Politics

Buhari Plots Forceful Retirement Of “Southern” Police AIG To Clear Path For Another IGP From North

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After being handicapped by law from using an unqualified AIG from the North to replace Adamu, Buhari has decided to promote several commissioners to the position of AIG hurriedly. The law requires that an IG can only be appointed from a position no less than AIG, i.e., only a DIG or an AIG could be made an IG.

President Muhammadu Buhari has engineered a desperate and sectional move to hedge out yet another southerner from clinching a crucial federal position under his administration, all aimed at elongating the Northern grip on the nation’s security architecture.

According to Peoples Gazette, a deep-laid plot to suddenly promote Moses Jitoboh, an Assistant Inspector-General of police from Bayelsa, to a higher rank of Deputy Inspector-General has been uncovered, despite having nine service years remaining and currently not the most-senior AIG from the South-South.

Section Seven of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 (PDF) has positioned Jitoboh, 50, as the only qualified officer to become the next Inspector-General out of all the 24 AIGs currently in the Nigeria Police Force.

The presidency-induced promotion scheme, if allowed to stand, will all but guarantee Jitoboh’s elimination from consideration as the next police Inspector-General; while clearing a dubious path for another northerner to take over from Mohammed Adamu.

At least four sources at the Force Headquarters, Police Service Commission and the State House told the newspaper that President Buhari was part of the strategy to forcibly promote Jitoboh to DIG to make his enduring stay in the police untenable beyond February 1, 2021 — when all his DIG peers will retire with Adamu.

To advance the plan, a Deputy Inspector-General has summarily retired from service under apparently puzzling but undisclosed circumstances.

Michael Ogbizi, from Cross River, handed in his early retirement filings late November, even though he had barely two months left to properly retire alongside Adamu and other colleagues from the 1986 course.

Following Ogbizi’s exit, Adamu swiftly requested for Jitoboh’s annual performance evaluation results (APER) to recommend him for urgent promotion to DIG. Extant police leadership order requires a deputy inspector-general from each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to make up the police management team.

The Peoples Gazette’s findings showed that none of the six DIGs representing the six geopolitical zones in the police management structure is eligible for appointment as IG, having fallen short of the required years of service mandated by law.

The police service records showed that two of the DIGs — Celestine Okoye (Southeast) and Lawal Shehu (Northwest) are due for retirement in December 2020, while Aminchi Samaila Baraya (Northeast), Anthony Ogbizi Michael (South-South) and Adeleye Olusola (Southwest) will retire alongside IG Adamu (Northcentral) in February 2021. DIG Sanusi Lemu (Northcentral) is expected to proceed on retirement in January 2023.

The most-recent police staff list (PDF) obtained by the newspaper showed that there are 24 general duty officers in the rank of AIG. Previously, either of the 24 officers could have been appointed as IG by the President.

But the new police law signed by Buhari in September 2020 mandated that only an officer with at least four more service years’ grace could be appointed as IG.

Twenty-three of the 24 AIGs are up for retirement between January 8, 2021, and March 1, 2023, either based on enlistment or age. Only Jitoboh, the youngest of them all, has more than eight years left in service — twice the legal requirement.

Jitoboh’s status should have triggered his preparation to take charge of police affairs from Adamu, a Muslim northerner from Nasarawa, in two months.

But the President and his associates are loath to accept a Christian southerner of Ijaw extraction with the potential to lead the police for nine years — and are now racing to circumvent the law and pave the way for four northern Commissioners of Police to be the only available candidates for the top law enforcement officer.

After being handicapped by law from using an unqualified AIG from the North to replace Adamu, Buhari has decided to promote several commissioners to the position of AIG hurriedly. The law requires that an IG can only be appointed from a position no less than AIG, i.e., only a DIG or an AIG could be made an IG.

Recent administrations have, however, adopted the convention of appointing IGs from AIGs. Senior ranking officers (DIGs) are summarily sacrificed when a junior colleague is appointed in furtherance of the controversial practice.

There are currently 89 officers in the rank of the commissioner in the police, but only 20-24 of them can be promoted as AIGs to replace the current 24 AIGs. They will either be promoted as DIGs or forced to retire alongside Adamu in February.

But out of the 24 commissioners that the presidency is looking to promote to AIG, only four of them have at least four years left in service. And all the four are northerners.

They are Hafiz Inuwa from Jigawa (Northwest, retiring 2024); Dasuki Galandachi from Kano (Northwest, retiring 2025); Habu Sani Ahmadu from Sokoto (Northwest, retiring 2025) and Bala Ciroma from Yobe (Northeast, retiring 2025).

