The ten ministers seeking elective positions in the 2023 elections have tendered their resignations.
 
This comes three days to the deadline of the directive issued by President Muhammadu Buhari to political appointees seeking to participate in the 2023 elections to resign.

The president issued the directive at the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday. It was disclosed to journalists by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
 
In a brief meeting with the outgoing ministers on Friday, President Buhari thanked them for their cooperation as he urged other members of the cabinet to be more diligent and committed to the success of the administration.
 
The affected ministers include Minister State for Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen.
 
Others are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Goodwill Akpabio; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba and Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Tayo Alasoadura.
 
Amaechi, Nwajuiba, Nigige, Akpabio, Onu and Sylva have all picked the presidential nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
Malami has also declared interest in the governorship position in his home state of Kebbi.
 
Running for the governorship position in Abia State is Ogar while Tallen has also declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.
 
Like his boss, Alasoadura, had also picked up relevant forms to contest for the Ondo Central Senatorial seat on the platform of APC.

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Muhammadu Buhari

The outgoing ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet have told the President they are leaving in sadness and joy, Daily Post reports.
 
They thanked the President for providing ample opportunities to serve in his cabinet and contribute their quota to nation-building.
  Muhammadu Buhari
Speaking on behalf of the other ministers at a valedictory session for appointees leaving the cabinet to pursue political ambitions, the Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio, who is among the presidential candidates on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, described working with the President as a “fantastic and knowledgeable experience.”
 
Akpabio said Buhari is the “best president Nigeria could ever have had at a time of difficult circumstances.”
 
He said that as they resign for others to take over, they will continue to be great disciples of Buhari.
“As we step aside from FEC (Federal Executive Council), I want you to know that you have disciples in us. I want you to know that it is time for us to propagate Buharism.
 
“I want you to know that we are going to be working closely with the Minister of Information and Culture to take your message of transformation, love, patience, and administrative sagacity to Nigerians,” he said.
 
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State further told Buhari that from his interactions with the other ministers leaving the cabinet, their departure was like the story of the Spanish play of “sadness and joy.”
 
“Sadness in the sense that we are going to miss the continuous daily and weekly interaction with a father and learning from him; joy because we now have an opportunity to go to the wider audience in Nigeria to speak more of your achievements for this country,” he said.
 
 
 
 

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A Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to rescind her decision to hold a conference in Sokoto over the gruesome death of Deborah Samuel.
The senior lawyer wanted the NBA to shift the location of the conference to another northern state instead.

He said, "I humbly urge NBA-SPIDEL not to hold any meeting or conference in the State where a Nigerian citizen has been brutally murdered and burnt to death.
"It is barbaric and lawyers should not be seen dancing on her grave in that State.
"We should make a statement to the government by canceling the Conference and hold it in a neighboring State in the North," Mr Ebun-Olu added.
SaharaReporters had reported that the female student was killed and burnt to death on Thursday by her fellow students for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The Sokoto State police command on Thursday confirmed the arrest of two students suspected to be involved in the killing of Ms Deborah for alleged blasphemy in Sokoto.

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Students of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State on Friday blocked the Ijebu Ode-Ibadan Expressway during a peaceful protest tagged #EndASUUStrike, preventing human and vehicular movements on the road.
The students urged the Nigerian Government to resolve the impasse with their striking lecturers in order to return to class.

The angry students in their number barricaded the road to protest against the protracted industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) across the country.
The ongoing strike has lasted about three months and there is no sign that it will end soon.
The peaceful protest caused gridlock along the road as motorists and passengers were stranded.
The students vowed not to open the road until their demands are met.
The Chairman, Fund Education Coalition, Damilare Adenola, who address the students, said they would not give up on the "national action' just as being pushed by the students, to sustain the tempo of protests across the country.
 
Also, the Public Relations Officer of the Coalition, Joseph Aliu who addressed the protesters said, “It is saddening that after a series of talks, the Federal Government has failed to listen to the voice of reasoning.
“Since they’ve chosen to turn a deaf ear to the cries of the striking lecturers, we have no other option but to take to the streets. We are here, we’re not stopping, here’s a fight to the finish. We are not going back."
On his part, the President of the Students Union Government of the school, Akorede Afeez, said, "It is an impediment to the societal growth and development of this nation in general that the students have been in their houses since 14th February 2022.
 
