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Community Launches Campaign Against APC Lawmakers, Other Elected Officials Over Failed Promises

Among the politicians targeted by the campaign is the House of Representatives member, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who represents Damaturu/Gujba/Gulani/Tarmuwa Federal Constituency on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, who represents Yobe East Senatorial District on the platform of the APC and Mustapha Gwarime, a member of the Yobe State House of Assembly member, were accused of failing their people.

Some leaders of the coalition told SaharaReporters that there is no need to re-elect politicians, some of whom have spent over a decade in office without making any meaningful impact in their constituencies.

He insisted that politicians who have not discharged their duty, and fulfilled the promises they took, will no longer be voted again.

The coalition however noted that the campaign cuts across all the political parties and their candidates contesting for any position in the forthcoming 2023 elections.

They lamented that the House of Representatives’ member, Abba Ibrahim had spent 16 years in her office but no one from her constituency “can point out a project of N10 million she executed in the whole of Buni Yadi community.”

Similarly, the community said that in his three years in office since he was elected in 2019, Senator Geidam “only contributed in the health sector where he brought some medicine to the community which is the only project he did to the community and never forward any problem of the community to the Senate.”

For the State House of Assembly member, Gwarime, the community said “he has never executed a project of even N5 million and never forwarded a problem of the Buni Yadi to the state assembly.”

Asked what motivated them to form the group, the chairman of the coalition, who simply identified himself as Alhaji Gambo, said the group was formed to develop the community in terms of social, political and economic development.

Stressing that the group was registered in 2021 with its constitution and objectives, Gambo noted that “the campaign is to launch an orientation on people of the community to vote out any of the candidates who haven't done anything to the development of the community.”

The coalition chairman listed the major challenges the community has been facing without the intervention of their elected representatives to include “annual clashes between headers and farmers for almost five years now.

“Community people are suffering in terms of having portable drinking water as the people buy 240 litres (one truck) of water between the sum of N500 and N700 if there is no light and the government did not do anything to solve the problem for the community.

“The community lacks employment by the government as they promised during their campaign. Lack of enough competent and qualified teachers in our primary school. The governor solicited educational appeal funds to the state, and up till now, we have not seen any of its effects.

“There are not enough professional workers in our hospitals, which include doctors and nurses,” Gambo said.

Also speaking, a female member of the coalition, Talatun Sambo, told SaharaReporters that female members of the coalition “will go sensitising other women to the objective of the association and not to vote for a candidate who hasn't done anything to the development of the community.”

Another female member of the coalition, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they will mobilise community women “not to vote for our house of representatives member, (Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba) because she spent almost 16 years on the seat and no one can point any N5 million project she did in the community.”

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Road to 2023 election : I will end poverty in Nigeria – Tinubu

Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has promised to conquer poverty in Nigeria if elected in 2023.

Mr Tinubu, who made the promise at the Town Hall meeting of the South-South region on Tuesday in Calabar, said that he would deploy all the human and material resources God had bestowed on the country to move it out of poverty.

The presidential candidate, who noted that education remained the greatest tool to fight poverty, said that each state of the federation was blessed with abundant natural resources, all of which would be deployed in changing the fortune of the country.

He, however, pointed out that in doing that, there was the need for people to remain united and stop the destruction of what God had deposited in the country to end N

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Explore use of alternative prosecutor to accelerate cases disposal in family court - Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has advocated the need for the judiciary to seek legal audacity that will accelerate cases before the Family Court even when prosecutors develop a cold feet over cases being handled.

Governor Wike gave the advise when he formally inaugurated the Rivers State Family Court at the High Court Complex in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The Rivers State governor also unveiled the "Family Court Rules, the Guide," and the book is titled "The Child, Ethics and the Law: A Simplified Law Guide for Children and Young Persons."

Governor Wike noted that often, prosecutors clandestinely withdraw prosecution of child's rights abuse cases, which frustrate the case, and justice to the child denied, eventually.

To forestall such situation, he urged the judiciary to do everything possible to achieve the essence of establishing the Family Court, which is to engender a child friendly justice system that treat children with dignity and fairness.

