Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said he has withdrawn from the 2023 Kebbi State governorship race.
“Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has not resigned. He withdrew his ambition to contest for the 2023 Kebbi State gubernatorial elections,” Umar Gwandu, Malami’s spokesman said in a short message to some journalists on Saturday.

He, however, failed to give reasons for the minister’s sudden change of decision.
SaharaReporters had on Friday exclusively reported that Malami withdrew from the governorship race over fears that he might not get the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
There has been a cold political war between the incumbent governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, and Senator Adamu Aliero, over who succeeds the former.
While Bagudu, who chairs the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), is rooting for Malami as his successor, Aliero, a two-term governor of the state, has Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi as his preferred candidate for the APC governorship ticket.
Aliero’s camp has Bala Sani Kangiwa, who was removed during the last state congress of the party as their chairman, while the camp of the governor has Abubakar Kana Zuru as chairman.
Two secretariats of the APC now exist in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Fearing he may not get the ticket under the current circumstances, Malami was said to have changed his plan and pulled out of the governorship race.
“He (Malami) actually pulled out of the race because he knows he can’t win without being the Attorney-General,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
Malami, a lawyer from Kebbi State who was hardly known before 2015 when he was appointed into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, is today one of the richest men in Nigeria.
In 2020, a series of detailed investigations carried out by SaharaReporters showed that Malami had acquired several properties whose value run into many billions of naira since being appointed into the administration of President Buhari as Nigeria’s chief law officer.
For example, the AGF has an underground hotel in Sokoto, three houses at Peace Estate, Abuja, a brand-new state-of-the-art school in Kebbi, two houses for his sons worth N100 million each and a new hotel under construction in the Jabi area of Abuja.
Malami also bought a house worth N150million in the Gwarimpa area of Abuja.
A school located at the back of NITEL in Gesse Phase 1, Birnin Kebbi and a house worth N600 million on Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, are among properties acquired by Malami since he became a minister under President Buhari.
The houses he built for his sons in Kebbi are 200 metres apart in a posh part of the city.
That is not all. Malami also built N3billion multipurpose event centre in Kebbi State named Azbir Arena, for his son.
The facility is said to be an entertainment centre with a plaza and a kids’ playing section.
This is apart from Rayhaan Hotel located on Zaria Road, opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, which the AGF massively upgraded using unexplained wealth.
Ever since SaharaReporters published a series of detailed reports exposing these illicit acquisitions, the online news medium has been a target for the AGF’s camp.
Apart from falsely claiming to have sued SaharaReporters over the expository reports he said had damaged his reputation before the world, Malami also issued a petition to the former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on the issue to arrest the publisher of the online newspaper, Omoyele Sowore.
Despite these questionable acquisitions, Malami continues to portray a saintly stance in the Buhari government whose fight against corruption has been called into serious question in recent times.

 

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A commercial farmer, Dr John Mabayoje in Oyo State has sued the state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, over an alleged invasion of his property and threatening of his workers.
Also joined in the suit filed at the Oyo State High Court is the defunct SARS Commander in the state and one officer identified as, Inspector Julius.

