At least nine of the 10 abducted members of the Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have been rescued by the police in Anambra State.
The members of MACBAN had earlier been abducted by gunmen in Obene Community, Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state, where they also lost over 300 cows.

The gunmen had demanded N4million ransom and a gun from the families of the victims.
However, the spokesperson of the police in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Monday, said nine of the abducted herders were found.
He said they were rescued in a joint operation with the military on Sunday.
The spokesperson said the herders were found in a “bush unharmed” and that some of the stolen cows were also “discovered” in the bush.
He did not, however, give the number of cows that had been discovered.
“On April 24, 2022, some of the victims of the abduction were seen in the bush unharmed while one of the abductees is still missing,” he said.
Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said efforts were being intensified to locate the missing herder and some of the cows that are yet to be found.
 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

One person was on Monday shot dead and a military personnel was injured following an early morning attack on a military checkpoint in Ogboinbiri Community at a wellhead owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Seibou oil field in the Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State.
It gathered that the gun battle which lasted three hours led to the killing of one of the suspected militants.

File photo used to illustrate story.
The deceased is identified as from Ukparatubo Community in Southern Ijaw.
Sources within the community said that the gunmen stormed the military checkpoint in three boats and shot at the soldiers at about 6am on Sunday.
The soldiers who were on duty and providing security at SPDC engaged the armed men in a gun battle.
According to the source, "the soldiers shot dead one of the boys but one of the soldiers was wounded. The soldier is identified as Job and his rifle was taken away."
Attempts to get a reaction from the spokesman of the 16 Division of the Nigerian Army in Bayelsa, Captain Victor Odukoya, were unsuccessful.
Military sources, however, confirmed the development, insisting that efforts were ongoing to recover the stolen military rifle and arrest the culprits.

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The World Igbo Congress (WIC), a group of Igbos in Diaspora, has said the presidential aspirations of Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike are “dead on arrival.”
The group, in a post on its Twitter handle labelled the politicians as “the preferred Fulani caliphate choice option” in the 2023 presidential election.

https://twitter.com/ActionWic/status/1518596281106673675?t=1mwYuWoXq957G9yv6CaWVA&s=19
The tweet reads, “The preferred Fulani caliphate choice option is dead on arrival. We have passed the rubicon.”
Meanwhile, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo at the weekend expressed its support for Amaechi and Wike.
Ohanaeze urged Ndigbo to jettison the artificial separation boundary adjustments created by the military, and reunite with their kinsmen in the Niger-Delta Region, saying that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution, as written by their founding fathers, enshrined that Anioma in Delta and Ikwerre in Rivers State were part of Igbo-speaking states.
The group maintained that Governors Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s support for Wike showed they had not abandoned their quest for an Igbo to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

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The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has urged his followers and sympathisers to remain optimistic.
According to him, his trying phase is at the verge of extinction.

Kanu’s counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, disclosed this as Kanu’s stance after he paid the IPOB leader a visit in the custody of the Department of State Services on Monday.
He said, “The routine Court-Ordered visit to our indefatigable Client - Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has just been concluded. We had incisive review of compelling legal processes we are exploring to ensure that the remaining 7-Count charge still pending is permanently laid to rest.
“Onyendu extends his heartfelt gratitude to all UmuChineke for remaining steadfast and undeterred. He is, as usual, profoundly impressed by your demonstration of uncommon discipline, unity, understanding, loyalty, and forthrightness.
“Onyendu observed that this trying phase is at the verge of extinction and the Name of ChukwuOkike Abiama will be eternally glorified.
“Onyendu emphasized on VIGILANCE, particularly in times like this, and highly commended you all for your peaceful conduct, even on the face of seemingly unprovoked attacks. He encouraged you all to always be on guard, even in your prayers and supplications to the Almighty ChukwuOkike Abiama.
“Be assured that we, in the legal team are not leaving any stone unturned towards achieving Onyendu's freedom and it will surely end in Praises soon. Thank you all and remain blessed, Ezigbo  UmuChineke.We move.”
Kanu is currently facing charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony.

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The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has advised the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to focus on how to solve the country's persistent insecurity challenge rather than blaming the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah.
The position of the group was made known by the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who faulted the Presidency over the way it responded to the criticisms.

