.

    Read Also; Troops kill two bandits in Kaduna during raids at hideout

    In a related development, Musa said troops of 6 Division on routine patrol discovered illegal refining sites at Oyakama community in Ahoada West LGA of Rivers and arrested two suspected oil thieves.

    According to him, two pipeline vandals and illegal oil bunkerers were intercepted along Sapele-Warri road in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta and their vehicles destroyed.

    Two pipelines vandals, he added, were arrested at Ogbagbene Jetty in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

  • Osun: Supreme Court ‘ll straighten dissenting verdicts, says SANs

    Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Emeke Ngige and Dr Paul Ananaba on Thursday said it will be good for the for the Supreme Court to resolve the Osun State election dispute and set things straight.

    This, they said, is in view of two dissenting verdicts by the lower tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had vowed to challenge the Court of Appeal verdict that upheld the election of Mr. Gboyega Oyetola as Osun State governor.

    The Election Petition Tribunal had nullified Oyetola’s election and declared the PDP candidate Senator Ademola Adeleke winner of the poll, following which Oyetola challenged the Tribunal’s ruling at the appellate court.

    There were dissenting judgments at both the tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

    Ngige said it would be good for the Supreme Court to resolve all the issues.

    “The PDP has already given an indication that they will appeal to the Supreme Court. I think that the matter will end in the Supreme Court.

    “Since there is a dissenting judgment from one of the Justices of the Court of Appeal, I believe it will be good for the matter to end up in Supreme Court.

    “This is so that all the issues will be resolved once and for all. Any of the parties going on a further appeal to the Supreme Court is welcome. It will be a welcome development,” Ngige said.

    Read Also: Sen. Adeleke reacts to Appeal Court judgement

    One of Adeleke’s lawyers, Dr Paul Ananaba (SAN), confirmed to The Nation that the PDP candidate was dissatisfied with and would appeal the judgment.

    “I am a counsel in the matter for the PDP candidate, so, I shouldn’t make comments on it.

    “But I can confirm to you that that we are filing an appeal. We are working on the appeal already. There is no speculation,” he said.

    Ananaba was optimistic that Adeleke would overturn the decision at the Supreme Court.

    “Why not? Even among the Justices (of the Appeal Court), didn’t they disagree? That shows that even among them, one of them believes that the decision was not right,” he said.

  • Breaking: I’m heading to Supreme Court, says Adeleke

    The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has vowed to challenge, before the Supreme Court, Thursday judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

    He said, in a statement, that he was disappointed by the judgment, which revered the judgment of the election tribunals, which upheld the petition he and his party filed against the outcome of the election.

    Adeleke, representing Osun West Senatorial district, said: “I received with dissatisfaction the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the ruling of the election petition tribunal which had duly returned me as the validly elected governor of Osun state.

    “I have subsequently instructed my counsel to prepare for an appeal against today’s judgement at the Supreme Court immediately.

    “Today’s judgement relied on weak technical foundation. The substantive issue which formed the basis of the lower tribunal judgement was relegated to the background.

    “We are reviewing the full ruling and action has already commenced to appeal the judgement and ensure the eventual retrieval of the stolen mandate.

    “To the good people of Osun state, don’t be downcast. The struggle for good governance and retrieval of People’s mandate cannot be truncated by any flawed judgement. We are taking the legal battle further to the topmost court in the land. I am confident the apex court will upturn today’s unsustainable ruling.

    Read Also: Alleged forgery: Court grants Adeleke N2m bail

    “To all members of PDP in Osun State and my campaign Organisation, the struggle is now at the most critical stage.

    “We cannot waiver nor slow down. We must forge ahead in high spirit until final victory is attained. In this endeavour, I promise to provide the leadership as the genuine governorship mandate holder in Osun state.

    “My good people of Osun state, I know the pain and suffering you are passing through. The move to reclaim your mandate is still very much alive despite the jaundiced ruling of today.

