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Tragedy: Dapo Ojora, Saraki’s Brother-in-Law, Commits Suicide |The Source

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The Source
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Dapo Ojora

By Gideon Njoku

Tragedy has hit the family of billionaire Boardroom guru, Otunba Adekunle Ojora and his lovely wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora. Their son, Dapo Ojora, died Friday evening in tragic circumstances.

Dapo, a polo enthusiast, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. This comes a couple of years after he survived a near-fatal motorbike accident.

Dapo was the elder brother to Mrs Toyin Saraki, wife of the immediate past Senate President, and two-time Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Dapo’s tragic death is a sad reminder for his family, of the death, nine years ago, of his elder brother, Gboyega, who died of heart attack at First Consultant Hospital, Ikoyi, at the age of 50.

It is not known, yet, why Dapo, a man from a distinguished background, would commit suicide. But  speculation is that he never got over his separation from his wife, Patricia, with whom he had irreconcilable differences.

Of the four children of Otunba Ojora and his wife, Ojuolape, only two are remaining – both now heart-broken  Mrs Toyin Saraki, and  Yinka Ojora.

Aside from his family,  Dapo Ojora will be missed by the Lagos social circle  where he was a constant. He was aged 58.

Debunk Killing Of 16 Travellers On Kaduna-Abuja Road |The Source

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The Source
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Abubakar Mohammed Adamu - IGP

The Force Headquarters, Friday evening,  denied that the 16 Kano indigenes who were killed Tuesday evening along the Kaduna-Abuja road  were shot dead by Boko Haram.

The killing of the men, on the heels of the horrific murder of over 60 rice farmers a couple of weeks ago in Bornu State, by Boko Haram insurgents which triggered outrage nationwide brought back  chilling memories when it was attributed to Boko Haram. Kano state Ganduje placed a curse on those who killed them.

But the Police now debunks the Boko Haram angle, attributing the tragedy to a lone fatal accident. It is not known why it took the place about 48  hours to confirm what happened, but a release by Force Spokesperson, DCP Frank Mba,  said the IG of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has warned Nigerians to stop spreading false rumours.

The statement reads:

“The attention of the Force has been drawn to reports in some section of the media speculating that Gunmen killed 16 Travellers on Abuja – Kaduna Highway on 8th December, 2020. The Force wishes to state that the information is false and unfounded.

“To set the record straight, the unfortunate death of the 16 travellers as well as injury to 3 others was due to a lone fatal vehicular accident. The sad event occurred on 8th December, 2020 at about 0120hrs when the driver of an 18-Seater Hummer Bus, Reg. No. FGE 553 ZS, belonging to Yasalam Transport lost control and summersaulted severally around ALCON Filling Station, Rigachukun, Igabi LGA in Kaduna State.

“Investigation by the Kaduna State Police Command reveals that nine (9) passengers died on the spot while ten (10) others, who sustained various degrees of injury, were quickly rushed to the St. Gerald’s Hospital, Kakuri. However, seven (7) of the injured victims subsequently gave up the ghost, bringing the total of the dead to 16. Three (3) of the remaining passengers are receiving medical treatment. The accident led to the unfortunate and painful loss of life of 16-travellers and injury to 3-others and not any attack by Gunmen as speculated.

The Force enjoins reporters to cross-check and confirm their reports before going public to avoid unnecessary spread of panic and emotional distress to members of the public.”

APC Was A Vanishing Party in 2019 – Femi Adesina |The Source

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Adesina Soyooye
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By Adesina Soyooye

Not many people knew that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was a dead party, almost, in 2019. Insiders in the party had given up. The party was struggling. And hope was lost.

No less a person than President Muhammadu Buhari’s Media Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, revealed this state of affairs on Friday.

In an article titled: “Dave Umahi, Heart of Lion,” where Adesina celebrated Umahi’s defection from the PDP to the APC, and the sudden foray of the APC into the South-east, Adesina said the APC was a vanishing party in 2019 which was saved, just a few months ago, thanks to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s  victory in the Ondo State Governorship election.

Under the Chairmanship of Adams Oshiomhole, the APC lost a number of states which the party had won in 2015, to the PDP. It was blamed on Oshiomhole’s leadership style.

The limit was when the party lost Edo State to the PDP due to Oshiomhole’s bitter squabbles with his former ally, Governor Godwin Obaseki. When Obaseki was denied the Governorship ticket for a second term in office, he decamped to the PDP, and defeated the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The Oshiomhole/Obaseki feud cost Oshiomhole the high profile office of the party, and the sack of the National Working Committee of the party.

