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PSC Approves Promotion Of 38 ACPS To DCPS, 100 CSPS To ACPS

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The Source
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Hashimu Argungu - PSC Chairman

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has approved  the promotion of thirty eight Assistant Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Deputy Commissioners.  The Commission also elevated 100 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners of Police.

The Commission took the decision Thursday,  February 20th 2025 at the continuation of its extraordinary Plenary Meeting holding  at its Corporate Headquarters in Jabi Abuja and presided over by Its Chairman,  DIG. Hashimu Argungu rtd. The Meeting was also attended by Justice  Adamu Paul Galmuje, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary; DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd, Honourable Commissioner representing the  Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani Secretary to the Commission. 

The new Deputy Commissioners, as released by the Commission, are: Emmanuel  Deenom,  Olufemi Takeet, yusuf Doki Sani,  Joseph  Habakkuk Anche, Faruku Umaru, Danladi Daura, Benedict  Omotomilola Olomo,  Bernard Adedayo Ojewale, Aminudeen Mohammed,  Mohammed lawal  Bello, and  Mohammed sabo Haladu.

Others are; Baba Gana  Saje,  Maman Bello Tambuwal Abubakar  Bello Mustapha, Haruna Adamu, Uzairu Abdullahi,   Dashuwar Tepnyakas,  Braide Elekima,  Usman Garik,  Musa Abdullahi, Kabiru Salisu,  Uchenna Ani, Innocent  Oguejiofor Umuerie Mathew  Obiuwevbi, Gabriel Odiaka Dibie and  Olufemi  Olabanji Kayode, State CID, Osogbo,  Osun State Command. 

Ikenna Kenneth Ezeani, Force Secretary’s Office  Afolaranmi Omotayo, Ibrahim Yidi, Isyaku Usman, Rasaq Abdulsalam, Olajide Agboola, Chioma Onwukaike, Abayomi Agbana, Ibrahim Miringa Musa, Umar  Sokoto Abubakar,  James Ekanem Usen and Dauda Buba Fika were the other Assistant Commissioners promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioners. 

Some of the Chief Superintendents of Police who were promoted to Assistant Commissioners are; Ibrahim Mohammed  Agava, Akinloye Joseph  Oyegade, Rilwanu Mohammed  Dutse, Ibrahim  Aliyu Jauro,  Abdulmajid Isah, Fidelity Lohya Labong, Anthony Olusola Ojo, Ibrahim Muktar, Abdulrahaman  Idris and Aminu Hamza.

Also promoted Assistant Commissioners are; Clement  Ugochukwu Ezejiofor,  Peter  Obiyo Ihechere,  Benjamin  Chidozie Egbu, Joy Ugo Elemoke, Mansur Mahmud Tafida, Area Command  Ido Osi, Ekiti State, Mohammed  Ibrahim second in Command Zonal CID Zone 3, Yola, Jude Ohaja, State CID, Awka, and Chinyere Ajuolachi Akalaga,  DPO, Lokogoma, FCT.

Godfrey  Ogbeide Victor, former DPO Utako, FCT, and now Commander Scorpion Squad Abbattoir, FCT, Banawi  Ishiaku, DPO  Otu Jeremi, Ughelli  South, Delta State, Abbas Abubakar,  DPO Ikot Abasi Akwa Ibom and Celestine Tochukwu Umeh were  also promoted to the next rank of Assistant Commissioners  amongst others.

Chairman of the Commission,  DIG Argungu said the Commission will continue to be faithful in granting deserving Police Officers their due promotion. H e however advised that they should reciprocate Commission’s faithfulness by rededicating themselves to the service of our country.

DIG Argungu said the Commission expect that the war against insurgency and banditry should be given the required attention.

“Bisi Akande Lied, I Never Told Him Ige Will Be Killed If He Resigns From Obasanjo’s Cabinet” – Brig-Gen Rotimi

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The Source
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Retired Brigadier-General Oluwole Rotimi and Bisi Akande

By Gideon Njoku

“Investigation into Ige’s murder was not thorough” – Rotimi

90-year old retired Brigadier-General Oluwole Rotimi, has put a lie to the recent claim by Chief Bisi Akande as it concerns the murder of Chief Bola Ige.

Ige, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Government was gruesomely murdered in his Bodija, Ibadan home on December 23, 2001 under circumstances that, till date, have not been unraveled.

