At least 101 people arrested for alleged links with Boko Haram have been kept incommunicado at the Kirikiri medium and maximum correctional centres, Lagos State, for 13 years now, Daily Trust reports.
Activists following the case said some of the victims had died in custody long after they were granted bail by the courts but not released by the authorities.

It was learnt that the detainees were separately arrested in Borno, Bauchi and Kano states on suspicion of being members of Boko Haram in late 2009 when police and other security agencies embarked on raids that led to the arrests of suspected members of the terrorist organisation. 
Since then, they have been in detention with no hope of freedom any time soon.
According to an official of the Legal Aid Council, which has been pursuing the case, the detainees were arrested by the police at various places in Maiduguri in Borno State, Kano and Bauchi.
“Some of the suspects were arrested in their homes, business premises, mosques, or travelling on the highways during raids carried out by the police,” an official of the council said.
He said that a total of 164 persons were arrested in the wake of the outbreak of the disturbances by members of Boko Haram in Maiduguri in July 2009.
“From our investigation, more than 160 persons were arrested, but we now have 101 still in detention. They were initially 104, but three died in detention while six others have mental problems due to trauma,” he said.
He said the detainees were initially arraigned before courts in Kano, Maiduguri and Bauchi. He said the courts granted them bail but some of them could not meet their bail conditions; hence they are still in detention.
“They were separately detained in correctional centres in Kano, Maiduguri and Bauchi pending the time they would meet their bail conditions. However, in March 2011 they were all herded into a truck and moved to Lagos.
“We have 74 being detained in the Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre while 27 are detained in Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre,” he said.
He said that after their movement to Lagos, there was an order that they should not be allowed access to their relatives. He added that many of them had lost contact with their relatives.
He said the detainees were charged with offences which mostly carried a maximum of four years imprisonment.
“What it means is that they would have even served their terms by now if they had been convicted,” he said.
He said because the cases had been delayed this long, it would even be difficult to get witnesses to convict them. He said their movement to Lagos had made it impossible to prosecute them as their cases could only be heard by a court where the alleged offenses were committed.
“They could not also be detained under the terrorism act as the law was passed after their arrest, and it does not have a retrospective effect.
“These people should be released or brought back to the respective places of their arrest and be prosecuted. This is a clear case of human rights abuse, which should be addressed immediately in the interest of justice,” he said.
It was learnt the director-general of the Council had written the Attorney-General of the Federation for his intervention.
In the letter, the director-general stated that there was no further reason to keep the suspects in detention since the authorities had lost interest in the case.
He also noted that the detainees had undergone a de-radicalisation programme organised by the government while inside the correctional centre.
In a similar effort to ensure justice for the victims, a Lagos-based non-governmental organisation, The Incorporated Trustees of Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative filed a case before a Federal High Court in Lagos seeking their release.
The case was brought against the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and the Comptroller-General of Correctional Service.
In the suit, they asked the court to declare that the arrest and continued detention of the applicants for many years without proper arraignment and trial in a court of competent jurisdiction was unlawful, unconstitutional and an infringement of their fundamental right to freedom of personal liberty, the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court/tribunal and respect for the dignity of the human person.
The applicants also sought their unconditional release and a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents or their agents from further interfering with their fundamental human rights in any manner.
However, in October 2021, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa, dismissed the case in his judgement.
The judge said the applicants had failed to show that both the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Security Adviser had infringed on their fundamental human rights as they failed to show that they ordered their arrest or detention.
Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, a lawyer who represented the detainees said that he was disappointed in the judgement but would continue to pursue the issue through other avenues until they are freed.
One of the detainees, who pleaded anonymity, said they were disappointed with the turnout of the judgement. He said many of them had given up on ever regaining their freedom unless a miracle happened.
He said three of them had died while six had gone mad because of the condition they found themselves.

