Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau, says at least 150 people have been killed in Mangu LGA of the state in the last three weeks. Speaking on Friday in an interview with Channels Television, Mutfwang said four persons were murdered in the LGA on Thursday night. Over the past few months, some LGAs in Plateau have witnessed a spate of violent attacks, resulting in fatalities and displacement. In May, Solomon Maren, a member of the house of representatives from Plateau, said over 100 people were killed in two days during overnight attacks in his constituency — Mangu/Bokkos. TheCable had also reported how more than 30 persons were reportedly killed in an attack by gunmen in Bwoi, Mangu. The Plateau governor said 80 percent of the incidents are “pure genocide”, adding that over 30,000 people have been displaced. He said reports from the communities indicate that the perpetrators of the violent attacks are “foreign mercenaries”. “Last night, four people were killed in Mangu. Conservatively, I will put it that in the last three weeks, we have buried not less than 150 people in Mangu local government,” he said. “And as I am talking to you we have no less than 30,000 people scattered in various IDP camps that we are having to deal with now.” Commenting on his meeting with President Bola Tinubu, the Plateau governor said the president has the “political will” to deal with the security challenges in the state. “I had the privilege and honour to have a meeting with Mr President at very short notice. The meeting centred around the challenges of security in the Plateau and I found Mr President full of listening ears and determination to deal with the issues. I think it is going to be a welcome change,” he said.   “The response of Mr President is reassuring and his understanding of the problem was quite comforting. Certainly, Mr President is showing that he has a political will to deal with the issues.”

  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed a warehouse containing goods worth N1.9 billion in Idu, an outskirt of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that a member of the Federal Taskforce and Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, Bubuchiki Godiya, disclosed the development on Friday. Mr Godiya was said to have revealed that the agency received an allegation concerning feed avenue producing animal feeds. Tip off The official said the agency, on receipt of the allegation, sent its staff to the warehouse for confirmation. He added that the team was shocked by their findings on getting to the warehouse because it was discovered that goods were being manufactured there. According to him, the revelations show that most of the goods are expired. He said, “What we saw verified the allegation as the company had been carrying out funny activities at the warehouse. “In the manager’s office, we saw some pressing iron, sailing thread and several other items for re-bagging feeds.” Mr Godiya said on interrogation, the manager could not explain what the items were used for as he claimed the products were imported from France. He also said that aside from the discovery the goods had expired, some labels were also observed to have been removed and replaced with new ones. “We saw many newly printed labels in the manager’s office; the manager said he had no answers to questions he was asked, as some products he said were produced in Nigeria had no label or NAFDAC number. “We will investigate this and must get to the root of the matter. When you go to a place, and you see scaling machine, pressing iron, coding machine, one will understand that things are being manufactured there,” he said. The task force member disclosed that on inspection of the facility, the team discovered that the place was a warehouse and not even a factory for production. He said the team had sufficient evidence and that further regulatory action would be taken against the company. Company speaks Meanwhile, Mr Daniel Ajayi, the warehouse manager, claimed not to be aware of other activities, saying his responsibility is to sell poultry products. He claimed that the new empty bags and other things in the warehouse were to re-bag any damaged product. Another NAFDAC official speaks Umaru Suleiman, the Team Leader of the Federal Taskforce Investigation and Enforcement Unit, Kaduna, whose jurisdiction covers the entire North, including Abuja, said the warehouse had all it takes to repackage any product. Mr Suleiman explained that “the company buys expired products, re-bag them and sell to customers.” According to him, even if a product is registered, it should be evaluated immediately after it expires. He said: “Expired products should be quarantined in a particular place, so as not to contaminate others. “If it is imported from France as he claimed, there is what we call import permit for products like this, and it will be written on the labels.” NAN reports that the warehouse had been sealed and the manager arrested. NAN also reports that the warehouse has no notice board, and it is on the premises of a construction company.

