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NCAA Pulls Down Glo Base Station in Abuja

By
Uche Mbah
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NCCA Pulls Down Glo Base Station in Abuja

By Uche Mbah

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in a sudden move, has shut down Globacom’s (Glo) facility in Wuse 2 Abuja over a N4.7bn debt.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Capt. Musa Nuhu, personally led the exercise, which was supervised by the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika.

According to the DG, the action will continue on some of Glo’s Main Switch Centres (MSC) accros the country until they commit themselves to  a payment schedule as regards unpaid height clearance certificate fees.

The directive to pull down the base station came from the Presidency, the NCAA said.

It was gathered that the telecom firm failed to respond to meeting appointments between them and the Government Agency.

The Agency then decided to put further meetings on hold until they – Globacom- are prepared to explain why they snubbed the Agency.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)

NCAA wrote to the Managing Director of the Telecommunications company a letter, titled ‘Re: Illegal Erection Of High Structures And Refusal To Renew Expired Height Clearance Certificates By Globacom Limited, and signed by Emmanuel Dubem Chukwuma, its Legal Adviser/ Head Compliance and Enforcement.

The letter forewarned of the resolve to pull down the base stations since the Telecom firm refused to honor the most recent summon for a meeting on September 23 to discuss their expired height clearance certificate.

“It is unfortunate that despite our concurrence to a further rescheduling of the meeting to a requested date, and so informing you through our letter of 13th September 2021, you failed to turn up for the meeting. The Director-General of the NCAA had to abort an official assignment in Europe and return to Nigeria, in order to be able to attend the meeting”.

The NCAA, said that the Globacom group only wrote a letter three days after, requesting for the rescheduling of the meeting without explaining why they were absent in the first place.

” I am directed to inform you that the NCAA is not disposed to granting this latest (fourth) request to reschedule the meeting, particularly as no reason was given for your non-attendance at the last date.

“In the circumstance, having exhausted all avenues of a resolution of this matter, we are now left without a choice but to apply the relevant sanctions, including the dismantling of all your non-compliant masts nationwide. And this shall be without further notice to you”; the letter read.

Data Crucial In Accelerating Nigeria Towards HIV Epidemic Control – U.S. Ambassador

By
The Source
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Mary Beth Leonard - US Ambassador to Nigeria

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, described data repository programs such as the U.S.-supported National Data Repository (NDR) platform as a crucial component in accelerating access to life-saving anti-retroviral treatment to people living with HIV. The platform provides near real-time data to allocate resources, recognize successes, and identify areas needed for new strategies.

She stated this at the Strengthening HIV Field Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Surveillance, and Laboratory Diagnostics project (SHIELD) closeout ceremony, which was funded by the United States government through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and implemented by the University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB) Nigeria with technical support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Ambassador described the successful completion of the project as an essential milestone in the U.S. government’s collaboration with the Government of Nigeria in HIV epidemic control efforts. “Over the past two years, it has been a great source of pride for me to witness the successful partnership between our governments on the national HIV response.”  She attributed this success to the collective contributions and achievements of implementing partners and programs such as SHIELD. Overall, the US assistance supported more than 90 percent (1,649,188) of the estimated 1.8 million adults in Nigeria infected with HIV receiving treatment and propels the country to a point where HIV epidemic control is within reach.

The SHIELD project also helped closely monitor the effects of COVID-19 on the HIV response and effectively mitigated its negative impact.  In addition, data from the NDR has been used to develop guiding policies regarding viral suppression, recency surveillance, and mortality surveillance, which are vital to long-term sustained epidemic control.

The US-CDC awarded the SHIELD project in October 2016 to improve the quality of HIV service delivery by instituting standardized monitoring and evaluation nationally. The project aligns with the PEPFAR 2025 strategy that highlights the need to institutionalize robust, granular, and transparent partner country data systems to manage and monitor the HIV response, disease detection broadly, and outbreak control. The same practices are being adapted for the needs of Nigeria beyond the HIV response to COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks.

The highlight of the closeout ceremony included the launching of products from the SHIELD Project, including the Electronic Medical Records Implementation Guideline, Case-Based Surveillance Guideline & Road Map, NDR Platform, NDR Analytic Database, National Medical Record System (NMRS) Website, and the NAIIS NADA sub-domain.

