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Botched Attempt To Abduct Private School Pupils In Ondo

By
Ayodele Oni
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Kidnappers
Kidnappers

By Ayodele Oni

There was a botched attempt by suspected kidnappers to abduct some pupils of a private school in Ondo state early Thursday morning.

Gunmen had hijacked an empty school bus in Oba ile Estate of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state, abducting one person who was on duty to convey children to school.

The bus was preparing to go and pick pupils when the attackers struck, causing panic in the residential estate.

The incident occured around 6:45am while the driver and the attendant were moving round to pick the Pupils of Chimola School, situated inside the Estate to their school.

A source in the school explained that the gunmen numbering about eight who were on motorcycles, rounded the vehicle, forcing the driver to stop.

According to the source, the eight men who were armed with guns, cutlass and some other weapons, dragged the driver down from the vehicle and threatened to kill him.

The bus with registration number Lagos LSD 853 FJ with Chimola Schools inscribed on it was reportedly driven away by one of the hijackers while others moved away from the scene on motorcycles.

The eyewitness stated that “the driver and the attendant were about to pick the first student when the incident happened. The gunmen rounded the vehicle and came down with dangerous weapons

“The driver was dragged down from the bus while one of them take the driver’s seat and drove off with the attendant in the bus.

“The whereabouts of the attendant is still unknown but the case has been reported at the Oba ile Police station.

“This is the first time we are experiencing this kind of situation here. It is quite unfortunate.”

The State Police Command could not confirm the incident, as the spokesman said he has not been briefed, but promised to confirm from the Divisional Police Officer in the area.

Revealed: Malami Issues Secret Memo To Buhari To Suspend Constitution

By
Bayo Bernard
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Muhammadu Buhari

By The Source

President Muhammadu Buhari  is seriously considering the declaration of a state of emergency across the country, Peoples Gazette said citing a secret memo to the president by Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, to that effect.

Malami has already written lengthy legal advice to the Nigerian president, urging him to move swiftly to suspend the fundamental rights of all Nigerians as guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution.

In the eight-page secret memo dated May 4, 2021, Mr Malami told Mr Buhari that insecurity across Nigeria has reached a level that could no longer be checked by existing democratic techniques, saying only a state of emergency promulgated by the president can help return the country to tranquillity.

“The essence of declaration is to allow for suspension of constitutional and legal bureaucratic bottlenecks pertaining to matters of National Security with particular regards to fundamental rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution and processes and procedures relating to procurements, among others,” the attorney-general said.

The AGF said the president should issue instruments of emergency and publish them in the federal gazette. Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila will be informed about the decision ahead of implementation.

“To douse probable legal tension, it is important for the proclamation instrument of the statement of emergency to expressly provide for the suspension of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution and its attendant enforcement rules,” Mr Malami wrote.

“The suspension of rights pertaining to matters of national security will then give legal backing for the proclamation of the statement of emergency to be operational and effective without litigious or judicial distractions.”

In the early pages of the document, Mr Malami cited widespread acts of insecurity and blamed prominent separatist agitators like Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu for fueling the protracted crisis that has enveloped the country and aggravated the social and economic conditions of Nigerians.

The memo was endorsed to the president by National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno and administration officials are divided on how to proceed with the advice, a cording to presidency sources.

Abubakar Malami
Malami: Advised Buhari To Suspend Constitution

“Clearly, different factions of our government have different positions on this alarming proposal,” a presidency official told The Gazette. “But everyone agrees that the AGF holds powerful sway over the president and it would be a miracle if the Constitution is not suspended as he recommended.”

Another official also within the presidency, who confirmed hearing about the memo but had not seen it before they were reached by The Gazette, said Mr Buhari might have little resistance considering the potency of Mr Malami’s argument.

“The president is just saying they should act in the best interest of the country,” the official said. “Even as the president, he seemed to have given up on his own ability to get the AGF to back down.”

Constitution suspended

Multiple constitutional scholars and practitioners who analysed the memo for The Gazette said it was essentially a suspension of the Nigerian Constitution and declaration of martial law since Chapter IV dealt with fundamental human rights absence of which there cannot be a democratic system.

