Crime Facts

Buhari’s wedding: FFK defends ‘friend, brother’ comment after labelling Pantami ‘sociopathic Jihadist’

Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode on Saturday defended his fond appellation of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, after labelling the Islamic scholar a ‘sociopathic Jihadist’ some three months ago. According to the ex-minister, politics is not war but about ‘bridge-building’. In a post on Twitter, the controversial member of the Peoples Democratic Party said the fact that members of the opposition party attended the wedding of Yusuf, the son of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), showed that “you can be friends with your political adversary and still disagree.” “Buba Galadima with Ahmad Lawan, GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) with PMB, GEJ with VP (Yemi Osinbajo) & Atiku (Abubakar) with PMB. Politics is about bridge-building regardless of your differences. It is not war. You can be friends with your political adversary & still disagree. It’s called politics without bitterness & being civilised,” FFK captioned photos showing himself with Pantami, and other top members of PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress. The PUNCH had earlier reported that no fewer than 20 private jets conveying prominent personalities landed at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for the wedding of the President’s son with the daughter of the Emir of Bichi, Zahra Bayero in Kano on Friday. Among the dignitaries that attended the event were former President Goodluck Jonathan, a former President of Niger Republic, Muhammdu Isoufu; governors, government officials and federal lawmakers. Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation from November 2006 to May 2007, was also at the event. In a social media post on Thursday after his arrival in Kano, he described Pantami as a “friend and brother” months after he had lampooned the minister for his extremist Salafist views and sympathy for the Taliban, currently on the rampage in faraway Asia, precisely in Afghanistan. “Simply put, Pantami is a homicidal, sociopathic and psychotic individual…Who is a hater of Christians and non-Muslims. He is a religious bigot, an ethnic supremacist, an unrepentant jihadist, a lover of bloodshed, carnage and terror and a psychopathic and clearly insane individual who may well have been responsible for the slaughter of many innocent Christians over the years as a consequence of his inflammatory rhetoric and reckless actions,” Fani-Kayode had stated in a piece he authored in April when Pantami came under fire over his past controversial comments supporting Sunni Islamic terrorist group known as the Taliban. In one of his sermons in the 2000s, Pantami had reportedly prayed, saying, “This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria… Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda.” The minister later recanted in April, saying he now knows better. Many Nigerians called for Pantami’s sacking or resignation but the Buhari regime exonerated the minister, saying that he should be forgiven because he made the statements at a much younger age. Credit: Punch

Police in Imo kill alleged armed robbery gang leader

The Police command in Imo said it has shot dead alleged ‘notorious kingpin of an armed robbery gang’ during a gun duel in Nsu forest, Ehime-Mbano council area of the state. The allegedly notorious robbery kingpin was popularly known as Bugatti. This was disclosed on Saturday in a statement by the spokesman for the command, CSP Mike Abattam. He said that the kingpin had been on the wanted list of the Police after allegedly leading a series of deadly armed robbery attacks in the state. The CP further disclosed that two of the robbery gang members escaped with bullet wounds, while a revolver pistol was recovered from the deceased. “Following information received by the vigilante group of Nsu community on Aug. 20, 2021 at about 1420 hours, one of the notorious leaders of an armed robbery gang who is on the wanted list of the community was sighted in the community. “The community’s vigilante group that has been working in synergy with the police immediately alerted the police patrol team in the area and the team moved to where the suspect and his gang members were hiding in the bush,” the statement said. It added: “On sighting the security men, they opened fire and during the gun duel, the leader of the group, `Bugatti’, was neutralised and his gun recovered and taken to the station, while the other two suspects escaped with bullet wounds. “When the revolver was checked, it was discovered that it was one of the police revolvers that were carted away during the #ENDSARS saga, when the Police Area Command Headquarters at Ehime Mbano was attacked by hoodlums. “Meanwhile, efforts are on to arrest the two suspects who escaped with bullet wounds and other members of the gang presently in hiding. “The CP, while commending the good people of Imo for their undaunting support to the command, urged all the communities in the state to form vigilante groups in their areas to work in synergy with the police.” (NAN)

