Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of the Southeast apex socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has accused Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi of funding terrorism in the Southeast region. 

The Council advised Governor Umahi to desist from sponsoring terrorism in the region.

The Council made the accusation in reaction to Umahi’s allegations against the national president of OYC, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka and that of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor. 

Governor Umahi’s Aide, Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi, had on May 10 described Igboayaka’s opposition against the governor as an outpouring of anger over Umahi's refusal to grant the OYC National President’s financial request.

According to Nwebonyi, Igboayaka had approached Umahi for funds to mobilise Igbo youths and also reach out to youths in other zones in Nigeria to support the governor’s presidential bid. 

"Igboayaka's imagined allegations against Umahi are obviously a result of his failure to scam Umahi. He became livid with anger when Governor Umahi who claimed he had no money to mobilise youths across the country through him, bought APC N100m nomination and interest forms. The allegations of insecurity against Umahi by Igboayaka is just concocted to curry attention and nothing more, as insecurity has become an issue of concern in the South East," OYC quoted Nwebonyi as saying.

But reacting to Nwebonyi’s allegations in a press statement made available to journalists, the OYC National President denied ever making such a request from the governor, saying he had never in his life had any physical contact with Governor Umahi let alone made any financial demand from him.

Igboayaka challenged Nwebonyi to present evidence of the Council’s fund request from Umahi.

"I have never met Governor David Umahi before, and neither have I ever engaged in any formal nor informal conversation or meeting pertaining to Governor Umahi's presidential ambition. Therefore, I challenge Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi to present to the general public the said letter of funding by Ohanaeze Youth Council.”

Igboayaka stated that he only had a chat with Umahi on the rising insecurity in the Southeast but the governor’s reply convinced him that he (Umahi) was playing a role in the security challenge in the region.

"I recall that I only chatted with Governor Umahi about insecurity in the Southeast which he bluffed me. I still have his reply with me, and his reply to me convinced me that Umahi has a role in insecurity in Southeast," Igboayaka stated.

The Youth Council President stated that Umahi and his political cohorts in Imo State failed woefully to use insecurity as a tool to undermine the administration of Senator Hope Uzodinma. 

"This is a result of Governor Umahi's perception that Senator Hope Uzodinma might vie for President in 2023.”

He said, "Governor Umahi and his political vampires in Imo had plotted to use his 'Militant Killers Boys' to run Imo State down, but he couldn't succeed. It's obvious that with the primitivism of some Ebonyian youths whom he kept jobless, it's very easy to mobilise them to take up arms as a means of survival. This monster he created will consume him.”

Igboayaka alleged that Governor Umahi's desperation for presidency prompted him to send billions of money to Borno State and therefore called on Ebonyians to demand that the governor returns billions of naira he sent to Borno.

"It's obvious that Governor Umahi's outburst towards Prof. George Obiozor on Channels TV, stating that Prof. George Obiozor is slow on the release of Nnamdi Kanu is a deliberate attempt to incite Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) against the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and to use the medium to send his 'Militant Killer Boys' to raze down the remaining part of Prof. Obiozor's house, all to finish his evil enterprise in order to blackmail IPOB before the general public.

"Governor David Umahi is a desperate wicked politician, if not, such a man can't come in public to make a caricature of Prof. Obiozor over such a sensitive matter," he stated.

He further described Umahi as an 'inhumane fellow', saying that "Umahi's alleged involvement in Effium and Ezza community war alongside his 'Militants Killer Boys' has left many youths in that area dead. I challenge people to go to Effium and Ezza to make private findings so as to ascertain if I am lying.”

He revealed that in their confidential findings, “Governor Umahi has seen that he can't be trusted with Nigeria's number one position, therefore, he is now wasting the state fund of Ndi-Ebonyi to lobby for vice president." 

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Former senator and public commentator, Shehu Sani, has lamented the outrageous costs of party nomination forms ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had fixed the cost of nomination forms for president at N100million, governorship at N50million, Senate at N20million, House of Representatives at N10million and state assembly at N2million.

The leading opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) also pegged N40million as the cost for presidential nomination forms, N21million for governorship, N3.5million for senate, N2.5million for the House of Representatives and N1.5million for the state House of Assembly.

While the two main parties introduced concessions for women and a 50% discount for young aspirants, aspirants are still subject to paying other high sundry fees for administrative costs and state secretariat fees before nomination forms are submitted for processing.

The development has continued to elicit intense outrage from many Nigerians, who argued such would affect the electoral process and governance negatively.

On his Twitter page on Wednesday, Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly, said the cost of nomination form would escalate kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria.

