June 2022 – Page 26 – Crime Facts

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Electoral Act Amendment: Bill To Override Buhari Stepped Down

A bill to override President Muhammadu Buhari over his delay in signing the amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, has been stepped down at the House of Representatives. The bill was stepped down on Tuesday after the Deputy Speaker faulted it, stating that any move to override requires 2/3rd of members. He advised the mover of the motion – Ben Igbakpa to step it down as it violates procedure for overriding the President. More to follow…

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Igboho: I haven’t stopped agitating for Yoruba nation — there’s no going back

Sunday Adeyemo, Yoruba nation agitator better known as Sunday Igboho, says there is no going back on his demand for the actualisation of a separate country for the Yoruba in Nigeria. Igboho spoke in a video released on Sunday to celebrate the birthday of Francis Olushola Alao, Olugbon Of Orile Igbon, Ogbomosho, Oyo state. Speaking in the video, the agitator appealed to the Olugbon of Orile Igbon to discuss with other traditional leaders in the south-west to stop conferring traditional titles on unqualified persons. Igboho criticised south-west traditional leaders who are purportedly decorating unqualified persons with chieftaincy titles, but he did not mention the name of any traditional ruler. “I salute my father, Olugbon on his birthday celebration today in Oyo State. Kabiyesi, you will live many years on earth in wealth and peace,” he said in Yoruba. “I want to use this opportunity to advise you, sir, though I’m not worthy of advising you. I want to use this opportunity to explain that I wouldn’t want you to toe the path of other monarchs who are giving Yorubaland chieftaincy titles to unqualified persons. “Our people are being killed across the country while they are giving chieftaincy titles to unqualified persons and it is not supposed to be so. Unqualified persons are been crowned with traditional titles. “Kabiyesi, you will live longer. Please advise these kings that what they have done is not good because when Yoruba people get angry, things will be difficult. Please, use the occasion of your birthday to tell those traditional rulers to stop, it is very bad.” On Saturday, Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, and his wife, Hafsat, were decorated as the Aare Fiwajoye and Yeye Aare Fiwajoye of Ibadanland, in Ibadan, Oyo state. The development stirred mixed reactions as some people faulted the decision of the Olubadan. Reacting to reports that he has abandoned the agitation for Yoruba nation, Igboho dismissed the reports as a rumour while calling on south-west traditional rulers to support the Yoruba nation movement. “I, Sunday Adeyemo and all those who are following me on the issue of Yoruba Nation, there is no going back for us. There are talks around that we have stopped clamouring for Yoruba nation, that is not true, it is an unconfirmed rumour. We want Yoruba Nation, we want to be free from slavery because what God has given us on our land is enough to feed us. “I want you the Yoruba monarchs to call a meeting, come together, you can see how our people are being killed everywhere, this is not good. Please come together and support us, may you live long. Yoruba Nation, no going back.” In July, Igboho was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic for alleged falsification of his passport. Prior to his arrest, the Department of State Services (DSS) had declared him wanted for allegedly stockpiling weapons in his residence. The agitator was detained in a prison in Benin Republic but was released in March 2022 to get medical attention on the condition that he would not leave the West African country.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Sexual misconduct: OAU, UNIABUJA dismiss four profs, 14 others

