Category: News

Ogun State Police Command denies allegations of torture leading to the death of Oduyiga Seyi Samson, a suspected cultist. According to the police spokesperson, Seyi and another suspect were arrested in connection with cult clashes in Sagamu. The police claim Seyi died in the Ogun State Hospital after going berserk and attacking fellow detainees. The police assert their commitment to upholding human rights, emphasizing that torture is against their protocols. Seyi had been charged for cult-related activities and was scheduled for a court appearance before his demise. The Commissioner of Police expresses condolences to the deceased’s family.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Benjamin Ezeukwe, 28, for orchestrating a fraudulent sales promo, falsely claiming a significant reduction in the price of Dangote cement and defrauding numerous Nigerians. The suspect, who committed similar scams, resulting in the loss of millions of Naira, was apprehended on October 19, 2023, in the Rumuolumeni region of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The statement released by the state’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the suspect, Benjamin Ezeukwe, masterminded an elaborate cement-price-slash scam, deceiving unsuspecting customers and causing substantial financial losses. The investigation also revealed that the accused was involved in several other scams of a similar nature.

The statement further highlighted the possessions confiscated during the arrest, including a Toyota Avalon, three SIM cards (one of which, 08039691980, was used for the scam), an iPhone, and a Tecno phone.

In response to the fraudulent information, Dangote Cement Plc had earlier denied engaging in any sales promotion or adjusting its prices. Anthony Chiejina, the Chief Branding and Communications Officer of the Dangote Group, labeled the reports as mischievous, malicious, and false. The management has taken formal steps to notify law enforcement agents to identify and expose the perpetrators of this deceptive and misleading information.

The Kano chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lodged a complaint with the disciplinary committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) concerning corruption allegations made against the judiciary by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi.

In the petition issued on Sunday by Kano APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, the party accused the commissioner of asserting that justices of the Appeal Court are corrupt during a live television program. The letter was addressed to NBA President Yakubu Maikyau and Kano chapter Chairman Sagir Gezawa, with Dederi also copied.

This move comes just 24 hours after a pro-democracy group urged the NBA to address the commissioner’s statements and take appropriate disciplinary measures against any erring members.

Dederi had expressed disappointment with the Appeal Court justices’ handling of the removal of Governor Abba Yusuf during a Channels Television breakfast show. However, Abbas insisted in the petition that Dederi ‘maliciously’ suggested influence on the judges by APC leaders, a claim he deemed far from the truth.

The petition emphasized concerns about the commissioner’s damaging remarks against the judiciary, accusing him of abusing his office as the Attorney General of Kano State. The APC called attention to the gravity of Dederi’s allegations and urged the NBA to address the matter promptly.

In a joint operation with local vigilantes, the Nigerian Army’s 1 Battalion from Dukku Barracks, Birnin Kebbi, successfully rescued six male hostages from the clutches of bandits in the Kogon Damisa Hill area near Saminaka in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi. The victims, who were initially reported missing, were found in good condition after being abducted long ago. Special Adviser to Governor Nasir Idris, Malam Yahaya Sarki, expressed appreciation for the troops’ bravery and reassured the government’s commitment to supporting security efforts in the state.

Mrs. Oluwatosin Aina, a Grade Level 14 officer and Christian Religious Knowledge teacher at Olokinne High School, Ojowo, Ijebu Igbo, reportedly slumped and died on Thursday morning. The teacher, in her 50s, drove herself to the school but started feeling unwell. After seeking permission to address her health, she collapsed beside her car and was rushed to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ijebu Igbo, where she was confirmed dead. Colleagues lament the loss and express concerns over the toll that stress, exacerbated by a shortage of teachers, is taking on educators’ health in Ogun State. The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools acknowledges teacher shortages and welcomes recent recruitment efforts by the government.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has pledged automatic recruitment into the State Civil and Public Service for first-class graduates from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) who are Edo State indigenes.

During the 48th Convocation and 53rd Founders’ Day at the UNIBEN main campus, Governor Obaseki praised the university’s commitment to knowledge for service and recognized its significant contribution to human capacity development in the state.