He wrote, "The outrageous cost of party nomination forms will encourage and escalate kidnappings for ransom in Nigeria."

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Monkey Pox

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that 15 cases of Monkeypox have been confirmed in seven states between January 1 and April 30, 2022.

The confirmed cases were from the 46 speculated cases recorded during the period, with Lagos and Adamawa states being regarded as states with the highest figures having three each.

Monkey Pox Discovery Magazine

This announcement was made after the United Kingdom Health Security Agency declared that a traveller from Nigeria was confirmed to have monkeypox.

According to the NCDC, it was stated that no death casualty has been caused by the disease in 2022.

The health agency promised to conduct active case searches in facilities and communities that have been reporting positive cases in the country.

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Kingsley Moghalu

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Kingsley Moghalu has come under heavy attack over a social media comment on Twitter.
Moghalu, a former presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in the 2019 general elections, had on Wednesday morning tweeted @MoghaluKingsley thus: "In politics, beware when momentum builds too early for a candidate. It’s often short-lived. Winning momentum builds gradually but surely, and often comes from behind to win."

Kingsley Moghalu

The tweet which was posted at 10:34am and had already 49 retweets; 150 likes and quote tweets with comments from Nigerians and other users claiming that Moghalu was referring to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Peter Obi.
 

In politics, beware when momentum builds too early for a candidate. It’s often short-lived. Winning momentum builds gradually but surely, and often comes from behind to win.

— Kingsley Moghalu (@MoghaluKingsley) May 11, 2022
Twitter users who reacted to the tweet shortly after the tweet warned Prof Moghalu to focus on his own campaign rather than attacking other candidates.
Some of the commentators claimed that the tweet was targeted at the former governor of Anambra State, who among the aspirants for the number one citizen of Nigeria, had garnered support from across the country.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.

The Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohamed, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Federal Executive Council meeting.

He said that the directive excludes the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because he is an elected member of the cabinet.

The Ministers of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba; Labour and Productivity, Chris Nigige; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva have declared their intent to run for president.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, had also declared interested in governorship position in his home state of Kebbi.

More details later.

 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

A blast believed to be a bomb explosion has been heard in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

The explosion was said to have affected the headquarters of Six Brigade, Nigerian Army located in the state on Tuesday night in the backyard of the building but no life was lost.

File photo used to illustrate story.

According to Channels TV, the army has so far barricaded the roads leading to and fro the axis of the Six Brigade to prevent any further hazards to their lives.

As of the time of filing this report, the Brigade commander has yet to comment on what had transpired.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that he has no plans to extend his tenure and he will be handing over by May 29, 2023.

This was in response to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Robert Clarke’s recent remarks, where he demanded that Buhari should elongate his stay in office by six months.

The Presidency, through Garba Shehu, spokesperson to the President, noted that Clarke, may be sincere in his wish, but Buhari “will step down on May 29th, 2023, after serving two terms – as per the constitution.”

The presidency said that Buhari, having taken over from an incumbent government in 2015, was committed to extending and entrenching democratic values across the country.

Shehu said, “In response to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria’s recent remarks, the Presidency wishes to state as follows:

“Chief Robert Clarke, a very well respected elder may be sincere in his wish for the President to extend his term by six months. We wish to categorically restate that the President will step down on May 29th, 2023, after serving two terms – as per the constitution.

“Having been the first recipient of a democratic transfer of power from an incumbent administration to an opposition candidate in Nigerian history, the President is committed to extending and entrenching democratic values across the country. He shall, in turn, hand the privilege of serving the people of Nigeria to whomever they choose through free, fair and credible elections.

“However, Chief Clarke is right to say that without security, Nigeria would not likely realize its true potential as a peaceful and prosperous nation. That is why it has been at the core of this administration. The results are there for all to see. Boko Haram terrorists have been forced back from controlling whole swathes of this country. Internally Displaced Persons are now returning to rebuild their communities. This achievement has been accomplished through the bravery and determination of the Nigerian armed forces and the fortitude of the people of our nation.

“New challenges have arisen and tackled in turn – whether it’s the National Livestock Transformation Plan to alleviate herder-farmer clashes, the elimination of the leadership of ISWAP, or new efforts to combat banditry. Till the last day of the administration, the security of the citizens shall remain the administration’s paramount concern. We shall finish the job. Yet, in any case, respect for the constitution and Nigerians’ democratic rights remains the best path to securing and then maintaining peace.