"As usual, nobody knows what may happen, but is there no way the legislature could say that in case the prosecutor is not coming for a case, the court, when I say the court, I am not talking about the presiding judge, but the judiciary, could on their own by funds available, hire another prosecutor(s) so that these cases do not die."

Governor Wike spoke of hindsight of experience of what often transpires and why prosecutors discontinue such cases of abuse of children.

The governor stated that children suffer a great deal of defilement at early age, but the lack of interest of prosecution to pursue such cases to logical conclusion serve as another form of injustice to children.

“Children, they suffer, most of them are defiled at their early ages. Some people (lawyers) cannot stand firm to say that, look, I will not accept this, that I must prosecute the matter to the last to see that there is justice.”

Governor Wike pledged his support to what the Family Court truly represents even if its establishment is coming about 13 years after the State Assembly first domesticated the Child's Rights Act in 2009.

He advised against the attitude of giving excuses which could hamper the operations of the court now that the state has joined the league of States that have Family Court.

"Frankly speaking, I am fully in support and I have to thank God. Students and pupils are here to see that every hope is not lost. You have an opportunity to see that justice is being done and I believe that with the presiding judge and his colleagues that will be working in the Family Court, they will make sure that justice is not only done but will be seen to have been done."

In her speech, the presiding judge of the Family Court, Hon. Justice Suzzette Eberechi Nyesom-Wike explained that the essence of child-friendly justice is to re-orientate and rehabilitate the child.

The court, she said, will also reintegrate; bring relief and redress to the child, and not inflict corporal punishment or hardship on the child, no matter the delinquency.

"Under this system, the Court is obliged to listen to children, consider their views and ensure their participation and protection in the process, whether as victims, witnesses or offenders."

Justice Nyesom-Wike spoke further saying that since joining the bench in 2012, she had desired to ensure that there was a justice system, which guarantees the effective implementation of all children's rights at the highest attainable level.

However, she noted that the journey to what has been actualised today did not start until two years ago, despite the domestication of the Child's Rights Act by the Rivers State House of Assembly in 2009.

"Apart from the lack of political will, the Rivers State Child's Rights Law of 2009 was fundamentally defective and incapable of triggering the jurisdictional competence of a Family Court in the State, even if the State had wanted to establish such a Court.

"Additionally, the textual errors, omissions and repetitions in the Rivers State Child's Rights Law 2009 were so severe that the 2021 amendment could not cure and resolve the legal stalemate.

"Besides this, after 13 years and with some changes occurring in our justice system in Rivers State, Nigeria and the world over, a review of the Law was necessary for the benefit of our children."

Justice Nyesom-Wike stated that presently, the Family Court functions in Port Harcourt with four jurisdictions; two High Court Judges and two Magistrates.

According to her, it is expected to spread to all the Local Government areas to ease access to justice across the State as the need arises and resources allow.

"The court will be age-appropriate, speedy, and diligent. It will also focus on the child's needs, respect the right to due process and the right to private and family life.

"It will also be accessible to all, including litigants, lawyers and non-lawyers who have the right to participate and personally conduct their cases in the court."

In his address, Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi informed that the Rivers State judiciary has furnished and equipped a befitting place for use as Family Court. He said the judiciary is now set to commence an appropriate Family Court proceedings at the High Court and Magistrate Court levels in tackling designated cases.

On his part, the Attorney General of Rivers State and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor lauded the establishment of the Family Court and said it is another reckonable feat in the administration of justice in Rivers State.

Former president, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze C.J Okocha, SAN and chairman, NBA Port Harcourt branch, Victor Benibo, delivered goodwill messages on behalf of Body of Benchers and NBA respectively.

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Protest Rocks Abuja Over Alleged Plot By DSS To Remove Emefiele

Human rights lawyers, civil society groups, including the Arewa Youth Consultative Movement, have moved in defense of governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over alleged plot kick him out of office.

Specifically, they raised the alarm over alleged plot by the Department of State Service (DSS) to frame up Emefiele with terrorism sponsorship against Nigeria.

The group operating under the auspices of Coalition of National Interest Defenders alleged that to achieve the aim of getting Emefiele arrested, the DSS has secretly instituted a court action against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Describing the alleged action of the DSS as a strange development in the history of the country, the group demanded immediate sack of director general of the DSS to prevent him from setting the country ablaze.

