The Ghana Immigration Service on Monday directed its personnel to put in place strict measures that would prevent fleeing inmates from Nigeria's Kuje prison in Abuja from entering the country.

Kuje Medium Custodial Centre was attacked by terrorists on Tuesday, July 5, and 879 inmates escaped including those linked with terrorism but 443 had so far been recaptured.

The Nigerian Correctional Service on Friday released the names and images of 69 fleeing inmates with terrorism cases.

However, Ghana Immigration Service in a memo dated July 8 and signed on behalf of the Comptroller-General by one Laud Affrifah, stated that it was likely the escapees would attempt to enter Ghana through both approved and unapproved routes.

The service ordered its personnel to intensify patrols to stop and intercept all escapees at the country’s borders.

The memo reads, “It is believed that the Jihadist group, Boko Haram, was behind the attack which saw the use of high-end explosives and guns, that freed all 64 Boko Haram linked inmates at the prison and are among the escapees who are still on the run.

“Considering current migration trends of Nigerians within the sub-region, it is likely most of the escapees will attempt to enter Ghana through both approved and unapproved routes.

“In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to institute stringent measures at all Points of Entry and intensify patrols to deter and intercept all escapees who will attempt to infiltrate the country.

“Find attached pictures with names of the escaped Boko Haram suspects. Please treat as urgent.”

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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Action Congress (AAC) has asked the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), to place a temporary lien on Account Number - 6525474017.

The leadership of the party stated this in a statement made available to SaharaReporters on Monday, titled: "AAC writes FCMB management, seeks that a lien be placed on party account linked to state-sponsored impostor". 

The statement signed by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, said that the account was opened in the name of the party and is suspected to be used for fraudulent activities by one Leonard Nzenwa, an expelled member of the party. 

The statement reads in part, "The National Working Committee of the African Action Congress (AAC) has written the Management of the First City Monument Bank, (FCMB), requesting that a temporary lien be placed on FCMB Account Number - 6525474017 opened in the name of the party and suspected to be used for fraudulent activities by one Leonard Nzenwa, an expelled member of the party. 

"This is coming after the appeal court judgment; an enrolled order affirmed and adjudged Omoyele Sowore as National Chairman, in fact, and in law. The enrolled order also declared every activity of the impostor since 2019 as a nullity. 

"We wish to inform members of the public to be wary of their dealings with elements parading themselves as leaders of the party, as every authentic information regarding the party affairs can be confirmed on the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party’s website - aacparty.org."

A Court of Appeal in Abuja in June affirmed Sowore as the National Chairman of the AAC.

The court held that a 2019 judgment by the High Court which sacked Sowore as the party’s chairman acted out of its jurisdiction. 

According to the Appeal Court, the matter was an internal affair.

In 2019, the High Court, in the judgment that was delivered by Justice Iyang Ekwo, said it was satisfied that Sowore who was the presidential flag-bearer of the AAC, was validly suspended by the National Executive Committee of the party.

Sowore, in an appeal marked CA/A/812/2019, challenged the High Court’s judgment declaring an expelled member of the party, Nzenwa, as the Acting Chairman.

Sowore also asked the court through his lawyer and National Legal Adviser of the party, Inibehe Effiong, to set aside the judgment of the lower court and grant all the reliefs sought by the appellant.

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The Federal High Court in Nigeria has approved a new practice direction to guide the hearing and determination of pre-election suits.

The direction, which was handed out in preparation for the 2023 forthcoming general elections, comes on the heels of the broad policy on the handling of election-related matters issued by the National Judicial Council, NJC in May, allowing two adjustments in pre-election suits.

The NJC's new policy is focused on preventing conflicting decisions from courts and contained rules on how heads of courts and judges must handle such suits already ruled upon by a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

This was issued in a circular dated July 7, signed by Assistant Director of Information, Catherine Christopher, Justice John Tsoho.

Justice John was quoted to have exercised his powers as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.

He said, “The purpose of the new practice direction is to provide for a fair, impartial and expeditious determination of pre-election cases”, among others.

The practice direction further explained that the new rules would minimise undue adjournments and delays in the conduct of matters.

Also, it said the Chief Judge may direct that matters be transferred to the appropriate division or any other division of the court considering the given circumstances.

The order is also to tame the endemic problem of conflicting court orders due to a multiplicity of cases on similar issues, absence of a party in a suit will no longer be tolerated to prevent unnecessary delays as not more than two adjournments shall be granted to any party in a suit.

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The West African Examination Council (WAEC) said the abduction of over 250 schoolgirls in Chibok in April 2014 may not have occurred if the then governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, had heeded the advice of the examination body.

Shettima was on Sunday announced as the running mate of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

On April 14, 2014, the schoolgirls were abducted when insurgents attacked the Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) in Chibok, Borno State.

The abduction of the girls in 2014 was followed by a global outcry that birthed the #BringBackOurGirls movement.

Aware of the poor security situation in Borno and worried about the safety of students, WAEC had declined to conduct its Senior School Certificate Examination in unsafe parts of Borno, including Chibok.

But that was until Shettima assured of adequate security measures.

According to the then Head of WAEC National Office in Nigeria, Charles Eguridu, the body was initially reluctant to conduct its examination in Chibok and other troubled areas of the North-East because of the security challenges.