After resolving that only Northern police Commissioners will meet the legal requirements to become IG out of the 24 potential commissioners to be promoted to AIG, the presidency then sought to finalise Jitoboh’s promotion as DIG forthwith, police sources said.

Buhari’s associates quickly found an ally in Ogbizi, who agreed to proceed on retirement to create an excuse for promoting Jitoboh to become the new DIG for the South-South.

Ogbizi’s sudden decision to initiate his voluntary retirement in late November, when he could have just waited for additional two months when he would be officially due to retire, has continued to unsettle senior police officers from the South.

“We are still shocked that he agreed to such a desperate plot to deprive another officer of his region the opportunity of being the next IG,” a police chief told Peoples Gazette under anonymity over the weekend, adding that officers are still seething about the “messy plots.”

Following Ogbizi’s retirement, Adamu on November 26 asked Jitoboh to forward his annual performance results for 2018 and 2019 within a week, according to a memo obtained by the Gazette.

The Force Headquarters is now preparing to forward Jitoboh’s records to the Police Service Commission to approve his promotion as DIG.

But Jitoboh is not the most-senior AIG from the South-South. Austin Agbonlahor from Edo is scheduled for retirement in August 2021 and should have been the one promoted to replace Ogbizi in the police management team, staff records showed.

The newspaper learnt that the President told Ogbizi that he would be made the next chairman of the EFCC if he agreed to go along with the plan.

A PSC source said the presidency had already informed the commission to expedite Jitoboh’s promotion. But the official said the process would be stalled because there was no basis to circumvent the law to prevent the officer from becoming the next IG.

Quite frankly, we have no basis for ignoring the law because we want to prevent one man from attaining a position in the police,” a PSC official said. “The fight is currently being fought from within.”

A presidency source confirmed that two meetings had been held over the past week on who would be the next IG, and it was concluded that Jitoboh should be frustrated from getting the position in favour of Galandachi.

“I can confirm that Dasuki Galadanchi is the first option of the president to become the next IG,” the presidency source said under anonymity to comment on an internal matter.

President Buhari’s strong stance against the emergence of Jitoboh follows his pattern of nepotistic appointments into top positions, said police reform activist Okechukwu Nwanguma — considering that northerners appointed by Buhari currently fills top military and national security positions.

“The president must immediately withdraw from this plot, and the police council should also immediately reject it,” Nwanguma said. “An IG whose loyalty would be to the law and the people rather than to one man that created a path for him to emerge.”

Nwanguma described Buhari as a ‘dyed-in-the-wool sectionalist’, calling on him to ensure compliance with the law he signed and allow Jitoboh to be elevated to the top police job.

Despite glaring evidence, the President has frequently denied allegations of being sectional, often citing his appointment of ministers from southern states without noting that it is a constitutional requirement for all states to have at least one minister in the federal cabinet.

Yet in 2017, Buhari declined to appoint Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, despite a looming constitutional crisis. But when he fell ill and was flown to London for extended medical treatment, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo quickly moved to avert the crisis by forwarding Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

Barely two years later, Buhari ultimately plotted the inglorious ouster of Mr Onnoghen, a southern Christian, expectedly sourcing his replacement from the North.

In 2018, Buhari oversaw the infamous removal and controversial replacement of Matthew Seiyefa, a former acting Director-General of the State Security Service from Bayelsa. After seeing that the senior positions from which he could appoint the next SSS DG were occupied by southerners, Buhari ignored them to name Yusuf Bichi from Kano, years after he retired from service.

Last year, Azuka Azinge was removed from office as registrar-general of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on allegations of false assets filings. Azinge was subsequently replaced with a Northerner and was never prosecuted to the purported allegations.

Ex-PenCom chief Chinelo Anohu was similarly booted out of the office and her position immediately ceded to the North.

Business, Politics

FG announces reduction in fuel price from #168 to N162.44 per litre.

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The Federal Government has announced a reduction in the pump price of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, from N168 to N162.44 per litre with effect from December 14.

The product presently dispenses at N168, following the decision of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company to increase the ex-depot price of petrol from N147.67 per litre to N155.17 per litre in November. The ex-depot price is the price at which the product is sold by the PPMC to marketers at the depots.

The minister said a technical committee has been set up to ensure price stability in the industry.
Ngige stated that the committee, which will report back to the larger house on January 25, will appraise the market forces and other things that would ensure stability in the industry.