“Yet there are others, such as Chief Afe Babalola, (SAN) that believe elections should be suspended, with the current elected government replaced by an interim unelected administration. This, he claims, is necessary to create a new constitution for the people, made possible, paradoxically, by ignoring their democratic rights. Down that path lies crisis and instability.

“Instead, this administration proposes something entirely simpler: honouring the constitution and people’s right to decide.”

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A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a presidential aspirant, Ayoola Falola, has sued his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to yield his petition to either reduce the presidential nomination form or make it free for aspirants.

The petitioner filed the suit, with suit number FHC/IB/CS/67/2022, on the 5th of May, in the Federal High Court Ibadan, through his counsel, Oluwadamilare Awokoya Esq.

In the suit, whose preliminary hearing will be this Thursday, Falola prayed the court to compel his party and INEC to yield to his petition or nullify the outcome of the party’s presidential primary election if they fail to yield to his petition.

According to the suit, the petitioner claimed that the defendants lack the power to issue conditions or guidelines requesting for the payment of nomination forms and expression of interest forms from the claimants or any other member aspiring to contest for a public office in the upcoming general election of 2023 in Nigeria under the platform of the first defendant in addition to those provided under Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177, 187, 224 and 15(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

According to the petition, the petitioner claimed he has all the necessary qualifications to run for the office of the president of Nigeria in 2023 as required by the constitution of the country.

The petition reads in part that the fee for the expression of interest form of the PDP for the Office of the President is the sum of N5,000,000 and the fee for nomination form is the sum of N35,000,000.

The petition says the fees for the nomination form and expression of interest form have thwarted the continued consummation of the claimant’s aspiration to run for the office of the president of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It also says the imposition of fees for nomination forms and expression of interest forms by the PDP is an attempt to disenfranchise the petitioner.

The petition also states that the petitioner wrote a letter to his party and its National Chairman dated 25th March 2022 to notify them of his reservation and petition as regards the nomination fees but he has not received any response from them.

The petition prays the court to direct INEC not to recognise the PDP candidate who would emerge in the coming presidential primaries or to exclude or remove the name of any candidate that emerges from the presidential primaries and any other primaries conducted by the first defendant and second defendant for failure to comply with the provisions of Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act to wit: a collection of monies for nomination forms and expression of Interest forms from members aspiring to contest in the party’s primaries.

“The available option I have is to approach this court with the filing of this suit. Court has the power to grant all the reliefs sought in the originating summons,” the petition says.

“It is in the interest of justice to grant the reliefs sought in the originating summons.”

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Farooq Kperogi

United States-based Nigerian social critic, Prof Farooq Kperogi, has faulted the presidential ambition of Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.

Lawan had on Monday joined the presidential race ahead of the All Progressives Congress primary election.

Farooq Kperogi

The development comes despite the fact that he is also said to be seeking re-election as the senator representing Yobe East at the National Assembly.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Kperogi argued that Lawan's presidential ambition is a threat to the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He wrote, "Senate President Ahmed Lawan’s last-minute entry into the APC presidential primary contest is shaping up to be the first real crucible of the independence and credibility of INEC.

"Yesterday, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), which comprises the 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, reportedly requested INEC to extend, by 37 days, its June 3 deadline for political parties to turn in their nominees for the 2023 election.

"Anyone who is paying attention would know that this move was in all likelihood sponsored by the leadership of the APC, which has dragged Ahmad Lawan to run for the APC presidential ticket in anticipation of the emergence of a northerner as PDP’s candidate.

"Ahmad is still in the running for reelection as a Senator for Yobe East. He's number 4 on the list (of aspirants). IPAC’s request for an extension of the deadline for political parties to submit the names of their candidates to INEC for the general election is curiously coterminous with Lawan’s emergency amendment of the Electoral Act to legalise his eleventh-hour entry into the presidential race – and to reshape the APC primary contest.

"Any extension is calculated to buy him time to send the amendment to the House of Representatives and to Buhari for his assent.

"The amendment to the Electoral Act allows 'for the participation of what is generally known as ‘statutory delegates’ in the conventions, congresses, or meetings of political parties.' Statutory delegates are 'the President, Vice President, Members of the National Assembly, Governors, Members of the State Houses of Assembly, Chairmen of Council and their Councillors, National Working Committee Members of all the political parties, and so on,” Lawan said.

"Interestingly, as recently as five days ago, INEC insisted that its 'deadline is firm and fixed.' That’s impressive.

"Well, should INEC buckle under and extend the deadline that “IPAC” has requested, that would be the first, firm evidence that INEC is in bed with APC and can’t be trusted to conduct a free and fair election in 2023.