 

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Yemi Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is also a presidential aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), has said the gruesome killing of Deborah Samuel, a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, for alleged blasphemy is deeply distressing.
Osinbajo said this while speaking with newsmen after he arrived in Abuja from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Yemi Osinbajo
The Vice President praised the Sultan of Sokoto for condemning the incident.
He said, “Let me say that, first, the president has reacted to this, in a statement which was issued earlier condemning the action.
“I must say that it’s a deeply distressing thing, very disturbing – such an atrocious killing of the young lady by a mob who took the law into their own hands; I think it’s very unfortunate.
“The swift reaction of the Sokoto State Government and also the Sultan of Sokoto is highly commendable. I think that their swift reaction to the situation demonstrates the outrage of millions of Nigerians and also the desire of everyone to ensure that the perpetrators are quickly apprehended and prosecuted.”

 

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The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command, has stated that reports that a “girl captured in a viral sex video with dog died from an infection” were fake and should be disregarded.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lagos, adding that the police were intensifying their investigation into the matter.

Hundeyin said, “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a publication which is dated May 10, 2022, (saying the girl in the viral sex video died of infection). As this borders on an ongoing police investigation, the command reached out to the author of this article for information that would help the police conclude the investigation.
“Shockingly, however, the author claimed he could not verify the story but simply lifted it from an online blog. The author did not also credit the original source of the news in consonance with simple ethics of journalism.
“He also made no attempt to fact-check the news, thereby making himself susceptible to the spreading of fake news, especially knowing how critical and sensitive the facts in the issue were.”
“It’s the duty of every Nigerian to support the police in any ongoing investigation; it is criminal to publish false information with intent to mislead the public. It is equally criminal to subvert criminal investigation and obstruct police officers in the discharge of their duties,” he added.
The spokesperson said in line with its stance on transparency, the command would give an update to Nigerians, while noting that the ongoing investigation had “been re-focused appropriately.”
Weeks ago, the police had said it had launched a manhunt for the woman, seen having sex with a dog in a viral TikTok video.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, had said posting bestial-natured videos online was not allowed.
The video was said to be recorded in Nigeria but the exact location could not immediately be verified.
According to lawyers, the Criminal Code Act and the Penal Code Act criminalise sleeping with an animal and that the act attracts up to 14 years imprisonment in Nigeria.

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The Ebonyi State Police Command has said it rescued a child stolen from the state and sold for N355,000 to a suspect in Anambra State. 
The command's spokesperson, Loveth Odah, stated this in statement, adding that the child who had been reunited with the family was rescued when the operatives of the command busted a child trafficking syndicate. 

Odah disclosed that the child was recovered in Anambra State through a painstaking investigation by the command’s detectives in the past one month, adding that the child was stolen from the mother at a market in the state in March.
The statement on Friday partly read, “On the 11th day of April, 2022, a case of stolen child was reported to the Ebonyi State Police Command by one Okeh Nkemdiri ‘f’ against one Uchechukwu Ebenyi age 27yrs ‘m’ of Amukpa Okengwu Ezilo in the Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State alleging that on the 21st March, 2022, at about 1200hrs she went to their local market with her four-year-old son, Okeh Makoochukwu, whom she suddenly discovered was no longer seen. 
“She immediately raised the alarm in the market but all efforts to trace her son’s whereabouts proved abortive. Police detectives, on receipt of information, swung into action and arrested the suspect, Uchechukwu Ebenyi."
It added, "During interrogation, Ebenyi confessed to have sold the little Makoochukwu Okeh for the sum of N5000 to one Chidiebere Ogbu ‘m’, a native of Amoukpa Okeugwu Eziulo in the Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State, who resides in Anambra State alongside one Ekeh Ukamaka ‘f’ of the same address. 
"The police detectives trailed the recipient of the stolen child to Anambra State, where he was arrested alongside two others."
The PPRO, however, noted that the child could not be located immediately as the suspects had also sold him to other persons. 
"Upon interrogation, he (Ogbu) confessed to have sold the child to a third party with the help of one Dr. Lambert’s wife (name unknown) but now at large through Nwagwu Onyeka ‘m’ currently residing at the Idemili North LGA of Anambra State at the sum of N350,000. 
“The child was further traced to one Chibuzor Azubuike ‘m’ who later took the detectives to Ezenwa Scholastica whom the child was recovered from, on May 3, 2022”, Odah disclosed in the statement.