"The state government should rise up to their responsibility and take charge of the education welfare of OOU.
 
"We demand the reopening of our classes. Education is our right, not a privilege.
 
"We say no to technology fees and exorbitant school fees.”

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is currently at the Presidential Villa where he is being asked to explain some discrepancies regarding his political moves and his claims.

It was learnt that the Presidency would ask Emefiele to resign as head of the apex bank of his political interest, as he had told President Muhammadu Buhari that he had no political ambition.

Emefiele is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and eyeing the Presidency in 2023.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Emefiele had abruptly cancelled his meeting with executive members and top management staff members of the apex bank after he was summoned to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

SaharaReporters gathered that Emefiele had initially refused to attend a farewell meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The meeting follows the President’s recent directive to all ministers and political appointees contesting for various elective positions to resign from their appointments on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.

SaharaReporters also exclusively reported that Justice DC Maidoh of a Delta State High Court, Kwale Division had granted an order restraining the Board of Central Bank of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission from stopping Emiefele from seeking an elective post.

The application was filed on May 5, 2022, and the judgement was granted on Thursday, May 12, SaharaReporters learnt.

Armed with the court papers, Emefiele had gleefully taken them to President Buhari on Thursday after which he stated that Nigerians would die of a heart attack.

Reacting to his controversial presidential ambition which has seen many groups and notable Nigerians call for his resignation to preserve the sanctity of the treasury and national economy on Thursday, Emefiele boasted that he was having fun and cared less about what people had to say.

“There is no news now, but there will be news. You heard me, I said there is no news but there will be news.”

But when told that Nigerians were anxious about his position, he said: “Let them have a heart attack. It’s good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”

However, sources told SaharaReporters that Emefiele was summoned to explain some discrepancies as he had also told Buhari that he had no political ambition.

“The CBN governor is at the Presidential Villa; he submitted a letter yesterday (Thursday) that he has no political ambition.

“They will ask him to resign because he is an interested party already,” the source said.

When asked what Buhari’s response was when the CBN governor said he did not have any political ambition, the source noted, “Buhari did not respond plus it is true that he obtained a court order, which was served on the CBN board and also taken to Buhari.

“When Buhari didn’t say anything, he had sent another letter to say he was never interested. But he is now at the Villa where he is being asked to explain these discrepancies.”

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Billionaire investor, Elon Musk said he has put his $44 billion deal for Twitter Inc temporarily on hold, citing pending details in support of the calculation that spam and fake accounts indeed represent less than 5% of users.

Elon Musk who revealed this in a tweet via his Twitter handle said “Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users,” Musk tweeted.

Musk, the world’s richest man, had said that one of his priorities would be to remove “spam bots” from Twitter.

Shares of the social media company fell 17.7% to $37.10 in premarket trading, their lowest level since Musk disclosed his stake in the company in early April and subsequently made a "best and final" offer to take it private for $54.20 per share, according to NDTV.

The implied probability of the deal closing at the agreed price fell below 50% for the first time on Tuesday, when Twitter shares dropped below $46.75.

Twitter had earlier this month estimated that false or spam accounts represented fewer than 5% of its monetizable daily active users during the first quarter, when it recorded 229 million users who were served advertising.

"Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users," Musk tweeted on Friday.

The billionaire had earlier said he would reverse Twitter's ban on former US President Donald Trump when he buys the social media platform, signaling his intention to cut moderation of the site.

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Professor Ibrahim Maqari, an Islamic cleric and Deputy Chief Imam of Abuja's National Mosque has supported the lynching of Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto by her colleagues.
 
According to the cleric who conducted the wedding of the daughter of President Muhammad Buhari, Zara, Muslims should not be blamed for harming those who insulted Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“It should be known to everyone that we the Muslims have some redlines beyond which MUST NOT be crossed. The dignity of the Prophet (PBUH) is at the forefront of the redlines.
 
“If our grievances are not properly addressed, then we should not be criticized for addressing them ourselves,” he posted on his Twitter account.

pic.twitter.com/NfZUWG8BGp

— Prof. Ibrahim Maqari (@profmaqari) May 13, 2022
 
The post comes a day after Deborah was killed and burnt by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
 
“Send us important information. This group was not created for you to send useless information. It was created for you to send past questions if there is a test or an assignment. It is not for you to send useless information. Which prophet?” the deceased was quoted to have stated this in a voice note she shared to the WhatsApp group.
 
