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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a couple for an alleged self-kidnapping scheme aimed at obtaining a N5 million ransom.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, as he warned citizens to desist from self-kidnapping.
Adejobi added that one Albarka Sukuya in Plateau State was arrested for staging his kidnap on several occasions, and one Nnamdi Agu, also faked his kidnap in Abuja in an attempt to defraud his family.
The statement read, “In Lagos, a couple was arrested for alleged self-kidnapping scheme aimed at obtaining a N5 million ransom recently.
“The husband, Doubara David Yabrifa, a 53-year-old technician, and the wife Regina Yabrifa, a 48-year-old body massager and bone setter, were apprehended after a family member reported the purported kidnapping.
“The couple confessed to planning the self-kidnap to raise N3 million to purchase a property in Badagry, Lagos. The husband justified the act, citing financial difficulties and lack of support from relatives. Both were arrested and subsequently charged to court.
“Also, one Albarka Sukuya of Jenta Apata, Jos, has been notorious for staging his kidnap on several occasions and received ransoms from unsuspecting members of the community in Plateau State.
“Similarly, on 20th January, 2024, a young man, Nnamdi Agu, faked his kidnap in Abuja in an attempt to defraud one of his family members who resides around River Park Estate, Abuja, to make money to pay for his personal pleasures. The Police, in a swift response, foiled the staged kidnapping, and arrested the suspect.
“It is obvious that the suspect and many others leverage on the prevailing instances of kidnapping and plan to engage in such criminal and deceptive acts of staged or self-kidnapping to make money.”
The FPRO warned against the trends of self-kidnapping, stating that it is a punishable offence under the law.
He added, “The Force hereby cautions members of the public to be wary of this trend while those with intent to venture into these criminal acts should desist as the police will leave no stone unturned to cause such suspects to face the full wrath of the law.
“Equally, we vehemently encourage the media and social media influencers, bloggers, etc., to constantly verify news before broadcasting such, not to create panic and jeopardize our security arrangements.”
The PUNCH reports that the scourge of abductions which has strangulated social and economic activities in the North-West has spread nationwide as bandits and other criminal elements have moved their operations into the major cities across the country.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been enmeshed in a corruption scandal.
Gbajabiamila was allegedly fingered as one of the beneficiaries of the largesse of corruption uncovered under the Chief Executive Officer of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru, and the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
A source in the presidency told SaharaReporters that the report of the CBN Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, exposed how Gbajabiamila allegedly benefitted from Kuru’s “largesse of Ikoyi properties from his days as Speaker of the House of Representatives”.
The source claimed that Gbajabiamila, in return, had ensured Kuru remained as AMCON’s Chief Executive after about nine years.
“President Bola Tinubu is under pressure from some political associates, whom Kuru has soiled their white robes, including the Hon Femi Gbajabiamila (President’s Chief of Staff), who has benefitted from Ahmed Kuru’s largesse of Ikoyi properties from his days as Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the source said.
The source noted that “Gbajabiamila had persistently blocked Kuru’s removal as AMCON’s Chief Executive after about nine years in office, over two terms of a democratically elected President.”
Recall that the Special Investigator’s report on the probe of Emefiele uncovered the alarming sums of public funds which went into the fraudulent acquisition of Polaris, Keystone and Union banks under Emefiele and AMCON under Kuru’s leadership.
Following the report, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dissolved the board and management of Titan Trust Bank, Union Bank, Polaris Bank and Keystone Bank.
This followed a report submitted to President Bola Tinubu by the Special Investigator on the Central Bank of Nigeria and Related Entities, Jim Obazee.
It was reported that the decision to dissolve the boards was taken after a meeting between the CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, Obazee and the boards of the four banks, including Titan Trust Bank’s investors, who had earlier avoided meeting with the Special Investigator.
The platform reported in December 2023 that the office of the Special Investigator had insisted that the Chairman of Titan Trust Bank (TTB), Tunde Lemo, Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara, must appear before it over the acquisition of the Union Bank of Nigeria.
Independent financial investigations revealed that Ahmed Kuru threw all others under the bus to save his neck by blackmailing all government officials who had benefitted from his generosity through the sharing of Ikoyi and Abuja properties.
