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Post Date : February 5, 2021

BREAKING: Kano Secures Court Order To Shut Abduljabbar’s Mosque

Kano State Government has secured a court order for the closure of Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasir Kabara’s mosque and to stop him from further preaching. The order obtained from Mohammed Jibrin, chief magistrate Grade 1 court 12 at Gidan Murtala came after an oral application of Wada A. Wada from the office Of the state commissioner of justice. The court ordered that the mosque and Islamic centre at the Filin Mushe of Sheikh Abduljabar should, with immediate effect, be closed pending the outcome of an investigation being conducted by the police and other security agencies in the state. Also, Abduljabar is to, with immediate effect, stop all preaching activities and unguarded utterances calculated to cause a breach of the public peace as well as all media organisation to stop broadcasting his preaching and unguarded utterances pending the outcome of the investigation. The authorities and all security agencies were directed to ensure this order is strictly complied and should take drastic and appropriate measures against anybody who indulges in preaching and utterances that are calculated to cause a breach of peace in the state.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

WTO: Biden asked to endorse Okonjo-Iweala as Korean candidate withdraws

South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung – hee withdrew her bid to lead the World Trade Organisation, leaving former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo -Iweala as the only remaining candidate for the job, Bloomberg reports Friday. Yoo was said made the decision after discussions with the United States and other major nations, and took various issues into account “ comprehensively” including the need to revitalize the multilateral organization , according to a statement from Korea’ s trade ministry on Friday. The withdrawal comes after dozens of former US government officials urged President Joe Biden to endorse Okonjo -Iweala after the Trump administration blocked her selection . The opposition halted the selection process because WTO decisions are made on the basis of a consensus of its members . Recall earlier that the 66- year -old former minister said she remained positive of becoming the first African and first female director- general in the 25-year history of the WTO despite ‘ hiccups ’ . Okonjo -Iweala serves on Twitter ’ s board of directors, as chair of the GAVI vaccine alliance as well as a special envoy for the World Health Organisation’ s COVID – 19 fight.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Court dismisses suit seeking EFCC’s probe of ex-Gov Yari for N900bn fraud

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed a suit seeking an order compelling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, for alleged misappropriation of N900 billion for lacking in merit. Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development (PAPS) had, in an exparte application, through its Chairman, Dr Sani Shinkafi, had prayed the court to order the EFCC to act on the 15 petitions and commence an urgent investigation of the former governor. Justice Abang, who dismissed the exparte application for lacking in merit, also held that the application was filed out of time. Justice Abang said, in line with Order 34 Rule 4 of the Federal High Court Rules, applications such as the one by the applicant should be done within three months of receiving the reports and documents on which the plaintiff based his case. The Judge maintained that in line with the rules, the court lacks jurisdiction to extend the time for hearing such a matter as it is statute-barred.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Stop Attacking Herdsmen Now – Northern Governors

The Northern Governors Forum (NEF) has called for the stoppage of attacks on innocent Fulani herders in South-East, South-West and South-South states. The governors said innocent herders should not be vilified while those found wanting should be handed over to the law enforcement agencies. But governors in the South West, while responding to the call, said there was the need for authorities in Northern Nigeria to call “killer herdsmen” to order. Daily Trust reports there is tension occasioned by the blame game between herders and residents in many states in the South with attendant deaths and destructions. While people in the South accused herders of atrocities, some Fulani leaders living in the region said not all of them are criminals. Herders’ settlements have been torched in Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Edo States, and there is heightened tension in Abia, a development that prompted some prominent personalities and groups to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast. An elder statesman, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, had three days ago called on the president to wade into the matter to avert reprisal against people of Southern extraction living in the North. It was about the same time when the Northern Elders Forum, through its spokesman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made a similar call. On Wednesday, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was wrong for one part of the country to lord it over another. The Chairman of the Northern Governor Forum and governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, frowned at recent events in the South, saying they were against the peace move by the Nigerian Governors Forum ((NGF). He recalled in a statement on Thursday the intervention of the NGF led by its Chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi, who met with stakeholders in Akure, Ondo State to calm the tension and forge an amicable resolution of the issues was commendable. “While such intervention was celebrated as a success to be sustained through further engagement between herdsmen and representatives of affected communities, emerging reports of attacks on herders and the gradual introduction of ethnic sentiments in the conflict is disturbing and should immediately be nipped in the bud before it gets out of hand. “The Northern Governors Forum concedes to the rights of Nigerians to reside wherever they so desire without any molestation or discrimination. “The criminal elements should not be used to tar any particular ethnic group for any crime as that will portend danger to peaceful coexistence and national unity. “Rather, such criminal elements should be exposed, isolated and made to face the law of the land without prejudice to their ethnic backgrounds as the motives or criminal actions cannot be said to be the position of their ethnic group. “In the face of the recent worrisome developments, therefore, the Northern Governors Forum calls for calm and cautions Nigerians particularly those in the affected areas who might have been aggrieved or targeted to exercise restraint,” the statement said. Lalong said the country was already going through a lot, and that escalating tensions would aggravate the situation to levels that could threaten national security. Lalong called on leaders across political, ethnic, religious and community lines to avoid utterances and actions that would further fan the embers of distrust, hate, violence and retaliation which can easily escalate the situation and cause chaos. He equally called on government officials, traditional rulers and opinion moulders to also “rise and speak with one voice by not only condemning crime no matter who is involved but also sending the right signals to those who want to take the laws into their hands and trample on the Nigerian Constitution by attempting to deny others the rights to live and pursue their legitimate business in whatever place they choose to reside. “Security agencies must also be firm and rise to the occasion by protecting all law-abiding citizens against the threat to their lives and properties irrespective of their ethnic or other affiliations. “They should also send a clear and unambiguous message to those threatening the peace that they will act decisively to stop them from plunging the nation to anarchy. “The Northern Governors Forum further assures Nigerians of all ethnic, religious and political persuasions of their constitutional rights to pursue their legitimate businesses wherever they choose within the region and appeal to the people to resist any attempt to lure them into any activity that can threaten the peace and tranquillity of the region and the nation at large,” the statement added.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