His comment trails the Presidency’s claim that Kukah had a hatred for the Muhammadu Buhari administration and was working with the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party to stop the sale of Super Tucano fighter jets to the Nigerian Air Force.
The group further said the federal government should ensure that the military operations satisfy the basic standards demanded by the weapon suppliers in order to avoid what gave rise to delays in weapons procurement from Western countries.
It reiterated the earlier call for President Muhammadu Buhari's resignation if unable to resolve the nation’s security problems.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Baba-Ahmed said Nigeria has a problem with procuring weapons because of the conduct of the armed forces and related agencies on human rights issues, dealing with prisoners of war and people caught up in conflicts.
He said, “You know, the presidency spokespersons have a way of deflecting criticism by making it personal. When you say that there is a shortfall in the quality of government, they find something to stick you with.
“People like Bishop Kukah and I, are used to this. We don’t take it seriously. This organisation should be criticised and must be criticised, and those who are ready to do so should be willing to take some of the words that Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina recycle every once in a while when we point out certain facts about the failings of President in terms of securing the country.
“But the truth is, maybe they know this, maybe they don’t know, the Nigerian government has problems procuring weaponry from Western countries, because these countries, in most cases, have standards regarding conduct by their armed forces and related agencies, in terms of dealing on human rights issues, dealing with prisoners of war, dealing with populations caught up in conflicts.
“Everybody knows this. They will not sell you one bullet unless they are satisfied that you’ve met certain criteria. And they have raised issues over and over and over again. The Nigerian government knows this. But they need to improve the conduct of the Nigerian military, in the fight against the insurgency, against terrorists. They know this.
“And when someone points them out, either it is because of lethargy, it takes them a long time to adjust, or perhaps the challenges of the conflict don’t allow them to make adjustments while they’re also fighting, I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, it is true that if we have met, or comply with standards, set by countries that should give us weapons, well, sell us weapons, we would have a lot more weapons that we have now.
“So, whether it comes from Bishop Kukah, or it comes from me, we made this point. We want to buy weapons from some countries and improve the way we wage this war. It can be done, it must be done if you want these weapons.
“You certainly don’t want to go the option of some other members of the government who say procure weapons from anywhere in the world, or just bring in mercenaries to fight a war for you.
“So, I agree with Bishop Kukah that the government needs to review its attitude, some of those issues raised by countries that are creating problems, well, seemingly creating a problem for us in terms of selling weapons, and that the onus is on us to improve those conditions. It’s fact and we need it now.
“We must not go to the 2023 elections with the current state of insecurity or worse state insecurity, not just because of the elections, but because life is getting worse by the day and it’s time to reverse this trend.
“We cannot continue to live like this. Every inch of this country has one form of security challenge or the other and there are solutions to them. It cannot be that there are no solutions to the insecurities.
“There must be something wrong in the way we are running the country. We should say so. We should raise our voices and demand that the people we voted into office, the President, the National Assembly, and governors, they must do better. We can’t live like rats hiding in holes and running away every year from criminals.
“We just can’t. We’re tired. If they can’t operate in the country, there is an option. There is a provision in the constitution for stepping down if you can’t perform the most basic function available to you, which is to protect and secure citizens.
“That’s what we’re saying but a few people thought that extreme but it is a statement of fact.”

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Suspected Ukrainian missile strikes have blown up two oil storage facilities supplying President Vladimir Putin's troops fighting for control of Donbas.
Flames lit up the sky over Russia in the early hours of Monday, at the Transneft-Druzhba Oil Depot, located in the city of Bryansk around 70 miles from the Ukrainian border; it caught fire at 2am local time before a second fire broke out at a nearby military facility around 15 minutes later, Russian state media said on Monday morning.

One of the fires broke out in the video of the moment appeared to capture the sound of an incoming missile before a large explosion and fireball. Bryansk is a logistical hub for Russian forces battling Ukraine in Donbas, while the Druzhba pipeline is one of the main routes for Russian oil to reach Europe.
The blasts came as British intelligence said Russia had “yet to achieve a significant breakthrough” of defensive lines in Donbas despite Ukraine imposing a “significant cost” on Putin's forces.
Britain's Ministry of Defence said poor logistical and combat support were hampering Russia's advances, as they did in the failed effort to take Kyiv. 
According to the report, Ukrainian defenders holed up in the Azovstal steel works in the southern city of Mariupol - which is still under siege - were also pinning down “many Russian units” and preventing them from redeploying to the Donbas front, while also exhausting Putin's troops and reducing their combat effectiveness, the MoD added.
Russia's war on Ukraine - which was intended to take just days and end with the toppling of its pro-Western government - is now into its third month, with Kyiv claiming to have killed almost 22,000 Russian soldiers while destroying military equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the process.
In that time, Putin's army has suffered a number of embarrassing losses - most notably the Moskva missile cruiser, which is thought to have been destroyed by Ukrainian missiles. The seeming inability to prevent Ukraine from striking targets inside Russia with missiles is also likely causing red faces inside the Kremlin.