  A suspected vandal, identified as Samuel Umenze, has been arrested for allegedly vandalising cables belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc. Umenze, a 100-level student of Agric Extension at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was arrested on the school premises by the institution’s security. He was allegedly caught with large quantities of peeled cables and equipment used for the crime. The Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Friday, said the incident happened on Tuesday. According to him, Umenze, while confessing to the crime, claimed he carried out the criminal act alone at night and sold his loot to a buyer in Onitsha, Anambra State. Ezeh confirmed that investigation was already ongoing to arrest the receiver of the items. In a related development, on Monday, at Oshituma, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, three vandal suspects identified as Fleke Kingsley, Egbo Friday, and Okefe Stanley, were also arrested by the community vigilantes. The suspects were arrested while in possession of three bags containing about six spans of aluminium conductors belonging to the EEDC. Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which EEDC facilities were being attacked by vandals and called on customers to remain vigilant and ensure the electricity installations serving them were not attacked by vandals. He said, “There is no day that passes without a report of a vandalised facility in our network. “This is inconveniencing our customers and making us deploy the scarce resources meant for other projects into the replacement of the vandalised items, and this is no longer sustainable. “We should all work together as stakeholders to checkmate this ugly trend.” Ezeh confirmed that the arrested vandals had been handed over to the police for detailed investigation and possible prosecution

  The Department of State Services has revealed that the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is now in its custody. This was made known in a statement via the agency’s Twitter handle on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The statement read, “The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is now in its custody for some investigative reasons. “The public, particularly the media, is enjoined to apply utmost caution in the reportage and narratives concerning this.” PUNCH reports that President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele from office with immediate effect on Friday night. Following his suspension, Emefiele was directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), Adebisi Shonubi who will act as the CBN governor pending the conclusion of the investigation and the reforms. Unconfirmed reports emerged late on Friday that operatives of the Department of State Services had arrested the suspended CBN governor. However, the spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunaya, has now confirmed that the suspended CBN governor is now in its custody.

  Saturday 10 June 2023 Tinubu suspends CBN Gov, Emefiele Ganduje: I would have slapped Kwankwaso if I met him in Aso Rock To crush oil thieves, you must step on toes, Niger Delta stakeholders tell Tinubu 10th NASS: LP disown two lawmakers-elect over comments on zoning Demolition: Tinubu shocked by Ganduje’s atrocities as governor — Kwankwaso Lagos anti-ethnic laws: More knocks on Obasa Mangu Attacks: 150 People Buried In Last Three Weeks – Plateau Gov Security Operatives Storm Matawalle’s Residence, Impound Vehicles Subsidy: Nigeria No Longer Father Christmas To Neighbouring Countries – Tinubu Obi Tenders More Evidence In Case Against Tinubu Keke Rider Killed In Rivers Over N200, Assailant On The Run We Don’t Envy You At This Time, Royal Fathers Tell Tinubu NUC Presents Licences To 37 New Universities Alia Orders Probe Of MDAs, Following IGR, IDP Crisis In Benue Subsidy: NLC, TUC ask court to vacate order restraining them from embarking on strike States, companies authorised to generate power as Tinubu signs electricity bill into law 70 Kidnapped In My Constituency – Niger Senator Flooding: Residents Seek Early Evacuation Plans Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  By Ibe Pascal President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, CFR, from office with immediate effect. This is sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy. This was disclosed in a statement signed by Willie Bassey, the Director, Information in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Mr Emefiele has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of investigation and the reforms. More to follow..

