Kennedy Emetulu

I don’t know if I’m the only one incredibly puzzled by what happened at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential convention that produced Bola Tinubu as the party’s presidential flag-bearer in the forthcoming general election. I admit, I am shocked by the outcome. And I say so as someone not very much in the business of being surprised by what passes for politics in Nigeria.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge Tinubu’s talent as a politician. I know he is a determined man who would always go for what he wants. But, the presidency of Nigeria should not be for anyone who sees it as something that must come to them, someone who views it with a sense of entitlement – an “E gbe kiniyi wa” or “E mi lo kan” candidate. That is just plain dangerous. It is even more dangerous when we consider Tinubu’s political history in Lagos and the South-West. However, most dangerous are citizens who sat through the convention to watch the aspirants live and still come up with the decision to vote Tinubu! How? Why?

Kennedy Emetulu

How can 1,271 Nigerians who know what our nation has suffered as a result of voting in persons who have serious health issues as Presidents still sit down and vote for Tinubu who EVIDENTLY is suffering from Parkinson’s disease? In addressing them, Tinubu was shaking like a leaf in the wind, spending more than 12 seconds to open to another page in his labored speech, yet they voted for him!

 

We recall how Umaru Yar’Adua was evacuated to Germany during the 2007 presidential campaign and all the lies and denials that followed until the poor guy gave up the ghost on the 5th of May, 2010. That triggered a constitutional crisis that saw Nigerians rise in defence of constitutionality to see the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan take over, despite the best efforts of ‘the cabal’ to thwart him.

 

Arguably, Nigeria suffered worse under President Muhammadu Buhari because of his poor health and his incessant hopping on the plane to London for very lengthy periods to go take care of his health. That Buhari is still alive today is a miracle for which we all thank God. But, again, like Umaru Yar’Adua, the lies about his state of health by his handlers could not hide the fact that Nigeria has suffered greatly from the consequences of his ill-health.

 

Now, let me make something clear. It is not a comfortable thing talking about the ill-health of another mortal because we are all brittle beings at the mercy of the Almighty. Any of us can fall ill at any time and it’s not a crime. It’s true that as private citizens, whatever happens to our health is our business and the business of our family, friends and close associates and loved ones generally. It is not the business of the nation how you go about looking after yourself or how your handlers go about looking after you. 

 

But, when you are occupying a public office as high as that of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or when you aspire to it, then your health becomes a public issue because the Constitution frowns upon a severely ill person occupying the position of the President. This is why it is scary that some people sat somewhere in Abuja in the name of a party convention and chose a man suffering from a degenerative disease without cure as the presidential flag-bearer of their party in the forthcoming general election. It is scary because this is the ruling party with the capacity to put this man in Aso Rock as successor to President Muhammadu Buhari!

 

To properly contextualize this problem, we need to understand that the fact that someone suffers from Parkinson’s should ordinarily not be the end of their working life. In Europe or America, for instance, what usually happens, in order to avoid discrimination against such a person, is that they are given less tasking jobs that they can do in their condition until it is practically impossible for them to continue with the job because of the progressively degenerative nature of the disease. Parkinson’s impedes your ability to walk, your ability to carry or move things, your ability to read and write, your ability to concentrate and learn and your ability to use the phone or have a conversation and so on. How then can we as people who are compos mentis decide that the office of the President of our nation is the place we must install a person suffering Parkinson’s, even if we say this fellow is the brightest amongst us? How can we look ourselves in the eye and declare ourselves true patriots if we have no scruples rooting for a Tinubu in his condition in the Nigeria of 2022 with all the problems our nation is facing?

 

Honestly, there is a sense in thinking that these people supporting Tinubu and Tinubu himself are taking advantage of what is supposedly a lacuna in our laws. Under the eligibility provisions of the Constitution as it concerns the health of anyone seeking to be President, section 137(1)(c) says a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of the President if under the law of any part of Nigeria, he is adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind. This is all it says with regard to health as qualification for election to the office of the President. So, it only talks the mental health of the person seeking the office and not their physical health.

 

But, we can get an idea of what the objective of the Constitution is with regard to the health status of any person seeking to occupy that office by looking at what the law says with regard to someone already occupying the office. Indeed, we will look at the law in the context of our history of attempts by two different presidents and groups to game the system, so as to avoid what is constitutionally and indeed morally necessary.

 

The Constitution addresses two situations that require the President to hand over power temporarily or resign permanently where he suffers from ill-health. Here are the sections dealing with these: 

 

Section 145:

 

……………

 

Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President.

 

 

……………

 

 

Section 144:

 

…………

 

 

(1) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office, if -

(a) by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the Federation it is declared that the President or Vice-President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; and

(b) the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

(2) Where the medical panel certifies in the report that in its opinion the President or Vice-President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation.

 

(3) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

 

(4) the medical panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, and shall comprise five medical practitioners in Nigeria:-

 

(a) one of whom shall be the personal physician of the holder of the office concerned; and 

(b) four other medical practitioners who have, in the opinion of the President of the Senate, attained a high degree of eminence in the field of medicine relative to the nature of the examination to be conducted in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

 

(5) In this section, the reference to "executive council of the Federation" is a reference to the body of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, howsoever called, established by the President and charged with such responsibilities for the functions of government as the President may direct.

 

 

…………..

 

Then, there is section 146(1), which says:

 

……………

 

The Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any other reason in accordance with section 143 of this Constitution.

 

 

…………….

 

 

So, let’s look at how these provisions have been applied (or not applied) and/or manipulated in our history with a view to appreciating the kind of problem we are likely to face if a man like Tinubu were to be elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It’s a different thing if we have had no experience of the kind of problems this situation creates. But, we can’t go through the experience we have gone through as Nigerians and then deliberately walk into it again. That will be collective madness.

 

First, the commonest mistake some public commentators make about section 145 is that they overstretch its application to cover a situation where the President is seriously ill when it is not meant to apply in that situation as there are other constitutional provisions for that eventuality - (sections 144 and 146(1)). Section 145 applies only in two situations. The first is when the President is going on a vacation and the second is when he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office when the reason for such is not a serious illness likely to render him incapable of discharging such functions.

 

President Umaru Yar’Adua who had a health scare during the 2007 presidential campaign that he had to be flown out to Germany amidst all sorts of denials suffered another breakdown after winning the election and taking office. In late November 2009, he had to be secretly evacuated to Saudi Arabia. The nation was kept in the dark about his condition (though, we later got to know he was being treated for pericarditis) and as months passed and Nigerians became clearly aware that President Yar’Adua was not in the country, a ‘cabal’ of administration officials running national affairs behind the scenes came up with the hare-brained theory that there is no problem because President Yar’Adua can run the country from anywhere in the world. They kept saying this, even as they refused to tell Nigerians about his health condition.

 

Now, the problem really was that President Yar’Adua’s handlers were not quite smart with their attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians. It was obvious that the man was unable to discharge the functions of his office, even if they didn’t want to admit he was grievously ill to trigger section 144. What President Yar’Adua should have done, even though that would have amounted to being economical with the truth, was to transmit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was proceeding on vacation or that he was otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, so that such functions could continue to be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President.

 

And that was where they were rumbled. Then Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan kept presiding over cabinet meetings without the President and without any authority given to him under section 145. He was as clueless about President Yar’Adua’s condition as the rest of the country. From late November 2009 to early February 2010, the country was on tenterhooks. If President Yar’Adua had transmitted the written declaration that he was unable to discharge his functions for the time being to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he would have provided constitutional cover for himself and the Vice-President, even though his condition would have actually required the intervention under section 144. He would have been able to get away with it because section 144 does not require him to trigger it. It requires for two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the Federation to initiate action. However, if section 145 had been activated, the Vice-President who would by then be the Acting President would not have had a problem keeping the wheels of government running with the hope that once the President recovers he can return to office.