BREAKING: Oyetola fires council chairmen, others

Osun State Governor , Mr Adegboyega Oyetola , has directed all council chairmen and other political office holders at Local Government Councils in the state to vacate offices . He made this known in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government , Prince Wole Oyebamiji , titled ‘ Important public notice ’ on Friday. According to the governor , the affected political office holders were asked to leave because their tenure had expired. The notice read , “ The Executive Governor of the State of Osun, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola has directed all political office holders at the Local Government Councils to vacate their respective offices and hand over the Administration of their concerned Councils to the most Senior Local Government Personnel. “ This is in pursuant to the expiration of the tenure of all political Office holders in all the Local Government , Area Development Councils and Administrative offices in Osun on Friday, 5th February , 2021 “ Governor Oyetola appreciates their individual contributions to the development of the state and wishes them well in their future engagements. ” Details later …

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

2023: Why we want to expand access to polling units —INEC

Ahead the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed its intention to expand access to polling units across the country. A source at the commission on Thursday, disclosed to Nigerian Tribune that the commission would commence its sensitisation of critical stakeholders on its reason to expand access to polling units, beginning with an interactive session with chairmen of registered political parties today. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee had in a statement on Tuesday hinted to Nigerians the commission’s plan to address issues of inadequate polling units and the challenge it posed to election management in the country before the next general elections. Nigerian Tribune source also disclosed that the existing number of polling units which stands at 119,973 fell short of the growing number of voting population, as a result of growth in settlements and residential areas, the existing polling units are now distant from prospective and eligible voters. He maintained that the existing polling units created in 1996 were no longer adequate for the voting population and ultimately, constitutes a challenge to electoral process and democracy. He said, “The current configuration of 119,973 polling units was established 25 years ago, precisely in 1996 by the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON). “It has been used for 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 general elections and when the polling units configuration was established, it was projected to serve about 50 million registered voters. “However, the number of registration voters from the 1999 general elections has significantly increased, necessitating the need for increasing polling units. “This lack of correlation between the number of registered voters and the number of polling units since 1999 has resulted in the congestion of polling units on election day as well as lack of polling units in many developing suburban and newly established settlements.” The INEC source further revealed that the commission was determined to put on hold its scheduled continuous voter’s registration and engage critical stakeholders to buy into its proposed expansion of polling units. While he noted that its engagement with stakeholders in the country could take two months, he listed stakeholders INEC intends to engage namely, socio-cultural organisations like Afenifere, Ohanaeze Nd’igbo, the civil society organisations, the National Assembly, labour unions, among others.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Suspected IPOB members set ablaze Police Division, 4 patrol vehicles in Ebonyi

Members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday (Thursday) attacked Onicha Divisional Headquarters in Isu, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. In a statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, the hoodlums burnt the left wing of the division, including four patrol vehicles. According to the Statement: “Today being 4/02/2021 at about 0325hrs hoodlums suspected to be members of the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) attacked Onicha Divisional Headquarters, Isu in Onicha L.G.A of Ebonyi State, set ablaze the left wing of the Division and four (4) patrol vehicles. “This followed threats by the Proscribed Group who are alleging that the Police were protecting the Fulani Herdsmen who they accused of being responsible for the killing of one of their members Nwite Njoku ‘m’. One Policeman sustained machete cuts injuries during the attack and he is responding to treatment in the hospital. “Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State, CP Aliyu Garba took on the spot assessment tour of the Area and met with the stakeholders in the Community to seek ways with the community in carrying out the investigation on the matter. “The CP while assuring the general public, particularly the residents of the State of his continued commitment to the protection of lives and properties, urges all to remain law abiding as normalcy has totally return to the Area.” Ends

