Crime Facts

Saraki to APC governors: You can’t take Wike away from PDP

  Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has described the visit by governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, as a miscalculation. On Friday, three governors of the APC — Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos — visited Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt, the state capital, for a closed-door meeting. Also present at the meeting was Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member. The development came amid speculations that Wike, who is a member of the PDP, might defect from the party after losing the presidential and vice-presidential tickets. Speaking with reporters during the Eid celebration in Ilorin, Kwara state capital, Saraki said Wike is important to the PDP and the party won’t let him go. “Wike is an important member of our party and I am very confident that in no distant time, we will sit down and address all the issues. There is no doubt about it that he has cause to feel the way he does, but there are better ways by which issue like this can be resolved,” Saraki said. “The good thing is that we are all talking to one another. We are on top of the situation and PDP will reunite and forge ahead to win the next elections. I assure you that PDP will definitely resolve its family issue that it currently has. “The fact that some APC governors went to see their colleague, trying to capitalise on what they think is an issue is a gross miscalculation. At the end of the day, their visit is going no where. “The APC governors know that it is this kind of a crack they need to latch on. Fortunately, we are not going to give him to them because the election ahead is too important. The destinies of millions of Nigerians are too important and even bigger than any party or individual. I appreciate that, all our stakeholders appreciate that and Governor Wike himself appreciates that.” Saraki said the APC government should lock itself up in a room and refuse to come out over its failures in governance.

I’ll hand over properly to my successor – Wike

  The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has charged commissioners, heads of ministries, departments and agencies to begin compilation of relevant information required to document as successes, covering from 2015, when his administration started. The Governor said he was determined to do a proper handover to his successor, despite the fact that his predecessor did not do a proper handover to him. Wike gave the charge after he had sworn-in five new commissioners and assigned them portfolios at the Executive Chamber of Government House in Port Harcourt on Saturday. The commissioners are Hon. Deinma Iyalla, assigned to the Ministry of Special Projects; Prof. Prince Chinedu Mmom to the Ministry of Education; Hon. Boma Iyaye to the Ministry of Local Government Affairs; Hon. Christopher Green as Commissioner for Sports; and Burabe Anea-Bari Donald posted to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs. He informed that his administration was in its last lap and there was a need for the different ministries to begin compiling records of their activities in lieu of handover day This was contained in a statement issued by Kelvin Ebiri media aide to the governor and made available to newsmen. The statement read,”“Everybody should as a matter of fact put the records of their various ministries together. “You won’t wait till May 29, 2023. You have to start now since this administration started in 2015. State what we have done, and by the grace of God, when the new person (governor) comes, he will have a handover note and it will not be like me who didn’t get a handover note. “Everything we have done, all the records. What we have bought from ministry to ministry, you have to start compiling them. “I don’t want to hear a situation where you will say there is no time, there is plenty of time. You don’t need to wait till the last day. That is why things are difficult for some people.” Governor Wike told the newly sworn-in commissioners that his administration was in its finishing stage and so much was required of them to ensure a good ending. He urged them to serve the State with incontestable passion, demonstrate competence and leave an indelible imprint in their various ministries of posting. The governor acknowledged that some of them had served the State in different capacities as former commissioners and special advisers. He, however, urged them to utilise this present opportunity to further contribute to the development of the State. The governor described as an aberration the appointment of someone without requisite intellectual acumen to represent the State as a minister in the Federal Executive Council. He was making a veiled reference to Hon. Udi Udom who was recently appointed as Minister of State for Environment by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rted). Udom’s appointment followed the resignation of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi to contest the Presidential position. “I have never seen an embarrassment like that in my life. Yes, you must appoint those who are loyal, but educated people are also loyal. It has never happened in our State. “Everything cannot be politics. The image of the state is key,” Wike added. The Governor also informed that his administration has completed more projects that are scheduled for inauguration. He therefore stated that the project inauguration ceremony will commence early August 2022 and will last for two weeks.

Buhari: Nigerians act religious yet steal, cheat

  President Muhammadu Buhari says most of the challenges affecting the nation can be eradicated if Nigerians truly put the teachings of their religion to use. In his Eid-el-Kabir message to Nigerians, Buhari said Nigerians should use religion as a motivation for the love of our shared humanity. According to a statement by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, Buhari said if Nigerians put the teachings of their religion into practice, most of the evils afflicting the nation would have been solved. “The exploitation of the people by traders and the stealing of public funds by civil servants and other holders of public trust is a reflection of the abandonment of the teachings of our religions,” he said. “Our society is a bundle of contradictions. People display external religiosity without fear of God; they make life difficult for others; money becomes their god; leaders abandon their oaths of office by taking money meant for the welfare of the people and divert it to their private pockets. “Religion should not just be used as a mere badge of identity, but as a motivator for doing good for our country and humanity.” While congratulating the Muslim faithful on the Eid celebration, Buhari also advised Muslims “to promote the good virtues of Islam through personal examples and practice,” adding that “Muslims should avoid association with violent extremist ideas that have wrongly given Islam a negative image or poor perception.” On the current security challenges and costs of living in the country, he assured Nigerians that “I won’t rest until I bring relief to Nigerians,” adding that “I am quite aware of the difficulties people are facing and working to resolve them”. He also gave “special mention” to security operatives fighting terror on many fronts and their families, as well as hostages kept away by terrorists.