A forensic observer noted that the special investigator’s report that did not indict Kuru raised concerns over whether it was deliberate as a result of a bargain.
[NaijaNews]
NATO on Tuesday signed contracts worth $1.2 billion to acquire over 200,000 155-millimetre artillery shells in the face of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine.
Members of the Western military alliance have drained their stocks sending shipments of heavy ammunition to help Ukraine’s forces battle Russia in a brutal war of attrition.
The latest deals — signed with French firm Nexter and Germany’s Junghans Microtec — are estimated by officials to cover around 220,000 shells and deliveries to NATO members will start at the end of 2025.
“It is important that our allies refill their own stocks as we continue to support Ukraine,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said.
The US-led alliance last year launched a plan to bolster defence production and has since inked joint procurement contracts for ammunition worth some $10 billion.
Those include a deal to buy up to 1,000 European-produced Patriot air defence missiles that was signed last month.
The European Union has also launched its own efforts to increase defence production, but the 27-nation bloc is falling far short of a target of supplying Kyiv one million artillery shells by March.
The push to refill stocks and ramp up output comes as doubts swirl over future support for Ukraine from key backer the United States.
Stoltenberg insisted that Kyiv’s supporters “will support Ukraine with the systems and the weapons and ammunition they need to prevail as a sovereign, independent country.”
He said the alliance for now did not “see any direct or imminent threat against any NATO ally” from Russia and had stepped up its eastern defences to dissuade Moscow from any aggression.
AFP
A customer has filed a lawsuit seeking N50 million in general damages over alleged erroneous billing practices from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).
The customer, Ugochukwu Orakwue, a resident of Kogi, filed the lawsuit, in an originating summon submitted to Justice Nicodemus Auwalu of High Court II in Lokoja, Orakwue contended that the AEDC deliberately and inaccurately billed him for electricity, refusing to read his Postpaid Meter and instead relying on inflated estimated bills.
The plaintiff petitioned the court to issue an order restraining the AEDC from continuing to issue him electricity bills based on estimation, insisting that the bills should reflect the actual reading of his postpaid meter.
Furthermore, Orakwue sought a declaration that the AEDC’s practice of issuing bills based on estimation rather than meter readings violated the regulations set forth by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), deeming such actions illegal, null, and void.
The lawsuit
An excerpt of the lawsuit reads.
- “A declaration that all the electricity bills issued to the claimant by the AEDC based on estimation starting from the bill of 19” Oct. 19, 2015, being exercise or action founded on illegality are null, void and of no legal effect or consequence.
- “A declaration that AEDC’s action of concealing the information of the claimant’s status as a metered customer by the wilful refusal to insert his meter number in his electricity bills contravenes the NERC’s regulation and therefore illegal, null and void.
- “A declaration that the defendant’s act of disconnecting the claimant’s electricity supply for nonpayment in less than ten (10) days of the bill date, without issuing a disconnection notice to the claimant’s even when the complaint filed by him against the bills remains unresolved and contravened the NERC’s regulations and therefore illegal, null and void.
- “A declaration that the claimant is entitled to be refunded the sum of N25,000 and Three Thousand Naria (N3,000) reconnection fee coercively collected from him by the defendant on July 28, 2023, before the reconnection of his electricity supply illegally or unlawfully disconnected by the defendant.”
During the recent court hearing, the AEDC’s counsel, Mr. G.D. Dubai, informed the court that discussions had commenced with the claimant to explore an out-of-court settlement.
Dubai conveyed that most of the issues raised had been forwarded to the management at the AEDC’s headquarters in Abuja for consideration.
The court, acknowledging the ongoing discussions, adjourned the case to February 22 for a report on the progress of the settlement or potential continuation of the hearing.
[Nairametrics]
There seems to be confusion in Rivers State over the two different rulings of the Federal High Court on the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, had been at loggerheads since October 2023 when members of the House of Assembly made moves to impeach him.
Justice James Omotoso nullified the 2024 budget as approved by the Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie-led House of Assembly and assented to by the governor.
However, Justice J. O. Abdulmalik, directed the parties not to take further steps, pending the determination of an application that is seeking to stop Fubara from re-presenting the already passed 2024 budget of the state before the legislative house.