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A four-time minister in Nigeria, Alabo Graham-Douglas, is dead.
Aged 82, Graham-Douglas was one of the founding fathers of the now main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He died on Monday in a hospital in Abuja 13 days to his 83rd birthday which would have been celebrated on May 8, 2022.
Graham-Douglas was born on 8 May 1939, in Abonnema in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. He is of Ijaw origin.
His brother, Nabo Bekinbo Graham-Douglas, was the first indigenous Attorney-General of Nigeria.
The deceased was first appointed Nigerian Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in 1989, then Minister of Aviation in General Ibrahim Babangida's cabinet.
In 1999, he was appointed Minister of Labour and Productivity, and in 2000, Minister of Tourism in the Olusegun Obasanjo cabinet, leaving office in January 2001.
Talking of the Niger Delta crisis in an interview in October 2009, Graham-Douglas blamed the problems in part on the elections of 2003 when the boys were given arms and used to disrupt the polls.
He said the recent amnesty was progress, but not enough. More should be done to provide local housing and employment.
He was among leaders who that month protested the poor performance and lack of activity of the Ministry of Niger Delta.
 

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An anti-corruption group, “Say No To Corruption In Nigeria” has asked the people of Rivers State to be on alert as the Supreme Court fixes a date for judgment in the suit filed by former governor of the state and Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, seeking to stop his probe in the alleged N96billion fraud and alleged fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to Rivers State.
Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who led a seven-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court had earlier fixed May 27 for judgment in the suit.

Amaechi is praying the Apex Court to prohibit Governor Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as governor of the state.
The former governor, represented by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lateef Fagbemi, predicated his opposition to probe on the ground that it was aimed at witch-hunting and embarrassing him, to embarrass him in view of his political differences with his successor.
Wike, who constituted a 7-man probe panel to probe Amaechi, is, however, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss Amaechi’s suit.
The Governor, represented by Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) insisted that the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omekeji was to look into how N96billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was expended.
Wike also said that the commission of inquiry was to look into the lawful or otherwise, sales of valuable assets of the state.
The listed valuable assets are; Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of mono-rail project.
Amaechi’s suit at the High Court of Rivers State and Court of Appeal had earlier been dismissed prompting his case at the Supreme Court.
Coordinator of the anti-corruption group, Ahmed Abubakar in a statement sent to SaharaReporters said “all eyes are now on the Supreme Court to see how it will adjudicate on this matter.”
According to Abubakar, the minister is not a stranger to benefitting from certain judicial pronouncements in the past.
The statement read, “Nigerians especially Rivers residents wait with bated breath as the date draws near for the Supreme Court to rule  on the case between Rotimi Amaechi and the Rivers state government on the legality of the Judicial Commission set up by the state to investigate some aspects of Amaechi's tenure as Governor of Rivers state.
“The investigation centred on allegations of fraudulent sale of Rivers state assets by his administration. The much awaited ruling as filed by Amaechi seeks to stop his probe in the alleged N96billion fraud and alleged fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to Rivers State.
“It is worthy of note that Amaechi had lost previously at both the High Court and Court of Appeal hence his decision to take the case to the Supreme Court.
“As the decision date draws closer all eyes are now on the Supreme Court to see how it will adjudicate on this matter. Will the judgement align with the judgements of the two lower courts or will there be a new twist in the pending judgement?
“However, Amaechi is not a stranger to benefitting from certain judicial pronouncements in the past. We recall the Supreme Court Judgement that made him Governor of Rivers State in 2007.
“That Supreme Court judgment of October 25, 2007 overturned the tenure of Governor Celestine Omehia and appointed Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who did not contest the April 14, 2007 election, in his place. The point that still baffles people today is that a man who was not on the ballot was deemed to have won the election.
“Based on the above judicial track record, one is not surprised that Amaechi has decided to seek succour once more in the court, instead of presenting and defending himself before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government to probe the sales of some state assets during his tenure as Governor of the state.
“Even though the matter is sub judice, we will be failing in our duties if we do not point out some disturbing trends in recent Supreme Court judgements. Nigerians are asking the following questions: Will the Supreme Court once again make herself a useful tool in the hands of politicians?
“Will there be a repeat of the infamous judgement that made Amaechi Governor of Rivers state without contesting election? Should we expect another "landmark" judgement that made Uzodinma governor of Imo state even though he came fourth in the election? This particular judgement has turned a once peaceful Imo state to a hot bed of armed insurrection.
“Will the Supreme Court in character with the preceding judgements become a shield for corrupt politicians from facing their day in court? Time shall tell.
“Will Amaechi be two times lucky? That is the question in the minds of keen followers of this long-drawn judicial battle as we await the decision of the eminent jurists, come May 27, 2022.”