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Just In: Senate Confirms Onochie, okay Ondo nominee, Others For NDDC Board

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of the Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Lauretta Onochie, as Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Senate also okayed the nomination of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku for appointment as Managing Director of NDDC.

It is “for a term of two years to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.”

Also confirmed for appointment are General Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere (Rtd) as Executive Director of Finance and Mr Charles Ogunmola as Executive Director Projects (Southwest).

The Senate also confirmed Dimgba Eruba as member from Abia State as member representing Southeast), Dr Emem Wilcox Wills (Akwa Ibom, State Representative, Southsouth), Elder Dimaro Denyanbofa (Bayelsa State), Hon Orok Duke (Cross River) and Hon. Gbenga Odegba (Ondo, Southwest).

Others are Mr. Onyekachi Dimgba (Rivers, Southsouth), Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Abubakar (Zonal Representative, Nasarawa), Prof Tahir Mamma, SAN (Northeast Representative, Adamawa) and Alhaji Sule-Iko Sadeeq Sani Sani (Northwest, Zonal Representative).

The Senate however stepped down the nomination of Dr Pius Odudu (Edo, Southsouth), Anthony Okanne (Imo, South-East) for appointment as members of the board over their failure to appear before the screening panel.

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Airstrikes mistakenly Kill 11 Soldiers, 7 Villagers, Injure 70

Military airstrikes aimed at neutralizing bandits had mistakenly killed 11 soldiers and seven villagers with two soldiers and over 70 villagers sustaining various degrees of injuries in Malele and Mutungi communities of Zamfara State.

According to an eye witness, Nuhu Dansadau, the bandits had on Saturday invaded Malele community of Dansadau Emirate in Maru Local Government Area, with the youths in the village putting up resistance.

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Court Sends Peter Obi's DG, Okupe to Jail for N702m Scam

Doyin Okupe, former senior special assistant on public affairs to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and chieftain of the Labour party is to spend two years in prison following his conviction today, December 19, 2022 by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja.

In a well-considered judgment, the trial court held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, successfully established its case against Okupe, that evidence before it established that the defendant had in the discharge of his official duties, accepted cash payments that were above the statutory threshold, without recourse to a financial institution.

It was alleged that Okupe received funds from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, which he could not account for. He was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment on counts 34 to 59. The charges are centred on accusations of receiving various sums ranging from N10million in different occasions from 2012 to 2015 from ONSA when he was senior special assistant on public affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan. The court however gave the defendant an option of N500, 000 fine on each of the counts.

He was however discharged on counts one to 33 which bordered on money laundering and criminal breach of trust

He was mandated to pay the fine before 4.30 pm or be committed to prison.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC had arraigned Okupe alongside his two companies: Value Trust Investments and Abrahams Telecoms on a 59-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N702,000,000 (Seven Hundred and Two Million Naira only) .

One of the charges Okupe is facing is: “That you, Dr. Doyin Okupe, being the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan from July 2012 to May 2015, and being the managing director, chief executive officer, and a signatory to the bank account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd, on or about the 3rd October, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly took possession or control of the sum of N35 million, transferred to the account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria, purporting to be for special services when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity”.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges upon arraignment, setting the stage for his full trail. In the course of the trial, the EFCC called several witnesses and tendered documents which were admitted in evidence.

After the prosecution closed its case, Okupe refused to open his defence. Instead, he made a no case submission, that the prosecution had not satisfied the requirement of proving its case beyond reasonable doubt and failed to prove that he acquired the money illegally as charged. This was subsequently dismissed by the court, which ordered him to open his defence.

The convict called a number of witnesses in the course of his defence. One of the witnesses who testified as the fourth defence witness was Honourable Bamidele Salami, a member of the House of Representatives, who served as head of media in the office of the then senior special assistant on public affairs to President Jonathan. He had told the court on February 8, 2021 that “there were approximately 30 staff in different units of the office and the office was funded by the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd)”.

He disclosed that funding in the sum of N10 million Naira was provided on a monthly basis in cash to Doyin Okupe through an officer in ONSA.