He said, “Our discussion was fruitful and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which is the major importer and marketers of petroleum products and customers have agreed that there will be a slide down of the pump price of PMS and that the price cut will get us about N5 per litre and that the price cut will take effect from next Monday, a week today.”

Ngige explained that the price reduction was not meant to suspend deregulation because it did not affect the price of crude oil but on areas where the NNPC as the main importer had agreed that it could cut costs like freight and demurrage costs.

He said the new price slash was a product of a joint committee of NNPC and labour representatives, which looked into ways of cutting costs.

On the aspect of electricity tariff, both sides agreed to wait till the next meeting date on January 25 to enable the special committee dealing with complaints to conclude their deliberations.

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ayuba Wabba, collaborated the position of the minister, saying that the agreement was reached by both sides.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this at the end of a meeting with labour leaders which began around 9 pm on Monday and ended at 1:30 am on Tuesday.

Politics

45-year-old New NANS President, Asefon, Kicks Against #EndSARS Protest.

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Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the new NANS President said the association does not recognise the #EndSARS movement because it does not have a leader.

  The newly-elected President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Sunday Asefon, has condemned the #EndSARS movement, aimed at ending police brutality across the country.

Asefon, 45, said the #EndSARS protest would not solve the problem of police brutality because the Inspector-General of Police had dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit.

In October, youths across the country took to the streets to condemn  human rights abuses by members of SARS.
The protest was later hijacked by hoodlums which led to the loss of lives and property.

This followed the killing of an unconfirmed number of youths by men of the Nigerian Army who invaded the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos and shot some of the protesters.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the new NANS President said the association does not recognise the #EndSARS movement because it does not have a leader.

“Any protest that is faceless, NANS under my watch will not be a party to it,” he said.

Asefon said leaders of the association would be meeting the Nigerian government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) towards ending the eight-month-old strike by university lecturers.

He said he would be consulting with the representatives of the two feuding parties to find common ground to end the prolonged strike.

“I am convinced that this high-level consultation will yield a positive result, and we will not have to resort to mobilising students to mount any protest to this ridiculous long stay at home.

“NANS, under my watch, will not be complicit to such an unending strike and never again will Nigerian students have to stay home this long,” he said in a statement.

Politics, Videos

Abia state governor suspends chief of staff for spraying Indaboski in his office.

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Abia state governor has suspended chief of staff for spraying clergyman, Odumeje Indaboski, money in his office.

His suspension is contained in a statement released by the Secretary to the state government, Barrister Chris Ezem. It state the following;

” Abia state governor , Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has directed the immediate suspension from office of the chief of staff to the governor, Dr ACB Agbazuere. The permanent secretary,government house, Mr Alozie odoemelam, will perform the duties of the office of chief of staff until further notice”.

Thank you

Barr Chris Ezem

Secretary to the state government

06/12/2020

Politics

Nigerians Facing Hardship Caused By #EndSARS Protest, COVID19- Rauf Aregbesola.

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According to the minister, the just concluded #The EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the current hardship Nigerians are facing.

According to the minister, the just concluded #EndSARS protest, which gripped the whole country, has caused a lot of suffering to the people.

Recall that thousands of Nigerians held the #EndSARS campaign in October, taking to the streets to protest police brutality.

The protests resulted in the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the police.

Speaking at the commissioning of a central mosque built by Ta’Awunu Islamic group in Iwo, Osun State, on Saturday, Aregbesola said, “The President is aware of the hardship facing the citizens of the country. This was caused by the pandemic and the #EndSARS protests which erupted in many states of the federation. The president is doing all his best, and I can assure you that very soon, all will be well and we will be happy again.

“My reasons for coming to the state is in two folds; #EndSARS and to remind us that Coronavirus is still very much with us. We can’t afford to return to when the virus was at its peak in the country. That is why we must observe social distancing and use our face masks always. Cases are still being recorded every day.

“During this festive period, we must be cautious. We should obey the holy prophet’s teachings that say, ‘When there is an epidemic somewhere, we should not live there, and those outside should not join until the epidemic is over.’ We must take responsibilities for our lives.”

 

Politics, World News

Alex Azar calls Biden claim on Covid19 vaccine plan ‘nonsense’.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said President-elect Joe Biden’s statement that there “is not plan” to deliver a vaccine for the coronavirus to people across the country “nonsense” during an appearance Sunday on “Fox News Sunday.”

“With all respect that’s just nonsense, we have comprehensive plans from the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] working with 64 public health jurisdictions across the country,” Azar said after Fox’s Chris Wallace played a clip of Biden making the remark.