No fewer than 18 lecturers in the nation’s tertiary institutions have been indicted and dismissed over sexual misconduct in one year, analysis of media reports by The PUNCH has revealed. The issue of sexual harassment has been recurring in Nigerian institutions with a survey conducted in 2018 by the World Bank Group’s Women revealing that 70 per cent of female graduates from tertiary institutions in Nigeria were sexually harassed in school, with the main perpetrators being classmates or lecturers. Though the Senate had in 2021 passed a bill that randy lecturers should be subject to 21 years imprisonment, The PUNCH reports that most of the lecturers indicted and found guilty after the bill was passed were simply sacked. According to the reports compiled by The PUNCH, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife topped the list of institutions with the highest number of lecturers indicted for sexual misconduct. In 2021, OAU dismissed three lecturers from the Departments of English Language, International Relations and Accounting over sexual harassment of students. The Kaduna State University, in January 2021, announced the dismissal of a lecturer in the Department of Geography for sexually assaulting a student. The Rivers State College of Health, Science and Management Technology suspended a lecturer for three months for sexually harassing a 100 level female student. The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti suspended a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Art in June 2021 for sexual misconduct. That same month, the management of the University of Lagos announced the dismissal of two lecturers over similar offence. In August that same year, the University of Port-Harcourt announced the dismissal of a lecturer of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature over sexual misconduct. In October 2021, the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi also announced the dismissal of two lecturers from the Departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies over sexual misconduct. A lecturer from the Department of Sociology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education was dismissed for impregnating a female student. In December 2021, the Kwara State University, Malete announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences. In January 2022, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a female student. sexual misconduct scandal In April 2022, OAU again, launched probe into allegations of sexual harassment against a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies. So far, two professors have been affected in OAU. In June 2022, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Abdul-Raheed Na’allah, announced the dismissal of two lecturers for sexual misconduct. Both of them are professors. The Yaba College of Technology is currently investigating allegations of sexual harassment against one of its lecturers. Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, the Programme Director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said there was the need to ensure that clear sexual harassment policies are made available in tertiary institutions. Oluwatoyin said, “One of the issues we are facing is that we do not have clear policies against sexual harassment in our schools. Stiffer punishments also need to be meted out. “You cannot just say you will dismiss a lecturer for sexual misconduct; there should be stiffer punishments like imprisonment.” It is so unfortunate that we still report incidents of sexual harassments in our tertiary institutions.” The spokesman of the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, told The PUNCH that while the ministry does not get itself involved in the day-to-day running of tertiary institutions, the ministry would always come in when it had to do with policy issues. “When it comes to issues about the day-to-day running of tertiary institutions, the ministry does not get involved. We leave that to the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and the governing councils of the institutions. “However, councils are responsible for developing policies. For instance, when I was a member of council at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, we came up with a code of conduct as regards sexual harassment,” Goong said. Efforts to get the Executive Secretaries of the NUC and NBTE, Prof Abubakar Rasheed and Prof Idris Bugaje respectively, proved abortive as they did not take their calls. They have yet to respond to the text messages sent to them as of the time of filing this report.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Under Buhari, over 3,478 killed, 2,256 abducted in seven months –Reports

At least, 3,478 people were killed while 2,256 others were abducted across the country from December 2021 to June 15, 2022, a tally collated by The PUNCH has shown. The figures were obtained from the daily incidents recorded by the Nigeria Security Tracker, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think-tank, during the period under review. The data captured by our correspondents included those killed by non-state actors such as terrorists, bandits, gunmen, armed robbers, cultists and security operatives, among others. A monthly breakdown showed that in December 2021, no fewer than 342 innocent Nigerians were killed while 397 were abducted. Those killed in the month included 45 farmers in Nasarawa. Also, 34 women were abducted in Zamfara. In January, at least 844 people were killed and 603 abducted by non-state actors. Prominent among the incidents that happened during the month was the bandits’ attack on Zamfara communities where over 200 residents were killed. Also, suspected bandits reportedly killed 220 persons and kidnapped 200 others in Niger state. In February, at least 495 persons were killed, while 326 were kidnapped. In the month, bandits attacked a Zamfara community for failing to pay a N40 million levy and killed 33 victims. Also, terrorists killed 44, and abducted 31 others in Niger communities. In March, 606 innocent lives were lost while 450 were abducted. The incidents included the murder of 63 vigilantes in Kebbi state by terrorists and attacks by suspected herdsmen in reprisal which claimed over 26 lives in Taraba. In April, 530 people were killed by non-state actors and 79 were kidnapped. In May, 395 were murdered while 178 persons were reportedly abducted. Between June 1 and 15, a total of 266 individuals have so far been killed with 223 persons kidnapped. Our correspondents observed that bandits and terrorists were largely responsible for the abduction and killings recorded in the North-central region, North-West and North-East. In the South-West and South-South, the perpetrators were identified as cultists, suspected herdsmen and gunmen, while in the South-East, the number of deaths and abductions were mostly caused by the Indigenous People of Biafra and its militia wing, Eastern Security Network. The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi told one of our correspondents that he would comment on the rising crime incidents later. Reacting to the security crisis in the country, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, led by its President, Bishop Wale Oke, condemned the incessant killings and kidnappings. The PFN spokesman, Simbo Olorunfemi said, “The nation is in pain. We are concerned about the security situation in the country. These killings and kidnappings are anomalies, and we urge Nigerians to put their heads together to find a way out of the embarrassing situation and pray to God for His Divine intervention. “We’re tired of condolence messages from the present administration, rather they need to take decisive steps to end banditry and terrorism. We will not be partisan, however, we will not go to sleep. As it has been earlier reported, we’ve declared June 26th as ‘PVC Sunday’, in which prayers will be offered and communion administered to worshippers in Pentecostal churches across the nation. “We, therefore, call on all Christians to ensure that they get their Permanent Voter Cards, and follow clear directives in collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria, from Christian fathers on the casting of their votes.” Advising the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), a security expert and former Director-General of the State Security Service, Mike Ejiofor, noted that the creation of state and local police and the employment of modern technology would help reduce the rate of insecurity. He said, “The rate of killings and kidnappings in the country is disturbing. Although, the security agencies are trying their best; however, their best is not enough. The security situation is very worrisome. People are dying and getting kidnapped due to insecurity. A security analyst, Mr Patrick Agbambu, said that citizens needed to work in tandem with the government and security agents in the fight against insecurity. When contacted, the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, who cited his busy schedule, stated, “I will make an official statement on this later as I have been on the move since. I just left Ekiti today, and I’m heading to Kano for a programme.” Punch