While some residents, believed to be supporters of Wike, are celebrating the Omotoso judgement, supporters of Fubara are celebrating the Abdulmalik ruling.
Omotoso, in his judgement also ordered the governor to represent the budget to the legally constituted House of Assembly under the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
On his part, Abdulmalik, directed the parties not to take further steps, pending the determination of an application that is seeking to stop Fubara from re-presenting the already passed 2024 budget of the state before the legislative house.
The court fixed February 28, 2024 to hear the application which was brought before the court by six elders of the state.
The plaintiffs in the matter, led by a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly representing Bonny State Constituency, Hon. Victor Okon Jumbo, are; Senator Bennett Birabi, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Rear Admiral O.P. Fingesi, Ann Kio Briggs and Emmanuel Deinma.
They had through their team of lawyers led by Mr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, approached the court, praying it to declare seats of 27 lawmakers in the state that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) vacant.
In a 19-paragraph affidavit that was deposed to by the 6th plaintiff, Deinma, who identified himself as an indigene of Rivers State from Okrika Local Government Area, the court was told that sometime in November, 2023, 27 out of 32 members of the Rivers State Assembly, “without any justification or lawful excuse whatsoever, decided to defect from the PDP, being the platform under which they were elected.”
[Leadership]
Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, has said the Federal Government is committed to ending illegal mining in the country’s mining sector.
Alake spoke when he led a Federal Government delegation to pay a condolence visit to the Oyo State Government over Tuesday’s explosion at Bodija estate in Ibadan.
The minister contended that powerful Nigerians were behind banditry associated with illegal mining in Nigeria.
He said a lot of banditry, terrorism and insecurity which were being associated with the mining sector were actually sponsored by illegal miners who are powerful people in the society.
“There are lots of connivance among the strata of the society —- both high, medium and low classes of the society —- in the nation’s mining sector.
“But the Federal Government is working together with the state and local governments, as well as the host communities, who have efficient knowledge of the local terrain to address the issue.
“Illegal mining is not exclusive to the high class alone, but cuts across the strata of our society. So, we are employing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies and tactics to address the menace,” Alake said.
He disclosed that the Federal Government would await the final report of the forensic investigations into the causes, effects and possible remedy to the Bodija estate explosion.
Alake however said it was going to be after this that government would take critical decisions on the unfortunate incident.
“It would be presumptuous for the Federal Government to take any solid pronouncement or categorical announcement now.
“We will examine all the forensic analysis reports, and all the investigations from all the agencies and various intelligence arms of the security agencies.
“They are all working round the clock to provide an authentic and viable forensic report to the Federal Government.
“When the reports are ready, the Federal Government will be on a solid platform to make an informed judgment and a categorical statement.
“The final forensic report will also help the Federal Government in taking appropriate decisions concerning the victims of this ugly incident.
“Anything before then will be presumptuous and can be misleading at the end of the day,” he said.
The minister urged Nigerians to be conscious and always report suspicious movements and businesses in their environment, noting that failure to report early always lead to negative results.
“We need to be safety-conscious and develop the attitude of reporting atrocious activities in our neighbourhood.
“For example, no one will expect that such deadly explosives could be stored in an elite estate like this without suspicion,” he said.
(NAN)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will arraign the immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, on Wednesday, January 24, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged money laundering to the tune of N4,008,573,350.
Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the ex-governor will be arraigned on nine count charges.
The development comes over a week after the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede vowed to review all abandoned high-profile cases, especially those involving former Governors and Ministers.
An impeccable source revealed, “We found that Obiano moved N4,008,573,350 from security votes into different accounts. The money at various times was changed into dollars and returned to Obiano by cash.”
EFCC’s lead counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, will lead eight other lawyers in the trial of the former governor
Some of the charges against Obiano include, “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Pic into the Fidelity Bank Ple Account No: 6060018819 belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 — March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc into the Fidelity Bank Plc Account No: 5600062873 belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
When contacted by our correspondent on Tuesday, the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale confirmed the development while noting that Obiano will be arraigned on Wednesday.