Mabayoje, a billionaire farmer, stated that the legal action followed constant police harassment he suffered over his resistance of Fulani herdsmen who invaded his farm worth N2billion. 
“They were served papers on Tuesday, May 10, 2022. The case will be heard on the Thursday, May 19. A lot has been going on including entering my compound surreptitiously and threatening my staff with automatic weapons on my premises,” he said in an account sent to SaharaReporters.
“I have invested over N2billion on this project to make healthcare, commercial rural agriculture, value addition and machine tool shop inputs work synergistically and achieve sustainability and efficient growth. I know what we are capable of achieving with this ingenious narrative.
“We resisted the Fulani terrorists who brought their violence directly to our compound in mid-October, when they attacked the medium security jail directly behind my 21.5 acre farm using explosive devices. This was when they released over 100 prisoners who invaded my property, adjacent Federal Low Cost Housing, seeking civilian clothes, money, motorcycles, shoes etc, forcing our security staff to resist them in other to avoid a bloodbath.
“Our security staff are all hunters who carry binoculars and they saw them moving with their torches just as they saw them three days earlier carrying our reconnaissance. I have been attacked by these armed Fulanis repeatedly since 2015. I have fired shotguns into the air to ward them away from my land and farm. They don’t move away from shotgun fire. I have directed light caliber rifle fire into the ground to scare them, they don’t move to that either.
“The only thing that deters them is buckshot from 12 gauge and hunting rifle fire directed at their cattle bellies. I invited the police after having to belly shoot their cattle to stop their deliberate destruction of huge fish ponds, farm cash crops, edible vegetable crops on my property. The officers told me they seized AK-47s from Fulani herdsmen on no less than eight occasions only to be told to return them to the herders so that they could defend their cattle from bandits and lions.
“It is becoming apparent that certain elements within the public safety apparatus have ulterior motives to extort money, disarm me or eliminate me. I have discussed this with well-informed people who advised me to seek legal redress and enforcement of my fundamental human rights including my right to carry and own licenced firearms responsibly for hunting and other lawful purposes.
“The conversation I had when I honoured the invitation to the SARS Commander’s office (that was how he introduced himself to me) in response to an allegation of a petition he had recieved which he lied about not having access left me no doubt that he had other intentions bordering on extortion.
“Right now I want to just use all legal avenues available to me to complete my project, bring the financial books to balance and profitability, sell it and leave Nigeria for Namibia or Mozambique for good. I don’t deserve at my age to be treated the way the police and public safety are treating me. I have informed my friends all over the world and I will employ all the legal avenues to secure a return of my financial input and leave this country.
“Nobody will come and tell me what caliber or licenced sporting weapon I can or should use to defend my crops from predators in an estate I have developed and fortified to the best of my ability. I have come this far and I will run away only once more to another part of Africa where I am appreciated and welcome, after I have sold this and recovered my investment.”

 

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Governor David Umahi

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has confirmed the death of three people after a building collapsed in a market on Friday evening.
The incident that happened at Ekeaja market square, Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area also injured two people.

Governor David Umahi
Umahi confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, signed by his media aide, Nwaze Francis.
“The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has received with rude shock the disturbing and unfortunate news of the toppling of a part of the roof of one of the shades at the Ekeaja Market, Uburu which resulted in the loss of about three lives while two others were hospitalised,” the statement said.
Umahi, who described the occurrence as catastrophic, sympathised with the families of the three persons who died.

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The Chief Imam of the Muslims Foundation Mosque, who is also the Zamfara State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Sheikh Sani Tukur Jangebe, has denounced the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel, a female student of the Sokoto State College of Education.
The Imam stated this while delivering his Friday sermon in Gusau where he urged Muslims to abide by the teachings and lessons of Islam, Daily Post reports.

Jangebe noted that even the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) received several insults and humiliations during his life but he did not order the killing of his adversaries.
He explained that it was sinful for any Muslim to take such laws into his or her hands, saying that Allah did not authorise such ruling in Islam.
Zamfara is a Sharia-inclined state – a structure which dates back to former Governor Sani Yerima’s administration which brought the state under Sharia laws.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Deborah Samuel, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was killed on Thursday over alleged blasphemy.

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I would like to begin with a Note of Condolence to the Family of Deborah Samuel and it is my Prayer that God will give Comfort to her Family and Loved ones.
Today I declare her a Martyr .

Deborah Samuel, a 200 level christian student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto who was gruesomely murdered and burnt to ashes by some islamic extremists (terrorists) that happens to be her fellow classmates and also share membership of WhatsApp platform purposely made for academic work. These Students terrorists turned this particular group chat platform into a place of religious activities. The innocent observation of Deborah cautioning her classmates who are members of the group should adhere to the regulation of maintaining the group chat as a platform of Academic discourse.
This was the offence that cut her life short with claims of Blasphemy.

She was Mobbed, Assaulted, Brutalised, Lynched to Death and Heartlessly set on Fire. This is the Highest level of Abuse in the 21st Century and it is a Total Breakdown of Law and Order. I would like to use this medium to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Executive Governor of Sokoto State With the Sultan of Sokoto to rise from their exulted positions along with all the Security Heads, Particularly the Inspector General of Police to move into Sokoto and All the Surrounding Communities for the Arrest of those Perpetrators so that they can face the consequences of their Demonic Actions under the Laws of the Land.

