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Author: Day Break

Court orders Kaduna prison to release El-Zakzaky’s wife, Zeenat for COVID treatment
A Kaduna state high court has asked the Kaduna correctional service to release Zeenat, wife of Ibrahim El–Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), for COVID-19 treatment.
In the ruling delivered on Monday, the court asked that Zeenat be moved to a government isolation facility to begin treatment immediately.
Last Thursday, Mohammed, son of the IMN leader, said his mother, Zeenat, tested positive for COVID-19 at the Kaduna correctional centre, but that the authorities refused to release her for treatment.
El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since 2015 after his followers clashed with soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna.
The IMN leader is standing trial for alleged culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and disruption of public peace
January 25, 2021
Expert urges CBN to curb inflation rates
As the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) opens its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Monday, a financial expert, Mr Okechukwu Unegbu, has advised the committee to address rising inflationary rates.
Unegbu, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, noted that other relevant rates remained stable and could be maintained.
At the last MPC meeting held in November 2020, key policy decisions reached include the benchmark interest rate which was held at 11 per cent.
Others include Cash Reserve Ratio at 27.50 per cent and Liquidity Ratio retained at 30.00 per cent.
“I guess that the MPC will leave the rates as they are because there appears to be some stability. The only issue is that inflation is going up, and it means that our currency is becoming weaker. What to do is to reduce the quantum of money in circulation,’’ he said.
He advised that the reserve requirement and liquidity ratio be adjusted to stabilise the economy.
NAN reports that Monday’s MPC meeting will be the first in 2021.
The MPC is the highest policy-making committee of the CBN with the mandate to: Review economic and financial conditions in the economy and Determine the appropriate stance of policy in the short to medium term
Other mandates are to Review regularly, the CBN monetary policy framework and adopt changes when necessary, communicate monetary/financial policy decisions effectively to the public, and ensure the credibility of the model of the transmission mechanism of monetary policy.
January 25, 2021
Biden will repeal Trump’s 2017 ban on transgender people enrolling in the military TODAY
he United States President, Joe Biden, will repeal Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people enlisting in the US military.
The plan marks the latest effort by the Biden administration to roll back many of Trump’s policies.
According to a Reuters report, a source said the ban will be lifted on Monday.
Trump had announced the ban in July 2017, reversing a landmark decision by his predecessor, Barack Obama, which allowed transgender people to serve openly and receive medical care to transition genders.
He, however, allowed transgender military personnel to keep serving while new recruits were kept out.
According to US Department of Defense data, there are about 1.3 million active personnel serving in the U.S. military, but no official figures on the number of trans members are available.
Showing his support, the newly confirmed Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, said at his confirmation hearing,
“If you’re fit and you’re qualified to serve and you can maintain the standards, you should be allowed to serve and you can expect that I will support that throughout.”
January 25, 2021
IG ordered a probe of Apostle Suleman for allegedly sleeping with pastor’s wife
According to The PUNCH the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered a probe into allegations that the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, sleep with the wife of one Pastor Mike Davids.
The woman, Pastor Faith Edeko, heads the Abuja branch of Omega Fire Ministries in Utako, while her husband, Pastor Davids, has left the church.
The IGP conveyed the order in a letter addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau, Garki, dated January 5, 2021.
The letter, with reference number CB:7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/Vol.515/561, was signed by the Principal Staff Officer II to the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Iliya Doma.
The letter is sequel to a petition written by V.C. Ezenagu & Associates on behalf of the aggrieved Pastor Davids who accused Apostle Suleman of threat to life and preventing him from seeing his three children.
The police letter is titled, “Re: Criminal Petition Against Apostle Johnson Suleman for Enticement of a Married Woman; Adultery; Unlawful Criminal Restraint to Access Children and Threat to Life.”
The letter reads in part, “I attach herewith a copy of a letter dated December 30, 2020 with its attachments received from V.C. Ezenagu & Associates on the above underlined subject. The Inspector-General of Police directs that you treat. Accept the assurances of my esteemed regards please.”
