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Post Date : February 16, 2022

APC Convention: We’ll Shift February 26 Date If Necessary – Uzodinma

  Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the February 26 date for the National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is not sacrosanct. The governor said this Tuesday while responding to questions from State House reporters after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He, however, said that there was no information that currently suggested that the proposed date would be changed or had been changed. Uzodinma, who said he was at the Villa to consult Buhari over a couple of issues affecting his state, including security and governance, said the ruling party was not under any pressure because of what other parties might have done in preparation for the upcoming general elections. The governor, while reacting to questions on the apprehension over the preparation for the coming convention, said “Of course, that is the decision of the party and there is nothing wrong even if it doesn’t hold, what is important is that we must have our convention. We have said it’s 26th, if anything, for any reason tomorrow, it’s not doable in the opinion of the party, we will move. But that does not mean that there is any intention to move. “We shouldn’t worry about little issues. I think our focus and attention should be towards having a workable democracy in Nigeria, like we have shown, supporting government policies and programmes and then being patriotic. Our democracy will do better if supported with the right attitude. You may not like my face, but the federal government is federal government, state government is state government. “We should be able to exhibit sense of nationalism and patriotism. We should be able to support government that is in power. Today, the President, even though produced by APC, is President of all the political parties in Nigeria and the government of all the political parties in Nigeria. This mentality of war, war, war, politics and democracy is not about war, it’s about ideology and the ability to sell your policy and the people will buy into it. “So, I’m confident that our party, contrary to the expectations in some quarters, will be stronger and stronger as we make progress and of course, in the nearest future, I’m very confident that APC will still be in power because the programmes are the party, the manifesto of the party, the individuals in the party, majority of the political class in Nigeria understands that APC is the party to beat and that is why they are joining day by day. “Don’t forget that the APC is not a mushroom party, APC is a giant, it’s the largest party today in Africa and that is the party that other small parties should copy. Because small parties come to do zoning and all that does not mean their internal mechanism must not be the same with that of APC. “APC is already the party on ground that owns the federal government of Nigeria and up to 21 state governments. So, the discretion on how and when to do their convention should be an internal party affair and APC is the one wearing the shoe, with a credible leadership, they know when to move and when not to move. “So, I think we should just watch because under the constitution of APC, buying form is one thing. We have three modes that we can adopt to elect our officers; either by direct primaries, by indirect primaries or by consensus. What of if APC has adopted consensus and is not yet to the public knowledge? We don’t need again to begin to sell forms and do that zoning or not zoning. “We are democratic enough to know when to shoot and when not to shoot. I think you should just bring your people who have not joined APC to join the party,” he said.

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Post Date : February 16, 2022

Drug business: Abba Kyari undergoes marathon grilling, to face criminal charges

  The suspended Commander of the Police Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, and other suspects are undergoing marathon grilling over alleged drug trafficking, The PUNCH has learnt. Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency told our correspondent on Tuesday that “progress is being made” on the interrogation of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and other suspects. The PUNCH had reported that moments after Kyari was declared wanted by NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, through the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, announced Kyari’s arrest. The police subsequently handed Kyari over to NDLEA on Monday. An official of NDLEA, who prefers anonymity “because an investigation is ongoing”, told our correspondent that Kyari would be arraigned soon. According to the legal officer, the facts obtained so far are enough to arraign Kyari. “He will be arraigned for criminal charges in accordance with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act,” the official added. When contacted, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, also said Kyari would be prosecuted. “The ultimate goal of any criminal investigation is prosecution,” Babafemi said without giving details. On Monday, NDLEA declared Kyari wanted for complicity in a 25-kilogramme cocaine deal. The NDLEA also accused Kyari of being “a member of a drug cartel that operates the Brazil-Ethiopia-Nigeria illicit drug pipeline”. The agency said Kyari tried to compromise an NDLEA officer in January by asking him to conceal part of the cocaine haul that was seized from some suspects. It also said the senior cop was caught on camera handing over $61,400 in cash to compromise its operative. The suspended cop was invited for questioning on February 10 but did not show up or respond, according to the NDLEA. NDLEA later confirmed Kyari and four others were handed over to the agency over their involvement in a 25 kilograms Cocaine deal. The agency said the police handed over Kyari to NDLEA at the Force Intelligence Bureau of the Nigerian Police Force, to the anti-narcotic agency. The senior police officer was earlier suspended after he was implicated by Nigerian influencer Ramon Abbas, known as Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to money laundering and other crimes in the United States. Kyari, who became famous for exposing a string of high-profile crimes in Nigeria, denied the allegations against him.