It, however, had to buckle when Shettima assured the Council, in writing, that adequate security would be provided.

“Following the previous experience, we were afraid to go to the North-East this year, yet we risked it and asked for extra security through the Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike,” the official had said.

“We also asked the various state governments to relocate all the centres to the state capitals where there would be adequate security.

“The three governors did not respond to our request but instead said they had made adequate security arrangements. The Borno State government also refused to relocate the students from Chibok to safer places like Maiduguri.”

The WAEC official also tendered the letters written to the governors of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe to prove his claim.

He added that another factor that influenced WAEC’s decision to ask that all centres be moved to the state capitals was the death of three of its staff while conducting a similar examination in a school along the Yola-Maiduguri road in 2013.

The Borno governor, who initially declined transferring the final year students from centres in remote areas like Chibok to the state capital, finally agreed to do so after the kidnap, Eguridu said.

“Borno State government only agreed to relocate the remaining 189 pupils after the abduction of the girls,” he said.

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Human rights lawyer, Mr Inibehe Effiong, has condemned the illegal detention of Apostle Kassy Chukwu, the founder of Peniel of God’s Power International Ministries, Benin, Edo State by the Nigeria Police Force, describing it as unlawful.
Effiong in a press statement made available to SaharaReporters on Monday, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman to direct the immediate release of Apostle Kassy and ensure the matter is thoroughly investigated. He also called for the investigation of abuse of police powers in the case.  

In the statement titled: "illegal detention of Apostle Kassy Chukwu by the police on the instigation of Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin," he regretted that the Nigeria Police Force from the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), established to curtail serious international crimes, "has been thoroughly abused in Nigeria and is being deployed by every Tom, Dick and Harry to settle personal scores."
The human rights lawyer said it was shameful that despite persistent demands by Nigerians for the reform of the Nigeria Police Force, the culture of rot, human rights abuses and endemic lawlessness in the Force has continued to worsen by the day.
The statement partly read, "My attention has been drawn to the arrest and continued detention of one Apostle Kassy Chukwu, the founder of Peniel of God’s Power International Ministries situated in Benin, Edo State by the Nigeria Police Force on the instigation of one Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, the founder of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Warri, Delta State.
"Apostle Kassy was first arrested by the Nigeria Police Force on 5th May, 2022 in Benin and released the following day on Saturday, 7th May, 2022.
"On 6th July, 2022, he was rearrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force from the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and remains in the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) in Abuja where he was taken to from Benin."
He added, "The arrest and detention of Apostle Kassy is based on a complaint by Prophet Jeremiah to the police. He claims that he was defamed by Apostle Kassy in comments he purportedly made on Facebook.
"Irrespective of the allegations made against Apostle Kassy, it is unacceptable that the Nigeria Police Force has once again allowed itself to be used as a tool of oppression and attainment of personal vendetta by an influential member of the society who represents himself as “a man of God”.
"On Sunday, 10th July, 2022, the Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, went to the FCIID in Abuja and sought to see Apostle Kassy but was flagrantly denied access to him. He was also not allowed to give him the food that he bought for him."
Effiong reminded the police that under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, every suspect is presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty. "Therefore every suspect in custody has a right to visitation" he said. 
"The continued detention of Apostle Kassy is a blatant violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35 of the Constitution. The police should know that there is a price to pay for impunity and violation of the rights of citizens.
"It is scandalous that INTERPOL, a body which is established to curtail serious international crimes, has been thoroughly abused in Nigeria and is being deployed by every Tom, Dick and Harry to settle personal scores. This is reprehensible and condemnable.
"No court in Nigeria to the best of my knowledge has issued a warrant for the arrest and detention of Apostle Kassy."
He, however, queried why Prophet Jeremiah has not filed a civil suit against Apsotle Kassy for defamation in a competent court of law, but preferred to use the instrumentality of the police to witch hunt him.
"I call on the Inspector General of Police to direct the immediate release of Apostle Kassy and cause investigation to be carried out into the abuse of police powers in this case. We cannot continue to condone the vicious weaponization of the Nigeria Police Force for sinister purposes by individuals who feel they have money to throw around.
"Nigerians have had enough of this impunity and lawlessness."
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore on Sunday went to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to see the detained pastor but he was denied access to him. 
SaharaReporters gathered the pastor was arrested in Benin City, Edo State after being accused of intervening in the case of a missing child.
The child allegedly went missing at Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries.
The cleric was said to be detained on the order of Fufeyin, who accused Pastor Chukwu of daring to demand justice for the parents of the child who went missing in the church.
The AAC presidential candidate was told that he could not see the detained cleric and that it was based on “an order from above”.
The policemen were seen making phone calls, believably to their superior officers upon sighting the activist on their premises.
The activist condemned the arrest of the cleric and his subsequent detention at FCID without any charge preferred against him.
Sowore on Sunday said, "We are at the FCID. We came here to check on Pastor Kassy Chukwu who was detained here. Apparently, he is being detained here on the order of another pastor.

"This is the problem with the police, they have turned the police into a joke. Somebody can just call the Deputy Inspector General of Police or Commissioner of Police and get somebody detained.