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Some residents of Sokoto State will on Saturday embark on a “mass” protest against the arrest of two people suspected to be involved in the killing of a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, identified as Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy.
SaharaReporters had reported how Deborah was violently stoned to death and later set ablaze by angry mob, who are mostly students of the college.

Following the incident, the police in Sokoto said two suspects had been arrested and taken into custody.
According to the Sokoto police spokesman, Sanusi Abubakar, the mob overpowered campus security before killing the female student and setting her remains on fire.

See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Police Confirm Arrest Of Suspected Killers Of Female College Student In Sokoto State Over Blasphemy 0 Comments 1 Week Ago
However, a leaflet obtained by SaharaReporters on Saturday, written in Hausa, asked Muslims to come out en mass to protest against the arrest.
“We’re inviting Muslims in Sokoto to come and help them rescue our brothers that were arrested because they were defending Islam and uplifting prophet Muhammad S.A.W,” the leaflet read.
“Gawon Mama Roundabout is where they'll meet; Time: 9am. For more details call those numbers.”

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The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, approved a last-minute N20billion contract for the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTIF) on Thursday – one of the agencies under his ministry, documents obtained by SaharaReporters have shown.
SaharaReporters gathered that Ngige, who had planned to leave his ministerial position, hurriedly approved the contract without following any diligent process to allegedly use the means as a conduit to have access to N20billion government funds.

According to the contract papers, it was a contract agreement between the NSTIF Management Board and one P2E Technologies said to be located at Adeleye Close, Utako, Abuja, and titled, “Procurement of E-NSITF Digitalisation/ Automation of the Fund’s activities and processes (E-Infrastructure.”
The full contract documents are attached.
Top sources told SaharaReporters that if urgent steps were not taken to stop the minister, the said contract would lead to the withdrawal of at least N20 billion from the NSTIF’s coffers.
“This is one of the too many fictitious contracts awarded that will not be executed within this short ministerial cabinet reshuffle. This is an emergency contract agreement awarded by the NSITFMB. It was hurriedly prepared by the Head of Legal Department and it was transferred to one Madam Ijeoma Okoronkwo, Board Secretariat Office Department on Thursday,” a source revealed.
“The said contractor who was already seated at the Madam Board Secretary's Office signed the Agreement. The contract agreement was immediately smuggled to Ngige the same Thursday by the Board Secretary of the NSITF for the minister's urgent consideration. This is one of such emergency contracts in the midst of many others,” another source confirmed.
“If the NSITF Accounts are not immediately frozen between now and next week, a minimum of N20billion will be lost. Minister Ngige had prepared this last-minute contract of N20 billion before he later decided to withdraw his presidential ambition.”
Earlier today, Ngige said he had withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race and would remain in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet as a minister.
In a press statement obtained by SaharaReporters signed by the minister and titled, “Withdrawal of my presidential aspiration”, Ngige said he took the decision after consulting with his constituents and political associates.
“Today, May 13, I had an audience with the President, Muhammadu Buhari, as a follow-up to the one I earlier had with him on May 11, 2022. Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President in the 2023 general elections,” he had said.
On Wednesday, Buhari asked all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) contesting elective positions in 2023 to resign.
They were asked to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.
According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the order excludes the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because he is an elected member of the cabinet.

DOCUMENT: EXCLUSIVE: How Labour Minister, Ngige Plotted Last-Minute Fictitious N20billion Contract Before A... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

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A group, identified as Ex-Muslims of Nigeria, has denounced the unlawful killing of Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State, by a mob of students over the alleged insult of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
According to a statement released by the Founder, Hassan Rasheed, on Friday, “blasphemy is an ancient treasonable felony in Islam, but the law is no longer relevant today.” 

