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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Petrol queues, black marketers surface in Abuja, Niger

There are widespread petrol queues in Abuja and parts of Niger and Nasarawa states currently. Also, hundreds of black marketers who sell the commodity in jerrycans are currently in business in some of the affected locations. Many fillings stations were shut to motorists on Monday morning, while the few ones dispensing the commodity were flooded with motorists and other petrol seekers. The only retail outlet of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway that dispensed petrol on Monday morning was jam-packed with motorists. Some of the other filling stations on that road and in various locations in Abuja and neighbouring states were not selling petrol. Attendants in some of the outlets told our correspondent that the threat by Petrol Tanker Drivers to embark on strike triggered the scarcity in the affected areas. The PTD had to suspend its proposed strike on Monday after the intervention of the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari. The NNPC had tweeted on Monday that “following GMD #NNPC Mallam @MKKyari’s intervention in the National Association of Road Transport Owners/Petroleum Tanker Drivers impasse, PTD has just announced the suspension of its planned strike until closure of discussion between both parties. “Also, the GMD announced that there would be no increase in the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit in the month of May 2021.” The corporation’s boss had also stated that there was enough petrol and urged motorists to refrain from panic buying.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

ONDO: Tribunal Dismisses Jegede’s Petition Against Akeredolu

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last year’s governorship election in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, on Tuesday lost in his efforts to upturn the victory of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The petition filed by Jegede at the Election Petitions Tribunal was dismissed and described as flawed. Jegede, had in the petition, asked the tribunal to declare him winner of the election on grounds that voters were induced and the election characterised by violence. He also alleged that Governor Akeredolu and his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, were not properly nominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Jegede had listed about 400 witnesses to testify at the tribunal but he did not call any of them before he closed his case. In delivery judgment via Zoom, the tribunal headed by Justice Abubakar Umar held that Governor Akeredolu and his Deputy were duly nominated and sponsored by the APC in line with section 177 of the constitution and section 31 of the Electoral Act. Accessing the Zoom hearing was difficult as only 100 participants were allowed to gain access. Governor Akeredolu and chieftain of the Ondo APC listened to the judgment at his Alagbaka official residence while Jegede monitored the ruling from his Akure residence. Justice Umar ruled that Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa demonstrated without benefit of the doubt that they were duly sponsored by a political party. He said the evidence of submission of the names of Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa by Buni led Caretaker Committee at the instance of the party’s NEC was not disputed by the petitioners. Justice also held that Buni’s membership of the APC was not disputed by the petitioners. “I don’t see this as any victory: no victor, no vanquished, it is just for us as contestants. Just like a game: you win some, you lose some; you can’t win them all. We thank God today that we are victorious. “It was not just a victory, it was a double victory. We had people who went to court, about seven political parties against us at the Federal High Court, the case too was dismissed.”

