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The abducted Editor of FirstNews Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, on Thursday, recounted his ordeal at the hands of the military personnel who abducted him from his Lagos home.
Military authorities had earlier on Thursday, yielded to pressure and released Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, March 15, 2024.
The PUNCH confirmed that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja after sustained pressure from the media.
They were asked to guarantee that they would make Olatunji available if needed again.
The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had in separate statements faulted his incarceration, asking authorities to either release the editor or charge him to court.
Narrating his ordeal after his release at a press briefing organised by the leaderships of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and IPI in Abuja, Olatunji said he was blindfolded and flown to the Federal Capital Territory where he was moved to a cell in handcuffs and leg chains for almost three days.
He said, “Someone came claiming to be from the military. He identified himself as Colonel Lawal. Immediately, he seized my phones.
“I went to the room to dress up. By the time I got downstairs, I saw soldiers inside the compound taking positions. Outside the gate, I saw about three vehicles with Air Force personnel, Army, Defence Intelligence Agency, and others all fully armed.
“I was handcuffed and taken straight to the office of the National Air Defence Corps where we waited for three hours. I did not know that they were waiting for an aircraft to pick me up to Abuja.
“When the aircraft landed, I was blindfolded and moved to the aircraft, and we landed in Abuja shortly. I was leg cuffed also. They removed my clothes and I was left with my boxers. I was taken to Cell 9.
“There, I was left with leg and handcuffs. And at a point, one of the officers came and tightened the right leg and the right hand, and I was there groaning in pain. They did not loosen it until about two or three days after.
“Up till now, I could still feel the pains in my hands and legs.”
Olatunji said those behind his ordeal were close to the government based on the questions he was asked.
He added, “They were asking me questions about certain stories that FirstNews had published.
“They first told me that I was one of those abusing the Chief of Defence Intelligence (Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye). They did not say much about that.”
He said they also asked him about a story FirstNews had published about the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu (Mr Femi Gbajabiamila), which he described as a “major thing”.
“That is why I told some people earlier that those behind my arrest are people in the corridors of power who are not happy with FirstNews is doing and are bent on taking their own pound of flesh,” he added.
[Punch]
South Africa’s electoral commission said on Thursday it had excluded former president Jacob Zuma from standing in the May 29 general election.
“In the case of former president Zuma, yes, we did receive an objection, which has been upheld,” commission president Mosotho Moepya told reporters, without giving details.
“The party that has nominated him has been informed” as have those objecting to the move, he added.
Yaba Tech security guard completes OND, says he was inspired by senior staff members....
The decision can be appealed if lodged before April 2.
Zuma, 81, was forced out of office in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations.
He is campaigning for the opposition uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party in an attempt to relaunch his career and weaken his former party, the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The general election, after which the victor will appoint a president, is set to be tense.
The ANC is on the brink of dropping below 50 percent of the vote for the first time since it came to power at the end of apartheid.
That would force the party once led by Nelson Mandela to form a coalition to stay in office.
The ANC is bleeding support amid a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The electoral commission said in a statement that under the constitution “any person who was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine” cannot stand in an election.
Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in jail in June 2021 after refusing to testify to a panel probing financial corruption and cronyism under his presidency.
Besides his 2021 contempt conviction, he is facing separate charges of corruption in an arms procurement scandal in the 1990s, when he was vice president.
AFP
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has shut down Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an international fast food restaurant chain, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, over discrimination against a passenger.
On March 27, Debola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, had posted on his official X page about his experience at KFC, MMIA branch.
According to Daniel, the restaurant had stopped him and his family from entering, stating that “no wheelchairs were allowed”.
“Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, ‘No Wheelchairs Allowed’,” he posted.
“She refused to listen to reason and stood her ground that at kfcnigeria Murtala Muhammed branch, wheelchairs and wheelchair users of all shapes and sizes were not permitted in the premises and we should leave immediately.