Why APC Scuttled Electoral Act Amendment – PDP

By
The Source
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Debo Ologunagba - PDP Publicity Secretary

The main opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of scuttling the Electoral Act Amendment, 2021, for fear of losing the General Election in 2023.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said some aspects of the Amendment Act will not allow the APC to rig the Election in 2023 as it has always done.

It accused the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari of non commitment to the Amendment of the Electoral Act just to make sure that credible elections are not held.

“‘It is apparent that the APC and the Buhari Presidency were never committed to the Amendment of the Electoral Act to ensure credible elections and as such triggered the controversy of the mode of Primaries by political parties as a camouflage to scuttle the entire Amendment Bill including provisions for electronic transmission of results among others.”

The statement said the APC has always been afraid of electronic transmission of results because it would not allow the party to manipulate the results. However, the PDP told the APC, that Nigerians are determined to ho the electronic transmission of results in 2023.

President Buhari had, given a number of reasons in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, refused to sign the Amendment Act.

On Tuesday, in reaction to the President’s refusal, the Senate held a closed door session. The expectation was that it was going to override the President’s refusal, but that did not happen.

Following is the full text of PDP’s statement.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accuses the All Progressives Congress (APC) of scuttling the signing of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill because some key provisions in the Bill will not allow its grand design to rig the 2023 general elections.

“It is instructive to recall that the APC has been in trepidation of the amendment to the Electoral Act, due mainly to the provision of electronic transmission of election results, which will completely eliminate APC’s manipulations and alteration of results at elections.

“It is apparent that the APC and the Buhari Presidency were never committed to the amendment of the Electoral Act to ensure credible elections and as such triggered the controversy of the mode of primaries by political parties as a camouflage to scuttle the entire Amendment Bill including provisions for electronic transmission of results among others.

“It is imperative to remind Nigerians of how the APC, in collusion with their leaders in the National Assembly fought hard to stop the electronic transmission of results provision in the Bill, but were resisted by Nigerians supported by the courageous action of the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives which staged a walk out only for the APC to orchestrate controversies and set the stage for the withholding of assent by Mr. President.

“The main reason for this manipulation of the legislative process by the APC, is to prevent the electronic transmission of results so that it can continue in its culture of rigging and electoral impunities including alteration of results at collation, ballot box snatching, destruction of data among others; just to cling to power against the will of Nigerians.

“Such is consistent with the APC’s well-known machination against every genuine effort to instill credible, transparent, free and fair elections in Nigeria in the last six years. The APC thrives in electoral scam, duplicity, underhand dealings, violence and political brigandage, all in their heinous script to put Nigerians under perpetual bondage.

“Having been rejected for its failures and having also self-decimated its structure across the country, the APC has completely lost the capacity and goodwill for electoral contest and as such seeks every means to subvert any process that can guarantee credible elections in 2023.

“The subversion of the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the APC further validates the fact that the APC is averse to the aspiration of Nigerians and does not believe in democratic principles of credible elections.

“Our party therefore calls on all Nigerians, Civil Society Organizations, the International Community and all lovers of democracy across the world to rise up and put appropriate pressure on the APC-led National Assembly to immediately do the needful so as to safeguard our democracy by ensuring that the basic principles of transparent, credible, free and fair mode of conducting elections are guaranteed and sustained by law.

“The PDP cautions the APC to note that no matter their machination, Nigerians are determined to pursue the electronic transmission of election results to its logical conclusion and that there is no going back in their resolve to vote out the APC in 2023.”

Renovation Of Ondo Assembly Almost Ready As Gov Akeredolu Inspects Complex

By
The Source
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Akeredolu Visit House of Assemlby Renovation

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Tuesday paid an unscheduled visit to the State House of Assembly complex to inspect the level of work done in the ongoing renovation of the complex.

The Assembly Complex, which was last renovated by the administration of late Pa Adekunle Ajasin, had not been given any facelift until Governor Akeredolu commenced its total renovation last year.

The State Government, despite the dilapidation, had left the Lawmakers to their fate until snakes sent them out of the complex during plenary.

Governor Akeredolu, who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done, said that the complex would compete favourably with modern legislative buildings in the country when the renovation is completed.

Observing that the work has reached 90 percent stage, the Governor said plenary would start holding at the chamber soon.