    “We will not abandon the mandate you freely conferred on us. We will deploy all legal means to retrieve the stolen mandate.

    “I appreciate the massive support from home and abroad. We shall triumph at last.”

  • Kidnapping: Police talk tough, arrest 545 suspects

    The police on Thursday said 545 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers had been arrested, 105 assorted weapons and a large cache of ammunition recovered since January, assuring Nigerians of new strategies to take the criminals off circulation.

    Among the strategies adopted, The Nation gathered was a stronger partnership with telecommunication operators for easy tracking of criminal gangs and their sponsors.

    Already, reforms have commenced in operations, intelligence, investigation, training, science and technology and innovation (STI), and monitoring and evaluation within the service, our Correspondent learnt.

    It was gathered that a total of 261 suspected kidnappers, 535 armed robbers, 326 murder suspects have been arrested and 361 firearms plus large cache of arms recovered since Adamu assumed duty as acting IG with some of them already charged to court.

    A statement Thursday by police spokesman Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner (DCP) said the adopted strategies would be purposeful and intelligence-driven, targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the nation and bringing the perpetrators, their collaborators to justice.

    “The operation will involve the deployment of undercover operatives, decoy operations and high-level tactical missions with active participation of operatives drawn from the conventional police units, the Force Intelligence Unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squads (SARS), the Special Anti-kidnapping Squads and the Police Tactical Units comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Special Forces.

    “The IGP, while commending the public for their understanding and support so far, reassures the nation that the end to violent crimes and other sundry criminal activities is in sight.

    “He promised that the Force under his leadership will continue to work with other relevant stakeholders in the task of making Nigeria safer and better,” Mba said.

    Mba also disclosed that operatives deployed for Operation PUFF ADDER on May 5, rescued 27 kidnapped victims including five Chinese who were whisked away at Bobi, Niger State on April 19 in an operation that left two of the criminals dead.

    The other 22 hostages were rescued in Zamfara State and other parts of the country.

    Read Also: Police confirm six dead, houses burnt in Taraba communal clash

    “The Chinese citizens who were earlier kidnapped on April 15, in Bobi, Niger State were safely and successfully rescued on May 5, 2019 from a forest in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, following painstaking investigative efforts, including both air and ground surveillance.

    “22 other kidnap victims were rescued in Zamfara State and other parts of the country.
    “Between January and the first week of May, a total of 270 suspected kidnappers, 275 suspected armed robbers were arrested and 105 assorted weapons plus a large cache of ammunition recovered,” he said.

    These assurances came on the heels of revelations by the acting Inspector General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu recently that 1,071 have been killed across the country this year with 767 of the total figure emanating from the north.

    Speaking at the quarterly Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council meeting held in Kaduna on April 30, Adamu had disclosed that 436 of the killings occurred in the northwest, 250 in north-central and 130 in the south. Zamfara State currently plagued by armed banditry topped the list with 203 killings and 281 kidnap and 18 armed robbery cases.

    “The North-Central geopolitical zone with a total of 81 armed robbery cases represents the zone with the highest rate while Niger State, the FCT and Zamfara State with 32, 23 and 18 cases, respectively occupy the three topmost states in the national armed robbery profile,” Adamu told the gathering.

    Irked by the realities, the IG who assured Nigerians of new approaches to contain insecurity, disclosed that the strategies would complement efforts of ongoing Operation PUFF ADDER.

  • Kidnapped Daura District Head: FG confirms arrest of key suspects

    The Federal Government on Thursday confirmed the arrest of principal suspects in the abduction of the District Head of Daura in Katsina State, Alhaji Musa Umar.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, ‎ Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, confirmed the arrest of principal suspects implicated in the incident, while addressing State House correspondents at the end of a security meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Umar, who is also the father-in-law to Buhari’s Aide-de-Camp, Col. Mohammed Abubakar, was kidnapped by four gunmen on May 1.

    The abductors were said to have stormed his Daura residence at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday and fired gunshots into the air, making bystanders to scamper for safety.