Outraged by the incident, Nigerians on Twitter have asked the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is 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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A petition launched to get justice for Deborah Samuel, a female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto who was killed for alleged blasphemy, has gathered over 1,000 signatories.
 
The petition started by Nigerian journalist, Dotun Olawoye on change.org to the Sokoto State Government and the Nigerian Police Force, called for the prosecution of Deborah's killers, stating that failure to do this will attract more deaths.

started a petition to demand #JusticeForDeborah, the female student beaten and burnt to death for alleged blasphemy in Sokoto.
the culprits must be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law - please, sign the petition! https://t.co/bOUZ6HsD0O

— 'Dotun Olawoye (@olawoye_dotun) May 12, 2022

As of the time of filing this report, the petition had garnered 1, 090 signatories.
 
It reads, "Deborah, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, was t beaten and burnt to death by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
 
“The incident happened on Thursday morning. She was burnt to death by Muslim students who dragged her out of her hostel.
 
“And the culprits confirmed the act!

“We are calling on the government (and the police) to ensure that justice is served.
 
“THIS IS BECOMING A TREND

“In March 2021, similarly, some angry youths backed by leaders in the 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.
 
“Mai Ruwa was reportedly dragged away from his house on Tuesday in the presence of his mother and burnt to death in the middle of the community.
 
“If we don't get justice for Deborah, we'll lose more people to this."
  See Also News Nigerians Sign Online Petition To Demand Justice For Sokoto Female Student Killed Over Alleged Blasphemy 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

SaharaReporters had reported how the female student, identified as Deborah, was burnt to death by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
 
She was burnt to death by Muslim students who dragged her out of her hostel on Thursday.
 
Meanwhile, her gruesome murder has been connected to a voice note the deceased sent to her class WhatsApp group.

See Also News UPDATE: How Sokoto Female Student Was Killed For Criticising ‘Unwarranted Messages’ In School’s WhatsApp Group 0 Comments 1 Week Ago
 
According to a Twitter link as seen by SaharaReporters, the female student was said to have sent a voice note, protesting against the incessant sending of unnecessary to the group by her mates.
 
Her death has since attracted the outrage of many Nigerians including the Sultan of Sokoto State, who has condemned the unwarranted attack and called on the police to investigate and arrest the perpetrators.

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A staff member of Zamfara state Radio and Television Service, Gusau, Malam Idris Haruna Magami has been abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits.

It was learnt that Magami who is a popular producer of a weekly phone-in programme called "Su duniya manya" was kidnapped along Gusau-Dansadau Road on Wednesday, May 11, while travelling to his hometown.

According to a resident who spoke to Daily Post, Magami was travelling with his friend, Alhaji Kabiru, when bandits attacked them.

"The car they were travelling in was shot by bandits and it somersaulted and landed in a ditch.

"Kabiru managed to escape while Magami was abducted.

"The bandits have already reached out to the family of Idris Haruna but have not stated their demands," the source added.

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One of Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed how Babangida Aliyu, former Niger State Governor, and two others, Tanko Beji and Umar Nasko, allegedly diverted N2 billion (Two Billion Naira) ecological funds for election campaigns.
EFCC disclosed that this was revealed by a witness who testified against the defendants before Justice Mikail Aliyu of the Niger State High Court on Thursday.

The agency said, "The trial of a former Niger State Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu and two others, continued before May 12, 2022, with the eleventh prosecution Witness, PW11, Bala Muhammed, concluding his evidence-in-chief.
"The trio are facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for criminal breach of trust and diversion of ecological funds to the tune of Two Billion Naira.”
In October 2020, the Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State, relisted the N2 billion alleged fraud case against a former governor of the state, Babangida Aliyu, and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko, for retrial.
 