But, recently, Chief Akande, a former Governor of Osun State, President Bola Tinubu’s political ally, and a former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, stirred controversy when he said that Rotimi, a former Military Governor of old Western Region, had called him to tell Ige not to resign from Obasanjo’s Cabinet as he planned to because if he did, he could be killed.

But addressing a press conference to mark his 90th Birthday, Rotimi said Akande’s submission was far from the truth, and a misrepresentation  of what transpired.

According to him, Obasanjo, when he wanted to change his Cabinet called him to speak to Ige not to think of leaving because there was a lot of pressure on Ige to resign from Obasanjo’s Government, including from Professor Wole Soyinka.

His words: There was a lot of pressure on Ige to leave the Obasanjo Government from people, including Professor Wole Soyinka.

“I now advised Chief Bola Ige, ‘Please don’t do it’. Obasanjo did not make a mistake in appointing you a Minister in his Government and he appreciates your usefulness to his Government.

“I did not say if he left, something would happen to him.

“That I advised Chief Ige not to walk out of Obasanjo’s Government is a fact. But I did not tell him there would be consequences should he do it.

“What Akande said is a misrepresentation. He should, as much as possible, get his facts right.

Rotimi, however, expressed disappointment with the investigation of Ige’s murder. He said it was untidy and not thorough.

He said: “They should have gone beyond those who  were his security personnel.

“If you limit your investigation right from the beginning, how do you deal with other facts hanging around which nobody thought about?

“That is the way I feel they should go, but I have learnt, over the years, to close my mouth because I don’t want to say something which I cannot publicly defend in order not to be seen as a fool.”

Nigeria Has ‘No Business’ Producing 2m Barrel Of Crude Oil Per Day- OPEC Chair

By
James Orji
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Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC  says Nigeria has the capacity to produce four million barrel per day, bpd.

He spoke at a business forum in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Thursday organised by Heirs Holdings, owned by Nigeria’s business man, Tony Elumelu

The OPEC board chairman remark comes amidst the struggle by the country to produce two million barrel set for it by the international oil cartel, due to some intervening factors including the restiveness in the country’s Niger Delta, apart from the serious crude oil theft in the creeks which has marred the sector for years.

The situation, according to experts, has affected the nation’s revenue which is highly dependent on oil income.

According to the figures obtained from the government-controlled oil firm, the NNPC Limited as of November 2024, Nigeria’s crude oil production peaked at 1.8 million barrels per day bpd.

In spite of the seeming challenges, Adeyemi-Bero hinted that Nigeria has no business producing “below two million barrels a day’, saying she has proved this by attaining 1.7 million barrel per day in January this year.

He said efforts should be made to further attain four million crude production,  noting that this is not impossible considering that the country already showed the capacity to achieve this. M

According to him, “I think the important thing we should understand is that with Nigeria’s reserves and resources, it doesn’t have any business being below two million barrels a day. Nigeria should be doing two and a half, three, or four million barrels a day with its resource base. And I believe we can do it. And I do believe that even those in OPEC and around the world believe that, but we have to demonstrate that we can actually produce that.

“What happened in January is a major demonstration. The country demonstrated that it can deliver above 1.5mbpd. I think that’s the beginning of giving confidence that we can get more quotas.”

My Ideals Align With APC, Peter Obi’s Ally Who Dumped Labour Party; His Guber Plans

By
James Orji
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As tongues continue to wag over his defection from the Labour Party, businessman Valentine Ozigbo has explained the reason behind his decision.

Ozigbo, a former governorship candidate of the LP in the last election in Anambra state dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC this week opening the doors for speculations among keen political pundits.

His departure from the party, further raised controversy, considering that he’s a close ally of Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the party.

Explaining why he resigned from the LP Ozigbo said his progressives ideals aligned with the APC as a forward looking party, and the quest to “uplift the people of Anambra and Nigeria at large’ propelled him to dump his former party.

The former LP guber candidate who spoke when members of the APC in Amesi Ward visited his home on Thursday, said he has since been warmly welcome by the members of his new party.

He said his membership of the APC has been completed in his ward.

He said,  “This historic decision was formalised today (Thursday) when I completed my registration as a member of the APC at my ward in Amesi, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“I was warmly received by party executives and stakeholders at the ward and local government levels. My decision to join the APC is driven by my deep-rooted belief in progressive governance, my desire to work alongside forward-thinking leaders, and my determination to champion policies that will uplift the people of Anambra and Nigeria at large.”

Sources however informed the magazine that Ozigbo still has his eyes set on the governorship seat, which he believed is difficult to achieve under the LP.