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

EFCC: Uzodimma, Okorocha loyalists fight

There has been a verbal war between the loyalists to Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma and former governor Rochas Okorocha, over the arrest of Okorocha by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to answer questions on alleged financial fraud by Okorocha. Vanguard yesterday in Owerri, monitored the war of words by the loyalists of Uzodimma and Okorocha, where they made reactions and counter-reactions on the arrest of Okorocha by EFCC. The battle which started last week has continued, between the governor Uzodimma’s Senior Special Adviser, SSA, on print media, Modestus Nwamkpa and Okorocha’s Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo. Their disagreement centred on the reasons behind the release of Okorocha, after spending two nights in the EFFC detention house. In his opinion, Nwamkpa of the Uzodimma’s administration claimed that “The former Governor of Imo state Sen Rochas Okorocha this evening around 5 pm was allowed to go home from the EFCC cell where he spent 48 honour plus after his arrest on Tuesday. Consequently, his followers and supporters have gone berserk and have been jubilating over this. “Well, It is normal and nobody should blame them. Although, they should have been sober and remorseful for obvious reasons. They made it look as though the former Governor was a superman. No, it is not true and that is why I felt like letting them know the true position of things as regards his release based on my findings. “However, many of them do not know why the ex-Governor was released this evening. Again, some of them are not even aware of the conditions attached to the release. “In the first place, EFCC is not a permanent abode for anybody. So there is no big deal that one was arrested and later got released. EFCC arrest is just like a normal police arrest. Once police arrests you, they will take your statement, investigates you and thereafter charge you to a court or get you released on bail. That is just that “Now, in the case of Okorocha, immediately he was arrested, he cried out to some of his friends across the country for assistance. They came and pleaded to the anti-graft agency for leniency for him on the grounds of ill health. “The said the ex-Governor is on drugs. Again, the anti-graft Agency reasoned that since the Judiciary staff Union of Nigeria ( JUSUN) workers are on strike over their demand for autonomy for the Judiciary and since nobody knows when it will last, it will finitely hinder the arraignment of the ex-Governor and ultimately prolong his stay at EFCC custody. The Agency felt that it may infringe on his fundamental human right since there is a stipulated time that EFCC can constitutionally keep a suspect in their custody. So based on these, he was released on self-recognition pending when JUSUN calls off their strike and Court resumes. By that time, his arraignment can then take place. So in effect, his release today was circumstantial. “The ex-Governor on his own made a promise to comport himself honourable pending when his prosecution begins. He made pleading and gave assurances not to misbehave within the time being. So, I felt like informing you about this. They extracted that commitment from him before a serving Governor from the South-South, a Northern Emir and a former Senator from the North who stood in as sureties.” In his response, the Okorocha’s Special Adviser on media, Onwuemeodo, said: “About 45 minutes after the officers of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), had allowed Senator Rochas Okorocha to go home, after spending 48 hours with them, the governor of Imo State, Chief Hope Uzodinma, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Print Media (Local), Hon. Modestus Nwankpa issued a Press Release giving reasons, why, the Commission allowed Okorocha to go. “The Press Release, to most people, was shocking and questionable because EFCC has a spokesman and could not have authorized governor Uzodinma to give reasons, why it allowed one of its guests, in the person of Okorocha, to go home, after he had spent 48 hours in their office. “On our part, we had delayed this reaction to seeing if there would be any denial or disclaimer from the Imo governor, since amateur or overzealous or grossly inexperienced media aides could on their own, go haywire, without the knowledge of their Principal. And having waited for 96 hours without any denial or disclaimer, we decided to react, to the best of our ability. “With all that governor Uzodinma said, he, on his own, assumed the position of the spokesman of the EFCC or the media aide of the Chairman of EFCC. The reason is that we know full well that, the EFCC, as a very responsible organization or institution, would not have authorized or given Governor Uzodinma the leave, to tell the public why it allowed Okorocha to go after 48 hours. The Imo governor was on his own. “He only, with the Press Release, strengthened his pursuit of Okorocha for no just reason. He had thrown a lavish party at the Government House on the day Okorocha went to the EFCC office on the invitation. At the party, he told his appointees that Okorocha won’t come out soon. But EFCC having a sound image to protect was not expected to succumb to the whims and caprices of people like Governor Uzodinma. It acted as a responsible institution by allowing Okorocha to go.”

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Woman Identified As Gospel Preacher Stabs 14-Year-Old Boy To Death In Bayelsa

A middle-aged woman, said to be mentally deranged has stabbed to death a 14-year-old boy in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital. The victim, identified as Joseph Thomas, was stabbed along Genesis street, off Okaka road of the city at about 7.30am on Tuesday morning. The incident threw the neighbours into shock which later degenerated into mob action against the suspected woman and nearly beat her to death. It was gathered that the quick arrival of the Patrol team of the Bayelsa State Police Command rescued the woman from the angry mob who wanted to retaliate the boy’s death. Some residents of the community told Daily Trust that the accused woman is believed to be deranged and had attempted to stab another boy few meters away from where she killed the 14-year boy. Daily Trust leant that the woman had stabbed another boy in the arm along mountain of fire road, Okaka before proceeding to kill her victim. One of the residents of the Genesis streets identified as Panebi said the woman, who is an indigene of Enugu State, is known to preach the gospel of Christ in the early hours of the morning along the Okaka road. He said: “But on this particular day, she was usually carrying a Bible and started displaying strange behaviors by displaying a dagger. She always chased everyone that come across her. Until she gets to the victim’s house and broke down the door. “She dragged the boy to the middle of the road and stabbed him three times. Angry youths on the street started retaliating by attacking her with stones and planks until she fell down. And police came to her rescue and took her away.” The grandmother of the deceased, Madam Modlyn, who narrated the incident said her grandson was in the house when he was accosted and allegedly killed him. She said: “I went to buy something. I was at the place when someone told me that a mad woman is looking for me and wanted to kill me. “I wondered why a mad woman would be looking for me. I ran into my neighbor’s house to seek refuge and avoid the woman. While at the neighbor’s house, I heard noise from neighbours that she had stabbed my grandson to death.” Also speaking, a neighbour to the deceased who preferred anonymity said she was preparing her children for school when the incident occurred.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Mele Kyari: No increase in price of petrol until talks with stakeholders concluded

