Supreme Court judge, Mary Odili, will on Thursday, May 12, officially bow out of the nation's Judiciary.

Odili is one of the earliest women to be elevated to the Supreme Court bench.

Her retirement comes as she had attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

The Imo State born jurist, whose meritorious landmark judgments have shaped the political, economic and social terrains of the nation, is to be hosted to an elaborate retirement event on the day.

Already, the authorities of the apex court are to hold a befitting valedictory court session in her honour, Daily Post reports.

Festus Akande, the director of Press and Information for the Supreme Court, said the court session to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, will hold at the main courtroom of the Supreme Court in the morning of Thursday.

He said that eminent Nigerians, especially the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Body of Benchers and body of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria, among others, are to grace the valedictory court session.

In October 2021, Justice Odili’s family residence at lmo Rivers Street in Maitama, Abuja, was said to have been raided by fully armed plain-clothed security men for undisclosed reasons at about 5pm on Friday.

However, security operatives guarding the house were said to have resisted the takeover of the house without a court order or instructions from above.

It was later gathered that the security operatives violated the residence of the Supreme Court judge, using a search warrant allegedly collected by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and his ministry officials.

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Apostle Johnson Suleman, the Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries, has said his matter was trending on the social media because he asked the Nigerian government to end the ongoing university lecturers’ strike.

Suleman was, however, silent on specifically addressing his alleged intimate photographs shared by Canada-based Nigerian woman, Stephanie Otobo, who alleged that she had an amorous relationship with him.

Reacting on Monday, Apostle Suleman said he was trending on social media because he called for an end to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Strike.

He said, “I tweeted ‘End ASUU strike’ yesterday Sunday and today Monday I am trending on Twitter.. una well done! Same strategy all the time… You guys should had done this at least a week later to avoid traces. END ASUU STRIKE!”

SaharaReporters had on Monday reported that Otobo, who took to her Twitter handle on Monday, shared screenshots of her video chat with Suleman asking him to come forward and debunk her claims.

She alleged that the cleric tried everything to stop her from progressing, and had almost ended her life. She wrote on Twitter, “If these screenshots were fake, how did I get his pics that aren't public in the first place and how come I'm the first to release this kind of pics of him? He has changed his hairstyle twice since I came out to speak up with receipts. He has done a lot to appear different.” See Also Scandal Stephanie Otobo Accuses Apostle Suleman Of Poisoning, Trying To Kill Her, Releases X-rated Photos 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

The case of Otobo, a Canada-based singer, came up in 2017 and 2018 when she accused Suleman of having a sexual relationship with her – a controversial scandal that plagued the church and attracted the attention of Nigerians for months.

In January 2018, Otobo accused Suleman of impregnating her and breaching a promise to marry her. She claimed she had sex romps with the pastor in Italy, New York and Nigeria.

Suleman denied the allegations and threatened to sue SaharaReporters for reporting the story. He also threatened Festus Keyamo, whose law office in Lagos represented Otobo, demanding an apology and the payment of N1 billion to him for blackmail and injury.

Otobo however said she had pictures of him exposing his private parts, evidence of which it said would emerge in court. She released part of the photos in a Twitter thread on Monday.

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A pastor has been found dead in an uncompleted building in Kubwa, a satellite area in the Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The body of the pastor, identified as Segun Adebisi, was discovered by the residents of the area on Saturday morning during a search after he had been declared missing.

According to Daily Trust, the incident was reported to the police while the family members were in search of the pastor.

“During the week, we dispersed into the bush around the pipeline extension area from 8pm till 12am but we could not trace him.

“On Saturday morning, we conducted another round of search around the same location, and we were in the process of giving up when one of us advised that we should extend the search to an uncompleted building.

“We met his body with injuries on his head looking like he was hit with some of the firewood found close to the body. His body has been taken to the mortuary,” a witness explained.

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Miyetti Allah group

The Fulani cattle owners' association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has threatened to sue the Benue State Government for allegedly seizing and auctioning cattle belonging to its members.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Secretary-General of the group, Saleh Alhassan, said the group would also sue at least nine other northern state governments over the alleged diversion of billions of naira received from the Federal Government for the establishment of cattle ranches in their states.

