A 33-year-old woman, Olaide Adekunle, has reportedly sold her 18-month-old baby for N600,000 to offset her bank loan. The suspect, who lives in Sango in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, reportedly left her house for Lagos where she sold the baby to a yet-to-be-identified buyer. The suspect was arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command following a complaint lodged at Sango divisional headquarters by the woman’s husband, Nureni Rasaq. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. The PPRO added that the husband reported that his wife left home for Lagos on March 15, 2023 with their baby girl, Moridiat Rasaq, but returned home without the baby. According to Oyeyemi, the husband stated further that all efforts to know what happened to the baby proved abortive as the woman was unable to give any reasonable account of the whereabouts of the said baby. He said, “Upon the report, the DPO Sango division, CSP Dahiru Saleh, detailed his detectives to go after the said woman, and she was promptly arrested. “On interrogation, the suspect confessed that she had sold the baby to someone in Lagos at the rate of N600,000. “When asked the reason for her action, she stated that she borrowed money from a microfinance bank, and when she was unable to pay back the money, the bank agents started dragging her and threatened to deal decisively with her. “It was consequent upon this that she ran to Lagos and started hawking sachet water. “It was while hawking that she met a man who introduced her to the woman that eventually bought the child in Lagos.” The PPRO, however, said the acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Babakura Muhammed, had directed that the suspect be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible recovery of the baby.

  The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Adamawa State, Barr Hudu Yunusa Ari, to stay away from its premises until further notice. Mr Yunusa Ari who was the REC for the gubernatorial election in Adamawa State, stirred controversy on Sunday morning when he announced Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the polls, a move that was not within his constitutionally given authority. Asides from the announcement being an usurpation of the Returning Officer’s office, Barr Ari doubly-erred in that he announced the results of an election whose collation process had not been concluded, and this caused tension within the state, and stirred great debate across the nation, with observers calling what transpired in Adamawa State, a shame. In a letter sighed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony Secretary to the Commission, the Adamawa REC was directed to handover to the administrative secretary of the commission in the state “I hereby convey the Commission’s decision that you (Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari), Resident Electoral Commissioner, Adamawa State should stay away from the Commission’s office in Adamawa State immediately until further notice. “The Administrative Secretary has been directed to take full charge of INEC, Adamawa State with immediate effect. “Please, accept the assurances of the Commission’s warm.”

  Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that the victory of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi in Lagos State during the February 25, 2023 poll surprised the All Progressives Congress (APC). The former Lagos State governor, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said the Labour Party turned its voters on in Lagos and decimated the chances of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The strong ally of the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu also said his party, the APC conducted pre-election internal polls but never released it, describing polls that predicted victory for Obi and Atiku as “badly conducted”. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who headed the Election Planning Directorate of the Tinubu-Shettima campaign, said his party knew states where it had high chances of winning and had concentrated its energy in those states. However, Fashola said his party was blindsided in some cases. “In some cases, you get blindsided. We were blindsided in Lagos because the opposition turned out their voters there,” he said. “And you also saw that a party that has been competitive for 24 years, the umbrella party, suddenly disappeared. It showed that their support base has shifted.”   Asked whether LP’s victory in Lagos at the presidential poll surprised the APC, he said, “Yeah, blindsided us, without a doubt. They turned out their voters and in the subsequent gubernatorial election, we turned out our voters.” At the February 25 poll, Obi polled 582,454 votes to trounce Tinub, also a former Lagos State governor who scored 572,606 votes. However, Tinubu won the highest total votes in the election and was declared winner by the electoral umpire. Tinubu won in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states, and secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — former Vice President Atiku, who got 6,984,520 votes, while Obi polled 6,101,533. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, won the polls in 11 states, including the home state of the APC candidate — Lagos. He also came out tops in the nation’s capital Abuja. Abubakar, like Tinubu, was victorious in 12 states.   Former Kano State Governor and candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, finished fourth, claiming victory in his state — Kano. He secured 1,496,687 votes. Though the LP won during the presidential election, the party’s candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour lost to APC’s Babajide Sanwo-Olu who secured a reelection in the March 18 governorship poll. Sanwo-Olu polled a total of 762,134 votes, defeating Rhodes-Vivour, who scored 312,329 votes, followed by PDP’s Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor with 62,449 votes. Atiku and Obi have approached the court to challenge Tinubu’s victory ahead of his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

  Many natives and residents of Ndele Community in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State have fled their village over fears of reprisal attacks from operatives of the Nigerian Army. It was gathered that trouble started when two soldiers were allegedly attacked and disarmed by some members of a local vigilante group in the local government, with their rifles reportedly taken away on Saturday night. The soldiers, who were deployed to guard crude oil pipeline installations in the area, are believed to have had an altercation with some of the vigilante members in the community. Residents reported hearing gunshots, even as they said the soldiers’ uniforms were also carted away along with their rifles. It is not yet clear if any of the individuals involved in the altercation sustained any gunshot injuries. However, when contacted, the local government chairman, Chidi Lloyd confirmed the incident in a telephone call with Channels Television. He said, “Yes, I am aware that soldiers have laid siege to Ndele community. When I investigated further, I was told that there is a notorious criminal there who disarmed two soldiers and took their rifles. When you disarm a Nigerian soldier you must expect collateral damage.” When asked if there were any casualties, he said, “I am not aware, I am still investigating.” All efforts to reach the Deputy Director of Information of the 6 Division Nigerian Army proved abortive as he neither answered multiple calls nor replied his messages. When contacted, the Commander General of the state vigilante group – better known as OSPAC – Kingsley Ogwumike said the people who attacked the soldiers weren’t OSPAC members but people operating on their own. He said, “There is no OSPAC operative that is normal who will see a soldier and attack him let alone taking his gun. They are not our members and we will make sure we assist the military in apprehending them. “I’m appealing to the Army to please reduce the collateral damage so it doesn’t affect innocent OSPAC members and natives of the community.”

  Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, tasked President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure the trial and conviction of 400 Bureau de Change operators, identified for terrorism financing and the six Owo church attackers, before he leaves office on May 29, 2023. The group also asked the Federal Government to arrest the Chinese miners in Zamfara, who were allegedly funding the armed Fulani terrorists in Zamfara State, and ensure they are prosecuted and punished for waging war against Nigeria through sponsorship of terrorism. The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, reminded the President that delayed justice is no justice at all, and it is a mockery of his mantra to fight terrorism and banditry, which he used as part of his manifesto to campaign for office in May 2015. “Buhari should prove his critics wrong that he pampers Fulani terrorists and is reluctant to prosecute the few arrested ones in the custody of security agents. The President should prove his detractors wrong by doing the needful, which is swift trial of arrested terrorists and their conviction. “We demand clarity on what has happened to the 400 suspected sponsors and funders of terrorism in the North-East who were numerically listed but their names not disclosed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. “It is over two years since they have been announced but why the secrecy in disclosing their names and why is their prosecution shrouded in secrecy or not commenced at all when other nations are committed to using the legal mechanisms to stamp out terrorists funders? “For instance, a French court on Friday convicted 11 alleged members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party on charges of terror financing for its campaign to seek autonomy for the minority in Turkey’s South-East. “Even those arrested in connection with the Capitol riot have been charged for their roles in the riot as about 350 individuals have been sentenced and 192 have been incarcerated. “Also, the United Arab Emirates convicted Nigerians who were terror financiers about two years ago, but the Nigerian government is failing to do the basic duty of government, which is to enforce the counter terrorism law to deal with those, who have provided resources used by these genocidal killers to bomb civilians targets, and churches. “Although about a year ago, the Nigerian military said it has arrested about six assailants that carried out the attack on St Francis Xavier Church, Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022, none of the suspects have been prosecuted in the attack, which left over 40 worshippers dead, while scores of others sustained different injuries. “The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, named the arrested suspects as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa, Auwal Ishaq Onimisi, Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris. “We place a demand on the conscience of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the prosecution and the conviction of these six Owo suspects and the 400 terrorism financiers before he leaves office on May 29, 2023.”

Monday 17 April 2023 Binani declaration: Adamawa REC under fire, faces INEC panel today APC gets 60 seats, PDP 32 in 10th Senate Melaye wins Kogi PDP gov ticket, LP names candidate Why global value chain is important for job creation – Okonjo-Iweala Borrowing: OPS rejects IMF’s tax increase call NDLEA arrests pregnant woman, cripple in Edo with assorted illicit drugs Obi’s Victory In Lagos Surprised APC, Says Fashola Death Toll In Kaduna Bandit Attack Hits 33, Victims Given Mass Burial INEC Declares APC’s Idris Winner Of Kebbi Governorship Election Confusion In Rivers LG As Soldiers Besiege Community Over Attack On Personnel IPMAN warns of circulation of adulterated diesel in south-east INEC declares APC’s Idris Nasiru winner of Kebbi guber poll Police arrest 20-year-old lady with drug, recover firearm, live cartridges Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The death toll from Saturday’s bandit attack at Runji Village in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State has risen to 33. This was disclosed by the Chairman of the local government, Francis Sani. He said that over 40 houses were burnt down by the attackers while seven persons sustained varying degrees of injuries and are presently receiving treatment at the hospital. Meanwhile, the 33 victims of the attack have been given a mass burial amidst tears by relatives and members of the community who gathered to witness the funeral service. The residents call on the security agencies and the government to urgently stop the lingering insecurity in the southern part of Kaduna before they are completely wiped out.

  As the current administration gradually winds down on May 29, President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to declare his assets. In a statement on Sunday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) wants Buhari to encourage his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and other top government officials to follow suit. SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare said the President should use his “leadership position and role as the African Union Anti-Corruption Champion to widely publish your asset declaration form as you conclude your term of office in May 2023 and to leave a legacy of transparency.” The group called on the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and high-ranking officials of the next administration to also promptly publish their assets to date. “Publishing your asset declaration form and encouraging other public officials and officials of the next administration to do so would enable Nigerians to scrutinize the assets and worth of public officials before taking office and at the end of their term of office,” the statement read. “Those who voluntarily seek or occupy public offices and are catered for by the public have certain fiduciary duties to be open, transparent, and accountable to Nigerians regarding the details of their asset declaration forms. “Because asset declaration forms are public documents, public officials cannot claim that publishing their assets would violate their privacy rights. There is an overriding public interest in the disclosure of information on the assets of public officers who clearly are trustees of Nigeria’s wealth and resources. “SERAP urges you to emulate a good example of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who consistently published his asset declaration forms as president and governor of Katsina State. “He also planned legislative reform to make it mandatory for all public officers to declare their assets publicly. He believed that publishing his assets would put pressure on other public officers to do so.”

  The Independent National Electoral Commission has invited the Adamawa Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barrister Hudu Yunusa, over the declaration of the election held Saturday. The commission disclosed this on Sunday via its Twitter handle. It noted that the process has clearly not been concluded before he made the announcement. “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a purported declaration of winner in the Adamawa Governorship election by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) even when the process has clearly not been concluded. “The action of the REC is a usurpation of the power of the Returning Officer. It is null, void and of no effect. Consequently, the collation of results of the supplementary election is hereby suspended. “The REC, Returning Officer and all involved are hereby invited to the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja immediately. Detailed statement to follow shortly.”