"If it resists, however, we have a reason to hope that it’s committed to a just and transparent electoral conduct next year. Of course, we should still be vigilant."

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The Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court in Umuahia on the deletion of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

In a judgment on Wednesday in Abuja, a three-member panel of the court headed by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka declared the section as unconstitutional because it violates Section 42 (1)(a) of the Constitution and denied a class of Nigerian citizens their right to participate in an election.

SaharaReporters Media

The appeal also held that the court in Umuahia had no jurisdiction to have entertained the case because the plaintiff, Nduka Edede, lacked the locus standi to have filed the suit in the first place.

The judgment was on the appeal marked: CA/OW/87/2022 filed by the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Court of Appeal subsequently struck out the suit marked: FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 which Edede filed before the Federal High Court.

President Muhammadu Buhari had assented to the Electoral Act Amendment bill on February 25.

He had, however, asked the national assembly to delete section 84(12) of the act, which reads: “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

According to the president, the provision “disenfranchises” political appointees.

On March 18, a Federal High Court in Umuahia ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to immediately delete the aforementioned section on the grounds that it violates the provisions of the constitution.

Delivering the ruling in a suit marked FHC/UM/CS/26/2022, Anyadike said sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 constitution already stipulated that government appointees seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election.

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The Central Bank of Nigeria has come under criticism over its inability to publish its annual reports detailing operations and financial obligations since 2018.

According to Premium Times, checks showed that since 2005 when the Bankers Bank started publishing details of its annual report on its website, it has failed to publish the crucial financial records from 2018.

According to the CBN Act 2007, the apex bank is expected to publish its report within two months after the end of each financial year.

“The Bank shall, within two months after the close of each financial year, transmit to the National Assembly and the President a copy of its annual accounts certified by the Auditor,” the CBN Act reads in part.

“A report required to be submitted to the National Assembly and the President shall be published by the Bank in such manner as the Governor may direct.

“The Board shall ensure that accounts submitted pursuant to this section shall as soon as possible be published in the Gazette.

“The Bank shall as soon as may be practicable after the last day of each month makeup end publish a return of its assets and liabilities as at the close of business on that day, or if that day is a holiday, as at the close of business on the last preceding business day,” the Act reads.

 

Analysts said that the failure of the CBN to publish the report could send wrong signals to investors and others interested in understanding the state of the economy.

 

The paper noted that the apex Bank has faced criticisms regarding the management of the country’s economy despite the skyrocketing food prices and other inflationary pressures.

It should be recalled that the apex bank has kept the country’s interest rate at 11.5 percent since September 2020 when it reduced the monetary policy rate from 12.5 percent.

The bank has also been struggled to ensure liquidity amid depleting reserves. It has also been criticised for its management of the naira and its controversial financing of the federal government’s deficits.

At a public presentation of the 2020 approved budget in January, Nigeria’s Minister for Finance, Zainab Ahmed, revealed that revenue shortfall and increased expenditure resulted in a fiscal deficit of about N6.1 trillion as against the N4.6 trillion budgeted by the government.

The minister revealed that the deficit was financed with a N2 trillion borrowing from the domestic market, a N1.2 trillion from foreign markets, and a N2.8 trillion obtained from the CBN. The CBN’s intervention came in the form of Ways and Means, as provided for in the CBN Act.

Experts, global financial institutions, and rating agencies have continually warned of the danger the CBN’s intervention portends for the macroeconomic stability of the country.

In its 2018 report, the bank’s last published report, the apex bank said the country’s economy showed considerable resilience during the year, especially when compared to its peers.

“Overall GDP growth quickened to 1.9 percent in 2018 from 0.8 percent in 2017. Though this growth rate is below the pre-recession average of over 5.0 percent, the positive outturn which reflected the continued rebound of the Nigerian economy is gratifying,” the report said.

Meanwhile, amid widespread criticism of its handling of the naira and other monetary policies, the governor of the bank, Godwin Emefiele, has come under serious fire for getting involved in partisan politics.

In the last few weeks, several campaign groups have come out to campaign for the election of Emefiele as Nigeria’s next president.

The campaign infuriated many Nigerians, who called for his resignation or outright dismissal. But in his reaction, Emefiele said that he was focused on strengthening the nation’s economy.

Things took a dramatic turn when on May 5, Emefiele filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, contesting his eligibility to run for Nigeria’s president while in office as the CBN governor.

He argued that no law exempted him from contesting the primary election of any political party as a sitting CBN governor.

Although the case is still in court, many Nigerians have condemned the CBN Governor for desecrating his sensitive position as chief custodian of the apex bank.

