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School Children, Others Trapped In End SARS Protest In Ekiti |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
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EndSARS Protest in Ekiti

By Ayodele Oni

School children, workers, and several persons were trapped in Ekiti state on Monday as the end SARS Protest rocked the entire state for the fourth day running.

The school children had already been picked from their various homes by buses, but could not reach the schools as they were held up by protesters that had trooped to the streets as early as 7.00 in the morning.

Logs and different heavy equipment were used to block all roads that lead to the state capital while traders that reported in their shops forced to close up.

Although the protesters were moving around peacefully with different placards, major roads were deserted with no presence of security agents.

Parents and stakeholders were making phone calls to radio stations to find out situation of things in other parts of the state.

They appealed to the protesters not to take the law into their hands so that government would not be forced to use military option to quell the protest.

#EndSARS: Edo Govt Declares 24-hour Curfew; Protesters Set Prisoners Free |The Source

By
Uche Mbah
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Endsars Protesters in Edo State

By Uche Mbah

The Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has declared a 24 hour curfew following the breaking of the Edo state prisons, and release of prisoners by some hoodlums.

According to the governor, this is to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

But the Prison break, according to sources, happened without any destruction of prison facilities. It was also alleged that security officials were conspicuously absent, fuelling speculations that it may have been an inside job.

On his verified Twitter handle, Governor Obaseki said the decision became necessary because of incidents of vandalism.

“The Edo State Government hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew across the state till further notice”, he said.

“The curfew is to take effect from 4 pm, today, October 19, 2020.

“This decision has become necessary because of the very disturbing incidents of vandalism and attacks on private individuals and institutions by hoodlums in the guise of #EndSARS protesters.

“While the government of Edo State respects the rights of its citizens to undertake legitimate protests, it cannot sit idly when hoodlums have taken laws into their hands to cause mayhem on innocent citizens and the state.

“By the directive, schools and businesses are to shutdown activities accordingly. Those who cannot move safely are to stay put between now and 4 pm till calmness is restored.

“Parents are advised to rein in their children, youths and wards, to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

“The responsibility of government is to protect lives and property and maintain law and order, therefore, anyone found outside in violation of the curfew would be dealt with according to the law.

The Twitter release was signed by Signed Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to the State Government, Edo State.

Viral videos of youths cooking in the middle of the Lagos-Benin expressway  surfaced online as part of the  protest.

At the time of writing this, it was not known how many prisoners escaped, or if any of them who escaped has returned.

With Additional Reports by Akinwale Kasali

NNPC Is Now In Excess Of 4.4 Trillion Liabilities Over Assets – Report |The Source

By
Uche Mbah
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NNPC

By Uche Mbah

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, as a group, is currently at a liability of N 4.4trillion over the assets of the oil firm in 2019. This is according to the just released audited financial statements of the firm. The oil firm’s liabilities as a corporation, however, exceeded its assets by N1.1tn.

NNPC has always been regarded as the cashcow of the country, and successive government has leveraged on the oil revenue as the main income source for the country.

In the report, the auditors expressed doubts that the NNPC will continue to exist, bearing in mind the level of liability of the firm. The reason for this they explained in the detailed report.

The auditors are PriceWaterhouseCoopers, SIAO Partners and Muhtari Dangana and Co, among others.

“We draw attention to note 42 of the consolidated and separate financial statements, which indicate that the group recorded a net loss of N1.8bn (corporation: net loss of N107.8bn) during the year ended 31, December 2019”, the auditors said.

“As at that date, the group’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by N4.4tn (corporation: N1.1tn).”

Recent reports indicate that the Oil refinaries are in moribund situation, and that the cost of overhead far exceeded the production, which is nill.

Nigeria sells crude and imports finshed products, and critics are in agreement that there is at best lack of transparency in the running of the corporation.

#EndSARS Campaign: Canadian Minister Throws Weight Behind Protesters, Says His Cousin Died From Police Brutality |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Kaycee Madu

By Akinwale Kasali

The #EndSARS campaign got a big boost, Sunday. Canadian Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, Kaycee Madu, showed solidarity and support for the Protesters who are protesting against Police brutality, extra judicial killings and anomalies meted on Nigerians.

The Nigerian born Canadian Member of the Legislative Assembly for Edmonton-South West and Canada’s Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, threw his weight behind the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria, alleging that Operatives of the Nigeria Police killed his cousin, Nwabueze Korie, in April 2013 extra-judicially.

Madu tweeted saying: “I support the people of Nigeria as they protest to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings.”