“Yes, we’re arraigning Obiano tomorrow,” Oyewale noted.
The ex-governor was first arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, the United States of America.
The arrest took place at about 8.30 pm, hours after he left office as governor and, thus, lost his immunity from arrest and prosecution.
He had been on the EFCC’s watchlist for some time before he was eventually arrested over corruption allegations.
“Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state,” EFCC had noted at the time.
[Punch]
The Speaker of the Ogun House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo has been impeached by 18 lawmakers out of 26 member assembly, during plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mrs Bolanle Ajayi.
The Assembly equally elected Mr. Oludaisi Elemide, who is currently representing Odeda State Constituency at the Assembly, as the new Speaker.
Vanguard reliably gathered that Adegoke Adeyanju, an APC lawmaker, representing Yewa North 1 State Constituency moved the motion for Oluomo’s impeachment, while it was seconded by another APC lawmaker, Ademola Adeniran, who is representing Sagamu II State Constituency.
It was also gathered that Adeyanju had entered the Assembly chamber with the Maze in company of other lawmakers.
Speaking to newsmen after his election as the new Speaker, Elemide explained that the people of the state should expect the best from him.
He said, “we are law abiding legislators. We want the world to know that there has been changed in leadership.
“18 members signed for me to be the Speaker. People should remain calm. We are in custody of all the authority of the House. We are saying that the new leadership will support the governor.
He clarified that Governor Dapo Abiodun knows nothing about the impeachment.
Also speaking, Mr Damilola Soneye, who is representing Obafemi Owode State Constituency, noted that the office of the Speaker is to be first among equals.
“The Speaker was impeached due to gross misconduct which bothers on high handedness, lack of focus and transparency, arrogance and poor leadership style, financial misappropriation and inciting members against themselves,” he said.
The Clerk and the Deputy Clerk, Mr Deji Adeyemo and Mrs Funmilayo Adeyemi were also at the plenary.
Security personnel, including the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were in large numbers at the Assembly complex.
[Vanguard]
Danjuma Ali-Keffi, a former general officer commanding (GOC) of 1 division of the Nigerian Army, says Ibrahim Attahiru and 11 other senior military officers died in a “suspicious” air crash in Kaduna.
On May 21, 2021, Attahiru, then chief of army staff (COAS), and 11 other senior military officers died in a crash that involved a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) plane near Kaduna airport.
The former chief of army staff was heading to Kaduna from Abuja to attend the passing-out parade of army recruits
Speaking in an interview with THISDAY published on Monday, Ali-Keffi, a retired major general, asked President Bola Tinubu to probe the crash.
He alleged that the crash was linked to terror sponsors, adding that the full report of the investigation of the incident has not been made public.
Ali-Keffi said Attahiru developed a strategy to end terrorism, “part of which was the infiltration of terror groups and the instigation of crisis among their leaders, which culminated in the elimination of Boko Haram leader”.
THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
The retired major general was scheduled to receive the late army chief in Kaduna on the day of the incident.
Ali-Keffi questioned the sudden change of time for Attahiru’s trip to Kaduna, the change of airport of landing from the military airstrip to Kaduna airport, and the nature of the explosion.
He said there was no crater or impact on the crash area, and the bodies of the passengers were flung out of the aircraft.
He added that the bodies were beyond recognition long before the aircraft came down in flames
“About 2100 hours, on Thursday 20 May 2021, I spoke on phone with the Chief of Staff (COS) to the late COAS regarding their impending trip to Kaduna the following day,” he said.
“I had earlier spoken with General Attahiru on the same issue. We ended our conversation on the note that the late COAS and entourage would come by flight at about 1000 hrs the following day.
“About 0630hrs the following morning, I called the COS to the late COAS to confirm if their travel plan was as we discussed the night before, as I needed to make arrangements for the mosque that the COAS would attend Jummu’at (Friday) prayers.
“The COS informed me that there was a change of plan. He said after we finished speaking last night, they received a message that the late COAS was to attend a meeting either at the Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD) office or at the Presidential Villa at about 1000 hrs on Friday 21 May 2021 and that the late COAS was to attend in person and not send a representative.