Nigerians should Understand Tolerance, Dialogue and Peaceful Conflict Resolution without the Unnecessary Shedding of Blood irrespective of Religion, Gender and Political Beliefs. Our Country Nigeria according to the Constitution is a Secular State where there is Freedom of Religion Expression, and no one Irrespective of Anger of Provocation should take Laws into their Hands Any attempt to do so is Criminal and should be Punished Accordingly.

I give an example; the last Easter Celebration of the Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who has Brought Redemption into the World was MOCKED and BLASPHEMED Against by a Bank in this Nation called Sterling - Bank Plc on All Major Media and Electronic Communication Platforms such as TV and News Papers Including Social Media That Jesus Christ Rose like AGEGE BREAD in anAdvertorial. The Bread was also Pictured in that Provoking Advert. That led to lot of outrage from the Body of Christ both Home and Abroad With Serious Condemnation of the Act of Ridicule and Insult by the Financial Institution that keeps the Money of both Christians and Muslims Including Non Believes.

Yes there was Outrage, but no Blood was shed and neither were any of the Banks Branches set ablaze. Until we Learn how to live as Brothers and Sisters and be our Brothers and Sisters keepers the Country is sitting on a keg of Gun Powder.
I hereby say Enough is Enough !!! Let those in Leadership Positions do the Needful before we throw our Great Country Nigeria into Civil Disobedience. Enough of Innocent Bloodshed. Let those who Justify the Actions of these Barbarians Hide their Heads in Shame . May God Heal our Nation Nigeria.


- Bishop Steven Ogedengbe - President Inter- Faith Ministers Network

 

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Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( UTME) results.
This was announced by the Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, on Saturday.

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board
The board instructed candidates to send UTMERESULT to 55019 using the same phone number that was used for registration.
The statement reads, “To check the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result, all a candidate needs to do is to simply send UTMERESULT to 55019 using the same phone number that he/she had used for registration and the result would be returned as a text message. This is the only process of checking the 2022 UTME results for now as the Board has not uploaded it on its website for obvious reasons.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions.
The board conducts an entrance Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for prospective undergraduates into Nigerian universities.
The board is also charged with the responsibility to administer similar examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private monotechnics, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

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There is tension in some parts of Sokoto State as some youths protesting the arrest of two persons suspected to be involved in the killing of a female student, Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy attacked some churches along Ahmadu Bello way in the state capital.
The protesters had earlier in their numbers stormed the Sultan of Sokoto’s palace, setting up a bonfire near the building and demanding the release of the two suspects.

But armed policemen fired teargas canisters to disperse the angry crowd, during which two persons were reportedly injured.
Not satisfied, sources said the protesters invaded some churches along Ahmadu Bello way in the state capital, destroying their properties.
The building of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in the area was also reportedly set on fire by the irate youths.
“The Catholic church was attacked and scattered while the First ECWA church beside it has been burnt. Some Christians were injured. These youths also attacked some Igbo traders, destroyed their cars. 
“Heard they are burning shops and stealing goods currently in city centres as well. Sadly, no intervention from the armed forces,” a Sokoto resident told SaharaReporters.
The victim, Deborah, a 200 level female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, was mobbed and killed before his corpse was set ablaze within the school premises on Thursday.
She was accused of blasphemy in a voice note she dropped on her class’ WhatsApp platform, in which she was alleged to have blasphemed Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

 

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Governor Aminu Tambuwal has imposed a curfew in Sokoto State to curb further spread of violence going by Muslim protesters, mainly youths, demanding the release of two suspected killers of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Deborah Samuel.
The suspects were earlier arrested and detained by the police.

The governor said the directive was issued “in pursuance of peace and order in Sokoto metropolis and the entire state.”
Violent outbreaks have been reported across Sokoto on Saturday amidst protests for the release of those responsible for Thursday’s killing of Deborah.
Deborah, a 200-level home economics student, was killed at about 9am for allegedly criticising Prophet Muhammad. 
Her killing has sparked nationwide outrage, with political and religious leaders demanding urgent arrest and prosecution of all suspects.
SaharaReporters earlier today reported that residents of Sokoto State, mainly youths, in their numbers on Saturday stormed the Sultan of Sokoto’s palace, setting up a bonfire near the building and demanding the release of the two suspects.
But armed policemen had fired teargas canisters to disperse the angry crowd, during which two persons were reportedly injured.
A source who spoke to SaharaReporters had said the protesters became violent and started hurling objects at the police.
He had said, “They are protesting against the statement issued by the Sultanate Council of Islamic Affairs (Sultan of Sokoto) condemning the killing of Deborah and the arrest of two persons believed to have participated in the killing.” 
The protesters who were speaking in Hausa language in a video obtained by SaharaReporters said Deborah committed a serious offence for insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