The Minister who attached a petition he sent to the National Assembly for the probe of the murder, and a photograph of his cousin soaked in blood in his car, tweeted:

Canadian PM Cousin

“I support the people of Nigeria as they protest to end police brutality and extrajudicial killings. My own cousin Chrisantus Nwabueze Korie was murdered by Nigerian police in April 2013

“Despite my best efforts, the police would not investigate his murder and did everything to obstruct. I also helped to petition a committee of Nigeria’s National Assembly to probe the killing and report back to the House within a timely manner.

“Fundamental human rights like peace, security and freedom from police brutality are universal. The Nigerian government has an obligation to protect its citizens and deliver substantive police reform.

“Changing the name of SARS and reconstituting it without significant reform won’t be sufficient to satisfy the cry of the Nigerian people for justice.

“Edmund Burke wrote that, ‘the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’ I encourage all Nigerians to stand up and be heard.”

Breaking: Soldiers, Police Take Over Abuja; Clear Protesters |The Source

By
The Source
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Operation Crocodile Smile

By Gideon Njoku

The Federal Government may have started an implementation of its threat to use a show of  force to break the nationwide protests which have lasted for eleven days, as at Monday.

Thousands of Nigerian youths  had taken to the streets to protest atrocious activities of the now defunct SARS, and in the process, shut down cities including Abuja and Lagos. Economic activities grounded.

The protesting youths who started by asking for the scrapping of SARS, with a hashtag #EndSARS, have since expanded their requests even after the FG, through the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, dissolved SARS, and in its place, set-up SWAT. The protesting youths have since rejected SWAT, dismissing it as “an old wine in.a new bottle.”

On Sunday, because of the violence which has suddenly accompanied the once peaceful exercise in some states, notably Edo, Lagos, Kwara, and Osun State,  where the Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, was physically attacked by the protesters, the Minister for Information,  Lai Mohammed, had threatened  that the FG will not fold its hands and allow the reign of  anarchy.

On Saturday, the Army announced that its annual exercise, where it shows off its force, code-named Operation Crocodile Smile would take off on Monday, October 20, and end on December 30.

Many thought the exercise was an indirect way to break up the protests, but the army, in a statement on Sunday, refuted it, saying it was only their annual exercise aimed at flushing out criminals.

However, in Abuja, Monday morning, reports confirm that the Army and Police have taken over the roads.

At the Central Bank on Nigeria, CBN, where the Protesters had camped out Sunday evening, there was no trace of any of them Monday morning.  In their place were  Army and Police personnel. The story was the same along the Airport road, which the protesters had blocked, and caused many. Including, allegedly, the FCT Minister, to miss their flights.

The soldiers, so deployed, are searching vehicles, to rule out any mischief.

Free movement has been restored, and street sweepers are back to their beat.

However, Monday morning in Lagos, the situation remained the same with protesters blocking roads.

Hackers: CBN Debunks Claims Of System Breach |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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Godwin-Emefiele-CBN-Governor

By Fola Jmaes

The Central Bank Of Nigeria has debunked reports that its website has been hacked by a revolutionary group of hackers known as “Anonymous”.

There were reports, last week, that the websites of some federal government agencies such as the INEC, NBC and CBN had been hacked by the angry hackers, working in cahoots with the EndSARS protesters.

But According to a public statement signed by Assistant Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwansiobi, the Central Bank of Nigeria says its website www.cbn.gov.ng has not been hacked, urging the general public to disregard the report.

“Contrary to claims in the social media, alleging that the webiste of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has been breached by malicious, w persons, we wish to state categorically that our website is secure,” the CBN said

#EndSARS: Popular Rapper, Phyno, Cries Out, Says Gov. Ugwuanyi After His Life Over Protest |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Phyno

By Akinwale Kasali

The nationwide #EndSARS campaign against Police brutalisation and extra judicial killings has taken a different twist in Enugu State.

Popular Indigenous Rapper, Phyno, has asked Nigerians to bear him witness of the threats to his life, and lives of protesters by the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led Enugu State government.

Phyno alleged that he and  other protesters were under attack by some hoodlums, who stormed where the protest at Enugu state government house was going on.

The Nigerian Rapper took to his twitter page and said that the Enugu state government should be held responsible should anything befalls them.

According to him, Governor Ugwuanyi tried to disrupt  the protest with sponsored thugs who tried to attack them.

The Rapper tweeted: “Enugu! Today our lives were threatened and we are making it clear that if ANYTHING happens to any single one of us or any protestors, let it be known that it was done by the ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT!

“Today, our peaceful protest in Enugu from Ogbete Market to the Enugu State Government House was going well until we reached the government house. Along the way we noticed a group of thugs joined the protests

“The governor came out but refused to speak up and address the protestors, instead he addressed the thugs. The thugs tried to fight us but we maintained peace because we recognized their plan.