Kuje Prison Attack: Inmates’ money not stolen, we don’t keep huge cash, says NCoS

  The Nigerian Correctional Service NCoS has dismissed reports that the fleeing inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, stole money (local and foreign currencies) belonging to their fellow inmates. Following consistent media enquiries, Spokesman of the Service, Umar Abubakar in a statement on Saturday explained that its personnel do not keep such huge sums within custodial facilities. Some reports had alleged that personnel at the Kuje Custodial Centre could not account for the sums of N82 million and $36,000 cash belonging to inmates. “All Inmates’ cash deposited in the custody of the authorities of the custodial centre is intact and safe as there is an existing instruction from the Controller General of Corrections that all officers superintending custodial centres must not keep huge sums in the facility”, said Abubakar. He said the clarification became imperative against the misleading narrative and the unpatriotic diversion of attention from addressing the challenges at stake. “The Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa is sparing no effort or resources in hunting down all the escapees and it is heart-warming that the integrated strategies are yielding favourable results. He expresses his deep appreciation to security agencies and patriotic Nigerians whose collaboration is facilitating the recovery exercise. “Nababa assures the public of his irrevocable commitment to bringing back all escapees to answer for their crimes. He therefore appeals that citizens should assist in achieving this task by visiting the Nigerian Correctional Service’s website https://corrections.gov.ng/escapees for the pictures of the escapees and alert the nearest security agency if they suspect or see any of them”, Abubakar added.

They’re only strong on social media’ — Uzodimma aims dig at Labour Party

‘ Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state, has asked All Progressives Congress (APC) members to ignore opposition parties that are “only strong on social media”. Uzodimma spoke on Friday during a meeting with party members and stakeholders in Imo. In what appears to be a dig at the Labour Party (LP), the Imo governor advised APC loyalists not to be deceived by opposition parties with no political structure. LP, which has Peter Obi as its presidential candidate, has been criticised for being more prominent on social media and not having adequate grassroots support ahead of the 2023 elections. “This opposition that is only strong on social media with no political structure on the ground, you are listening to them,” Uzodimma said. “Our people should not be deceived. Don’t let anybody deceive you. “If you follow a party that is reminding you of the agony of the past but is not interested in telling you how you will better your tomorrow, you don’t have to blame anybody. “But as a people, as a party, I am here as the governor of the state through a political party called APC. That is our political party.” Uzodimma advised the APC members to take a cue from the party’s recent victory in Ekiti state, adding that the victory will be replicated in the forthcoming Osun election.

We Won’t Bring Our Relatives Into Government – Obi’s Running Mate

  The Labour Party vice presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has said that he and the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, will not bring their relatives into the government if elected in 2023 to lead Nigeria. Baba-Ahmed, who is the founder of Baze University, disclosed this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday. Obi picked Baba-Ahmed as his running mate on Friday. The former senator was discussing the chances of the party in the 2023 presidential election and its plans if elected to lead Nigeria. He said, “What you see today, what they call due process: bureau for public procurement in 1999, I was behind it. As a young man, I designed it; I wrote it. Only I sponsored the bill against inflated government contracts. “This has destroyed Nigeria in the last 16 years. We have calls against corruption, but when it comes to doing the right thing, they just turn away from it because they are going to benefit from it. “Governor Peter Obi and I are not interested in benefiting. All the people we are going to bring on board, we will not bring our relatives and cousins and nephews to run government. We will not do that. Let Nigerians money work for Nigerians.”

16 passengers missing in another Lagos boat mishap

  Another boat has capsized on the waterways around the Mile 2 area of Lagos state. The accident, which occurred on Friday night, is coming barely three days after the unfortunate boat accident around the Ikorodu area leading to the death of two passengers. Sarat Braimah, Lagos area manager, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday. Braimah said that 16 passengers on board the ill-fated boat were yet to be accounted for.