Miyetti Allah group

Alhassan alleged that the governments of Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau, Niger and Nasarawa states failed to judiciously channel funds ranging from N5billion to N10billion meant for the ranches.

He accused the government of these states of riding on the misery of the cattle herders to amass wealth.

Alhassan also said the creation of cattle ranches would drastically minimise the lingering farmer-herder clashes recorded in the concerned states.

He said, “We’re already taking the stock, and we’re going to sue the Benue state government to pay compensation for all those stolen cattle officially, in the name of arresting cattle across the borders of Benue and Taraba states, Benue and Nasarawa states. Because as far as we are concerned, there is no cattle herding in Benue since Ortom put in this law.”

He added, “Nasarawa State Government has collected money for ranching, Katsina State Government has collected money for ranching, Kaduna State Government has collected money for ranching. States like Niger are also in the line of collecting money for ranching. Plateau State has collected the money for ranching.

“We are yet to see the ranches because we don’t want the state governors to use the misery and the hardship of the pastoralists to continue to divert these funds. Because we really need to address this issue of farmer-herder conflict, which we believe a sustainable land use management, which is through the ranching will be a solution for the crisis.”

He also revealed that the association would soon take legal action against the Benue State Government over the seizure and auctioning of cattle, amounting to losses of billions of naira to the herders.

“We will take legal actions against those perpetrating acts of violence against our people. We will also take actions against the ineptitude of the government of the day for allowing all this injustice and atrocities to be meted out on our people,” he said.

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Abdulmalik Tanko, the proprietor of Noble Kids School, Warshu Hospital Road, in Kawaji, Kano State, has denied involvement in the death of Hanifa Abubakar.

Abubakar is a five-year-old student of the school who was reported missing after she was abducted by Tanko and subsequently found dead.   

Tanko appeared on Monday at the High Court number 5, sitting at Audu Bako, and made the denial.

The court was presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba.

Tanko, who previously admitted to conspiracy, denied the remaining three charges against him, including kidnap and subsequent killing of the young girl.

He, however, admitted to locking her up, he said, “I am not sure if I am the last person who saw her alive because I have earlier communicated to someone else about it. I did neither kill nor poisoned her. I left her sleeping and came back to see her dead.

“Myself, the second and third defendants did not know how she died.”

It was gathered that the little girl was whisked away to an unknown destination while coming back from an Islamiyya school known as Dahiru Bauchi, on Saturday, December 4, 2021.

Hanifa's uncle, Suraju informed SaharaReporters that the incident occurred around 5pm, adding that the abductors came in a tricycle, locally called Keke Marwa.

He stated that the unknown abductors promised to give the girl and some other children coming from the Islamiyya school a lift home but she was taken away.

Suraju said the other children who witnessed the incident told him how Hanifa was abducted.

Tanko had demanded a N6million ransom from the parents of the child and in the process of collecting part of the money, he was arrested.

He had failed to disclose that the victim had been killed.

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Crude oil pipeline

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has asked Nigerians to prepare for the worst fuel crisis.

To avoid this, the petrol marketers association asked the government to prevail on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to pay its members their outstanding bridging claims amounting to over N500billion.

Crude oil pipeline Vanguard Newspaper

The IPMAN chairman in Kano State, Bashir Danmalam, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Kano, Monday.

He said the failure of the NMDPRA to pay the bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claim had forced many of its members out of business as they couldn’t transport the commodity due to high cost of diesel.

He lamented that nonpayment of the claims by the agency (NMDPRA) for over eight months had crippled the business of many of their members as they couldn’t transport the commodity even though it was available.

“NMDPRA is responsible for the payment of bridging claims otherwise known as transportation claims. Failure of the NMDPRA to pay the outstanding claims for about nine months, many marketers cannot transport the product because their funds are not being paid. Despite the high price of diesel, they manage to supply the petroleum products nationwide.

“The resurfacing of fuel queues in Abuja is just a tip of the iceberg with regard to the petroleum scarcity. Out of 100 percent, only five percent of the marketers can supply the petroleum products because of the failure of NMDPRA to pay them.”