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Al-Qaeda’s leader in Yemen under arrest —UN report

The leader of Al – Qaeda ’ s Yemeni affiliate has been under arrest for several months , according to a United Nations report released on Thursday, in what will be seen as a huge breakthrough in the fight against the global jihadist threat . The document said Khalid Batarfi, the leader of Al -Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP) for just under a year , was arrested and his deputy , Saad Atef al- Awlaqi , died during an “ operation in Ghayda City , Al -Mahrah Governorate, in October . ” The report — filed to the Security Council from a UN monitoring team specializing in extremist groups — is the first official confirmation of Batarfi’ s arrest following unverified reports . The wide- ranging UN assessment, summarizing global potential jihadist threats , did not disclose the militant’ s whereabouts or reveal any further details of the October operation . But the SITE Intelligence Group , which monitors the online activity of jihadist organisations, noted “ unconfirmed reports” in October that Batarfi had been arrested by Yemeni security forces and then handed to Saudi Arabia. AQAP revealed it had appointed Batarfi , believed to be in his early 40s , as its leader in February 2020 following the death of his predecessor Qassim al -Rimi in a US air strike in Yemen. Batarfi, who was designated a global terrorist by the US State Department in 2018, has appeared in numerous AQAP videos over recent years , according to SITE, and appeared to have been Rimi’ s deputy and group spokesman . Washington considers AQAP to be the worldwide jihadist network’ s most dangerous branch, and has waged a long -running drone war against the leaders of the group . AQAP claimed responsibility for the 2019 mass shooting at a US naval base in Florida , in which a Saudi air force officer killed three American sailors . It also said it was behind the 2009 ‘ pants bomb ’ plot , in which an explosive device failed to detonate on a Northwest Airlines flight as it approached the US city of Detroit on Christmas Day . where a Nigerian man trained in Yemen tried to detonate an explosive device on a plane as it approached the US city of Detroit . The Sunni extremist group thrived in the chaos of years of civil war between Yemen ’ s Saudi-backed government and Shiite Huthi rebels . Rimi had himself succeeded Nasir al – Wuhayshi, who was killed in a US drone strike in Yemen in June 2015. – ‘ Dissentions and desertions ’ – AQAP has carried out operations against both the Huthis and government forces as well as sporadic attacks abroad , including on the offices of the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo in 2015. But analysts say its abilities on the ground have dwindled , although it still inspires attacks carried out by “ lone wolf” jihadists or former operatives. Yemen has been wracked by conflict since 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened after the Iran -backed Huthis seized control of the capital Sanaa. The conflict has since killed tens of thousands of people , relief agencies say , with 80 percent of the population surviving on aid in what the UN calls the world ’ s worst humanitarian crisis . President Joe Biden earlier Thursday ended US backing for the war in his first major speech on foreign affairs since entering the White House last month. He said the United States would end all support including connected arms sales for Riyadh and vowed support for UN efforts to reach a ceasefire and revive peace talks between the government and Huthi rebels . AQAP, which has not acknowledged Batarfi ’ s arrest, extols the virtues of “ martyrdom ” and the rare capture of one of its senior operatives alive will be seen as an embarrassing setback . “ In addition to leadership losses , AQAP is suffering an erosion of its ranks caused by dissentions and desertions , led primarily by one of Batarfi ’ s ex -lieutenants , Abu Omar al-Nahdi, ” the UN report states . The document covers numerous potential security threats around the world and , in one passage , says that no UN member state has been able to confirm reports of the death from natural causes of al Qaeda ’ s leader Ayman al -Zawahiri in October . It also warns that “ a rash of pre – planned ( jihadist ) attacks may occur” around the world once restrictions put in place to stem the coronavirus pandemic are lifted . AFP

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Anambra: Gunman kills husband, wife, daughter in Seven-Day Adventist Church