APC Spends N2.5bn On Secretariat Building

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has spent N2.5 billion for the purchase of the party’s national secretariat building, also known as ‘Buhari House’ in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja. Addressing newsmen yesterday at the party’s secretariat, a former member of the House of Representatives and deputy chairman of the APC National Campaign Council in the Edo State 2020 governorship election, Patrick Obahiagbon, said the building now belonged to the party. “I am also aware of and will wish to inform you all that when the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) came on board, the building currently housing the party’s national secretariat was on a lease. “The previous National Executive Council (NEC) of the party had approved the purchase of the property at the cost of N2.5bn, out of which initial payment of N115million was made. “I am glad to proudly inform you that the CECPC has concluded payment of the outstanding balance and has taken over the ownership of the building and has approved the naming of the secretariat ‘Buhari House’ in honour of the meritorious service of Mr President to both the party and the country,” he said. Obahiagbon also said the party would sanction the 100 members who instigated suit against the party and any other member who files any suit against it. The 100 aggrieved members of the party had on Thursday asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dissolve the 13-man CECPC led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State. Obahiagbon said, “Disciplinary actions will have to start from the ward of such members and go to the local government and states before coming to the national secretariat. “All I can tell you is that when all such activities are passed through the democratic rigours and get to the national secretariat, this CECPC under the leadership of Governor Buni will not shirk in its responsibility. His constitutional onus probandi will dispense justice to all manners of men without fear or favour and in a very transparent modus.” Obahiagbon, who was chief of staff to Adams Oshiomhole as the Edo State governor, also dispelled claims that the Buni-led committee would remain in office till June 2022.

Scores abducted’ in fresh attack on Zamfara community

Scores of residents in Zamfara have been reportedly kidnapped, following an attack on Rimi village in Bakura LGA, on Friday. Ibrahim Dosara, Zamfara commissioner for information, confirmed the attack on Friday. According to him, about 60 residents were said to have been kidnapped, but security agencies are yet to confirm the figure. “This morning, we woke up to hear that bandits invaded Rimi village in Bakura LGA, abducting about 60 people, though it is not really confirmed,” he told TVC in an interview. “Security agencies and government officials are working hard to ascertain the real number and other casualties involved. “Bakura LGA, as a whole, is a kind of route for the bandits, leading to Dansadau, Birnin Gwari and other areas of Niger state.” When contacted on the incident on Friday evening, Mohammed Shehu, Zamfara police spokesperson, did not respond to calls or text messages The development comes hours after gunmen abducted some students and teachers from the College of Agriculture and Animal Health in Bakura, Zamfara. According to Dosara, the state is hopeful that the persons abducted from the college will be released within the next 48 hours. “In all honesty and sincerity, government of Zamfara state, in conjunction with the security agencies are making all efforts to ensure that the abducted students and their staff are released. We are hoping that between now and two days to come, the students will be released by the bandits,” the commissioner said. “I’ll like people to realise that over some months, there has been mass reduction in the activities of the bandits in Zamfara state in particular, and in some parts of the north. But of recent, these activities of the bandits have resurged, just because of the intense operations of the military who promised to take the fight to the enclaves of the bandits. “If you recall, last week, four of the bandits’ leaders were killed in the forest near Maradun LGA, and another set of bandits’ leaders were killed three days ago, near a forest in Dansadau. “That is to show you how the military is now seriously fighting the bandits, and that is why they are in a kind of rampage to destabilise the peace and security of our communities.

Troops Arrest Suspected Boko Haram Urea Fertilizer Supplier In Yobe

Nigerian Army troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai have arrested one Yusuf Saleh, a suspected Boko Haram Urea Fertilizer supplier. The suspect was nabbed by the troops on Friday at Bayamari village in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State following a tip-off. According to a statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, 38 50kg bags of Urea were recovered from him. Urea fertilizer was banned by Government because of its usage in the manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) by terrorists. Nwachukwu said the suspect is now helping investigators with useful information. Meanwhile, the troops have been commended for their vigilance and swift response in arresting the suspect. According to the statement, they have also been encouraged not to allow any form of distraction from the marauding terrorists. People in the region have also been asked to continue to avail the troops with actionable information that will enhance the execution of the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the region.