 

It was the constitutional crisis created by the situation that finally led to a series of actions that eventually got Goodluck Jonathan installed as Acting President. First, there were already rumblings in the cabinet about the whole nation being kept in the dark about what was going on with President Yar’Adua’s health. The disgruntled members of the cabinet found a voice in the then Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili, who, on Friday, the 5th of February, 2010, wrote a strongly worded memo denouncing the lies being spun about the president’s health. This triggered a national discussion morphing into a national protest against those Nigerians christened “the cabal.” Nigerians demanded to know who were the people actually running the country because, clearly, Vice-President Jonathan was not de facto or constitutionally in charge as he should be. On Wednesday, the 10th of February, 2010, the Senate sat and propounded the “doctrine of necessity” to transfer presidential powers to Vice-President Jonathan declaring him the Acting President. 

 

On Wednesday, the 24th of February, 2010, “the cabal” secretly brought back a severely ill President Yar’Adua into the country. But, apart from the fact that he was too sick to leave his bed and appear in public, they could not act to return presidential powers to him because he did not activate section 145 before leaving for Saudi Arabia and in his absence the Senate had transferred presidential powers to the Vice President who was now lawfully the Acting President. President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua died on Wednesday, the 5th of May, 2010 in Abuja and Acting President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as the substantive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria immediately on Thursday, the 6th of May, 2010. Thus ended that sordid part of our history with presidential ill-health and constitutional manipulation.

 

But the nation had to face this again in 2015 during the presidential campaign. Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Ret), the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was severely ill, but everything was done to hide this from Nigerians. In February 2015, under the pretext of going to Chatham House in London to deliver a talk, Buhari was sneaked into London for medical treatment for an undisclosed illness. He won the 2015 election and took over as President and immediately the rumours about his ill-health gathered steam.

 

Now, Nigerians may not know this, but the reason given for President Buhari not quickly naming his cabinet after being sworn in on May 29, 2015, which was that he was taking his time to choose who he wanted in the cabinet, was not exactly true. The real reason had to do with his health. After the experience of a rebellious Yar’Adua cabinet, Buhari and his handlers were wary of appointing a cabinet that could trigger section 144 if he suffers serious ill-health. So, they adopted a wait and see attitude to the whole thing. The idea was if he develops a serious problem with his health within that period of waiting, without a cabinet in place he can confidently go abroad for treatment and be sure the worst will not happen. But, having waited for six months without much trouble with his health, he was ultimately forced to appoint the cabinet in October 2015.

 

However, in June 2016, he faced the first test with his health. He proceeded on what the presidency said was a 10-day holiday, with a claim that he would be using the opportunity to treat an ear infection. At that point, no one had an issue with this because he did the constitutionally required thing, which was to transmit to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was unable to discharge the functions of his office for that moment because he was proceeding to London briefly for the stated purposes. There was no issue as to when he would return or whether he would return to his post because no one was thinking an ear infection would render him incapable of performing his duty as President. In fact, the three issues of controversy relating to the matter at the time were, one, the fact that he was seeking treatment abroad when he himself had said during the campaign that he was cracking down on medical tourism and the practice of public officials seeking medical treatment abroad; two, the fact that he was travelling to London for such a minor medical issue that Nigerian doctors could have handled easily at home and three, the cost to Nigerian citizens and taxpayers of such treatment.

 

Of course, knowing what we know now, it looks like the ear infection story was a cover for something worse. This is because before the President travelled out for that treatment, for weeks he confined himself to the Villa and on a number of occasions cancelled trips scheduled for outside the country and within. The Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo represented him in some of them. For instance, the Vice-President represented him in Papua New Guinea where the 8th Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States was held and at the 48th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which was held in Dakar, Senegal. We also recall that President Buhari had to cancel a well-advertised trip to Lagos to inaugurate some projects executed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode despite the elaborate preparations made by the Lagos State Government and his party, the APC to receive him as the trip was billed as some kind of platform for re-engagement with the South-West wing of the party after some internal disagreements. However, the most high-profile miss on the domestic front was the fact that he did not attend the much-publicised flag-off of the implementation of the UNEP Report on the cleaning up of Ogoniland and the Niger Delta. Of course, at the time, we didn’t know he was ill, we only knew he was holed up in the Villa. Nonetheless, he left for that trip on the 6th of June, 2016 and returned on the 19th of June, 2016. So, constitutionally, everything went well even though Nigerians who questioned his decision to go abroad for such supposedly minor medical issue or the amount spent had a right to do so.

 

But of all the trips President Buhari made for medical treatment abroad, the trickiest was the one he embarked on in January, 2017. It was obvious that his advisers and handlers were trying to navigate the law in a way to undermine it without breaching it outright. They had an eye on PSR 070316, which is a Public Service Rule that stipulates that the maximum aggregate sick leave which can be allowed an officer in public service who is not hospitalized, during any period of 12 months shall be 42 calendar days. In January 2017, they weren’t sure how long the President was going to be out hospitalized, so they decided to play the non-sick card, which, of course, was a lie. They told the nation that the President was going on a 10-day vacation. We recall that even though the President’s letter to the National Assembly stated the vacation was to start on the 23rd of January 2017, President Buhari was hurriedly evacuated abroad two days earlier on the 21st of January. This lent credence to rumours that this was not a vacation, but a medical-related evacuation. We all were witnesses to how presidential media managers, Femi Adesina and Mallam Shehu Garba and the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed mismanaged the information about President Buhari’s condition, which led them to even begin to publicly engage cantankerously with people over the issue. They kept saying President Buhari was in London on vacation and that he was not in any hospital and he was not ill, even though they had stated that during the vacation he would do some “routine medical check-up”. They insisted he would be back to work by the 1st of February, 2017.

 

Now, up to this point, President Buhari was still constitutionally in order, even though the lies about his condition were becoming increasingly untenable. In fact, most citizens were mainly concerned with how his spokespersons mishandled information surrounding his absence up to that point. However, shortly before the 1st of February, 2017, we were told that he would be extending his stay indefinitely because he had to wait for the results of certain medical tests conducted. We could see that they were still building up on the lies. Obviously, because they had lied that he was only on vacation and that he was only using that opportunity of the vacation to do some routine medical tests, it was natural to continue that lie by claiming now that his inability to meet up with the 1st February date was because he had to wait for the test results. Terrible story, but that was what they told Nigerians. That excuse was also deployed with an eye on PSR 070316.

 

In any case, we could see at that point that even if we had accepted their excuses for President Buhari extending his stay, the action he undertook under section 145 was no longer enough because we were now straying into medical reasons for his absence. Besides, the Constitution does not provide for the President being absent or being away indefinitely. I mean, one of the things the supporters of the President said at the time was that his situation was different from that of President Umaru Yar’Adua because Buhari transmitted the necessary letter handing over to the Acting President to the National Assembly, but what they were not saying was that they couldn’t continue to refer to the fact that he transmitted a letter as justification for staying away for that long on medical grounds. That letter was only useful where the President was expected back at his duty post shortly after. 

 

The President eventually returned on the 10th of March, 2017. it was obvious they couldn’t sustain the lies anymore because the President looked severely emaciated and disoriented in the little time the public saw him. More crucially, he himself spoke of how really sick he was, implying he had to take blood transfusions and so on, which altogether clearly pointed to some serious illness, even though he wasn’t disclosing what this was exactly. He then added ominously that he would soon be returning to the UK for further treatment. Meanwhile, between then and the 7th of May, 2017 when he returned to the UK, he was hardly seen in public or in office. His handlers said he was working from home. Indeed, the only times Nigerians saw him were when he was scrambled to attend the Aso Rock mosque on Friday, the 5th of May, the seventh anniversary of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s death (in order to quell the rumour that he was incapacitated) and when he received the girls freed from Boko Haram captivity on Sunday, the 7thof May, 2017. Even then, those watching him with the girls on television could see his condition was dire. A few hours after that he was once again evacuated to London. 