Mele Kyari, general managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), says the market price of premium motor spirit (PMS), better known as petrol, will not increase in May due to ongoing talks between stakeholders. In March, Kyari said the NNPC can no longer bear the burden of underpriced sales of petrol, adding that the market price need to be implemented. A day after making the remark, the corporation said it will maintain the current ex-depot price of petrol, until the end of negotiations with organised labour. On Monday, the NNPC announced that the price of petrol will not increase in May. Speaking with reporters after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday, Kyari said the federal government is discussing with relevant stakeholders in determining the price of petrol. He said the NNPC made its recent pronouncement on petrol price after realising that ongoing talks cannot be concluded in May. “Subsidy is a policy matter, I am sure you’re aware of this. There are engagements going on within government to get the best framework for having a fully deregulated PMS market,” he said. “As this is going on, we are engaging all parties and all stakeholders as government and to make sure that at the end of the day, there’s an exit that is beneficial to the ordinary man. “That is why we know we will not be able to complete that in the month of May and therefore we declared that there will be no increase in fuel price. I have no update in hand now, this is beyond me, but we are engaging to make sure that we have the right timeline.” Kyari said queues observed in petrol stations across the country are caused by industrial action initiated by tanker drivers against their employers. He said the NNPC has intervened in the dispute, adding that supply operation has commenced. “These queues will go away. It’s because there was an industrial action by petroleum tanker drivers against their employers, the National Association of Road Transport Owners around their compensation package and those issues were not resolved up till yesterday, until we intervene to ensure that there’s an amicable settlement between the parties so that they will have peace and then normal loading operations will commence from the depots,” he added. “As I speak to you at this moment, loading has commenced in all depots in the country, dispatches of trucks are ongoing in all the depots in the country and they have called off the strike for a period of one week to enable us intervene and find a solution. So there’s really nothing fundamental that is happening now.”

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

How male help masterminded death of 58-year-old lady in Calabar

The Cross River State Command on Tuesday paraded the killers of a 58-year-old woman who was allegedly murdered by four suspects with the assistance of her house help Vanguard gathered that the tragic incident happened in State Housing Estate, Calabar while household items including a 2016 Sentra Nissan carted away. Findings also showed that before she was killed, Mrs Doris Inyang was raped by the teenage gang who murdered her in cold blood at her residence. Briefing Journalists on Tuesday at the Police Command Headquarters, Diamond Hill, Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande said that the Command was not unmindful of the recent security upsurge nationwide with pockets of criminalities in the state. CP Akande called for total commitment and partnership from all stakeholders, general public for an outright boost of the internal security architecture to curb these criminalities at all cost. The Police Boss disclosed that within the period under review 30 suspects were arrested for sundry crime including Murder, armed robbery, child trafficking, cultism, drug peddling ( Cocaine) amongst others. He further revealed that three cars were recovered including one black Prado Jeep, One white Mercedes Benz 350 and a Nissan Sentra, 2016 recovered from the killers of Mrs Doris. Speaking with the suspected killers of Mrs Doris, Godwin Nyenime,18 and Eteng Omini 19 denied killing their victim adding that they only came for her car without any knowledge of her death. Omini said: ” I was not involved in her killing I was promised,500,000 by her househelp, Udobong who is my friend. “He told me to come and drive the lady’s car and he will pay me 500k, I was not involved in the rape and her death, if I knew someone was killed in the deal, I wouldn’t have been involved at all. I totally regret my involvement in the deal. ” I never knew he was an armed robbery because he is someone that we used to play ball together in the street around Bogobiri, and Nelson Mandela Street. I regret my actions because I have a mother and a younger one,” he said.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Nine Inmates Who Fled Nigeria Arrested In Ghana