“I have never been the type of person to make a fuss or complain about my disability.”
Reacting to the development in a statement on Thursday, Obiageli Orah, director, public affairs and consumer protection at FAAN, said the authority had investigated the matter and made their decision.
Orah added that the shutdown will take effect from today, March 28.
“In line with Lagos State law on people with special needs, Part C, section 55 of General Provisions n Discrimination which states that, ‘A person shall not deprive another person of access to any place, vehicle or facility that members of the public are entitled to enter or use on the basis of the disability of that person’,” FAAN said.
“The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has closed the KFC facility at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos with effect from March 28, 2024.
“This is as a result of a social media report by a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM), alleging discriminatory treatment he received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
“The MD/CE of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi, Kuku intervened swiftly by deploying a management team comprising the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah, the Regional Manager South West, Mr Sunday Ayodele, Ag. General Manager Public Affairs, Mrs Ijeoma Nwosu-Igbo and the International Terminal Manager, Mr Kerri, to investigate the allegation.
“It is based on the findings of the team that FAAN has shut down the KFC facility at the MMA, where the incident occurred.”
Orah said the authority has instructed KFC management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to the affected PRM and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at the door post of their facility at MMIA before it resumes operation.
The authority also apologised to Daniel and assured all airport users that they will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the rights of every passenger are not infringed upon.
[TheCable]
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Thursday stated Lagos State recorded N1.05trillion domestic debt in the fourth quarter (Q4 2023) to emerge the state with the highest public debt portfolio.
NBS document tagged: “Commodity Price Index and Terms of Trade (Q4 2023), that made this known, added that Lagos was followed by Delta with a debt portfolio of N373.41 billion.
The document said: “Lagos state recorded the highest domestic debt in Q4 2023 with N1.05 trillion, followed by Delta with N373.41 billion.”
According to the report, Jigawa recorded the lowest domestic debt with N42.76 billion, followed by Kebbi with N60.69 billion.
On external debt, NBS noted Lagos has the highest external debt in Q4 2023 with $1.24 billion followed by Kaduna with $587.07 million while Borno recorded the least with $20.49 million, followed by Yobe with $21.49 million.
The data said Nigeria’s public debt stock which includes external and domestic debt stood at N97.34 trillion (US$108.23 billion) in Q4 2023 from N87.91 trillion (US$ 114.35 billion) in Q3 2023, indicating a growth rate of 10.73% on a quarter-on-quarter basis.
Total external debt, said the document, stood at N38.22 trillion (US$42.50 billion) in Q4 2023, while total domestic debt was N59.12 trillion (US$65.73 billion).
The bureau revealed that the share of external debt (in naira value) to total public debt was 39.26% in Q4 2023, while the share of domestic debt (in naira value) to total public debt was 60.74%.
A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the military to release 313 suspected terrorists, for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after investigations.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Gen. Buba Edward, on Thursday, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country in Abuja.
He said that the military would comply with the court order and release the suspected terrorists to the state government.
Buba said, “During the week, as a follow-up to a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, a total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government.
“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.
“The cases were prosecuted by the Department of Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice. they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”
Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, has regained his freedom after spending 12 days in custody.
Gunmen in military uniform had invaded Olatunji’s residence at Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos State, on March 15, 2024, and whisked him away.
While the journalist’s family did not receive any communication from his military, the management of the media platform linked the incident to a story published by FirstNews.
Concerns about his location continued until the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) said its checks showed the editor was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who, in turn, reports to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Chris Musa.
Hours after the IPI made the disclosure, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told some editors that the military had confirmed that the editor was in their custody.
Meanwhile, in a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, IPI called on President Bola Tinubu to activate the powers of his office as Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces to direct the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to produce Olatunji.
“IPI Nigeria has received inquiries about this matter from all over the world. The Institute has also contacted the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Defence Headquarters, and the Ministry of Information and National Orientation seeking information on Mr Olatunji and demanding his release. All efforts in this direction have so far failed.