"We came here to look for him to ensure that his rights are not violated but when we got here the moment they saw me, they started making calls, and that we cannot see him.

"We even went and bought food so that we can give it to him but they said we can't give him the food after they made all their contacts. We just want to report back that we were unable to see him.

"When this case was brought to my attention, I was told that it was politically motivated and that is why I was asking for the details but when I got here, I discovered that it was one of those despicable cases where people are just thrown in the detention because they have connection.”

“He was brought from Benin (City); no charges were brought against him up till now," Sowore had added.
 

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The Ukrainian government has said it planned to raise a "million-strong army" equipped with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) weapons to retake the south of the country from Russian troops occupying the region.

However, the comments by Ukraine’s defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov, are being seen as more of a rallying cry than a concrete plan for a counter-offensive.

Russia is making progress in taking territory in the eastern Donbas region, as there was an attack on a block of flats on Sunday that killed at least 22 people while more residents are still missing.

The building was located in Chasiv Yar, near the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region.

The remarks of a counter-attack may be more of a rallying cry than a set plan, as there would not be any operational surprise in this attack now that it has been announced.

Ukraine may be announcing this counter attack to force Russia to commit troops to the southern areas of the country away from other areas currently being attacked.

Reznikov also said that retaking the country's southern Black Sea coast was vital to the country's economy.

In his interview with The Times newspaper, the minister said weapons deliveries needed to be sped up.

He praised the UK for being "key" in the transition from providing Ukraine with Soviet-era weapons to the more effective NATO-standard air defence systems and ammunition.

"We need more, quickly, to save the lives of our soldiers. Each day we're waiting for howitzers, we can lose a hundred soldiers," he said.

The defence minister added, "We have approximately 700,000 in the armed forces and when you add the national guard, police, border guard, we are around a million-strong."

However, analysts have cautioned against taking the figure of one million at face value.

"It's not a million-strong force that will be conducting a counter-attack," Dr Jack Watling, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told the BBC.

"Normally you would want operational surprise when you launch a counter-attack, so announcing it publicly is partly about forcing the Russians to have to commit resources more widely to guard against this threat."

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Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The youths wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, OYC, has said the All Progressives Congress, APC’s candidate, Bola Tinubu’s choice of former Borno State, Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate is a disaster to Nigerian unity.

The Ohanaeze youths in Enugu State on Monday said the choice of Shettima was against the law of natural justice.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The National President of OYC, Okwu Nnabuike urged Nigerians to stop the APC from destroying the country.

He said the level of killings and violence targeted at Christians under the present administration was unprecedented and expressed concerns that the Christian community would become a totally endangered species under the Muslim-Muslim presidency.

He declared that Tinubu’s decision was an insult on millions of Christians in the country as no religion had precedence over the other.

“Today, we have deemed it fit to alert Nigerians of a looming danger ahead of the 2023 general elections. This is, following Bola Tinubu’s decision to opt for a Muslim-Muslim ticket, despite obvious reasons why he should not go such a route.

“This is totally unacceptable and should be rejected by anyone who means well for the country,” Okwu declared.

Okwu recalled that, “in 2014, Tinubu made efforts to force Muslim-Muslim ticket on Buhari, but the President resisted it by listening to the wise counsel of people like former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki. He balanced the ticket.

“Fast forward to seven years after, Tinubu now desperately wants to actualise a Muslim-Muslim presidency. There is more to this than meets the eyes. The insensitivity of Tinubu and the APC leadership is dreadful and that is their downfall.

“We see this as a grand conspiracy to sink Nigeria. How can anyone contemplate this arrangement in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society like Nigeria? APC should forget 2023, they have shut themselves on the foot; we can’t allow them to destroy Nigeria. They lost the opportunity to compete very well in the forthcoming election.

“Nigerians, Christians and Muslim brothers who mean well for the country should rise and resist it to the last, it will never fly. The country has never been this polarised and every sensitive person should have been concerned with processes that would engender national cohesion and unity but what we have seen from APC’s Tinubu is a further division of the country.”

SaharaReporters had reported that the APC candidate, Tinubu, on Sunday announced Shettima, a fellow Muslim as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

“The former Lagos Governor asserted the choice was based on competence - our question to him is simple: does it mean that from the 19 Northern States, there is no competent Christian? We can see the obvious falsehood in Tinubu’s claims.

“No religion is more superior to the other, but this is what Tinubu is making people to believe, a situation that would throw the country into avoidable crisis,” Ohanaeze said.

He advised Nigerians to place the country above self, stressing that, “justice and equity are the true ingredients of democracy.”

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A middle-aged man, identified as Halinko Erameh, has vowed to mobilise hoodlums to attack and kill anyone who dares to speak against the former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Erameh whose 1 minute, 2 seconds video clip has gone viral on the internet threatened that he must fulfill his vow if anyone, politician, religious leader or whoever dared to insult Obi.

He noted that the same way Muslims saw it as a crime for anyone to blaspheme Prophet Muhammad and Allah, it had become a crime for anyone to speak against Obi.

Erameh, who spoke mostly in pidgin language said, “Nigerians, we have a message for you, if I catch anybody say anything against Peter Obi, personally I will organise guys who will come to your house and anything you see, you will take it.