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Ibrahim Shekarau

Former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, may dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the victory of the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s faction at the Supreme Court, SaharaReporters has learnt.

It was further gathered that Shekarau and his numerous supporters were also angered by Governor Ganduje's decision to endorse the current deputy governor as the party’s governorship candidate for 2023.

Ibrahim Shekarau

Accordingly, Shekarau, the leader of the G7 faction that went to court on the party’s state chapter leadership tussle, had summoned a meeting of his top political associates and consultation team, known as the “Shura Council.”

A source, close to the former governor and now a senator, revealed, "We've had several meetings following the Supreme Court verdict.

"The recent meeting was consequent upon high level consultations the former governor was doing with associates and political friends across the country. And the outcome would soon be made public", he added.

Already, some aggrieved members of the APC party have been romancing with the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP), according to a source close to the National Leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Abuja.

Shekarau is reportedly uncomfortable with the APC party's reconciliation moves, "doubting if he would get automatic ticket for the senate as agreed by the party’s national leadership", one of his aides said.

However, his spokesperson, Sule Ya’u Sule, said Shekarau had not defected from APC yet.

"Consultation is ongoing; the outcome would be communicated to the public", Sule simply said.

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The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday voted for the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the Human Rights Council, the world organisation’s leading human rights body.

The vote was 157 countries in favour and 23 abstentions.

The General Assembly in a secret ballot voting elected Czech Republic who was the only candidate for the seat left vacant when the General Assembly voted to suspend Russia over “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” by invading Russian troops in Ukraine.

Seats on the 47-member Geneva-based council are divided among regional groups and a replacement for Russia had to come from an East European country.

The ballot saw a large number of member states voting in favour of the European country; 180 of the General Assembly’s 193 members deposited ballots. The result was 157 countries in favour of the Czech Republic and 23 abstentions.

The United States led the rare push to suspend Russia after its February 24 invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation".

Libya was suspended from the UN Human Rights Council in 2011 over violence against protesters by forces loyal to then-leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The council is scheduled to hold a special session on May 12 at Kyiv's request to examine "the deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine stemming from the Russian aggression."

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement on May 10 said that Russia will not participate in the special session.

"Arguments and explanations on the true objectives of this special military operation and the real situation on the ground have been completely ignored," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in the statement.

Though Moscow was suspended from the rights body, it would have been allowed to participate due to its observer status.

Countries that supported Russia’s suspension from the Human Rights Council said Russia should not be able to sit in judgment on other nations' human rights records.

The council voted on March 4 to trigger a commission of inquiry -- the highest-possible level of investigation -- into alleged Russian violations during Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād, have released photographs of their attack on Kautikari village in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.

ISWAP had earlier claimed its fighters killed 10 Christians during the attack.

The insurgents had on May 3 ransacked the community.

A military base stationed in the town was also dislodged by the terrorists.

Releasing the latest statement, ISWAP claimed the community was attacked because it was occupied by Christians.

“Fighters attacked and killed many people in the Christian town of Kautikari,” the group said.

In December 2021 and January 2022, Kautikari was separately attacked by the insurgents who abducted many women and children.

Also, a church in the community was razed by the insurgents during the attacks.

Attacks in Chibok areas and particularly the recent one in January 2022 made the Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, visit the area and encourage the people as well as the security operatives stationed in the local government.

During his visit, the governor met with the families of 22 women and two men abducted by the insurgents where he encouraged them and asked them to continue to trust in God through prayers.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.

The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.

The terror group has caused over 50,000 deaths and displaced millions of people mainly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

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At least, six Nigerian Army personnel from the 93 Battalion, Takum, Taraba State, have been killed following an ambush by gunmen suspected to be terrorists.

SaharaReporters gathered that the incident happened in Tati village around 6:30am on Tuesday.

The gunmen were said to have overpowered the troops, killing six soldiers, while a lieutenant colonel identified as ES Okore (N/11717) was “missing in action” amid fears that he had been abducted.

Those killed were; Dauda Tata (7NA/44/4046), Yusuf Salihu (95NA/40/5031), Ndubuise Okonkwo (96NA/42/6911), Abdullahi Ibrahim (13NA/70/7901), Emmanuel Jerry (14NA/72/14051) and Sani Isa (14NA/72/15462) as the casualties.

A military signal obtained by SaharaReporters said the gunmen also ambushed and attacked troops reinforcement deployed from Mararaba in Nasarawa State, but that the troops carried out anti-ambush drills to fight their way out.