“That has triggered speculations among journalists and human rights activists around the world that the Nigerian military may be keeping some vital information away from the public concerning the journalist’s safety.
“IPI is therefore calling on President Tinubu to direct the Nigerian military authorities to immediately release Mr Olatunji or charge him to court if he has committed any offence. The international community should also pay attention to the unjust detention of Mr. Olatunji by the Nigerian military,” said the statement signed by IPI President, Musikilu Mojeed, and Tobi Soniyi, its secretary.
Consequently, on Thursday morning, Olatunji was released to the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), according a message by the Secretary of the Guild, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren.
As at the time of his release, the DIA didn’t say what Olatunji’s offence was.
An Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, remanded a 25-year-old man, David Ojonugwa, for allegedly stealing the sum of N54,142,000 from his employer.
Magistrate Adedayo Tella remanded Ojonugwa at the Correctional Centre pending the review of facts and sentencing after he pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
Ojonugwa is facing three counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful interference with property, and stealing preferred against him by the police.
Earlier when Ojonugwa was arraigned, the prosecutor, Inspector Francisca Job, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in January 2024.
She said the incident took place at Lorange Water Factory, located at No 3, Olajubu Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos State.
Job told the court that Ojonugwa unlawfully disconnected, removed, tampered, and meddled with one 10KVA generator valued at N250,000, a 12 HP submersible pump machine valued at N200,000, an electric motor for a water line, N1.8m, and bottled water machine, N1m.
Others are one injection machine module at N12m, injection machine module, N14m, one set of four cavity module bottles (150CL) at N9m, one set of four cavity module bottles (75CL), valued at N8m, one set of four cavity module bottles (25CL), valued at N5m, one electric for motor shrink wrapper (75KW) valued at N110,000, two floating switches for the bottled water line valued at N20,000, 200 stainless bolts and nuts for installation valued at N92,000, six stainless rods for the installation of the water line valued at N200,000 and 1,000 pieces of medium-sized catfishes valued at N40,000, items that were stolen by the defendant.
She said that the total value of the items stolen was N54,142,000, properties of one Mrs Teju Adeleke.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 340, and 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
However, Ojonugwa pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
Consequently, Magistrate Tella remanded Ojonugwa at the Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till April 24, 2024, for facts and sentencing.
The fraud, bribery, and conspiracy charges filed against the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, have been dismissed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
The dismissal came after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to substantiate its allegations against Adoke, leading to his acquittal on all counts.
During the ruling, Justice Abubakar Kutigi addressed the “no case” submission put forward by Adoke’s defense, stating that the EFCC did not adequately prove the charges of fraud, bribery, and money laundering.
Consequently, Adoke was discharged and acquitted, marking a pivotal moment in this high-profile case.
The court scrutinized the claims of illegal tax waivers allegedly granted to multinational oil firms Shell and Eni but found them unsupported by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) or any other governmental authority.
Similarly, the accusation that Adoke received a N300 million bribe lacked evidential backing, leading to the dismissal of this charge as well.
This judgment may signal the end of protracted litigation related to the OPL 245 oil field saga. This case has seen Nigeria facing setbacks in various international and local legal fronts.
Notably, the EFCC acknowledged a lack of sufficient evidence against Adoke and other defendants, except for Rasky Gbinigie, who is accused of forgery related to company documents.
The Defence Headquarters has declared eight persons wanted in connection to the killing of army personnel in Okuama community, Delta state.
The 17 army personnel were killed on March 14 during an operation in the community.
DHQ named those declared wanted as Akeywiru Omotegbono, Ekpekpo Arthur, Andaowei Bakrikri, Igoli Ebi, Akata David, Sinclear Oliki, Clement Oghenerukevwe and Reuben Baru.
The names of the deceased soldiers are A.H Ali, D.E Obi, S.D. Ashafa, U. Zakari, , Yahaya Saidu, Danbaba Yahaya, Kabir Bashir, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Adamu Ibrahim, Hamman Peter, and Ibrahim Adamu.
