In a dramatic move, the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) has been accused of flouting a court order illegally by allegedly selling the private property, Best Western Hotel, Ikeja, Allen Avenue belonging to the management of Suru Group.

This is happening four years after the illegal invasion and forcefully pulling security services and replacing them with AMCON security officers, despite court orders to “stay the continuing and or further execution of the said judgment”.

Newsmen visited the property and noticed that there is an ongoing renovation, and reached out to Dr. Edward Akinlade to confirm if he’s aware of the development; an inquiry he blatantly disclaimed.

Speaking with the newsmen on Wednesday, 11 May 2022, the Group Managing Director, Mr Edward Akinlade noted that Suru Group, got a notice Lagos state government stating that the Ikeja property has been sealed.

He went further:

I was called by the Lagos state government asking why I removed the seal placed on the property against the order of Lagos state, and I told them I am not aware. The Sanwo Olu-led government went ahead and re-seal the property, but yet, AMCON moved to remove the seal again.

As you can see, there are armed men on the premise and renovation is going on. This is a property that is under litigation at the Supreme Court level. Yet, a man who is a custodian of AMCON in the person of Ahmed Kuru. How can you renovate a property that is under legal assessment which is currently in favour of Suru Group.

Edward considers the action taken by AMCON as contempt of the court despite the pendency of the ruling before the Court of Appeal.

“We are particularly dissatisfied with the blatant disregard of the rule of law been displayed by a highly revered agency such as AMCON, and Ahmed Kuru being a mechanism in the temple of justice that ought to respect and uphold the tenets of law rather than disrespect the court”, he said.

“It started in 2010 when we were banking with Ecobank. N13billion fund was canceled after we have drawn N10billion. About this time, we have already bought our properties in GRA, Opebi and Best Western

“We were servicing our loan until our performing loan was sold to AMCON. AMCON was not supposed to buy servicing loan.

“So we sued Ecobank for selling our loan, and this case is still at the Federal court

“AMCON counterclaimed our case and said we have owed 26 million naira. It was later discovered that Ecobank had sold our loan to AMCON for 8.3 billion naira, without notifying us.

“We want it to be on record that we have never taken AMCON to court, This is because we believe we have no business with AMCON but the bank who sold our active loan to the agency.

“As we speak, all the cases we had and won, were filed by AMCON and the 3 different suits were all won by Suru Group.

AMCON has currently exalted the matter before the Supreme Court.

So, when AMCON wrote the letter on September 2, 2020, stating that our Ikeja GRA property has been sold, we wonder under what power? AMCON has no power to sell a property that has been sealed by the court.

 

Mr Edward Akinlade commended the judiciary arm of the government for its unbiased judicial conduct and implore the general public to remain law abiding.

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Abdul Adamu Kinkiba, a councillor from Soba Local Government Council of Kaduna State has been arrested with a firearm, allegedly for onward delivery to bandits, SaharaReporters learnt.

Security operatives on surveillance around the Galadimawa axis of Giwa Local Government Area arrested the councillor with an AK-47 rifle near a hideout for bandits.

In a viral video, Kinkiba said he could not remember who gave him the rifle, just as he could also not remember who he was to deliver it to.

“I was told that the gun was meant for the convoy of someone. I was instructed to park immediately after the bridge near Galadimawa forest (a known hideout of bandits), where somebody would collect the gun," Kinkiba said in Hausa.

It was said that Kinkiba had been supplying firearms to bandits one at a time.

The chairman of Soba Local Government Area, Engineer Suleiman Yahaya Richifa, confirmed that the suspect is the councillor representing Kinkiba ward in the council.

He, however, declined to speak further, adding, “I’m in serious grief about the news. Please allow me to overcome my shock.”

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The Nigerian Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and the governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele are expected to resign from office today (Friday), being the last working day before May 16, 2022.
 
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed ministers with political ambitions to resign.

They were asked to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 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.
 
President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in a circular obtained by SaharaReporters also ordered all heads of agencies, departments, parastatals, and ambassadors with political ambitions to resign.
 