“It is important to note that the late COAS’ trip to Kaduna was part of his visit to Zaria to attend the Passing Out Parade at the Depot NA slated for Saturday 22 May 2021.
“It is worth noting that the movement of service chiefs out of station (Abuja) is with the prior knowledge of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD), and the presidency.
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“So, why was a meeting scheduled for about the same time that the late COAS was to have departed for (or arrived) Kaduna and why the insistence that he (COAS) should not be represented?
“In any case, the COS informed me that in view of the meeting, they would depart the Flag House (official residence of the COAS) at about 1530 hrs (after attending the meeting and also after the Jummu’ at prayers) for the airport.
“They expected to arrive the airport at about 1600 hrs, board the aircraft at about 1610 – 1615 hours and depart for Kaduna.
“At about 1600 hours, I was informed that they had arrived the Presidential Wing of the Airport.
“I then set off from the Stallion House (official residence of the GOC) with my entourage in a convoy and arrived the Air Force Base at about 1615 hrs.
“For reasons that I cannot understand till today, the flight was delayed for over an hour and did not take off until 1730 hrs or so.
“The reason for the delay, as I was informed, was that there was an issue with the aircraft that was initially assigned for the mission (to convey the COAS and his entourage) and that it had to be changed.
The retired general wondered why the plane left Abuja despite an alert of a stormy weather condition in Kaduna.
“Meantime, there was a meteorological alert that Kaduna airspace was going to experience heavy rainfall accompanied with a storm (wind shear), and it was advised,” he added.
“Already, the cloud had formed in Kaduna, which was visible to us at the airport.
“As a matter of fact, the cloud was so thick, which was indicative of a massive storm. I began to nurse doubts about the flight.
“At some point, I voiced my doubts to Air Commodore Iyamu and Air Commodore Ilo, who were with me to receive the COAS.
“I even suggested that they should advise Abuja of the weather condition with a view to having the flight cancelled.
“At that point, I was informed that the aircraft was airborne (at about 1745 hrs). I became concerned as to whether the aircraft would be able to land at the airport in such a heavy rainfall, storm (the rain had started falling then).
“Thus, I was not surprised when Air Commodore Ilo informed me that we had to go to the Civil (International Airport) as the NAF runway was not long enough to enable the aircraft land under the atrocious weather condition.
“We then set off for the international airport but at a snail speed due to the heavy rainfall, which was accompanied with shale (ice particles).
“When we got to the vicinity of the airport, there was a thunderous sound, which I thought was the sound of thunder.
“We had earlier sighted what I believed was the aircraft descending to land on the runway.
“When we turned the bend to enter the tarmac, the thought in my mind was that the aircraft had touched down and was taxing to the parking area.
“I couldn’t see any aircraft on the runway. I frantically looked around and by the far side of the runway there was a fireball. It was the aircraft conveying General Attahiru!
“We got out of the vehicles, crossed the runway and approached the burning aircraft.
“Fire fighters were on the ground to put out the blaze. At some point, we had to pull back due to the fear of exploding cylinders.
“We later recovered the corpses of the 10 passengers on board the ill-fated plane far from where the plane wreckage was.
“Apparently, their bodies, which were on fire, were flung from the aircraft before it came down.
“Was the flight deliberately delayed in order to be caught up in the rainstorm? Was the aircraft sabotaged, which caused it to explode mid-air?
“Was the explosion caused by explosives? Was a bomb planted in the aircraft or contained in a parcel, which a passenger unknowingly (or knowingly) carried?”
Earlier, Ali-Keffi had written a letter to Tinubu over his arrest, detention, and compulsory retirement after the revelations of a presidential investigative taskforce that he headed.
The panel, constituted by former President Muhammadu Buhari, exposed the involvement of senior government officials, a top banker, and a senior military officer in terrorism financing.
Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, has presented a report on the explosion that occurred in Ibadan, the state capital, to President Bola Tinubu.
Makinde met Tinubu at the weekend at the presidential villa, Abuja.
While handing over the report to the president, the governor thanked Tinubu for his support following the explosion.
He said his administration would do everything possible to provide succour to victims and punish those responsible for the incident.
On the night of January 18, an explosion rocked Dejo Oyelese Street, Bodija axis of Ibadan.