    Umar was said to have just returned from the mosque where he took part in the evening prayer, when the incident occurred.

    Ibas said “serious efforts are being made, key suspects have been arrested and it is hoped that in a short while, those behind the heinous crime will be brought to book.’’

    He noted that cases of kidnapping had dropped drastically in the last few days as security agencies had intensified efforts in curbing the menace.

    “You will recall that during the last meeting, the Inspector-General of Police was directed to address the situation and consequently, various operations were set up; Puff Adder was one of the strategies.

    “With the set-up of that operation, there has been a remarkable drop in the number of kidnappings.

    “What normally would attract attention is when a key person in government, perhaps, is kidnapped. On the whole, the number of kidnappings has dropped and generally, I think that the security situation is improving,’’ he said.

    Read Also: District head of Daura Musa Umar kidnapped

    On the security briefing, the navy chief said that the meeting was basically meant to apprise the President of the security situation after his short vacation abroad.

    He said that the security agencies briefed him on what had been happening across the country with particular emphasis on the proliferation of small arms and what they were doing to curtail the consequences.

    According to him, the president has also given directives that the agencies should do much more to ensure that Nigerians go to bed and wake up feeling healthy and confident that their security is guaranteed.

    The security meeting was attended by Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno; Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufa’i.

    Others besides the Service Chiefs and Inspector-General of Police were Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari and Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

  • Insecurity: Buhari gives service chiefs marching orders

    Contrary to the popular views that kidnapping is on the increase, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibom Ekwe-Ibas said that the security situation in the country is improving.

    He noted that overall, the number of kidnapping has dropped. This he adduced to the recent setting up of operation “Puff Adder” following President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the Inspector General of Police.

    Buhari also issued fresh directives to the security chiefs on Thursday directing them to end the security challenges bedevilling the country.

    The president met on Thursday with the service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to review the security situation and address the various concerns.

    This is the second time within the week that the president will be meeting with the security heads.

    Buhari had on Tuesday received briefing from the security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Naval Chief spoke Thursday after about four hours meeting with the president.

    Briefing State House Correspondent at the end of the meeting, Ekwe -Ibok said the president ordered them to ensure that Nigerians go to bed with their eyes closed, feeling confident that their security is guaranteed.

    Ibas on the purpose of the meeting said: “It was just basically to appraise Mr. President of the security situation generally after his short vacation abroad. The security agencies briefed him on what has been happening with particular emphasis on the proliferation of small arms and what the various agencies are doing to curtail the consequences of this proliferation.

    “He has also given directives that the agencies should do much more to ensure that Nigerians go to bed and wake up feeling healthy and confident that their security is guaranteed.”

    On kidnapping, the Naval Chief said: “You will recall during the last meeting, the IG was directed to ensure insecurity is addressed and consequently various operations were set up; Puff Adder was one of the strategies. With the set up of that operations, there has been a remarkable drop in the number of kidnappings. What normally would attract attention is when a key person in government perhaps is kidnapped. On the whole, the number of kidnappings has dropped and generally I think the security situation is improving.”

    Speaking on the kidnapped District Head of Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar, Ibas revealed that two suspects have been arrested.

    He said: “ Serious efforts are being made, key suspects have been arrested and it is hoped that in a short while, those behind the heinous crime will be brought to book.”

    Umar, was kidnapped by four unidentified gunmen at his residence shortly after he returned from the mosque where he took part in the evening prayer when the incident happened.

    Read Also:  Buhari reappoints CBN governor Emefiele for second term

    Umar, who is reportedly the father-in-law of the ADC to President Buhari, was sitting in front of his house with some people when the gun-toting men came.

    Those in attendance were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadique.

    Others are, acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan- Ali, Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahaman Dambazau ,Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, and the Director General of Department for State Service (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau were also part of the meeting.

  • Appeal Court to deliver judgments in Onnoghen’s appeals Friday

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has scheduled judgments for Friday in four of the many appeals filed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.