“You understand what the Quran says. You don’t say anything against Prophet Muhammad, the Holy Quran or Allah. In the same vein, if you say anything against Peter Obi, we will come and kill you in your house. You have heard it now. Let it not be as we did not warn you all.

“If I catch you saying anything against Peter Obi, you de-market, whether yourself a pastor or anybody and you say anything against Peter Obi, anything you see, you take it. I believe you understand.

“We will organise people since you all have refused to respect yourselves, people like us believe in Peter Obi, you all will hear it. You are all mad! Ogun kill you.”

Meanwhile, Obi had on several occasions advised his supporters to desist from direct and indirect attacks on the persons of his opposition parties.

But the LP candidate had yet to react to Erameh’s violent threats at the time of filing this report.

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Lasun Yusuff, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the July 16 Osun State election has narrated how his house was in the early hours of Monday attacked by unidentified gunmen.

Speaking with journalists, Yusuff revealed that when the shooting started, he ran to his wife's room where she and his children were sleeping, and switched off the light.

Yusuff, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives had appeared on Sunday night at the Osun Gubernatorial debate organised by the Channels Television in Osogbo.

“They came fully prepared; I was trying to repel them. But the gunshots continued for few minutes. I went to my wife and children’s rooms and found out they were sleeping, I switched off the light,” he said.

“Incidentally, I didn’t tell them anything but they knew they were gunshots; so they lay on the ground. So I just watched these men patrolling the compound for some minutes, they went to the front of the house and started shooting sporadically.”

In May 2022, Yusuff had claimed he narrowly escaped being killed by some political thugs who allegedly attacked his convoy in Osogbo.

“All these ugly attacks on me personally and my campaign office point to the fact that my life and all others involved in my Gubernatorial Campaign in Osun are in serious danger,” he had said.

“Last week, some groups of political thugs abruptly stopped my convoy threatening and warning me of several planned attacks if we refuse to back down/stop our gubernatorial campaign. In fact, to put it straight, I was told point-blank that my life is in danger and that they will continue to trail me and also disrupt all my campaign activities and events anywhere in Osun State.

“At exactly 11pm yesterday, some political thugs numbering about eight stormed my campaign office at Oroki Estate barely 30 minutes after we all left for the day. They came with cutlasses, guns and other weapons and descended on my billboards, signposts and windows of the gatehouse destroying everything in sight.

“The Night Guard in panic came out to challenge them with all his might. He was, however, able to battle them, causing them to run away. But this happened after they had destroyed everything outside the campaign office while the Night Guard’s resistance prevented them from gaining entrance to the Campaign Office.

“I, therefore, seize this opportunity to intimate the Public and the whole world that my political opponents have sponsored some thugs to be after my life and to disturb our Gubernatorial Campaign. The Security Operatives are hereby put on Red alert in this respect.”

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Tinubu

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State chapter has said the excuse forwarded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that the running mate for Bola Tinubu, Senator Kashim Shettima was selected based on competence, was unjustifiable.

This was said by the Chairman, CAN Kaduna State, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Monday and obtained by SaharaReporters.

Tinubu

Hayab argued that to remove bias in government against any specific tribe, at least in form, the Nigerian federal character framework was authoritatively captured in Nigeria's 1999 Constitution with this description: "...the government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of the agencies."

He explained that the statement was to ensure the principle that all public service institutions fairly reflected the country; the government of the linguistic, religious, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the count.

"Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies," he said.

According to the statement, there are a lot of concerns from Nigerians over a particular party's consideration of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

"Last week, we stated our position in clear terms to establish that the ill decision of a particular political party is not for us a thing of concern, where we clearly illustrated, that when I wish to eat rice and beans and a particular restaurant chooses to cook only white rice that has not given me any reason to worry because simply what I will need to do is to move to the other restaurants that have prepared what I desire to eat.

"However, just to state the obvious on the matter at hand, though the electorates have no reason to raise eyebrows over wrong decision by any political party; that we have no reason to be worried about it does not also suggest that such a decision is not condemnable.

"The implication of such a decision is that such a candidate has no respect for the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria; it also suggests that the candidate is just a candidate that prioritises selfishness, greed and personal unhealthy interest over the good of the nation.

"The Federal character principle that we talked of above was the product of Gen Yakubu Gowon Administration when after the Civil War it was believed that a particular group occupied major ministries in the nation," it said.

The statement further said, "But clearly we all know, many have just of course to argue that leadership in Nigeria in the most recent past is with high ethnic nepotism, well one can rightly say this is another phase of it in religious shade.

"It is sad that the constitution clearly states that "The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any persons or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution".

"And that "The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice", with the very divisive challenges of poor security, hunger, a dying economy to mention but these.

"At a time when Nigeria needs a unifying and productive leader, a good candidate cannot consider it one–sided, divisive selection of a running mate despite all genuine agitations against such.

"This shows that should these persons be elected, they will not be listening leaders, it shows that these candidates are insensitive to the concerns of the people and does not care heating the system for selfish gains as they appear disinterested in the unity of the country but their selfish ambition," it said.

CAN warned that the refusal to listen to wise counsel was a confirmation of the anxiety of the people.