He noted that since after the amalgamation of DPR, PEF and PPRA to NMDPRA, the agency had paid the marketers only two times.

Danmalam, therefore, called on the federal government to intervene before the situation degenerated into a serious problem fuel crisis and spread to other parts of the country.

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A 40-year-old broadcaster, Uche Igwe, who allegedly shared on Twitter, the video of a 10-year-of Chrisland schools student, who engaged in sexual intercourse, was on Monday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.

Igwe, who resides at No. 14 Ogundare Street in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, is facing a two-count charge of cyberstalking and breach of peace.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the prosecution counsel attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti, Mr Augustine Nwabuisi, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on April 18, on Twitter application.

He said that the defendant intentionally sent a video of the 10-year-old female student engaging in sexual intercourse with another student in Dubai, to the application.

Nwabuisi said that the defendant used his personal Twitter handle, @uchedark, to share the video on the internet for public viewing without the consent of the student’s parents or the school.

The alleged offences contravene Section 24 (1) (a) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act of 2015, and Section 168 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 24 (1) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act of 2015 provides for 10 years’ imprisonment for cyberstalking.

Breach of peace in punishable with three months’ jail term under Section 168 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N10million with three sureties in like sum.

Adedayo ruled that the sureties must submit their National Identification Numbers and their Lagos State Residents Registration Agency cards.

She also directed that one of the sureties must be a land owner, adding that all the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

Adedayo ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have evidence of three years’ tax payment to Lagos State Government.

She adjourned the case until June 13 for mention.

The video clip involving five students of Chrisland Schools, Lagos, engaging in sexual activities at a World Schools Games in Dubai, went viral sometime in April on a Twitter application.

This made Lagos State Government to shut all campuses of the school, an act that has been reversed.

 

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The Nigerian Army has arrested another soldier, Tijjani Aliyu with service number 19NA/78/4786 for being in possession of illegal ammunition.

A military source who disclosed this to SaharaReporters said an AK-47 rifle was also recovered from Aliyu despite being on pass.

He said the soldier fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East was last week nabbed at a motor park in Damaturu, Yobe State, with about 30 rounds of 7.62mm special.

A military signal obtained by SaharaReporters confirmed the incident.

“At about 071625A May 22, troops of Sect 2 Provost Gp on Op CHECKMATE arrested 19NA/78/4786 LCpl Tijjani Aliyu of 199 Bn attached to NMP Sabon Gari. The sldr was arrested at Damaturu Motor Park in possession of 1 x AK 47 rifle, 1 x magazine containing 30 rds of 7.62 mm (Special) concealed in sack bag.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was on pass but did not return on expiration of the pass. Suspiciously also, it was discovered that he collected his personal rifle deposited for safe keep in 231 Bn Biu arms store before proceeding on pass, which raises question on his intention. The sldr is in custody for investigation.”

This is coming a few weeks after a soldier identified as Sergeant Thaddeus with service number 04NA/55/0931 was arrested at the gate of Maimalari Barracks in Borno State with about 112 rounds of 7.62mm special.

On March 10, 2022, another soldier identified as Momoh Sunday with service number 17NA/76/0820 was also arrested at the same gate of Maimalari Barracks with about 300 rounds of 7.62mm special.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Leo Irabor, had recently condemned the increase in cases of military personnel aiding and abetting terrorists and bandits in the country.

Irabor, in a letter sent to all commanders of various operations, which was exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, asked them to sensitise their officers to the implication of collaborating with the enemy.

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Femi Gbajabiamila

The House of Representatives on Monday had an emergency meeting with the Airlines Operators of Nigeria (AON) where it secured the cooperation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to make available six million litres of JetA1 (aviation fuel) to aviation fuel marketers.

Stakeholders present at the meeting included the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Aviation, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NNPC, Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA), among others.

Femi Gbajabiamila

The AON had threatened to shut down local airline services on Monday but withdrew the threat on Sunday after pressure from the Federal Government.

The airline operators say rising cost of key inputs such as aviation fuel necessitated the intended shutdown.