Adesina: “When in year 2015, Hurricane Buhari blew-in, the APC had 24 Governors, PDP had 11, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, had one. But due to schisms and wrangling, APC states began to dwindle till it was almost 18 to 17.

“Zamfara, Bauchi, Sokoto, Benue, Oyo, Edo, were all lost. If Ondo had not been won by Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu a couple of months back, it would have been the nunc dimitis of APC. The party was fast vanishing, and the auguries for 2023 were not good.

“The victory in Ondo State was good. It took the tally to 19-16. Then came the game-changer. Ebonyi came into the bag, and it became 20-15.”

Insecurity Worse Under Jonathan says Magashi; Nigerians Disagree |The Source

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Uche Mbah
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Minister for Defence, Basir Magashi

By Uche Mbah

In a claim that made many people shake their heads in disbelief, Minister for Defence, Basir Magashi, Thursday, said that insecurity was worse in the years before 2015 than it is now, wondering why the present government is being vilified over insecurity.

His claim came on the heels of increased incidents of killings across Nigeria, with the resultant renewed call for President Buhari to sack Service Chiefs.

Last month, about 60 farmers were killed by Boko Haram at Zabarmari in Borno state. This resulted in the Federal  House of Representatives  inviting President Buhari, who initially agreed to meet with the lawmakers but changed his mind at the last minute. Attorney General, and Minister for Justice, Abubarkar Malami, SAN, said the House had no powers to invite the President to appear before the House.

Speaking on a Channels TV program, Thursday, Magashi said the Buhari  administration has defeated Boko Haram, wondering why Nigerians are not appreciating the government’s effort.

“The problem with this country is that we always forget too soon. Look in 2015 backward, 2014, 2013; if you remember the situation in this country. In Kano, 200 people were massacred in the mosque. The Emir of Kano was also attacked. The road from Kano to Kaduna and Abuja were impassable. We had over 20 roadblocks from Kaduna to Abuja. It takes you almost 15 hours to reach where you are coming from. Even in Abuja, there were bombings. Everywhere in Nigeria in those years, you find that there were commotions, no security, people can’t even move,” he said.

“When this government came, you know what we did. In Borno state, about 20 local governments were under capture by Boko Haram. But as soon as Buhari came, they were all subdued and we took over all these things and we even said we technically defeated this Boko Haram.

“No piece of land is occupied by Boko Haram in Borno state. The only thing normally with the kind of insurgent operation is that they want to surprise, you, embarrass you, and do whatever they think would attract international news or the national news or cause commotion within the the environment they operate.

“And that is what they have been doing, and that is why we are trying very hard to adopt tactics and other forms of operations in order to stop this kind of people embarrassing this country.

“We are putting in place everything you can think of, tactically and operationally, in order to return this country to the very the peaceful country we know it.”

Friends of Nigeria, he said, are coming to the aid of the overstretched military aid.

“At the moment, most people think because of the sporadic attacks here and there, we lost control or we are not doing our best. Most of you know the problem with this country. The armed forces are overstretched,” he said.

“The other thing that we may have gotten, we are not supported by some of these countries we call our friends. They are not ready to give us what we need — with the money we have and everything. But certainly, what I am trying to say is that Nigeria is better than what we were seven years ago.”

“In Africa, the Nigerian army should be adjudged one of the best. We have conducted so many operations outside Nigeria. We went to ECOMOG (Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group); we did the very best we can. We went to Sierra Leone; we did the very best we can and some other places. We are a force that is reckoned with in Africa, but because of the nature of the prolongation of this war, people are getting tired.”

“People don’t even know the principles governing this kind of operation. These operations are not concentrated in one particular place. It is an operation that they hit and run. We don’t even know their bases. Now, we understand the tactics that the best way to fight these people is to get enough intelligence and go out there to fight them and this is what we are doing. Every day, we are getting information, and the Nigerian army and air force are always in to see that they are run down.

“Since the beginning of this war, anybody who is watching it will know that Nigerian armed forces are capable of undertaking any the operation, given the requisite equipment and the motivation they require to fight this war.”

But many Nigerians insist it is either the Minister was deliberately misinforming Nigerians, or very ignorant of the  terrible security situation in the country, especially, in the North, which has kept everybody on edge, and earned Nigeria an unenviable position in the terrorism index in the world.

Ondo Govt Imposes Curfew As Communal Crisis Escalates |The Source

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Ayodele Oni
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Rotimi Akeredolu - Ondo Communal Clash

By Ayodele Oni

Following unending clashes between two communities in Ondo state, the State Government has imposed a curfew.