Bamidele further revealed that N3million was paid for a programme, 'Insight' on NTA, to correct the negative perception of the former President.

He said it was untrue that the programme was aired “free of charge” as corporate social responsibility by the NTA.

However, the defence witness’ evidence on the sponsorship of Insight on NTA contradicted the testimony of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Osas Azonabor, an operative of the EFCC, who had told the court "that no receipt was issued for the payment to NTA. However a letter was written to NTA and investigations further revealed that the programme was aired free of charge as directed by the then Director General of NTA who said the programme was to be seen as the Corporate Social Responsibility of the NTA."

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Benzema announces retirement from international football

France football star and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, Karim Benzema, has announced his retirement from international football.

This comes barely 24 hours after France lost the 2022 FIFA World Cup final to Argentina on Sunday night at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar.

In a Twitter post on Monday afternoon Benzema wrote, “I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I’m proud of it! I have written my story and ours is ending.”

Benzema was sent home on the eve of the tournament after picking up an injury, but there was some speculation that he could return for the final against France after playing a friendly for Real Madrid.

However, he rejected the opportunity to go back to Qatar after reportedly falling out with manager Didier Deschamps, according to Daily Mail.

Deschamps had said he is planning to hold talks with the French Football Federation in the new year over his future at the team.

He has now led the France national team to two World Cup finals, winning one and losing one.

Benzema, on the other hand, won the 2022 Player of the Year Ballon d’Or award.

Benzema was the top scorer in Spain’s La Liga and the UEFA Champions League in the 2021/22 season, as Real Madrid won both competitions.

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Photos: Tinubu Addresses Workers In Abuja as Nigerian Labour Congress Leadership ‘Secretly’ Withdraws Support For Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, on Monday, says his government would be fair and just to the Nigerian workers if elected into power.

Tinubu disclosed this while addressing workers at the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja.

A top official of the NLC told SaharaReporters that Tinubu’s invitation was part of the plans to withdraw the earlier support given to Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“NLC appears to have broken ranks with Peter Obi of LP, and Tinubu was invited today to address workers at our headquarters,” the source said.

NLC had in June openly declared its support for Obi in the 2023 elections.

According to Ayuba Wabba, the workers union president, Obi is one among the finest Nigerians and the first presidential candidate of the LP to be recognised by the labour centre.

Wabba said the NLC was solidly behind the LP and would fully mobilise to ensure the victory of the party at the 2023 polls.

He said the workers’ unions had realised that strikes and protests alone could not change the narratives in Nigeria, especially as regards workers’ welfare.

Ayuba added that labour must venture fully into politics “and work hard to support candidates whose mantra will make life better for their members and Nigerians at large”.

Meanwhile, in September the African Action Congress (AAC) party had advised the NLC to withdraw their support for Obi.

The AAC had said, “It is more than clear to all now where Mr Peter Obi and the new Labour Party (LP) stands on the removal of fuel subsidies and the privatisation of the commanding heights of the economy.”

“Live on CNN on Saturday, Mr Peter Obi stated clearly that all subsidies should be removed and the private sector should start refining fuel.

“This is a contradiction to the NLC charter of demands and the congress position since the January uprising against fuel subsidy removal in the year 2012. NLC and TUC must note that millions of Nigerians rose up against the Jonathan regime over fuel subsidy removal, with the fear of the hike in petrol and cost of living.

“As of today, the subsidy removal protests have been justified. With the Buhari government’s off-and-on removal of subsidies as well as payment of fake subsidies, petrol price has risen ridiculously to N250 today.

“Gasoline is N800, while Kerosene and diesel sell for the same N800. Airlines are beginning to pack their loads as business is being stiffened as Aviation Fuel now cost about N1000 per litre.

“We call on President Ayuba Wabba and Festus Osifo to withdraw their support for Peter Obi as he has only hijacked the Labour Party from it’s moving towards pro-workerist ideas.

“We also call on the NEC of NLC and TUC to rise and take a clear stand against this usurper of the sweat and blood of our heroes and matyrs as the labour movement.

“How can Labour centres be supporting an enemy of workers who oversaw 13 months of Doctors Strike, 2 years of workers strike and refused to pay 11 months pensions as Anambra governor?