The analysts acknowledged the powers of the president to issue a state of emergency under Section 305 of the Constitution but said the powers are not absolute and do not include outright suspension of Chapter IV. While Section 305 said the president can declare a national emergency to curb criminalities, it did not expressly permit suspension of Chapter IV, which analysts described as the most important section of the Constitution.

The right to life and other crucial rights of modern society will be suspended under Mr Malami’s proposal.

The attorney-general appeared to lay the groundwork for the controversial plan when he decried on Tuesday that Mr Buhari’s respect for human rights was largely responsible for the administration’s seeming incompetence at tackling widespread carnage and lawlessness.

Under siege

Malami and presidential spokesman Garba Shehu did not return The Gazette’s requests for comments about the proposal.

Buhari has been conflicted over widespread chaos that threatens to define his eight-year leadership as a democratically-elected leader. His administration is the fourth since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 following years of military dictatorship.

Whereas he touted his military bona fides as a plus for his fitness for a nation beset by insecurity, the country has seen no changes in security challenges under Mr Buhari. Since 2015, thousands of Nigerians have been killed by armed bandits, killer herdsmen, kidnappers and even security agents. Millions of citizens are already racked by economic hardships which analysts blamed on the administration’s rudderless policies.

In his argument, Mr Malami alerted the president to the dangers of allowing the situation to go on unchecked, saying it would wreak even more devastating chaos compared to the current level of disorder.

But the prevailing state of security in Nigeria can be addressed under the existing constitutional framework, legal analyst Abdul Mahmud told The Gazette on Wednesday evening.

“The AGF’s position is nonsensical,” Mr Mahmud said. “They have their own sinister agenda and are trying to come under suspension of the Constitution to actualise it.”

Mr Mahmud said he was incensed by Mr Malami’s suggestion to the president, saying it was unbefitting of his position as attorney-general.

“If the attorney-general who ought to be the chief protector of our Constitution is suggesting the need to suspend Chapter IV of the Constitution, then it is clearly an attempt to plunge the country into further crisis,” he said.

“There’s no part of the Constitution, including Section 305, that contemplated the suspension of Chapter IV, which essentially is the suspension of the Constitution itself,” the legal expert said.

(Peoples Gazette)

First Bank Denies Closure of Branches

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

First Bank Nigeria, FBN has denied any plan to close down all its branches in Nigeria’s South East due to security concerns. The first generation commercial bank in the country has over 65 branches in the zone, but recent reports suggest the intention of the Kazeem Adeduntan-led management to shut down those branches.

But in a terse statement on Wednesday, signed by Folake Ani-Mumuney Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications and made available to the magazine, the Deposit Money Bank, DMB denied nursing such plans.

“The bank said “This is to inform the public that our South East branches are fully open for business. Please disregard any news making the rounds that is contrary to this.”

With over 750 business locations and over 100,000 Banking Agents spread across 99% of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services to serve its over 30 million customers.

The Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as a Representative Office in Beijing

How Police Foiled Attempts to kidnap Catholic Bishop In Zaria

By
The Source
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Kidnappers Arrested in Zaria

The Nigeria Police Force has revealed how its quick and preemptive action scuttled the Kidnapping of a Catholic Bishop in Zaria.

According to a release by the Force Headquarters, signed by its Spokesman, CP Frank Mba, the plan for the high profile kidnap  was already at an advanced stage when  the Police pounced  on them, and thus aborted it.

Mba, also, disclosed how, within a space of one month, 84 hardened criminals were swooped on, and arrested, while large quantities of weapons were, also, recovered from them.

Following is the text of Mba’s Press Release.

“Following the ongoing implementation of a robust security action plan to protect citizens and critical national infrastructure across the country, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, have arrested a total of eighty-four (84) notorious criminal suspects within the past one month.

“A total of forty-five (45) sophisticated firearms and ammunition including 1-GPMG, 1-LAR rifle, 17-AK47 rifles, 2-Pump Action rifles, 20– locally fabricated firearms, 3-single barrel guns, 9899– live ammunition of different calibres, 80-fake vehicle number plates, 1– Toyota Camry with Reg. No. AA 792 HJA and 1-Toyota Corolla LE with Reg. No. QAP 622 AA, were recovered from the suspects in the operations.