So far, five persons have been confirmed dead, while 77 people were said to be injured in the blast.
On Sunday, Makinde said over 90 percent of the victims of the explosion have been discharged from the hospital.
The governor added that structural integrity tests are being carried out on about 230 properties around the site of the explosion in Bodija.
More...
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has encouraged Nigerians to maintain hope amid the economic reforms implemented by President Bola Tinubu‘s administration.
The association urged the President to persist in the direction he has taken since assuming office almost eight months ago, expressing its support for the government.
CAN President, Daniel Okoh, urged Nigerians not to lose hope but to have patience and persevere, acknowledging the efforts made by the President towards securing the nation.
Okoh made this statement to State House Correspondents after the audience with the President at the Council Chamber of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The meeting on Monday marked the first interaction between the Christian Association of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu since his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
CAN strongly criticised Tinubu’s predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing the previous administration of inadequately addressing incidents of killings and attacks on churches and communities in the Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, and the Middle Belt.
CAN expressed particular concern about the killing of over 40 worshipers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022.
The organisation criticised Buhari, urging an end to what it referred to as the recycling of criminals and terrorists under the guise of a de-radicalisation program.
The organisation had also criticised Tinubu, who was then the All Progressives Congress candidate, for advocating a Muslim-Muslim ticket, expressing concerns about potential marginalisation of Christian interests.
However, following closed-door discussions with the President on Monday, the CAN leadership described Tinubu’s administration as “inclusive,” noting that they had observed the composition of appointments he had made thus far.
“Sincerely, what we found out is that the President is actually sensitive to all the challenges that we have. He’s aware, and we see him making very positive steps, even from the beginning of his administration.
“By the way he has made appointments so far, he has come with a great sense of inclusiveness. And Nigerians have a sense of belonging.
“I tell you that his pronouncements so far and his body language have increased the confidence of Nigerians, and we believe that, given the chance, he will do a lot more. We are praying that the Lord will strengthen his hand to be able to do more and turn around the fortunes of this country.”
Okoh appealed for understanding from Nigerians, arguing that the challenges affecting the country existed before the current administration took office.
He noted, “We know that there are a lot of challenges. But what we tell our people is that this is just the beginning of this administration, and Nigeria is big.
“What we face now started many years back, and it will take a while to turn around these things.
“But the important thing is that there is an intentional step that the President has taken and is taking to reverse the trend of events, especially in the area of governance; we see it very clearly.”
“The advice we have for the President is for him to continue on the path that he is now determined to follow.
“He is determined to run a government that is for all, an all-inclusive government, that listens to the people, just like he made a pledge to us that he will continue to listen to us and he has opened the channels for us that anything that we see or any concern that we have, we should always come back to let him know.
“So we believe that now we have a listening president. And we urge him to continue on that path. And to continue to always look out for those who mean well for this nation and put them to good use,” Okoh advised.
The Christian body stated that its presence at the seat of power was to congratulate the President on his electoral victory.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 general elections, the leadership of CAN decided to pay a courtesy visit to express congratulations to President Tinubu and to pledge their support for his administration.
A member of the House of Representatives for Umuahia North/Umuahia South/Ikwuano Federal Constituency of Abia State, Obi Aguocha, has slammed the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, over the option of eliminating the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Naija News learnt that Buhari’s thoughts about the option of eliminating Nnamdi Kanu were conveyed in a new book written by his former aide, Femi Adesina.
In the book, Adesina said there was an option of eliminating Kanu, stating that bringing Kanu back to face trial in Nigeria was a favour.
In response, Aguocha, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the remarks by Buhari regarding Kanu’s handling are deeply concerning.
The lawmaker said that suggesting that the elimination of a citizen was an option, even in retrospect, is alarming and raises serious questions about the commitment to the rule of law and human rights.
He further called on Buhari to come out clean and confess all that he did to Nnamdi Kanu and the Southeast while in office.
He said: “The suggestion of ‘elimination’ as a viable option undermines the principles of justice and due process.
“The Supreme Court of Nigeria, in its recent judgement, roundedly condemned Buhari’s government on the attack on the home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and also his rendition from Kenya.