“There is no detailed plan, that we’ve seen anyway, as to how you get the vaccine out of a container, into an injection syringe, into somebody’s arm,” Biden said in the clip shown by Wallace. 

Azar added that the administration was “leveraging our retail pharmacies, our public health departments, our community health centers,” to get a vaccine out.

He said the rollout was “being micromanaged and controlled by the United States military” as well as the private sector.

“We’re leveraging the systems that are known and that work within the United States,” he said.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that the number of vaccines being delivered by the end of year is now expected to fall far short of promises from the Trump administration that hundreds of millions of doses would come by the end of 2020. 

Azar said he had also said tens of millions of doses would be delivered by the end of the year and that he had been consistent. He also said career scientists were working to make sure no “red flags” were found on the vaccines, but that he was hopeful approvals could be given in days, and that the vaccines could then be delivered across the country quickly. 

Azar went on to say the vaccines represent “the light at the end of the tunnel” and are “why we need people to hang in there” as far as mitigation efforts such as mask-wearing anf social distancing.

Both Pfizer and Moderna are set to submit their vaccines for emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration in the next two weeks. Azar said the first doses could be distributed within days of committee approval.

“Those bright days are ahead and want everyone to be there to get their vaccinations,” he added.

The Hill has reached out to the Biden transition team for comment.

Politics

President Buhari speaks on Bye-Election results, tells APC what to do

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Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has issued a statement on the recent bye-elections organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on saturday.

The President disclosed that the results of the exercise show that his party, the All progressives Congress, APC remains the party of the people.

“Results coming from the states of the long list of bye-elections show definitely that our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), remains the chosen party of Nigerians. We do not take this confidence of the people for granted and we will not fail them.” the statement read.

“Nigerians who appreciate the efforts of the administration in making life better for all citizens, especially under an economy facing the severest test from the global Coronavirus pandemic will not be disappointed.”

“We thank them immensely for their trust in the party and government. We equally thank the Interim Management Committee of the party under the capable leadership of His Excellency Mai Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe State, the Progressive Governors Forum under Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, all our governors, parliamentarians, state, local government and ward level APC chapters and the entire ranks of the membership for this brave and impressionable performance.”

“While congratulating the successful candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, is very pleased with the election outcomes and urges the party to uphold the spirit of hard work, unity, progress, cooperation that forms the bedrock of these victories.”

Politics

45-year-old Civil Servant Emerges NANS President.

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The election which took place on Thursday, was disrupted by violence.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has elected Sunday Asefon as its new President amid chaos and violence that characterised its convention at the old parade ground, Abuja on Thursday.

Asefon, a civil servant with the Ekiti State Government, got 155 votes to defeat his closest rival, Olushola Oladoja, who scored 100 votes.

Sunday Asefon, the 45-year old, reported to be a student of  Ekiti State University, replaced Bamidele Akpan.The election was, on Thursday, disrupted by violence.

About 20 members of the association, who gathered at the old parade ground in Abuja for the convention, sustained wounds from gunshots and machete after thugs loyal to a factional coordinator of the association in Zone D (Southwest) began attacking delegates.
SEE ALSOUPDATED: Violence Rocks NANS Convention As DSS Arrests PRO, Others With Guns0 Comments13 Hours Ago
The thugs, numbering over 20, stormed the venue with dangerous weapons while accreditation of Students Union Government (SUG) Presidents under NANS Zone B and Zone D was in progress.

DSS operatives allegedly arrested the National Public Relations Officer of the association, Azeez Adeyemi, after guns and ammunition were found in a bus belonging to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY).
The security agency also arrested other occupiers of the bus who are students’ leaders from Ogun State.

Politics

Families of slain Borno farmers get N600,000 each.

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Forty-eight families who were bereaved by the killing at a rice field in Borno State have been given N600,000 by the Borno State Government.

The bereaved families were also given bags of food items by a committee assigned by Governor Babagana Zulum to share items received on their behalf.

The shared fund came from combined support of N20m by the Northern Governors’ Forum and N5m by the North East Development Commission.
The committee chaired by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Saina Buba, undertook Thursday’s distribution in Zabarmari.

Zabarmari, where the victims lived, is located in Jere, central part of Borno State. A total of 13,000 bags of rice, maize and beans, 1,300 cans of vegetable oil, 2116 cartons of seasoning cubes, 1,083 sachets of tomato and 650 sachets of salt, which were donated by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, were also distributed.
Buba noted that each family was to combine the N600,000 cash and food items to reduce the hardship resulting from gaps in access to livelihoods created by the death of mostly male victims, who are breadwinners of those affected.