“The suspects were arrested for their involvement in series of violent crimes including terrorism, banditry, kidnap for ransom, possession and proliferation of illegal weapons, armed robbery, unlawful production of vehicle number plates etc.

“While many of the suspects were arrested in follow-up on cases of violent crimes under investigations, many others were arrested after being subdued following gun duel with the police who took the battle to the doorsteps of the criminals.

“Notably amongst the cases is the arrest of four (4) members of a notorious criminal gang responsible for carrying out some of the high-profile kidnap for ransom operations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Bauchi, and Plateau States.

“The suspects are Umar Abdullahi ‘m’ 40yrs of kali Kura village, Giwa LGA, Kaduna State, Yusuf Tanimu ‘m’ 23yrs of Kurena, Zaria, Kaduna State, Mamuda Suleiman ‘m’ 40yrs of Barkin ladi, Plateau State and Abubakar Yaro ‘m’ 38yrs from Wase village, Plateau State. Investigations revealed that the gang are linked to series of kidnap for ransom crimes including the kidnapping of some senior staff of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, family members of notable political appointees and business entrepreneurs in Kaduna State and other contiguous State.

“Investigations revealed that the suspects were at an advanced stage of operationalizing their plans to kidnap a Catholic Bishop in Zaria, when they were apprehended. Investigations further revealed that the gang, in addition to their kidnapping enterprise, also supply arms and ammunition to Bandits at Birnin Gwarri, kaduna State, Niger, Katsina and Zamfara States.  One (1) General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two (2) AK47 rifles, six thousand, five hundred and nine (6,509) live ammunition were recovered from the syndicate during the operation.

“Similarly, the Police team arrested a 7-man criminal syndicate that specializes in the manufacturing and supplies of locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and ammunition to bandits in forests along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway and funtua – kankara expressway in Katisina State. The suspects are; Dung Michael ‘m’ 26yrs, Dung James ‘m’ 29yrs, Bulus Iliya ‘m’ 25yrs, Markus Danladi ‘m’ 25yrs, Danjuma Dachu ‘m’ 25yrs all from Jos South and Samaila Abdullahi ‘m’ 45yrs from Toro in Bauchi State, Maek Danladi ‘m’ 30yrs from Chukum, Kaduna State. In a similar vein, one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Mallam Buzu from Mali who is a transnational gun-runner was arrested by the Police team in Tsamiya, a border town between Benin Republic and Nigeria. He was arrested with a GPMG ammunition chain drive with holding capacity of 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

“In addition, three (3) suspects responsible for production of fake vehicle number plates including replica of number plates of government, diplomatic and security agencies were arrested. Investigations revealed that the suspects supply the number plates to criminal elements who use same to beat security checks during their operations. A total of eighty (80) fake number plates were recovered from the gang.

“The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, while affirming that the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches targeted at re-ordering security in the country are already yielding positive results, reassures citizens of the renewed commitment of the Force to the fight against crimes and criminality. He calls for sustained support for the Police and the security community as efforts are intensified to enhance public safety, peace and security.

“All the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigations.”

OPINION: The Death of Ahmed Gulak

By
The Source
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0
Reuben Abati

By Reuben Abati

The cold-blooded murder of Hon. Ahmed Gulak, former Speaker of the Adamawa House of Assembly, former Special Adviser on Political Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, former national co-ordinator of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG) and former Governorship aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet another tragic indication of the crisis of insecurity that Nigeria faces.

It is disturbing and frightening because this was a Northern politician who had gone to the South East only to be brutally cut down by “unknown gunmen” on his way to the airport after concluding his visit to Imo State.

This was a clear case of assassination. There were two other persons with him according to reports. The assassins, true to type, identified their quarry, murdered him and didn’t bother about the witnesses. It is all the more curious because Gulak has a recent history of association with Imo State.

He was the leader of the APC team that organised the controversial party primaries in Imo State ahead of the 2019 Gubernatorial elections. Gulak it was said, was under pressure to sign the papers declaring an associate and relation of the then Governor Rochas Okorocha, as the winner of the primaries. Gulak refused and sneaked out of town under the cover of night. He alleged that he was offered a $2 million bribe and a private jet.