The circular with reference number SGF/OP/ I/S.3/XII/ 173 was titled, ‘Ministers, heads of government agencies, ambassadors and other appointees with political ambitions to resign’.
 
It reads, "Mr President has observed and noted the expression of interest and intention by some members of the Federal Executive Council, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors and other political office holders to contest the Presidential, Gubernatorial, National and State Assemblies' elections.

"Consequently, Mr President has directed that the affected office holders aspiring to run for various offices in the 2023 general elections should tender their resignation on our before the 16th of May, 2022."
 
It stressed that for the avoidance of doubt, the directive affects "all ministers, Heads and Members of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors as well as political appointees who desire to contest for elective offices".
 
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had resigned before the directive.
 
But since the directive, at least three ministers - Rotimi Amaechi of the Ministry of Transportation, Godswill Akpabio of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Ogbonnaya Onu of the Ministry of Science and Technology, have also tendered their resignations.
 
Malami is also expected to do so today, before or after the farewell meeting the departing ministers will have with the President at 10 am today (Friday).
 
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, on Thursday disclosed that the President would hold a farewell meeting with the departing ministers on Friday at 10 am.
 
Emefiele's resignation is also expected to come anytime today.

Following recent rumours that he had resigned, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, released a statement on April 7, saying Malami had not yet resigned.

In the statement titled, 'Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, (Dr.) Abubakar Malami, SAN has not resigned,' Malami thanked Nigerians for the demonstration of love and unparalleled interest shown in him.

Even before the President's directive, there had been calls for the resignation of Malami and Emefiele over a history of gross misconduct in office.

Their political ambitions have only added to the calls for their resignation from office.

While Emefiele is eyeing the Presidency in the 2023 elections, Malami has submitted nomination and expression of interest forms for the Kebbi governorship race.

For instance, governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State have recently called for Emefiele's resignation.
 
Akeredolu, Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and Ondo State Governor, called for the immediate resignation of Emefiele following the purchase of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential form by the CBN governor.
 
Akeredolu who stated this in a statement personally signed by him expressed shock and disbelief over the development. He said Emefiele’s action portends great danger to the fragile economy of the country.
 
SaharaReporters had published a series of expository reports on how Malami and his family members now live in utmost extravagance without the source of their sudden wealth known. SaharaReporters exclusives have unravelled the deep-rooted corruption in the Nigerian system, especially around Nigeria’s number one chief law officer.
 
The online news medium in one of its reports revealed how one of Malami’s sons with no known history of employment owns a N3bn property in Birnin Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State, known as "AZBIR Arena."
 
That is not all – the AGF’s sons are known to drive around town in multi-million naira luxury vehicles specially shipped from abroad and customized to their taste with some carrying vanity number plates.
 
On his own, Malami was discovered to have built a multi-billion naira private school in Kebbi, a luxury hotel in Kano, and a luxury home in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
 
The AGF was discovered to have three houses in Abuja including one he bought in 2020 for N90m in the Gwarimpa area of the city.
 
He was said to have torn down the building and remodelled it into a mansion worth around N300m.

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Matthew Kukah

Nigerian Government Must Punish Killers Of Sokoto Female Student – Bishop Kukah Demands Justice
The Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, on Thursday, described as criminal, the gruesome murder of Deborah Yakubu, a 200-level Home Economics student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto State.

Matthew Kukah Daily Post
Kukah in a statement urged the authorities at all levels to fish out the perpetrators and ensure justice is served on the matter.
The female student was mauled, killed and burnt on Thursday by a mob of Muslim youths who accused her of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.
The young lady’s killers posted videos of their action on social media attracting an outrage and condemnation.
The police in Sokoto said two suspects had been taken into custody in connection with the student’s killing.
Reacting in a statement, Kukah said the perpetrators no matter their motive must be punished.
Kukah’s statement was titled, “Murder of Ms Deborah Yakubu.”
It partly read, “We condemn this incident in the strongest term and call on the authorities to investigate this tragedy and ensure that all the culprits are brought to book.
“The only obligation that is owed her immediate family, her fellow students and the school authorities is the assurance that those who are guilty of this inhuman act, no matter their motivation, are punished according to the extant laws of our land.
“This has nothing to do with religion. Christians have lived peacefully with their Muslim brothers here in Sokoto over the years.
“This matter must be treated as a criminal act and the law must take its cause.”