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Post Date : February 16, 2022

Reps ask army chief, IGP to probe ‘invasion of Imo communities by security operatives’

’ The house of representatives has asked Faruk Yahaya, chief of army staff (COAS), and Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), to investigate the invasion of five communities in Imo by gunmen alleged to be security operatives. The resolution was passed during plenary session on Tuesday following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance. The motion was sponsored by Emeka Chinedu, a legislator representing Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte federal constituency of Imo state. TheCable had reported how houses in the community were said to have been set ablaze by armed persons on Saturday. The armed men were said to have arrived at the communities in seven cars to search for one Uche Madu, who is alleged to be a member of the Eastern Security Network, a unit of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). But after a fruitless search, the armed men reportedly set fire to several houses. Speaking on the floor of the house on Tuesday, Chinedu said the communities — Ihitteafoukwu, Umu Okirika, Oparanadim, Mpam, and Ogbor Umeze — had been “peaceful and quiet” before the invasion. He said Nigerians are “increasingly losing hope and confidence” in the nation’s law enforcement operatives “due to high-handedness, unethical conduct and total disregard for rule of law and engagement”. According to the legislator, the timely intervention of community leaders, who persuaded residents from defending their properties, “averted bloodshed” in the area. “Such gestapo invasion, siege and wanton destruction of lives and properties after sporadic shootings are expanding in scope and frequency in the country especially in Imo state, south-east of Nigeria,” he said. “The danger inherent in the one-sided narrative as often packaged by law enforcement agents in such circumstances without thorough investigation is not only unhealthy for democracy, but also an intolerable affront to fundamental human rights, especially where law enforcement agents can recklessly invade, attack, destroy and maim before coming up with some frame-up to rationalise extra-judicial activities. “Further delay in investigating matters of this nature may not only send complicating signals but also be counterproductive in the long run, especially as law enforcement agents, just like their counterparts around the world, do not have the inalienable right to act lawlessly, waste lives or plunder properties of the people they are paid to protect.” The motion was adopted after Idris Wase, the deputy speaker, put it to a voice vote. The lawmakers subsequently asked the chief of army staff and IGP to investigate the incident and “identify the perpetrators, the reason for the invasion, number of lives and properties destroyed”. They also demanded a probe into “why communities that are not at war must be razed without recourse to the excruciating effect of rendering the innocent homeless as well as depriving the living their breadwinners”. Following that, the lawmakers mandated the house committees on police affairs and the army to ensure compliance.

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Post Date : February 16, 2022

IGP Orders Closure Of All Intelligence Response Teams, Special Tactical Squad Satellite Units

  The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the closure of all satellite units of the Intelligence Response Team and Special Tactical Squad across the country. This comes a day after the arrest of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head, Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari and others by authorities of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over alleged drug dealings. All serving officers in the satellite units have been asked to report to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing. Read Also: Police Arrest Abba Kyari, Four Other Officers A police source confirmed to Channels Television that authorities have directed that serving officers and men in the unit will be demobilised and posted to commands across the country. Meanwhile, the Force management also directed that the IRT/STS Headquarters in Abuja should be fortified and organised for enhanced operational performance to combat emerging trends. In July 2020, the then-Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu had directed the disbandment of the satellite offices and bases of the IRT and STS, leaving the headquarters of the units under the State Investigation Bureau as a response to the public outcry on human right infringement by some officers of these units. While the civil society organisations commended then disbandment stressing that most of the alleged atrocities that have dented the image of the Police were carried out at the Satellite bases, where the operatives acted with impunity. According to them, the IG’S decision was to ensure that IRT Officers operates in the various State Commands under the strict supervision and control of the State Commissioners. The Commissioners of Police would be held responsible for any excesses and failure of the Operatives or failure to hold them accountable for a breach of due process. The formations of the two units of the police followed moves by the Force Headquarters to reposition the police and ensure accountability and due process.