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The Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Aliyu Tilde, has supported the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, by her colleagues over alleged blasphemy.
According to Tilde, Nigerians not in support of the action should visit a psychiatrist for a test.

Posting what Deborah reportedly said, the commissioner wrote, “Ba wai an yi group din nan don ture-turen abubuwan banza ba ne fa. An yi don past Q, in akwai test, in an ba da assignment, a tura. Ba wai abubuwan banzan ga za ku tuttura mana ba. Manzon Allah din me? (This group is not for the faint of heart. Done for past Q, if there is a test, if an assignment is given, push. It's not what you don't care about us. What is the Messenger of Allah?),”
The commissioner then added, “If you’re not provoked by this, visit a psychiatrist, please. We must teach our children to respect others.”
SaharaReporters had reported how Deborah was killed and burnt by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Outraged by the incident, Nigerians on Twitter had asked the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure justice was served.
Similarly in March 2021, some angry youths backed by leaders in Sade community in the Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State burnt a man identified as Talle Mai Ruwa, to death for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
SaharaReporters learnt that Mai Ruwa was dragged away from his house in the presence of his mother and burnt to death in the middle of the community.

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Residents of Sokoto State, mainly youths, are currently protesting over the arrest of two persons suspected to be involved in the killing of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, identified as Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy.

The protesters in their numbers on Saturday stormed the Sultan of Sokoto’s palace, setting up a bonfire near the building and demanding the release of the two suspects.

But armed policemen fired teargas canisters to disperse the angry crowd, during which two persons were reportedly injured.

A source who spoke to SaharaReporters said the protesters became violent and started hurling objects at the police.

He said, “They are protesting against the statement issued by the Sultanate Council of Islamic Affairs (Sultan of Sokoto) condemning the killing of Deborah and the arrest of two persons believed to have participated in the killing.” 

The protesters who were speaking in Hausa language in a video obtained by SaharaReporters said Deborah committed a serious offence for insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

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Bruce Fein

Bruce Fein, American legal practitioner representing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has tackled the United Kingdom Government over its inaction on the Biafran agitation.
Fein, on Saturday, said that for over five decades since the end of the Biafran war, the wounds were yet to heal for many as some Nigerians still agitated for the breakaway state.

Bruce Fein
Kanu, the IPOB leader, who is also a British citizen, is the most noticeable face of the Biafran movement.
The Nigerian government had declared IPOB a “terrorist organisation” in 2017, but the pronouncement had not stopped the group’s activities – especially overseas where it enjoys the support of millions of Igbos in the diaspora.

Nations are racing to repatriate art stolen from Nigeria during colonial occupation. Far more urgent is restoration of the stolen unalienable right of peoples including Biafrans to self-determination—government by the consent of the governed. The UK is MIA. Reparations a start.

— Bruce Fein (@BruceFeinEsq) May 14, 2022
“Nations are racing to repatriate art stolen from Nigeria during colonial occupation. Far more urgent is a restoration of the stolen unalienable right of peoples including Biafrans to self-determination—government by the consent of the governed. The UK is MIA,” Fein said via his Twitter page.

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The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, appears to have shifted grounds on the clamour for Nigerian President of South-East extraction in 2023.
Uzodinma on Friday joined the Yobe State governor and former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, to return the completed presidential nomination form of the president of Nigerian Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan.