“We made sure the youth remained calm yet the governor refused to answer our questions! Instead he walked out on us, unapologetically, with the thugs following him. We made it clear that we knew the people he was pretending to address were paid thugs.

“As we have been saying: The movement won’t stop! We come in peace as always”, Phyno tweeted.

Kalu’s Bombshell: Awolowo Did Not Trust Babangida |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has revealed reason the late sage and former premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo refused to support the transition to civil rule programme set up by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime.

The former governor of Abia state and Senate Chief Whip said in his recent book, ‘My Life’ that the late Yoruba leader did not trust the Evil Genius’, as Babangida is widely known, resolve to abdicate power.

Awolowo died in 1987 and some alluded his death to the crisis of confidence between him and the former head of state at the time.

The autobiography was released few days after the death of Awolowo’s eldest daughter, Mrs Tola Oyediran, last week.

Obafemi Awolowo
Awolowo: Did Not Trust Babangida

Kalu said he decided to visit the late politician in his home in Ibadan after Awolowo rejected the plea of the Babangida regime to be part of the transition programme, to find out why he took that decision.

Awolowo “told me he did not trust the military and that nothing in his crystal ball suggested that the military was sincere about bringing the country back to civil governance. I learnt from him that there existed two types of the military which he described as professional and mercenary military,” the former governor said.

Part of the book reads: “He told me the military government was of the latter type (and) assured me that he had not seen anything in the IBB regime to assure him of their messianic mission.”

After General Babangida took power in August 1985 from General Muhammadu Buhari, he released all political detainees, mostly followers of Chief Awolowo from the now defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, an action many said, the military leader took to pacify the politician and other south west leaders.

Babangida later promised to relinquish power to civilians in 1990 and handover to a civilian administration. He failed on that promise and was later forced to abdicate power by General Sanni Abacha in 1993.

 

#EndSARS Protests: Crack As Arrowhead Quits, Alleges Mischief In Agenda |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Segun Awosanya

By Adesina Soyooye

A crack has emerged in the #EndSARS Protests which have gripped the country in the last eleven days.

Its Leader, Segun Awosanya, has quit, alleging a change in the primary agenda of the protest. He says the protest has degenerated to mischief.

Awosanya, also known as ‘Sega’, said the protest has been hijacked for other purposes, alleging foreign funding, revealing that the Arrowheads of the protest are abroad.

Incidentally, the protesters insist they have no leader, but Sega mainstreamed, in 2017, Police brutalities, and has been in the forefront of the current protest.

He tweeted: “All efforts to talk sense into the arrowheads whi are mostly abroad, and the few in their high estate have proven abortive. I believe everyone is matured enough to face the consequences of their actions.”

Awosanya’s revelation of the  Arrowhead of Protesters living abroad, is the first confirmation by an insider that the Protest may be deeper and more organized than thought. This has, also, sparked fears of possible foreign support, and could become a big worry for the powers-that-be.

In a follow-up  interview where he criticised the turn the protest has taken, Awosanya said:

“Staging coordinated attacks on prominent reform advocates, and then using a credible advocacy’s campaign to raise funds through an unregistered NGO, threatening the integrity of our nation and gunning for youth insurrection in the name of #EndSARS. Is this even  sane?”

From requesting for an end to SARS over the killings and humiliation of youths, in particular, the requests have become hydra-headed, and the protesters have rejected all appeals to leave the streets, including an apology  by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the delay in looking into the atrocities of the now defunct SARS.

Former President Jonathan greets Gowon at 86 |The Source

By
The Source
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Former President Goodluck Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has felicitated with Ex-Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon on the occasion of his 86th birthday, describing him as a statesman who has contributed so much to Nigeria’s progress and unity.

Dr. Jonathan who stated this in a goodwill message to Gowon also prayed for God  to continue to grant the former Head of State peace strength and sound health.

In the goodwill message he personally signed, the former President said: “It is with great joy that I join your family, friends and well-wishers to celebrate with you on the occasion of your 86th birthday.

“You are a statesman and a Nigerian hero who has continued to contribute to our nation’s progress and unity, even after many years of retirement from service.

“Your relentless crusade for a more peaceful and prosperous Nigeria has continued to inspire hope and patriotism in our people. Many Nigerians see you as a role model to present and future generations of leaders, because of your modesty and principled stand on issues of morality, equity, and accountability.

“My family and I pray God continues to uphold you in peace, strength and sound health.  Congratulations, Your Excellency.”

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