In the petition he sent to the IG, Davids said he met Apostle Suleman in 2003 while he was in school. He said they became very close and he was eventually ordained a pastor of Omega Fire Ministries on June 9, 2006 by Apostle Suleman and served the church for over 15 years before his exit in 2019. He attached his pastoral certificate with licence number 125 to the petition.
In three videos posted on Instagram on Sunday, the aggrieved pastor accused Suleman of sleeping with his wife and destroying his marriage.
Davids, who wept in the videos, said he began a relationship with his wife in secondary school and they courted for about 11 years before marriage.
He said in 2008, he introduced his wife – who was still his fiancée at the time – to Apostle Suleman whom he regarded as his spiritual father and she told him that Suleman had been making advances to her and once invited her to Reliance Hotel, Benin, but he never regarded it as anything serious.
The aggrieved pastor said things finally began to go downhill when he was posted to Osun State in 2010 shortly after the birth of their daughter, Michelle, in November 2009.
The petitioner said Suleman was setting up a gospel television station and then said he would need the assistance of his wife, who was an employee of Nigerian Television Authority.
He said it was during the visits to Suleman that he eventually slept with his wife but what made it more painful was that the act was done in the presence of their child.
Davids said, “My wife was a staffer with NTA Iruekpen, so Apostle Suleman reached out to her that they would need her to build Celebration TV and Rhema for Living. She would have to shuttle between Osun State and Auchi.
“She came back from Auchi to Osun State and said she wanted to talk to me that her conscience was pricking her. I asked what was it and she said that while in Auchi, Apostle Suleman lodged her at Uyi Grand Hotel and he came there and slept with her.
“And the moment she said that, the first thing that came to my mind was my daughter. I asked where was Michelle when this happened and she said Michelle was on the bed, pushed aside, and I asked, ‘You mean you slept with a man with my daughter on the bed?’ I had to let it go because there was nobody I could tell and I couldn’t fight with Apostle Suleman… I forgave her but the amorous relationship continued. One thing I know is that my wife was hypnotised. This is not the woman I got married to, who I knew for 11 years.”
Davids said his relationship with Apostle Suleman soon turned sour and he was suspended but after the suspension was lifted, he refused to return and then started receiving threats from Apostle Suleman.
He alleged that when he left the church in July 2019, his wife started to fight with him and then his wife left the house with their three children and relocated to Abuja.
The pastor said though estranged, he and his wife remain married because their marriage had not been dissolved by a competent court.
Davids said, “Apostle Suleman has given her a branch of the church in Utako, Abuja to head without (my) permission. I am calling on Pastor David Oyedepo, Pastor Paul Enenche, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Margaret Idahosa, Christian Association of Nigeria, and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.
“Apostle Suleman has damaged my life. I have not seen my wife and children for two years and Apostle Suleman says if I ever go near them, he will have me taken out. I have a video where he said he will make me disappear. I don’t want to lose my life.”
However, his wife, Pastor Faith Edeko, in a video described her husband’s allegations as cheap blackmail, adding that it was the petitioner that abandoned the marriage and when her relatives reached out to him, he refused to return home.
She said the ordeal affected her health and she even contemplated suicide but her son stopped her from going ahead with it.
Pastor Edeko, who wept in the video, said she never slept with Apostle Suleman, adding that she did not even have easy access to him.
She said, “There are recordings which I will upload. You told my brothers that I would crawl in the gutters. I told them not to do anything to you, that you are still the father of my kids. At some point, I contemplated suicide. I had written my suicide note, I had bought Sniper (a pesticide) because I could not fathom how I would live life in so much pain. I won’t drag you because of my children… you have done too much and it is enough. I am not hypnotised. I am not under a spell.”
She said she did not abandon her marriage. Rather, it was her husband who abandoned the family and even demanded a refund of her bride price from her family.