 

We can look back now and thank God President Buhari survived his illness to return to take over. He and his handlers learnt from the fiasco of the Umaru Yar’Adua situation by ensuring that at all times before leaving the country, the President triggered section 145, even where the reasons given were obvious lies. However, the Constitution expects that a patriotic citizen occupying the position of the President would know when to resign to go take care of his health because that is indeed a personal decision considering all the circumstances. That is the purpose of the constitutional provision for resignation in section 146 which stipulates resignation as one of the circumstances under which the Vice-President should take over as substantive President in order for there not to be a vacuum in government. But rather than take that opportunity, President Buhari and his handlers left the Vice-President in an acting, ineffectual capacity while the nation suffered unduly. They decided to ride it out, rather than give Nigerians the opportunity to move on from him. And it worked because, unlike Yar’Adua, he survived and finally returned to take back the wheel.

 

But what became obvious from these two episodes of serious presidential illnesses was the fact that presidents gravely sick who should be resigning or who should be made to resign by the operation of section 144 can game the system by simply making themselves unavailable in the country once they trigger the operation of section 145. This is because once the President is out of the country, the operation of section 144 becomes virtually impossible. First, no one would expect that a Vice-President or Acting President who would be the direct beneficiary of the President resigning or being removed would convene a meeting of the executive council of the Federation with the aim of removing his boss who is not around. Rather than that to be seen as anything constitutional, it would be interpreted as treason. Basically, it would be unseemly to preside over a meeting that he himself would be the beneficiary even if it would seem the proper thing to do to move the nation forward. Also, assuming we cross the bridge of the executive council of the Federation making the necessary declaration under section 144(1)(a), how would they go about activating the next step, which is the medical examination of the President when the President himself is not around to be medically examined?

 

So, while we thank God that President Buhari survived the illness to return to steer the affairs of state, we cannot ignore the damage his absence of over a hundred days away due to serious illness caused the nation. Indeed, there are those who put the blame for his lacklustre performance as President squarely at the foot of this illness. It is quite possible that if Nigerians in 2015 had known that he would take that much time out due to illness they would not have elected him.

 

That is why we need to critically look at this Tinubu case because it looks like we are walking straight into a pit again, and, this time, with our eyes wide open. Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease. There is no cure and it doesn’t get better. It only progressively gets worse. The issue here is not about Tinubu’s age. There is no constitutional upper limit in terms of age to contest for the presidency. Tinubu, at least officially, is not older than Atiku Abubakar or Joe Biden. But the others do not have Parkinson’s or any degenerative disease that can hamper their performance as President. I wouldn’t want to guess what would happen between now and the election in February next year. I don’t want to guess what will happen when the presidential campaign kicks off in September. But, clearly, Tinubu is not a fit and proper person to be voted in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

 

We are faced with so many challenges that require the full attention of a fit President to tackle. The All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates, for whatever reason, have closed their eyes and minds to the needs of the nation by choosing Tinubu as their presidential candidate. It’s their right. But it’s also the right of Nigerians to overwhelmingly reject Bola Tinubu in the general election purely because he is not fit to be President of Nigeria on the grounds of ill-health. Of course, Tinubu himself knows he is not fit, but he thinks his ambition is more important than our national needs. So, we Nigerians should tell him to go take care of his health in as emphatic a manner as possible. It’s in our hands now.

 

 

 

*Kennedy Emetulu is a Nigerian commentator on national and international affairs

 

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Kennedy Emetulu Disable advertisements : 

Gunmen have shot a pastor, gunned down his two sons and kidnapped his 13-year-old daughter in Adamawa State.

The sons died while the pastor is fighting to survive in the hospital.

SaharaReporters learnt that ferocious gunmen stormed the residence of Reverend Daniel Umaru of the 'Eklesiya Yan'uwa A Nigeria' (EYN); also known as Church of the Brethren, at Njairi in the Mubi Local Government Area and carried out the dastardly act.

 

A source close to the family told SaharaReporters that the assailants invaded the pastor's residence in the early hours of Wednesday and opened fire on him and his two sons, killing the sons instantly.

 

"We heard terrifying gunshots from Reverend Umaru's house around 2:00 am on Wednesday. The neighbourhood was rattled, we had to find where to hide.

 

"It felt like another round of Boko Haram invasion; we had no idea if we'll be alive or we'll be taken hostage before dawn.

 

"About now, the pastor is receiving medication at the Mubi General Hospital, while his traumatised wife is on life support at the same hospital," the source informed.

 

Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has condemned the attack and offered condolences to the family of the pastor.

 

A spokesperson for the governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, in a statement noted that "gunmen have shot Pastor Daniel Umaru, killed two of his sons and kidnapped his 13-year-old daughter”.

 

"Governor Fintiri while offering his condolences to the family over the death of their children described as shocking and barbaric the action of the gunmen.

 

"The State Government condemns in the strongest terms the despicable attack on this innocent family; the perpetrators of this heinous act must be brought to justice, and we have offered our full support to the Security Agencies to do so," he added.

 

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, new York Disable advertisements : 

Some robbers on Tuesday night invaded National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) lodge on Udo Ekong Ekwere Street in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the state coordinator of the scheme has confirmed.

 

It was learnt that the robbers carted away valuables, including laptops, cell phones and money.

Some reports also said some of the female occupants of the lodge were raped by the assailants.

However, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Akwa Ibom, Ekwe Chinyere NI (Mrs) in a statement, noted that the attack was carried out by thieves at about 1 am but that no one was raped.

The statement reads, "The attention of the Management of the National Youth Service Corps Akwa lbom State has been drawn to an online publication, with the above caption, published by Punch online and reported by several online media.

 

"In the said story making the rounds, it was alleged that Gunmen attacked, raped, robbed and dispossessed Corps Members of their valuables at Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State where they reside.

 

"To put the unfortunate incident in proper perspective, the State Coordinator, NYSC Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Chinyere Ekwe in company of the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi, visited the Corps Members for an on-the-spot assessment.

 

"While there, it was confirmed that 21 Corps Members occupy the said property. The interaction with the Corps Members further revealed that an attack on them was actually carried out by thieves at about 1 am.

 

"In the process, the invaders took their valuables including phones, laptops and some cash. They confirmed that NO bodily harm was meted on them, and NO CORPS MEMBER WAS RAPED.

 

"While the actions and intentions of those criminal elements remained condemnable, we passionately appeal to the social media operators, particularly, Punch online, to exercise restraint and not trivialize such unfortunate incident as the consequences on the psychology of parents and guardians of Corps Members in the state would be dangerously affected.

 

"However, it is worthy of note that the State Commissioner of Police has assured the Corps Members and members of the public that an investigation on the matter has been launched and that the culprits will soon be apprehended.

 

"Meanwhile, the Commissioner has equally detailed surveillance around the area with a promise to extend the same to other Corps lodges.

 

"Accordingly, the State Coordinator has reaffirmed that there was no incident of rape. She, therefore, urges the Corps Members in the State to go about their lawful duties and make use of the security phone lines already provided, while in distressed situations."

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  saharareporters, new york Disable advertisements : 

A Delta state High Court sitting at Oghara, Ethiope East Local Government of the state has ordered the Benin Electricity Development Company (BEDC) to pay N20 million as compensation to Edjemuonyavwe community, Oghara and reconnect the community's electricity disconnected over four years ago.

 

The Community had time in 2016 entered into an agreement for the bulk metering of electricity consumption in the five quarters of the community consisting of about 300 rural households.

SaharaReporters reliably gathered that after about 16 months into the said contract and with the continuous payment of the agreed bills, the community was suddenly presented with a total bill of N174, 210, 449.92 as an outstanding bill.

This did not go down well with the community, thereby forcing its leadership to contest the said bill and describe it as bogus, estimated and inflated and sought clarifications, especially on the basis that there were no industries within the community or heavy commercial activities capable of consuming such bills.