Part of the resolutions reached at Monday’s meeting, which lasted for over three hours, include that, as a long term solution, the airline operators must commence, as soon as possible, the process of securing a license for the importation of aviation fuel to avoid suspicion over the landing cost of the product and other associated logistic issues.

The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was also mandated to, as much as possible, grant waivers that do not touch on the security and safety of the country for importers of the products.

The Speaker recalled that certain resolutions that included the sale of aviation fuel at N500 per litre and the granting of aviation fuel import license to the operators was arrived at during the last meeting with the stakeholders while requesting an update on the implementation of the resolution.

The leadership of the House also inquired from the NNPC about the status of the 25,000 tons of ATK approved for the airlines as a palliative in addition to the availability of the product to the airlines for about three months.

Also, the leadership opined that functional refineries should be able to address some of the challenges being faced while asking for the status of the refineries undergoing renovation.

Responding, NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari assured that the three months supply of Jet A1 to the chosen marketers by the AOAN is assured while emphasizing that the price of the product cannot be guaranteed because it is globally market-driven.

“We will make appropriate allocations to the three marketers chosen by the operators and the other,” Kyari said.

While appreciating all the stakeholders for the efforts put in at resolving the issue at stake, the Speaker said, “Rounding up on a positive note, I appreciate the airline operators for being nationalistic in calling off the strike as I hope that the outcome of this meeting will usher in a lasting solution to these challenges of Jet A1 bearing in mind that there is a laissez-faire economy of demand and supply.”

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File photo used to illustrate story

More than 51,000 repentant terrorists and their families have surrendered to troops serving in various theatres of operation in the North-East region, the Nigerian military has said.

The Commander of Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Chris Musa, disclosed this during an interview with Channels Television, aired on Monday.

File photo used to illustrate story

He explained that residents in the region have been helpful to the military, especially in the area of intelligence gathering despite the communication barrier in some localities.

“We get information as quickly as things are happening,” the commander said. “Sometimes, the challenge might probably be the way to communicate because we do not have network everywhere; but as soon as they get to where they can send messages across to us, they let us know.

“That has assisted us greatly in subduing the insurgents to such an extent that we have so much peace. We have over 51,000 insurgents and their family members that have surrendered to us.”

While many individuals and groups perceive the laying down of weapons by insurgents as a sign that the security forces are winning the war, others remain skeptical about the intention of such persons.

General Musa, on his part, believes Nigerians, especially residents in the North-East, have nothing to fear as the military will continue to ensure they are well protected from criminally-minded persons.

According to him, the Nigerian Armed Forces has managed situations as such in the past in other countries, and replicating the same approach will be no different this time.

The Operation Hadin Kai chief added, “Normally there will be some concerns and I don’t blame the public for that, but I just want to assure them that we are professionals and we have done this before … in other countries where we had issues of disarmament.

“What goes on here now is that as soon as any of them is willing to surrender, he reports straight to the closest military location. The commander on the ground has his troops ready to disarm them, take over their arms, search them and profile them.

“Then the state government provides buses to move them to the camps already provided. The state government takes care of the management and administration, what we do is ensure that the perimeter is secure. So, we want to assure members of the communities that they are well secured and that they (repentant terrorists) will not pose any threat to anybody.”

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Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, met with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.

The meeting took place in Abuja hours after northern groups announced they had purchased the N100million presidential forms for Jonathan ahead of the 2023 elections.

Jonathan told Adamu that he was unaware of the group’s decision to buy the form.

He also insisted that he would make it official if he decided to contest.

Jonathan joined the Peoples Democratic Party in 1998 and went on to be elected deputy governor, governor, vice-president and president on the party’s platform.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Jonathan rejected the presidential form of the APC purchased for him.

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president had said in a statement hours after the news that the group had bought the form for him that he did not authorise the purchase and consider the move by the group “an insult.”

“It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it. We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.

“While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state, that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request. Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it,” Eze said.

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Former Lagos State governor and presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said that anybody was free to come out to aspire to become president, but not everyone could become the president.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Tinubu speaking in Katsina State on Monday, said his ambition to become Nigeria’s president was to offer “hope, prosperity and unity for Nigerians.”