“The same Peter Obi has commercialized the Labour Party to the extent that no incorruptible comrade can contest in the party as tickets are sold off in tens and hundreds of millions.”

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Just In: Court convicts Okupe of breaching money laundering Act

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted former Senior Special Assistant on Media to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, of allegedly breaching the Money Laundering Act.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu presiding over the case on Monday found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act and accepting cash in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act without going through a financial institution.

Okupe is the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council of the Labour Party.

The Justice has stood down proceedings till 1:45pm

This is to allow Okupe to exercise his right under Section 310 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act to call witnesses to testify about his character.

Thereafter, the court will proceed to pronounce its sentence.

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Millions Vote For Elon Musk Stepping Down As Twitter Boss

Millions of Twitter users have voted for the owner of social media platform, Elon Musk, to step down as the Chief Executive Officer.

Musk had put up a poll on Monday, asking if he should step down and gave yes and no options.

He tweeted, “Should I step down as head of Twitter? I will abide by the results of this poll.”

The results are in. 57.5 per cent of the 17,502,391 votes recorded in the poll were yes, meaning he should step down.

Meanwhile, 42.5 per cent preferred that he stays at the helm of affairs at the company.

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Atiku’s Campaign Aircraft Catches Fire

The Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign narrowly escaped tragedy when one of the three aircraft with which it went to campaign in Anambra State caught fire shortly before take-off at the Anambra State International Airport.

Though the incident happened on Thursday December 15, 2022, it came to public knowledge only this morning.

It said the incident happened at the conclusion of the PDP presidential rally held at the Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra capital city.

According to the report: “At the conclusion of the campaign rally, the PDP presidential candidate and the dignitaries who had joined the campaign train trooped to the Anambra Airport where three private jets were parked awaiting the arrival of the PDP campaign train.

“Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his immediate family and close aides boarded one of the Jets and taxied out. It took off uneventfully. The second Jet also taxied and took off uneventfully.

“However, the third jet was not as successful.”

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CAN associates with Ondo lawmaker, honours him as chief grand patron and assures him of total support for second term

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has pledged their support for the second term bid of Hon. (Dr.) Timehin Adelegbe, the federal lawmaker of the National Assembly representing Owo/Ose Fed. Const., Abuja.

This was made known in Ifon, Ose local government headquarters at a programme to honour the lawmaker during the weekend as the Ifon Zone of CAN, conferred Adelegbe as the grand patron of the Christian body.

Speaking at the programme, the Zonal Chairman of CAN, Ven. Bunmi Aladegbami, JP, lauded the effort of the former commissioner. He added that the award of honour was necessary because of the laudable programmes and projects the lawmaker have embarked upon for the people.

The cleric noted that the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ifon Zone is associating with Hon. (Dr.) Timehin Adelegbe in prayers and support for his second term ambition.

"Going by the various projects and the good works our honourable have done for the people of Owo/Ose, they are quite impressive and beneficial for the development of our communities.

"This award of honour conferred on our honourable as the Chief Grand Patron of our association became necessary.

"We are associating with him now to say that we will support his second term ambition because he has really performed". The clergy noted.

Appreciating the honour bestowed on him, Hon. (Dr.) Adelegbe expressed delight in the Christian Association of Nigeria noting that its a testament to the fact that people are taking cognisance of the various projects he has embarked upon.

"I'm glad to recieve this award as the Grand Patron of this association. It appears to me that all the projects we have facilitated in the past three and some months projects are seen and noticed by our people.

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Show Your Family Members, Tell Us Your Real Name – Atiku Camp dares Tinubu

The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has described the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as a wicked man who is fleeing when no one is pursuing him.

The Atiku camp in a statement on Sunday alleged that Tinubu has too many skeletons in his cupboard to be allowed to become the next President of Nigeria.

It was further alleged that the many secrets are why Tinubu and his handlers have refused to participate in public debates so his secrets won’t be exposed.

According to the Special Assistant to Atiku Abubakar on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu who signed the statement, Asiwaju Tinubu was not recognized in 2007 by one of the known eldest members of the Tinubu extended family, Abdulrafiu Babatunde Tinubu who at that time was the head of the civil service of Lagos State.

