A high court in Benin, Edo state has dismissed the notice of suspension issued against Julius Abure, embattled national chairman of the Labour Party (LP). Some members of the Edo chapter of the party had in March announced the suspension of Abure as the chairman. Consequently, Abure and some executives of LP in Uromi Ward 3, Esan north-east LGA of Edo filed a suit to challenge the suspension. On Friday, judgment was delivered in the suit marked HUC/21/2023. Emmanuel Aihamoje, the presiding judge, held that the executives in Uromi Ward 3 lack the power under the Labour Party constitution, particularly Acts 13 & 17, and the Electoral Act 2022 as amended to remove Abure as national chairman. The judge went ahead to impose a perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants from removing or suspending Abure as the chairman until a national convention of the party is convened. Meanwhile, there is a subsisting order of a federal capital territory (FCT) high court suspending Abure and three other national executives over allegations of forgery.   However, the ruling has been appealed by the affected parties.

  A four-man armed robbery gang on Friday afternoon ‘successfully’ escaped with a whopping sum of $11 million at the Oke-Sokori of Abeokuta, in Abeokuta North local government area of Ogun State. The four-man robbery gang, all clad in black T-shirts and jean trousers, wore black facemasks, and brandished riffles in an operation that lasted about 3 minutes. The suspects, however, escaped the scene with their targeted money, stacked in two ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bags, after demobilizing the car of their victim, a Hausa trader, who rode the area in a Toyota Venza salon car, marked, (ABUJA) ABC 565 GN. An eyewitness, who was at the robbery scene, observed that the robbery suspects, who operated in a tinted Toyota Camry ‘Muscle’, had at around 4: 35p.m on Friday afternoon, intercepted their victim right in front of the FATGBEMS Petroleum Filling Station at Oke – Sokori, where they forcefully halted the victim’s Toyota Venza car and forced the car’s boot open. After gaining entry into his car, the suspects thereafter offloaded the two bags containing the foreign currency into their car and also zoomed off with the victim’s car key before security operatives arrived. Narrating his ordeal to the two police patrol teams that later arrived at the scene about 30 minutes after the robbery incident, the victim, said he was returning to his base after an unsuccessful banking attempt where he had gone to deposit the foreign currency. In his narration, the Abeokuta-based Hausa trader told the police patrol team that he had earlier approached the Oke-Ilewo branch of a new generation bank for the purpose of depositing the money, but was turned back on the premise that the banking hours had lapsed. But while returning to his base, the robbers struck and the trader fell victim. Confirming the incident, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, said operatives of the command were already on the trail of the criminals. “It is quite unfortunate that the suspects had escaped the scene before our operatives arrived at the scene. But I want to assure you that we will definitely get them and bring them to justice. “The command had immediately upon receipt of information about the incident, sent a signal across the state to ensure that the suspects are tracked down. All our technical units have been activated and for sure, we will get them”. “I want to use this medium to assure the good people of Ogun State that they should not panic, saying that there is no course for alarm. They should remain calm, and go about their normal and routine businesses because our men will surely track down the suspects”.

  Senator Smart Adeyemi has urged President-elect Bola Tinubu to question the Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and those involved in the naira redesigning The lawmaker representing Kogi West based his argument on the agony the heavily-criticised process caused Nigerians. “I will call on Emefiele and others to come and explain what happened and what was the reason behind the redesigning of the naira notes,” he said on Friday when asked what he would do about the naira redesign policy if he were in Tinubu’s shoes. The senator who was a guest on Friday’s edition of Channels Television Politics Today lamented the anarchy which was setting in during the shortage of redesigned naira notes. “People died in that period, and people developed strokes because they couldn’t have access to their money. And because you and I survived, we should not care about those who died for what was not their making?   “Some people were forced to die due to the situation at that time, that policy killed some people innocently,” he argued. According to him, the judiciary’s proactiveness saved Nigeria from chaos, claiming that the naira redesign was a calculated attempt to frustrate Tinubu’s presidential ambition. “Tinubu should not forget this. Because the calculated attempt then was to stop the APC from winning. Now that we have won, in order not to allow a recurrence, we were told that they have redesigned the naira, but where are the new notes that have been redesigned? “Gradually they are off circulation. We were told by those who planned the redesigning of the naira notes that in two weeks at that time, there would be enough new naira design notes that would circulate, “But months after the judgment of the Supreme Court, up till now, the so-called redesigned notes are disappearing,” he lamented. He, however, said Nigerians should expect a new country when Tinubu’s presidency takes off on Monday, May 29th.

  A former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke has sued the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged libel. She is demanding N100bn to be paid to her in damages, according to a writ of summons filed on her behalf at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by her team of lawyers led by Mike Ozekhome (SAN). A copy of it seen by Channels Television on Friday night directed the “Defendants jointly and severally to pay to the Claimant the sum of N100,000,000,000.00 (100 billion naira) only as damages for the false, injurious, malicious and libelous publications against the Claimant in the 1st Defendant’s publishing platform, and at the instance of both the 1st and the 2nd Defendants”. In the writ of summons dated May 26, 2023, the former minister is also demanding that the EFCC and AGF apologise to her in three national dailies over what she described as “the false, injurious, malicious and libelous publications” against her since she left Nigeria in 2015. Both EFCC and the AGF were given 14 days from the service of the summons to enter their defence.