Whatever may be the circumstances that took him to Imo State this time around, he obviously also wanted to sneak out of town without drawing attention to himself.  If he had known that he was a person of interest in that part of the country, he probably would have stayed away. Or did anyone trail him to Imo State, monitored his movements and struck at a convenient spot and time? Did his assassins choose the place of attack deliberately to hide their trail, and divert attention?

In most cases of this nature, the Nigeria Police are often so lazy, so unimaginative. They easily jump to conclusions, latching on to the most convenient lead. This explains why the initial reaction from the Imo State Police Command was that Gulak made himself a target by not asking for security escort. For us to feel safe and have a good country, it must be possible for anyone at all to move around freely in Nigeria without having to seek police escort. Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution states clearly that the security and welfare of the people is the primary purpose of government. Section 41 of the same Constitution guarantees the freedom of movement. Section 34 talks about the right to the dignity of the human person.

These are three major areas in which the Nigerian Government has failed the people over the years. Why should citizens seek police protection in order to travel from their homes or hotel rooms to the airport? If we all do so, there will no policeman left on routine duty.

The sad part of it is that we live in a country where no one is safe anymore, not even school children, students and their teachers, wives, husbands, and the ordinary man. The state is in recess. It is absent. Its institutions are too fragile to help the people. The people are like orphans in their own country.

Gulak’s death should be a warning sign of how dangerously Nigeria sits on the brink of the precipice and the edge of a knife. This is why the security agents handling the investigations must learn to think before opening their mouths.

In less than 24 hours after the killing, the Police not only blamed Gulak for killing himself (because he did not ask for police security! Imagine!), they also immediately concluded that bandits were behind the killing. In 24 hours, they opened a case file and closed it. This kind of beer-parlour-policing is unacceptable. I expect the Police Headquarters in Abuja to take charge directly from the office of the Inspector General of Police.

We have been told that the Police have since apprehended Gulak’s killers. So fast? Are the suspects in custody really the killers? Or is this a case of lazy policing?

The murder of Hon. Ahmed Gulak is bound to widen the distrust between the South and the North. The optics are bad. The signs are ominous. Gulak did not go to Imo State to graze cattle, and even if he did, he did not deserve to be murdered. It should not be surprising, therefore, that his murder is being located in the growing North-South politics of difference, and the rights of every Nigerian under the Constitution. Hence, much effort has been made to ethnicize his murder, or lend it an ethnic colouration. That is the dangerous part of it, and it is the reason the Nigerian government must not treat this as just another murder.

The First World War was ignited by the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo by Serbian terrorists, the Black Hand.  He was the presumptive heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne. The Great War started a month after his death, and went on for four years. And over 20 million people died.  It takes only one incident to ignite others and turn embers into a huge conflagration.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State governor, Chair of the Southern Governors Forum and APC chieftain, is right to have described the killing of Ahmed Gulak as “one murder too many” and an attempt “to instigate Nigerians against each other, particularly Northerners against the Igbo living outside the South East.”

Toeing the same line, human rights activist, author, and politician Comrade Shehu Sani, member of the 8th National Assembly, who represented Kaduna Central, has also appealed to youths in Northern Nigeria not to seek vengeance for the murder of Ahmed Gulak in the South East.  Nigeria’s civil war, 1967 -1970 was ignited by ethnic sentiments and reprisal killings. No country survives two civil wars. We all have to be careful.

There is an evil wind blowing across the country.

On Sunday, the Coalition of Northern Groups issued a statement to say that the murder of Ahmed Gulak is an indication that the North can no longer continue to co-exist with people of Igbo extraction inside Nigeria. The group accused South East leaders of funding the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to cause havoc and “replicate the ugly events of 1966”.  The Northern Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) also called on the Governor of Imo State to produce Gulak’s killers within two weeks or risk being declared “persona non grata in the North”. This same NYCN has since toned down its rhetoric and praised the police. The volte-face is suspicious but helpful.