“This perhaps explains why the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has refused to open himself up for scrutiny but continues to evade debates, non-partisan town hall meetings and live interviews.

“Tinubu’s entire life and persona is based on falsehood and thus he cannot address these questions hence his decision to continue to run all over the place. But these controversies did not begin today.

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Amotekun arrests 32 suspected criminals in Ondo

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun has arrested no fewer than 32 persons in connection with various criminal activities.

According to the corps, the suspected criminals were arrested in different locations across the 18 local government areas of the state and they allegedly involved in acts such as armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, fraud, and stealing, among others.

Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the command in Akure, the state capital, on Friday, the state Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said the suspects would be prosecuted after the completion of investigations.

Adeleye, mentioned that among the suspects were burglars who allegedly used chemical substances to make the victims sleep off by spraying them into their rooms before breaking in and disposing them of their valuables while some of the female victims are raped.

He said, “We have a group of burglars that specializes in drugging unsuspecting residents of various houses, so, they will sleep off, break the burglary, enter their houses, dispossess them of their valuables while some of them are raped. And because of the high dose of drugs they injected into their (victims) system, some of them don’t even wake up, so we’ve been able to break that syndicate.

“They don’t normally have direct access to the victims, what they do is to jump across their fences, and pump in with a syringe, these chemicals into their (victims) rooms, wait for about 30 to 40 minutes, every living thing inside the room sleeps off.”

On the recent kidnap and release of the monarch of Oso Ajowa Akoko, Oba Clement Jimoh, the Amotekun boss stated, “we tracked and we were able to have a very good idea of what was happening there but what is paramount to us is the life of the victim.

“No matter how beautiful an operation is, once the victim is killed, then, it is defeated, so, these are some of the constraints that are almost natural in the course of our job to slow down. We can assure you that some of those involved in the kidnap of the monarch will be apprehended,” he added.

He implored the people of the state to always give out information that could assist the command to arrest criminals in and around their environments.

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Credit: The Punch

LASU Emerges Best Varsity With Green Campus In West Africa

The Lagos State University has emerged the best university in Nigeria and in the West Africa sub-region in the 2022 UI Green Metrics Global ranking.

The UI GreenMetric World University Ranking is a ranking on green campus and environmental sustainability initiated by Universitas Indonesia in 2010.

The ranking rated 1050 universities from around the world on green climate metrics and rated LASU as number 799 globally and the 15th best overall in Africa behind 14 Universities from Egypt.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, expressed her excitement at the ranking, calling it a breakthrough in the attainment of her vision to make LASU the very best in West Africa.

This is the first time LASU has participated in the ranking.

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Nigeria should adopt Awolowo’s approach to end insecurity – Sheikh Gumi

A Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has opined that government must invest in education rather than executing what he called “white elephant projects” for it to address lingering insecurity in Nigeria.

The Islamic cleric also opined that insecurity in Nigeria is a “tricycle of poverty, ignorance and injustice”.

Sheikh Gumi explained that the government must have a rethink on the need to make resources available to those at the grassroots and invest in their education in order to arrest insecurity in the country.

According to the Islamic cleric, if citizens are not educated, insecurity would persist, believing that it is fuelled by ignorance and unemployment that are implications of lack of access to education.

He explained, “First, we need to understand that Almajarai is a cultural thing and until you change the mindset of the people, the fire brigade approach will not solve the problem.”

He further explained that Almajarai is an educational system that is outdated by modernity just like the use of donkeys and camels as means of transportation which have been overtaken by the modern transportation system.

Sheikh Gumi is of the opinion that if modern things are made available, people would leave the old ones, saying that there are still some villages where they still use donkeys and camels to move around.

He added that there are no good roads, let alone good cars in such places, believing that Almajarai is not just a school, but an educational system that is not well-financed.

The Islamic cleric explained that the country has to make education from primary to secondary and even tertiary a universal thing for the benefit of all in the country.

He suggested that Nigerian politicians should spend money on education rather than flyovers, stressing that insecurity is a tricycle of poverty, ignorance and injustice as selecting a few thousand out of millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria is just like a drop in the ocean of the problem Nigerians have.