 
This effectively set the stage for a fresh trial of the accused persons who left office in 2015.
Justice A.B. Aliyu, who gave the order on Tuesday, also reinstated the bail granted to the defendants, according to a statement by the EFCC.
The EFCC is prosecuting Messrs Aliyu and Nasko (first and second defendants respectively) and Tanko Beji, the third defendant, for alleged money laundering.
They had faced three counts of breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion, but the case was struck out on June 19 this year by the court.
Mr Aliyu was initially docked and remanded at the EFCC custody in 2017 on six counts of fraud. He was later granted bail in the sum of N150 million with two sureties in like sum.
Following the abrupt termination of the case, prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdalla, on October 13, filed a motion requesting the court to set its previous ruling of June 19 and an order for the relisting of the charge.
Mr Abdalla supported the application with a 21-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Samuel Chime, that: “We rely on all the paragraphs; we also file a written address in support, we adopt the written address as our oral submission and we pray the court to grant our prayers in the motion papers.”
Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu is a senior civil servant who was elected governor of Niger State, Nigeria in April 2007. He was reelected on April 26, 2011.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has vowed to appeal a ruling of the Plateau State High Court which refused to admit disputed statements obtained by the commission as evidence against the former governor, Jonah Jang.
 
Justice Christy Dabu had on Wednesday ruled that the disputed statements tendered by the EFCC were not voluntary and therefore, cannot be tendered as evidence in court.

Jang, who served as governor of Plateau State between 2007 and 2015, is standing trial alongside a former cashier in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Yusuf Pam, over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to over N6.2bn.
 
They were first arraigned in June 2018, on 17 counts bordering on misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
 
During the ruling, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had called a witness, Sunday Musa, to testify.
 
Musa, an investigator with the EFCC, had told the court Yusuf Pam withdrew cash running into millions of naira and handed it over to the former governor.
 
He claimed that their investigation revealed that the money was part of the N2bn which the Central Bank of Nigeria gave to the state government as a loan in 2015 for disbursement to medium and small-scale enterprises.
 
But when the EFCC counsel sought to tender the statements that the commission obtained from Pam as an exhibit through Musa, counsel for Pam, S. Oyawole, raised an objection and argued that the said statements were obtained under duress from his client and therefore inadmissible in court
 
In a statement on Friday, the anti-graft commission said it would appeal the judgement.
 
The statement reads: "Dissatisfied with the ruling of a Plateau State High Court rejecting a major exhibit against a former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, SAN, has vowed to approach the Court of Appeal on the matter.
 
"Jacob disclosed this on Wednesday in Jos, Plateau State at the ongoing trial of Jang and a former cashier in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (OSSG), Yusuf Pam before Justice C. L. Dabup."

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Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has abruptly cancelled his meeting with executive members and top management staff members of the apex bank after he was summoned to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He will also likely join ministers and other political appointees seeking elective offices in 2023 in a farewell meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

SaharaReporters gathered that Emefiele had initially refused to attend the farewell meeting with Buhari.

The meeting follows the President’s recent directive to all ministers and political appointees contesting for various elective positions to resign from their appointments on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.
  See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Emefiele In Emergency Meeting With Central Bank’s Executives, Top Management Staff Over 2023 Presidential Ambition 0 Comments 6 Days Ago
“Meeting was called off abruptly. The CBN governor was summoned to the Villa, so he immediately left.
 
“I think he was invited to join the farewell meeting by President Buhari because he initially refused to attend. He left the office already, heading to the Villa,” a CBN source told SaharaReporters.
“He called off the meeting abruptly; the meeting was about to start when he was summoned and left the office.”
Three support groups recently purchased the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for him.
 
The CBN governor had, however, said he would purchase the form himself if he decides to contest.
  See Also Politics Pressure Mounts On Nigerian Attorney-General Malami, Central Bank Governor, Emefiele To Resign Today 0 Comments 6 Days Ago
On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a memo addressed to heads of agencies and parastatals, including the CBN directed all appointees interested in contesting in the general election, to resign.
 
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Justice DC Maidoh of a Delta State High Court, Kwale Division had granted an order restraining the Board of Central Bank of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission from stopping the CBN governor, Emiefele, from seeking an elective post.
 
The application was filed on May 5, 2022, and the judgement was granted on Thursday, May 12, SaharaReporters learnt.
 
Armed with the court papers, Emefiele gleefully took them to President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday after which he stated that Nigerians would die of a heart attack.
 
Reacting to his controversial presidential ambition which had seen many groups and notable Nigerians call for his resignation to preserve the sanctity of the treasury and national economy on Thursday, Emefiele boasted that he was having fun and cared less about what people had to say.
 