The signal read, “ATTK . AT ABOUT 100620A MAY 22. TPS OF 93 BN RESPONDED TO AN ATTK AT TATI VILL IN TAKUM LGA TARABA STATE BY. ON ARR, TPS HAD MTG ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BANDITS WHO OUT NUMBER OWN TPS. CAS. EN CAS. UNCFM.OWN CAS. 6 X SLDRS KIA. 97NA/44/4046 SSGT DAUDA TATA, 95NA/40/5031 SGT YUSUF SALIHU, 96NA/42/6911 SGT NDUBUISE OKONKWO, 13NA/70/7901 LCPL ABDULLAHI IBRAHIM, 14NA/72/14051 LCPL EMMANUEL JERRY AND 14NA/72/15462 LCPL SANI ISAH AND 1X MIA. LT COL ES OKORE (N/11717).

“TPS AT DONGA WHILE ON BLK FORCE AT ANANUM VILL ON DONGA LGA NEUTRALIZED 2 X BANDITS WHILE OTHERS FLED IN DISARRAY WITH GSW. ITEMS REC ONE AK47 RIFLE, TWO AK-47 MAG, 19 RNDS OF 7.62MM (SP) , ONE PISTOL, 7 RNDS OF 9MM AMMO, ONE LOCAL MADE GUN, THREE MC, VARIOUS CHARMS AND THE SUM OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY (#15,120) ONLY.

“FURTHERMORE, TPS FROM MARRARABA COMING FOR REINFORCEMENT WERE AMBUSHED BUT CARRIED OUT ANTI AMBUSH DRILLS AND FOUGHT IT OUT. SEARCH AND RESCUE OPS ONGOING.”

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A police officer, Olusegun Bamidele, has said Chidinma Ojukwu, prime murder suspect, confessed she stabbed the late Usifo Ataga several times in the neck after a scuffle broke out between them over sex.

Bamidele disclosed this while testifying before the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.

Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), is facing trial for the offence alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.

Bamidele, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) serving with the homicide department of the State Criminal Investigating Department (SCID) Yaba, continued his testimony in the alleged murder case of Ataga.

During the session, the police officer was led in evidence by the Lagos State’s Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Adenike Oluwafemi.

Bamidele told the court how investigations revealed where the late Usifo Ataga and Chidinma might have met before arriving at the crime scene.

Bamidele said, “While I was investigating into the background, I and a friend of Usifo went to Angel Villa Hotel in Lekki. We approached the owner of the hotel and related the story to him. Luckily the hotel had a CCTV which revealed the presence of the deceased and Chidinma at the hotel.

“After we tracked her to her home in Alagomeji and brought her to the DCP’s office, she was asked about her relationship with the deceased. She denied initially and this prompted us to deploy the CCTV. She then agreed that she is the Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu we were looking for.

“We then took her in company of her foster father, one Onoh Ojukwu, back to the house in Alagomeji where we initially arrested her. We conducted a search of the house in their presence.

“The cloth was stained with blood. Then Onoh Ojukwu shouted: 'Chidinma, you have killed me, you have done something wrong outside. Chidinma was also crying. We also recovered the black/blue long sleeved gown she wore when she left the apartment in Lekki. This further established that she has something to do with the deceased.”

The policeman said one bank document recovered from Chidinma bore the name Mary Johnson.

He added, “Chidinma said she knew Usifo, that they met at a hangout in Victoria Island and he was introduced to her by her friend’s boyfriend. She mentioned the friend as Fiyin and the boyfriend as Tony. She said the relationship started in February and after a while, they developed sexual relations.

“I remember she mentioned a date, 12th June, 2021. She received a call from the deceased that they needed to see and go out. Based on the request, she sourced for the apartment.

“She confessed that shortly after her arrival at the apartment, on the 13th, the deceased drove in, in his Range Rover. On his arrival, she said they were both hungry and drove out to eat and returned to the apartment, watched a film, conversed leading up to sex. They also engaged in smoking ‘Loud’. On the 14th, they did the same thing.

“She said she initially came in with the Loud smoke. That’s the name she called it. After they finished it, they needed more. She recollected that she made a call to the second defendant, Quadri who helped her source for the Loud and another drug called Potion. She also mentioned that the items were brought in through a dispatch rider to the apartment.

“She described Adedapo Quadri as someone introduced to her by a friend, that Dapo supplied the drugs to her. The IPO asked her the potency of the drugs. She responded that a tablet is enough to knock out whoever uses it while Loud is a cigarette light smoke.