Lifestyle, Politics

Governor Seyi Makinde , Emotional As He Recounts How He Missed Final Moments With Late Mum.

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Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday related how he missed the chance of a final moment with his late mother.

The Governor while speaking in a tribute at the Service of Songs held at The Archade of the Oyo State Government House, Agodi, Ibadan as part of the funeral rites of the late mother, recounted that he had promised to see his mother the weekend after the Ondo election but was unable to pick her calls for the fear of not been able to grant her ‘suspected’ wish of stopping by to see her before the agreed time.

He added that he received the shocking news of her death the following morning noting that although the death of his mother is still a very bitter pill to swallow for him, he will forever cherish the years of relationship he had with her.

Makinde said “It is still very hard for me. The relationship that I share with my mother is like a no other one. I spoke to her on Monday immediately after the Ondo state elections and I told her that I will see her over the weekend, then, I left for Port Harcourt on Wednesday morning.

“And throughout Wednesday she was calling me and I was saying to myself that even if I pick the call, since we were out of town, it wont make any sense because I kind of guess why she was calling me, she wanted me to stop by and see her, so I didn’t pick the call.

“By Thursday morning, they came to wake me up and said, they were knocking on my mum’s door and she wouldn’t answer and then maybe about 15 to 20 minutes later, they forced the door open and they met her, she was gone.”

“It was an experience for me to have spent a little above 52years of my life with my mother. I will forever cherish that relationship.”

In his short exhortation at the event, the Vicar, St Pauls Anglican Church, Yemetu, Dr Samuel Osungbeju recounted the good deeds of the later mother of the Governor calling on others to also remember to take a cue from her.

Other speakers also spoke glowingly of the memory of the late mother at the event which was attend by former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, former Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, President Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Olasupo Ayokunle, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, Arch Bishop Segun Okubadejo among other notable dignitaries.

Lifestyle, Politics

The Wife Of Kogi State Governor, Mrs Rashida Yahaya Bello, Is Allegedly In Dubai For Weight Reduction.

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Reports reaching us is that, the first lady of Kogi state has been in Dubai over 3 months with her entourage I.e. her mum, children, staff and some family members.

A close source disclosed to us that Mrs Bello reportedly took over 10 ambassadorial suite in Armani hotel Burj khalifa , the tallest building in dubai with one suite worth over $3200 ! N1,552,000 per nite …

According to report, she was in American hospital for weight reduction which made her looking more like a teenager while she also undergone liposuction. Recall that Davido took to his IG stories to compliment her kids whom he met at Dubai mall during one of their numerous shopping..

Politics, World News

Human rights writers association of Nigeria slams inspector general of police.

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The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has slammed the Inspector General of Police over what it termed “open and brazen disobedience and disloyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari” who gave clear directive and instruction openly and publicly to the state governments in Nigeria to constitute, judicial panels of inquiry into police brutality which was the basis of the End SARS protests.

The group in a statement on Thursday, described the decision of the police high command under the headship of Mohammed Adamu to institute a suit at the Federal High Court seeking to abort the proceedings at the different judicial panels of inquiry in different states of the Federation, as disgraceful, and a direct affront to the authority of the President of Nigeria and an unmitigated desecration of the Constitution.

HURIWA stated that it is irresponsible, insanely irrational, and senseless for the IGP to deep his hands into the public to file a case against the same public – his employers, adding that the Nigerian people are the employers of the police.

According to the association, “It is an indescribable disgrace that the IGP wants the court of law to stop the victims of police brutality from ventilating their grievances before the properly constituted judicial panel of inquiry.”

“So, what is the IGP afraid of or are his hands stained with the blood of the innocent citizens killed over the many years by Special Anti-Robbery squad of the Nigeria Police Force?

“Why is the IGP scared of the truth that are coming out from the panels of inquiry and why does he not want the victims of police brutality to obtain justice?

“The suit instituted at the Federal High Court by the IGP is provocative, unconstitutional, illegal, primitive, despicable and must be withdrawn forthwith or the IGP must be asked to refund the money used to institute the matter and be fired.

“The IGP will have to state if the instruction to go to court was given to him by President Muhammadu Buhari in which case Nigerians will have to see that the President is not honest about changing the status quo of policing which is deeply enmeshed in the use of torture and extralegal executions.

“This frivolous suit shows that the police hierarchy indeed supports the use of torture and extrajudicial killings by operatives of the Nigerian police,” the statement said.