"Well as earlier stated, this is not a problem to us as an association serving as the voice of the church. We have performed our role as the voice of the church in the political and social arena, that is our simple role as far as this and the 2023 elections are concerned.

"But every candidate should know that he is just one option among others in the 18 approved political parties for the over 84,004,084 of Nigerian voters in the 176,846 polling units to choose from.

"As leaders we will want every political party to know that we will educate, sensitise, and mobilise our ever faithful followers to vote against anything that we judge as a danger against the unity, peace, progress and development of Nigeria.

"We will reiterate that the political party has her right of will to make decisions that she judges best for her, but they should know too that their decisions only end as an option to the electorates among many other options. Thankfully 2023 is never going to be business as usual.”

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File photo used to illustrate story.

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have killed 16 persons in the Dangulbi community, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
 
Dangulbi is about 100km away from Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.

File photo used to illustrate story.

The deceased persons were killed by the gunmen said to be loyal to a notorious bandit kingpin, Damina while working on their farms.
 
The terrorists came to the village on Sunday afternoon and began to shoot at people.
 
Some farmers whose number could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report were also abducted.
 
Deadly attacks have raged across Zamfara state where banditry has thrived.
 
Agrarian communities in the state have long been terrorised by gangs who raid villages, steal cattle and kidnap residents for ransom.
 
In 2019, the state government signed a peace agreement with the gunmen.
 
About 15 brand new Hilux vehicles and cash gifts were also given to leaders of different 'repentant' gangs of bandits by the governor in 2020.
 
But despite all these, communities in the state are still being attacked and residents kidnapped and/or killed.
 

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The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide has vowed that the people of Niger Delta will fight any plan to take over their land and waters through the controversial National Water Resources Bill 2020, after appropriating their crude and gas resources.

The group described the controversial bill 2020 as a move by Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to take indigenous land for nomadic Fulani.

This was disclosed by the Secretary-General of IYC, Frank Pukon, in a notice sent to the Presidency in which the group kicked against the controversial bill.

 

Pukon said the Land Use Act already gave power over land in each state to respective governors and consequently, saying the content of the bill contradicts the characteristics of a federal system of government, which Nigeria claims to practise.

 

The statement partly read, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Land Use Act clearly stipulates that ‘All land comprised in the territory of each State in the Federation is hereby vested in the Governor of that State, and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of this Act’.

 

“Therefore, all well-meaning Niger Deltans and indeed even those in Buhari presidency that are against the bill, assert that Federal Government would not take our crude oil and gas resources, while also plotting to take over our land and waters. We will resist it.

 

“As Ijaw people, we would not be advocating for true federalism or a restructured Nigeria under the pillars of devolution of power that will underscore fairness, justice and equity, yet the President will precipitate setbacks to our agitations through a bill that gives constitutional power to the federal government to have absolute control over the nation’s entire water resources, both over and underground.

 

“What is more, the reintroduction of this obnoxious Water Resources Bill is indeed a confirmation that President Muhammadu Buhari is not committed to national unity and cohesion. 

 

“What should have been more important to the government now is to contextualize frameworks on the passed Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, and the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2022. Such landmark legislation that will enhance the oil and gas sector in our country and improve the electoral system of our dear nation, the government is rather doing hide and seek.

 

“I want to take this opportunity to once again urge the implementation Committee to expedite action so that our country will start to reap the benefits of these laws. I have been following recent developments to the controversial National Water Resources Bill, 2020 that has re-emerged on the floor of the House of Representatives. Indeed, as many public commentators posit, the bill is not in the interest of our nation.”

According to the group, the bill “contravenes our (Ijaw people’s) struggle for resource control and revenue derivation”.

 

“From Lagos to Maiduguri, Sokoto to Calabar, the story has been the same; Nigerians are living in despair, fear of insecurity and a protracted ailment of disunity. Hence, the government of the day must focus on how hope and confidence can be inspired.

 

“It should be a concern Nigerian kids are home due to the negligence of the government to strike a deal with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

 

“Instead of the government to take proactive measures such as declaring a state of emergency on security in the country due to the worsening security situation in the country, it is even abating the situation that has continued to grow worse. The government is susceptible to the promotion of disunity, separatist agitations,” the group added.

 

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A terror suspect, identified as Suleiman Sidi who recently escaped from the Kuje prison in Abuja has been captured by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Last Tuesday, a terrorist group, the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), attacked Kuje Correctional Centre (prison) in Abuja, freeing hundreds of inmates including scores of terrorists.

On Friday, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) revealed the names and photos of some of the inmates who escaped from the correctional facility following the attack.

One of the suspected terrorists who escaped during the invasion, Hassan Hassan, was recently recaptured in Nasarawa State.

Another fugitive, Sidi, was arrested on Monday by the NDLEA at the Area 1 motor park in Abuja while attempting to board a commercial vehicle to Maiduguri, Borno State.

This was contained in a statement posted on the Agency’s social media handles signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi said Sidi was caught with wraps of cannabis sativa.

The statement reads, "The fleeing terror suspect, Suleiman Sidi, was arrested in the early hours of Monday 11th July at Area 1 motor park, in the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to board a commercial vehicle to Maiduguri, Borno state. When he was searched, three wraps of cannabis sativa were found on him.