She said, “I don’t know what you hope to achieve, I don’t know who paid you but the only thing I will say is haven’t you done enough? Are you not tired of flogging someone’s daughter in pain?
“You left me in Kano. You called me on a certain day that you were going to leave the marriage. I thought you were bluffing. I called my people and they can testify. My elder brother called you from the UK. You told them you were leaving the marriage. My elder brother told me you were bluffing.
“I remember I begged you and then I got to the office and I collapsed, according to what my principal said, because I found myself in the hospital.”
She said that no one was preventing Pastor Davids from seeing his children, adding that he lived in the same city with them but had refused to visit.
January 25, 2021
Senate Pegs May 29 For Presidential Assent To PIB
President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan has said the Ninth Assembly will pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and secure a presidential assent by May 29, 2021.
Lawan also said the national assembly will ensure passage of the bill by April for onward transmission for Presidential assent ahead of May 29.
Lawan said this in his remark at the opening ceremony of the Two day Public Hearing on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the Senate joint committee on Petroleum upstream, downstream and gas.
Lawan said the Ninth Assembly will be considering a hybrid PIB as against the solo bill that was introduced in 2008 and 2015.
Details later….
January 25, 2021
AfDB to extend ‘Desert to Power’ program to Nigeria – Adesina
The President of African Development Bank (AfDB) Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has announced that the bank is set to undertake its ‘Desert to Power’ initiative in Nigeria to meet up the challenge of power failure, noting that the initiative has already commenced in Morocco and Kenya. Investment newsletter from Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, quoting AfricaOilandPower, revealed.
The Desert to Power project is aimed at constructing the world’s largest solar power zone that would supply 10,000 MW of solar power in African countries. AFDB boss was quoted, “Renewable energy is the future, Africans must tap into renewable energy, Solar in particular. It would be a big disservice to Africans if the power of the sun were not converted energy having identified that about 600 million people in Africa have no access to electricity,
Adesina who made this known within the week at the African Investment Conference organized by the UK’s Department of International Trade, said the conference was designed to facilitate further investment relations between Africa and the United Kingdom.
The statement revealed that, Adesina told the Trade Commissioner for Africa, Emma Wade-Smith, that he was optimistic in the investment environment in Africa, asserting that Africa is a continent where investment is feasible. He noted that healthcare investment in the region is equally important too.
“While economic investments in the continent are pivotal, there is need to invest meaningfully in the youths. Investing in young people will in no small measure help them to effectively develop their business ideas and their other potentialities,” he stressed.
January 25, 2021
Aliko Dangote Is Suing Me For Declining His Silence Money – Alleged Ex-lover Reveals
Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has allegedly sued his alleged ex-lover who shared a video of him lying in bed for refusing his money, WonderTV media reports.
Autumn some hours ago took to her social media to share an alleged public lawsuit filed by those she claims are Dangote’s legal team.
The lady alleged that Dangote is suing her for something his ex-girlfriend, Bea Lewis did, while stating that she has never talked about them publicly.
She also claims that she turned down interviews and talk shows while stating that she only wanted to clear her name after people called her an opportunist.
WonderTV media gathered that Autumn also claims Aliko Dangote is suing her for $30k for refusing the money he gave her to stay silent after their relationship.
Adding that they have been together for 9yrs but no one knew about them and now he’s making their ended relationship a public one by suing her publicly.
She then stated that she doesn’t understand why they are making things public and hard because she has stayed silent for long because of her own sanity and not the reputation of someone.
In her words;
“I have not been served.

But since this is public record, let’s discuss it.

What are your thoughts?

I was insultingly offered 15k and 2,500 a month to sign an NDA but I declined. I gained legal counsel in which we countered his offer. Mind you his first initial offer wasn’t disclosed in the terms of his proposed NDA.

Therefore I was pressured and influenced to sign. Which was already a violation of his own NDA He denied knowing me and our relationship to his lawyers and we’re asked for proof of our affair…now I’m being sued for extortion?