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The Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health and Communicable Disease, Senator Chukwuka Utazi has dropped his ambition to return to the red chamber in 2023 amid pressure.
Utazi, who is currently representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly for the second term, had on Sunday, while addressing delegates and other stakeholders to the Peoples Democratic Party primary elections from the Enugu North Senatorial District, said he would not contest the Senatorial position for the third time.

His decision not to contest, sources said, is not unconnected with pressures mounted on him to shelve his third term ambition so as to pave way for the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
It is believed that the development would alter the rotational arrangement among the federal constituencies that make up the zone which include; Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, represented by Dr Pat Asadu; Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency, represented by Martins Oke; Igbo-Eze North/ Udenu, which is Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s Federal Constituency, currently represented by, Hon. Simon Atigwe.
The federal lawmaker was reported to have said the decision was to promote the existing peace in Enugu North Senatorial district in particular and Enugu State in general.
“We will follow our brother and leader; we are going to be behind you; and pray that God will guide you to take these decisions. We are here to give you reassurance that it is ordained by God that you do the things you are supposed to do. We are going to continue this support at the voting level during the general elections," he said.
Earlier, while addressing the PDP faithful comprising members of the National and State Assemblies from Enugu North Senatorial District, the six Council Chairmen, members of the State Excos from the zone and all the principal officers of the PDP at the Local Government and ward levels, the Zonal Chairman (Enugu North Senatorial District), Nze Michael Onyeze, disclosed that meeting was for the party delegates from Enugu North Senatorial District to renew their stance and reassure Ugwuanyi of their support for his choice of party candidates.
However, sources added that Senator Utazi had been offered a deputy governor’s position to Ugwuanyi's successor who will likely come from the Enugu East Senatorial zone.

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A 200 Level student of the Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa University, Makurdi, Benue State, Ogbonna Shedrach, has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution students’ union, Comrade Zaki Christian, disclosed this in a statement.

He said the 20-year-old student took his own life over family challenges.
According to Zaki, before taking the drastic step, the deceased had confronted his father over his refusal to give him the sum of N50,000 to settle some pressing needs.
The statement read, “We have confirmed details and death of Ogbonna Shedrach aged 20, a 200L student of our university in the department of Biochemistry. According to family, Late Ogbonna Shedrach comes from a divorced marriage and until death, faced challenges associated with the fate of a broken home.
"Sequel to his death, Ogbonna had confronted his father to release a token of N50,000 to assist him settle pressing needs, a conversation that took place repeatedly and angered him to succumb to SUICIDE BY HANGING after his father's refusal to release the said amount.
"As a students’ Union, we have only become privy to this story on the premise of his death. We regret deeply this ugly menace and are reposed to kindly charge our students to embrace whatever pains of life as occasioned to them by default, speak out where necessary but never succumb to SUICIDE, MURDER OR CRIME.
 "It's with deliberation that I unravelled the condition of his death to whereas enable you learn rightly. Be thus aware that; Death is only a ticket to the world where life is lived forever! Question is where? Our Condolences!.”

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Two persons were Sunday night shot dead while two others were injured by a drunk policeman at a businessman’s birthday party in Lagos State.
Nation reports that the incident occurred at La Silva Bar, Gowon Estate, Egbeda in the Alimosho area of the state around 9pm.