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Shehu Sani

A former Senator in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has again taken a swipe at the President Muhammadu Buhari's All Progressives Congress, (APC)-led administration, describing it as a monumental failure.
The ex-lawmaker stated this on Thursday in Asaba, capital of Delta State, while delivering a speech at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council's programme.

Shehu Sani
Sani, who was the guest speaker at the event, said, "We have two main political parties in the country, the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party. The APC came to power with a lot of magical promises; promises that would only take a magician to realise. So many things have been said about PDP destroying the country for many years.
“What is ironic is that, 70 percent of those that are in APC are from PDP. In those 16 years, they were part of it. In the last seven years, the promises made by rulling political party to equate N1 to $1 have turned out to be a lie. To build one refinery in every geo- political zone of the country has become a lie.
"To remove subsidy has turned out to be a lie. To restore order and security in the country has turned out to be a lie. Why have they failed? What is the difference between the Buhari that was an opposition and the Buhari that became President, because if you put what he said when he was an opposition to what he said when he was in government, it is a direct opposite.
“The ruling party has been found guilty of everything they accused the former government of. This is a country that in the last seven years has spent N 4.2trillion for defence and security and the government has not been able to stop kidnapping.”
"Kidnappers call the family of their victims and tell them to bring the money, using Nigeria SIM cards and nobody is traced or arrested. So you ask yourself; all this idea of linking SIM to National Identity Number (NIN) is just nonsense.”

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An online petition seeking justice for a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, identified simply as Deborah, has been launched 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.
The petition initiated by a journalist, Dotun Olawoye, called on the government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is served in the matter.

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
Olawoye said, “Deborah, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, was 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. In March 2021, similarly, 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.
“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. #JusticeForDeborah.”

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An online petition seeking justice for a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, identified simply as Deborah, has been launched 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.
The petition initiated by a journalist, Dotun Olawoye, called on the government and other relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is served in the matter.

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
Olawoye said, “Deborah, a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, was 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. In March 2021, similarly, 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.
“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. #JusticeForDeborah.”

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said it has confirmed 48 cases of Monkeypox in the country since January 2022.
The current resurgence of the disease has created fear across the country as people are yet to recover from the effects of Coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 46 suspected cases have been reported between January 1 to April 30 this year, but in all, over 500 cases have been confirmed in the country since the outbreak in 2017.
Of the suspected cases, 15 were confirmed from seven states including Adamawa (3), Lagos (3), Cross River (2), FCT (2), Kano (2), Delta (2) and Imo (1) but no death was recorded.
In April, 10 new suspected cases were reported from seven states including Bayelsa (3), Lagos (2), Kano (1), FCT (1), Delta (1), Edo (1) and Ogun (1). Out of the 10 suspected cases, five positive cases were confirmed from four states – Lagos (2), FCT (1), Kano (1) and Delta (1).
According to the official report of the NCDC, 52 cases have been confirmed in Rivers State, 43 in Bayelsa, 33 in Lagos, 31 in Delta, 16 in Cross River and 10 in Edo state.
Others are nine cases in Imo State, seven in Akwa Ibom, six in Oyo, eight in FCT Abuja,four in Enugu, three in Abia, Plateau and Adamawa states, two in Nasarawa, Benue, Anambra, Ekiti and Kano states and one in Ebonyi, Niger and Ogun states respectively.
For the total of eight recorded deaths between September 2017 and April 30, 2022, two were in Edo and Lagos states.
Also, there is one each in Imo, Cross River, FCT Abuja and Rivers States respectively.
The recent case was confirmed on May 6 by the United Kingdom International Health Regulations (UK IHR) on a Nigerian resident in the UK.
“The individual is a UK resident who arrived in Nigeria on 20th April 2022, traveled to Lagos and Delta States during the time spent in Nigeria, departed Lagos on 3rd May 2022 and arrived in the UK on 4th May 2022. While in Nigeria, the case did not report being in contact with anyone with symptoms of monkeypox or other illness with rash. The diagnosis of monkeypox (West African clade) was confirmed by PCR in the UK on 6th May 2022,” NCDC said.
Monkeypox is a virus which basically transmits from animals to humans through direct contact with infected animals.
Symptoms of Monkeypox include fever, headache, body pain, malaise, enlargement of glands (lymphadenopathy), sore throat and fluid-filled body rashes (vesicular rash) and the disease can last for up to four weeks.
It can also be transmitted through direct contact with infected human beings or contaminated materials.