This is such a manly egotistical move. I’ve kept it private but you made it public with the lawsuit.

All these claims of interviews and talk show threats will have to be proved in court so… I haven’t spoke to anyone regarding our relationship”
January 25, 2021
Nnamdi Kanu releases names of 62 prominent Nigerians responsible for Nigeria’s current woes
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has released a list of 62 prominent Nigerians to be blamed for the current state of the nation.
He made the claim in a post on his Facebook page.
“Let us not forget former US President Barrack Obama and former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and all members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God,” Kanu’s Facebook post read.
According to him, those people take the full responsibility of what Nigeria has turned into today, owing to the roles they played in kicking out former President Goodluck Jonathan and installing President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
Top on Kanu’s 62-man list are: Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore; Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministries, Enugu, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The IPOB leader said that those whose villages, cities, or town are currently under siege by Fulani herdsmen should hold these people responsible.
His list also has the likes of Fela Durotoye, Donald Duke, Professor Charles Soludo, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, Professor Tam David West, Professor Wole Soyinka, Rev. Chris Okotie, Professor Pat Utomi and Nasir El-Rufai.
Others in his list include, Dino Melaye, former Senator, Lai Mohammed, Rochas Okorocha, Rotimi Amaechi, Adams Oshiomhole, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Raji Fashola, Dr. Chris Ngige, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Ibikunle Amosun, Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi, Sanusi Lamido, Deacon Femi Adesina, Pastor E.A Adeboye, Pastor W.F Kumuyi, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Kenny Ogungbe, Dato Adeneye, Magnus Abbey, and former Rivers State governorship aspirant, Dakuku Peterside.
Also in the list are Nigerian musician, 9ice, Kenny St. Ogungbe Brown, Tunde Disu, John Momoh, Maupe Ogun, Chamberlain Usoh, Suleiman Aleide, Monday Onyekachi Ubani, Iffy Ubani, Labourous Osuoma, Citizen Useni Jones (Radio continental 102.3FM), Joe Igbokwe, Dele Momodu, Abike Dabiri,
Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, Muazu, Emeka Ojukwu Jnr., Timpre Silva etc., Victor Umeh, Wasiu Ayinde (Kwam 1), T.Y Danjuma, Lauretta Onochie and actor, Jide Kosoko.https://b12938937bc75f171d691d3ab5bc2cec.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
Continuing, Kanu said, “These people went to school [they claim they are educated], many if them are professors. Some claimed to have direct access to God. Some are gifted with ‘prophesies.’
“They read history. They understood international relations. They understood how societies work or so we thought.
“They were more than 20 years old in 1983 when Buhari shot himself to power. They saw Buhari destroy the economy in 1983. They saw the role Buhari played in Abacha’s government.
“They read all the threats of violence by Buhari against the nation. They saw Buhari harass Lam Adesina the Oyo State Governor due to Fulani herdsmen conflicts with locals in Oyo State.
“They saw Buhari lead the sharia protest that claimed the lives of innocent Nigerians in 2001.
“They saw Buhari and his minions open the gate of hell on innocent Nigerians when he lost the presidential election in 2011.
“If Buhari was not speaking and defending his Fulani heritage he would be fighting to defend his religious heritage.
“Never for once did he defend Nigeria or gave interview on how to rebuild the economy, education, power, health, etc.
“They saw everything this man did. They knew him too well to miss the little details of his violent life.
“But they were united in hatred.
“Hatred for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. One among the few Nigeria leaders that actually wanted Nigeria to work.
“Hatred became a unifying force to push forward a false narrative. They exploited his humility. They exploited his kindness.They exploited his humanity
“They danced and made merry in Ojota. They ate, drank and danced away the destiny of a nation.
“Saints Tinubu, Amaechi, Fashola etc led the chorus against ‘corrupt’ Goodluck Jonathan.