The escalation of clashes between Ode and Isinigbo communities in Akure North Local Government Area of the state has claimed lives with houses razed.

The State  Government said 24 hours curfew has been imposed on both communities with immediate effect.

Donald Ojogo , Commissioner for Information and Orientation said in a statement that  “aside approving this action, Governor Rotimi  Akeredolu, SAN, has equally ordered a massive manhunt for perpetrators of the despicable violence, just as investigations are already on to unravel the real cause(s) of same.

“With respect to the curfew, security agencies have been directed to ensure total compliance with the order.

“For emphasis, both Ode and Isinigbo communities have been closed down for any unauthorised human movement and activity until further notice. ”

A Palace has been razed. The Monarch cheated death, while several persons have left the two communities, who are at war over land ownership.

Imo 2024: Iwuanyanwu, PDP BOT Member, To Vote APC |The Source

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The Source
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Emmanuel Iwuayanwu

By Charles Igbo

In a speech that shocked members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, especially, in Imo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, a  chieftain of the party, said he will vote APC during the 2024 Governorship election in Imo. Iwuanyanwu did not say he was speaking for himself, alone.

He imposed his decision on the people of his zone- Owerri. “Owerri zone will vote for Uzodinma, (Senator Hope Uzodinma) in the 2024 state Governorship election”,  he told audience in a speech which lasted for about 35 minutes.

Chief Iwuanyanwu spoke on Thursday in Owerri during a reception by Owerri zone for the Governor, where the Traditional Rulers in Owerri Zone, honoured him with a chieftaincy title of Onwa n’etiri Oha of Owerri. He was the Chairman of the occasion. And hinged his decision, to vote him, on the achievements of the Governor, so far, in Owerri.

But, following are why a number of people within the PDP, and the zone, were shocked at Iwuanyanwu’s speech.

The Chief is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees. He had said, a number of times, that the quest for the Governorship ambition of former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, began in his house, and that he fought for  his victory at the polls.

However, Ihedioha’s victory was short-lived, as the Supreme Court nullified it, and declared Senator Hope Uzodinma, the winner.

Ihedioha is from Iwuanyanwu’s zone, Owerri.

Since Ihedioha’s ouster, many in the zone, and PDP members feel robbed. The PDP in Imo has, since their ouster, been preparing seriously for 2024. The party, is aggressively opposed, all the way, to everything done by Uzodinma. In doing that, the party has kept an, atimes, unperturbed Governor Uzodinma on his toes.

At the reception on Thursday, PDP sympathisers  had said that the venue was empty, even though it was packed-full.

This magazine gathered that  Iwuanyanwu’s speech at once angered and infuriated PDP members, many of whom are calling for his expulsion from the party.

Owerri is the first Zone to receive Uzodinma, and honour him with a Chieftaincy title, since after his victory against Ihedioha in January, 2020.

Breaking: Nigeria’s Ambassador To US, Nsofor Dies |The Source

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Adesina Soyooye
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Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor

By Adesina Soyooye

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, USA, Hon. Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor is dead.

He died yesterday in Maryland, US.

A native of Imo State, Justice Nsofor, a retired Judge of the Court of Appeal  was appointed Ambassador to the US by President Muhammadu Buhari. He assumed office in    December of 2017.

Given his age, 84 years, then, his appointment had taken Nigerians unawares, and had shocked many.

The Senate had initially rejected to confirm him over his age, and what they, allegedly, termed his inability to get a grasp of a couple of questions. But the President insisted on him, thus, compelling the Senate to confirm him.

Many were aghast when the President posted him to unarguably, Nigeria’s most important mission.

Unconfirmed reports say the President first took notice of Nsofor when as a Judge on the  Court of Appeal, he gave a dissenting judgement, in favour of Buhari, during one of his many court battles to become the President. But, if so, others ask, why did Buhari not extend such goodwill to the, forcefully, retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Hon.  Justice Walter Onnoghen, who, also, gave a dissenting judgement in Buhari’s favour?

The Buhari Government, not only embarrassingly delayed   Onnoghen’s confirmation   as the CJN, he was humiliated out of office, thereafter.

However, Buhari did not re-appoint Nsofor as an Ambassador for a second term. Nsofor was waiting for his successor to be announced when he died at the age of 87.

Those who knew him  describe him as a brilliant, no- nonsense Judge, who remained as sharp as a razor until his death.

$22.7bn Chinese Loan: Igbo Group Sues FG |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Igbo Board of Deputies, a group representing the south east of Nigeria has sued the Federal government for sidelining the region from projects funded from a $22.7 billion Chinese loan.