Ghanaian Police have arrested nine Nigerian fugitive inmates who illegally entered Ghana on Sunday. The inmates were arrested weeks after the jailbreak at the Owerri Custodial Centre in Imo State. More than 1,800 prisoners were set free after gunmen overran the facility in Owerri on April 5. According to Ada Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent, Francis Somian, the inmates were arrested following a tip-off. Officials said the suspects believed to be fugitive jailbreakers from Nigeria entered the country via ferry. They reportedly crossed River Volta into Ada Foah where they intended to continue their journey to Accra, capital of Ghana, via commercial bus. The suspects have been identified as Emmanuel Obinnah Chiedozie – 27, Steve Eyenuku – 33, Enebeli Lucky – 29, Yommi Usmah – 29, Keli Ekureni -33, Freedom Yusuf – 25, Obi Onuora – 38, Patrick Chanar – 47, and Bless Eyenuku -25. At the time of arrest, the suspects were found with Ghanaian and Nigerian currencies, personal belongings, passports, and ID. The authorities of the Nigeria Correctional Services had unveiled the identities of some of the inmates who fled. The Federal Government had promised to pardon those who returned voluntarily.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Senate To Probe Assault Scandal Involving CCT Chairman

The Senate is set to probe an alleged assault on a security guard by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar. During plenary on Tuesday, the upper chamber directed its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to investigate the matter. The Senate is giving this directive after a Federal Lawmaker from Plateau state, Senator Istifanus Gyang submitted a petition to the Upper Chamber on behalf of the victim, Clement Sargwak. Sargwak had alleged that he was assaulted by the CCT Chairman and a policeman attached to him in March at the popular Banex plaza Abuja where he works as a security guard. He said the CCT boss assaulted him while undergoing his lawful activities after he informed him that his car was wrongly parked. The victim, therefore, asked the Senate to ensure justice is done on his case. The committee on ethics is to investigate and report back in four weeks.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

You’re undermining our security’ — FG tackles UK on plan to grant IPOB members asylum

The federal government says the plan of the UK to grant asylum to “persecuted” members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) undermines Nigeria’s security. TheCable had published an exclusive report that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) had released new guidelines on how to treat asylum applications by members of Biafran secessionist groups. In the guidelines, asylum is to be granted to “persecuted” members of the proscribed IPOB and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). Commenting on the development at a forum organised by NAN on Tuesday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, said the decision amounts to sabotaging the fight against terrorism. Advertisement Mohammed said the decision is unacceptable and disrespectful to Nigeria. “Let me say straightaway that this issue is within the purview of the honourable minister of foreign affairs and I am sure he will handle it appropriately,” he said. “But as the spokesman for the federal government of Nigeria, I will say that if indeed the report that the UK will grant asylum to supposedly persecuted IPOB and MASSOB members is true, then something is wrong somewhere. “Against the background of the fact that IPOB is not only proscribed but also designated as a terrorist organisation here in Nigeria, the UK’s decision is disrespectful of Nigeria as a nation. “The decision amounts to sabotaging the fight against terrorism and generally undermining Nigeria’s security. “It is not only unconscionable, it is inexplicable. “For the UK to choose this time to give succour to IPOB beggars belief and calls to question the UK’s real intention. “If we could go down the memory lane, what the UK has done is like Nigeria offering asylum to members of the IRA before the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement.” The minister said IPOB has been alleged to be behind the recent attacks in the south-east — “in spite of its denials”.

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Post Date : April 20, 2021

Son of killed Chad president to take over as military head

A four-star general who is a son of Chad’s slain president Idriss Deby Itno will replace him at the head of a military council, the army announced Tuesday. “A military council has been set up headed by his son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno,” the army’s spokesman, General Azem Bermandoa Agouna, said on state radio, shortly after the announcement that the newly re-elected president had died of wounds while fighting rebels in the north of Chad. Chad’s newly re-elected President Idriss Deby Itno, in power for three decades, died Tuesday aged 68 of injuries while fighting rebels in the north of the Sahel country, the army said Tuesday. The army had on Monday announced that fighting left some 300 rebels of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad dead, while FACT claimed in a statement that Deby had been wounded – a report that official sources could not confirm. Deby “has just breathed his last defending the sovereign nation on the battlefield” over the weekend, army spokesman General Azem Bermandoa Agouna said in a statement read out on state television. The career military man who seized power in the former French colony on the back of a 1990 coup had been declared re-elected late Monday with nearly 80 percent of the vote late Monday. Ministers and high-ranking military brass had said Monday that Deby was in the region on Saturday and Sunday after rebels launched an offensive from rear bases in Libya on the day of the election, April 11. The result was never in serious doubt, with a divided opposition, boycott calls, and a campaign in which demonstrations were banned or dispersed. AFP

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