“For the former President to summarily suggest that being subjected to such illegality was a favour for a citizen is totally reckless and reeks of all things personal vendetta, and so far from the high standards of civility expected from a leader.
“President Buhari should rather come clean by confessing all he used his office to do to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the South East.
“Nobody, including Femi Adesina and his principal, should play God in respect of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. There is an inordinate obsession with the former President seeing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in detention because of his prejudice.”
In his renewed bid to regain freedom, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has, through his Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, filed a petition to the United Kingdom’s International Relations and Defence Committee of the House of Lords.
The six-page petition to the House of Lords dated January 18, 2024, not only reminded the House that Kanu is a British national and was “renditioned, tortured and imprisoned by the Federal Government of Nigeria, since June 19, 2021.”
Part of the petition read: “Mr. Kanu, a British national, is a political activist, advocating self-determination for the people of Biafra (Eastern Nigeria), with the singular aim of creation of the sovereign State of Biafra from Nigeria through a referendum.
“He is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which he founded in 2012, for actualisation of the creation of the State of Biafra.
“IPOB is registered as a legal entity in the United Kingdom and it has numerous offices and chapters around the world. It operates in the open as a non-violent group, including in Nigeria, before the Government of Nigeria, GON, unfairly proscribed/declared it a terrorist group in 2017.
“However, in October 2023, a High Court in Nigeria declared as unconstitutional, the executive actions of the GON in the proscription of IPOB and its declaration as a terrorist group.
“The court awarded significant damages against the GON and ordered it to apologize to Mr. Kanu.
“Over time and after 18 months in detention without trial, Mr. Kanu was released on bail, due mainly to domestic and international pressure.
“Following this, Mr. Kanu returned to his ancestral home in Umuahia, Abia State, South-East Nigeria, where he stayed and awaited his next court date scheduled for October 20, 2017.
“From September 10 to 14, 2017, Nigerian security forces led by the Army, levied lethal attacks at Mr. Kanu’s home. The security forces used live bullets and other lethal munitions and several people including Mr. Kanu, his parents (now late), his siblings, children, women, the elderly, and numerous visitors were at the said home with Mr. Kanu during the attacks.
“At the end of the attack, Mr. Kanu’s home was badly damaged, dozens of people were killed, many were wounded and maimed, and the security forces captured several people alive and took them to unknown locations to this day.
“In January 2022, a High Court in Nigeria declared the military attack at Mr. Kanu’s residence as unconstitutional and a breach of his fundamental rights and awarded him substantial monetary damages.
“In March 2018, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, ACHPR, issued an interim decision, holding that the military attacks on Mr. Kanu and the contemporaneous proscription of IPOB, violated the African Charter; and accordingly, the ACHPR wrote the former President of Nigeria to remedy the situation but the GON never implemented the Provisional Measures to this day.
“In October 2020, the United Nations Special Rapporteurs transmitted a Communication/Decision, No: AL NGA 5/2020, to the GON, conveying its disapproval of the executive or administrative action of the GON on the proscription of IPOB.
“In particular, the said Communication/Decision expressly stated that the action of the GON in this regard was motivated by ethnic bias and discrimination against the Igbo.”
The petition graphically narrated how Kanu was forced to flee Nigeria and go into voluntary exile, to save his life, his entry into Kenya on May 12, 2021, as a British citizen, and how several armed security agents working for GON, violently accosted and abducted, handcuffed, blindfolded and bundled him in a vehicle and sped away, to a nondescript private house, somewhere in Nairobi, Kenya and chained him to the floor.
After taking a hard look at the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, Kanu’s Special Counsel expressed happiness that the Justices “strongly condemned both the said military attacks against Mr. Kanu and his extraordinary rendition,” stressing that “Mr. Kanu remains in limbo without any clear prospects of ever being brought to trial since this saga begins almost nine years ago.”
He then pleaded: “Given the foregoing, we hereby most respectfully urge the House of Lords to urgently intervene with His Majesty’s Government, to promptly make demands on the GON to unconditionally release Mr. Kanu from detention and repatriate him to the United Kingdom, and to levy sanctions against the GON, if it fails to comply within a reasonable time.