  The governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, says he will shift attention to the incoming government of Bola Tinubu if his appeal for the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is not granted by President Muhammadu Buhari.   Soludo has repeatedly appealed to President Buhari to release Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his arrest in July 2021, with his latest appeal coming in a letter to the President dated April 20, 2023. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Governor Soludo said the call for Kanu’s release is a cause he believes in, adding that his latest letter was also copied to the President-elect.   “This is a cause that one believes in. Consistently I am an advocate of the rule of law and justice for all and therefore if you look at that letter, that letter is copied to the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I want to also believe that a copy has been delivered to his office as it were. “The Attorney General is also copied in this letter and if President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration fails to take advantage of this opportunity to really rise above every other thing and be a statesman as it were, if the president fails to take advantage of that, we will be pursuing the same thing with the incoming administration,” Soludo said. Asked what his interest in seeking Kanu’s release is, the governor said it is about long-term sustainable peace and security as well as the development of the South-East region. He also lamented the sit-at-home being observed in the South-East every Monday, which he claimed Kanu’s supporters introduced as a way to press for his release. According to the governor, the zone has lost a humongous amount in economic terms due to the persistent sit-at-home. He also regretted that every criminal gang in the bush now claims to be either freedom fighters or supporters of Nnamdi Kanu, adding that there is a need for the IPOB leader to come out of detention and “separate the substance from the chaff”. Soludo believes if Kanu is out, he will be able to tell who his real people are and rein in them and the criminals will be isolated.

  The University of Abuja on Saturday confirmed the suspension of two yet-to-be named students from the institution. The school’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Habib Yakoob who spoke in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Friday evening, noted that the two students wrote inciteful messages capable of disrupting the peace and tranquillity of the institution. The write up, according to findings by our correspondent, came after the management of the school announced the decision to increase school fees. Our correspondent learnt that the two students issued a statement calling for protest and signed the statement on behalf of both the President and General Secretary of the Students’ Union Government. Explaining further, Dr. Yakoob noted that the students committed fraud by impersonating the SUG executives and added that investigations were ongoing. Yakoob narrated: “Two students were suspected to have issued and circulated a write-up purportedly in the name of the SUG President and Speaker (who has disowned the write-up promptly). This is impersonation/ forgery. “The content of the said write-up was quite inciteful and capable of upsetting the peace and tranquil environment that the University has been known for. Preliminary investigations implicated the two, hence the decision to suspend them pending the full determination of the matter. “Please note that they weren’t suspended because they complained about increment of fees. Thank you,” the Director of Public Affairs emphasised.

  Saturday 27 May 2023 Nigeria Air plans flights, airlines vow to stop carrier Tuition hike: UniAbuja clarifies suspension of two students Diezani Sues EFCC, AGF, Demands N100bn In Damages For Alleged Libel Naira Redesign: Tinubu Should Question Emefiele And Others, Says Senator Smart We Made Things Better Than They Were – Fashola If Buhari Fails To Release Nnamdi Kanu, I Will Appeal To Tinubu – Soludo FG Declares Monday Work-Free Day For Tinubu’s Inauguration When Tinubu Said ‘Emi Lokan’, God Accepted It – JAMB Registrar Oloyede Give Elected Leaders Needed Cooperation, SGF Urges Nigerians Shettima Warns Beginning Of Tinubu Administration ‘Might Not Be Rosy’ Court Orders Litigants, Lawyer To Pay Tinubu, APC N17m Fine In Suit To Stop Inauguration Buhari Receives Declaration Of Assets Form From Code Of Conduct Bureau Pope Francis Has Fever, Clears Schedule –  Vatican 15 Mourners Taking Body For Burial Die In Cameroon Road Accident Russia Strikes Ukraine Clinic, Blames Kyiv For Border Attacks Jagaban O’clock: Bold Steps Tinubu must take to rescue Nigeria Armed robbers escape with $11 million in Ogun I’ve run good race to finish my course – Buhari Gunmen kidnap another Catholic Priest in Imo Court voids Abure’s suspension, affirms him as LP chairman Children Set Agenda For Tinubu Ahead Of Inauguration Wike Urges FG To Increase Funding For Police Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  Gunmen Friday evening kidnapped another Catholic priest in Imo State, Rev Fr Mathias Opara. The priest was kidnapped alongside three other occupants of his car. Opara’s abduction came barely one week a priest in charge of Christ the King Catholic Church at Ezinachi/Ugwuago parish of the Catholic Diocese of Okigwe, Rev. Fr. Jude Maduka was kidnapped on Friday evening at his adoration site. Also, the incident came less than 24 hours after the gruesome murders of a traditional ruler of Orsu Obodo community in Oguta local government area and a traditional prime minister of Mgbele community in the same area. It was gathered that the priest in today’s incident was kidnapped along Ejemekwuru- Ogbaku Road housing Oguta and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas of Imo State. An eyewitness told our correspondent that the priest popularly known as Owu Ujo was double crossed while driving back to Owerri, the state capital after the burial rites of the father of one of his colleagues at Izombe community in the Oguta LGA. The victim, the source told of correspondent is in charge of Man of Order and Discipline of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri. The source said ”Rev. Fr. Mathias Opara popularly known as Owu Ujo has just been kidnapped along Ejemekwuru/Ogbaku Road. He was kidnapped alongside others he was in the same vehicle with. “The incident happened right before us. We were also coming back to Owerri from the funeral rites of the father of another Catholic priest at Izombe in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.” When contacted, the Director of Public Communications of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Rev Fr Raymond Ogu confirmed the Kidnap of the priest.

  A plane belonging to Nigeria Air, the proposed national carrier, has landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja. Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, disclosed this in a tweet on Friday. More to follow…