May 2022 – Page 78 – Crime Facts

Post Date : May 4, 2022

UNIBEN students protest as ASUU strike enters day 80

Students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) have taken to the streets to protest the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which entered 80th day. The Nation learnt students of the institution blocked the ever-busy Benin-Lagos Expressway, school gate and Ring Road. The protest caused gridlock on the highway for hours, forcing many motorists to avoid the route while those going into the state capital had to divert to other roads. The students, in their hundreds, were seen at the campus entrance chanting solidarity songs holding placards with inscriptions like ‘FG settle ASUU’, ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘End ASUU strike’ The students also defied the heavy downpour. The Nation recalls in February, the students had blocked the busy Benin/Lagos highway in solidarity with the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

Post Date : May 4, 2022

APC to hold congresses to pick delegates for guber, presidential primaries on Saturday

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will hold congresses to pick delegates who will vote at the state and national level between Saturday, May 7 and Monday, May 9. This information is in a schedule of activities released by Suleiman Arugungu, APC national organising secretary. These ad hoc delegates will be tasked with picking the party’s governorship candidates in the states and presidential standard-bearer. The party’s presidential hopefuls are expected to pay N100 million for the expression of interest and nomination forms, while governorship hopefuls will pay N50 million. The price of forms for persons seeking to contest for seats in state houses of assembly was pegged at N2 million, while that of the house of representatives is N10 million and the senate is N20 million. The party fixed May 10 as the last day for the submission of completed forms. The ruling party also said hopefuls for the state houses of assembly and governorship will be screened on May 12; those aspiring to hold seats in the house of representatives and senate will be screened on May 13, and those seeking to clinch the party’s presidential ticket will be screened on May 14. The primaries for governorship, state houses of assembly, house of representatives, and senate are May 18, 20, 22 and 24, respectively. A special convention for the presidential primaries is scheduled to take place from May 30 to June 1

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Igbo presidency: Ohanaeze sets up c’ttee to convince Emirs, Obas, others

THE apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has set up a committee that would visit the various Emirs and Obas across the country to draw support from them to appeal to their people in the political parties to nominate Igbo candidates for the 2023 presidential election. The president of the Anambra State branch of Ohanaeze, Obi Chukwuemeka Udodeme, who spoke as a presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Peter Umeadi interacted with the leadership of Ohanaeze during which he formally informed them of his aspiration, said the Igbo were leaving no stone unturned to ensure that for the sake of equity and justice, the next president of Nigeria would be an Igbo. Udodeme expressed worry at the stories making the rounds that the two major political parties were nursing the idea of presenting their candidates from the northern part of the country at a time the general feeling among Nigerians was that the presidency should be zoned to the southern part of the country. According to him, the Ime Obi Ohanaeze, the highest decision-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, would meet in Enugu on May 5th, 2022 to take far-reaching decisions on the 2023 Igbo presidency. He commended Umeadi, who is the former chief judge of Anambra State for presenting himself to serve Nigeria at the highest level after his meritorious service in the judiciary. Addressing the people, Umeadi pledged to administer the country with firmness and fairness and reposition Nigeria to the path of progress, harmony and prosperity. He said: “Uppermost in my mind is how to reconcile with ourselves across the length and breadth of our dear country, Nigeria. It is not possible for us to achieve economic, educational, scientific, sporting or sufficient breakthroughs when we are hungry, insecure, and unstable. “Nigerians are traumatized on daily basis from wanton killings, displacements, disorganization of business and social life with attendant difficulty to sustain economic, commercial and domestic life. These are issues on the front burner as we progress to the polls for the office of the President of the Federal Republic 0f Nigeria on 25/2/2023. With all modesty, I have the initiative and capacity to reposition Nigeria in four years if I am elected as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023. “My antecedents and mettle guide me to step out with the triple banner of the Rule of law, Separation of Powers and Due Process, which should engender security for life and property, economic revitalization and prosperity, which in itself represents a fulfilled and happy life. These issues should be at the core of our rejuvenation as a nation. “We know that insecurity amongst other fallout has driven our people away from the farms, creating artificial scarcity of food and earning power. We live with the dilemma of funding and even making long term plans on camps harbouring internally displaced persons (IDP) when the country is neither at war nor struck by a major natural disaster. “In a place like the southeast, it has become normal not to work on Mondays stemming from circumstances of nationhood and inclusiveness for which other channels of rapprochement are available, but are not utilized. It has long become a risk to travel by road, which now extends to the sea, rail and air! People are kidnapped easily and huge ransoms are demanded and paid through the established communication grid and existing financial system. “I look forward to a Nigeria where justice would reign for all citizens irrespective of tribe or status. The bulwark of my presidential bid is predicated on popular votes at the polls by a majority of Nigerians. We should respect the ballot. We should canvas and sustain free and fair elections. Let only the valid votes count. I hope Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide and the Anambra State chapter would remember that it has a duty to engage in vigorous voter education to ensure that all eligible voters who are 18 years and above register to vote and obtain their permanent voter’s cards”.