Politics

Activities Marking Funeral of Governor Makinde’s Mother Begin.

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The Activities marking the funeral Service of governor Makinde’s mother, Late Abigail Omojolagbe Makinde, has begun in Grand style as Governor Makinde and other Dignitaries received the remains of his mother at his Agodi GRA residence for the lying-in-state.

The remains of Chief Abigail Omojolagbe Makinde got to the residence of one of her Sons, Governor Seyi Amid pomp and pageantry.

Governor Seyi Makinde, his Wife Tamunominini Makinde, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola, and other Dignitaries who received the remains of Late Abigail Makinde prayed to God for the repose of the soul of the deceased and offered their respect during the Lying in State.

Other Dignitaries, Government functionaries, have also been visiting the home of Governor Seyi Makinde to pay their last respect to Madam Abigail Omojolagbe Makinde ahead of other Subsequent Funeral Services.

Governor Makinde, while appreciating the dignitaries who thronged to his residence to pay his mother last respect, noted that he missed his mother and wished she could still be in the land of the living but appreciated God for the fulfilled life his mother lived while on earth.

Mama Abigail omojolagbe Makinde Nee Omoregie died in the early hours of Thursday, October 15, 2020, at the age of 80 and is expected to be buried this Friday.

Politics

#EndSARS: Police Ask Abuja Court To Stop Judicial Panels’ Probes.

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The plaintiff in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of enquiry from going ahead with the probe focusing on police impunity.

The Nigeria Police Force has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order stopping the various states’ judicial panels of enquiry probing allegations of rights abuses and other acts of brutality perpetrated by the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other police tactical units.

The plaintiff in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of enquiry from going ahead with the probe focusing on police impunity.

The defendants, totalling 104, who were sued by the NPF, comprised the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission which set up the Independent Investigative Panel sitting in Abuja, the Attorneys-General of the states, and chairmen of the states’ panels.

The decision to set up the various panels of enquiry was taken by the National Economic Council with members including the 36 state governors and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in the aftermath of the recent nationwide #EndSARS protests demanding an end to police brutality.

According to a report by Punch, the NPF, through their lawyer, Mr O. M. Atoyebi (SAN), argued in the new suit that the state governments lacked the power to constitute the panels to investigate activities of the police force and its officials in the conduct of their statutory duties.

According to the plaintiff, the state governments’ decision to set up such panels violated the provisions of section 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Constitution and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act.

It argued that by the provisions of 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution only the Federal Government had exclusive power to “organise, control and administer the Nigeria Police Force”.

It, therefore, urged to, among others, declare that “the establishment of a panel of enquiries by the governors of the various states of the federation of Nigeria, to inquire into the activities of the Nigeria Police Force concerning the discharge of her statutory duties is a gross violation of the provisions of Section 241 (1)(2) (a) and Item 45, Part 1, First schedule, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, Cap.T21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

The plaintiff also urged the court to declare that “having regard to the circumstances of this case, the attitude of the governors of the various states of the Federation of Nigeria, in this case, is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.

It sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd to 38th defendants (the state Attorneys-General of the 36 states) “from making or conducting any investigations, sittings, and inquiries and from making or conducting any further investigations, sittings and inquiries in respect of matters affecting the Nigeria Police Force, and or further setting up any panel of inquiry in any state whatsoever in the country”.

Politics

Okorocha to Buhari: Sack all your cabinet members, aides, they have failed

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Former Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sacked all the Minister’s and presidential aides he appointed to help him run the government as they have failed to perform their duties.

He made the call Wednesday in Lafia when he paid a condolence visit to Governor Abdullahi Sule in Government House and the family of the late Nasarawa State Chairman, Mr. Phillip Tatari Shekwo who was murdered by gunmen.

According, to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari should fire the people he hired to work for the country, because they have failed and are not performing in the national assignments assigned them.

“He should do the needful to save the nation from the insult on the leaders. The people are angry with the recent events in the country.

“The culprits who killed people in Borno, the people in Nasarawa and other parts of the country should be arrested and prosecuted. As the killing of people by gunmen should not happen again as it is an insult to the country.

“President Buhari should hire competent hands to develop the country as many countries suffered similar fate before the experience growth and development,” Okorocha said.

Okorocha called on Nigerians to be patient, cooperate with the government to reduce unemployment and hunger ravaging the nation.

In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Sule said three suspected criminals linked with the death of the late APC Chairman were killed by the military, while one was arrested few days ago and he confessed to the crime and we are waiting for the report from the police.