This is as the screening of presidential Aspirants starts on Saturday at three different hotel locations in Abuja.
According to Daily Independent, Uzodinma and Buni led a large team that included senators and senior party officials to return Lawan’s forms despite the fact that many aspirants from Uzodinma’s South-East geopolitical zone had picked forms to contest for the party’s ticket.
When asked why he teamed up with Lawan's Presidential team, Governor Uzodinma said he joined his colleague, Buni, and senators to show solidarity to one of their own.
The governor said, “Like you know, most of us here are from the National Assembly, some serving; some are non-serving. Particularly like me, I left the Senate on sabbatical to go and contest election in Imo State and I’m on borrowed status in Imo State as the governor.
“Today we are here in solidarity to accompany our leader, the Senate President, to submit his duly completed forms and we have submitted the forms.” 
On the same note, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State also led a large entourage that included Senator Ahmed Yerima and top APC stakeholders from the state to return the forms of aspirants vying for various positions in the party under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara.

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The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has declared new dates for sit-at-home order ahead of the court outings of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu
IPOB fixed May 18 and 26 as sit-at-home in honour of Kanu’s court outings.

The new dates were announced by Emma Powerful, the spokesman of the group on Saturday.
He equally disassociated the union from a viral voice note regarding sit-at-home-order.
Powerful said the purported voice notes regarding the sit-at-home did not emanate from IPOB.
In a statement he issued on Saturday, Powerful said any dates other than May 18 and 26 were not from IPOB and should be disregarded.
He said, “The attention of the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU has been drawn to a purported voice note ordering Biafrans and residents of Biafraland to sit at home on a date other than May 18th. This is the handwork of Nigerian paid agents and should be ignored.
“To this end, the only sit-at-home order emanating and announced by the IPOB leadership are the 18th and 26th of May 2022 being the dates our leader Nnamdi Kanu will appear in court.”
In October 2017, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, on behalf of the Nigerian government, had filed charges against Nnamdi Kanu.

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A multi-million naira mansion belonging to Prince Joseph Kpokpogri, estranged lover of controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, has been demolished by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Abuja.
SaharaReporters gathered that the mansion, which is in the Asokoro area, was invaded on Saturday at about 8am by officials of the FCT Administration with a bulldozer which began to demolish the building.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, the owner of the building, Kpokpogri and ex-lover of Dikeh, expressed shock saying he was not pre-informed by the officials about the demolition which he described as illegal.
"I don't have any issue with anybody that will warrant the wicked and illegal destruction of my house this morning without any pre-notice from the FCT ministry. Is it because I am from the Niger Delta region of the country? I just woke up this morning and saw the ministry officials, security men and a bulldozer and the next thing I saw was my fence being brought down.
“They entered my compound and began to demolish my house; as we talk, my swimming pool is gone, a bungalow in my compound is also down. And any moment from now, the full mansion, which cost me over N700million, my hard-earned money, will soon be brought down and I don't know the offence I have committed and I don't know who is behind this.
"None of the officials want to speak with me and I am only being told now that the FCT minister, Muhammad Bello, sent them to come and demolish my house that a road will be passing through my house. My house was approved, I paid for everything, I am not owing the federal government a dime. Before now, about five northerners had approached me to sell my house to them but I refused. Because, my house is seated on a rock and an attraction of everybody; so everybody wants to have my house."
As of the time of filing this report, the main building is about to be demolished as soon as properties and other belongings are evacuated from the building by Kpokpogri.
Prince Joseph Kpokpogri has been having a serious battle with his estranged lover, Dikeh, resulting to series of arrest, legal actions and counter-arrest and actions. 

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The Islamic State-backed faction of the Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād has claimed responsibility for the killing of three policemen and a commercial motorcyclist in Suleja, Niger State.
Suleja is less than 20 Kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Gunmen had on Thursday ambushed the policemen while responding to a distress call near a place called Old Barracks in the town.
The slain officers were identified as Hosea Saba, Yahaya Yakubu and Aminu Sani, all attached to the B Division command in Suleja.
About three persons, including a vigilante member, were also injured during the attack.
However, ISWAP said the attack was carried out by “soldiers of the caliphate”.
This comes a few weeks after the group claimed responsibility for an attack on a police station in the Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi state.
This is the first time ISWAP will be claiming an attack in Niger State.
If the attack was executed by the insurgents as claimed, it, therefore, indicates the expansion of the terror group in the Northern part of the country.

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The Muslim mob at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State which killed a female student, Deborah Samuel, comprised of students and some "foreigners” hired by the extremists to carry out the attack, students close to the deceased have revealed.
One of Deborah’s friends, identified only as Rakia, revealed the last words of Deborah Samuel before she was lynched by the mob of Muslim students on Thursday for alleged blasphemy.