Dele Giwa’s Murder: I’m Clean As A Whistle- IBB

By
James Orji
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Former military dictator Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida says the mystery behind the murder of renowned journalist Dele Giwa, will one day be revealed, despite past efforts to do this have failed.

General Babangida who ruled the country between 1984 and 1993 has been fingered in the deaths of some Nigerians including the fearless Giwa, who was the Editor in chief of Newswatch at the time for opposing his dictatorship.

Giwa was killed in Lagos with a parcel bomb suspected tohave the imprimatur of the regime. In fact, not a few have accused Babangida of direct involvement in the bloody murder.

Many years after the incident, security agencies have yet to uncover those behind the murder, amidts suggestions of a government cover-up in other to stop those involved from been exposed.

But in his book, ‘A Journey In Service’ launched in Abuja on Thursday IBB as he’s fondly called denied culpability in the murder of the popular journalist

He accused the media and security agencies of not doing enough to get to the bottom of the murder, saying whether now or in the future the mystery surrounding it will become a public item.

IBB said, “The hysteria of the media did not help the investigation of the Giwa murder. As is typical of the Nigerian media, the direction was marked by an adversarial attitude towards the government, which had remained the hallmark of the Nigerian media from its colonial heyday.”

He explained the futility of past government efforts to get to the bottom of the murder.

According to him, “When the Obasanjo civilian administration reopened the Giwa case at the Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights, I expected that the police and lawyers would come forward with new evidence as to their findings on the Giwa murder over the years.

“Nothing of such happened. The Giwa, like all mysterious murders, has remained unsolved after so many years. I keep hoping it will be uncovered in our lifetime or after us. More often than not, mysterious crimes are solved long after their commission.”

Meanwhile, Omoyele Sowore, an activist, in his response to the book said the former dictator cannot exonerate his regime for what happened to Giwa, and other killing that happened under the regime.

Apart from this, Sowore, the Publisher of Sahara Reporters said in a post he shared on his X handle that IBB must be held responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election won by the late Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

IBB said he was forced to annul the election won by the late business mogul.

“Today, former Nigerian dictator Ibrahim Babangida will launch his book, which is expected to falsely blame late General Sanni Abacha, another wicked dictator, for the annulment of June 12 elections, on doing so he will be admitting they were free and fair. Babangida’s narrative will be totally false as his life and times have always been! Don’t forget Babangida killed journalist Dele Giwa via parcel bomb in 1986. He murdered several military officers and bosom friends in phantom coup d’etat, he crashed a plane filled with military officers, he stole billions from the Nigerian national treasury, destroyed the Nigerian economy through SAP and introduced a fake transition program that he personally aborted in 1993. As usual he will blame someone else for all these,” Sowore said.

FG Asks Gov Adeleke To Stop Conduct Of Osun LG Poll, Backs Court Of Appeal Ruling On Tenure Of Chairmen

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ademola Adeleke - Osun State Governor
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State.

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal Government has taken position in the ongoing rift in Osun State over the return of sacked Local Government Chairmen to office.

Reacting through the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, (AGF)  Lateef Fagbemi, the Federal Government insisted that the only way out of the logjam is for Governor Ademola Adeleke to stop the conduct of the Local Government election slated for Saturday.

The FG pointed out that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, the governor should direct the State Independent Electoral Commission not to go ahead with the poll.

The statement released on Thursday night stated that “My attention has been drawn to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s response to the Court of Appeal’s judgment delivered on February 10, 2025, in Appeal No. CA/AK/272/2022, which overturned the Federal High Court’s decision of November 25, 2022.

“Under Oyetola’s leadership, local government elections were conducted, and the winners were sworn into office.

“However, just before Adeleke took over, the Federal High Court nullified the process, resulting in their removal. Upon assuming office, Adeleke implemented the court’s decision by replacing them with caretaker committees.

“The AGF further noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged this decision in the Court of Appeal, which ruled in their favor, declaring the High Court’s judgment invalid and reinstating the removed officials.

“This ruling effectively restores the previously ousted local government officials. However, attempts by these officials to resume their duties have faced resistance. As the state’s leader, Governor Adeleke is responsible for ensuring law and order.

“Despite this judgment, Adeleke has maintained plans to conduct fresh local government elections on February 22, 2025.”

The AGF warned that such an election would be unconstitutional since the reinstated officials still have a valid tenure until October 2025.

“Any election held under these circumstances would be illegal and a direct violation of the constitution, which Governor Adeleke has sworn to uphold.”

