Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor has said his client was sad about the recent attacks and killings that happened across the South-East region in connection with the botched sit-at-home exercise. Ejimakor disclosed this in a tweet on his Twitter page on Monday adding that Kanu asked him to condemn the attacks. Vanguard reported that Ejimakor’s hometown in Urualla, Ideato North local government area of Imo State was invaded by armed men who set a market ablaze, destroyed properties and attacked his kinsmen on Friday. In a similar occurrence, popular Nollywood actor, Osita Iheme’s elder brother, Prince Iheme was killed by unknown gunmen who attacked Owerri, Mbaitoli and other areas on Friday. The Commissioner for Solid Minerals in the state, Martin Eke was also injured by the assailants. On Saturday, many were injured when gunmen attacked the Labour Party’s rally in Okposi, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state. Ejimakor said he visited Kanu today in the custody of the Department of State Services, Abuja and he (Kanu) received the news with sadness. “I had a visitation with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu today. With profound sadness, he received news of the staggered attacks of past few days across Southeast, including the one at my hometown. “He asked me to strongly condemn the attacks on his behalf and convey his comfort to all the victims,” Ejimakor wrote. The recent attacks in the Southeast region cannot be unconnected with the sit-at-home exercise called for by Kanu’s self-acclaimed disciple, Simon Ekpa, to be observed from 9 – 14 December. Despite counter statements by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful and the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the boycott of commercial activities was enforced in the region.

  THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has raised the alarm that some politicians have been buying up Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, and financially inducing unsuspecting voters to harvest their Voter Identification Numbers. The Acting Chairman of INEC and National Commissioner overseeing the FCT, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau states, Mohammed Haruna, raised the alarm on Monday during the launch of #YourVoteMatters project by an election observer group, NESSACTION, in Abuja, where he disclosed that two people have been recently convicted for illegal possession of PVCs in Sokoto and Kano states. The project, supported by the International Foundation for Electoral System, IFES; the United States Agency for International Development, USAID; and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, seeks to assist INEC in increasing the number of PVCs collected ahead of the 2023 general elections as well as the voters mobilised on election day. Speaking, the INEC National Commissioner also warned the electorates to desist from compromising the ownership of their PVCs; saying, “We are aware some politicians are more or less buying the PVCs. If you collect the PVC and then you sell it out or allow someone else to have it, you are aiding illegal possession of the PVC which is an offence in our Electoral Act. “Some of you are aware that only recently, INEC managed to convict two people who were found guilty of illegal possession of PVC’s in Kano and Sokoto. So, I urge people to connect their PVCs, keep it safely, and make sure that on election day, you go out there and cast youtr votes because, of course, without your PVC you cannot vote.” On her part, the Executive Director of NESSACTION, Ambassador Eniola Cole, explained that the project slated for implementation in the FCT, Nasarawa, and Plateau states, will provide logistics to incentivise communities with low PVC collection rates. While commending INEC for gains made in the electoral process through technology and other reforms, she said, “We implore the general public to take advantage of the timeframe set by INEC for PVC collection at the Commission’s LGA offices nationwide from December 12, 2022 to January 5, 2023, and at the 8809 Registration Areas from January 6, 2023 to January 22, 2023 including Saturdays and Sundays. “The public can, through dedicated channels, inform us of their location in order to receive support including the PVC collection buses and community outreach activities to be conducted at the local level in each state by our community mobilisation officers.”

  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned bakers who use potassium bromate as improvers, saying it is dangerous to health. According to it, as part of its efforts to curb the menace of importation, sales and distribution of counterfeit/fake regulated products and ensure that only wholesome, safe, quality and efficacious products are imported, manufactured, distributed, sold and used by the Nigerians, it has stepped up efforts to raid defaulters. The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday explained that potassium bromate is a banned flour improver and a known cancer-causing agent. According to her, potassium bromate has been found to cause kidney failure among other ailments. “Potassium bromate, popularly known as tablets in the black economy, is always attractive to merchants of death who want to make an outrageous profit at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing. “Bakers use potassium bromate because it helps to improve the texture of bread as well as increases its volume and it is relatively cheap. “NAFDAC wishes to state that there are recommended healthy flour improvers approved by the Agency.’’ She disclosed that reiterating its resolve to reprimand offenders, operatives of NAFDAC raided and arrested suspects in connection with various fraudulent activities. “A warehouse containing potassium bromate tablets and unregistered imported EDC – 2000 BREAD IMPROVER was raided by NAFDAC operatives on Dec. 7, 2022. “ NAFDAC officers raided the warehouse located in the Apongbon area of Lagos Island in Lagos where they found 115 cartons of potassium bromate tablets. “The tablets have a street value of twenty-eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N28,750,000:00). “The seized tablets could be used with three hundred thousand (300,000) bags of 50kg flour to produce about thirty (30) million family-sized loaves of bread. “Also found in the warehouse were counterfeit EDC Bread Improver, packed in sachets with a fake NAFDAC registration number 01-4242, worth three hundred thousand naira (N300,000:00). “One Rapoluchukwu Joseph was arrested as the importer during the operation.’’ She explained that apart from improving the texture of a loaf, potassium bromate also increases its volume and it is relatively cheap. Ejimunjeze said that other counterfeit products found in the warehouse included 400 cartons of counterfeit super delicious cooking margarine with fake NAFDAC registration number:- (a1-2508) and Manufactured date:- 25/01/2022, Expiry date:- 25/01/2024 with various batch numbers. She further disclosed that the NAFDAC had since Sept. 9, 2022, commenced an investigation which led its operatives to a long span of operations at states including Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Abia and Lagos States. “After rigorous and painstaking efforts, the Agency’s operatives traced and arrested one Owerekwe Obinna Michael ‘male’ 46 years of 12 Boundry Street, Aba, Abia State as the importer of the counterfeit product. “At the point of his arrest, the suspect upon sighting the operatives completely destroyed his mobile phone so that the evidence will not be traced to him. He also fought the operatives but was instantly overpowered, arrested and taken into custody. “He confirmed that he actually imported four hundred (400) cartons of the product with the above details from Dubai through groupage and cleared at Onne Port, Port Harcourt. “He claimed that the shipment was delivered to him by a clearing Agent, whose name he did not yet disclose He also admitted to distributing the product to markets across the country. “Preliminary examination of the product showed that the actual manufacturer’s name was not written, but produced for a company in Indonesia.” Ejimunjeze enjoined Nigerians to watch out for these injurious products anywhere in the country and report same or any suspected fake/counterfeit or unwholesome product to any nearest NAFDAC Office.