The group hence called on the government to review laws regulating the offence of blasphemy in the country.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the despicable murder of a student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy. The failure by the Muslim clerics to condemn the killing has underscored how intolerant Islam is when it comes to blasphemy. Nigeria is a secular country, and even though we don't encourage provocation and incitement, the decision by the students to take laws into their hands is condemnable.
"We call on the authorities to take serious measures to curtail the growing extremism among Muslims in northern Nigeria, and the perpetrators of this dastardly act must be brought to book. Blasphemy is an ancient treasonable felony in Islam, but the law is no longer relevant today.
"We, therefore, call on the authorities to not only ensure the killers are punished but also work to outlaw blasphemy laws in Nigeria because it is irrelevant in this civilized world. Blasphemy is a hindrance to the democratic system in which freedom of expression is an integral part of it," the statement added.

 

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The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Nigeria has organised a workshop to sensitise traditional and faith leaders in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and five states to sexual and gender-based violence in the country.
FIDA in a release obtained by SaharaReporters added that the sensitisation was also to tackle issues such as; child and early forced marriage, trafficking in persons’ prevention and response strategies.

The group in the statement by the Programme Manager, Mr Fikih Obaro, explained that the training would spread across 24 Nigerian local communities where the societal issues were prevalent. 
“FIDA Nigeria is collaborating with Palladium under the SCALE (Strengthening Civil Advocacy & Local Engagement) Project which is being supported by USAID.
“The training will hold in May 2022 both in Delta and the Federal Capital Territory and is meant to increase gender-sensitive information and awareness-raising on the menace because traditional and faith leaders are uniquely placed to prevent SGBV and CEFM where they are domiciled, given their understanding of the local context, and having native knowledge of predisposing factors & practices that encourage and allow SGBV, CEFM, and TIP to thrive,” the statement said.
The trainees would be selected from 24 communities across six states namely; Delta, Bauchi, Katsina, Ebonyi, Federal Capital Territory and Osun.
Amina Suzannah Agbaje, FIDA Vice President/National President of FIDA Nigeria, said, “It is our expectation that at the end of this training workshop, traditional and faith leaders will be well equipped to serve as advocates and paralegals which will transcend in the development of byelaws in preventing this menace.
“Furthermore, they will be able to institutionalise and establish coordinated response and referral pathways in tandem with the law enforcement agencies towards ensuring arrests and prosecution of perpetrators of these crimes, while working with state actors to create a gender sensitive and protective environment for survivors.” 

 

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kola

Kola Alapinni, a human rights lawyer, has said blasphemy does not exist under Nigeria's constitutional laws, although some northern Muslim states recognise it under their Sharia law.
The lawyer, who had in the past defended those accused of blasphemy in many Nigerian courts, also demanded justice for a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, Deborah Yakubu, after she was killed for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

kola
SaharaReporters had reported how Deborah was violently stoned to death and later set ablaze by the angry mob who were mostly students of the college.
In a statement on Friday, Alapinni berated Atiku Abubakar, presidential hopeful on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for deleting social media posts condemning the killing of Deborah.
The statement read, “We had barely left the Court of Appeal, Kano Division yesterday when we heard of the gruesome murder of Ms. Deborah Yakubu, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto for making an allegedly blasphemous statement. Ironically, we were at the Court of Appeal to argue the appeal of Yahaya Aminu-Sharif (popularly known as the Kano singer).
“Unfortunately, after over a year of delays and set-backs, the court couldn’t form a quorum yesterday. Two judges were unavoidably absent yesterday due to emergencies.
“Yahaya Sharif-Aminu and Omar Farouq Bashir had been sentenced by a Sharia Court in Filin Hockey, Kano in August 2020 by the same judge, the same day for making blasphemous statements. Omar Farouq got ten years imprisonment; Yayaha got the death penalty. We got both penalties quashed. Omar was set free. Yahaya was to be retried at the Sharia Court, hence we appealed.
“If the appeal had gone ahead yesterday, it meant as we would have been challenging the state on the inconsistency of the Sharia Law with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the hypocrisy of the religious laws and other constitutional issues; a young girl was being stoned and burnt to death in Sokoto over the same issues.
“When the chips were down, the state could not protect the victim. The school security staff were overwhelmed by the mob action. Jungle justice became the order of the day.
“The bottom line is that Nigeria has signed up to some international instruments like the African Charter on Human and Political Rights (The African Charter), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and of course the Constitution of Nigeria as it is, is the ground norm. The Sharia Penal Code, some aspects of the Sharia Laws and its application are incompatible to the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They cannot stand.
“There is nothing like blasphemy under Nigerian Laws. The state government hides under a section of its Sharia laws that punish inciting statements or insulting statements to Prophet Muhammad. It needs to be tested at the Appeal Court or even at the Supreme Court. It will be interesting to see how this latest occurrence pans out.
“A former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar - who is a Presidential hopeful - condemned the murder of Deborah Yakubu through his tweet. He deleted it due to the backlash from mostly Northern Nigerian muslims who threatened not to vote for him. You may wish to read between the lines.”