He also referenced a recent Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, stressing that the statutory three-year tenure must be honored.

“When a court ruling is deemed a nullity due to lack of jurisdiction, it carries no legal weight. The Court of Appeal’s judgment remains the only valid legal position, confirming the reinstatement of the elected local government officials.”

Fagbemi urged Governor Adeleke to respect the rule of law and avoid actions that could lead to political unrest in the state.

“Violence benefits no one. The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) should reconsider its plans for a local government election at this time.”

He concluded by expressing readiness to engage in dialogue with the governor to ensure peace and stability in Osun State. “My office remains open for discussions in the interest of peace in Osun and Nigeria at large.”

“I Regret June 12 Annulment” – IBB

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Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida - IBB

By Gideon Njoku

Former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB, has said that one of his regrets is the cancelation of the June 12, 1993  Presidential Election.

Chief MKO Abiola, presumably won the election, free, fair and square, but it was inexplicably annulled by the Babangida regime  shortly before the final result was to be announced.

Speaking on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the presentation of his autobiography, “A Journey In Service”, and a fund raising for the IBB Presidential Library, General Babangida  revealed that annulling the June 12 1993 Election which was adjudged free and fair, was the most challenging decision of his life.  Given another chance, he declared, he would have handled it differently.

He confessed that: “Undoubtedly, credible, free and fair elections were held on June 12, 1993. However, the tragic irony of history remains that the administration that devised a near-perfect electoral system and conducted those near-perfect elections could not complete the process.

“That accident of history is most regrettable. The Nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret. As a leader of the Military Administration, I accept full responsibility for all decisions taken under my watch.

“June 12 happened under my watch; mistakes, oversights and missteps happened in quick succession. But I say in my book, in all matters, we acted in the supreme national interest so that Nigeria could survive.”

He, however, expressed relief that former President Muhammadu Buhari honored Abiola, posthumously,  with the highest National Honour in the land – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, reserved only for Presidents.

Babangida ruled Nigeria from August 15, 1985 -August 15, 1993.

June 12 Presidential Election: “Thanks For Your Courage To admit Abiola’s  Victory” – Tinubu To IBB

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The Source
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Bola Tinubu and Ibrahim Babangida

By Gideon Njoku

President Bola Tinubu has thanked, profusely, former Nigeria’s Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), for the courage he exhibited by setting the records straight on the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election. For the first time in 32 years, it was admitted by the man who should know that Chief Moshood Abiola won that election.

The winner of the election conducted by the Babangida regime  has been a guarded, but open secret.

The contest was between business mogul and philanthropist, Chief Abiola, popular as MKO, of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and that of the National Republican Convention, NRC, Bashir Tofa.

The election, applauded by Nigerians, and adjudged as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election was, in the eyes of Nigerians, the law and the Constitution, won by Abiola.

Results from most States had been declared and Abiola was in a very clear lead, including defeating Tofa in his native State of Kano. But, just as the Chairman of the Electoral Body, Professor Humphrey Nwosu was set to declare the final result and announce the winner, the Military Regime, headed by Babangida, stopped him, and later canceled the election.

That action threw Nigeria into turmoil; denied IBB a heroic exit after years in office (August 1985-August 1993); forced him to step aside; imposed maximum leader, General Sani Abacha on Nigerians; forced Abiola into a brief exile, and, on return, declared himself President, but was arrested by Abacha; locked up for years, hauled before the Court and faced sundry charges including treasonable felony.

Sadly, on Abacha’s death, and when most people looked forward to Abiola’s release from detention for a kind of arrangement with the Military Regime headed by General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, Abiola died in still controversial circumstances.

Since Abiola’s death, the clamor has been on to declare the result of that election and declare its winner. But no Nigerian President  has had the courage to do that.  The closest Nigerians got was during the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari which bestowed Nigeria’s highest National Honour reserved for only Presidents, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, on Abiola, and declared June 12 Democracy Day, marked by public holiday. But all pressures to declare the June 12 result and announce Abiola winner were shunned.

The situation was not helped by the refusal of the man  – IBB – who canceled the election, to set the record straight. Instead, he kept dancing around it.

But on February 20, at the presentation of his memoirs – A Journey In Service”  – Babangida finally set the record straight.

He let it be known that MKO Abiola won the June 12  1993, Presidential Election; that he had the numbers, the spread, and met all constitutional requirements.