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Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has reacted 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.
While addressing State House reporters on Thursday, Emefiele boasted that he was having fun and cared less about what people had to say.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
He met with State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu 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.”
The governor of the apex bank has been under intense pressure since expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling APC were picked on his behalf, triggering outrage as many called on him to step down.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who described Emefiele’s interest in the 2023 Presidency as “a joke taken too far”, had asked Buhari to fire him if he refused to step down.
But in a series of tweets after the development, Emefiele declined the presidential forms bought for him, saying he would use his resources to purchase them if he is interested in the race.
He said God would decide for him “in the next few days”.
But early this week, another twist was added to the development as a suit was filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged plan to disqualify him from the 2023 presidential primaries slated for the end of this month.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties a deadline of June 3 to submit their candidates for the 2023 elections.
Some lawyers had argued that Emefiele was unfit to run going by Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act.
The section states that no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.
But in documents seen by Daily Trust, Emefiele, through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, argued that he is not a political appointee and by the provision of the constitution, he is expected to resign a month before the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
He also contended that a Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State, had nullified section 12 (8) of the Electoral Act.
INEC and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were joined in the suit.
President Muhammadu Buhari had recently ordered all heads of agencies, departments, parastatals, and ambassadors with political ambitions to resign.
A circular obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday morning shows that the office of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, among other agencies was copied.
The circular was signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The circular with reference number SGF/OP/ I/S.3/XII/ 173 was titled, ‘Ministers, heads of government agencies, ambassadors and other appointees with political ambitions to resign’.
 

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Over 1000 students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, protested on Thursday, against the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The students urged the political leaders to inject the huge sums of money used in purchasing their parties’ nomination forms into resolving the impasse.

The UNN students, who protested alongside with officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, blocked the Nsukka-Opi-Enugu Road, demanding immediate end to the strike, while lamenting that their future was being toyed with.
SaharaReporters observed that the students, who shut down economic activities in Nsukka, threatened that if the strike was not called off, they would cripple economic and political activities nationwide.
Speaking during the protest which took off from UNN Main Gate, the National Director of Contact and Mobilisation, NANS, Ben Okana, said "Our message is very clear. Let the Federal Government reach an agreement with ASUU. We are going to shut down the entire nation if the ASUU strike is not called off. Our next target is Aso Rock. We will make sure that Aso Rock is crippled so that the President himself will feel the impact of what we are doing on the streets.

"We are not relenting on this we are ready to die for this. It is either the strike is suspended or the Federal Government tells us what they have for us," he said.

Also speaking, the chairman, Joint Campus Committee, NANS, Enugu State chapter, Emmanuel Obi, said "We are on the road because we are tired of the tussle between ASUU and Federal Government. After we have spent two months at home, ASUU extended the strike action by three months.
"What it means is that we students will be at home for five months doing nothing. You know that an idle hand is the devil's workshop. We are tired of this nonsense between ASUU and Federal Government which has threatened our future. They should allow us to go back to our schools.”

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The agitation of the Yoruba people within Nigeria for an independent Yoruba Nation seems to be going to its temporary end as the arrowhead of the struggle, Professor Banji Akintoye, is already being pressured to quit, SaharaReporters has gathered.
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.