 

It was gathered that while the community's leadership pursued an amicable resolution of the dispute, the Benin Electricity Distribution Company without serving relevant legal notices, unilaterally disconnected the electricity supply to the entire community in November 2017 and threw the community into darkness and crippling economic activities in the area.

 

After several months of the refusal of BEDC to restore power to the community, its leadership instructed its Lawyers, A. A. Ejumejowo, Esq. and M. O. Efeakpor, Esq. to file an action at the Oghara judicial division of the Delta state high court in June 2018.

 

In a suit marked HCH/29/2018, Hope Abijor, Erharhe Castle, Eghwubare Henry, Emerure Samson, Leonard Maduku, Friday Iteme and Okiki Doctor are claimants acting for themselves and on behalf of the entire members of Edjemuonyavwe community, Oghara while the Benin Electricity Distribution Company served as the defendant. The community sought amongst other reliefs the reconnection of electricity supply to the community.

 

The BEDC in its defence filed a counter-claim for the payment of the sum of N174, 210, 449.93 as an outstanding electricity bill among other prayers.

 

Delivering his judgment on Wednesday, the trial Judge, Justice A.A. Ighoverio, declared the disconnection of the community from the power grid as unlawful upon BEDC’s failure to comply with the existing electricity regulations and the court ordered the immediate reconnection of electricity to the claimants’ community and further ordered the defendant, BEDC, to pay to the community the sum of N20 million as general damages.

The court dismissed the counter-claim of BEDC for the payment of N174, 210, 449.92 alleged as an outstanding bill.

As soon as news of the court judgment got to the community, residents started rejoicing as they have been disconnected from the national grid since November 2017.

 

Reacting to the judgment, the lawyers who represented the community, A.A. Ejumejowo, Esq. and M. O. Efeakpor, Esq. commended the court for what they called "well-considered judgment", describing it as a welcome development and victory to the people over the way and manner electricity distribution companies arbitrarily operate in the country without regard for due process of law and public interest.

 

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Seyi Makinde

A human rights and pro-democracy group, Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), Oyo State chapter, has accused the state governor, Seyi Makinde, the Nigeria Police and Justice Ladiran Akintola of the state high court of conspiring and conniving to send to jail, nine youths arrested over #EndSARS protest in 2020.

 

The group lamented that the trial of the nine persons arrested at the Ojoo area of Ibadan, the state capital around 2 am on November 13, 2020, has been continually frustrated by the police, court and Makinde’s administration.

Seyi Makinde

The group described the governor, Justice Akintola, police and all the lawyers handling the case as “evil, corrupt, wicked, irresponsible and insensitive,” adding that they are using the “boys' case as a political game” while “Governor Makinde is portraying himself as a friend of the youth in media and using #FreeOyo11 for political appraisal for his second term.”

 

TIB in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Solomon Emiola and Secretary, Dimeji Salako, warned Makinde and Justice Akintola to desist from toying with the lives of Oyo #EndSARS protesters, adding that they are not criminals and should not be treated as such.

The statement, which was made available to SaharaReporters, read, “It is quite unfortunate that the Oyo State Government led by Engr Seyi Makinde, the Nigerian police and the Judiciary in Oyo State have connived to send nine innocent youths forcefully arrested on November 13, 2020, at Ojoo area of Ibadan around 2:00 am in the midnight to jail labelling them as EndSARS protesters.

 

“These persons have been standing trial since last year while remanded in prison and the case keeps getting adjourned at every court hearing. The matter was first assigned to one magistrate court at Iyaganku before it was later transferred to State High Court.

 

“The case file was assigned to Justice Moshood Abass of Court 2 before he was promoted to the post of President of Court of Appeal, it took days of frequent adjournments before we later found out that the Justice had been promoted.

 

“After the promotion of Justice Moshood Abass of Court 2, it took time before the case was reassigned to another Justice named Justice Ladiran Akintola of Court 7.

 

“TIB Oyo State engaged the Department of Public Prosecutor Oyo State in the person of Mr. Nathaniel in which in his statement, he affirmed to us that the ministry has failed in discharging their duties to serve the populace and also that they were not part of the process of prosecuting the accused protesters who are kept in prison.

 

“He further emphasized that the charges were not interrogated/investigated by their department before prosecuting the matter, that it was filed by the police legal department Oyo State Command; that he has issued a directive that will enhance granting the accused #FreeOyo11 bail on January 27 before Justice Ladiran Akintola. He said and we quote, ‘They are only playing devil's advocate in the matter’.

 

“Since the emergence of Justice Ladiran Akintola early this year January 27, 2022 the #EndSarsProtesters appeared before him and with the aim of getting them released on bail and also for Justice to go through the trumped-up charges levelled against these innocent persons, he adjourned the case till April 27 without considering the liberty of the accused being trampled upon by the State while he denied them bail.

 

“Appearing Again on April 27, after the mentioning of the case and reading the charges to the accused, and they all pleaded "not guilty" while some of the lawyers defending the accused raised bail application but the prosecutor turned it down, and the matter was adjourned again without proceeding to commencement of the trial but Justice Ladiran Akintola adjourned the trial till June 6, 2022, with the hope that the trial will commence fully.

 

“On June 6, the accused were fully represented in court but the prosecuting team were not ready with the witnesses assembled before the court to commence the trial and they were not fully available at the court and three lawyers from the defence team raised observation again on the bail application and Justice Ladiran Akintola said the trumped-up charges have 3 of the charges as murder and arson and he couldn't grant such bail but Barrister Ajijola argued further that his client was not indicted with the statement presented by the police to the court which was written by the IPO Sergeant Felix without the consent of any legal luminary.

 

“At the end, the matter was adjourned again on the pronouncement by Justice Ladiran Akintola that if the prosecuting team fail to assemble all their witnesses in the next adjourned date that he would ‘grant them bail or strike out the matter’ and the matter was adjourned till July 6, 2022, a month interval.

 

“Today 6th of July was another date of the trial and as usual, the Judge in the person of Justice Ladiran Akintola adjourned the case again to 14th of November 2022 without granting these boys bail after spending almost 19 months in jail for doing nothing.

 

“Coming to court today, with the previous standpoint of the Justice Ladiran Akintola hope was in futility because according to his statement on June 6, 2022, he stated ‘if the prosecution fails to present all their witnesses, he will grant bail or strike out the matter’ but to our surprise, the table turned, before the commencement of I/36C/2021 case he went on a short break before he started the trial, and introduction of the accused, lawyers, both the defence and prosecutor.

 

“The prosecuting lawyer opened the floor for engagement and showed the 4 - 5 witnesses to Justice Ladiran Akintola and the defence lawyers raised their observation on the delay tactics that were playing out in the matter and Justice Ladiran Akintola responded with legal terminologies that led to an adjournment till November 14, 2022, while he said ‘What gives the defence lawyer assurance of him granting them bail?’

 

“We at the Take-It-Back (TIB) Movement, Oyo State Chapter concluded today after the court hearing that Justice Ladiran Akintola and the lawyers handling the case of these boys are evil, corrupt, wicked, irresponsible and insensitive just like Governor Seyi Makinde who has decided to use the boys' case as a political game, and he (Gov. Seyi Makinde) portraying himself as a friend of the youth in media and using #FreeOyo11 for the political appraisal for his second term.

 

“These boys have spent over a year, spending 2 - New Year Eves in jail as accused and Justice Akintola still deemed it fit to remand them in prison without taking into consideration their right to liberty as cited in the 1999 Constitution.

 

“The TIB movement is not asking the police not to probe the boys but they should do it in a humane manner. According to the law, an accused is still innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.

 

“Those boys were arrested by the police around their area of residence late in the night, labelling them as EndSARS protesters without knowing what they did wrong.

 

“We are calling on Governor Seyi Makinde and Justice Ladiran Akintola to desist from toying with the lives of Oyo EndSARS protesters because they are not criminals hence, they should stop treating them as one.