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Ganduje Pardons 90 Prisoners

The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has pardoned 90 inmates across correctional centres in the state. The governor granted the prisoners pardon when he paid a Sallah visit to the Goron Dutse Correctional Centre, Kano, on Monday, alongside some members of the State Executive Council (SEC), party leaders and other top government dignitaries. The governor, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Abba Anwar, asked the pardoned inmates to report to the government and register for skills acquisition programmes, while assuring that, “More inmates would be pardoned in the next 70 days during Eid el-Kabir celebration.” The statement reads in part: “Some of you have been pardoned because of ill health, some because of age, some because of their inability to pay for fines placed on them; some were even on death row. “Though many of you were given training in one skill or the other, those of you who need further training should immediately go and register with the government for another round of skills acquisition.” The governor reminded them that the pardon was not only meant to decongest the correctional centres, but to also give them another chance to be of good character.

Post Date : May 4, 2022

UN Chief Visits Borno IDPs, Says Reintegrating Repentant Terrorists Critical For Peace

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has proposed the reintegration of repentant terrorists to ensure the absolute return of peace in Nigeria’s north-east region. He gave the recommendation on Tuesday while addressing a gathering in Borno after visiting a camp housing people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the state. Guterres, who is on a two-day official visit to Nigeria – the first of such, believes the reintegration of persons forced to join terrorist groups during the over a decade-long insurgency will go a long way in bringing back peace in the region. “The best thing we can do for peace is to reintegrate those, that in a moment of despair, became terrorists but want to become now citizens and to contribute to the well-being of their brothers and sisters,” he said. The people affected by terrorism I met in Borno, Nigeria want above all to go back home in safety and dignity. Borno is now a place of hope – showing that the way to fight terrorism effectively is to invest in livelihoods, reintegration and people’s futures. pic.twitter.com/b3nM68mqVH — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 4, 2022 Thousands of people have been killed and millions forced out of their homes in the wake of the insurgency that has lasted over a decade. While the Nigerian government says it is winning the war against the terrorists, hundreds of Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) have surrendered their arms to the military. Borno Of Hope Amid mixed reactions trailing the government’s plan to reintegrate repentant terrorists into the society, the UN scribe sees the move as a step in the right direction. His tour of an Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp, according to him, shows that the people affected by terrorism want above all to go back home in safety and dignity. Guterres described Borno as now a place of hope, adding that the way to fight terrorism effectively was to invest in livelihoods, reintegration, and people’s futures. “The Borno I found today (Tuesday) is a Borno of hope, it’s a Borno with future,” he said. “The people I met today in the IDP camp want to go back home in safety and dignity. “The way to address terrorism effectively is to provide not only hope but a future of reality. When I went around with the thousands and thousands of people that were there, I saw smiles, I saw enthusiasm, I saw hope, and this is where we must invest.”

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Insurgents ‘kill eight’ in attack on Chibok community

Eight civilians have been reported dead following an attack on Kautukari, a community in Chibok LGA of Borno state. A resident in the area told TheCable that several properties were set ablaze by the insurgents. TheCable had reported how suspected fighters of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) overran the community on Tuesday evening. The insurgents invaded the area around 6pm and started shooting, making residents flee into the bush for safety. Soldiers stationed at a military forward operation base (FOB) in Kada, two kilometres away from Kautukari, were reportedly dislodged. Troops from army’s 117 battalion in Chibok town were later mobilised to engage the insurgents in a counteroffensive. Kautukari is 17km away from Chibok town. Onyema Nwachukwu, army spokesman, is yet to comment on the development. The incident comes months after suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Kawtakare, Korohuma and Pemi in Chibok LGA. Four persons were reportedly killed in the attack while 110 buildings were set ablaze by the insurgents.

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Lagos 2023: Ambode may pick nomination form Friday — Source

BBARING any last-minute changes, former governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, may pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, on Friday, to contest the 2023 governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ambode was governor of Lagos state for one term. He lost the APC ticket in the build-up to the 2019 elections to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, current governor of the state. But a close ally of Ambode told Vanguard that the former governor has concluded plans to pick the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest on the APC platform, this week. The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “I am talking to you as a friend that he (Ambode) may likely come out this week on the platform of the APC. From what I know, he may likely contest against Sanwo-Olu at the governorship primary. “Before the close of the sale of forms, oga (Ambode) will pick the Nomination and Expression of Interest Form. There is a likelihood that he will buy the forms on Friday.”