  The Nigerian Immigration Service NIS has pledged its resolve to fast-track passport processing for all Nigerians coming home this Yuletide. Accordingly, the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, CGIS Isah Jere Idris has directed the immediate setting up of Diaspora Desks in all the nation’s international airports in order to have a seamless passport process for all Nigerians coming home this period and who may be desirous of processing their passports. “In line with this, CGIS has also directed passport offices across the country to give priority attention to such citizens living outside the country and their families bearing in mind that most of them have specific time of returning to their countries of residence”, said DCI Anthony Akuneme, the Service Public Relations Officer. He said the CGIS affirmed the commitment of the Service to continue rendering effective and efficient service delivery to all Nigerians both at home and abroad, as well as non-Nigerians who are desirous of using any of the service windows. “Recall that this fast track passport process for this Yuletide commenced few weeks ago with the opening of passport offices on Saturday and will continue until 31st January 2023”, said Akuneme.

  A 29-year-old man identified as Brandon Jacobs has killed a 54-year-old female Uber driver, Yolanda Dillion. Before Yolanda was killed, she was a New Orleans Police Department employee moonlighting as an Uber driver. According to report, Brandon stabbed Yolanda to death, from the backseat of her car in Louisiana, US after she picked him up for his journey on Thursday. As he walked to a hotel where he had reserved a room in advance before police detained him on suspicion of the crime, the murderer shared a video of the bloody aftermath on Facebook, and when asked he claimed, “just wanted to kill someone.” In a press conference, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto confirmed Yolanda had been killed and also revealed the alleged confession in which Jacobs reportedly told police of his motivation behind the savage attack on Thursday. Lopinto explained: “His confession basically stated that he woke up yesterday morning and decided he was going to kill someone and decided that was going to be his day. “We asked him specifically, how did you pick her?, his response was ‘I didn’t pick her, Uber picked her, she was the random person that picked him up that day. “He was in the back seat. Stabbed her from behind. Exited the vehicle and just walked away casually.” Yolanda, who also worked for the New Orleans Police Department as a budget administrator, was loved by her colleagues. Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said: “She will be dearly missed. She was very quiet, very humble. A quiet giant, I would say, because she meant a lot to this department and it tore our employees up.” A statement from the Jefferson Parish Sherriff’s Office added that the suspect was caught “within hours of the murder.” They said: “Our investigation has shown that the victim was an Uber driver providing a ride to Jacobs from a location in New Orleans to the hotel. “When the ride ended, Jacobs stabbed her repeatedly before leaving the vehicle.”

  Suspected thugs have set ablaze a campaign office of Mohammed Barde, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe state. The office was reportedly set on fire early Monday morning. Mahid Abubakar, police commissioner in Gombe, confirmed the attack, adding that investigations are underway. “You have seen the pictures; yes the attack happened and we will get full details before going public,” he said.   “We have started an investigation because the attack happened in the night and it is too early to give details now. “So just give me a little more time and we will get you the details.” In a statement denouncing the attack, Junaidu Abubakar, deputy director-general of media, Atiku/Barde campaign council, said several properties were destroyed, adding that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were to blame. “There was an attack on the building housing the Barde Campaign Organisation in the early hours of today by political thugs, suspected to be that of the sinking APC, setting ablaze the building and destroying properties,” the statement reads. “The cowardly attack on this edifice, one of many in the last months further affirmed the present government’s stand on violence and destruction, a threat to the fragile peace of the state, which must vehemently be rejected by all and sundry. “The PDP Governorship candidate, Alh Muhammad Jibrin Barde has on different occasions rejected violence and political thuggery, stressing the need to engage the resourceful Gombe youth in a meaningful pursuit. “The Good people of Gombe State are hereby prompted to reject this act of oppression on the ballot comes 2023. “The Barde Agenda rests on securing the lives and properties of the people, equal opportunities for the youth and women, rapid infrastructural development and providing a level playing ground for the opposition devoid of any undue oppression.”