“Tinubu a private jet owner and owner of Lagos, Amaechi a private jet owner and funder of Buhari campaign, Atiku a University owner paid with his civil service allowance etc wanted ‘corrupt’ Goodluck Jonathan out.
“But the people did not see the moral paradox because you see – hate is a unifying factor.
“They mobilised thugs to stone a sitting President.They harassed his family wherever they went. Because they are from the hated minority who must NOT be king.
“For Kings must come from the Fulani lineage. Jonathan is Ijaw. Ijaws should not be Kings. Jonathan must not loot also. For looters must come from enablers of evil.
“These are intellectuals. Amongst whom are Pastors and Prophets. Wisdom failed. Prophesies failed.
“WAEC issued a fake WAEC attestation to Buhari. It is possible many Nigerian ‘intellectuals’ are working with fake certificates.”
Fulani herdsmen have on many occasions been accused of causing crisis in their host communities in the country.
For instance, following the high rate of criminalities which come in form of kidnappings, raping of women and killings allegedly committed by the herdsmen hiding in forests across Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had recently given herdsmen a seven-day ultimatum to vacate the areas.
Also a Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho had issued ultimatum to Fulani in Igangan, a town in Ibarapa North Local Government of Oyo State.
He vowed that Fulani herdsmen must be chased out of Yoruba land.
And a week later, he made good his threat when he and his supporters stormed the area, insisting that the Fulani must leave the town
January 25, 2021
FG executing 43 road projects within tertiary institutions nationwide, says Fashola
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has stated that his ministry was currently executing 43 road projects within tertiary institutions across the country with a view to enhancing the learning environment.
Mrs Boade Akinola, the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, in a statement to newsmen, on Sunday, quoted the minister as saying this while handing over a 2km internal road project, rehabilitated and reconstructed by his ministry at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.
The Minister, who was represented at the event by the Federal Controller of Works, in Benue State, Mr Charles Oke, stressed that it was not debatable that the quality of education would be impacted by the quality of infrastructure and learning environment.
“Those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedback from students in the schools, where this type of intervention had taken place,” the minister added.
Fashola said that the students were expressing renewed enthusiasm on attending classes because some defective roads had been restored to good condition, adding that besides impacting on the condition of learning in the schools, the intervention project had also created jobs for Nigerians.
He also explained that the infrastructure gap in the country was steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and reconstruction of major highways, which had now reached the schools.
Fashola urged the university management to take ownership and ensure that the road asset was properly utilized and maintained , assuring that the Federal Government would do more to the development of its institutions.
The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Anande Kimbir, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and the Minister of Works and Housing, for the road intervention project, which was coming less than two months after a 8.25MW Solar Hybrid Power Plant was commissioned in the School.
January 25, 2021
Gunmen Storm Abuja Orphanage Home, Abduct Seven Children, Guard, Housewives
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have invaded Rachael’s Orphanage Home opposite UBE Junior Secondary School in Naharati, Abaji Area Council, Abuja, abducting seven children.
According to The PUNCH, the attackers also abducted a security guard identified as Joseph Mathew, including two housewives; Rukaiyyat Salihu, and Suwaiba Momoh, during the attack on Saturday.
The names of the abducted orphans were given as Elizabeth Andrew, Dayo Udeh, Jacob Ukpas, Melody Ijeh, Benard Itim, Issac Mathew and Laruba Emmanuel.
A resident of the area told journalists that the gunmen, who came in large numbers, stormed the orphanage home on Saturday around 1am.
He said: “The gunmen came in large numbers and heavily armed. However, they did not shoot as they carried out the operation quietly before they proceeded to the neighbours’ houses.”
The spokesman for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, Maryam Yusuf, confirmed the incident.
Yusuf said security agencies had been deployed to the forest to rescue the victims.
She said, “We are working hard to rescue them and apprehend the perpetrators. Already, we have rescued one of the hostages and we want to assure that the rest would also be rescued unhurt.”
January 25, 2021