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a member of the Federal Executive Council is said to be coordinating the operations for the Buhari-led government, using some Yoruba groups as fronts to negotiate with Akintoye.
“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 said.
“IOOW is targeted for dissolution, disorganization and destruction, unknowing to Akintoye, because of the suits currently being spare-headed by the organization at Federal High Courts in Osogbo, Osun-State and Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State challenging the validity of 1999 constitution, which the group, through its Lawyer, Tolu Babaleye, argued, was enacted by the Military Government without a Referendum.”
Another reason the Nigerian Government is targeting Ilana Omo Oodua, according to the source, is that "the brand is considered as too respected by the Yoruba People Worldwide, the Diplomatic Corps, Foreign Media and Foreign Governments all over the world. Aside from Afenifere, the only group that the world institutions recognise as the voice of the Yoruba people is Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide so the government wants to scatter the group from the top so that the agitation for Yoruba Nation and the suits in Ado-Ekiti and Osogbo can be curtailed.”
Speaking further, another source privy to the plans of the Nigerian government said Akintoye, in a naive way, is considering the offer tabled before him by the government representatives.
"The N500m was not tabled as a direct bribe before Akintoye. It was tabled indirectly. He was offered advice by some Yoruba groups to quit as the Leader of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide and become the father of all Yoruba groups, and Akintoye considered it as an elevation of his status. It started in 2021 when Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM) was formed but Akintoye failed to get the support of his close allies then.
"Another set of Yoruba groups have been mobilised to mount pressure on Akintoye again, this time, with a tempting offer. The Nigerian government believes that Afenifere has lost its bite, lost touch with the grassroots, and lost confidence of the teeming masses in Yoruba Land, and the apex organisation the masses see and adore at the moment to be championing their interest is Ilana Omo Oodua under Banji Akintoye. 
"Banji Akintoye has been told that he will head the Yoruba National Fund Worldwide. N500 million has been made available to be deposited into the account. But there's another strategy being put in place by the anti-Yoruba Nation elements pushing Akintoye into infamy to ensure that he won't ever get the money to spend after deceiving him to dump the structure that brought him into the limelight again since leaving the political space in 1983.
"I am surprised that Akintoye could be that naive. You can never be the father of everyone. Even when we had Yoruba World Congress, not everyone subscribed to his leadership. We had Yoruba Summit Group then. Not everyone subscribed to the leadership of Awolowo during his reign. Some people don't even believe that God exists. You can never be loved and accepted by everyone.
"Not everyone would subscribe to the leadership of Akintoye and Ilana Omo Oodua but one thing is sacrosanct that Ilana Omo Oodua is the apex Yoruba self-determination Movement. That is the organisation the Fulani, Igbo, Ijaw, Diplomats and foreign governments follow on self-determination in Yoruba Land. 
"Accepting the proposal of these Yoruba groups engineered and oiled by an APC presidential aspirant serving the interest of the Fulani Caliphates is unbecoming of a well respected Akintoye. But I doubt if he can even have the courage to say his choice to the teeming members of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide. This is going to ruin him completely because this is a case of betrayal of trust of the Yoruba people,” the source said.
When contacted, Maxwell Adeleye, Communication Manager to Akintoye said he wasn’t aware of any meeting or new group.
He said, “Baba naturally, is a father of all. He is a Pan-Yoruba person. The Akintoye that we know is not materialistic. He can't be bought. At age 87?
“I am not aware of any meeting or group. All that I know is Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide under Akintoye is committed towards the actualisation of our peaceful struggle for Independent Yoruba Nation.”

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After 170 years of operation, Siemens – a German industrial giant – has announced plans to withdraw all its businesses from Russia.
Siemens’s decision is sequel to the ongoing Russian-Ukrain war. The company has already lost €600million following the European Union’s sanctions on Russia.