It is good news also that the IPOB and ESN, the militant, political and security units defending Igbo and secessionist Biafra interests have declared that they have no hand in the Gulak assassination, and that in no way was he a person of concern to them. What no one can deny, however, is that the South East has become a war zone. Whereas it is possible to talk about insurgents, terrorists, and kidnappers in Northern Nigeria occupying the Sambisa Forest or what they now call, the Timbuktu Triangle, the South East of Nigeria is now the operation field of a strange phenomenon called “unknown gunmen.”

Nigeria must be the only country in the world where ghosts and unidentifiable objects cause so much havoc and the state is so terribly helpless. From Ebonyi to Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Imo and every part of the South East, human beings are being killed, kidnapped, murdered, assaulted, offices and facilities belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, the immigration service,  the judiciary are being set ablaze and all we hear is that  “unknown gunmen” are behind it all. Is there anything that is known to the Nigerian government at all?

In the last 3 days, there have been other assassinations: The Chief Provost of Nigerian Immigration Service, Imo State Command, Okiemute Mrere was murdered on Saturday night on Owerri-Port Harcourt Road. In Niger State, bandits are on rampage. They have set a police station ablaze and kidnapped persons, including 200 school children. In Ibadan, Oyo State a popular businessman, Maduabuchi Owuamanam was also assassinated on Saturday, May 29, along Mokola-Sango Road.  In Abuja, yesterday, Omoyele Sowore, leader of the #RevolutionNow movement had a life-threatening encounter with assassins in state uniform. In his own case, he lives to tell the story, asking his followers to carry on with the revolution even if he gets killed. Dead men don’t tell stories. The truth is this: nobody is safe in this country anymore, and whereas this may sound repetitive, note this:  not even the foetuses in blessed wombs waiting to join the Nigerian nightmare are safe. The country is that bad.

I knew Ahmed Gulak. We worked together in the Jonathan administration. He advised the President on Political Matters, and was later the co-ordinator of the Goodluck Support Group. In the latter capacity, he stepped on some powerful and sensitive toes as he went around the country in the lead up to the 2015 elections, and that was what led to his exit.

I announced his appointment and his exit. But the Ahmed Gulak I remember, is a political man of action. He was articulate, knowledgeable and experienced. Having served as Speaker of the House of Assembly in Adamawa, and entrenched as he was in party politics, he carried himself with the aplomb of a man who had been here and there. He was friendly and approachable. In a sense, he was one of us, the boys in the Jonathan inner circle, that is the “the main body”.

There were persons who were not permanently with the Principal but who wielded much influence because they had access. He was one of them.

President Jonathan liked him a lot. The story of his exit will not be told here, except to say that one Governor at the time felt Ahmed Gulak had the temerity to visit his state without his permission and held meetings without his approval, and that was it. The Governor raised hell. Those were the days. I am under no obligation to say more.

With his death, we have lost a man who enjoyed the art of politics and sought to excel in it. He was confident, assertive and always well turned out.  He was one of the shining stars in his part of the country. He was detribalised. His murder on the streets of Imo State is most unfortunate because that was a man who felt at home in any part of the country.

Nigeria has lost a gem, and as always, it is the country that has been shot in the foot. His death should not end up as another item in Nigeria’s long list of unresolved political assassinations.

Dr Abati, Columnist, TV Personality, was the Special Adviser on Media & Publicity to former President Goodluck Jonathan

Twitter Pulls Down Buhari’s Tweet; FG Protests; Fayose Mocks President

By
Uche Mbah
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By Uche Mbah & Ayodele Oni

In a surprise move that has gladdened the hearts of Nigerians who were shocked at President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of words on his official Twitter handle, Twittee has pulled down his Tweet which says he will deal with those causing trouble ‘in the language they will understand”.

The President had, in a post that brought so much condemnation on the Presidency, said that many people misbehaving today did not experience the civil war.

“Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War”.

“Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war will treat them in the language they will understand”.

This elicited so much reactions like claps of thunder in social media. This magazine gathered that so many people reported the tweet to Twitter, and described it as hate speech. Twitter responded.

The company pulled down the tweet saying:

“This tweet violated twitter rule”, was the response this Magazine got when it tried to access it.

Not a few Nigerians saw the tweet as a genocidal threat to those who are  demanding for self determination, especially IPOB, Oduduwa, and the Middle Belt.