Post Date : June 21, 2022

President Buhari Sends Ministerial List To Senate For Screening

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate seeking the confirmation of seven ministerial nominees. The nominees are: Henry Ikechukwu – Abia State, Umana Okon Umana – Akwa-Ibom State; Ekuma Joseph – Ebonyi State; Goodluck Nana Obia – Imo State; Umar Ibrahim Yakub – Kano State; Ademola Adewole Adegorioye – Ondo State; Odo Udi – Rivers State. The Senate has, however, not fixed a date yet for the screening exercise. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has nominated Senator Philip Aduda as the new minority leader to fill the vacant seat created by Senator Enyinnaya Abariba’s defection. Also, the party nominated Senator Chukwuka Utazi as the new senate minority whip. More to follow…

Post Date : June 21, 2022

IPMAN: We can’t continue to sell petrol at N165 per litre

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says its members can no longer sell premium motor spirit (PMS) at the regulated price due to a “hostile” business environment. Through petrol subsidy, the government fixed the price of petrol for consumers below the international price. Last week, the southwest zone of IPMAN threatened to direct its members to sell petrol at N180 per litre. Confirming the development, Akin Akinrinade, chairman, Lagos satellite depot, in a media briefing in Lagos on Monday, said its members can no longer dispense petrol at filling stations below N180 per litre. “Our members can no longer sell at N165. In fact, there is no reasonable businessman in this business that can sell below N180 per litre,” he said. He said members of IPMAN shut down their stations “not because we are striking”. “We are not on strike rather the business environment has been very hostile to us such that we can no longer do business under this condition,” he said. “For you to load a litre of petrol, you will pay N162 per litre. You will have to add the cost of transportation which is between N6 to N8, depending on the distance within Lagos. If it is outside Lagos, it is much more than that. “So, If you add N8 to N162, you already have N170 and this product is regulated by the government and the government wants us to sell at N165. We have not added the charges at the depots and the running cost at our stations.” He added that the cost of diesel amid the country’s epileptic electricity supply situation also affected its members’ running costs. “You know what diesel says now, and you know how epileptic power supply is, we run on generators using diesel at N800 per litre,” he said. “There is no station in Lagos or anywhere that uses less than 50 litres per day.” Queues for petrol resurfaced in Lagos on Monday days after scarcity surfaced in Ibadan, Oyo state. TheCable had reported that petrol scarcity would continue as available statistics showed the country is experiencing extreme low crude oil production.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Govt Schemes Will Significantly Impact Nigerians More If Professionals Take Active Roles – Osinbajo

There will be a more significant impact on Nigerians if professional bodies play more active roles in the implementation of government’s plans and policies, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Monday when he received on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, members of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, NIA, led by its President, Arc. Enyi Ben-Eboh. The Vice President, who made specific reference to the social housing scheme of the Federal Government said the programme would significantly impact more Nigerians if professional bodies such as the NIA play an active role. According to him, “when we developed the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), it was part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were very concerned about social housing, not just as a way of providing cheap housing for the poorest among us, but also as a way of providing jobs and job opportunities. But I am not so sure we got much response from NIA. “One of the advantages of professional bodies like yours is to make it possible for a vast majority of our people to get decent housing for instance, finding the cheapest ways of building 300,000 affordable houses.” Continuing, the Vice President noted that “for the vast majority of Nigerians, the relevance of our professional institutions, especially when it comes to the design and building, must be felt when it comes to the basics. I certainly will like to see what sorts of contributions the NIA will make in developing policies around social housing.” Prof. Osinbajo then commended the Institute for coming up with the Integrated Infrastructure Research for Development Conference as its contribution to the country’s National Development Plan, noting that situating architecture in the creative industry is apt. The Vice President also emphasized the need for the building sector to drive the industry and its operations as much as possible, noting that “it is very important that the sector itself drives reforms, regulation and policy.” Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation and President of the NIA, Arc. Ben-Eboh, while soliciting support of the Vice President for the body, commended the Federal Government for its contribution to the growth of Nigerian professionals by the signing of Executive Order 02 in 2017. He said “without doubt, Executive Order 2 laid the foundation for the gradual take-off of our nation’s envisioned industrial diversification and self-sustaining economy with 100% in-country capacity utilization and development.” The NIA President then announced the selection of Prof. Osinbajo as the grand patron of NIA’s Integrated Infrastructure Conference scheduled for October 2022. During the meeting, the NIA made a presentation on the implementation guide of the Institute’s Integrated Infrastructure Research for Development Conference. Other members of the NIA delegation included Arc. Mobolaji Adeniyi, 1st Vice President; Arc. Sani Saulawa, 2nd Vice President; Arc. Chioma Wogu-Ogbonna, 3rd Vice President; Arc. Chike Chamberlain Ibeanu, General Secretary, and former President of the Institute, Obong Victor Attah, former Akwa Ibom State Governor; among others.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