The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Roland Busch, announced the plans in a statement.
The company announced its decision to withdraw from Russia alongside second quarter results, as the profit fell during the second quarter and the international sanctions on Russia have cost it €600million.
Evening Standard quoted the statement as stating that “Siemens will exit the Russian market as a result of the Ukraine war. The company has started proceedings to wind down its industrial operations and all industrial business activities.”
Reports showed that Siemens employed 3,000 people in Russia with its business activities spanning across energy, communications, technology and travel. It also worked on high-speed trains that currently serve Moscow–St. Petersburg route.
Busch further stated that Siemens “Condemns the war in Ukraine and have decided to carry out an orderly process to wind down our industrial business activities in Russia.”
“This was not an easy decision, given our duty of care for our employees and long-standing customer relationships, in a market where we have been active for almost 170 years,” he added.
Siemens has put all its new business and international deliveries to Russia and Belarus on hold since the Ukraine war started. This has adversely affected the company in the country.
Similarly, the international sanctions have impacted its Russian operations, particularly through rail deliveries and maintenance negatively.
As it plans to withdraw from Russia, Siemens said it would manage the orderly process to wind down its activities in line with regulatory requirements and international sanctions.
“We are evaluating the impact on our people and we will continue to support them to the best of our abilities. At the same time, we provide humanitarian assistance to our colleagues and the people of Ukraine and stand with the international community in calling for peace,” the CEO said.
The company said it has already started negotiating its way out of a contract with Russian energy supplier Gazprom.
Siemens announced in April that it supported “the severe and broad sanctions applied by western governments” on Russia.

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A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Rivers State, Farah Dagogo, has been granted bail after two weeks in detention.
Dagoo was recently remanded in police custody, following an order made by a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, presided over by Chief Magistrate Amadi Nna.

The order was given sequel to the two-count charge of conspiracy to felony and cultism against the defendant.
The court referenced a new rule which does not empower Magistrate Court to hear a case of cultism.
According to AIT, he was released on Thursday.
Details of his bail remain sketchy as of the time of this report.
The police had arrested Dagogo on the order of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers.
Wike had asked the police to arrest the lawmaker representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives over activities related to cultism.
He was arrested by a team of police officers when he went for his screening at the south-south zonal office of the PDP in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
In calling for his arrest, Wike had accused Dagogo of hiring cultists to attack the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the cultists allegedly hired by the lawmaker stormed the PDP secretariat and disrupted the screening of aspirants for various elective positions.

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The Nigeria Police Force, Sokoto State Command, has confirmed the arrest of two students suspected to be involved in the killing of a female student, identified as Deborah Samuel, for alleged blasphemy in the state.
This was made known in a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer, for the Commissioner of Police, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, on Thursday.

The statement obtained by SaharaReporters, reads, “Upon receiving the information, the DC Operations led a team of policemen and all other operational commanders in the state to the school where the road was cleared and the situation was brought under control. Two students were arrested in connection with the crime committed.
"The school has been closed down by the school authorities, and policemen were deployed to give tight security coverage. The Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State Command, Kamaldeen Kola Okunlola, is appealing to members of the public to go about their lawful activities and should not panic as the situation is under control. Meanwhile, the suspects in the viral video on Twitter were also spotted and will be nailed soon," the circular added.
Before her death, Deborah was a level two student of Shehu Shagiri College of Education, Sokoto.

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The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has criticised the ghastly killing of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto by an angry Muslim mob who stoned and burnt her over the allegation of insulting Prophet Mohammed, SAW.
This was stated in a circular signed by the secretary of the Sultanate, Sa’idu Muhammadu Maccido.

The council urged security agencies to bring perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice.
According to the circular, “The Sultanate council condemned the incident in its totality and has urged the security agencies to bring the perpetrators of the unjustifiable incident to justice.”
"The Sultanate Council has urged all to remain calm and ensure peaceful co-existence among all people of the State and nation," the circular added.
This is not the first time killing over blasphemy would occur across northern Nigeria. But despite incessant happenings, authorities have not been able to address the situation.
Culprits are usually not arrested, or released shortly after being taken into custody in the predominantly Muslim region.
For example, On June 2, 2016, Bridget Agbahime, 74, was stoned to death by fanatics in Kano’s main market.
It was later gathered that Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, later freed the killers.