 

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Operatives of the Anti-kidnapping unit of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a gun-running gang in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.
According to a release on Friday, the police command said its operatives acting on a tip-off on May 12, around 5.50pm, arrested the suspects at a brothel in the Ayama area.

Asimin Butswat, the police spokesman, identified the suspects as; Seibo Dokubo, male, 32 years, “who is a native of Degema, Rivers State and one Boma Daniel, male, 45 years, a native of Patani, Delta State, who wanted to procure AK-47 rifles for kidnap purposes.” 
According to the statement, one brownie pistol loaded with eight .9mm ammunition, three 12.7mm expended ammunition, a sum of N2million cash and a suspected stolen Toyota Hilux 2021 model without registration number, were recovered from the suspects.
The police spokesman said the suspects were cooperating with the police in its investigation and the suspects would be charged to court at the end of investigation.

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A group led by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has stated that the decision of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to withdraw the resignation letters they tendered to President Muhammadu Buhari is illegal and violates the Nigerian constitution.
The group, Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), noted in a statement on Friday that if the ministers were to reappointed at all, they had to, as required by Section 147 of the Constitution, face the Senate for fresh screening and confirmation. 

Malami, Ngige and seven other ministers had reportedly resigned from the Buhari cabinet as directed by the President, going by their 2023 political ambitions.
While Malami was interested in the Kebbi governorship race, Ngige was one of the presidential aspirants of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress.
However, the country witnessed a sudden twist on Friday when Malami said he had withdrawn from the Kebbi governorship race and Ngige also said in a release that he had buried his 2023 ambition.
The two hence stated that they remained in the cabinet of the President after withdrawing their resignation letters.
Reacting, the Falana-led group noted that such a step was illegal and violates the constitution.
ASCAB said, “At the last Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari directed all Ministers and other political appointees who aspire to contest for elective offices in the 2023 General Elections to resign their appointments. In compliance with the directive, nine Ministers resigned their appointments. The former Ministers are Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio, Ogbonnaya Onu, Timipre Sylva, Chris Ngige, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Uche Ogah, Pauline Tallen and Chief Tayo Alasoadura.
“In a farewell meeting held with the former Ministers on Friday, May 13, 2022, President Buhari thanked them for serving the nation sacrificially, 'with dignity and honour'. While wishing them success in the upcoming elections and in future endeavours the President commended them for their decision and courage to contest for elective offices and their compliance with his directive.
“Having resigned from the Buhari administration Mr. Abubakar Malami SAN and Dr. Chris Ngige were reported to have withdrawn their letters of resignation after the farewell meeting. Such withdrawal is illegal as it is constitutes a gross contravention of section 306 (2) of the Constitution which stipulates that "The resignation of any person from any office established by this Constitution shall take effect when the writing signifying the resignation is received by the authority or person to whom it is addressed or by any person authorised by that authority or person to receive it.
“Since the resignation of the former Ministers has taken effect they cannot return to the cabinet either on their own volition or on the directive of the President. The resignation of the Ministers is not a cabinet reshuffle. It is akin to the removal of the former Ministers by the President. Therefore, if the former Ministers are going to be reappointed the President is required by section 147 of the Constitution to submit names to the Senate for fresh screening and confirmation.”  

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Amakpaka community in the Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State has been deserted following a reported clash between police officers and some youths.
The clash was said to have started in the early hours of Friday when officers reportedly stormed the community to arrest one Agu Ugochukwu, TheCable reports.