 

“We also call on lovers of Justice in Nigeria to call Governor Seyi Makinde and Justice Ladiran Akintola to order and ask them not to send these innocent youths to prison. They deserve to be released.

“Also, we hereby ask Justice Ladiran Akintola to desist from manipulative tactics of Seyi Makinde in sabotaging the independence of the Judiciary for Governor Seyi Makinde's second term ambition.”

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

The African Action Congress (AAC) has called on Nigerians to rise against President Muhammadu Buhari's government over its gross incompetence and crass dereliction of duty amid the state of insecurity in the country.

The party said the solution to the current tragic situation in the country is a revolution where all oppressed Nigerians would protest against the failed governance system characterised by bad governance, mass corruption, and gross impunity.

The AAC noted this in a statement released through the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Femi Adeyeye, on Wednesday, in which the party reacted to Tuesday’s attack on Kuje Correctional Centre.

The party lamented that the attack on the prison facility happened while Nigerians were still mourning the victims of Owo massacre, the Abuja-Kaduna train incident, and many more tragic events.

It also noted that scores of Nigerians are still in the captivity of terrorists.

The statement read, "It is now crystal clear that the only answer to having lasting peace, justice, and equity is for all oppressed people of Nigeria to rise and smash this failed system that is symptomatic of bad governance, mass corruption, and gross impunity.

"Our country space was greeted again with very unfortunate events yesterday. Nigerians have once again been reminded that nowhere is safe. The Buhari regime has failed woefully in all areas.

"It has become trite that state institutions are now easily subdued by terrorists. Nigerians are still mourning the Owo massacre, Abuja-Kaduna incident, and many more tragic events with scores still in the captivity of terrorists.

“No one takes seriously the shameless statements of the regime's malpublicity secretaries. Action is what is needed! Garba Shehu and his battery of garbage.

"Our party, the African Action Congress (AAC) is expressly clear that the solution to the tragic situations in Nigeria is revolution. The only other option is the continuation of the wars we are witnessing.

"It is the ruling class that is the cause of the war, we need all youths and the working class to come together and clean the Augean stable in classical clinical mass actions that would advance the #EndSARS experience. The time to do the very needful is Now.

"Nigerians must not fold their arms and watch till we all are swept out. We must rise at this time to condemn this act and pressurize failed President Buhari to resign, while we set radical standards for the political, economic growth and development of the country.”

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

More information has emerged as to why suspected ritualists killed a 10-year-old princess, Nkemdilim Eze on June 28, 2022, in an Enugu community.
 
SaharaReporters gathered one of two suspects arrested in connection with the murder confessed that they were sent by a witch doctor to get a virgin’s blood to appease a deity.

The young Nkemdilim, who was a native of Ede Oballa community in the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, was declared missing on June 28 and on July 2, 2022, her remains were recovered from a bush with her vital organs and parts missing.
 
The community, through the Neighbourhood Watch, apprehended two persons allegedly responsible for the murder of the princess of the land and set them ablaze.
They, however, confessed to the crime before the jungle justice.

One of the suspects identified as Chidera Agbo said the girl was sacrificed because their deity needed to be appeased with the blood of a virgin.

The suspect, who was later burnt to death alongside his accomplice, Ifeanyi Onyishi, aka, Aro bi n’agu, by an irate mob, added that Onyishi, a witch doctor, asked him to bring Nkemdilim to him for the sacrifice after he recommended her to him.

A Neighbourhood Watch official quoted the late Agbo as saying: “Ifeanyi didn’t like the fact that I was being caught most of the time I went for robbery operations.

“He was looking for a way to fortify his deity. One day, he told me that he had brought an abandoned deity named Idenyi to his shrine.

“I was shocked to hear that from him. I asked him if he knew how to appease the deity. He told me that he needed the blood of a virgin to make the deity powerful. That was why he asked me to bring someone to her and I recommended Nkemdilim.

“So, there was a masquerade festival in my village. A day before the festival, I searched for Nkemdilim but without success.

“However, a day after the festival, I was in the bush smoking Indian hemp when she passed. I quickly notified Ifeanyi and he moved to the location with another suspect who I didn’t recognise.

“When they got there, his friend stopped her, while Ifeanyi covered her mouth and they took her into the bush. I also followed them.

“After the sacrifice, he promised he was going to ‘settle’ me very well (to give someone a substantial amount of money). He said he was going to sell a portion of his land to give me a huge sum of money that would not make me expose him.”
 

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

 Motorists and other users of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol have lamented the high cost of the product in Oleh and Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko South and Isoko North local government areas of Delta State.
They have expressed displeasure and concern over what they called "flagrant and illegal" hikes in pump prices of the product by the management of Rain Oil, Okay Oil and Gas, First Guarantee, Ecomag and others.

The motorists and other users of the product expressed their displeasure and concern in interviews with SaharaReporters on Tuesday at their various filling stations in Oleh and Ozoro following the arbitrary hikes in the prices of the product.
The prices were hiked from the official pump price of N165 to prices ranging from N170 to N180 in Ozoro and Oleh.
Our correspondent observed that the product is being sold for N180 per litre at Okay Oil and Gas, N180 at First Guarantee filling station, N180 at Ecomag filling station and N175 at Rainoil, all in Ozoro while at the NNPC in Ozoro, the product is sold at the official price of N165.
At Rain Oil filling station, Oleh, the product is being sold for N175 per litre and the story is the same in Ughelli, Warri and other parts of the state.
Some motorists who spoke to SaharaReporters lamented the nefarious activities of the shylock marketers, saying the prices of the product have been arbitrarily hiked even though there doesn’t seem to be scarcity in any part of the state.
They, therefore, called on relevant regulatory authorities to as a matter of urgency intervene in the matter, to ensure the product is sold at the official N165 pump price across the state.
A motorist who identified himself as Yole, lamented what he called "wicked extortion” and infliction of hardship on the people in the area by the management of those filling stations in the area.
Yole said, "How can Rain Oil just wake up and increase the price of petrol to N170 at Ozoro and N175 at Oleh when there is no official hike from the regulatory bodies and no scarcity of the product in Isoko. Go to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation filling station at Ozoro, they are selling at the official pump price of N165 per litre and the product is available."
However, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, speaking with journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, said the petrol scarcity experienced in some parts of the country was caused by marketers.
He said, "It is not a supply issue, as you can also confirm. So, it’s not from us. But you know, when you have an arbitrage opportunity, people will tend to take advantage of it.
“These are some of the fallouts of the subsidy regime. If you look at it, there are no queues when you leave Abuja, in most places, only in the Abuja metropolis, you continue to have these queues.
“So, is it that there is less supply to Abuja than to the rest of the country? It is not so. It is because if you go out of Abuja, they can probably afford to sell at higher prices, and I am sure a lot of you must be buying at higher prices, but within Abuja, because of the watchful eye of the federal government, they cannot sell at those prices.”

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The United Kingdom the and United States of America have warned their citizens residing in Nigeria to avoid Abuja Airport Road due to Tuesday’s attack on Kuje prison by terrorists.
The Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has claimed responsibility for the attack. ISWAP in a video released on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.

In the video, the terrorist group showed some of its men shooting their way into the facility.
Hundreds of inmates were freed by the assailants including Boko Haram terrorists.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on the UK government website Wednesday advised British nationals in Nigeria that the best defence against insurgency and terrorist attacks in the West African country is to stay away from violent situations and locations in the country.
"Be vigilant and take local advice on areas to avoid. Take particular care if you’re visiting crowded public places or attending events which attract large crowds.
“You should be extra vigilant if attending upcoming sporting events, which are likely to have heightened security and large crowds of people," the UK government warned its citizens,” it said.
The US Government also advised its citizens to maintain high-security awareness for the next two weeks and avoid unnecessary travel on the Abuja Airport Road.
"On the night of July 5, 2022, an attack on Kuje Prison freed a large portion of the estimated 1,000 prisoners. The prison lies approximately 27 miles southwest of the Central Business District. An increase in crime is expected in and around Abuja. 
“It is recommended that U.S. citizens should maintain a high state of personal security awareness for the next two weeks and avoid unnecessary travel on the airport road.
"If you’re working in Nigeria, you should follow your employer’s local security guidelines. You are strongly advised to take professional security advice, be vigilant at all times and review your security measures regularly. Keep others informed of your travel plans and vary your routines. Make sure your accommodation is secure and consider pre-deployment training or travelling under close protection," the US government travel advisory to its citizens said.