“I don’t need to dwell on the works that are going on here. I want to believe that these are things or what we are doing here should have been done even before us.

“What we met wasn’t deserving. It was not a place fit for our assembly. We know the modern architecture in place in other states.

“What I believe is that what the government is trying to do here is what the assembly deserves.

“The last time this place ever had a touch was during the Ajasin time. I am satisfied with the level of job done so far. I want to commend the contractor. I want to thank him for his efforts.

“The state has not gotten so much money, but the contractor has been very good. By the first quarter of next year, we will have this place opened. Before that, the house must have been holding plenaries here.

Speaking on behalf of other lawmakers, the Speaker, Bamidele Oleyelogun, thanked Governor Akeredolu for the timely intervention, stressing that the complex would be a monument when completed.

Mr Oleyelogun said that the massive renovation work is a legacy project of the present administration which would go a long way in boosting legislative business.

“We have to thank the Governor for doing this because the House of Assembly is supposed to be a monument.

“I know that when this is completed, it will be competing with other legislative buildings across the country

“So far, so good. The work is going on very well. I thank God for what is going on. No Governor in the future can beat this kind of legacy. It was during Baba Ajasin time that this place was renovated last.”

Ortom Breaks Ranks With PDP Govs, Backs Buhari On Electoral Bill

By
Bayo Bernard
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By James Orji

President Muhammadu Buhari has received support from an unusual quarter, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state over his decision to reject the Electoral Bill forwarded to him on November 30 by the National Assembly.

On Monday, the president returned the bill to NASS citing different reasons, including security and the cost of conducting direct primaries by political parties to select candidates to represent them in election. The president has been virulently criticized by many Nigerians from CSO and members of his own party, the All Progressives Congress, APC over his decision not to assent to the bill. Only a few people have endorsed the president’s action.

Surprisingly, Governor Ortom who is regarded as an ardent critic of the president, and recently criticized Buhari during his 79th birthday celebration is one of the few that have shown support for the president over the matter. Curiously too, the Benue helmsman is the only Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP governor to have supported the president on the vexed issue.

Speaking on the issue in Makurdi, the state’s capital on Tuesday, the governor said the president took the right decision by rejecting the bill.

According to him “I want to use this opportunity again on behalf of people that are represented here in Benue State to commend Mr President for withholding assent on the process of primaries of various political parties,” he said at a briefing at the end of the meeting of the State Executive Council on Tuesday in Makurdi.

“I am appealing to the National Assembly to reconsider the clause that allows for only direct primaries, and all the reasons that Mr President advanced concerning the support for him withholding his assent are deeply appreciated.

“I assure you that as a veteran politician who had the privilege to witness direct primaries, witness indirect primaries, and witness consensus primaries, and someone who has the privilege to be a member of various political parties, it was almost unanimous that the issue of primaries should be the responsibility of various political parties,” Ortom said.

In a letter to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday, President Buhari said the prevailing situation in the country would not allow him to sign the bill.

Among other reasons for rejecting the bill, the president cited high cost of conducting direct primaries, the security challenge of monitoring the election, violation of citizens’ rights and marginalization of small political parties.

Buhari said he had received informed advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Government, and had also carefully reviewed the Bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the circumstances.

“The amendment as proposed is a violation of the underlying spirit of democracy, which is characterised by freedom of choices of which political party membership is a voluntary exercise of the constitutional right of freedom of association,” Buhari said.

He added that the existing constitution of the parties already registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) permits direct, indirect and consensus primaries.

The president said his decision is based on informed advice by relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the government, noting that his decision is based on the prevailing security situations in the country.

Electoral Bill: Senate Spokesman Slams Buhari, 74 Senators To Override President

By
Bayo Bernard
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Senate President Ahmed-Lawan

Many senators are spoiling for war over President Buhari’s rejection of the amended electoral bill. Among the bitter senators is Ajibola Bashiru, the spokesman of the Red chamber, who has knocked the president for throwing the document back at the National assembly.

Bashiru, a former commissioner in Osun state said the president was wrong to reject the bill, describing Buhari’s action as ‘presumptuous’.

President Buhari retuned the bill to the NASS on Monday, after he failed to sign the bill within the 30 days window provided in the Constitution for him to either sign or reject the bill. The bill was sent to him on November 30.