He announced the state government’s standing policy, stating, “any student of Edo State origin graduating with a first-class degree from any recognized university gets an automatic job from the Edo State Government.”

Governor Obaseki assured the graduates, saying, “For your 179 students who may not want to proceed immediately for further studies, just tell them that with just one e-mail, they get an automatic job with the Edo State Civil/Public Service.”

Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, the governor’s wife, was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoraris Causa) by the university during the event. She expressed gratitude for the honor and announced plans to initiate a legacy project at the Ekenwan Campus of UNIBEN, dedicating the degree to her husband for his support.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the February 25 presidential election, took to social media to commend Atiku Abubakar, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on the occasion of his 77th birthday.

In a series of tweets on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Obi referred to Atiku as his “very dear respected elder brother and leader” and acknowledged the former Vice-President’s significant contributions to the nation’s growth.

Obi highlighted Atiku’s role in enhancing national productivity and manpower development through numerous business establishments and educational investments. He also praised Atiku’s impact on the nation’s democracy.

The tweets expressed gratitude for Atiku’s contributions to economic growth, job creation, education, and scholarships for students. Obi prayed for God to grant Atiku more wisdom and fruitful years ahead.

“May God grant you more wisdom to continue to contribute to the progress of our dear nation and to grant you more healthy and fruitful years ahead as you age gracefully. Happy birthday Sir,” the tweets concluded.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

An Ex- Army General, General Zamani Lekwok (rtd), Human Rights Activist, Senator Shehu Sani, Bishop Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Archdiocese and Barrister Gloria Ballason CEO of House of Justice have spoken against the current democratic instability in the country.

They made their views known while speaking at the 8th House of Justice 2023 Summit held on Friday with the theme: ‘Electoral Accountability and Democratic Stability”, at Burgundy Ball Banquet, Epitome event centre, Barnawa, Kaduna state.

General Lekwot, a veteran Army said there can never be democratic stability without equity and justice. “Politics is like all other games, guided by rules. We’ve the democratic instability problems because of the gross abuse of the rules by some of the key actors, especially the political god fathers.

“So for things to change for good, there must be respect for the rule of laws and that must be imbibe by everybody, because rules are meant to bring everybody together to line up in other to be sure of stability.

“When you put square pegs in a round holes, there’ll be gap and things will not work”, he stated these in an interview with newsmen at the close of morning session.

Also in an interview, Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna state in 8th Senate said the summit came at the right time when people should be airing their opinion and given useful advise on ways forward for the country, as the elections have been concluded, “and cases are still going on in courts.

He said “People are losing hope. It important that the federal government led by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu immediately initiate an electoral reform programs that’ll correct the mistakes that have been made and also chat ways forward for the country.

“Tinubu has been a man in forefront struggling for democracy, one of those forced into exile during the struggle for democracy, so even if the election that brought him into power has been seriously challenge, he owe it the duty, the nation and posterity to initiate necessary electoral reform that’ll make 2027 election better in conduct than the recent one.

“Also there’s need for judicial reform to ensure that those who’ll preside over electoral cases cannot be compromised. People have lost hope in the executive and legislative arms of government, and now the judiciary too in it own pace.
“What happen in plateau and kano states are serious matter of honour and integrity for the judiciary. Event unfolding this country should be of serious concern to all of us in this country, because if we don’t have electoral accountability we cannot have national accountability. Democracy has been bulling in west African subregion because of the issues if election”, he lamented.

Speaking, the Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese and a member of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Matthew Kukah, expressed his frustration regarding the entanglement of the judiciary and priests in politics.

He made his views known while speaking at the 8th House of Justice 2023 Summit held in Kaduna on Friday, in Kaduna state.

The theme of the summit, ‘Electoral Accountability and Democratic Stability,’ prompted Kukah to note his sadness about how the judiciary found itself entangled in politics.

He also expressed concern about the manner in which priests, including ‘us,’ are getting involved in politics.