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Post Date : February 16, 2022

Buhari appoints Mohammed Bello-Koko as substantive NPA MD

  President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mohammed Bello-Koko as the substantive managing director for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The federal ministry of transportation disclosed this on Tuesday in a circular signed by Eric Ojiekwe, director, press and public relations. “Prior to this appointment, Bello-Koko was the executive director, finance & administration of NPA,” the statement reads. His appointment is coming despite reports that he owns properties in the United Kingdom which he acquired by secretly running offshore businesses in the British Virgin Islands. This was revealed in the Pandora Papers project led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). Bello-Koko will replace Hadiza Bala Usman — suspended in May 2021 over the allegation of missing N165 billion. Usman’s suspension followed a recommendation by Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, to set up an administrative panel of inquiry to investigate the management of the NPA. After the suspension, Buhari appointed Bello-Koko to take over as acting head, pending the outcome of the investigation. Last year, TheCable had reported how the minister later dropped his claim that the agency under Usman failed to remit an operating surplus of N165 billion to focus on “insubordination”. Usman denied all allegations and challenged anyone with evidence that she failed to remit funds to present it to the public. The committee did not find any evidence in its account reconciliation.

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Post Date : February 15, 2022

ASUU: Strike can end in one week if demands are met

  The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says its industrial action can end in one week if the federal government meets its demands. ASUU had declared a nationwide strike on Monday following a two-day deliberation of the union’s national executive council (NEC). Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Christopher Piwuna, ASUU’s vice-president, said the strike can be called off as soon as government does what it is “supposed to do”. “We hope that the one-month warning strike will allow the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to prove themselves and the chief of staff will speak to these individuals to say that the needful should be done,” the ASUU VP said on Tuesday. “If they do what they are supposed to do, then we don’t have to go on strike for one month, it can end in a week. Commenting on some of the union’s grievances, Piwuna said: “We were told to bring a schedule by the federal government on how to pay the N170 billion revitalisation fund and to make it spread for one and half years but not a dime has been given to the universities since last year. “We suggested to the government in March 2021 to bring N42.5 billion every quarter to help them pay up gradually and this is one of the reasons for the strike because nothing has been paid since then. The issue of U-tax is another that has been a huge challenge to public universities. “We asked the government to mainstream the earned allowances which is also a reason for the strike, to pay the allowances with our salaries. The money has been owed since last year but they did not, so we are going to have a backlog for 2021 and 2022 because the budget has been passed. “We know that times are hard and N1.3 trillion can not be coughed out easily, so we said the N170 billion which is the second batch will also be too heavy for the government to give such an amount so we came up with a plan that let the N170 billion be broken down.” Piwuna said while he agrees that lecturers “need to consider the good of the educational system,” he believes there is also a need to “cut out the excesses of the government which can be used to solve certain problems”.

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Post Date : February 15, 2022

Osun 2022: No Second Term For Oyetola, Aregbesola Insists

  The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has insisted that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola would not be allowed to be reelected on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC). He urged members of APC in the state to vote for his candidate, the former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, during the primary election of the party on Saturday. Aregbesola said he had stomached betrayal, hypocrisy and backstabbing from the people he was serving wholeheartedly, a comment some believe refers to the APC leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. Aregbesola said he decided to take a new path when he realised that the person he was loyal to was out to destroy him and everything he stands for. He urged members of the party to vote for Adeoti in the coming Saturday primary election of the party. Leaders of the APC present at the event included the former speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam and Chairman of the party in the state, Hon. Rasak Salinsile. They also urged members of the party to ensure that Adeoti emerge victorious in the primary. While speaking, Adeoti noted that Aregbesola resuscitated the progressive politics in Osun after the People Democratic Party had taken over the state in 2004. Adeoti further said that Aregbesola does not deserve the humiliation and betrayal being experienced by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his followers. He said, “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola resuscitated progressive politics in Osun. Anybody who was around in the state between 2004 and 2010 will know that Aregbesola was the harbinger of hope, confidence and power for the progressive party in the state. “Everybody will agree that if not for Aregbesola’s doggedness, modern politics and collective efforts, the PDP would have remained in power till date.” Speaking on the 2018 governorship primary of the party, Adeoti said Aregbesola was blindfolded by his loyalty to his boss to accept, promote and assiduously work for a wrong and unpopular candidate. He said: “Aregbesola was committed and loyal to his master in Lagos. That was why he supported an unpopular candidate in 2018. We all knew then that Oyetola was a bad product but Aregbesola did not have a choice. He obeyed his master. “Unfortunately, those people (Oyetola and his followers) have bit the finger that fed them. Aregbesola does not deserve being humiliated by anybody,” Adeoti said.