According to sources, Ugochukwu was accused of assaulting one Nick Akobundu, a retired police officer and the chief security officer (CSO) of the Umuawada autonomous community.
Chima Uzoigwe, a resident of the community said that Akobundu was beaten up over alleged high-handedness and intimidation.
“In return, Akobundu invited police to arrest Agu Ugochukwu who was among the youths that assaulted him,” Uzoigwe said.
“Policemen came to arrest Agu Ugochukwu in their family house, but he was not at home as at the time of the arrest. Police officers then tried to arrest his brother, who was not in any way involved in the matter, and he resisted the arrest and that resulted in the fracas.
“One of the police officers was injured, while Ugochukwu’s brother’s leg was also injured after which the police officers left, and returned to the village, during which they set Ugochukwu’s father’s house ablaze.”
Another source in the community, who didn’t want to be named, also narrated the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“There was an incident involving the police and a family from Amakpaka Umuawada. The police set the man’s newly-built house on fire,” the source said.
It was learnt that the ever-busy Orie-Onuoha market square was deserted by residents who fled the area during the clash.
The police officer who sustained injuries was said to have died.
But when contacted, Michael Abattam, the Imo police command spokesperson said, “We are yet to receive such information and no police officer has been reported dead in our command.”

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A video of a soldier asking his colleagues to leave the Nigerian army over poor treatment by senior officers has surfaced online. 

According to the soldier, the non-retaliation of the killing of soldiers of the 93 battalion in Taraba shows that their lives mean nothing to the army authorities.

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

 

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

 

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

“Them never still retaliate, them cut men, kill men, which kind country be this? Our senior men no dey see us as anything again. Them go kill men, to go retaliate nah problem. Civilian go slap soldier, if you retaliate, them get all the big men number, them go begin dey call (The authorities have not hit back; they killed soldiers. What kind of country is this? Senior officers don't value the lives of junior soldiers. They kill us but to take an action against the killers is a problem. A civilian would slap a soldier and if the soldier retaliates, there will be trouble. They have the phone numbers of prominent people who they call). 

 

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

“Upon this day, me, all the senior men don lose their respect if them no retaliate this killing, them don lose am and them no go fit meet up again. We soldiers time don reach, no be grumbling matter again, na time for action (We will lose our respect for senior officers if they do not take any action and they can't get the respect again. It is time for us (soldiers) to act, this is not the time to grumble).”

 

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

 

 

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported how gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked a military convoy in Tati village, Taraba State, killing six soldiers and abducting a commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Ememike S. Okore (N/11717).

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

While the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said troops of the 93 Battalion had launched an operation to rescue the abducted senior officer, the soldier in the trending clip dismissed the report.

He said failure to retaliate against the killing would make him lose respect for the army authorities, adding that the morale of most soldiers was low.

 

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Suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly killed a young man in Okpulugwu Agu-Amede community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State in a renewed attack.
The incident, SaharaReporters learnt, had thrown the community into mourning.

Community sources told SaharaReporters that the recent incident which occurred on Friday would be the seventh brutal attack on the agrarian community since January 2022.   
It was gathered that the victim, Mr Ejike Odo, had got a report that his sister who went to farm was attacked and being raped by Fulani herdsmen while she was returning from farm, and he rushed to the farm to rescue her.
“Unfortunately, the herdsmen who were about four overpowered him, stabbed several times before slitting his throat,” a community leader who gave his name as Justus Nwonye said.
Eha-Amufu communities share boundaries with Benue State and have had several herdsmen attacks since August 2021 resulting in several killings and sacking of eight farm settlements.
Efforts to get reaction from the Enugu State Police Command were unsuccessful as the spokesman, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, could not be reached on phone.

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Nigerian security agencies particularly the Nigerian Army and the police to desist from harassing or shooting students who are protesting the failure of the government to meet the demands of the association.
ASUU had announced a warning strike on February 14 and a month after, extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government to meet all of its demands. A 12-week extension was announced on May 9.