 

"During a preliminary interview, the wanted terror suspect confirmed he was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre for terrorism and robbery charges, adding that he was indeed one of the inmates who escaped from the facility last Tuesday.

 

"While commending the officers and men of the FCT Command of the Agency for the arrest and their vigilance, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has directed that the wanted suspect should be immediately handed over to the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCOS.”

 

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The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has dragged Demayo Holdings Nigerian Limited before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged N300 million debt.

 

Joined as co-defendants in the suit are directors of the company identified as Moshood Ademola Omidiran, Wulayat Omidiran and Abdulmalik Omidiran.

AMCON in an Ex parte Motion marked FHC/L/AMC/22/2022 asked the court to recover the sum of N319,658,903.56 from the defendants.

 

“WHEREOF the claimant claims against the Defendants as follow; The sum of N319,658,903.56 (Three Hundred and Nineteen Million, Six Hundred and Fifty-Eight Thousand, Nine hundred and Three Naira, Fifty-Six Kobo.) being the outstanding indebtedness of the Defendants as At February 2, 2022,” the court documents read.

 

“Interest at the rate of Fifteen percent (15%) per annum on the said sum of from February 02, 2022 until judgment is delivered. Interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum on the judgement sum from the date of the entry of final judgement in the suit until the said judgement is fully and finally liquidated.”

 

AMCON V DEMAYO -G C by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

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An education advocacy group under the umbrella of Save-Public-Education Campaign has decried the Nigerian government’s approach toward the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU).

 

The Save-Public-Education Campaign which said it has been monitoring meetings and negotiations between the Nigerian government and the striking university teachers in a statement signed by its convener, Vivian Bello and co-convener, Dimeji Macaulay, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take over the negotiations immediately.  

The group noted that the outcome of its monitoring as it regards the negotiations towards meeting the demands of the academic union in order to end the five months strike showed that till now, nothing has been done to end the deadlock and this has led to a continuous crisis in the country’s education sector.

 

“The Save-Public-Education Campaign is deeply saddened by this situation, and moreso, the lackadaisical attitude and body language of the relevant authorities concerned in this matter.

 

“We are also alarmed by the negative resort to a divide and rule tactic by the government negotiators on this strike, whereby they are singling out medical lecturers alone for payment of salaries instead of broadly and comprehensively attending to the salary and other key issues the striking academics have raised.

 

“We hold this as a false strategy as it is counter-productive and will only lead to further prolongation of the quagmire; Universities and Tertiary institutions are organic structural habitats and academic medics do not and cannot function in it, in isolation.  We want to make it clear that it is illegal for the government to stop the salaries of striking Tertiary Institutions’ Unions. It is not allowed under the Nigerian Labour Laws and we strongly charge the government to end this illegality,” the group stated.

 

The education advocacy group further expressed deep worries and concerns over the impact of the strike on Nigerian youths who are the most affected population and on Nigeria as a country.

 

According to the Save-Public-Education Campaign, Nigerian youths cum students affected by the strike “have largely come under its toll with many of this population now given to one negative social vice or another arising largely from the idleness and frustrations occasioned by the ASUU strike.

 

“This further puts virtually all sectors of the nation, including particularly in the area of security, under even greater burden and risk.”

 

For this reason, “We are therefore of the considered opinion that it was time the ASUU strike be attended to at the highest level, the President Muhammadu Buhari should therefore personally take over and lead the negotiations with the striking lecturers. We believe this will quickly bring a solution and end the lingering deadlock.”

 

The group added that “Taking all the foregoing into cognizance and without prejudice to the call for the President to take over the ASUU strike negotiation, however, we believe it is time to embark on a nationwide mass protest to impress it on the Nigerian government the need to have our students resume school, which will only be possible if government shifts ground and meets key ASUU’s demands.”

 

It pointed out that ASUU had already announced its willingness to call off the strike immediately after the Nigerian government meets their demands.

 

“We strongly, therefore, enjoin the country’s two national Labour Congresses; the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to follow through with its pronouncement on Day of Mass Action to solidarize with ASUU.”

 

The Save-Public-Education Campaign which disclosed that it will soon announce the day it will commence mass action on the ongoing ASUU strike called on students, student unions and Nigerians, in general, to rise up against the neglect and trampling of Nigerians’ right to education by the federal government.

 

“And while we salute the courage of some students and students bodies in the Country, including the University of Benin, the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, the Coalition of Northern Groups Student, Jalingo amongst others, we urge all Nigerians and students across the country including particularly the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, to get ready and join the struggle against the trampling of Nigerians’ Right to Education,” it stated.

 

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The Inspector-General of Police Mr Usman Baba has ordered the deployment of a police team to Osun, ahead of Saturday's governorship election in the state.

 

A statement on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, posted on the Force’s official Twitter handle, said five Armored Personnel Carriers for patrol, as well as three helicopters and six Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance, were among other unique operational assets deployed to ensure security during and after the election.

According to the statement, the team would be headed by Mr Johnson Kokumo, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

 

Adejobi said Kokumo, also the supervisory DIG for the South-West, would be assisted by four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) during the election.

 

He said four Commissioners of Police (CPs), 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police were also deployed for the exercise.