“Anybody that wants; he can run, but not everybody can become the president,” the APC chieftain remarked.

On Monday in Katsina while addressing party delegates ahead of the APC presidential primary election, Tinubu declared that he possessed all the requisite qualities to be seen as a potential president of the country due to his wide knowledge and experience as well as his track record of achievements in governance.

The APC presidential hopeful added that he would develop a new strategy and commit enough resources to fight bandits and other criminal elements if voted as president.

The APC national leader also said he would focus on irrigation farming, economic, education and infrastructural development and keep Nigeria working again.

“I come to unite Nigeria and not to divide it; I come to bring you hope, prosperity, happiness, job and stability. Though tongues may differ, the brotherhood will stand; you are my brother and together we will defeat poverty,” the former Lagos governor said.

Responding, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina expressed the belief and confidence that Nigeria would certainly overcome the challenges confronting it soon.

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Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected the presidential form of the All Progressives Congress purchased for him on Monday by a group of supporters from the northern region.

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president said in a statement hours after the news that the group had bought the form for him that he did not authorise the purchase and consider the move by the group “an insult.”

Goodluck Jonathan Getty Images

“It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorise it. We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and will not enter through the back door.

“While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state, that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request. Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it,” Eze said.

SaharaReporters had in several reports noted that there had been increased speculations about whether the former President would run for the 2023 presidency.

But the former President has yet to state whether he would contest or not, neither has he spoken about the possibility of switching parties from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.

A coalition of northern groups had purchased the APC presidential nomination form and the expression of interest form at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, informing journalists that it was for Jonathan.

In April 2022, a crowd of supporters had held a rally, calling on him to join the race.

Addressing them he said, “Yes, you are calling me to come and declare for the 2023 presidency, yes I can’t tell I am declaring; the political process is ongoing, just watch out,” he had said at the time.

If elected as President again, Jonathan can only serve for one term of four years, according to the constitution.

He was first elected in 2011 after completing the tenure of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

President Buhari defeated Jonathan in the 2015 presidential elections.

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MISSING. I am on my way to the police station to report that the Nigerian Government is missing. The absence of government in the country is glaring. A week ago, I thought it was on sabbatical.

 

 Midweek, I concluded that with terrorists, bandits, criminals and some ministers acting with impunity, the government must be Away Without Leave, AWOL. 

 

But this week, having determined that government cannot be so incompetent, clueless, rudderless and insensitive as to allow Nigerians to be treated as orphans, I concluded that the Buhari government is missing and that it is the patriotic duty of all Nigerians to search for it even if we have to enlist the services of the INTERPOL.

 

As is well known, Nigerians cannot travel the roads as the chances of kidnap is very high, with some victims spending eight years in captivity.

 

It is not just the fear of bandits that is making Nigerians hesitate to travel by train, but also the phenomenon of a train breaking down, not due to mechanical problems, but running out of diesel! 

 

Anything can happen in Nigeria; so the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, have decided to ground the airlines in the country because with the ever-increasing cost of aviation fuel, Jet A1, the possibility of an aircraft running out of fuel mid-air, is no longer in the range of impossibility.

 

Just as most of our rulers treat Nigerians with disrespect and contempt and as mere objects of exploitation, so do foreign concerns operating in the country.

 

Take the Digital Satellite Television, DSTV, run by MultiChoice which has been operating in Nigeria since 1993. It regularly increases its subscription rate while not improving services to the two million subscribers in the country. When these are challenged in court and ruling is in favour of the subscribers, DSTV does not only disobey the courts, but does so with contempt. 

 

When, tired of naked exploitation by DSTV who bills subscribers even when the television is not functional or switched on, Nigerians, backed by the Senate, demanded the introduction of the Pay-As-You-Go, PAYG, system. The DSTV simply ignored them.

 

When in 2020, the House of Representatives summoned DSTV to explain why it continues this exploitation of Nigerians, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr John Ugbe, cheekily told the National Assembly: “We are yet to see a pay-TV business anywhere in the world that does PAYG in the sense intended here. We do not believe the model is technically or commercially feasible.” 