He had met with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
 
Reacting to a report that the President had asked him to resign after the purchase of the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Emefiele had said, “There is no news now, but there will be news. You heard me, I said there is no news but there will be news.”
 
But when told that Nigerians were anxious about his position, he said: “Let them have a heart attack. It’s good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”
 
SaharaReporters gathered that Emiefele had through a proxy, Augustine Eddiego approached the court asking, “An order restraining the defendants from treating the provision of section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 as amended as a bar on the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from seeking political offices pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice herein in this suit which borders on the interpretation and supremacy of the 1999 CFRN.”
 
Section 9 of the CBN Act provides that “the Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not, except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”


Justice Maidoh in a judgement secretly delivered on May 5 granted the order and adjourned the case to May 25.
“In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted. The motion on notice is accordingly adjourned to 25/5/2022 for hearing,” the judge said.


“The applicant is to enter an undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”
 
Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters say, “The court upon reading through the Motion papers and hearing C.N. Ofiah Esq. for the claimants/applicants ordered as follows: I have read the processes in this suit, the applicant has complied with order 39 of our rules.
 
“Applicants also deposed to an affidavit of urgency. From the processes before this court, I find that the said application at this stage has merit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted. The motion on notice is accordingly adjourned to 25/5/2022 for hearing. The applicant is to enter undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Taraba State chapter has said that Nigeria is turning into a valley of death as a result of increasing killings going on in the country.
 
The association was reacting to the recent bomb explosion in Army brigade headquarters in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, the killing of soldiers and the terrorist attacks in Takum and Ussa councils, as well as in Yangtu Special Development Area.

In a press statement made available to Daily Post on Friday, CAN asked the Nigerian Government to stop all “forms of killings in the land before the society turns to a valley of dry bones.”
 
It reminded the government of the urgency to devise a means that would permanently end the killings in Taraba State.
 
According to the statement signed by the Chairman of the association, Rev. (Dr) Isaiah Magaji Jirapye, CAN said, “The unfortunate killing of some military officers in Takum was perpetrated by the militias who have destroyed several lives and properties in the state.”
 
CAN noted that although no life was lost in the explosion, such an act “proved that there are several explosive devices in the State and in the custody of people who don’t mean well for the harmonious co-existence of the state.”
 
While CAN emphasised that “the third explosion is a wake-up call for unity and serious action against terrorism which is trying to occupy the state.” It added that “it requires a collective effort of all irrespective of religion, tribe, section or creed.”
 
The religious association, therefore, called on the Nigerian government and security agencies to step up intelligence to fish out the terrorists and their allies “before this ugly development gets out of hand.”
 
On the recent attacks on some communities in Ussa and Takum local government areas of the state and Yangtu Development Area by the Fulani militias, CAN urged the Taraba and Nigeria governments to urgently send relief materials to the affected people and end all forms of “guerilla attacks once and for all” in the state.
 
“We are in the farming season; the people must be allowed to go about their farming activities peacefully without hitches and threats to life,” CAN stated.

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The Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), chaired by human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has 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).
 
SaharaReporters had reported how Deborah was violently stoned to death and later set ablaze by the angry mob, who are mostly students of the college.

“Send us important information. This group was not created for you to send useless information. It was created for you to send past questions if there is a test or an assignment. It is not for you to send useless information. Which prophet?” the late Deborah was quoted to have stated this in a voice note she shared to the WhatsApp group.
 
Reacting in a statement, ASCAB urged the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and other relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is served in the matter.
 
According to the group, out of the 190 victims subjected to mob justice and killed in Nigeria in the last two years, Sokoto is ahead of other states with 13 cases.
 
The statement read, “The brutal killing and burning of Deborah Yakubu, a level two student of the Shagari College of Education, Sokoto by mentally deranged fellow students for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammed deserve the total condemnation of all well-meaning people of Nigeria.
 
“It is particularly sad that the dastardly act took place in the presence of a team of security operatives who apparently colluded with the culprits in subjecting the deceased to jungle justice.
 
“We are not unaware that the Sokoto State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the college and directed the Ministry of Higher Education and relevant Security agencies in the State ‘to commence investigations into the remote and immediate causes of the incident and report back to the Government’.
 
“However, since the barbaric incident was well recorded in the viral video on Twitter that is in circulation the culprits ought to have been identified, arrested and arraigned in the Sokoto State High Court.
 