    The court made this known on Thursday in the hearing notices it sent to parties in the appeals.

    The appeals formed part of those filed by Onnoghen against some of the decisions by the Code of Conduct

    Tribunal (CCT) in the course of his trial on charges of non-disclosure of assets.

    Onnoghen was convicted on April 18 this year for violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

    The CCT ordered his removal from office, barred him from holding public office for 10 years and ordered the forfeiture of funds in his domiciliary accounts with Standard Chartered Bank.

    The four appeals were heard on February 27, 2019 by a three-man panel led by Justice Stephen Adah.

    The panel, after taking arguments from parties, in respect of the appeals, said they will be informed when judgments were ready.

    The appeals are CA/A/44c/2019; CA/A/CA/A/63c/19; CA:A/70c/2019 and CA/A/114c/2019.

    Onnoghen is, by his first appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to hear the charge against him, being a serving judicial officer.

    Read Also: South-South govs seek dignified exit for Onnoghen

    He is, in the second appeal, querying the propriety of the CCT’s ruling of January 14 this year, in which it elected to hear all pending applications

    The third appeal is against the CCT ex-parte order directing Onnoghen to vacate office as CJN and for President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint an acting CJN.

    The fourth appeal challenges the competence of the warrant of arrest issued against the suspended CJN by the CCT.

    The arrest warrant, issued on February 13 this year, was vacated by the CCT on February 15 when Onnoghen voluntarily attended the sitting of the CCT, during which he was arraigned.

  • ‘NANS lied on meeting with Akeredolu’

    Ondo state government on Thursday debunked the allegation of an encounter between the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    The president of NANS, Bamidele Akpan, in a statement, presented ‘distorted’ claims about the details of the meeting between the governor and the students.

    Akpan had claimed, among others that the governor walked out on the students and that the students were tear-gassed. Nothing can be farther from the truth than these.

    A statement through the Chief Press Secretary,(CPS) to the governor, Segun Ajiboye said ” We are compelled to put the records straight because of the attempt of the Akpan leadership of NAN to deceive innocent Nigerians.

    “It may interest you to know that the NANS leadership was received by the governor in his office despite a very tight schedule of the day, which began with a State Executive Council meeting that lasted till about 7pm.

    ” When eventually he was ushered in to meet the governor, Akpan used the first 30 minutes to talk about personal matters. He would later plead with the governor to allow other members of his team to join the meeting, a request that the governor also obliged.

    “The governor listened to their requests and took his time to explain the situation. He explained that the decision to increase the fee was solely that of the institution, but that as a father, he had intervened and directed that all the students should be allowed to write the tests and examinations.

    ” Several times during the meeting, even as the governor would be talking, Akpan would interrupt and insist that he be allowed to speak. Then, he threated that he would make the state ungovernable for the governor with protests.

    “At that stage, the governor said it was the right of the students to stage protest to press home their demands, but advised that such protest should be organised peacefully without the destruction of both private and public property.

    The NANS president would not allow the governor to talk, as he continued to speak and shout obscenities and threats of war, all these happened right inside the office of the governor.

    Read Also: Akeredolu seeks more investment in primary healthcare

    He urged the governor to come downstairs to see the bus he came with, which he said was given to him by the governor of Abia State. He boasted about how many governors have received him with gifts.

    It is important, at this stage to explain here that the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration has not only put in place policies to improve the lives of the citizens, it has consistently ensured that the wellbeing of the people is the priority of the government.

    In the last two years, basic education in the state has been free and has remained so while the free shuttle programme has also been sustained. You will recall that an education summit of all stakeholders was held within its first year of the administration.

    On the last count, more than 700 public primary schools have either been reconstructed or refurbished and fitted with facilities to help both pupils and teachers.

  • We’re only answerable to God, Acting CJN declares

    The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad said on Thursday that the Supreme Court operates independently and is never dictated to by anyone.