After the killing of the army personnel, President Bola Tinubu and the military high command promised that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
On Wednesday, the personnel were buried at the military cemetery in Abuja and were posthumously conferred with national honours by President Tinubu.
The president also offered scholarships to children of the late officers.
Speaking during the burial ceremony of the late personnel at the military cemetery in Abuja, Taoreed Lagbaja, chief of army staff (COAS), said it was “highly demoralising” that the soldiers were killed by those they were equipped to protect.
The army chief added that it took over 72 hours of searching to recover the vital organs of some of the deceased soldiers.
He added that the Nigerian Army exercised “a lot of restraint” in the search for missing arms and body parts of the deceased soldiers.
The army chief also said some of the widows of the slain officers are pregnant.
“The Okuama killing has added to the care of the Nigerian Army and, by extension, the Nigerian state, 10 widows, three of whom are four, five, and eight months pregnant, 21 orphans, and many other dependents, which include parents,” Lagbaja said.
The lawmaker representing Ondo South Constituency in the National Assembly, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has officially joined the race for the 2024 governorship seat in Ondo State.
Naija News reports Ibrahim, on Wednesday, picked up the nomination and expression of interest forms to contest the forthcoming election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A member of the senator’s campaign team for the election, Abayomi Adesanya, bought the forms on his behalf.
I Am Not Afraid Of Aiyedatiwa – Ibrahim
One of those aspiring to emerge as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has maintained his stand in the race.
While emphasizing the importance of the ruling party opening up its ticket for the upcoming poll, Senator Ibrahim, who currently serves the Ondo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, stated that he is not intimidated by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who recently announced his candidacy for the governorship position.
Naija News reports that Senator Ibrahim made these remarks while appearing live on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme earlier in the month of March.
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The lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Ahmed Ningi, has formally contested his suspension from the Senate, threatening to take legal action if the decision is not reversed within seven days.
Ningi, through his legal counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), communicated his stance to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, highlighting concerns over the legality of the suspension process.
The Senate had on March 12 imposed a three-month suspension on Ningi following his public assertion that the 2024 budget had been inflated by N3.7 trillion.
Ningi alleged a discrepancy between the N25 trillion budget approved by the National Assembly and the N28.7 trillion purportedly being implemented by the Presidency, a claim that led to his suspension for purportedly tarnishing the Senate’s reputation.
The controversy reached a peak during a Senate session during which Ningi was asked to substantiate his allegations. Following this, he was suspended, relinquished his role as Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum, and was seen leaving the Red Chambers defiantly.
Two weeks into his suspension, Ningi and his lawyer Falana are challenging the validity of the Senate’s action, suggesting procedural flaws and asserting the senator’s readiness to escalate the matter to the Federal High Court if necessary.
The letter to Akpabio, delivered to his office on Wednesday, marks the formal initiation of Ningi’s appeal against his suspension.
In the letter, Falana wrote, “On March 9, 2024, our client granted an interview to the BBC Hausa Service on the 2024 Appropriation Act. He expressed his views on the budget of the Federal Government in the exercise of his fundamental right to freedom of speech guaranteed by Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“Dissatisfied with the interview, you caused our client to be put on trial before the Senate on March 14, 2024 contrary to the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2018.”
Falana, in the letter, said the Senate President acted as the accuser, prosecutor, and judge in the case, which was in utter violation of the provisions of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
Falana argued that in addition to violating Ningi’s fundamental right to a fair hearing, the Senate also violated the people of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District’s right to representation in the Senate for three months.
He said, “This is a breach of Section 111 of the Constitution and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act.
“As you are no doubt aware, the Federal High Court had struck down the suspension of some members of the Senate and the House of Representatives who had accused the leadership of both houses of budget padding, corruption or abuse of office.