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Post Date : February 15, 2022

Fuel Scarcity: NNPC Orders Depots, Retail Outlets To Begin 24-Hour Operations

  The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has directed all its depots and outlets to begin 24 hours operations to address the fuel scarcity across the country. NNPC Group Executive Director (Downstream), Mr Adetunji Adeyemi, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja amid the growing concerns over the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol. “In order to accelerate PMS distribution across the country, NNPC limited has commenced 24 hours operations at its depots and retail outlets nationwide,” he said at a news conference in the nation’s capital. Adeyemi revealed that the company has several million litres of petrol in stock, adding that they were expecting about 2.3 billion litres of petrol in the country by the end of the month. He stated that the retail outlets of major oil marketers have also commenced 24 hours service to ensure that more motorists were attended to daily. “To address the (fuel scarcity) situation, over 2.3 billion litres will arrive the country between now and end of February 2022,” the NNPC group executive director said. “This will restore sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days. “As of today, NNPC has over one billion litres of petrol in stock and the petrol being dispensed at the various filling stations in the country is safe. “Furthermore, NNPC has constituted a monitoring team with the support of the authority and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of petrol nationwide.” Adeyemi made the announcement as a precautionary measure as the situation worsens in Abuja, Lagos, and some parts of the country where hundreds of motorists are left stranded on long fuel queues at the few filling stations dispensing petrol.   Read the statement from the NNPC below: NNPC Ltd wishes to reassure Nigerians that it has put adequate measures in place to accelerate the nationwide distribution of PMS earlier disrupted by the quarantine of methanol-blended petrol. The quarantine was a necessary step to safeguard our customers from the potential impact of this PMS grade on vehicles and machinery. As of today, NNPC has over One (1) billion Litres of certified PMS stock that is safe for use in vehicles and machinery. In order to accelerate distribution across the country, we have commenced 24-hour operations at our Depots and Retail outlets. As part of NNPC’s strategic restocking, over 2.3 billion litres of PMS is scheduled for delivery between now and the end of February 2022, which will restore the sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days. The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot Owners & Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have also commenced 24-hour loading and dispensing activities in some of their designated outlets. Furthermore, NNPC’s monitoring team is collaborating with the Authority (NMDPRA) and other Security Agencies to ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide. NNPC implores Nigerians to avoid panic buying as there is a sufficient volume of PMS in-country and effort is being made to accelerate distribution to all filling stations.

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Post Date : February 15, 2022