INEC: Why PDP was excluded from list of Anambra guber candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was excluded from the revised list of candidates for the Anambra governorship election. On Thursday, INEC released a revised list of candidates for the Anambra governorship poll, scheduled to hold on November 6, and there is currently no candidate for the PDP. The commission had also excluded the PDP from the first list released on July 16. Explaining the reason for the decision, Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner, in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, said the name of the governorship candidate uploaded to the commission’s portal is different from the name affirmed by the court. Okoye further explained that an appeal court has ruled that the commission should not publish the name of any PDP candidate until the determination of the suit. On July 19, an Anambra high court ordered INEC to recognise Ugochukwu Uba as the party’s candidate, against Valentine Ozigbo, the preferred candidate of the party’s national working committee. Speaking further, the INEC commissioner said the PDP would be added to the candidates’ list after the determination of the suit at the court of appeal. “In relation to the PDP, what happened was that the PDP as a political party uploaded the name and personal particulars of a particular candidate to our nomination portal, and that was the candidate whose name the commission published,” he said. “Thereafter, there was also another court judgement ordering and directing the PDP as a political party to submit the name of a different candidate as the candidate of the party. “The PDP didn’t submit the name of that particular individual, and we can’t publish the name, unless the PDP submits the name of that individual. “Thereafter, the matter went to the court of appeal and the court of appeal granted accelerated hearing in relation to the matter involving the PDP and its candidate, and then also ask the INEC not to publish the name of any of the candidates pending the final determination of the matter before the court of appeal.” ‘POLITICIANS SHOPPING FOR FAVOURABLE COURT ORDERS’ Speaking on the multiple court judgements received by the commission on the Anambra election, Okoye said politicians are shopping for favourable court judgements. “What is going on is what in legal parlance, we call ‘forum shopping’ — people who are looking for a place where they can get a favourable decision,” he said. “For a party primary that took place in Anambra, for instance, some people will go to Bauchi state, some people will go to Jigawa state, some people will go to Imo state and to other places to go and look for a place where they can get a favourable decision. “It is important for the judiciary to intervene in what is going on. If this spate of multiple and conflicting court orders is carried forward to the 2023 general election, it is going to have far-reaching consequences on our electoral process.”

BBNaija S6: Queen confronts Boma over Executive lounge visit with Angel

Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Queen, confronted Boma over his Executive lounge visit with Angel. She confronted him after the Tecno task on Friday night, telling him that she suspects something fishy happened between Boma and Angel as they were alone in the room. Angel and Boma were the lucky ones to enjoy the Executive lounge on Thursday, being the first ones to see it open. Though the Executive lounge permits up to three people, only Boma and Angel spent time there, gisting and drinking. However, it was when they were done that the housemates then saw that the both of them were even in the Executive lounge in the first place. This made the housemates suspect that the duo engaged in intimate activities while they were alone in the room. Queen was upset about the rumours and confronted Boma, her love interest, about it. Boma, however, assured her that nothing happened between him and Angel when they were alone in the room. “How am I supposed to know that when everybody was saying that it will be exposed during the reunion?” Queen asked. He still insisted that nothing happened and Queen asked him, “Then why didn’t you go with a third party?” He claimed that he asked a third party but the person declined. Queen said she had hoped to visit the Executive lounge with Boma and Whitemoney because she heard that there are no cameras there. Boma, however, told her that cameras are everywhere and still reassured her that nothing happened between him and Angel.