The policeman, who allegedly fled the scene after realising what he had done, was said to have been invited by the celebrant identified as Ifeanyi alias Asiwaju of Computer Village.
A Twitter user, @themannaman, who shared gory videos of the incident, claimed that the policeman wanted to shoot into the air while other guests were spraying money on the celebrant but fired at them instead.
He wrote, “Same policemen called for security, are the same people that shot and killed those they were called to protect…Nigeria which way. Birthday celebrant invited the police for security. The said policeman allegedly while drunk wanted to shoot upwards, then accidentally shot at them.”
The Lagos State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the cop and the celebrant said to have gone into hiding since Sunday night.
It was learnt that two of the guests were arrested by policemen attached to Gowon Estate Division after the bar’s owner, Sylvanus Chukwukezie made a complaint.
Contacted for reaction, police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said details of the incidents were still sketchy but assured that the command would not rest on its oars until everyone culpable was brought to justice.
He said: “I can confirm there was shooting at the bar on Sunday night and two persons were killed. We are investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting. I can assure you that those responsible will not go free. They will face the music.
“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Abiodun Alabi, has zero tolerance for such behaviour and has already given marching orders to the DPO to fish out the culprits.”

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Rotimi Akeredolu

The Ondo State Government has pardoned a civil servant in the state, who was suspended for spreading fake news about the death of the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
The Head of Service, Niran Adeyemo, had last week disclosed the suspension of the civil servant who was accused of spreading the false information on his Facebook page.

Rotimi Akeredolu
While breaking the Ramadan fast, Iftar, with the muslim faithful in Akure on Sunday, Akeredolu said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they were doing.”
The governor, who was making his first public appearance in the state since March 2022 ending, frowned at the high rate fake news.
Akeredolu added that civil servants should channel their energy into more meaningful conversation of sharing good news in the State, rather than spreading fake news.
SaharaReporters had reported how Akeredolu travelled to Germany for medical treatment days after the March 26 All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention in Abuja.
Days after the report, a blog rumoured that he had died in a German hospital.
Meanwhile, speaking on arrival in the state, the governor, confirmed he was in Germany for his “deserved rest.”
He however described the rumour of his death as wicked and politically motivated.
“On the 1st, I took up my deserved rest in Germany, this is what I have done in the last a week and the half until I heard about this, the best way you can describe it is a wicked rumor that I’m not alive. They said I was bed ridden, that I was on life support but my support is Christ,” the governor had said.
 

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A 15-year-old girl, Happy David, has allegedly clubbed an 85-year old woman, Gama Jatau, to death in Adamawa State, SaharaReporters has learnt.
David took the law into her own hands and clubbed the octogenarian to death after accusing her of casting spells on her to slow down her academic progress and also frequently inflicting her with diseases.

The incident happened on April 8, 2022, in Tambo village in the Girei Local Government Area of the state.
As gathered, David armed with a stick, stormed the residence of the deceased by 1pm on the fateful day and hit her on the head repeatedly.
The victim was later pronounced death at the Jabbi-Lamba clinic.
David has been arrested, charged to court on a count of murder, an offence contrary to Section 191 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa 2018.
She pleaded guilty as charged.

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Unknown gunmen have kidnapped a final year student of the Delta State University, Abraka, Chris Oghojafor.
Daily Post reports that Chris was abducted by the gunmen on Friday in Abraka, Ethiope-East Local Government Area of the state.

They subsequently contacted the family requesting a ransom of N50million to secure the release of the student.
The victim’s father, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Deputy Senate President, John Oghojafor Esq, revealed that the kidnappers called his wife to demand the N50million ransom, but later negotiated to N3million.
He said, “They kidnapped my son since Friday night. They called my wife to demand for N50million. Later, they negotiated to N3 million.”
Oghojafor, who appealed to the kidnappers to release his son unhurt, said Chris was just a student who was planning to be a better person in society.

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In the history of humankind, arguably the most enduring farewell message one can give to the dead is “Rest in peace (RIP)”. 

Unfortunately, one dead person who has been fighting a battle to rest serenely is the late Mrs. Elizabeth Ogbodo Egbuna. Her peaceful internment is under threat because the traditional ruler of the community, Ogbeke Agbani in the Nkanu West Local Government Area, HRH Igwe Okechukwu Nwobodo Egbuna has vehemently refused to allow the family of the deceased to bury her. 

 

The traditional ruler, according to sources, had accused the late widow of contravening the community law by reporting a member of the community, one Mr. Chizoba Ani, alias Chizzy, to a human rights organisation fighting for women and girl child, Women's Aid Collective (WACOL), and subsequently, taking him to court over a land matter, which was found to be untrue.

 

The daughter of the late widow, Chiamaka Egbuna said her mother died after struggling to get justice. She said they had fixed Thursday, April 28, 2022, to bury their mother but the monarch who is their cousin, vowed that he would never allow such burial to be done in his kingdom. 