Politics

Court declines EFCC’s plea to revoke Femi Fani-Kayode’s bail

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, refused to grant the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s application, seeking for revocation of the bail granted to the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Justice John Tsoho ruled that the medical report brought by the defence counsel, Wale Balogun, that Fani-Kayode was indisposed was sufficient reason to reject the application by the EFCC’s lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ex-minister was, on Nov. 10, 2016, admitted to a N50 million bail bond with a surety in the like sum.

Fani-Kayode is accused by the anti-graft agency of diverting N26 million alleged to have received from the ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

At the resumed hearing, Abubakar, who said the matter was for trial continuation, noted that Fani-Kayode was not in court.

The lawyer stated further that the former minister was equally not in court on two previous occasions, which he argued, amounted to jumping of bail.

Abubakar, thereafter, urged the court to revoke Fani-Kayode’s bail and issue a bench warrant against him.

He also prayed the court to summon his surety to show cause why the bail bond would not be forfeited.

However, lawyer to the former minister Balogun urged the court to dismiss the EFCC’s oral application.

He argued that such an application should be filed formally.

According to him, the prosecutor has narrated some facts and such facts should be on record by way of an affidavit.

Balogun further argued that before the commencement of the sitting, he met with Abubakar and gave him two reasons the ex-minister was not in court.

According to him, I told him that the defendant has been indisposed in the last two weeks.

“I showed him the medical report from the Kubwa General Hospital that the defendant should be on bed rest,” he said.

Balogun said due to his state of health, he could not attend the sister case in Lagos.

Again, the lawyer said he also misinformed Fani-Kayode about the next hearing date.

“We have advised the defendant that the matter was for tomorrow (Thursday).

“It was our error, I mean the lawyers. I even called him (Fani-Kayle) on phone to the knowledge of the prosecutor but he has not picked.

“I have called him more than 20 times just to tell him that the matter was for today.

“His absence today regrettably is due to our fault, the lawyers’ fault. We apologise.

“We plead passionately with ur lordship that the defendant will be in court tomorrow,” he said.

Balogun added that his absence in the last two proceedings was not his making.

“The defendant has always been coming to court before now.

“The last time, it was beyond him because the airspace was shut down,” he said.

Balogun, who said that the reason for bail revocation must be substantial, urged the court not to grant the prosecution’s application.

Abubakar, who responded on points of law to submissions by Balogun, said issues of bench warrant did not require a formal application.

He enjoined the court to take judicial notice of all the reasons adduced for Fani-Kayode’s absence.

Abubakar argued further that the defence counsel, who announced his appearance after he did, had all the opportunity to tell the court why his client was not in court.

He said whatever information Balogun gave the prosecution on the absence of his client in court “goes to no issue because he is not the court.”

Again, the EFCC lawyer said he did not have Fani-Kayode’s phone number to know if his counsel was calling him.

He also argued that it was the personal responsibility of a defendant on bail, under the law, to know when he should be in court.

“Counsel cannot take responsibility for that,” he said.

Abubakar urged the court to grant his application.

Justice Tsoho then asked Balogun for a copy of the medical report.

In his ruling, the judge disagreed with Balogun that an application for bail revocation ought to have been made orally, citing the law to back the decision.

He also agreed with Abubakar that the defendant had a personal responsibility to his case.

The judge, however, said that the reasons giving by the defence counsel for the absence of his client on the two previous occasions when the court sat were justifiable.

Besides, Tsoho, who ruled that the medical report was sufficient to justify the absence of Fani-Kayode in court, declined to grant the EFCC’s application.

He adjourned the matter until Feb. 23 and Feb. 24, 2021, for the continuation of hearing.

Politics

Federal government must apologize to families of slain Zabarmari rice farmers.

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A youth group, the North-east Youth Progressive Alliance, has called on the Federal Government to immediately apologize to the families of the Zabarmari rice farmers massacred last Saturday by Boko Haram insurgents.

Addressing journalists late Tuesday evening at the NUJ Press Centre, Bauchi, the spokesman of the group, Barrister Hussaini Saraki, described the statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, that the slain farmers did not get permission from the military before going to their farms as most unfortunate.

Describing the statement as uncalled for, Saraki declared that it must be withdrawn with apology tendered to Nigerians, adding that the current insecurity in the North was not what the people bargained for.

According to him, “Whoever made that statement is out of his mind. It is uncalled for and must be withdrawn and apologize to Nigerians immediately.

“The entire North is bleeding and no one seems to care; the leaders among us have chosen to remain silent, watching how innocent people are being slaughtered while thousands are displaced and made refugees in their own country.