But the Federal Government has accused Twitter of unfairness. Lai Mohammed, the Minister for Information and National Orientation, accused Twitter of bias. He wondered why Twitter did not pull down a number of tweets by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and the many tweets posted during the #EndSARS protest against Nigeria.

His words:

“Twitter may have its own rules; it’s not the universal rule. If Mr. President, anywhere in the world feels very bad and concerned about a situation, he is free to express such views.

Now, we should stop comparing apples with oranges. If an organisation is proscribed, it is different from any other which is not proscribed.

“Two, any organisation that gives directives to its members, to attack police stations, to kill policemen, to attack correctional centres, to kill warders, and you are now saying that Mr. President does not have the right to express his dismay and anger about that? We are the ones guilty of double standards.

“I don’t see anywhere in the world where an organisation, a person will stay somewhere outside Nigeria, and will direct his members to attack the symbols of authority, the police, the military, especially when that organisation has been proscribed. By whatever name, you can’t justify giving orders to kill policemen or to kill anybody you do not agree with.”

But former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, is in a jolly good mood over Twitter’s action.

He said:

“When is Mr President, Buhari, using his power as Commander-in-chief to “show Twitter pepper” for deleting his tweets?

“Or Twitter will just delete our President’s tweets like this and there won’t be consequences?

“Nigeria is boiling everywhere and all that the President can do is to be threatening genocide up and down?

“Now that Twitter has dealt with our almighty President Buhari, won’t he “deal” with Twitter too?

Like Trump, like Buhari.

“It is obvious that those exercising President Buhari’s powers for him do not know when and where to stop their power-madness.

“Regrettable, Twitter may not know that President Buhari is not the one operating any handle. Can our President operate Android Phone not to talk of making genocidal tweets?

“A president who cannot address his own people in time of crisis can certainly not be the one tweeting on the crisis.

“Twitter should rather hold Garba Shehu, Lie Mohammad and co accountable.”

JUSUN Strike: Ondo Police Command Worry Over Suspects Awaiting Trial

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Nigeria Police Force

By Ayodele Oni

The strike by the  Judicial Workers, nationwide, continues to take its toll, especially on suspects in police custody, awaiting arraignment.

Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Salami Bolaji, said in Akure on Wednesday that close to 30 suspects arrested within the last one month could not be prosecuted due to the strike.

Mr Bolaji gave a breakdown of the suspects whose investigations had been concluded and awaiting trial to include robbery, seven; stealing, three; defilement, one, and others for various offences.

According to him, one of the suspects was caught with 26 power generating sets all suspected to have been stolen which he was re- selling to unsuspected buyers.

“With a report of stolen generators from one Akindele Olumide of Adedibu Street, Okuta-Elerinla, Akure, the Ondo State Police Command has recovered 26 other generating sets from one Opeyemi Tosin ‘m’ age, 26years of Okuta-Elerinla Estate, Akure.

“Police investigations revealed that Opeyemi Tosin is a serial burglar and has confessed to the offence. He has also named two others as his accomplices. They

are: – ThankGod James, ‘m’ age 22years and Sodiq Segun ‘m’ 23years. Case is ready for prosecution.

The police boss also spoke about one 35 years old Kelvin Abugu who allegedly defiled nine years old of Blessing Emmanuel.

“On May 2, 2021 at about 1420hrs, Agnes Emmanuel reported to the Police that she saw her daughter passing out blood from her private part and when asked, she said it was one Kelvin Abugu who inserted his

hand and later his manhood into her private part.

“He was immediately arrested and has owned up to the offence. Case is ready for prosecution.”

Investigations revealed that in an attempt to reduce incidents of robbery in the state, especially, the state capital, the state government has restricted operation of commercial motorcyclists to 7 pm.

This followed repeated cases of persons that were robbed by robbers while on motor bikes.

Gulak: Imo Tackles Fani-Kayode, Says He Sounds Supportive Of Gulak’s Murderers

By
The Source
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0

By Charles Igbo

It seems former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, wants to make capital of the unfortunate gruesome murder of former Political Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak in Imo State.

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has berated former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode over his reaction to the gruesome murder of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.