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SERAP Logo

A civil rights organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue President Muhammadu Buhari if the first university teaching hospital in Nigeria, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, implements the N1,000 electricity bill per day for every patient in the hospital.
 
The hospital through a circular mandated heads of units to implement the N1,000 electricity bill for every patient, citing inflation and fuel scarcity as reasons for introducing the bill.

SERAP Logo

Reacting to the order, SERAP urged President Buhari to immediately instruct the Minister of Health to stop the UCH from implementing the order.
 
The group threatened to file a suit against Mr. President should the hospital go ahead and charge patients the electricity bill.
 
SERAP, which made this known on its Twitter page, @SERAPNigeria said, “We urge President Buhari to immediately instruct the Minister of Health to stop the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, from asking every patient in the hospital to pay N1,000.00 electricity bill per day.
 
“We'll see in court if UCH imposes the bill.”
 
In an internal memo, the hospital management claimed the new charge on patients was introduced because of the hikes in electricity tariff and cost of diesel.
 
The memo titled, ‘Approval for the recommendation to add utility fee to service charged patients in the hospital’ was signed by the UCH administrator, Wole Oyeyemi, on behalf of the Chairman of Medical Advisory Committee and Chief Medical Director.
 
According to the memo, the hospital management directed the immediate implementation of the rule requiring the payment of the N1,000 electricity charge by each patient.
 
The memo quoted by the Nigerian Tribune read, “Following the recurring power outage in the hospital, high cost of electricity tariff and inflation in the price of diesel which have impeded stable power supply, the management has decided to consider measures that can help to facilitate flawless service delivery in the hospital.
 
“To this end, I write to convey the management’s approval for the mandatory payment of utility fee of N1,000 daily by every patient accessing care in the hospital. You are requested to kindly implement approval with immediate effect.”
 
Nigeria's energy generation and supply have been abysmally below the capacity required for its 200 million population, meaning many citizens and businesses rely on generators to power homes and facilities respectively.
 
For instance, the national power grid has collapsed a number of times in 2022 alone, amid the rising cost of diesel and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, needed to power generators.
 

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The running mate to the Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Innocent Barikor, on Tuesday night narrowly escaped death at the GRA axis of Port Harcourt, the state capital during an attack by gunmen.
 
The gunmen killed a yet-to-be-identified policeman during the incident that occurred in front of a club in the city centre.

According to The PUNCH, the assailants opened fire on the police officer in what is suspected to be an assassination attempt on Barikor’s life.

Barikor had reportedly left his office on Tuesday night for a meeting in the area, but unknown to him, the gunmen were on his trail.
 
The gunmen aimed at the policeman attached to Barikor immediately they sighted his vehicle, killing him on the spot.
 
But the police in the state have denied that the incident was an assassination attempt. The police, however, confirmed that one of its operatives was killed.
 
Also confirming the incident, the Deputy Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Darlington Nwauju, called for a thorough investigation into the incident and appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to intervene.
 
Nwauju said, “Yes, he (cop) works with Barikor. We are calling on the IGP to intervene and look into the incessant attacks on members of our party.”
 
“It is unfortunate that this attack is coming a few days after Dr. Barikor was unveiled as the party’s deputy governorship candidate,” the state APC deputy spokesman said.
 
The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident and the death of the police officer however said that the report of the attempted assassination was false.
 
Iringe-Koko stated, “Yes, but it was not an assassination. Actually, a policeman was shot. I think he was the target because they saw him with a rifle.
 
“Nothing happened to the candidate. We are investigating the incident and the place has been surrounded. If an arrest is made, I will let you know.”

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

The Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
 
SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that the facility was under attack by gunmen.

According to one of the sources, the terrorists invaded the facility around 9:05 pm and operated till 1:30 am on Wednesday morning.
 
He added that over 800 inmates including terrorists escaped during the attack by gunmen.
 
ISWAP in a video released on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.
 
In the video, the terrorist sect showed some of its men shooting their way into the facility.
 

VIDEO: ISWAP Claims Responsibility For Kuje Prison Attack, Releases Video pic.twitter.com/99i8KPFtdr

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 6, 2022
The claim comes a few days after ISWAP said its fighters killed a policeman in Suleja, Niger State.
 
Suleja is less than 20 kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
 
According to the group, the attack was carried out by “soldiers of the caliphate” with automatic weapons.

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Christine Kato, a Nigerian artist, designer and young inventor has petitioned social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, to stop taking down a breast handbag designed by her.

In the petition domiciled on the Change.org platform, Kato said she created and designed the handbag to raise awareness about issues affecting women’s bodies around the world.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, she added that the inspiration behind the product emanated from a feminist view.

Kato said the bag was a conversation starter about regular breast examination for early detection of breast cancer.

“The inspiration behind The Breast Bag Design emanates from a feminist view: a revolution; the need to empower women to reclaim, celebrate and embrace their bodies, sexualities: to display the power of femininity: to create awareness about issues affecting women; to make femininity look fierce; to celebrate womanhood.

“It talks about; 1. Breast cancer 2. Cameroonian Breast ironing practice 3. Breast Feeding 4. Women reproductive rights 5. Women sex and sexuality 6. Sexualisation of women 7. Women and Body image.”

In the petition on the online platform, she added, “I created and designed a breast handbag to raise awareness about issues affecting women’s bodies the world over. The inspiration behind the breast handbag design emanates from a feminist view.

“The inspiration behind “The Breast Bag Design” emanates from a feminist view: a revolution. I made a statement piece to CELEBRATE, EMPOWER & ENCOURAGE women to embrace their bodies, and sexualities: to display the power of femininity: to create awareness about issues affecting women; to make femininity look fierce; to celebrate women.

“But Instead of supporting my creation and creativity, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube keep taking down my pages, frustrating any kind of visibility that this creation can add to the conversation around women.

“I spend at least $1,000 out of my savings to make these feminist bags and how can anyone see or purchase them if I cannot advertise or promote them on social media. Your reason for taking my business page down as per violating your community guidelines is unfounded.

“We have influencers that post half-nude photos of themselves, sex toy pages are still up on your platforms, but you keep taking down a legitimate creation that is creating awareness for women to take care of their bodies.

“A bag that is a conversation starter about regular breast examination for early detection of breast cancer; breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year, and also causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. In 2018, it is estimated that 627,000 women died from breast cancer – that is approximately 15% of all cancer deaths among women.

“Also, my design was to break taboos and encourage conversation around all issues that have to do with women, which include breastfeeding, breast ironing practice, breast cancer, women's sex and sexuality, women and reproductive rights, and sexualization of women, women and body image.

“Enough of censorship, restore my pages NOW. I am Christine Kato, an artist-designer and young inventor looking to change narratives around me and I refuse to be silenced. Sign my petition NOW.”

 

Sign the Petition here;

 

https://www.change.org/p/facebook-instagram-youtube-stop-taking-down-the-breast-handbag-design-from-my-page?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=7bee8ba0-f3af-11ec-957f-01390385a71e

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President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over Tuesday’s terrorist attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

SaharaReporters had reported that terrorists suspected to be members of Jamar Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladi Sudan, popularly known as Ansaru attacked the centre on Tuesday night and freed inmates including their members and Boko Haram terrorists held in custody.