In an application filed at a federal high court in Abuja, the group is asking the court to stop the China Exim Bank, to suspend loan disbursements to the Nigerian government until the five states in the region were represented in the projects.

According to SaharaReporters, the group had earlier in March written a letter to the Chinese bank in Johannesburg, South Africa warning the bank to suspend the loan.

The group had also petitioned the Economic Community of West African States Court, according to one of the petitioners, Austin Okeke.

He said the federal government deliberately sidelined the region in the projects to be funded from the loan, adding that future of the people of the areas has been mortgage with the loan they did not benefit from.

Okeke said “On March 11, we delivered a letter of demand to China Exim Bank in Johannesburg, calling upon it to give an undertaking in the following manner.

“Suspend the loan disbursement, alternatively, cancel the approval of the loan to the Nigerian government until it has revised or amended the manner it intends to allocate the proceeds of the loan to include projects in the South East of Nigeria, which projects shall directly benefit the Igbos; and;

“As a condition, tie the loan repayment to the regions of Nigeria that inherit the projects, as Nigeria flounders and threatens to break up.

“In going forward, the Chinese government must ensure that all projects are valued and open bid for, following international best practices to ensure standard quality and fair cost.

The present Nigerian government is prone to project cost inflation, and future generations are not obligated to pay for fraudulently inflated prices. Failing which we shall join China Exim Bank as a Defendant party to the lawsuit against the Government of Nigeria.

“We say so because we do not guarantee the repayment of these loans by the other federating units of Nigeria in so far as the deliberate discrimination against the Igbos in Nigeria persists.

“The Igbos are not beneficiaries of the proceeds of the loan, and shall not participate in servicing and repayment of the same as a matter of principle, fact and law.

“The Igbos shall not be held liable for these loans, not now and in the future. We will not mortgage the rights and interests of our future generations for something they neither partook in nor benefited.”

 

Over 100m Nigerians Will Fall Into Poverty-World Bank |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

The number of poor Nigerians will hit 100 million by 2022 due to the impact of the corona virus pandemic, the World Bank has said.

The National Bureau of statistics, NBS figures indicate that over 90 million Nigerians are below poverty level, but the World Bank said the problems will get worse as 11 million Nigerians were expected to fall into poverty due to the COVID-19 crisis.

This was made known by Marco Hernadez, an Economist with the Bank during a virtual meeting held in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Thursday, tagged ‘Rising to the challenge: Nigeria’s COVID-19 response’.

Hernadez stated that the country’s population is rising astronomically; warning that close to two million Nigerians will fall into extreme poverty by end of the year.

He said, “With the COVID-19, the recession is likely to push an additional 6.6 million Nigerians into poverty in 2020, bringing the total newly poor to 8.6 million this year.

“This implies an increase in the total number of poor in Nigeria from about 90 million in 2020 to about 100 million in 2022. Northern states are more likely to be affected.”

He identified unemployment as one of the major factors that cause poverty, adding that the economy has been hit hard by COVID 19, the worst in over forty years.

 

US Cites Boko Haram As Reason For Blacklisting Nigeria |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

The United States has disclosed that the reason it designated Nigeria as a religious intolerant country was due to federal government’s failure to rein in the deadly activities of Boko Haram.

The US, on December 7 blacklisted Nigeria and nine other countries which have “engaged in or tolerated ‘systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom.’”

The development came, few days after Boko Haram killed over 47 farmers in Koshobe, Maiduguri, Borno state on November 27.

Apart from Nigeria other countries listed are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

The federal government later protested the action through the minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyema, who said he will engage the US State Department on the issue.

Speaking on the sanction, Samuel Brownback, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, said religious conflicts are ongoing in the country without being checked by the authority.

Brownback said “The secretary and really the world has great concern about what’s taking place in Nigeria at this time, and a number of terrorist groups are organizing and pushing into the country,” he said during the briefing of which statement was obtained by TheCable on Thursday.

“We’re seeing a lot of religious-tinged violence taking place in that country and indeed in West Africa.  It’s an area of growing concern about what’s happening, in particular the tension that’s taking place there between religious groups. And it’s often the religious affiliation is used to try to recruit and inspire violent acts.

“You’ve got expanded terrorist activities, you’ve got a lot of it associated around religious affiliations, and the government’s response has been minimal to not happening at all,” he said.

“A number of cases – there have not been criminal cases brought forward by the government. The terrorism continues to happen and grow, in some places unabated.”

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