 

According to him, adequate police personnel of the rank of Chief Superintendents of Police and below have equally been deployed for the election.

 

The statement is titled: "Osun Election: IGP Orders Deployment of DIG, senior officers on election security management: IGP Addresses Stakeholders on July 12, Deploys Election CP to Osun."

The statement reads in parts, "The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has ordered the deployment of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) who is the supervisory DIG for the South-West Geo-Political Zone, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, psc(+), mni for the Osun State Gubernatorial Election scheduled to hold on Saturday 16th July, 2022.

 

"He is to be assisted by 4 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, 4 Commissioners of Police, 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police, and 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police. Adequate police personnel of the rank of Chief Superintendents of Police and below have equally been deployed for the election.

 

"DIG Kokumo is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Operation Order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment, to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment devoid of violence and to guarantee law-abiding citizens in the state of secured space to freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.

 

"Other Senior Officers deployed are tasked with coordinating human and other operational deployments in the three (3) Senatorial Districts, thirty (30) Local Government Areas and the 3,753 polling units in Osun State. The IGP ordered deployment of the Commissioner of Police and Provost Marshall at the Force Headquarters, CP Julius Alawari to Osun State for the election, while CP Olokode Taoheed Olawale, the Osun State Commissioner of Police has been temporarily moved to the Force Headquarters until the conclusion of the election.

 

"The IGP, who has been billed to meet with stakeholders in Osogbo on Tuesday 12th July, 2022, emphasized that these necessary operational deployments are part of actions aimed at creating a conducive and enabling environment that will guarantee peaceful and proper conduct of the Osun Gubernatorial election.

 

"The IGP further noted that the personnel, comprising conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit (SPU), Police Airwing, Public Relations Department (FPRD), as well as Police Medical Teams, will be on the ground to guarantee free, fair, credible and acceptable election. In addition, five (5) Armored Personnel Carriers for patrol as well as three (3) helicopters and 6(six)  Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance amongst other unique operational assets were also deployed."

 

The Force Public Relations Officer quoted the Police boss to have reassured the nation and the international community that the Force was satisfactorily prepared for the election.

 

"He reiterated the commitment of the Force to synergizing with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), all stakeholders and other security agencies to protect democratic values, provide level playing field for all political actors, ensure adequate protection of voters, INEC officials, equipment, accredited observers, both domestic and international, and other key players in Osun State.

 

"The IGP, therefore, admonished the good people of Osun State to be law-abiding and comply with the restriction of movement order which will be announced as and when due.

 

"The IGP equally urged them to come out en masse and exercise their franchise as adequate security has been emplaced by the Police and other security agencies to protect them before, during, and after the election."

 

 

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The ancient Greeks were firm believers in signs and omens, and a favourite saying of the philosophers of that era is: "When the student is ready, the Teacher will appear". Across the length and breadth of our land, the ancient landmarks of morality, forthrightness, virtue, and honesty which all rest as you all know on the cornerstone of integrity, have been discarded and it is now a common saying that "Nigeria has gone to the dogs." However, we have cause to be hopeful as amidst this thick darkness, we have shining lights of Integrity.

 

One cannot but reflect on the past with disbelief and perhaps bestow the future with nostalgia, fear and uncertainty if one must not allow the vista of the present happenstances to becloud one's sense of faith, hope, vision and affirmation in the Nigeria project as not a failed project. It cannot but beat all imagination that Nigeria can gradually but swiftly degenerate, disintegrate and disorientate to the current abyss she has helplessly found herself. A bride once the pride of willing and unwilling suitors now rejected, ignored, denounced, forsaken and derided by all – including her very own. What a shame!

 

Why and how has the situation degenerated to this level in a country benevolently enriched by the Creator? A country blessed with abundant natural and human resources! A country within the precipice of natural disaster but divinely insulated with celestial insurance that is inexplicable to environmental discernment. A country you hate to love; you forsake to seek, you detest to persuade, you reject to accept and deny to uphold. What a country of interjectory contradictions? A country that earned over $400 billion dollars from just one source and has little or nothing to show for it.

What we need to have is a rebirth of greatness in a nation where the electricity supply will be stable to stimulate economic development, and where roads and many other infrastructures are well built and maintained. Looking back in retrospect, Nigeria has but become a shadow of herself, a harbinger of lost glory, a country living in the past, moving and wallowing in abject degradation; not for want of endowment but effects of greed, misplaced priority, lack of vision, fear of God and respect for human dignity – on the part of both the leader and the led. Sad and unfortunate.

 

Unfortunately, a leader is consumed by power in relativity and the led is subsumed in self-delusion. Like a ship without a rudder, we are all washed adrift in a boat set for catastrophic capsize but for the unmerited mercies of God. It is a big shame that while we are so blessed, we still wanton in abject poverty; suffering in the midst of plenty, hoping hopelessly when the messiah would come. This is absolutely unacceptable - we cannot continue like this.

 

Finally, permit me to conclude this article by admonishing us: Instead of demonstrating reprobate mindsets, it is better for us as a nation destined for greatness to begin to restructure Nigerians for moral rebirth and religious tolerance. Our fault lines have been increased by reasons of intolerance, extremism, exuberance and godlessness. yours truly may not be on the same page with many people. But, certainly not unmindful of the sentiments and emotions shared by Brethrens.