Sylvester: Oromon’s alleges cover-up by govt, police

  Mr Sylvester Oromoni Snr., father of the late Dowen College student, has made allegations of a cover-up between Nigeria Police Force and Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) over the circumstances surrounding his son’s death. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oromoni Snr. made the allegations on Tuesday at an Ikeja Coroner’s Court, while being cross-examined by Mr Akin George, Counsel to Lagos State Government. Oromomi Snr. raised questions about why the five senior students of Dowen College, who allegedly bullied his son, were exonerated and released by the DPP’s advice 14 days into the 21-day remand order given by a Yaba Magistrates’ Court. He noted that the Magistrate Court had given the 21-day remand order to give the police time to carry out investigations into the matter. The witness, who was very emotional and often breaking down in tears during his testimony, questioned the timing of the release of the five students by the DPP. Oromomi Snr. said: “There is a massive cover-up and it is clearly here (in the police report). ”A Magistrates’ Court in Yaba requested 21days and after the 14 day, the boys were granted bail when the police were not done with their investigations. “When I saw the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (Hakeem Odumosu) and told him about it, he told me that, that was not true that they were not done with their investigations. “He even said that on the day it was said that they had released those boys, the courts were not sitting. ”I then called the Deputy Commissioner of Police, he told me the same thing and told me to give him sometime. “After about two to four minutes, he called me back and he confirmed it, that they were given 21days for their investigations and the boys had just spent 14 days in detention. “They (police) said they were going to write a protest letter. They were already interrogating two of the students and revelations were coming out so they were taken by surprise. “The same Commissioner of Police, after some days now publicly declared that at the instance of Mr Governor, the Attorney-General and the DPP, said there was nothing wrong with the boys, therefore, they’ve released them.” Oromoni Snr said that Odumosu had addressed the public during the 2021 Christmas public holidays and that there were only three working days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) that week. “At what point did they complete their investigation, give all the case files to the DPP to go through and the DPP to come up with their report? “This is why I am saying there is a very massive conspiracy going on,” he said. Earlier during proceedings, George said that, according to the Police reports, the eyewitnesses at the school denied that Oromoni Jnr was beaten in his room. Reading an excerpt of the report, he said: “Furthermore, the allegation of putting off the light, bullying and beating him could not be proven as eyewitnesses denied that such incident ever happened.” The five students of Dowen College were remanded in a juvenile home after they were charged with conspiracy and homicide over the death of their 12-year-old schoolmate by Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Adeola, on Dec. 9, 2021. On Dec. 21, 2021, Adeola granted the Dowen College students bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum. The Lagos State DPP advice released on Jan. 4, disputed the allegations that Oromoni’s death was caused by injuries resulting from bullying. The DPP advice noted that an autopsy revealed Oromoni’s cause of death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis. (NAN)

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Post Date : February 15, 2022

EFCC releases updated list of landed properties seized from an undisclosed ‘top military officer’

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released an updated list of landed properties seized from an undisclosed ‘top military officer’. According to the EFCC, the new list contains 24 landed assets, estimated at over N10.9 billion, a sharp contrast from the N3 billion given as the value of the properties in the commission’s earlier statement on Monday. According to an earlier statement, issued by the Spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, the Judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Nkeoya Maha, issued an order of final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government on Monday, But in another statement, issued late on Tuesday, Uwujaren listed 24 sets of assets, valued at N10.9 billion, seized from the military officer in Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River states, respectively. The Commission listed the assets to include about nine filling stations, with a total of 300 pumps spread across Kano State. Others include an LPG plant with 30 shops, an event centre, a three-storey plaza with 28 shops and a block industry, all located in Kano. “The 24 properties, which are spread within Kano, Kaduna, Borno and Cross River states, comprise land, shopping complex, gas station and fuel stations, cumulatively valued at N10,935,000,000.00. (Ten Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira),” the statement stated. Earlier, the Commission disclosed on Monday that the assets were controlled by the military officer through proxies, including the late General, Aminu Maude, and some companies, Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Limited, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics and Atlasfield Gas Plant Limited. The properties are: A 16 Pump filling Station located at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano. A Filling Station with 41 pumps located opposite Federal Secretariat, Kano. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along BUK Road, Kano. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Zaria Bypass, Kano. A Filling Station with 31 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano. A Filling Station with 29 pumps located along Maiduguri Bypass, Kano. A Filling Station with 23 pumps located along Naibawa , Kano. A Filling Station with 39 pumps located along Bachirawa, Kano. A Filling Station with 51 pumps and a one-storey building with 35 shops attached to the Filling Station located along Shiek Ja’afar Road Dorayi, Kano. An LPG plant with 30 shops attached to it located along Zaria Road, Kano. Marhaba Event Centre, Guda Abdullahi Road, Farm Centre, Kano. A three storey building (Plaza), with 28 shops located on Hadeja Road, next to Sheshe Supermarket , Kano. A three-storey building (Plaza), with 126 shops located on Audu Bako Way, Opposite Nation Plaza, Kano. Classic Block Industry at Maiduguri Road, Kano. Atlasfield Corporate Headquarters, No. L6 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna. Undeveloped plot located at Sharada, Adjacent A.A. Rano Filling Station, Kano. Undeveloped plot located at Yan Rake, Adjacent Dala Orthopedic Hospital, Kano. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, Adjacent Kedco Regional Office, Kano North/Opposite Silver Spoon Restaurant, Kano. Undeveloped plot located along Kano-Gwarzo Road, opposite Markaz Mosque, Kano. Undeveloped plot located on Sani Marshal Road, Opposite Nissan Automobile, Kano.

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