“This was not part of the bargain made, neither was it the supposed dividend of democracy promised to our people.”

The group equally called on the Federal Government to ensure that the families of the slain farmers are adequately compensated with a view to relieving them of their pains.

Lamenting the various security challenges bedevilling the North, North-east Youth Progressive Alliance spokesman called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, bring to an end all forms of insecurity in the region.

The group called for the recruitment of Borno youths into the Nigerian Army, Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), adding that such youths recruited should be deployed to help in the fight against insurgency in their state.

He stated that it was obvious that the current strategies deployed in the fight against insurgency in the North-East had failed, going by the fact that Boko Haram is still carrying out attacks, particularly the latest one.

Politics

Residents Flee As Gunmen Invaded Taraba Community and Killed Four people .

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The gunmen, who set fire to several houses, attacked the community at about 11.20 pm on Saturday for more than 30 minutes, without being checkmated by the police or military personnel.

Gunmen suspected to be Jukun militias have invaded Tor-Iorshaer community, Rafinkada ward in the Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State, killing at least four persons who had just returned to their community based on the state government’s directive.

The gunmen, who set fire to several houses, attacked the community at about 11.20 pm on Saturday for more than 30 minutes, without being checkmated by the police or military personnel.

Survivors of the attack, who spoke with SaharaReporters, lamented that many of the residents had returned to the community, based on a directive of the State Governor, Darius Ishaku, that normalcy had returned to the areas and that the security agencies would ensure the protection of the lives and property of the indigenes.

The gunmen, however, struck on Saturday, sacking the Tor-Iorshaer community without any visible presence or intervention of the security agencies.

The deceased were identified as Godwin Meer, Oryina Sunday Mdooga, Alfred Sylvanus Mchivga and Ayar Chia.

A resident, who gave his name only as Bitrus, told SaharaReporters, “This attack is one of several attacks in the past that made us, the indigenous people of the community, to flee our homes to neighbouring states for safety. No security agent seems to be in view despite a military camp within the community.

“Many of us are returnees. We acted based on the Taraba State government’s directive that the crisis was over, that all displaced people should return. But on returning home, we were suddenly attacked again and killed by the Jukun militias.”

Another survivor noted that the community forwarded the letters of their return to all the relevant security agencies in the state, requesting for security presence, but got nothing.

“We had been displaced for close to two years without the government’s intervention. Meanwhile, it was the Taraba State Government, who issued the directive for the displaced persons to return home to their ancestral land that the crisis was over,” the survivor said. 

A government official said the only way to resolve the crisis was to ensure that the security agencies do their work and do not take sides with any ethnoreligious interests in the state.

Politics

Zabarmari Attack: Religious Scholars Say President Buhari Has Failed On Security Grounds.

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It seems that Islamic scholars in Nigeria withdraw their support for the Muhammadu Buhari led government as a result of what they say is a lack of focus on addressing security issues, especially in the North.

Many scholars interviewed by the BBC have said that President Buhari’s government must work hard to address the country’s security crisis or else God will be angry with it.

The red card comes after suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 43 farmers in the northeastern state of Borno.

Mallam Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, a prominent cleric in Kano State, told the BBC that President Buhari must change his approach to the security situation in the north.

“We call on God-fearing leaders to know that he will question the lives of the 200 million people living in Nigeria. This government promised us that they will do their best to see that they take action on security, agriculture and livestock as well as corruption,” he said.

President Buhari

He added: “These three things are now getting worse and worse in this country”.

Mallam Halliru Maraya also said that it was clear that the Buhari administration had failed to protect the lives of the people.

“The government’s main function is to protect the lives and property of the people and to provide welfare to the people as enshrined in the constitution. This shows that the main function of the government is clearly failing. In fact, the government has failed.” he said.

For his part, Malam Musa Yusuf, popularly known as Asadus-Sunnah, focused on clerics who remained silent despite the killings in northern Nigeria.

According to him: “Any cleric who goes to the pulpit on Friday and does not come out to speak on this issue of insecurity is a traitor to the society and Islam. There is no reason to kill people. you go up to the pulpit and preach to them about the importance of charity or supererogatory fasts.

He reminded the silent scholars that if they see that this problem does not affect them now, they should know that if it continues to happen one day it will come to them.

During President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, clerics prayed and chanted slogans as insecurity ravaged northern Nigeria.

But since President Buhari came to power, their voices have rarely been heard, except now that they have tried to tell President Buhari the truth.

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