The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.
Students of several universities in the country have of recent been taking to the streets to stage a peaceful protest to express their sadness and disappointment over the ongoing strike action by ASUU.
In a statement on Friday signed by the ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Adelaja Odukoya, ASUU warned security agencies not to apply force on the students, especially as it had become a norm for the police force to harass protesters.
The statement reads, “ASUU Lagos Zone wishes to use this opportunity to call on both the Nigerian Army and police to rein in their officers with trigger happy disposition towards popular protests, particularly legitimate protest of students.
“This is in view of the ongoing protests forced upon students who have been out of their classrooms as a consequence of government insensitivity to the more three months old ASUU strike. The army and the police have constitutional responsibilities to protect and not attack, maim or brutalise protesting students across the country. There is more than enough pains, anguish and bloodshed in the land on account of government failure that to allow security indiscretion to cause the death of a single student will be unconscionable and unacceptable.
“This patriotic action of the Nigerian students is highly commendable and gives us hope for our beloved country. ASUU is in solidarity with, and have been monitoring the mass protest by students across the country which has been very peaceful, orderly and coordinated. We therefore urge the Army and Police High Commands to issue stringent directives of caution to their operatives who have made two to three attempts at attacking students in order to avoid unnecessary accidents.
“The attempt to crush students with an army van today at the gate of University of Ibadan (UI) is shameful, condemnable and disgraceful. It seems the security operatives are yet to learn anything useful from the #EndSARS revolts. It cannot be overemphasised that students, like all citizens, have fundamental rights to protest as enshrined in our Constitution.
“ASUU Lagos Zone salutes our students for their steadfastness and resolute struggle to get the Federal Government to adequately fund education at all levels. With more organising and collective actions, by d students, parents, civil societies and other stakeholders’ victory will surely come.”

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Gunmen who identified themselves as the Sea Masters Volunteer Force have threatened to ban all church activities in the South-East region of the country.
The armed group alleged that clerics were working with politicians to commit crimes in the region. 

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The armed men made the threat in a video on Thursday obtained by SaharaReporters.
In the video, the masked gun-wielding men numbering seven said they were determined to “sanitise the South-East” and end all radical Islamists.
One of the gunmen in the 2 minutes, 48 seconds video made inside an unknown forest said, “We are the Sea Masters Volunteer Force. We are determined to sanitise the eastern Nigeria and to end all radical Islamists, thereby destroying their Islamisation agenda.
"We salute all the volunteer forces in the region: the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, the Avengers, Biafra National Guard, Avier Vipers, the Ekumeku Warriors, Biafran Nations League, Eastern Security Network. We greet all volunteers fighting. We advise all freedom fighters to behave well. Let there be no rancour among us.
"We are warning all Fulani jihadists hiding in Bayelsa or Rivers states to leave now or we will move you out by force. The Christian Association of Nigeria, your actions are no longer funny. Evil politicians are now working with pastors. Imagine Governor Wike (Nyesom of Rivers State) vomiting rubbish in a church and up till now, no condemnation from any church. If this rubbish persists, we are going to ban all church activities in the east.”

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Presidential aspirant and National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Friday, has said that he is the only presidential aspirant to beat ahead of the 2023 general elections, adding “I don’t know where the others are running to.”
The former Lagos State governor added that if elected, he would eliminate banditry and other forms of insecurity ravaging the country.

Tinubu spoke in Minna, Niger State, while addressing APC delegates.
Tinubu said, “We will not give up on banditry, we will not run away. Bandits will not take over our lands. With me as President, forget bandits. It is now time to change the calendar of bandits, to tell them that there is no business good in killing people no matter how much you make.
“We will eliminate all of them, we will conquer them, we will beat them. That is why I am out to run for President of Nigeria.”
The former Lagos Governor said as far as he is concerned, he was the only one in the presidential race in APC, urging the delegates while pledging not to mislead them.
He stressed: “I am the only one in this race, I don’t know about the others. I am running for the Presidency of Nigeria, I don’t know where the others are running to. I know the road to prosperity, safety, clean environment, development of our nation and infrastructure because I have done it all in Lagos state.
“The others do not know the road, don’t follow them. The only person you should follow is the person who knows the road. Follow me, I know the road and I will not mislead you. They do not have my brains but I do have enough brains.
“Where are their track records? How many Councillors, local government Chairmen and chairpersons, members of the house of Assemblies, House of Representatives or Senators have they produced? I have produced them.
“Now, they are pointing the wrong fingers at me. I do not worry about them. God will forgive them because they are blind. They have empty brains. They claim I am too old, that I cannot stand without shaking, that my legs are bad, that is why when the Governor asked me to sit, I said I will stand.”