Rakia told Vanguard that the deceased kept pleading, “What do you hope to achieve with this?”
She said Deborah was flogged, killed, and burnt, adding that it was the most horrible thing she (Rakia) had ever witnessed.
“Deborah was my course mate. I just stepped into the class when the uproar on her voice note started.
“It was her course mates that started it. It all started with a debate on the upcoming examination on a general WhatsApp platform created for our course mates. Two students from other departments who overheard some Muslim boys discussing the matter told Deborah’s close friends to prevail on her to retract the statement. But she replied via a voice note on the platform, “Holy Ghost fire. Nothing will happen to me.”
“We were made to understand that some young men were brought from outside (the campus) before the outrage. I was in class when some of our course mates rushed in, saying “There is fire on the mountain o.”

See Also Sahara Reporters Over 1,000 Nigerians Sign Online Petition To Demand Justice For Sokoto Female Student, Deborah, Killed Over Alleged Blasphemy 0 Comments 1 Week Ago
Rakia further revealed that the Muslim students hired strangers to the class to look for her (Deborah) while some other classmates tried to help her to escape.
“They got a cab waiting outside to drive her straight to the police station but unfortunately, the mob overpowered everyone who tried to save her.
“The last word in her mouth was, “What do you hope to achieve with this?” By then some of our course mates were making calls to some of our lecturers to save the situation. It was when I got home that I heard she was set ablaze. Since the incident, I have been having a flash of her pleading expression. She pleaded for mercy and called out for help but it was far from her. What a cruel way to die,” she said.
There has been nationwide outrage since Thursday when the incident was reported with the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Sokoto, among other rights activists, lawyers and groups calling for the arrest and prosecution of the suspected killers of the female student.

 

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The Nigerian Army is planning to re-engage the services of some qualified disengaged personnel to fight insecurity as the country battles banditry, terrorists and separatist agitation that are threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, disclosed this in Enugu State during a valedictory buffet organised in honour of 2021 disengaged soldiers within the 82 Division Area of Responsibility.

Yahaya, however, appealed to the newly disengaged soldiers to fulfil their commitment in defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria as espoused in their oath of allegiance.
Represented at the occasion by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, the army chief, said his administration was committed to enhance the welfare of discharged personnel within the power of his office.
He assured them of availability of army health facilities and other welfare institutions across the nation to support both serving and ex-personnel.
The army chief said, “Currently, there is ongoing effort to re-engage the services of qualified disengaged personnel in other to continue to benefit from their wealth of experience garnered over the years.
"The army is still open to your invaluable contributions toward attaining her constitutional mandate and would always welcome your support in that regards."
Earlier, the GOC 82 Division, Major General Lagbaja, thanked the discharged soldiers for making the Division proud and putting in their best while they served under the Division.
He said, “We are grateful to the COAS for approving this valedictory buffet. This particular event, which has come to stay in the activities of the Nigerian Army, is the brain-child of the COAS as he is totally committed to the welfare of troops and discharged soldiers as well.” 
Responding, the Army Warrant Officer, Jonas Tambari (retired), who spoke on behalf of the discharged soldiers, appreciated God for giving the discharged soldiers sound health and mind to attend the valedictory buffet.
He said “It is unfortunate we are discharged when the nation is facing security challenges; however, we will continue to give support, advice and guidance when there is a need to do so."

 

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There is presently a gruelling water scarcity situation in Kukui, a community in the Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State as residents now share the only source of water they have with cattle and other animals.
According to Daily Trust investigation, Mrs Talatu Philemon, a housewife, wakes up before sunrise to trek a distance of one hour before she could fetch a bucket of water for domestic use from a stream near a rock.