Among reasons cited by the president for rejection the bill is a provision in the bill which mandates political parties to conduct direct primary in selecting their candidates for election. The president said the amendment is a violation of the Constitution and that direct primary will pose serious security challenges for the country, among other reasons.

But speaking on the issue, Bashiru said it is unthinkable that the president could reject the bill in spite of massive support it has received among various interest groups across the country. The former commissioner of Justice in Osun state said there are many options available to the senators after President Buhari withheld his assent, one of which is to override the president.

The senator who spoke to Channesl Television said Buhari’s reasons were untenable.

According to him, there “are the four options before the national assembly. And I believe the national assembly, at the fullest of time, will be able to take those options.

“It is very important to say that as members of the national assembly, we are approaching this issue not out of any sense of egotism or any sense of power tussle with anybody.

“But we will consider it based on counter arguments that may be canvassed against whatever reasons the president had given.”

He explained that citing cost as one of the reasons for Buhari to reject the bill is ‘presumptous’, noting that no election process is without huge cost.

He said, “for instance, the argument on the cost that had been raised by Mr president, with respect, is presumptuous and totally fallacious. There is nothing that is given that primary election must be conducted on a ward basis; it could as well be conducted either on a quarterly basis or on a local government basis.

“As regards argument on smaller political parties, smaller political parties may decide to even organise their direct primary at the state level.

“On the issue of security, an extension of that argument will be that because we have security challenges, then we should not even hold the 2023 elections; this is if we want to use what logicians called reductio ad absurdum, that is reducing the argument to the level of absurdity.”

Meanwhile, many senators have vowed to override the president on the bill. Reports said on Tuesday that over 70 senators signatures have been gathered by those bent on overruling the president on the issue.

According to the constitution, the Senate requires only 73 senators, which is two third of the members of the chamber to override the president when he rejects any bill sent to him.

 

2022: Plot To Unseat Oyelola Thickens, As APC Crisis Worsens In Osun

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The hope of Governor Gboyega Oyelola getting the nod to be the All Progressives Congress, APC, flag bearer at the 2022 Osun State Governorship Election hangs in the balance.

Though  he is the incumbent Governor of the State,  strong forces within the APC ranks in the State are battle ready to deny Oyetola the Governorship ticket with series of allegations leveled against him as the 2022 Gubernatorial Election in the State draws close.

Immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuff and former Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, have expressed their readiness to work together against the Governor’s second term ambition.

The trio have declared their intention of rescuing the Party from what it described as imminent collapse and electoral loss following the high handedness of the Governor.

Salam, Yusuf and Adeoti are strong and prominent leaders of the APC in Osun State, and have jointly declared that APC cannot win the 2022 governorship election if it fields the incumbent Governor as its candidate in the 2022 polls.

It would be recalled that the trio contested against Oyetola in the APC primaries in 2018, before pitching tent with him. But they have been  however lamenting that the Governor has been playing politics of exclusiveness and disunity.

At a meeting of top APC caucus in the State, Salam disclosed that it was disheartening that genuine APC members who worked for the emergence of Oyetola are being treated as outcasts and nonentities by the Governor and his people.

Salam alleged that Governor Oyetola lacks managerial skills, leading to neglect, mismanagement and ill- treatment of stalwarts of the the party.

He added that Governor Oyetola is an opportunist, who got the party’s ticket on a platter of gold.

Speaking further, he said Yussuff, Adeoti and himself have resolved to downplay individual political interest, accept and work with whoever emerges among them as the candidate of the party in 2022.

He furthermore urged party members to work in unison to realise the dreams of the majority in a bid to salvage the party and the State.

Corroborating Salam, Yusuff said it was painful that the APC in the State is in the hands of an impostor, stating that the party is in disarray and needed to be restructured, leading to his decision to join hands with other leaders of the party in The Osun Progressives because of his love for progressives, his relationship with the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aragbesola, and the need to take the party back to the genuine progressives in the state.

According to him, APC ran into problem in 2018 because its leaders refused to allow collective leadership to play out, accusing them of imposing Oyetola on the APC members.

In his address, Adeoti, the Governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in 2018, said it was surprising that a Governor that won with just 482 votes would be chasing away quality APC members and leaders.