“It is on record that out of the 190 victims/citizens subjected to mob justice and killed in Nigeria in the last two years, Sokoto State is ahead of other states with 13 cases. It is indisputable that the criminal negligence of the nation’s security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice in the recent past must have contributed to the barbaric killing of Deborah Yakubu.
 
“We are therefore compelled to call on the Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, a senior lawyer and a member of the Body of Benchers to adopt drastic measures to put an end to the official impunity that has turned Sokoto State into a land of religious intolerance and mob justice by ensuring that those who murdered Deborah Yakubu in cold murder. The implementation of such drastic measures will curb the criminality of other bloodthirsty extremists in the state.”

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Yoruba historian and founder of the Ilana Omo Oodua, Prof Banji Akintoye has reacted to a report that he was considering quitting the struggle for Yoruba independence.
 
SaharaReporters had reported on Thursday the accounts of sources who said Akintoye was being pressured by government agents to quit the agitations.

Akintoye, according to multiple sources privy to the happenings, is considering an offer from the agents of the Nigerian Government to be paid millions of naira to dump the struggle in a tactical way that many agitators may not suspect, including himself.
 
“The Nigerian government wants to kill the brand of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide (IOOW) just the way the defunct Yoruba World Congress (YWC) under Akintoye was killed before Ilana Omo Oodua was birthed,” one of the sources had said.
 
But reacting in a statement on Friday, Akintoye debunked the claim, stating that he can never be bought over by money.
 
He said he has no reason for abandoning the organization founded by him for the service of the Yoruba nation, towards achieving Yoruba self-determination.
 
“Ilana Omo Oduduwa has, by the grace of God, grown in a short time to become the mightiest powerhouse in the Yoruba struggle to liberate itself from the poor governance, awful insecurity, and disastrously mismanaged economy of Nigeria.”
 
He added, “I have no information whatsoever that any official of Buhari's government has been sent to bring any money to me, but I doubt it. I doubt it because the people in the Fulani cabal managing the Federal Government know me very well, and know that I absolutely cannot be bought or bullied by them.
 
“They know that in my much younger years as a prominent youth in the political family of our father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, they could not buy or bully me. I am sure that they are afraid to send their money to me in this my grand old age because they know I regard their money as filthy money. I am still the brave patriot and uncompromising fighter for truth and integrity that my God made me to be.
 
“We Yoruba will soon free ourselves from the death and decay that Nigeria has become. We will soon take our people out of the mud-pit of Nigeria into our own sovereign Yoruba country, into our land of great progress, of abundant and equal opportunities, of law, order, of security and justice, where our youths will surprise the world with their industry and their inventions.
 
“Through Ilana and our other self-determination organizations, our Yoruba nation has gone a long way in its self-determination struggle, by operating with peaceful and law-abiding means. For us of Ilana and other true Yoruba patriots, there is no going back or looking back in this struggle.
 
“Because our enemies of all kinds are already smelling defeat, they are resorting to spreading false stories in the press concerning us. But that will not help them or deter us.”

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Nigeria's former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has deleted a post on his Twitter handle where he condemned the lynching of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto by her colleagues.
 
Deborah had been burnt to death by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.

Atiku, who is a presidential hopeful under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), amid the outrage trailing the student’s murder called for the prosecution of her killers.
 
He wrote on Twitter, “There cannot be a justification for such gruesome murder. Deborah Yakubu was murdered and all those behind her death must be brought to justice. My condolences to her family and friends.”
 
However, some Muslims in his comment section threatened not to vote for him while some said they were awaiting his coming to Sokoto for his presidential campaign.

Succumbing to the threat, the former Vice-President deleted the tweet.
 
On Facebook, the former Vice President in a message on his verified Hausa page distanced himself from the message. He also stated that any message on social media that did not come with the initials “A. A.” was not his.
 
“This evening I received information that a post was made that doesn’t agree with my orders. I use this to announce that any post without A. A. is not from me. May God protect us,” he wrote in Hausa language.
 
However, Nigerians on social media have condemned Atiku's hypocrisy stating that he is more interested in the votes than the safety of those he is calling upon to vote for him.
 