“I am saddened by the fact that the judiciary has now found itself being sucked into politics. I would have also been sad — and I’m also sad — to the extent that even us priests in the church are getting sucked into politics because you will never come out the same.

“You go to wrestle with a pig inside poto poto (mud). You may defeat the pig, but you cannot go around showing yourself to see what you look like.” he said.

He clarified that he was not referring to politicians as ‘pigs.’ However, he explained that politics has its own rhyme and rhythm, especially in contrast to someone who has a certain moral responsibility.

“Elections will always give us what I call unintended consequences. But also, it is important to understand that a contest is always a contest. And you use the experience of this to prepare for the next contest,” he said.

Nonetheless, he maintained that Nigerians should not lose hope, stating that the best is still to come. Rather than worrying about the next generation, he argued that Nigerians should be focused on the present.

“You are using mobile phones today. It wasn’t the generation that went before us that gave us mobile phones. Every generation will contest its own problems. Let’s be concerned with the problems of the moment,”

“Yes, we dream about the future. But, like somebody said, today is the tomorrow you dreamt about yesterday. But let’s not be nervous.

“We should be nervous that we are underperforming because there are things we could have done differently and we can do differently.

“But there is a new consciousness that is emerging, and it is that consciousness that we must build on. So, justices will do what justices will do.”

Also in an interview, the host Barr. Gloria Ballason explained that “The House of Justice will always look at the contemporary issues in the country and in the continent, and discussed it.
“And what we’ve at the moment is Democratic instability particularly with five African countries that have fallen back to military rules. But then the issue of electoral accountability in Nigeria is something really challenging.

“For many Nigerians their votes are either overturned by the court or their it doesn’t count. INEC has not been able to count and account for the vote properly. So we thought its important to have this conversation this year to spark up the spine of the citizens for them to make those demand for electoral accountability so that their can be democratic stability.

“There’s a straight line that lead from the electoral accountability to democratic stability. If the votes are accounted for, democracy will be stabilize. But if there’s an overturn of popular mandate particularly by popular institutions or by certain persons who see themselves to be more powerful than others, then we’re not likely to have the democratic stability that we need.

For us, the overturn of the popular vote is the most regrettable in the recent political instability. People goes to vote in Nigeria is not just casting of vote. Voting is contact spot in Nigeria and the electioneering process cost so much in Nigeria.
“And so for people to go out there and votes and those votes are overturned, is something we find very regrettable”, she said.

According to her, the expectation is that the court will protect the popular votes of the people, which are not done sometimes. “The argument sometimes is that ..ohoo there was failure to comply with the electoral Act. But then the constitution is key.
.”And the constitution say sovereignty belongs to the people. So government can only drive it legitimacy from the people. And so we find that, in House of Justice, that must be protected and done, “the popular vote of the people”.

Other speakers described Nigeria as becoming a laughing stock, in the face of the current instability, also saying many Nigerians are ignorance on how to mobilized themselves against instability and therefore need to be thought how to do so by those who knows it.

By Amgbare Ekaunkumo,Yenagoa

Bayelsa residents have been commended for coming out enmass to embark on the Monthly Environmental Sanitation Exercise for the month of November.

This was the view of the Authority after an impressive compliance by residents after the general Governorship Election held on November 11, 2023.

Mr. Tonye Opuike, Permanent Secretary Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority, made the commendation while briefing journalists after monitoring the monthly exercise in Yenagoa.

Mr.Tonye expressed enthusiasm that the exercise witnessed a huge improvement from last month’s own.

He advised those bent on thwarting effort of the authority in cleaning the state by using the period for sporting activities and other social gatherings to desist from it, stating that the state would not be safe haven for them.

He encouraged all residents, motor park operators, food vendors to continue the tempo of cleanliness restating that Governor Douye Diri mantra has been of maintaining a clean, healthy and safe environment for all citizens.

Our Correspondent who spoke to a business Woman on condition of anonymity said”the monthly Sanitation exercise is a good thing for all to imbibe, we must support the State government’s efforts in sustaining the cleanliness of the State Capital.”