Reacting on his verified Twitter page on Wednesday, the President said he was disappointed with the intelligence system.

“Saddened by the attack on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje. I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organize, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? I am expecting a comprehensive report on this shocking incident,” he said.
 
Though the Nigeria Correction Service’s spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said one Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel and four inmates died during the incident, a source told SaharaReporters that 10 inmates were killed during the incident.
 
Another source also dismissed the claim by the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, that 64 Boko Haram members escaped, saying that over 201 members of the group were unaccounted for.
 
“A total of 879 inmates escaped from the facility during the unfortunate attack. As of the time of this report, 443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large, 4 inmates are dead and 16 inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at the moment. However, efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates,” NCS spokesperson had said.
 
“The Service will deploy its Corrections Information Management System in synergy with National Identity Management Commission to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody.”
 
The President earlier visited the scene of the attack before his scheduled trip to Dakar, Senegal. 

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Funke Akindele

The popular Nollywood actress and producer of ‘Jenifa's Diary’, Funke Akindele, has emerged as the running mate to the Lagos State opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Olajide Adediran.
 
Akindele was among the candidates listed as possible running mate to Adediran a few days ago but has now emerged as the preferred candidate.

Funke Akindele

This comes amid the actress’s divorce saga after her husband, a music producer, Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz, recently announced on his Instagram page that their marriage had hit the rocks.

Sources close to the party’s governorship candidate and the leadership of the party confirmed the development to Daily Trust, saying that she would be unveiled soon, adding that “it has not been announced officially.”
 
The newspaper had reported that Akindele was shortlisted among the former governorship aspirant, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour; former Senatorial candidate for Lagos East, Yeye Shobajo, another governorship aspirant, David Kolawole Vaughan and Engr. Teslim Balogun.
 
However, photos of the governorship candidate and Akindele has since gone viral, which had given people the impression that the actress had been chosen for the position.
 
It was however gathered that some stakeholders of the party seriously resisted Akindele’s emergence which led to the delay in finalising the selection of the running mate in the state.

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Deji Adeyanju

A human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over his failure to end insecurity which was one of the themes of his campaign before the 2015 presidential election.
Adeyanju knocked Buhari over Tuesday’s attack on Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, by terrorists during which hundreds of inmates escaped, including Boko Haram terrorists.

Deji Adeyanju

Reacting to the President’s visit to the prison facility after the deadly attack, Adeyanju tweeted, "Buhari in Kuje prison where over 150 terrorists escaped. If incompetence was a person.
“This was a man who promised heaven and earth in 2015.
“This is why I’m so scared of messiahs or people who make beautiful promises. We warned Nigerians in 2015 but we were insulted.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that most of the inmates at the Kuje correctional facility in Abuja had escaped.
The Nigeria Correction Service’s spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said, “A total of 879 inmates escaped from the facility during the unfortunate attack. As of the time of this report, 443 have been recaptured, 551 inmates are currently in custody, 443 inmates are still at large, 4 inmates are dead and 16 inmates sustained various degrees of injuries and are being treated at the moment. However, efforts are ongoing to recapture all fleeing inmates.
“The Service will deploy its Corrections Information Management System in synergy with National Identity Management Commission to track all fleeing inmates and return them to custody.”

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File Photo

 

Tragedy struck on Wednesday as a fighter jet operated by the Nigerian Air Force bombed Kunkuna village in the Safana Local Government Area of ​​Katsina State, killing a yet-to-be ascertained number of villagers.

Though details of the incident are still sketchy, it was learnt that the pilots of the military jet “accidentally” hit the wrong coordinates while targeting a camp belonging to bandits in the area.

File Photo

“A military jet earlier today dropped airstrikes on Kunkuna Village in Safana Local Government Area of ​​Katsina State. We cannot confirm the number of casualties now,” a source said.

SaharaReporters called Edward Gabkwet, Air Force spokesman but the calls were not answered nor returned.

On Tuesday, terrorists attacked an advance team in the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari in Katsina.

Villagers in the past have reported some civilian casualties in aerial bombardments in Northeastern Nigeria.

In 2020, a military jet deployed to repel an attack by Boko Haram dropped a bomb that landed in a compound where civilians were having child christening.

A fighter jet also on a mission against Boko Haram extremists in April 2021 mistakenly bombed men of the Nigerian Army, killing over 20 officers.

The soldiers who were reinforced from Ngandu village were said to be on their way to Mainok, headquarters of the Kaga Local Government Area of Borno state which was under attack by militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād.

Some of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and freed last year also said three of their classmates were killed by Air Force bombardments.

In June 2021, an offensive aerial bombardment of the NAF Alpha jet carried out around Genu town in Niger State resulted in the killing of some wedding guests.

In September 2021, about 10 villagers were killed after a military jet bombed a village in the Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State.

A few days later, an Air Force jet dropped a bomb on a Nigerian community in the Lake Chad region.

In February 2022, an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force targeting bandits killed seven children and wounded five others by mistake in the Niger Republic.

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A Nigerian music executive, Mr Efe Ogbeni has been dragged before a United States District Court of Western Tennessee by Prime Reality Ventures LLC, a Venture Capital Company in the US, for allegedly defrauding the company and its Principal to the tune of $250,000.
 
The defendants, Onefeme Ogbeni, Olayinka Odunlami and Nelly Wambugu are facing numerous charges on conspiracy of obtaining money by false pretences.

According to the court documents obtained by SaharaReporters, Ogbeni alongside two others committed the crime between July 2021 and September 2021 in the US.
 
Prime Reality Ventures (the Company), said the suspected fraudsters intentionally and under false pretences presented a dummy investment opportunity in the African oil and gas industry which turned out to be a sham.
 
According to the company, sometime in July 2021, the defendants approached the organisation and its owners about investing in the African oil and gas market.
 
“Efe Ogbeni and his co-defendants falsely presented themselves as being versed and having the requisite skill and expertise and contacts in and outside of Africa,” it said.
 
“Interested to diversify their investment portfolio, the company arranged meetings between the plaintiff and the defendants. Along the line, the defendants intentionally told Reality Ventures LLC and owners that there were other investors involved in the project and one of them is willing to sell his equity in the project.
 
“The Company was asked to wire the sum of $250,000 which will be used in purchasing the equity of Quantex Oil and Gas in the project. The Company was meant to believe that the valuation of Quantex Oil and Gas in the project is worth $10,000,000.
 
“Relying upon all the representations made by the defendants, on or about September 17, 2021, the plaintiff invested and wired the sum of $250,000 from their bank account at Patriot Bank in Tennessee to the defendants.
 
“Prime Reality Ventures LLC was asked to wire the fund to Stealth Management Inc, a company allegedly owned by the defendants claiming it had a binding agreement with Quantex Oil and Gas. The plaintiff amongst others is asking for damages of $1m, the repayment of the initial $250,000 invested in the project as well as other costs and expenses of this litigation plus punitive damages,” the company said.
 
The case has also been referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Nigeria for further action.
 
In April 2022, a songwriter and music producer, Oluwaseyi Akerele, popularly known as Shizzi, called out the music executive for keeping him in a bad record deal.
 
Shizzi had explained via Instagram that Ogbeni made him sign an “archaic” Minimum Delivery and Release Commitment deal with Sony Music six years ago.
 
In publishing contracts, the MDRC clause requires a songwriter to deliver a certain number of songs to the publisher, a portion of which must be commercially released recordings.
 
Traditionally, the clause usually states that such recordings must be released by a major record company or a pre-approved larger independent label.
 
“Efe is the epitome of a heartless human being! I’ve been stuck in the worst Sony Music publishing deal for six years because of him!” Shizzi had written in the post.
 
“You will never stop what God has ordained for me! You have done absolutely nothing for my career but try and take everything away from me and my family!”