Below are some reactions from Twitter: 

Atiku deleting the tweet condemning the gruesome murder of Deborah shows what we have been preaching this whole election season.
Politicians don’t care for the people. They only play to the gallery when seeking for our votes. The people must see beyond these gimmicks…

— MrMacaroni (@mrmacaronii) May 13, 2022  

Atiku was not really sympathetic

Tried to appease the South, saw reaction from the North, deleted

He feels it’s better not to offend the North than offend the South because Southerners are slaves and will vote for him anyways

Our Politicians are the wickedest people on earth

— Mo-Mo💙 (@Morris_Monye) May 13, 2022  

Atiku Abubakar deleting his social media posts condemning the killin & calling for justice is enough proof that absolutely nothing will be done & life will go on as usual...

Sickening!

— Ugwunna Ejikem (@UgwunnaEjikem) May 13, 2022  

Atiku deleting the post he made to condemn the sokoto killing is a big red flag.

— Oloms 1st 🇺🇸 🇳🇬 (@Basil_uka) May 12, 2022  

Northerners promised to punish Atiku with their votes and he pulled the tweets down.

Interesting!

— Anambra 1st son💭 (@UchePOkoye) May 13, 2022

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele is currently in a crucial emergency meeting with executive members and top management staff members of the apex bank.

Sources said Emefiele would discuss his presidential ambition at the meeting being held at the CBN headquarters in Abuja and may officially announce it to the public after the meeting. 

“There’s an emergency management meeting ongoing now. Maybe he will announce his ambition publicly after the meeting,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

Three support groups recently purchased the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for him.

The CBN governor had, however, said he would purchase the form himself if he decides to contest.

On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a memo addressed to heads of agencies and parastatals, including the CBN directed all appointees interested in contesting in the general election, to resign.

On Thursday, Justice DC Maidoh of a Delta State High Court, Kwale Division granted an order restraining the Board of the CBN and Independent National Electoral Commission from stopping him to seek an elective post.

Armed with the court papers, Emefiele gleefully took them to President Buhari a few hours after and stated that Nigerians will die of a heart attack.

Reacting to his controversial presidential ambition which has seen many groups and notable Nigerians call for his resignation to preserve the sanctity of the treasury and national economy on Thursday, he boasted that he was having fun and cared less about what people had to say.

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Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has advised the Nigerian government to give terrorists what they want and deserve so as to ensure the safety of kidnap victims in captivity.
Gumi spoke during the special prayers organised by the Jama’iyyar Matan Arewa (JMA), on Thursday in Kaduna for the victims of the 62 abducted passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train.

The Kaduna-bound train was attacked by terrorists on March 28 and eight persons were killed during the attack. Many others were injured or kidnapped by the terrorists.
According to Gumi, the N25 billion that political aspirants have spent to buy forms should be paid to terrorists.
Gumi said, “Just imagine now, people are paying up to N25 billion to buy forms instead of using the money to pay ransom for poor Nigerians who cannot pay. Whatever they want, give it to them, so that they release these people and when they release them then, you have the liberty.
“You have the opportunity to deal with them the way they deserve because when they have captives, you have to tread with caution so that their captives will not be injured.”
“Leaders are busy seeking political offices ahead of 2023 and have so far raised N25 billion, while 62 Nigerians are being held captive. I have not heard of any leader raising money to free any kidnapped victim or the 62 passengers,” he said.
He said, “I have been in the forefront of trying to resolve these things. Initially, the issue was socio-economic; but it is taking a religious dimension due to the negligence of the government.
“Can’t they raise money too to free these Nigerians, including the 85-year-old woman? Please whatever the bandits or terrorists want from government should be given to them in the interest of Nigerians because their continued captivity is not in our interest.”
The prayer session was attended by Muslim and Christian leaders.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State, Reverend Joseph Hayab, urged leaders to ensure the safe return of the victims.
The President of JMA, Hajiya Rabi Musa Saulawa, said special prayers were organised for the victims and the country in general.

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A Sokoto-based Islamic cleric has in a viral video encouraged the Muslim faithful to assassinate anyone who dares to insult Prophet Muhammad.

The preacher vehemently charged Muslims to take action against anyone who attacks the integrity of the prophet.

He also made reference to someone who had allegedly insulted Prophet Muhammad and was in police custody.

The cleric urged his congregation to kill the suspect once he was released.