In Kukui and its environs, a stream which flows through bushes and rocks serves as the only source of water for people and animals.
Sometimes, if the animals get there first, Talatu, and other residents will have to wait for them to drink, splash and oftentimes defecate in the stream.
She said, “Most times, we wait for the water to settle if the cattle pass through it,” she said adding that “we and our animals drink from the same stream, the cattle rearers also use the stream with their cattle. Mostly, we worry that the animals defecate and urinate in the stream,”
Getting access to potable water is an exacting task in many rural communities across Nigeria.  This has made many local resort streams and other unhygienic sources of water meet their needs
In Kaduna State, the Kaduna State Water Cooperation (KADSWAG) is responsible for providing and supplying potable water in all parts of the state, but its strength does not reach the teeming residents of semi-urban and rural communities.
Rural settlements are often served via a network of boreholes and mono-pump water schemes. Still, only a few communities in Kagarko LGA can boast of potable water, as many get their water from streams or other unhygienic sources.
In Kukui community, the headquarters of Kukui ward, in Kagarko, there are at least 16 boreholes spread within the community that is now faulty. With Kukui resting its hope on a single, unreliable mono-pump for its over 3,000 population, many residents of the community and other surrounding communities drink from the stream.
“Communities like Kosoh, Chigwa, Kubere, Kukok, Kusam, Iche Kasa, Iche Bisa and Kuchi, together with their animals have for years equally relied on the stream,” said Shedrack Michael, a resident of Kukui.
Another resident who spoke to Daily Trust is Moses James.
He explained how his two children often miss school or arrive late because they have to trek the long distance to the stream to fetch water for the family.
“Water is essential to life,” he said, adding that “while they use water from the stream for domestic purposes or boil it before drinking, they mostly rely on sachet water for drinking.
The president of Kagarko Youth Progressive Forum (KYPF), Shedrack Michael, who hails from Kukui, said existing boreholes in the community were poorly drilled, thus, gulping a lot of money in an attempt to fix them. “We’ve engaged the local authority to no avail, that is why we want the state government to intervene with modern ones such as solar boreholes,” he said.  “We have just one that is currently functioning and it takes almost an hour before water drops. Majority of the populace drink from open streams which they share with cattle without boiling.”
Responding to the situation, the Chairman of Kagarko LGA, Nasara Rabo, said his council was aware of the problem that most communities in Kagarko are faced with. Rabo who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant, Godwin Shehu Magaji, said the council had approved 100 boreholes to be constructed across the 10 wards in the LGA, adding that each ward will have 10 boreholes.
“We have finished with Jere North and Jere South and some places and we are coming to Kukui and other wards very soon,” he said. He encouraged communities to develop the culture of owning and maintaining projects and not to depend on the government to fix the projects.
“Presently, there is an ongoing project of building bridges and culverts in the area which will help them in many ways. Apart from this, the 100 boreholes project will soon come to the ward as we have finished with other wards,” the Chairman added.

 

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Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has condemned in very strong terms, the unprovoked and unwarranted killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State.
Deborah, a second-year student of the college, was killed on Thursday following an allegation that she had blasphemed Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi said that actions bordering on religion intolerance had been occurring so much particularly in the north.
The Yoruba body observed that the failure of the state to take drastic actions against the perpetrators of such act was what was making it to happen often and again.
Afenifere said, “This Deborah tragedy must be used as cue to put a permanent stop to faith-induced murder in our land.”
Afenifere commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal for terminating his meeting in Abuja and rushing to Sokoto over the incident.
It, however, called on the authorities to “go beyond platitudes by ensuring that all the perpetrators of the evil act are brought to book; and to take measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in our midst.”
It also warned that “no one can fight for God in such a bestial manner.”
“The best one could do is to preach, evangelise and spread the gospel and not to coerce or kill for the purpose of forcing others to embrace one’s own religion,” the Yoruba group added.

 

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A People Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, has given an excuse for asking that his tweet condemning Deborah Samuel’s murder by a Muslim mob in Sokoto State be deleted.
Atiku claimed that he was not scared to speak on critical issues, noting that he would, however, not allow any post on his official social media handles to be published without his approval.

The aspirant said these in Benin when he paid a consultative visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State at the Government House.
It could be recalled that he had earlier condemned the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel who was accused of blasphemy.
But not too long after he tweeted, the post was deleted because of a backlash against the former president by some Muslims on social media who threatened that he (Atiku) might lose millions of votes in Sokoto for the said tweet. 
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Atiku was quoted as saying, “Every tweet has to get my expressed approval but this one didn’t; so I asked them to take it down.
“I took a stand about Sharia law and was abused, thrown stones at, but how long did it last? Despite that, I didn’t change my position on that. I am not afraid to take a stand on critical issues."

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