  AHEAD of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly June 13th, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark has asked the Senator- elect to ensure that they elect a Southern Christian as the President of the Senate. In an open letter addressed to the 109 Senators-elect Friday, the Leader of Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum, SMBLF said that it has become imperative for a Southern Christian in order to build bridges of unity that were left in tatters during the eight years rule of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Leader also lampooned the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai over his alleged claim that the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress that produced President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima was a deliberate move to ensure the dominance of the Islamic religion in the nation’s political governance space for the next 20 years. Recall that last week, a video of El-Rufai went viral in which he claimed that the APC was intentional about its Muslim-Muslim ticket which delivered the presidency to the ruling party. The Elderstatesman also enjoined those who argued that religious balance was very insignificant in the political configuration of the country not to forget what played out in 2014 during the Constitutional Conference. Clark’s letter read, “The tension over who occupies what position in the 10th Senate, is overheating our polity, and hurting the fragile peace and unity we are currently having in our beloved country. “It is time to heal our land, and in so doing, what I expect of the 10th Senate is to give the position of Senate President to a Christian Senator from the Southern part of the country. It is only fair, equitable and just, to do so. We have Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima as President and Vice President of the country, respectively. Both of them are Muslims. The Chief Justice of the Federation, Olukayode Ariwoola is a Muslim. “Making a Muslim the Senate President will be unacceptable to any discerning mind that thinks well of this country, as it will mean that the three arms of government are all headed by Muslims. It is also to be noted that the person tipped to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is equally a Muslim. “Senator Bola Tinubu was to be the running mate to Muhammadu Buhari on the the ticket of the APC. It was the same party leaders who objected to this arrangement on the grounds that a Muslim-Muslim ticket is not suitable for Nigeria. Sen Tinubu listened to the voice of reason and nominated Prof Yemi Osinbajo for the position of the Vice President. What has changed now?” Taking a swipe at El-Rufai, Clark described as “Insensitive, irresponsible, uncouth and arrogant statement credited to Nasir El-Rufai, on his plan to impose the Islamic religion on the country, lasting for the next 20 years.” He said, “It is unthinkable how someone who describes himself as a leader could utter such a statement, except to cause confusion, which is very obvious that he benefits from. “It is a shame and embarrassment that El-Rufai who has been in government since 1999 and has served with President Olusegun Obasanjo government, should commit such a seditious act that could incite violence and tear the country apart. “What else is a treasonable felony? What is the difference between the action of El-Rufai, and the offence that Nnamdi Kalu is accused of?, He called on the former Governor to get sufficient education on Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended) to understand the secularity of the Nigerian State. Clark said, El-Rufai is hereby reminded of Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Prohibition of State Religion, which says “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.” He should also be reminded that it is because of the fact that Nigeria is a secular State, with ethnic diversity that the Federal Character principle is enshrined in our laws, for equity, justice and inclusivity. “Once again, I appeal to the 10th Senate that as they chose their leaders, to be directed by true sense of reasoning. The position should be given to a Christian southerner. “I appeal to the northerners to look into their stand again. The Muslims need the Christians and the Christians need the Muslims. No one group should think that they can do it alone.”

  President Bola Tinubu has justified the removal of fuel subsidy, saying that the country cannot continue feeding smugglers and acting as Father Christmas to neighbouring countries. He said this at an interactive session with the Royal Fathers under the aegis of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) at the Aso Villa on Friday, according to a statement by State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye. The President informed them of the decision to remove fuel subsidy, improve security, create jobs, and sustain the environment as well as the forthcoming election of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly. ‘‘I am grateful that you are paying attention to what I have been doing. You have paid attention to the subsidy removal. Why should we in good heart and sense, feed smugglers and be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries, even though they say not every day is Christmas? ‘‘The elephant that was going to bring Nigeria to its knees is the subsidy. A country that cannot pay salaries and we say we have the potential to encourage ourselves. I think we did the right thing,’’ he sa Various speakers at the meeting expressed support for the subsidy removal, with the President appealing to the traditional leaders to persuade Nigerians to have faith and that the pump prices of fuel will eventually come down. While acknowledging concerns about the need for critical infrastructure in different parts of the country, President Tinubu pledged that any roadblock in the way of the progress of the Nigerian people would be removed by his government. ‘‘The lamentations about the capital projects, where is the money going to come from if we don’t protect our resources and our boundaries? ‘‘You cannot have development without capital projects,’’ he added. On the leadership of the National Assembly, the President urged the royal fathers to counsel their subjects interested in elective positions on the need to manage their ambitions and create harmony within the legislative house. President Tinubu declared that he is ready to work with any elected representative from the National Assembly, stressing that the Nigeria project is of paramount importance to him. ‘‘Nigeria must survive. Nigeria must develop. Nigeria must make progress,’’ he said. On security, the President reiterated his pledge to Nigerians to prioritise the sector until every Nigerian “goes to sleep with their two eyes closed.’’ He emphasized that the unity and togetherness of the country cannot be compromised, saying that every region of the country would get what it is due. ‘‘We are going to tackle youth unemployment. It is only when we have prosperity for the country that we can create jobs that will employ our youths,” the former Lagos State governor said.