 

This of course is a white fat lie as this system operates in parts of the world. Even here in Nigeria, the Telcom Satellite TV, TSTV, runs a PAYG system. If the government were not missing, do you think MultiChoice would treat Nigerians like dirt?

 

Playing in the same DSTV league is the Turkish Airlines which has created a parallel immigration and secret security desk with powers to determine which Nigerians can travel out and which can be barred from leaving their country. I took the airline from Lagos on November 15, 2021 and watched as its officials under one guise or the other, extorted Nigerians. 

 

When it was my turn, the airline official told me I will not be allowed to board because I had only been partially vaccinated. I asked him to take another look at my COVID-19 vaccination card which showed that I took the first dose on March 24 and the second on June 22, that is five months before. 

 

But he said he was not interested in my vaccine card but in his portal which allegedly showed I had not had the second shot. At that point, I had two options: either bribe the Turkish Airline officials as was being openly done, or abort my flight. 

 

I decided on a third option: stage a protest. So I demanded the airline respects a certificate issued by the Nigerian government, otherwise it has no basis doing business in the country. It worked.

 

In April 2022, eleven Nigerian professors and professionals travelled through Turkish Airlines for an international conference in Cuba, and the airline managed to find a fault with the travel arrangement of each, so much that the Cuban Embassy was called to intervene.

 

But these were nothing compared to the ugly experience foremost political activist and scribe of the Joint Action Forum of pro-labour civil societies in the country, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, had in the hands of the airline. He had a two-week programme in Cuba, including representing the Nigeria Labour Movement at May Day activities.

 

On April 27, 2022 the Abuja desk of the airline refused to issue Aremu, who had a valid Cuban visa, a boarding pass on the excuse that he had to be cleared by the Cuban immigration!

 

The airline claimed that an intending passenger to Cuba must fill a form that would be scanned to the Cuban Immigration authority. He did, but was told there was no response from Havana. He then placed a call to the Cuban Ambassador who had intervened in the professors’ case, but this time the Turkish Airline officials refused to speak with her. 

 

Obviously, she had become a clog in their extortion racket. A second excuse the officials gave was that Nigerians were using Cuba as a route for illegal migration to neigbouring countries like the United States, US. Aremu asked who will try to migrate from Cuba to US when for six decades now America had imposed sanctions on Cuba, including travel restrictions? 

 

He also explained that he could not be one of the Nigerians attempting to flee the country as just a few days before, he had travelled to Venezuela using the same Turkish Airlines. On that occasion, he had been delayed for 25 minutes as the airline official pored over a voluminous book claiming he was trying to locate where Venezuela is in the world!

 

After aborting his travel, the airline reached out to the Cuban Embassy that Aremu could now travel. The earliest date possible was Saturday April 30 so he agreed to travel on that date. But to his shock the Turkish Airline which should apologise to him, ruled he has to pay a fare differential of N280,788 which he refused to pay, so his trip was again aborted.

 

I am certain that but for the absence of the government, Nigerians would not be treated like orphans. So like I said, I am on my way to the police station. My only problem is that to file a missing person’s report, the police will ask for details such as the missing government’s physical description; if it wears tribal marks, what cloth it was wearing when it disappeared and when it was last seen. Can my compatriots assist in these?

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Ifeanyi Ejiofor

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has stated that the team is aware that the adversaries of the IPOB leader are all over sniffing for information ahead of the May 18 court sitting in Abuja.
Ejiofor, in an update on Monday after the routine visit to Kanu, noted that the legal team would not avail the adversaries any information on the strategies to use in court ahead of the May 18 sitting.