Fani-Kayode under fire for calling Pantami ‘friend’ after ‘jihadist’ comment

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, has come under heavy criticism on social media, after he shared photos he took with Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy. Fani-Kayode attended the wedding of Yusuf, son of President Muhammadu Buhari, which held on Friday. The former minister, who is know for his fierce criticism of Buhari, announced via his Facebook page that he arrived in Kano on Thursday to attend the ceremony. Fani-Kayode said he flew into Kano in the company of Pantami; Bello Matawalle and Babagana Zulum, governors of Zamfara and Borno; Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other dignitaries — a number of which the former minister has publicly attacked. Fani-Kayode had, in April, described Pantami as a “jihadist”, following the former’s pro-Al-Qaeda views. The pictures have since elicited intense criticism on Twitter, a microblogging platform, with one of the comments describing him as a man “lacking honour”. Below are some of the reactions. Discredited Ex-Minister, Fani-Kayode Under Fire For Praising, Posing For Photos With Terror-linked Pantami A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has come under heavy public criticism for posing with … Dove Blog … pic.twitter.com/QKH6Kp3KeJ — OWOPETU ABIOLA #Oworock (@Oworock) August 20, 2021 Femi Fani-kayode otherwise known as FFK by many, is that nose that doesn’t perceive it’s smell. — Ehi’ Ugbodaga (Ph.D) (@EhiUgbodaga) August 20, 2021 Let me just block that Femi Fani Kayode (FFK) unscrupulous idiot. Don’t want to see his disgusting tweets. — Chuky Unadulterated (@ChukyUnfazed) August 20, 2021 Anyone could decide to “appoint” Femi Fani-Kayode, based on political patronage or something. But one thing we should never allow is; let him get close to any elective office. “Femi Fani Kayode is my boy. Provide him food, he will eat and then sing for you” – Ex Pres Obasanjo pic.twitter.com/ZkRSRyfSNo — Mazi @FestusGreen 🇳🇬 (@FestusGreen) August 20, 2021 THIS IS FEMI FANI KAYODE WITH THE SAME PANTAMI AFTER JUST 4 MONTHS. HYPOCRITE HAS NO SHAME 💔 pic.twitter.com/COE5Q62hP7 — Secure Nigeria❤️ (@AbdullahiJalin1) August 20, 2021 Femi Fani Kayode is the most shameless man on the surface of the earth. Man eats his vomits on per-second billing. pic.twitter.com/BlUCOvMqSL — Apro🙀 🇳🇬 (@apro_dawildcat) August 20, 2021 Femi Fani Kayode is not a man of any form of integrity, he is seen to have on numerous occasions posed for photographs with people he has publicly condemned especially Gov. Yahaya Bello & Min. Isa Pantami — Stephen Enunwah (@senunwah) August 20, 2021 Dear Femi Fani Kayode, @realFFK have you no honor? pic.twitter.com/8B385X7FZ5 — Thomas NOT Sankara (@Isidore0001) August 20, 2021 Is my there any politician as shameless as Femi Fani Kayode?. pic.twitter.com/bVjhMH3b8a — Raymond (@IamTheIroko) August 20, 2021 “This Jihad is an obligation for every single believer…oh God, give victory to the Taliban and al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida). -Isa Pantami Femi Fani Kayode has gone begging for more food from Pantami a Taliban representative in Buhari’s government pic.twitter.com/MLPBM6p0Nl — odinakabiafra (@odinakabiafra2) August 20, 2021 Femi Fani Kayode can sell his shadow for a pinch of salt. He is ridiculously cheap. Even Omojuwa isn’t this cheap. Ezigbote onye ọsọ ahịa. Just nwa jai ego and watch him become your otimkpu. Kai. — Afamefuna Ezenwankwọ (@AfamDeluxo) August 19, 2021

BBNaija S6: Team Giveaways wins N500,000 each in Abeg task

The Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemates participated in a challenge organised by the headline sponsor of the show, Abeg, and Team Giveaways emerged victorious in the task. Members of Team Giveaways include Angel, Cross, JMK, Jaypaul, and Tega and they all get N500,000 each as winners. The task which took place on Friday, day 27 of the show, involved two tasks and the housemates were divided into four teams: Team Giveaways, Team Smiles, Team Send Money, and Team Badges. The first part of the task involved all the housemates as they worked to present a campaign about mental health. The campaign included songs, personal stories, poetry and other artistic presentations, which left some of the housemates in tears after the performance. For the second task, each team was to come up with a music video for the Abeg jingle. “The music video should ideally include drama and choreography that depicts the lyrics of the jingle,” according to the brief. Each team rehearsed and delivered their best during the presentations. As Biggy earlier promised, every housemates had something to win when the results were announced. Team Badges, which includes Pere, Boma, Queen, Nini, and Emmanuel, emerged fourth position with a sum of N100,000 each as their prize. Whitemoney, Liquorose, Maria, Jackie B, and Saga made up Team Send Money who emerged as third position with a prize of N200,000 each. The sum of N300,000 each was awarded to Team Smiles members: Peace, Saskay, Sammie, Yousef, and Michael, for coming out second position. The champions of the game was Team Giveaways who won N500,000 each.

Insecurity: UniJos Suspends Academic Activities, Closes Hostels

The University of Jos on Friday suspended academic activities and closed its hostels. The suspension order was due to the intensified killing of students around the university area shortly after the relaxation of a 24-hour curfew in Jos. According to a press statement signed by the University Registrar, Monday Danjem, all students are to return home or safer locations until normalcy is restored. The University management also approved the suspension of examinations for the second semester 2019/2020 academic session. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of management and committee of deans, directors and provost of the university. Last Saturday, travellers along Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government had been attacked, heightening tensions in the state. At least 25 persons were confirmed killed and 14 injured in the attack. To curb further attacks, Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, had imposed a curfew on Jos North, Bassa and Jos South Local Government Areas.