SaharaReporters reported on Thursday how Ms Deborah, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State was burnt to death by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
 
In a viral video obtained by SaharaReporters, the preacher said, "He wrote on Facebook. He said a lot of things that are not right about the prophet of Allah and in Sokoto, I said he was courageous. For us, we kill such a person. For the prophet of Allah, the least we can do is to kill.
 
"We are not like Muslims, because Kano Muslims are more like merchants. That's why when they insulted the prophet as one practising sodomy, no action was taken. They insulted the prophet and called him an adulterer and paedophile, yet no action was taken but here in Sokoto, we kill such people.
 
"Anyone who insults the prophet, our duty is to kill such a person. If they claim the man who blasphemously insulted the prophet was mad, we're also a bunch of mad people here in Sokoto.
 
"The extent of our sanity is proportional to how someone attacks our holy prophet. Once he's attacked, we're mad enough to strike. I'm speaking the truth; may God bless the people of Sokoto for defending the prophet's integrity.
 
"Any Muslim faithful who joined the demonstration to the palace of Sultan of Sokoto has demonstrated enough evidence that he is a true discipline of Danfodio.
 
"Once he is out of the police custody, take action; assassinate the blasphemer. The claim of insanity to protect him is invalid. If he's mentally deranged and would not insult anyone except the prophet; then we're also insane once the prophet is insulted.
 
"Kill him once you see him. Not just him but anyone who insults the prophet.”
 
"There's no other punishment other than death for insulting the prophet of Islam. Even if the person is a Muslim, he must be assassinated," he added.

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Justice DC Maidoh of a Delta State High Court, Kwale Division has granted an order restraining the Board of Central Bank of Nigeria and Independent National Electoral Commission from stopping the CBN governor, Godwin Emiefele from seeking an elective post.

The application was filed on May 5, 2022, and the judgement was granted on Thursday, May 12, SaharaReporters learnt.

Armed with the court papers, Emefiele gleefully took them to President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday after which he stated that Nigerians will die of a heart attack.

Reacting to his controversial presidential ambition which has seen many groups and notable Nigerians call for his resignation to preserve the sanctity of the treasury and national economy on Thursday, Emefiele boasted that he was having fun and cared less about what people had to say.

He met with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Reacting to a report that the President had asked him to resign after the purchase of the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Emefiele said, “There is no news now, but there will be news. You heard me, I said there is no news but there will be news.”

But when told that Nigerians were anxious about his position, he said: “Let them have a heart attack. It’s good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”

SaharaReporters gathered that Emiefele had through a proxy, Augustine Eddiego approached the court asking, “An order restraining the defendants from treating the provision of section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 as amended as a bar on the Governor and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from seeking political offices pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice herein in this suit which borders on the interpretation and supremacy of the 1999 CFRN.”

Section 9 of the CBN Act provides that “the Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not, except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”

Justice Maidoh in a judgement secretly delivered on May 12 granted the order and adjourned the case to May 25.

“In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted. The motion on notice is accordingly adjourned to 25/5/2022 for hearing,” the judge said.

“The applicant is to enter an undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”

Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters say, “The court upon reading through the Motion papers and hearing C.N. Ofiah Esq. for the claimants/applicants ordered as follows: I have read the processes in this suit, the applicant has complied with order 39 of our rules.

“Applicants also deposed to an affidavit of urgency. From the processes before this court, I find that the said application at this stage has merit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice. In the circumstances, in line with order 39 rule 3 of our rules, this motion is hereby granted. The motion on notice is accordingly adjourned to 25/5/2022 for hearing. The applicant is to enter undertaking if the order sought ought not to have been made.”

Last week, a group of supporters said they had purchased the APC presidential form for the CBN boss.

That move ended months of speculation that Emefiele was interested in Nigeria’s exalted position.

Following the development, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, argued Emefiele is not qualified to run for the office.

He hinged his argument on the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

Falana in a statement he issued on Monday, maintained that “while Mr. Emefiele is awaiting divine intervention it is pertinent to point out that by virtue of the combined effect of section 9 of the CBN Act and Section 18 of the Banks and Financial institutions Act 2020 it is the Board of the CBN that is competent to permit him to engage in politics or any other vocation.

“So far, the Board of the CBN has not authorised him to participate in the primary election of the ruling party. To that extent, he is disqualified from seeking any elective position in the primary election of any political party or in the general election.”

 

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