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Mbappe, Messi others win awards after World Cup final

Following the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, the organizers have handed out awards to outstanding players.

Argentina midfielder, Enzo Fernandez, has been named Young Player of the Tournament.

His teammate Lionel Messi is the Player of the Tournament.

Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez takes home the Goalkeeper of the Tournament prize.

France forward, Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight goals for Les Bleus wins the Top Scorer of the Tournament.

Argentina won the trophy via a penalty shoot-out after the game ended 3-3 after 120 minutes.

FULL LIST:

Enzo Fernández (Young Player of the Tournament).

Emiliano Martínez (Goalkeeper of the Tournament).

Kylian Mbappe (Top scorer of the Tournament).

Lionel Messi (Player of the Tournament).

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NDLEA intercepts 1.7million opioid pills in noodles, seizes 5,460.34kgs of skunk in Lagos, Edo, Bauchi, Kaduna, Oyo, Delta raids

At least, One Million Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty (1,760,460) pills of Tramadol and other opioids have been intercepted hidden in indomie noodles packs and others at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos as well as in Gombe state.

While over 600,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg coming from Karachi, Pakistan in two separate shipments on Ethiopian Airlines flights were intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport on Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December; 5,960 pills of Rohypnol concealed in 60 packs of indomie noodles going to Johannesburg, South Africa were also seized at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Wednesday 14th December. A female freight agent, Olaleye Adeola has already been arrested in connection with the noodles consignment.

In a related development, a trader at Balogun market in Lagos Island, Akunne Chibuzor Tochukwu was on Tuesday 13th Dec arrested in collaboration with the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Lagos over his attempt to export a Tramadol consignment to Dubai, UAE. The consignment was seized at the Lagos airport by NDLEA operatives on 25th November while a market labourer, Oke Abosede Ronke whose services were requested to convey the drug for export had earlier been arrested.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Sunday 11th December intercepted a truck and a bus conveying 113 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,802.84 kilograms around the VGC estate area of Ajah while three suspects: Taofeek Yusuf; Ifeanyi Okorie and Israel Nwachukwu were arrested in connection with the seizures.

In Gombe state, a total of 1,154,500 pills of Tramadol, Rohypnol and Exol being transported from Onitsha, Anambra state to Gombe by a truck driver, Umar Hassan, 28, were seized on Thursday 15th Dec. at Bye pass area of Gombe by a team of NDLEA officers following credible intelligence.

Also acting on intelligence, operatives in Edo state on Friday 16th Dec intercepted a Honda Ridgeline pick-up vehicle with Reg No BWR 699 CV loaded with 29 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 319kgs. The driver of the vehicle, Alfred Vratombo, 32, was arrested with fake police uniforms, which he was using to deceive security men on the road.

Attempt by a drug dealer, Chucks Kalu, 29, to smuggle into Kano 26kgs of cannabis concealed inside packs of blenders was thwarted by operatives who intercepted the consignment along Abuja-Kaduna express road and later arrested him in a follow up operation in Kano, just as another suspect, Rabilu Sa'ad Abubakar,42, was also arrested in a follow up operation in Kano, following the seizure of his consignment 1,980 bottles of Cough syrup with codeine, concealed inside cartons, were seized along Abuja-Kaduna express road.

In Bauchi state, operatives on Saturday 17th Dec arrested Muhammed Ahmed, 40, with 288 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 244.5Kg in Darazo area of the state, while in Delta state, NDLEA officers stormed the home of a drug kingpin, Okrika Kingsley Ozioma, at Usiefurum town, Ughelli South LGA, where an underground drug bunk was uncovered in a three-bedroom bungalow building owned by the suspect who is now on the run. 17.6kgs of C/S were recovered from the bunk in addition to a 2003 Silver Golf car with registration number Lagos KJA 572 AZ used for the distribution of drugs within and outside Warri.

In Oyo state, a suspect, Yusuf Ayinde, 40, was arrested with 50.4kgs Cannabis in his residence at Idi-Ose via Amuloko, Ona-Ara LGA, on Saturday 17th Dec.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Gombe, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Oyo state commands for their commitment and vigilance leading to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) CON, OFR urged them and their compatriots across other formations to continue to surpass their past records of achievements.

Ondomind