    “We take our time in taking notes and writing judgments to avoid making mistakes. We subject every case before us to intense debates and arguments during our conferences in order to be as dispassionate and objective as possible.

    ‘’Let me state clearly that we are not answerable to anybody and can never be intimidated by anybody whatsoever in taking our decisions.

    “But for certain, we are only answerable to God Almighty because he is the owner of our lives. No human being, living or dead can influence the reasoning or judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “We are very independent in Supreme Court because of the enormity of the trust and responsibility reposed in us by the almighty God, the Constitution and our dear nation,” Muhammad said.

    The Acting CJN spoke in Abuja while addressing the management of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

    He noted that the nation’s Supreme Court remains the busiest and most hardworking Supreme Court in the world, in view of the number of appeals received and heard on weekly basis as well as the number of judgments delivered within short durations.

    “I beat my chest to say that there is no Supreme Court in the world that works the way Supreme Court of Nigeria does.

    “Except when we go on our annual vacation between late July and early September of every year, we keep hearing appeals. It is on record that there is no day of the week, between Monday and Friday that we don’t sit.

    “We deliver judgments on Fridays. Sometimes, we give as much as 35 judgments on some Fridays. We often times over-stretch ourselves, as we work assiduously day in, day out.

    “If you see the number of appeals that come to this court on a regular basis, it will shock you.

    “Basically, as it is today, there is nothing we can do about it for now, except there is a Constitutional amendment. Ideally, it is not every case that is supposed to reach Supreme Court. Some ought to be terminating at the Court of Appeal.’’

    Muhammad assured that will always endeavour to bend over backwards, to give all cases involving both private individuals and other critical sectors expeditious hearing and attention, as part of its contribution to the nation’s economic development.

    Earlier, the AMCON Chairman, Muiz Banire (SAN) said his agency, established in 2010, acquired over 120,000 loans from 23 banks totalling N3.8trn.

    The AMCON Chairman further stated that additional N2.2trn was paid as financial accommodation for the then ailing banks.

    Read Also: Court asks Buhari, NJC,others to justify Muhammad’s choice for CJN

    He noted that the total current exposure as at April 30th, 2019, according to him, is N4.19 trillion, with an excess of 7,000 outstanding obligors.

    Banire said, unfortunately, the top 350 obligors account for 82% of the outstanding loans of N4.19 trillion, while just the top 100 made up 67%.

    He revealed that top 20 accounts with total current exposure of N1.71 trillion, made 41% of the total current exposure of N4.19 trillion.

    Banire noted that the major handicap of the Corporation, he stated, is the delay tactics often employed by the defaulters to frustrate the cases currently pending in various courts across the country.

    Other Justices of the Supreme Court at the event were Olukayode Ariwoola, Kekere-Ekun, Musa Dattijo, Ejembi Eko and Uwani Abba-Aji.

  • Davido reacts to uncle’s defeat, says Appeal Court’s judgement not the end

    Music star, Davido, has expressed his disappointment at the ruling of the Court of Appeal which declared Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the elected governor of Osun State.

    Davido took to his Instagram page to react to the court ruling which was not in favour of his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    According to him, this is not the end of the journey as he thinks there would be a victory when the case shifts to the Supreme Court.

    “My people, we cannot hide our disappointment. This judgment of the Court of the Appeal. It hurts, it’s extremely painful, but guess what? It is not the end. Far from it.

    “Everyone, remain calm. I want to urge all our supporters to remain calm at this time. As you all know, there is one last and important lap.

    “It is time for the last lap and the God I know and serve is in control,“ he said.

    Read Also: Davido celebrates `wifey’ Chioma at 24

    Davido continued by saying: “We have won the first leg. We have lost the second leg but I am certain that the highest court in the land will rectify and restore all that has been stolen from us with this judgment.

    “Everyone stay calm and stay safe! See you at the Supreme court,“ he wrote.

    Davido’s response was coming barely a few hours after the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja overturned the judgment of the election tribunal that declared Adeleke winner of the election in the state.