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The Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ), has described as barbaric the alleged stoning to death and setting ablaze of a female student, Deborah Yakubu, in Sokoto State by Islamic extremists.
This was stated in a statement signed by the Union President, Dr Charles Okhai, and the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sunny Idika.

NACJ, in a release signed by the President, Dr Charles Okhai, and the Acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Sunny Idika, said it was very sad and unimaginable “that such barbaric practice of stoning humans to death for flimsy excuses of blasphemy still exists in some parts of the country in this 21st”, saying such out-dated practice should never again be allowed to fester in any part of Nigeria.
“The incident once more underscores the need for those in positions of authority and religious leaders in the country to continue to educate their followers on the sanctity of human life and religious tolerance.
“Such incidents are also a pointer to the fact that perpetrators of such in the past got away without punishment. We call on the government to ensure there are severe consequences awaiting such evil minded individuals.
“Christians in the country have been pushed to the wall, and very soon, they will have to defend themselves by fighting back, and this could deal a very devastating blow to the peaceful co-existence of the country.
“The senseless killing of innocent Christians has reached a global scale that requires urgent attention of the government stating that a situation where a group of religious extremists dispense capital punishment on mere civil matters as they will and against whoever they wish without any resort to the laws of the land is totally unacceptable,” the association said.
While visiting the bereaved family, the group called on the law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to bring the culprits to book in the shortest possible time.
The association also urged the Islamic leadership in the country to tender an apology to Nigerians for what they described as a shameful act to humanity.
On Thursday, Some students of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, lynched a 200-level female student, Deborah, over an allegation of blasphemy.
The deceased was violently stoned to death and later set ablaze by the angry mob who were mostly students of the college.
The college authorities immediately announced the closure of the school and ordered students to vacate the campus.
The Sokoto State Government had also promised to investigate the matter and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to book.

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Some university students on Friday staged a protest in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The students blocked the University of Ibadan-Mokola road in Ibadan in an organised peaceful protest to register their displeasure.

A 200-level student of the University of Ibadan told Daily Post that the protest became necessary because they were tired of staying at home.
“Our leaders have continued to be politicking with our future. Our goal is to shut down the whole of Ibadan until our demand is met,” he said.
Meanwhile, a former Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Andrew Emelieze, stated that the protest was to awaken the spirit of students whose rights are trampled upon by the government.
Emelieze noted that the ongoing strike embarked upon by the university lecturers was due to negligence and failure of leadership.
Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, had, on Thursday, taken to the Ife-Ibadan express road as they protest school closure resulting from the ongoing strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The students who converged at their campus gate marched down to the major highway which connects commuters traveling from Ife to Ibadan and vice versa.
This development followed University of Ilorin and University of Lagos that had earlier protested.

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Delta State Local Government Area chairmen on Friday were enmeshed in an open disagreement among themselves over the sharing formula of dollars at the Government House, Asaba, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), presidential aspirant in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday after a consultation meeting with delegates at the Unity hall, Government House, Asaba, had dropped a huge bag, popularly known as Ghana-must-go loaded with dollars notes to be shared among the delegates.

SaharaReporters observed that the sharing of the dollars shortly after the departure of the presidential aspirant and his entourage became rowdy among the delegates, as the council chairmen who were seated at a corner were seen in an open disagreement among themselves over the sharing formula of Atiku's largesse.
It was also observed that shortly after the initial disagreement had calmed down, another round started among the council chairmen.
However, the situation was finally brought under control by leadership of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, (ALGON) and the sharing formula was later accepted among the council chairmen.
Addressing the delegates, Atiku had solicited for votes even as he promised a better future for the people if elected as the president of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who commended Atiku, said that the Delta State delegates shall vote for the best aspirant at the end of the day.

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