“Specifically, the court declared the suspension of the affected legislators illegal and unconstitutional.
“As a senior lawyer, you (Akpabio) ought to have drawn the attention of the members of the Senate to these decisions and several others where the high courts of some states and the Court of Appeal have held that no parliament in Nigeria has the power to suspend or expel a legislator and confiscate his salaries and allowances.
“In view of the foregoing, you will agree with us that the suspension of Senator Ningi and the denial of his entitlements are illegal and unconstitutional in every material particular.
“We are compelled to request you to ensure that the said suspension is lifted forthwith.
“However, if you fail to accede to our request seven days upon receipt of this letter, we shall not hesitate to pray the Federal High Court for the reinstatement of our client. We shall equally report you to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for treating the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal with disdain.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned Wednesday’s Labour Party (LP) National Convention in Anambra.
Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Oyekanmi said that the conduct of the convention was not monitored by INEC, declining to state further why it was not monitored.
NAN, however, reports that the LP had on Tuesday shifted the convention from Umuahia in Abia to Nnewi, Anambra State.
Speaking on the change in venue, Mr Kehinde Edun, the LP National Legal Adviser, told newsmen that the party had duly informed INEC about the change in venue and date.
“No, it is holding in Anambra. Nnewi, to be precise, not Umuahia in Abia State again. In fact, Umuahia was not even the first venue we chose. Benin was the first choice before we changed to Umuahia and now Nnewi.
“So, we are at liberty to pick any venue of our choice. We only need to inform INEC about the change in venue and time,” Edun said.
Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 states that political parties shall give INEC at least 21 days notice of convention, congress, conference or meeting.
This includes the convention or meeting convened for the purpose of “merger” and electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has declared that his administration will not be cut short, as he claimed that the people of Rivers State can attest that he won the 2023 gubernatorial election.
Fubara, who called on the people of the state not to panic, assured them of his administration’s determination to protect their lives and properties.
He spoke while addressing members of the Family Support Group, who were on a solidarity visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
Represented by the Head of the Civil Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, the governor said the government is for youth, women, men, and every well-meaning Nigerian who wishes the state well.
A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, reads: “The whole land of Rivers State stands in affirmation that we won the election fairly and deserve to serve out our full tenure. There is not going to be anything that will cut short the popular mandate that you all gave to this administration.
“Just about within weeks of assuming office, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, flagged off the Port Harcourt Ring Road project that will traverse six local governments. It will be completed within 36 months. But I think it will be completed before the time because the progress of the work we have seen is beyond what we were thinking.
“The official main Trans-Kalabari Road will start very soon and will begin from Port Harcourt. A lot of plans have been made for that road, and very soon, you will see contractors on site, and Rivers State will be opened.
“Just yesterday, you heard in the news also that the governor has commenced the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road. That road was initially done with one lane, but now, he is going to dualise it. The government has already awarded the contract.”
The Kuriga school children rescued from their abductors in Zamfara State after 16 days in captivity will be handed over to their parents today.
The Nation gathered yesterday that their parents met with them at Kaduna Women and Children Shelter where they are receiving psycho-social treatment.
It was, however, not clear if six of the children admitted into the Dallet Barrack Hospital of the 1 Division Nigerian Army were among those that met with their parents.
Read Also: Rescued pupils, teachers to reunite with families soon, says Ekiti govt
The abducted children were 137.
Though reporters were not allowed into the Women and Children Shelter, a recorded video of the meeting showed a moment of joy for the parents and their children.
Some of the parents were seen embracing the children while some shed tears of joy for seeing their children alive.
During the meeting which had top government functionaries in attendance, Secretary to the Kaduna State Government (SSG) Abdulkadir Meyere said the rescue of the children was a promise fulfilled.
Meyere, who represented Governor Uba Sani said: “We should all thank God. It would be recalled that on the very day that this incident happened, the governor came down to Kuriga to sympathise with you. He told you people that these children are his children.”