He was murdered by gunmen on May 30, 2021, by gunmen who intercepted the Cab he rode in on his way to the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

Outrage greeted his murder, and questions, speculations and allegations have been rife since then.

The Imo State Police Command, in its first reaction said the murdered politician left his hotel room at Protea in a Cab, for the Airport, without any security.

At Obiangwu, a Community close to the Airport, the Police said he was killed by gunmen who first identified him before they shot him.

Hours later, the Police announced the cheery news that a number of those who took part in the gruesome murder have been neutralised, and three out of the four vehicles they used for the operation razed.

But Fani-Kayode is raising issues with the manner of Gulak’s trip to the Airport. In a post on his Facebook page, he asked why Governor Uzodinma did not provide security for Gulak. He asked why he used a cab. He queried his manner of dressing – jeans trousers, t-shirt, and baseball cap.

For the records, Gulak, a lawyer, was not on a private or official visit to the Governor. He was in the State on a national assignment as a Consultant to the Senate Committee on the 1999 Constitution Review.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary/ Special Assistant  Oguwike Nwachuku, Uzodinma wondered what points Fani-Kayode was making, and wha he wanted to achieve by his absolutely pointless reaction.

Following, is the full statement titled:

Fani-Kayode cannot benefit from Gulak’s assassination, says Uzodimma

“From the look of things, it seems former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode wants to make capital of the unfortunate gruesome murder of former Political Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak in Imo State weekend.

“Gulak was killed on Sunday morning around Ngor Okpala on his way to the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo airport.

“The Police have risen to the occasion, killing some members of the IPOB/ ESN they said were behind Gulak’s  murder and progressing positively in their investigation on the matter to unravel others.

“The Police are as determined as every well meaning Nigerian, including the Federal and Imo State Governments, to ensure that investigation into Gulak’s murder is not jeopardised.

“Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, in his statewide broadcast on Monday, reiterated the fact that everything would be done to bring all those behind Gulak’s  killing,  whoever they are, to justice.

“But Fani-Kayode in his characteristics of always trying to reap from ugly situations has taken to his Facebook wall to make insinuations that suggest he does not want those behind Gulak’s assassination unveiled.

“Explanations had been offered that Gulak was not Governor Uzodimma’s guest as of the time he was killed in Imo, but had come to the State on the invitation of the organisers of the 1999 Constitution Review Committee of the Senate as a Consultant.

“The questions are: Why should what Gulak wore be the issue to Fani-Kayode? Why should he fret at the mention of political assassination?  Is it out of place for desperate politicians, like Fani-Kayode, to engage miscreants to harm their political opponents? How would those the Police said they killed and that they have reasonable suspicion they were involved in the assassination of Gulak, detract from the fact that they may have been hired/used?

“Governor Uzodimma, as the Chief Security Officer of Imo State, gets briefed on every situation in the State and Fani-Kayode knows that, yet the former embattled Minister decided to raise issues that tend to portray him as supporting those who killed Gulak.

“It is even laughable that Fani-Kayode was talking about falling out “badly over some unresolved issues,” and you ask yourself if he has any moral justification criticising merchants of fake news, rumour-mongering and blackmail when he is the arrow head.

“Ordinarily, one would not have bothered responding to the balderdash Fani-Kayode posted on his Facebook wall because Nigerians know the character that is him, but for the unsuspecting members of the public who may not know the reason behind his comments.

“Investigations into the killing of Gulak are still ongoing, and God willing, all those behind the dastard act would be unmasked for Nigerians to see.

“Therefore,  the likes of Fani-Kayode and others who have started having goose pimples because of the mention of political assassination should summon the courage to hold their breathe.

“The way they think it is too early to think/say Gulak’s murder was political is also the way many people think political assassination is the main reason he must have been killed.

“Fani-Kayode and his ilk should desist from raising issues that are neither here nor there over Gulak’s assassination simply because Hope Uzodinma is Governor of Imo State.”

Breaking: First Bank’s Customers Panic, Lender To Close 65 Branches

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The management of First bank Nigeria Limited is contemplating closing all its branches in the South East part of the country due to the prevailing insecurity in the zone. There are 65 branches of the bank in the region.