NSCDC arrests Vigilante for defiling 13 year old girl in Nasarawa

A 45 years old vigilante official, Yusuf Dallah has been arrested by the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps for allegedly defiling a 13 year old girl Ummi in the state. Parading the suspect, the public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Jerry Victor told journalists that the minor, Ummulkhulthum Musa who was suspected to have stolen some wrappers, was apprehended and taken to Vigilante office, Jos road in Lafia. He said the victim was brought to the vigilante office over alleged theft when Yusuf Dallah allegedly took advantage of the minor”s presence in their custody and defilied her According to NSCDC Command spokesman, upon interogation by the command when the minor was brought to the command, confessed to the crime saying she was taken to a place by the VGN officers for safe keeping, for the continuation of the investigation. The NSCDC spokesman stated that Ummulkhulthum Musa was allegedly taken to somewhere at the outskirt of Lafia town where Yusuf Dallah took advantage of her. “The suspect Yusuf Dallah was arrested and brought to our office for interogation and investigation on the matter when the victim reported the matter to her elder brother who later informed the NSCDC which swung into action that led to the arrest of the suspect. Jerry Victor who said that after investigation, the suspect would be changed to court called on parents to always monitor the movement of their children to prevent them from fallen pray to these kind of act. When interviewed, the suspect, Yusuf Dallah denied committing the alleged offence and said investigations will set him free while the victim Ummulkhulthum Musa insisted that she was raped by the suspect.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

Wike Insulted His Way To Power- Babangida

Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu said the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar did not pick Nyesom Wike as his running mate because the governor talks too much. Featuring on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm, Aliyu claimed Wike “insulted his way to power”. He said Wike does not complement Atiku because of his temperament. Aliyu said: “You do not go around choosing people that will not compliment you. “You choose people who will compliment your office. People that are ready to take over from you and will make you comfortable. “Unfortunately, I don’t know if it is his temperament. Sometimes when you speak too much. When you insult your way to power, it does not always happen. “I can count many people who he has insulted. People will say he is always speaking his mind. But there are times you don’t need to speak your mind.” Atiku last week, picked the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate. Explaining his choice, Atiku stated that he was looking for someone who can sit as President whenever he is not in the country.

Post Date : June 21, 2022

FAKE NEWS ALERT: No Market Was Bombed In Imo – Sources

Reports trending on Monday over a bomb attack at Ogborafor market Izombie in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State is false and misleading. According to multiple local sources, the hoodlums enforcing the Monday sit-at-home issued by the outlawed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) burnt a bus loading passengers to Ogbokor near Owerri. A youth leader in Izombe said that what happened was just that a group of boys in Bike drove into Izombe from the direction of neighbouring Awa community and stopped at a motor park while shuttle buses were loading. “They confronted the transporters why they were loading vehicles on a day they should sit at home and in the altercation that followed that bus was set ablaze. An eyewitness narrated that after the bus burnt, the people still returned to loading vehicles at the park. “The hoodlums did not waste much time before they fled otherwise, they may have been apprehended”. “That was just what happened. It is blatant falsehood to report that a market was burnt in Izombe. No such thing happened”, the eyewitness clarified. Another community source who do not want to be named told our correspondent that the reported bombing of Izombe was false. He rather said that pro-Biafran group enforcing sit-at-home yesterday at Ogborafor Izombe only burnt one shuttle bus loading passengers to Ogbokor near Owerri. According to the eye witness the hoodlums who came on motorcycles in their numbers ordered passengers down from the vehicle and poured petrol on the bus and set it on fire. He said that not even the passengers were beaten, but that the bad eggs retreated from the same direction, Awa-Izombe road through which they came shortly after the incident. The source said that people who scampered for safety during the attack thereafter returned to do their normal daily activities. He regretted that a popular newspaper had reported the market was bombed describing it as false, urging media practitioners not to fuel insecurity in the state, but should rather investigate properly before going to the press. “He said, I am challenging the reporter of Daily Sun, Stanley Uzoaru to visit Izombe today and check if any shop was burnt or bombed”, he said. When contacted Imo police spokesperson, Micheal Abattam said such report is false and misleading. Editor’s Note: This photo is for illustrative purpose