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All members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), heads of agencies, departments, parastatals, and ambassadors who picked up presidential nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress were sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari but only given a deadline to save face, SaharaReporters has gathered.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday directed all top government officials with the ambition to contest for political offices to resign before May 16.

Sources in the Presidency told SaharaReporters on Thursday that even if the affected office holders gunning for the Presidency drop their political ambition, their 'sacking' remains as Buhari insisted that all those who got nomination forms must go.
“Even if they say they want to withdraw and won’t be contesting again, the President's directive is that they must go, which is why it is actually sacking. All those who got forms must go, for you to have got a nomination form, then you have an ambition," a source said. 
“President Buhari's directive is more like sacking; all the ministers and appointees who have purchased forms have no option but to leave even if they are withdrawing from the race. They were given the deadline to save face so as not to look like they were humiliated. 
“They only have the grace till May 16. They can’t bail out of it by withdrawing. It’s like when a company asks a worker to voluntarily resign, the directive is tantamount to sacking,” another source said.
At least four ministers have already resigned over their presidential ambition, including the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, whose resignation came before Buhari's directive on Wednesday. 
Ministers of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu tendered their resignations after Buhari's directive. 
Other affected ministers to leave office by May 16 are the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is gunning for the Presidency and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, who wants to contest for Kebbi governorship. 
 
Running for the governorship position in Abia State is the Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar while the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has also declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.
 
Also affected is Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who is also eyeing the Presidency.
Buttressing the Presidency's position, presidential aide, Garba Shehu, while featuring on a Channels TV programme on Thursday, monitored by SaharaReporters, said the directive of the President must be obeyed.
He, however, noted that the President would hold a farewell meeting with the departing ministers on Friday at 10 am.
“He made no reference to section 84, he simply gave the directive and I think it’s clear that as the head of the executive arm of government, he owns the executive authority and power to decide,” Shehu said.
He also said the ministers seeking to have a consultation with President Buhari before resigning will be able to do so on Friday, but that the directive still stands.
Speaking on the presidential ambition of the governor of the Central Bank, Emefiele, Shehu said the directive is clear and that it is left to Emefiele to determine what applies to him.
“Does he consider himself the head of an agency or parastatal or consider himself a member of the ministerial department? I expect that he and his loyalists will determine what is applicable for them,” he said.  
A circular obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday morning shows that the office of the Governor of the CBN, Emefiele, among other agencies was copied.
The circular was signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The circular with reference number SGF/OP/ I/S.3/XII/ 173 was titled, ‘Ministers, heads of government agencies, ambassadors and other appointees with political ambitions to resign’.
It reads, "Mr President has observed and noted the expression of interest and intention by some members of the Federal Executive Council, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors and other political office holders to contest the Presidential, Gubernatorial, National and State Assemblies' elections. 
"Consequently, Mr President has directed that the affected office holders aspiring to run for various offices in the 2023 general elections should tender their resignation on our before the 16th of May, 2022."
It stressed that for the avoidance of doubt, the directive affects "all ministers, Heads and Members of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Agencies, Parastatals of Government, Ambassadors as well as political appointees who desire to contest for elective offices". 
Following reports that Emefiele is also eyeing the Presidency in 2023, which SaharaReporters had broken months ago, many Nigerians have called for his resignation or sacking, saying it is unethical for the Central Bank Governor to be pursuing a political ambition while remaining in office as the head of the apex bank. 
SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported that President 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 the 16th of May, 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.

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A presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, has joined the Young Progressive Party (YPP) hours after dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Garba, who could not buy the APC presidential nomination forms, had on Wednesday resigned from the ruling party, APC despite raising N83.2million in donations for the purchase of the forms.

He said his decision to shun obtaining APC presidential forms was due to consultations with his campaign team.
Garba said N81.75million had been generated from private donations while N1.4million was generated from online donations, giving a total of N83.2million.
He subsequently pulled down the APC party’s flag in his office to show his withdrawal of membership from the party.
The politician later apologised to Nigerian youths for his act.
He said he was now a changed person who had realised his mistakes and also ready to move along with Nigerian youths to chart a new course for the future of Nigeria.
Unveiling his new party, Garba wrote on Twitter, “Gentlemen and ladies, this is the future. Join me in YPP, let’s deliver a NEW DEAL for Nigeria.”