If the Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan-led bank goes ahead with this, it will create panic among the numerous customers of the first generation bank in region, aside the numerous staff of the bank that will be temporarily sent home, according to those following recent development.

The bank is mostly used by civil servants and any decision to close the branches will upset the livelihood and businesses of many families, according to close watchers of the bank who spoke with the magazine on Wednesday.

The last few weeks have witnessed increased in attacks on public assets as well as wanton killings of civilians, including former Presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak who was gruesomely killed on his way to the airport on Sunday.

Even though President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday, that his government will descend heavily on arsonists and other troublemakers, those that have been watching events in the embattled zone, insist that commercial institutions could be the next target of hoodlums who will be desperate to seek funds for their nefarious activities.

The indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB had, last month claimed that the DSS was is planning to sponsor criminals to rob banks in the South-East region, and blame it on the secessionist group.

According to a statement by Emma Powerful, IPOB media and publicity secretary, the private police would try to pin the robbery on the separatist group.

The statement read in part “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by our great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to put banks in Biafra land on notice of a wicked plot by the Nigerian security agencies to harm them.

“Our intelligence unit has uncovered fabricated propaganda by the Department of State Services DSS, that Eastern Security Network, ESN is planning to attack banks in Biafraland to acquire money to purchase arms. DSS is propelling this wicked propaganda all in a bid to blackmail ESN and IPOB, and dent our global reputation.

“We, therefore, wish to debunk this falsehood and blatant lie from the pit of hell. IPOB and ESN are not criminals and we have no plans or agenda to touch any institution particularly banks. We are not looking for money to buy arms because we produce our arms locally and cannot attack or kidnap anybody for ransom.

“We don’t inflict pains on the people we are fighting for their freedom. DSS must stop this rubbish and engage their time on something more meaningful. This poor script cannot fly,” the statement partly said.

The DSS however denied the report, insisting that it is focused in its quest to maintain law and order and protect lives and property.

The allegation followed the hoisting of Biafra flag on the premises of a commercial bank in Oye Agu-Abagana, Njikoka Local Government area of Anambra State.

Sources told the magazine that banks could be the next target of some criminal elements who may be hiding under IPOB separatist agenda.

“Indeed, the bank is not prepared to face looting and arson at this time, just coming out of recent boardroom crisis that almost tainted its over 100 years reputation as Nigeria’s foremost bank.

The Kazeem Adeduntan-led management was last month sacked from office by the Board, but was later restored by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN which said its tenure had yet to expire. Adeduntan will exit the bank in December.

Calls made by the magazine to the Mrs Chinwe Bode-Akinwande, one of the bank’s top corporate affairs staff were not answered. She had yet to respond to text messages sent to her telephone lines.

Breaking: How Gov. Ortom’s Aide On Security, Rtd. AIG Dega, Was Murdered In A Restaurant

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Christopher Dega

By Adesina Soyooye

The Senior Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Christopher Dega, has been murdered.

Dega, a retired Assistant Inspector  General of Police, was murdered in Jos, Plateau State, by gunmen who, Police say trailed, and killed him in a restaurant in Burukutu.

It is not yet confirmed why Dega went to Jos, or the circumstances which surrounded his killing, but

a statement by the Spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Gabriel Ogaba, said the retired AIG was killed on Monday, May 31, by three yet-to-be identified gunmen.

He stated: “It is on a sad note that the Command received an ugly report of the death of AIG Christopher Dega (Rtd)

“On 31/5/2021, at about 2030hrs, AIG Dega was shot dead by three yet to be identified gunmen in an isolated restaurant  at Burukutu, Jos.”

According to the Statement, Dega arrived Jos at  about 1930hrs, and was killed the same day he arrived.

Benue State has been having a running battle with rogue herdsmen who have been wreaking havoc in the State – killing, maiming, raping, and destroying farmlands.

Governor Ortom has been in the forefront of the battle against them and open-grazing. Their activities have been trying to tear the country apart.

Dega, a brilliant operations officer, was, among other positions he held before his retirement, the Commissioner of Police in Edo and Borno State Command.

He was a native of Katsina-Ala, Benue State.

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