Adeoti said it was hypocritical and unfair for Oyetola to be disassociating  himself from policies, programmes and projects of Aregbesola’s administration, disclosing that he was actively involved in every decision of the Government as the Chief of Staff to the Governor.

The former SSG accused elders of the APC of nonchalant attitude to the settlement of misunderstanding in the party before it snowballed into full crisis.

He specifically accused the former Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famodun of being a party to the crisis, saying that the former Chairman of the APC was also not willing to relate with anybody that has relationship with Aregbesola.

Adeoti concluded that the window of reconciliation has been closed, stating that what is needed was to be united to rescue the party from sinking.

The Osun APC Chairman, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, said it was unfortunate that the party found itself in the current mess, saying that the crisis would have been settled had Oyetola been a genuine progressive and a fair human being.

Salinsile said the party has decided to choose a candidate from Osun West Senatorial District in the 2022 Governorship election.

There is no response from Oyetola or his group yet.

2023 General Elections: INEC Promises New Innovations, Gives Pass Mark On Anambra Poll

By
Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has restated its determination to conduct the forthcoming elections, which kick-start with Ekiti and Osun Governorship, next year with commitment and application of more equipment.

Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu stated this in Abuja during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners.

The meeting, which was held on Tuesday, was first since the Anambra Governorship election held last month.

The INEC chairman used the occassion to review the Anambra Governorship election, discuss the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), preparations for forthcoming elections and other related matters.

In his address, Prof Yakubu stated that “Despite the challenging security situation in Anambra State, the Commission was resolute in our determination to proceed with what many believed was going to be an impossible election to conduct.

“Happily, the election passed off peacefully and the outcome adjudged to be free, fair, transparent and credible.

“As you are aware, the Commission piloted two important technological innovations in the Anambra State Governorship election.

“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was deployed for the first time in a major election after the successful pilot in the Isoko South I State Constituency in Delta State in September this year.

“The BVAS has replaced the Smart Card Reader for verification and authentication as part of our improved voter accreditation process.

“The new technology was designed in-house by INEC engineers. Like every new technology, glitches were observed and important lessons learnt.

“We wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission has reviewed the performance of the BVAS in Anambra State and there will be a tremendous improvement leading to optimal performance in future elections.

“The BVAS has come to stay. So too is the uploading of Polling Unit results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real-time on Election Day.

“We are convinced that the introduction of technology in voter accreditation and result management is better than the best entirely manual process.

“It also increases public confidence in the process. We will continue to deepen the use of technology in our elections.

“The second technological innovation introduced in the Anambra Governorship election went virtually unnoticed by many Nigerians.

“For sometime now, dedicated portals were created by Commission to handle different aspect of the electoral process.

“For instance, the nomination of candidates by political parties, including the uploading of nomination forms, is now done online.

“So too is the accreditation of election observers and the media. In addition, and for the first time in the history of the Commission, the accreditation of polling and collation agents nominated by political parties was done online.

“This has ensured that all such agents were provided with identification tags bearing not only their party logos, names and other personal details but personal photographs as well. In all, the Commission issued 63,745 identification tags to agents of the 18 political parties that sponsored candidates for the election.

“This has sanitized the process and made the identification of ghost party agents easier. We will maintain the same arrangement for all forthcoming elections, including the 2023 General Election.

“Turning to the CVR, we have now completed the Second Quarter of the exercise which commenced online in June and physically at designated centres in July.

“We have also been giving Nigerians weekly updates for the last six months. The Third Quarter of the exercise will commence in January next year.

“The Commission is aware that Nigerians would like to know when the exercise will be devolved beyond our State and Local Government offices to enable more citizens to register.

“The Commission is working on these concerns and issues and will issue a comprehensive schedule for both activities early in the new year.”

On Ekiti and Osun states Governorship election,  Prof Yakubu disclosed that “A major activity for the two Governorship elections is the conduct of primaries by political parties for the nomination of candidates for the election.

“For Ekiti State, the exercise begins in the next two weeks on 4th January 2022 and ends on 29th January 2022. In the case of Osun State, party primaries begin on 16th February 2022 and ends on 12th March 2022.

“The Commission wishes to remind political parties that in choosing their candidates for these elections, they must abide by the provisions of the law, INEC’s regulations and guidelines as well as their Constitutions and guidelines.