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday approved the immediate ban of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBF) from all international basketball competitions for a period of two years.
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who made this known to newsmen in Abuja said a committee would be set up to oversee basketball leagues in the country.

“Following the unending crisis which have plagued and nearly crippled the development of basketball in Nigeria, President Buhari has approved the withdrawal of Nigeria from all international basketball competitions for a period of two years. This is with immediate effect,” he said.
Dare, who was represented at the press briefing by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ismaila Abubakar, added that the withdrawal of the NBF was for the government to concentrate efforts on revamping the sport from the grassroots as well as resonating the domestic leagues which have become moribund.
“This will also allow for the setting up of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the management and development of the domestic basketball leagues in Nigeria,” he said.
“In issuing the order, the Federal Government reiterates its interest and commitment to the development of the sport of basketball in Nigeria as well as the huge talents of our youth domestically in an atmosphere free of rancour and squabbles.
“Government therefore calls on players, officials, fans and other stakeholders of the sport to remain calm as it embarks on far-reaching initiatives to reposition, sustain and stabilise the game of basketball. This will aid in the growth and success of the sport in the long-term interest of the country,” the minister said.
Recall that the leadership of NBF has been factionalised and caught in several controversies for the past five years over the control of the game.
The two parallel national federation board elections held in 2017 in Kano and Abuja and 2022 in Benin and Abuja respectively led to the emergence of separate governing bodies.
The leadership tussle has also affected the progress of the game negatively.

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A Nigerian-American scholar and social commentator, Farooq Kperogi, has urged the Sokoto State Government to prosecute and punish the killers of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in the state.
Kperogi, who expressed his displeasure over the sad incident on Thursday, called on the Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led government to ensure the culprits face the wrath of the law.

He said the government should “immediately apprehend those behind the killing, and make an example of them.”
SaharaReporters had reported earlier how the female student was burnt to death by a group of students for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammed(SAW).
Kperogi said, “I just watched a bloodcurdling video clip of a bunch of murderous, maniacal brutes murdering and burning a Christian woman at the Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto because she allegedly blasphemed Islam, and I’m overwrought with deep anguish,” Kperogi wrote on his social media pages.
“The cowardly, homicidal beasts who extra-judicially murdered this Christian woman are the same kinds of people who pray to God to save them from the bandits that have made their communities to perpetually drown in oceans of blood.
“They murder fellow humans in their self-imposed “fight for God” but pray to the same God to fight for them when they’re confronted by bloodthirsty bandit. What kind of messed-up human scum are those?
“Sadly, this sort of consequence-free murder of people in the name of avenging “blasphemy” has been going on for far too long in the North. This must stop!
“The monsters in that video are easily identifiable. The Sokoto State government must immediately apprehend them and make an example of them.
“If that doesn’t happen, this kind of murderous barbarism will continue. Nigeria can’t survive indiscriminate, religion-inspired murders of innocent people.”

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The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, who just left office, had once supported the death penalty for blasphemy according to his tweet in July 2015.
Recall that in 2015, an Islamic court in Kano sentenced nine people to death for insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The accused, who were all Muslims, had pleaded guilty.

At the time, Ahmad showed his support for the killing of the nine persons via a post on his Twitter handle.
He wrote, “I can't pretend or keep silent. I support the death penalty for BLASPHEMY. That's my belief and I do not and will never support #SaveKanoNine.”
SaharaReporters had reported earlier today, Thursday how a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education in‪ Sokoto State, identified as Dorcas, was beaten to death and burnt by her colleagues for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

I cant pretend or keep silent. I support the death penalty for BLASPHEMY. That's my belief and I do not and will never support #SaveKanoNine

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) July 1, 2015
She was burnt to death by Muslim students who dragged her out of her hostel.
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 on Tuesday in the presence of his mother and burnt to death in the middle of the community.

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