 

She alleged that their cousin, the traditional ruler, is working in collaboration with members of his cabinet, the chairman of the Ogbeke town union and the Ukuruta Autonomous Community. 

 

She said, "The monarch also barred visitors from attending the burial ceremony, warning that violators of his order would be fined N10, 000 each.

 

"He also threatened that should my mother's family proceed with the funeral against his pronouncement, they would be banished from the community."

 

Meanwhile, WACOL has called on the Enugu Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Enugu State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to intervene, and avert an impending breakdown of law and order in the Ogbeke-Agbani community.

 

The group, however, warned the monarch to desist from his alleged brutish style of leadership, and stop insulting the spirit of the dead widow. 

 

The rights organisation in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Egodi Igwe, said the traditional ruler must respect the family’s wish to pay their last respect to their dearly departed.

 

"The community should be reminded that such outdated custom is horrendous, anachronistic, bizarre, and inimical to all known rules of law, justice, and equity, which formed the tripod on which Nigerian democracy flourishes, hence, should be consigned to the dustbin of history."

 

Providing insight into the case, Egodi explained that the WACOL team when they received complaints about the monarch's alleged wicked order, paid a visit to the palace of the paramount ruler on Wednesday, April 21, 2022, to ascertain the veracity of his claim regarding the poor widow who died heartbroken in the course of fighting for her inheritance. 

 

According to her, when the team got to the palace, the traditional ruler wasn't around and the wife who was at home, told them that her husband had gone for a burial. "When the team contacted him on the phone, he said he was attending the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council meeting. Based on this conflicting report of the royal father and his spouse on his whereabouts, the team concluded that he was not ready to accept the 'Olive Branch' being offered to him by WACOL.

 

"Again, on a further telephone chat with the king, our staff appealed to him to rescind his declaration, and allow the deceased to be given the last respect. He further maintained his stand, saying that it was impossible to do so. He added that the only condition for him to do so is if the family withdraws the pending court case against Mr. Chizoba Ani, alias Chizzy, the person involved in the land dispute.

 

"Against this backdrop, WACOL reaffirmed that the court remains the last arbitrator and hope for the poor, and vulnerable people in the society. That it is within the fundamental human rights of every citizen, irrespective of their religion, gender, or ethnic inclination to approach the court of law for justice when their rights are threatened, as such no citizen should suffer any form of victimization or unjustifiable traditional sanctions for accessing the instrument of justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

 

She added, "The family has invested huge resources towards arrangements for this planned burial, including purchasing all perishable goods, as well as printed materials such as posters and banners. All these would be wasted should the burial fail to hold.

 

"WACOL will continue to uphold its mandate which is to promote the rights of women, and girls and protect them, as well as other poor/vulnerable groups in the society from all forms of intimidation, abuse, and discrimination occasioned by obnoxious norms, and practices aimed to silence them, and stifle their spirit of survival and development."

 

WACOL spokesperson further disclosed that the late Mrs. Elizabeth Egbuna was 80 years old when she died three months ago, adding that before her death, she fought many battles to sustain the landed properties she inherited from her late husband. 

 

She said, "One such battles which she never concluded, was the battle with Mr. Chizoba Ani, popularly known as Chizzy from the same town, Ogbeke Agbani. Chizzy as he is called is an On-Air Personality (OAP), who is currently working with the Solid FM Radio in Enugu as the host of 'Ihe Omenani'.

 

"While she was alive, Mrs. Egbuna had brought a complaint before WACOL Legal Clinic, alleging that Chizzy encroached on her piece of land at Adauru in Ogbeke Agbani community, on the pretence of creating an access road. She noted that despite all her effort to give the said Chizzy an alternative road, he was bent on grabbing her land, leaving her with no other choice but to seek help at WACOL.

 

"The late widow informed us (WACOL) that she first reported to her kinsmen through the chairman, then later to the chairman of the Town Union of Ndigu- Ogbeke. According to her, the chairman frowned on Chizzy’s behaviour. The community later resolved that he should use the access road which had been created for him by Mrs. Egbuna at the boundary of the said land, rather than dividing her land into two. But, he defied the community.

 

"Again the case was taken to HRH Igwe Okechukwu Nwobodo Egbuna, the traditional ruler of Ogbeke-Agbani. In his judgment, Igwe blamed Chizzy and advised him to use the access road from the boundary instead of dividing the widow's land into two. Yet again, Chizzy was adamant.