“It is pertinent to stress the point that extraordinary rendition inherently destroys every prospect for a fair trial in the jurisdiction that levied the rendition.”
I’m not averse to genuine restructuring of Nigeria — Kanu
In a related development, Kanu has said he is not opposed to any genuine restructuring of Nigeria along the 1963 Constitution.
The IPOB Leader insisted that unless those opposed to holistic restructuring of Nigeria repented, his demand for a referendum to determine whether the people of Biafra would like to exit or continue as part of Nigeria remained sacrosanct.
Kanu’s position was conveyed to Vanguard by his younger brother, Prince Emmanuel after meeting with him at his solitary confinement at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS.
He quoted Kanu as saying: “We are not averse to the genuine restructuring of the country. We know that the country cannot grow or make progress under the current unworking unitary structure. The facts are clear for all to see.
“Our position remains the same as our submission in the presence of Prof. Ben Nwabueze, and Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko on 30th August 2017 at the meeting with the South East Governors in Enugu. We have no reason to add or subtract from our position six years ago.
“We reiterate that we are not opposed to a consensual but wholesome restructuring of the country along the 1963 constitution.”
Kanu blamed those who disrupted an earlier attempt by the Federal Government in 2017 to reach a truce with him, for the current insecurity in the South East.
Kanu’s family cries foul over S’Court’s non-release of CTC
Meantime, the family of the detained Kanu has cried foul over the delay by the Supreme Court to release the Certified True Copy, CTC, of its judgment in the suit involving the IPOB Leader.
Kanunta Kanu who spoke for the family said the action of the apex court “is impeding further legal moves” by the family to seek justice for their son.
He regretted that over one month after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the matter, the Justices of the apex court who abdicated in the matter were yet to append their signatures on the judgment.
Recall that the Supreme Court had on December 15, 2023, refused to affirm the ruling of the Appeal Court which had ordered the immediate release of Kanu.
The Supreme Court ruled that instead, Kanu should be tried at the appropriate court.
Kanunta expressed surprise that the Justices of the apex court allowed the normal two weeks to elapse without signing the judgment.
Suspecting foul play over the unnecessary delays, Kanunta said the action amounted to a gross violation of the principles of the rule of law.
He said: “Unlawfully withholding the CTC in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has confirmed that Nigeria will not obey her treaty obligations.
“These justices, the presidency, and the Nigerian entity are officially terrorists according to the laws of Nigeria.”
Citing Section 2 (3)(f) of the Terrorism (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022, Kanu said, “In this Act “act of terrorism” means an act wilfully performed to further an ideology, whether political, religious, racial, or ethnic and which violates the provisions of any international treaty or resolution to which Nigeria is a party, subject to the provisions of section 12 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; and Cap C23, LFN 2004
The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has disowned groups organising protests in her support to be reinstated to President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Edu, in a release on Monday by her media aide, Rasheed Olanrewaju, claimed that she did not authorise groups to organise public prayers and protests on her behalf.
The suspended minsiter said she was confident and committed to the government’s ongoing inquiry and was fully collaborating with the authorities.
Edu added that she did not sponsor any public activity and urged those behind the planned actions to stop it for smooth investigation into the allegations made against her.
The statement reads: “Following recent developments, would like to thank various stakeholders for their immense support since the unfortunate chain of events at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Dr Betta Edu remains committed and confident in the investigative process instituted by President Bola Tinubu and is cooperating fully with relevant authorities.
“The Minister has however been made aware of several efforts by individuals, supporters and others to organise public prayers, road walk and or protests to show public support.
“We wish to use this medium to state that such efforts are not approved by her or any member of her team and should be discontinued forthwith because such efforts – no matter how noble the intent, it could be seen as an attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the investigations, or can be hijacked by nefarious persons with ulterior motives.
“We kindly request that those with such plans should show their support by respecting the process and await the official findings and conclusions.
“Your understanding and cooperation are highly appreciated at this time. She is indeed grateful for the overwhelming support from Nigerians across all strata of society especially those most dear to her heart; the Poor and vulnerable.
“By God’s Grace, she will be back to continue her selfless service to humanity, especially to the poorest of the poor whose prayers have kept her strong thus far.”