“INEC will monitor the primaries as required by law. Political parties must therefore hold themselves to the same high standard of free, fair, transparent and credible elections that they expect from INEC during general elections.

“In addition to these off-cycle elections, we must also continue to prepare for the 2023 General Election. We have so many physical facilities to rebuild, materials to replace, regulations and guidelines to work on, consultations with stakeholders to strengthen, capacity of our staff to enhance and several aspects of election administration to improve upon.”

“As I Was Killing Lucky Igbinedion’s Mother, She Was Shouting For Help” – Housemaid

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Luky Igbinedion Mother and Killer Housemaid

By Adesina Soyooye

From the Housemaid from hell who killed Mrs Maria Oredola, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion’s mother, came a chilling confession of how she carried out the heinous crime.

Cross Rivers State born Dominion Okoro, 25, was hired as a Housemaid for the 85 year-old Mrs Igbinedion. But on December 2, 2021, she killed her, searched the house, took all her money and jewelries, and disappeared into thin air.

But last week, she was arrested in Calabar by a combined team of security operatives from Benin.

Telling the blood-cuddling story of how she murdered Mrs Igbinedion in her GRA home,  at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters on being paraded, Okoro said that she used a stool, at an uncivilised time of 12.01am, to hit, ferociously, on the woman,  while she slept in her bed in her room.

She said as she continued to hit her, Mrs Igbinedion was shouting for help. But there was no help from anybody as there was nobody else in the house, and the gateman who was at his duty Post did not, allegedly, hear the woman shouting.

She said she watched her boss die, and waited till 4.00am before leaving the house with her loot – the sum of N100,000, (One Hundred thousand Naira) a wrist watch, and jewelries. She escaped to her hometown, Calabar,  until her arrest. She also added that the late Mrs Igbinedion, who, for a couple of years, had been condemned to the wheelchair, did her no wrong before she decided to kill her.

Edo State Police Commissioner, Philip Ogbadu, said it took planning, time and money to arrest the Housemaid.

First to be arrested was her elder sister, Patience Okoro, who said neither she, nor their parents, knew anything about the heinous crime her sister committed.

Altogether, 20 people were arrested in connection with the gruesome murder. What has not been explained is the role, if any, played by the gateman. The questions are: Where was he when the Housemaid left the house by 4.00am? Where did she tell him she was going to at that time, especially, as she did not leave empty-handed?

CP Ogbadu said the suspects will be charged to Court after investigations.

Mrs Igbinedion was the wife of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin. She was buried on December 10, 2021.

Soyinka Resurrects Bola Ige, Demands for Result Of Investigation Into Murder

By
Uche Mbah
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0

By Uche Mbah

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to release the report of investigations into the death of former Attorney General and Minister For Justice, Bola Ige, SAN.

Speaking at a Symposium titled “20th year of Bola Ige Memorial Symposium, 2 Decades Of Injustice: What Are The Implications On Nigerian Democracy” organised by the Bola Ige For Justice Centre, held at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Tuesday, Soyinka explained that although all lives matter, some “impose a special responsibility ” on those in governance.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, what has become of your robust pledge to open an enquiry into the spate of political murders that the nation has undergone in recent years? Does it all amount to yet another instance of political bravado?”, he queried.

“While we all accept that all lives should be valued equally, some impose a special responsibility on those in governance.  Bola Ige, as the nation’s Minister of Justice, and United Nations’ civil servant designate, was unarguably one such. A nation’s honour is in question and remains so until the hour of closure.

“Thus, we must never relent in demanding an explanation for his brutal murder, expose the perpetrators, identify the conspirators and reinstate the broken lines of justice.

“At the very least, we need a formal declaration regarding those who displayed an abnormal interest in the fates of those accused, to a level of proven, documented interference both in the investigative process and within the judiciary. I am not alone in having written and lectured on these sordid aspects that fueled the subversion of justice. There are surviving witnesses.

“Unsolved crimes only lead to a culture of impunity. This puts the entire nation at risk, no matter the privilege of high-level protection. This is a lesson that Nigerian leadership has yet to learn.

“President Buhari, share the rewards of your investigations – if any!!!”, he concluded.

Ige was murdered in his Bodija, Ibadan home under controversial circumstances during the Presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo.

His death joined a chronicle of unsolved murders that included Funsho Williams and others.

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