 

"To also expedite actions, Igwe further advised the late Mrs. Egbuna to go the extra mile and create the road for Chizzy at the boundary in the interest of peace. They not only accepted but also complied. Unfortunately, after spending funds, and time to create the road, Chizzy rejected it and went back to destroy the widow's crops on the land in question, and even expanded the access road further.

 

"It was when the Igwe told the widow that he could not intervene further, because Chizzy has been adamant, and had fragrantly defiled all his rulings, that the late Mrs. Egbuna was left with no other option but to seek justice at the WACOL.

 

"Expectedly, on receiving the complaint, WACOL activated our mechanism for mediating a peaceful resolution but Mr. Chizoba Ani, the accused person blatantly refused to honour our invitation. When all efforts to hold a talk with him failed, WACOL was left with no other choice but to take the case to court on behalf of the family. The matter is before High Court at Agbani in suit no HAGB/7/22. 

 

"Parties in the suit are Elizabeth Egbuna as the complaint, Chizoba Ani as the first respondent, and Mr. Reuben Eneh as the second respondent and cousin to the deceased."

  

When contacted on the telephone for reaction, Igwe Okechukwu Egbunna admitted that he placed a ban on the burial until the children of the deceased withdrew the court case.

 

"We have a law in my community and be you who (sic), you can never go against it, so that is the case.

 

"WACOL can go to any place they like, they can go to Gburugburu, that is (governor) it can't change anything. Unless they withdraw the case from court, they are not going to bury their mother," the traditional ruler said. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News AddThis :  Original Author :  SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK Disable advertisements : 

Three suspected kidnappers have been arrested by vigilantes along Ochadamu-Itobe-Lokoja Road, Kogi State.
The alleged kidnappers, who had reportedly been terrorising the state, were arrested on Sunday by the vigilante members from Ochadamu and Ejule communities.

The alleged kidnappers were said to have come to the highway but were intercepted by the vigilantes.
The suspects were said to have confessed and revealed their mode of operation, the nature of weapons they used, and the names of other gang members.
“Another successful operation against the kidnappers along Ochadamu, Itobe Lokoja Road yesterday, with the arrest of three kidnappers by the combined team of local vigilantes from Ochadamu and Ejule,” one of the operatives told SaharaReporters on Monday.

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The police command in Ogun State in collaboration with local security outfits has apprehended nine suspected kidnappers from their hideout.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested on Sunday and they belonged to a “notorious kidnap syndicate terrorising residents of Ogun State”.
 
Abimbola Oyeyemi, the command’s spokesman, said the syndicate operated along the Abeokuta-Ayetoro Road where many people had been kidnapped and made to pay ransoms in millions of naira.
Oyeyemi said a joint operation involving the police, local hunters, operatives of the So-safe Corps, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes discovered the hideout and made the arrest, Daily Post reports.
 
Oyeyemi identified the suspects as Hammed Taiwo, Kehinde Jimoh, Ali Morandu, Sanda Aliu, Umar Sanda, Usman Mohammed, Usman Abubakar, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu.
It was learnt that the suspects’ arrest followed credible intelligence at the disposal of policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju divisional headquarters.
 
The police had received information that two of the suspects, Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh, were responsible for running errands for the kidnappers, using motorcycles.
 
He disclosed that the suspects were sighted somewhere in the Rounder area of Abeokuta North, and that the DPO of Sabo/Ilupeju, SP Mustapha Opawoye, quickly mobilised personnel there and got them arrested.
 
During interrogation, Oyeyemi said the duo of Taiwo and Kehinde confessed to being part of the syndicate, “but their own role is to run errands and watch the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from getting to them unawares”.
 
Their confession, Oyeyemi explained, led to the discovery of the group’s hideout at Abule Oba, “where they always meet after collecting ransom from their victims.”
 
“Having discovered the hideout, the DPO mobilised his men, So-safe corps, OPC men, local hunters and men of Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested,” Oyeyemi said.
 
It was learnt that some kidnap victims have identified the suspects as their abductors.
 
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the Anti-kidnapping section of the State Criminal Investigation and intelligence (Department) CIID, appreciating the security agencies for the success of the intelligence-based operation.

Attachments area

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The Muslim Right Concerns Group know as Muric led by professor Ishaq Akintola should by now be of concern to all peace loving Nigerians and friends of our nation who desires nothing but peace for our dear country. Muric has gradually become a group of ideological terrorists in South West Nigeria with HQ in Lagos State of Nigeria. 