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A 65-year-old man, identified as Durodola Ogundele has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 85-year-old stepmother at Ayetoro Ekiti in the Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The state police command in June 2021 arrested Ogundele for allegedly raping his 85-year-old stepmother in her room.

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According to the spokesperson for the state police command, ASP Abutu Sunday, the suspect, who is the son of the victim's late husband raped the aged woman on June 15, 2021, after helping the victim to rub herbal balm on her legs.
The convict was subsequently arraigned at Ado-Ekiti High Court in Ekiti before Justice Monisola Abodunde on one count bordering on rape, Vanguard reports.
The offence is contrary to section 2 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019.
The victim’s daughter, Opeyemi Bolaji in her testimony before the court, said, "I came to give my mother breakfast; on getting to her, I found her in an unsettling physical condition.
“After eating and upon further prompting to find out the reason for her restlessness, she told me that the defendant did not allow her to sleep. She said the defendant came to her room around 1:00 am, he rubbed a balm all over her body, including her anus and vagina, massaged her body, sucked her breast and forcefully had sex with her.
“When I tried to find out from the defendant, he said, my mother must have been dreaming.”
To prove his case, the prosecutor, Folasade Alli, called five witnesses including the Investigating Police Officer and a medical practitioner, she tendered the victim’s statements, defendants’ statements, and a medical report from Federal Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti among others as exhibits.
The defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel, M.O. Folorunso, and called no witnesses.
 
Justice Monisola Abodunde, in her judgment, ruled that the defendant actually committed the offence.
“I am, therefore, not in doubt that prosecution has finally established through circumstantial evidence, that is cogent, compelling and most conclusively, that the defendant intentionally and calculatedly penetrated the vagina and anus of the victim with his penis after rubbing a dark balm on her body and private parts.
“On the whole, I find that prosecution had discharged an evidential burden placed on them in law by circumstantial evidence, supported by the totality of the combined evidence of the witnesses, corroborated by the extra-judicial statements of the victim made at the earliest opportunity.
 
“The defendant is found guilty as charged for Rape contrary to Section 2 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition Law) 2019 and he is convicted, and accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment in line with Section 2 (2) of Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition Law) 2019.”

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Onuora Ndubisi is currently almost useless to himself and his family as he can barely do anything with his two hands, nor does he see clearly.

Pus still comes out of his stomach one year after he was shot four times by a group of armed men in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

It was in May 2021 that Ndubisi was shot in the head, stomach and two hands at Ofimax Hotel behind NTA Road, Asaba over a case he said he was never aware of nor involved in.

Narrating his ordeal to SaharaReporters in tears, Ndubisi said unknown to him, his cousin got involved in a tussle with one Emma Ojugbana over a lady whose parents lived in Lagos but was in school in Imo State. She was reportedly in Asaba for a business he (Ndubisi) said he did not know, but that she eventually met her untimely death.

On the day the incident occurred, Ndubisi said he went to a barbershop in Asaba metropolis along with his friend, Lugard Nwabuike, to have a haircut and that the cousin called him countless times.
 
“He was calling me to come to NTA Road at the Ofimax Hotel without notifying me of what was going on.

“I had to leave the barbing salon and rush to the place. Immediately I got to the hotel at the back of NTA, I saw him engaging in an argument with one guy I know, Emma Ojugbana, who is from the same quarters with me, Umuezei, over a lady I don’t know who had lodged in the hotel there,” he said.

Ndubisi said he immediately asked Emma why he was fighting with his cousin, knowing that they were both from the same quarters. But while he was still speaking with Emma, he (Ndubisi) said his cousin had stabbed one of them with a broken bottle.

He continued, “While I was still asking what was happening, I did not know that they had already conspired against me and were waiting for me over nothing.

Immediately I turned back, they shot me in the back of the head and I fell down. Then they shot my friend, Lugard in the leg but he managed to escape.

 
“They shot the lady in question in the stomach and she later died because hospitals could not attend to her early enough because her parents were based in Lagos while she schooled in Owerri. I don’t know what she came to do in Asaba, lodging in the Ofimax Hotel.”
 
Lying on the ground in the pool of his own blood, Ndubisi thought that his attackers had left him but “they came back to me where I was struggling on the ground and changed their gun magazine and shot at me three more times in the stomach and two hands.”
 
In a croaky voice with dripping tears, Ndubisi said he was admitted to New General Hospital, Asaba where he has been receiving treatment.
 
“I could not see and the doctor had said that I would never see again in my entire life but fortunately, I started seeing gradually. But till now, I could not see clearly because the doctor told me that all the veins in my eyes had shrunk. I have gone to an eye clinic several times and spent money but they said they cannot do anything about it and that I should do brain surgery,” he said.
But that was not the end of the matter as Ndubisi said that one day, his younger brother, Chukwuka Junior, told him that some people showed him (the younger brother) the guys who shot him.
 
“My brother alerted some people around and the guys wanted to escape but two of them were caught, and they had battle axes, while one of them who was carrying a bag suspected to contain their guns escaped.
 
“We took the ones we caught to the GRA Police Station because I recognised them. At the station, one of them said their boss owns the house where they live and that he was the one who shot me with his other gang members.
 
“He mentioned their names, saying Joeflex is their boss. Others are Emma Ojugbana, Odion Possibility and Pablo. He said that he knows their leader’s house and that he knows he could be caught,” he said.
 
But Ndubisi’s matter was made worse by the police who, according to him, collected over N40,000 from him for fuel and other logistics in order to arrest the leader of the gang, Joeflex. But when one of the two persons they caught took them to the man’s house, the police officers refused to go inside to arrest the suspect for reasons unknown to the victim.
 
He said the police also released one of the two suspects who were in their custody without any explanation to him.
 
“Every time I went to the police station with the bullet injury, they would tell me to pay them mobilisation fee and buy fuel for them and I paid over N40,000 and we drove to the house where the boy showed us.
“He told the police officers that their leader was inside the house but rather than go in to arrest him, the police officers said we should hang around until he would come out. We were there for hours and the gang leader did not come out. When we left, I still gave the officers money.
 
“Unfortunately, my stomach was not getting better but the police were busy extorting money from me despite all the pain I was going through. At a point, I stopped going to the police and after some time, the police released one of the two boys we handed over to them and charged one to court.
 
“The court then called me and told me when to come. On the date they gave me, I went to the court but they asked me to stay outside. I sat outside while proceedings were going on inside the court. I was outside the court till 1 pm and they did not call me.
“I called the lawyer they provided for me and told her that I was tired of waiting because my body was shivering but she gave me N1,000 to go and eat. I could not eat because I was vomiting and so, they got ‘Keke Napep’ (commercial tricycle) to take me home.
 
“Since that time, the court would send me a message informing me of the sitting date but when I called the lawyer, she would tell me that they had adjourned the case. It continued like that every month till now,” Ndubisi explained.
 
When SaharaReporters contacted the police officer who Ndubisi said is in charge of the case, SUPOL Dickson in the State Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D), about the case, he told our reporter to go to the State CID or contact the state police public relations officer for detailed information on the matter.
 
“Come to State CID, Asaba or get in touch with the PPRO, Delta State Command for details instead of the wrong information at your disposal,” SUPOL Dickson sent in a text message.
 
When our reporter contacted the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe, he noted that the matter was already in court.
But when our reporter explained complaints by the victim that he was being extorted by the police, failure to arrest the gang leader, the release of one of the suspects from custody and how he had allegedly been tactically prevented from having access to the court, Edafe denied the release of any of suspects arrested in connection to the case.
“Both of them are in prison,” he said.
But presently, Ndubisi is suffering and the wound in his stomach is bringing out pus.
“I have gone to many places and they told me it is an internal injury and that it will take time to heal, but I don’t know how long that will be.
 
“As I am now, I feel like I can die any time soon because the bullets have damaged a lot of things in my body. I cannot work again because where they shot me in my palms has made it impossible for me to work, coupled with the fact that I can barely see,” he said resignedly. 

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