MEMBERS of the Seven-Day Adventist Church in Azia, Anambra State, could not have expected the tragedy that took place in the church on Wednesday, February 3. Unknown gunman invaded the church while the mid-week service was going on and murdered husband, wife and daughter from one family in cold blood while the fourth person, sustained serious injury. The affected persons are Kenneth Emekwasianya, 70, Grace Emekwasianya, 56, his wife, Chioma Emekwasianya, their daughter, 36, and Emeka Ntukokwu, 42, a secondary school teacher. Kenneth was a businessman based in Azia, Grace, a headmistress at Ubom Community Primary School, Azia, while Chioma was a post graduate student at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State. Realnews gathered that a masked gunman came with a motorcycle, popularly called Okada, to the church, walked inside and rained bullets on the affected persons after collecting the keys of Mercedes C Class car from Kenneth. A source told Realnews that even though the gunman came alone, his cohorts were apparently waiting nearby and they sped off with Kenneth’s car. However, the car, which developed gear problem, was abandoned in Okija, a neighbouring town to Azia. Realnews learnt that vigilante men in Azia spotted the abandoned car and alerted the police. It was gathered that the perpetrators of the heinous act left a note stating that Kenneth was killed because he collected the money the Niger Delta Power Holding Company paid to the community as compensation for destruction of economic tree and other structures while the company implemented the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, in Azia. Part of the note read: “Keep on running but you cannot hide all the time. You took our money.” But Realnews gathered that the police think that the note was just a diversionary tactic on the part of the assailants. The Area Command of the Nigerian Police Force in Ihiala, Anambra State, swung into action immediately the incident was reported on Wednesday to fish out the culprits. Also, on Thursday morning, John Abang, the outgoing commissioner of police, in Awka, sent reinforcement from the Anambra Police Command to Ihiala to investigate the incident.

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Post Date : February 5, 2021

Tension In Kano As Ganduje Bars Sheikh Abduljabbar From Preaching

Thursday’s decision by the Kano State government to ban controversial cleric, Sheikh Abduljabbar Sheikh Nasir Kabara, has generated apprehension in the state. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Malam Mohammed Garba said the ban was because the state executive council found the cleric’s preaching incendiary. However, the cleric told Daily Trust that the ban was politically motivated. Beyond banning the cleric, the state government had also ordered that all seminaries run by the cleric be shut down pending investigations by security agencies. It also directed all broadcast stations and social media platforms to abstain from airing inflammatory preaching, sermons, propagation and any other religious discussions in the interest of peace. The cleric has been known for controversial messages and reported attacks on the companions of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. But he insisted he was banned because he worked against Gov Abdullahi Ganduje’s 2019 reelection. The keenly contested elections ended with a runoff which Ganduje’s All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Abba Kabir Yusuf. “The reasons are very obvious. “The person who took the decision [Ganduje] has said it times without number that he never forgives. “I fought him during the last elections and he promised to retaliate. “Only that he is taking the wrong decision at the wrong time. So this ban is purely political, it has nothing to do with religion or incitement. “I have told my followers to prepare their votes ahead of the next election and do the needful. “Alhamdulillah for everything, I am fighting scholars, not government, but at the end, government took over on their behalf. “They should at least check the books I made references to but without doing so, they have been unfair to me. “This decision is sheer injustice. And, whosoever wants to understand the situation should look for what the Kano State Commissioner for Education said last night [Wednesday] wherein he explained that the government has deliberately succumbed to the pressure of these scholars who used their political ideologies to alter religious issues to their taste,” he said. On whether he will abide by the government’s order on the ban, the Islamic cleric said he has always been law-abiding. He also called on his followers to accept the decision calmly as injustice will not hold for long. However, the Commissioner for Information, Malam Mohammed Garba said this “is an issue that purely has to do with security; that has to do with peaceful coexistence amongst our people in Kano state. I think he just wants to get sympathy from the opposition, which I think is impossible. “We are not even aware he was against us, which means whether he supported us or worked against us it did not make any impact in this decision. “Secondly, this is not a political issue and we don’t want to politicise it. “Even if he said he worked with the opposition, the action taken by the state government is supported by the well-meaning people of Kano who believe and want to live in peace,” he added. Clerics from other sects have protested against the acts and messages of Abduljabbar in their Friday sermons, which according to them, look like Shiite practices, urging the state government to take actions against him. Among those who have publicly spoken against Abduljabbar is his brother and leader of the Qadariyya movement, Sheikh (Dr) Qaribullahi Nasiru Kabara. Efforts to get the position of the Council of Ulamas proved abortive as its Chairman, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil declined to comment, saying he would wait until scholars who challenged the banned cleric to speak on the matter. He then directed our reporter to Sheikh Abdulwahab Abdallah, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, and Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan for their comments. However, efforts to hear from any of them were unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report. DSS, others besiege cleric’s residence At the Sheikh’s residence in Gwale of Gwale Local Government, Daily Trust observed a heavy security presence. Five vehicles of heavily armed security operatives from the police, the Department of State Security (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others were stationed outside the house. They, however, did not stop followers and sympathisers from entering the house. Followers milled around the house and mosque premises of the cleric, expressing their sympathies. “They are not even supposed to bring these security agents. They know I don’t flout government order,” the cleric told Daily Trust. (Daily Trust)

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