Intellectual Terrorism is worst than operational extremism in any given society, because one comes before the other. Acts of terror are usually signs that intellectual or ideological terrorism has taken root in a given society. We must call to mind how Boko Haram started as an ideological group, with views not different from what MURIC holds and its promoting.

The South West of Nigeria is mainly occupied by Yoruba Natives, with cultural and historical antecedents of living together in peace and harmony irrespective of religion wether Christians and Muslims or Persons holding to our indigenous African traditional beliefs. It is a common thing to find all this divide represented in the same family without any suspicious motive of one another.

A lot of Muslims are married to Christians and Christians to Muslims Living under the Same Roof. As a matter of fact I was born by a Muslim mother and a Christian father with offsprings divided into both religion some of my siblings are Christian and many more are Muslims all living peacefully today without any rancor or major religious issues.

But this TERRORISTS Group led by this an extremist professor should be arrested and prosecuted immediately before it's too late! 

His words are not only provocative and divisive, they are hate fill, words deliberately spoke in an effort to set an average Muslims against their Christian Brothers and Sisters, always presenting every issues with political and Religious colouration this is very dangerous for our National Security and Development with 2023 Election on the Way this group has an agenda to set Muslims against Christians and with access to a lot of Local and international funds from mischievous Sponsors who want to destabilize our Peaceful co-existence with Each others, we must all cry out against MURIC.

In this Global age of Social Media and internet radicalization, I would like us to know that Professor Ishaq Akintola knows exactly what he is doing and how to achieve this demonic objective if care is not taken against his irrational attitude and terrible acts we may live to regret our docility and diplomacy.

The Body of Christ has been very diplomatic about this Group's Attitude for a very long time I think "Enough should be Enough".

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Bishop Steven Ogedengbe Disable advertisements : 

Journalists and other members of the public have been barred from covering or witnessing the coroner’s inquest into the controversial death of Sylvester Oromoni Jr.
 
The coroner's inquest was set up in December 2021 by the Lagos State government to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lagos.
 
 
At the hearing on Monday, the court registrar announced that only lawyers were permitted in the courtroom, urging journalists and others to take their leave.
 
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the decision was taken because some of the senior students of Dowen College who allegedly beat the deceased were in court to testify.
 
A representative of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch, Benard Oniga, said journalists would not be allowed to cover the proceedings during the week as minors would be testifying.
 
“Journalists will be shut out from covering the inquest this week because minors will be testifying. The witnesses are minors, and the purpose is to protect the Child Rights Acts,” he said.
 
The 12-year-old pupil died on November 30, 2021. His death has continued to elicit heated controversies.
 
His family had alleged that he died from injuries he sustained in an attack by five senior students of Dowen College, for refusing to join a cult.
 
The family also claimed that the late pupil was forced to drink an obnoxious substance by his attackers.
 
But the school denied both claims, saying the late student only sustained a leg injury while playing football.
 
Also, the advice by the Lagos director of public prosecutions released on January 4 disputed the allegations.
 
It stated that an autopsy revealed the cause of the student’s death as acute bacterial pneumonia due to severe sepsis.

News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 

A human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari at the Federal High Court in Lagos State for the “excessive pain” Nigerians were put through as a result of fuel scarcity earlier this year.
According to the Ogun, Buhari’s dual role as President and Minister of Petroleum Resources should be blamed for the inefficiency and mismanagement that led to the fuel scarcity and long queues at petrol stations nationwide.

Ogun, in a statement on Monday, said, “I solemnly believe that the gross inefficiency and mismanagement in the Petroleum Sector, that led to the fuel scarcity, is avoidable if the President was not holding the dual position of Petroleum Minister in violation of Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution.
 
“I believe that the President’s continuous serving as Petroleum Minister is not only illegal and unconstitutional, it is inimical to our economic growth and likely to occasion future scarcity and inefficiency that will affect the country and its good people.
 
“I make bold to say that it is practically and legally impossible for the President to hold his elected position, which comes with enormous responsibilities, contemporaneously with the position of Petroleum Minister. It has no basis in law, logic and politics.”
“If Nigerians suffered that heavily during the fuel scarcity, the President must be answerable for it. There must be consequences. And as a citizen of this country, I believe we must avert a reoccurrence; whether under this regime or in future administrations. God bless Nigeria,” he said.

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