 

As such, some of us may just be a little bit circumspect and tactfully addressing the issues. I make bold to say that; God does not have religion - religion caps are man-made. I put no stock in religion. By the word religion, I have even seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of God. We are the total sum of continuous movement of energy, totally perfect, in our wonderful imperfections. People should learn to preach religious tolerance.

 

Dawn Of A New Era.

 

Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.

 

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Lasun Yusuff, the Labour Party governorship candidate in the July 16 Osun election says his house was in the early hours of Monday attacked by unidentified gunmen.

 

According to Yussuf in a Twitter post, the said building located in the Oke-Ima area of Ilobu came under attack around 2 am.

“Gunmen in uniforms are presently in my residence shooting sporadically,” he tweeted.

 

Yusuff, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives appeared on Sunday night at the Osun Governorship debate organised by Channels Television in Osogbo.

 

In May, Yusuf claimed he narrowly escaped being killed by some political thugs who allegedly attacked his convoy in Osogbo.

 

“All these ugly attacks on me personally and my campaign office point to the fact that my life and all others involved in my Gubernatorial Campaign in Osun are in serious danger,” he had said.

 

“Last week, some groups of political thugs abruptly stopped my convoy threatening and warning me of several planned attacks if we refuse to back down/stop our Gubernatorial Campaign. In fact, to put it straight, I was told point-blank that my life is in danger and that they will continue to trail me and also disrupt all my campaign activities and events anywhere in Osun State.

 

“At exactly 11 pm yesterday, some political thugs numbering about eight stormed my Campaign office at Oroki Estate barely thirty minutes after we all left for the day. They came with cutlasses, guns and other weapons and descended on my billboards, signposts and windows of the gatehouse destroying everything in sight.

 

“The Night Guard in panic came out to challenge them with all his might. He was, however, able to battle them causing them to run away. But this happened after they had destroyed everything outside the campaign office while the Night Guard’s resistance prevented them from gaining entrance to the Campaign Office.

 

“I, therefore, seize this opportunity to intimate the Public and the whole world that my political opponents have sponsored some thugs to be after my life and to disturb our Gubernatorial Campaign. The Security Operatives are hereby put on red alert in this respect.”

 

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The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso has urged the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu to pay attention to his health.

 

Kwankwaso disclosed this in an interview with Arise Television on Sunday.

“If you see my friend Bola, tell him to take it easy, and to take care of his health, because I love him so much, he is my friend,” he said.

 

“This campaign is very rigorous; it requires a lot of effort and so on and so forth. I hope he will take it easy so that we can continue the struggle to ensure one solid and prosperous Nigeria.”

 

The APC candidate just returned from Paris, France where he went to attend to his medical needs.

 

In 2021 alone, Tinubu spent over 80 days patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the United Kingdom where he underwent surgeries amid the poorly equipped hospitals in Nigeria, which is led by the APC government.

 

He was flown out of the country some days before Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France.

 

There were speculations that he tested positive for COVID-19 but his media aide later denied such reports.

 

The APC leader returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after a month’s absence from Nigeria.

 

He then went for a medical check-up on Thursday, June 10, 2021, to France and was conspicuously absent from the one-day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State.

 

"Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating due to old age," a top source had told SaharaReporters.

 

Tinubu, amid death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

 

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021 where he had knee surgery.

 

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.

 

“He had a surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed at the time.

 

On August 9, 2021, Tinubu had another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, the United States.

 

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

 

Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

 

“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources had said.

 

"He left the US for the UK on crutches," another source had revealed. 

 

In 2021, the President paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he underwent a second surgery in the United States.

 

Tinubu currently toes the path of President Muhammadu Buhari, who himself has spent hundreds of days on medical leave in the United Kingdom since he assumed office in 2015.

 

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The Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical Province and the Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Rev. Simeon Borokini, has urged Nigerians to get licensed guns to protect themselves against terrorists and bandits wreaking havoc across the country.

Borokini spoke during the Synod at St. Andrews Anglican Church, Oyemekun, Akure, in Ondo State amid the failure of Muhammadu Buhari’s government to curb insecurity in the country.

He condemned the worsening insecurity in the country and urged people to defend themselves against terrorists, Vanguard reports.

He said, “Well, I won’t oppose the call for churches to defend themselves because the government seems to be insensitive to the security situation in the country. So, anybody that is willing to get something to protect himself, should get it licensed, if it is a gun.

“If it is to protect, I will support it, since the government seems to be negligent as far as security is concerned. Promises made by the government to protect citizens from terrorists and criminals have not been kept; instead, the country has become more unstable than it has been in decades.

“The recent surge of insecurity has been linked to poverty across the country. The nation is abundantly blessed but criminally youth unemployment is alarming and the country is in the middle of one of the economic downturns.

“Nigeria, God’s own country, the giant of Africa, a nation flowing with milk and honey, is now a place where everyone is avoiding partnering with or even coming to invest in.

“Even, the citizens are running from the country to go and look for a greener pasture and find solace somewhere else as a result of the security challenges.

“The nation is faced with an unprecedented wave of different but overlapping insurgencies and almost every corner has been hit by violence and crime.”

 

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