Post Date : May 4, 2022

ASUU strike: Negotiation panel report ready

The committee set up by the Federal Government to re-negotiate the 2009 agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions have submitted its interim report to the Ministry of Education. Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige, who disclosed this yesterday, said the Education Ministry has already commenced work on the report. However, hours after, public university workers under the aegis of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), said that their ongoing warning strike is now indefinite. The union said they had adopted a “No Pay, No work” stance in response to government’s “No work, No pay policy.” The re-negotiation of the agreements is one of the demands of the four university-based unions….ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and NAAT. Other demands are non-deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, non-release of revitalisation funds for universities, non-payment of earned allowances for university teachers and shortfall of payment as a result of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). The seven-member renegotiation committee is headed by Prof. Emeritus Nimi Briggs, the pro-chancellor, of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State. ASUU was however absent when the committee was inaugurated on March 7, 2022. It had insisted that government should commence implementation of the existing pact instead of wasting time through the committee. When contacted yesterday evening, ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke said the union was not aware the Briggs-led committee had submitted its report. But Ngige, who said that discussions were ongoing to end strikes by the unions, added that he would meet with either SSANU or NASU leadership tomorrow. He did not say if he also contacted ASUU or not. The minister said: “Discussions are ongoing, not only with ASUU but with all the other education unions. On Thursday I will meet either SSANU or NASU. “I am still waiting for the Education Ministry to give me the final report they have from the ad -hoc committee we put in place on the condition of service for the 2009 agreements. “The report is for every education union. The chairman told me that they have put in an interim report. The education ministry is working on the interim report. “I will make contact with the ministry to know where they are because they have subjected whatever they are doing to an inter-agency committee work which is the right thing to do.” But ASUU President Osodeke said the report would be of no value to university teachers if did not expressly state that the government should sign the agreement renegotiated in May last year. His words: ”Except the report is saying that they (government) should sign the agreement then fine. But if they (panel) have submitted another thing, then they don’t want this issue (strike) to be resolved because they have not discussed anything meaningful with us. “Anything that has to do with the agreement (2021 renegotiated agreement) they have not told us. ”They (panel) called us for a meeting and they told us that they went around a number of ministries, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and had a discussion with them and got their opinion. ”We told them that that was not the issue. We have our agreement with a team set up by the government. That is what we will listen to. “The President asked the Minister of Labour and Employment to organise a committee and if you are calling for what you have from ministries that is not part of our negotiations. :” So, if they submitted anything that is different from what we negotiated without informing us then it has no value.” Also yesterday, NAAT said that laboratories, workshops, farms and others in the universities would remain shut till the government pays its members’ salaries. NAAT President Ibeji Nwokoma advised members of the union to remain undaunted, and not allow the government’s “divide and rule” tactics to dampen their morale. Nwokoma said: “Today (yesterday), our Union and ASUU have been singled out for the implementation of the policy of “No work, No Pay” policy. “Comrades, your President and indeed the National Leadership stand with you in this trying moment. Our strike action is legitimate and follows every due process. “We, therefore, stand on “No pay, No work”. This divide and rule policy of Government shall not work. Be rest assured that we shall come out better, stronger with every dime paid before or on resumption of work.”

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Nigeria needs men of integrity at this moment – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed optimism that whatever the situation and condition is, all will be well with Nigeria. Obasanjo, who said this at a Global Crusade organised by the Deeper Life Bible Church, in Abeokuta and monitored online on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to have faith in God. The former President said that considering the situation of things, Nigeria and the entire world required God’s visitation, urging all children of God to seek His face for visitation. “If you consider what is going on in our cities, our states, our country, our region of West Africa, our continent and indeed our globe, our world required crusade of this nature. “Some people accused us, Christians of `religiosity’ without spirituality. Yes, that has been the position of the world even in the time of Jesus Christ, but should we lose hope? No. “There is no time in the world that things have been bad that it is not the children of God that stood out,” he said. He said that Noah stood out in his time and also Job, who God described as a man who feared God and shun evil and a man of great integrity. “Nigeria needs such men of integrity at this present moment. “I believe that because of these kinds of men and women of such virtue in Nigeria, God will open his eyes and have mercy on this country. “Unless those who don’t want to be honest with themselves will say that all is well, but if we trust in God and believe in Jesus Christ all will be well. “Children of God, whatever may be our situation, whatever may be the condition, let us have faith in God, and all will be well,” Obasanjo said. The General Overseer of the Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi, who had earlier paid a visit to the former president, prayed to God to grant him many more years to contribute to the progress of the country. Kumuyi stated that his visit was to show respect to Obasanjo and to also invite him to the crusade where he could share his words of wisdom with the people and the global community. The general overseer, in his message, said that God had prepared complete dominion over the circumstances of the world through Jesus Christ. Kumuyi said that the only way to have complete dominion over problems and other circumstances was to live in holiness and consecration to God through Jesus Christ.

Post Date : May 4, 2022

Oshiomhole to declare presidential bid Wednesday, says aide

Victor Oshioke, media aide to Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his principal will announce his intention to contest the presidency on Wednesday. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Oshioke said the former Edo governor will make an official declaration at 3pm at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture in Abuja. He added that the event was scheduled to hold on an earlier date, but was later postponed for further consultations. “The formal declaration of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole to contest for the office of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the 2023 general election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress which was postponed has now been rescheduled, after extensive consultations,” the statement reads. “We apologise for the short notice and hope that your love for Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole will motivate you to attend, irrespective of any unforeseen constraints.” The development comes weeks after Oshiomhole declared his interest in contesting for a seat in the senate. Speaking at an event to mark his birthday in April, Oshiomhole had expressed his intention to represent Edo north in the upper legislative chamber in the 2023 polls. Meanwhile, Francis Alimikhena, the senator currently representing the constituency, has purchased his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for the senate seat in the 2023 general election.