“She said on the 15th, after engaging in smoking, the deceased asked for more sex, which she denied him. The deceased went to the chair to relax and she thought he was no more interested in sex, only for him to return to the bed to ask for more sex. She said she pushed him away, which resulted in him knocking her head against a stool that had a glass.

“Having sustained injury on the head and knees, there was a struggle between them and she said she managed to lay hands on a kitchen knife with which she stabbed the deceased on the neck twice. She confessed that she stabbed him several times without counting and the deceased eventually fell to the floor in the room."

Justice Adesanya thereafter adjourned the case till May 12.

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The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has changed timetable for its primary elections with the governorship primaries now shifted to May 20 while that of the House of Assembly is May 22.
With the new timetable, the primary for governorship is now May 20, while House of Assembly is May 22. The primaries for Senate and House of Representatives are now May 24 and 25 respectively.

This was contained in a new timetable for primary elections into various elective positions the party released on Tuesday, through its National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu.
The has also fixed Saturday, May 14 for the screening of presidential, governorship, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants while that of the House of Assembly will take place on May 13.
In the previous timetable, the primaries for governorship was fixed for May 18, the state House of Assembly for May 20, while the primaries for House of Representatives and Senate were scheduled for May 22 and 24 respectively.
Also with the new timetable, the primaries for Senate and House of Representatives are now May 24 and 25 respectively.
These changes may not be unconnected to the amendment to section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, which the Senate passed on Tuesday.
The current Electoral Act excludes statutory delegates from indirect primaries. If the parties should proceed without the amendment passed, statutory delegates will be exempted from participating in the primaries.
Although the Senate has passed the amendment, the House of Representatives is yet to concur.
The lower chamber will consider the bill today (Wednesday) and is expected to concur before it will now be transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
These adjustments are coming amidst call for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the deadline for the conclusion of all primaries.
The country’s 18 registered political parties, through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), on Tuesday, asked the commission to review its timetable and schedule of activities to afford member parties enough time to put their houses in order.
The electoral body has insisted on June 3 as the deadline for party primaries.

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A Fleet operational manager at the Lagos Bus Services Limited, Kayode Aluko, has testified as the second prosecution witness in the murder trial of Andrew Ominnikoron.

Ominnikoron is facing a four-count charge bordering on rape, conspiracy and murder of his passenger, 22-year-old fashion designer, Bamise Ayanwole.

At the proceedings on Tuesday, the witness, Aluko told Justice Sherifat Sonaike, of the Lagos High Court, TBS, how Ominnikoron, a driver of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), fled and didn’t respond to complaints by the family of the late Bamise Ayanwole that their daughter, who boarded his bus had gone missing.

While answering questions from Dr. Babajide Martins, the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, the witness, Aluko said the allegations of rape and sexual assault made against the defendant on three separate days were never reported by the victims, until February 28, after the Ayanwole family reported the case to them.

 “The incidents of November 25, 2021; December 29, 2021 and February 28, 2022, were never reported by the defendants and the model of bus he drove on the three occasions is Ashok Layland,” Aluko said.

Aluko also testified that on February 28, at about 3pm, the elder brother of the then missing Bamise was at their gate to report and he was having some arguments with the security guards at the gate.

He said, “When I heard the argument I asked the security to let him in and when I listened to him, they showed me a voice note and a video from the elder brother’s phone.

“In the video that I saw, it displayed my bus with number 240257 and the other voice were of two ladies and in their conversation there was an expression of fear from the lady inside the bus to the other friend.

“This was on a Monday and the incident occurred on Saturday. I said I will do whatever I can to help them. That night I took my car with four other personnel from the outsourcing company and went to Ogolonto at Ikorodu where he(defendant) said he lives.

“On getting there we didn’t see him; we called him several times, he didn’t respond but suddenly he called back the outsourcing representative that brought him and said that he was in an hospital. But we couldn’t locate him at his residence or hospital.”

The witness also gave details of how the defendant was employed by the Lagos Bus Services limited, from an outsourcing company called Excel, in September 2021.

“The employment process of BRT drivers is outsourced to an Excel Outsourcing company and once the drivers are fully engaged they are sent to a driving school for a test.

“Depending on their commitment and readiness to be engaged after the test, they will pass through induction and during that, the successful ones among them are given the company policy to go through,” he said.

“The company policy contains various infractions and the remedial consequences if you violate them. After going through, they (employees) sign.”

He said the operational administrative department put them on two-week probation before they are finally engaged to pick up the bus and given the company’s uniform.

He noted that before the buses are driven out of their stations, “the code of the bus is written down, the time you are driving out, the fuel level and also the odometer. And you have been allocated to a specific route.”