Even though most Nigerians knew all along that Abiola won, IBB’s declaration still shocked them even as it put a stamp of authenticity on Abiola’s victory..

Present at the occasion was President Tinubu who, himself, was forced into exile, from where he continued, along with others, to fight for the declaration of Abiola as President.

Responding to IBB’s revelation, Tinubu, who was the Special Guest of Honour, thanked IBB for his courage in acknowledging Abiola’s victory 32 years after Abiola won that election and died fighting for the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians to be restored.

Babangida’s courage, Tinubu said, in admitting Abiola’s victory, will help set the records properly.

Tinubu: “I am glad about the revelations of June 12. My General, we will not forget to pray for you. I listened to you carefully. I am not here to read a speech. I am here to pay homage.

“Let me say thank you for everything, for who you are, and how you have contributed to the history of this great country.”

IBB’s admission of Abiola’s victory, is likely going to trigger anew a clamor for the release of the June, 12, 2023, Presidential Election and, perhaps, to close the chapter, the ultimate declaration of Abiola, as President – post humously.

Sadly the three men who were central to that election are all gone – Abiola, Tofa, Nwosu.

“Babangida Made Me What I Am Today” – Arthur Eze

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The Source
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Arthur Eze and Babangida

By Gideon Njoku

On a day Naira tumbled in billions and dropped like claps of thunder in support of  the  proposed Presidential Library for former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, a donation of the sum of N500m by  Chief Arthur Eze made no news, almost. It was dwarfed by the donations made by the trio of Aliko Dangote – N8 billion, BUA (Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu) -N5 billion and General Theophilus Danjuma, rtd – N3 billion.

For Arthur Eze, however, what made news was the revelation he made before his donation of N500m.

Looking every who-is-who in Nigeria in the eye, including President Bola Tinubu and other former Heads of State and Presidents – General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdulsalmi Abubakar, President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Goodluck Jonathan – Chief Eze let it be known that it was Babangida, popular as IBB, who made him. Without Babangida, he said, I would be nothing today. “I am what I am today, thanks to God and Babangida.

He disclosed that it was Babangida who introduced him to all the Military Governors when he was President, as well as other top Military Officers within Nigeria and a couple of other West African Countries he travelled to.

He, also, said it was IBB who made most money men in Nigeria today, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Arthur Eze is a business man of Igbo origin. A native of Anambra State who is into Oil business, Aviation, Real Estate and much more.

IBB used the occasion of the presentation of his much anticipated  Memoir- A Journey In Service – to raise funds for his Presidential Library.

Atiku Stripped Of Waziri Title By Governor Fintiri

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The Source
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Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar, ADC presidential candidate.

By Gideon Njoku

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu  Fintiri, has given former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a bloody nose.

He has stripped Atiku, who was the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 Presidential Election of his revered Traditional Title – Waziri Adamawa.

While Atiku was not the only one stripped of his title as Fintiri stripped himself of his own title, just as he did a former Governor of the State, Boni Haruna, not a few people allege that Atiku was the target.

Both Governor Fintiri and Atiku are of the same Party – PDP. Ordinarily, the two should be together, but recently, the two of them have tended to work in opposite directions. Fintiri seem to be leaning towards the Nyesom Wike group – a formidable group in the PDP which many believe cost the Party Presidential victory in the 2023 Presidential Election.

However, Governor Fintiri said the action which many see as humiliating, considering the status of the former Vice President, is “part of a broader restructuring of Emirates and Chiefdoms across the State.”

It is not known if Fintiri gave Atiku an inkling that he would be stripped of the Waziri Adamawa title, but the Governor who announced Atiku’s new barren traditional status, as well as Haruna’s and his own, at the coronation ceremony of the newly appointed Chief of Madagali, explained that the reorganization was important in order to modernize the traditional system and align District Heads with the newly created Emirates and Chiefdoms.

Said Fintiri: “As a result, traditional titles  granted under the old Emirates and Chiefdoms are now invalid. The newly established Traditional Councils are instructed to propose new titles for approval in accordance with statutory customs.

Governor Fintiri stripped himself of the title, Sarki Yaki Mubi, and former Governor Haruna of Makama Mubi title.

However, Fintiri said that the Lamido Adamawa, the State’s number one Traditional Ruler, is free to recommend Atiku, Haruna and others for reconsideration. The final say and approval however, lies with the State Governor.

Before Atiku’s elevation to Waziri  Adamawa, he was the Turaki Adamawa, a title which has since been inherited by his first son when he Atiku was given the Waziri title.

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