Reject Buhari’s Water Bill plea, IPOB urges National Assemby

  The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra has urged the National Assembly not to hearken to the ‘plea’ of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for a passage into law of the National Water Resources Bill. President Buhari had, in 2017, presented the controversial Bill to both chambers of the National Assembly, which seeks to transfer the control of water resources from the states to the Federal Government. The Bill resurfaced on the floor of the House of Representatives penultimate Thursday. But the IPOB in a statement, on Saturday, said it was not in support of the Bill, citing an ulterior motive. According to the statement, which was signed by the group’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, it was expedient for the National Assembly to listen to the voice of caution in order to save both the Fulanis and their alleged ulterior motive in southern Nigeria, especially Biafraland. The statement read in part, “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, wish to call for caution once again over the water ways secret bill sent to the Nigerian National Assembly by Buhari and his Fulani kinsmen. “We wish to unequivocally state our stand once again to Buhari, the National Assembly, the Fulani and entire world that Buhari cannot use crooked means to hand over our water ways in Biafraland to Fulani from Futajalon, having passed through mighty expanse of empty land in the North. We never for once in our lifetime ventured into encroachment nor occupation of any inch or parcel of land not belonging to us despite our limited landspace. “The National Assembly must save Fulani because this Bill sent by Buhari will consume so many of them if they venture into any river or water way situated in Biafraland. “The National Assembly must stop that Bill because it will only end up in the dustbin of history as one of the useless non-implementable acts of the Nigerian National Assembly. This deliberate attempt to steal our ancestral land and waterways by trick and through the back door is dead on arrival because it will be resisted with everything that we have at our disposal. Such impunity and selfishness considering the vast expanse of land available to Fulani in Northern Nigeria. “Biafrans would not shy away from protecting our heritage. We are waiting for them and they would learn an unforgettable lessons the hard way. “This old strategy that Buhari and his kinsmen are adopting to re-introduce RUGA is not lost on us Biafrans or lost on any other nation imprisoned in the hell of a country that is worth its name. Why must Fulanis’ terrorists and their cows be forced on us, to cohabit with us in our communities, those with whom we never share a single value system. “Let us tell you, RUGA can never sail through for the sake of Umuchineke and no amount of their efforts would succeed in bringing RUGA evil project to fruition in our land. “The IPOB will never accept such permutations no matter the inducement they use to deceive the gullible, the compromised, the spineless good for nothing politicians and slaves of the uncircumcised Fulanis in Biafraland. “We reject that in totality, we knew that the impostor wants to secure lands and waterways for Fulani bandits and terrorists before he leaves office in less than one year, let him look elsewhere.”

You Can Go To Court: INEC To Senate President, Akpabio

  The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has asked the president of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio to approach the Federal High Court to seek redress if they’re not satisfied with their (INEC’s) decision with respect to their Senatorial tickets. JOURNALIST101 recalls that the electoral umpire didn’t publish the names of any candidate for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial Districts; the senatorial zones of Lawan and Akpabio respectively. The duo claimed they won the senatorial tickets of the All Progressives Congress, APC, after failing to clinch the presidential ticket of the ruling party. While a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udom Ekpoudom say he’s the authentic candidate of the APC for Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial, Bashir Machina said he’s not letting go of the ticket for Lawan despite the pressure from the party’s national officers. Following the ongoing confusion, INEC didn’t publish the details of any candidate for the two offices. In a press statement issued by Festus Okoye Esq., National Commissioner and Chairman, information and Voter Education, the commission said it “stands by the monitoring reports received from our state offices. For this reason, the Commission did not publish the personal particulars of any candidate for the two Constituencies at variance with the State reports.” Okoye further stated that: “Right now, the Commission is funtus officio in the two cases. Aggrieved parties are at liberty to approach the Federal High Court and seek redress as provided in section 285 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and sections 29(3) and 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022.” He also assured that; “The Commission will continue to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, including the deepening of the deployment of technology to enhance the credibility of elections.”

Kidnapped Benue Catholic Priest Released

  The Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Peter Amodu, who was kidnapped on Wednesday in Benue State has been released. The Catholic priest was released two days after he was abducted along Otukpo – Ugbokolo road while he was on his way to celebrate the Holy Mass at Okwungaga- Ughbokolo. Though, it is yet to be known if a ransom was paid for the release of the Catholic priest. According to the statement issued by the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, the priest was said to have regained his freedom on Friday night. The statement reads, “The diocese thanked all the priests, religious, lay faithful and all people of goodwill who showed solidarity and offered prayers for the speedy and safe release of the abducted priests. “It is with grateful hearts that we announce the safe release of our priest, Rev. Fr Peter Amodu from abduction. “Fr Peter who was kidnapped on 6th of July, 2022 at about 5:00 pm along Otukpo/Ugbokolo highway, Benue State was released unharmed today, 8th July, 2022 at about 8:30 pm. The Catholic Diocese, however, used the opportunity to pray for the safe rescue of other numerous people who are still in captivity of kidnappers across the country.