The witness further testified that, “On November 25, 2021, Andrew Ominnikoron, was the driver that drove Bus no. 240271 and he was on a pm shift. Pm shifts starts at 1pm and ends at 10pm. On December, 29, 2021, the same bus was also allotted to the defendant and he was also on a pm shift and he was number 19 that was allotted that day and his route was Ajah- Oshodi.

“On February, 26, 2022, Andrew Ominnikoron, was allotted a bus with number 240257; he was equally on a pm shift, from 1pm to 10pm; he was number eight on the allotted bus. The procedure is the same for am and pm. Am starts at 5am.

“We have two captains (drivers) for each bus. Once a driver resumes in the morning, he will write down his name, and the allotted bus; the following details will be documented before moving out – the fuel level, the odometer and then sign.

The DPP then sought to tender a signed copy of the suspect’s employment document as evidence but the defence counsel, Abayomi Omotubora objected to the move. He said the evidence sought to be tendered was not specifically listed as part of the evidence to be presented by the prosecution.

But in her ruling, Justice Sonaike, who relied on the Evidence Act, admitted the document in evidence.

Further hearing in the trial has been fixed for June 1, 7 and 9, 2022.

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The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said the upper chamber will wade into the ongoing strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Speaking with officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Lawan on Tuesday faulted the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.

He said the agreement should not have been signed by both sides because there’s no way government will provide the kind of resources agreed to in the document.

Senator Lawan appealed to the students to avoid confrontation and not disrupt political activities.

NANS has threatened to shut down all federal roads in protest against the strike.

ASUU on Monday said it was extending its strike for another three months.

The lecturers' union had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14.

On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government to meet all of its demands. A 12-week extension was announced on May 9.

The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.

One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.

But the Federal Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009.

Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

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Relations of the 62 passengers abducted by the terrorists after attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna bound train say they have not received any update despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to all concerned stakeholders, including security forces, to ensure quick and safe returns of the victims.

Buhari had during his Eid-el-Ftri message directed the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) to set up a situation room for the coordination of the rescue mission for the passengers and a minute-by-minute engagement with the families of the captives.

He also charged the security forces to ensure quick recovery of the victims.

But a week after the president’s directive, the families said they were yet to get any information form the relevant authorities on their loved ones; the development that prompted them to express readiness to negotiate with the terrorists.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Tuesday, a relation, Imran Ahmad, said: “As I’m talking to you, no family member has been reached as directed by the Mr President.”

The family members of the abducted passengers had, at a press briefing on Monday in Kaduna, insisted that the train service must not resume until all the abducted passengers were rescued and adequate security measures are put in place to guarantee the safety of prospective passengers.

Speaking through their spokesperson, Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh, the families of the abducted passengers accused the NRC of disregarding Buhari’s directive to engage with them, minute-by-minute.

“Still, one week after this presidential directive was issued, the NRC has never contacted the relatives of the kidnapped victims nor established any situation room. This display of gross incompetence and insensitivity should lead to appropriate punishment,” Jimoh had said.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said it was the National Security Adviser and the Defence headquarters that were in charge of coordinating security forces on the incident.

But the military’s spokesman, Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said the military was in touch with the Kaduna State Government responsible for necessary updates on the matter.

He said not all issues should be directed to the military because “there are layers in the security business.”

Meanwhile, authorities of the NRC yesterday disclosed that apart from setting up the situation room as directed by the president, it was also planning to organise a special prayer to seek God’s intervention for safe release of the captives.

NRC spokesman, Mahmood Yakub, dismissed media reports claiming the NRC would soon start train service on the affected railway.

According to him, “We are doing everything possible to ensure their safety from captivity. Seriously we are on top of it and we are reaching out to the victims’ families through the Chairman of the Relatives.

“We are working very hard to ensure that they are not only released but they are released safely. We are doing our best to ensure that all of them are released”, urging the public to dismiss a report that noted the Railway didn’t set up a situation room.

He added, “We actually did. We stated this in our press release. We don’t want to enter into any altercation with them in the media. We are sympathising with those in captivity and we are even organising prayer for them for God to intercede in hastening their release.

“We are giving total consideration into efforts towards ensuring their release. We feel their pains also. They are our brothers, they are out sisters, and they are our children. We are sympathising with the plight they found themselves in. We are contacting the families.

“We have been discussing this with the chairman since we set up the situation room as directed by Mr. President. We are doing everything possible to ensure their freedom. And we didn’t say we are going to start running trains. We didn’t say so.”

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