Ifeanyi Ejiofor
The lawyer urged all IPOB supporters and Kanu’s well-wishers to pray ahead of the court sitting and believe that the IPOB leader would secure his release.
He said, “In accordance with the subsisting Court-Order, we visited our Client - Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu today.
“The visit offered us the opportunity to review the level of the DSS compliance with the positive Court Orders with regards to the welfare of Onyendu.
“We had fruitful and quite incisive interactions impacting positively on all dimensions of Onyendu's case, and he was adequately briefed on relevant matters of urgent importance which will remain private.
“Onyendu is very firm in his conviction, and unshaken in his resolve for a better tomorrow for UmuChineke. He reiterated the fact that UmuChineke must remain vigilant now than ever, and he advised everyone to be conscious of their engagements. He was very emphatic on being focused and never to derail.
“As usual, Onyendu expresses his profound gratitude to you all, UmuChineke for remaining strong in your solidarity, unshaken faith, and seemingly resolute.
“Onyendu is particularly enthused about the peaceful conduct of UmuChineke, and consequently, encourages you all to keep it up, and be assured that at the end of the tunnel, there must be light. Details of our other engagement with ONYENDU may not be made public because our adversaries are all over the place trying to sniff for information on our strategies, but we cannot avail them.
“May we remind UmuChineke, that your prayers are most compelling now, such devotion is not taken for granted. The next Court date is the 18th of May, 2022, keep it in your prayers and in your mind.”

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The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged former President, Goodluck Jonathan, not to succumb to the “gimmicks of the enemy” aimed at pitching the Ijaw against the Igbo.
This is even as the group noted that there is no going back on its calls for zoning the presidency to the South-East region.

The group, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, was reacting to a report that a coalition of northern socio-cultural groups purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) N100million Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the former President to contest for the 2023 presidency.
Ohanaeze said it was aware of frantic endeavours and backstage activities to resuscitate age-long enmity between the two ethnic groups which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan.
The Igbo group advised the former President to support Presidential candidates of Igbo extraction from the seven Igbo speaking states including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre ( in Rivers), stating that it was time for Jonathan to pay back.
The statement reads, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has reinstated that there is no going back on 2023 Nigerian President of Igbo stock and anything contrary to it amounts to a denial of equity, fairness, and Justice.
“We will not react to speculations about Jonathan's ambitions until he official declares to run for 2023 Presidency, as there are frantic endeavors and backstage activities to pitch Ijaws against Ndigbo, a repeat of 1966 enemy's gimmicks aimed at the resuscitation of the aged longed enmity between the two ethnic groups of old Eastern region, which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan as our own.
“We expect Goodluck Jonathan as elder statesman and African iconic personality to endorse an Igbo Presidency from the seven Igbo speaking states including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre (In Rivers) States, which he has conceded to in the past that Southeast and Igbos were his citadels of support in 2011 and 2015
“We became marginalised and were regarded as 5% because of Igbos support for Jonathan in 2015, we will never forget but this should be a payback time for the sacrifices we paid for the Ijaws and Jonathan in particular.
“Endeavors to sow seeds of disunity and discord among the ethnic groups of the old Eastern region are dead on arrival.
“There is no compromise on the Igbo Project, no individual's ambition is more important than the collective interests of the Igbo, we await for further moves of the backstage power mongers who are enthusiastic about the division of Igbos and Ijaws of the old Eastern region for the gain of the North.”

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The Federation of International Football (FIFA) has ordered the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay former Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, his compensation of $378,000 (about N157million) following the early termination of his contract.

Rohr, 68, had his appointment terminated by the NFF in December 2021, following the poor performance of the Super Eagles during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Franco-German got relieved of his post just four weeks before the delayed 2021 AFCON kicked off in Cameroon.

However, Rohr was able to qualify Nigeria for both the World Cup and AFCON in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The initial agreement between the NFF and Rohr was to pay his salary until the end of his contract, which would expire in December 2022.

The former Super Eagles coach had gone to the football’s world governing body to report a breach of contract by the Nigerian football body without just cause. 

Rohr has been granted $377,879.46 from his initial $1.2million, sought total after a FIFA tribunal decision saw his claim to be “partially accepted insofar as it is admissible.”

The ruling by FIFA added that the NFF would be sanctioned if Rohr was not paid in full within 45 days.

“If full payment (including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision, the respondent [the NFF] shall be imposed a restriction on receiving a percentage of development funding, up until the due amounts are paid,” the body said.

The NFF, after announcing Augustine Eguavoen as replacement for Rohr after the termination of his contract, are on the verge of announcing another foreign coach.

 

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The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) will on Wednesday, embark on a nationwide strike action in protest against the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action reached with the Federal Government in May 2021.
This was made known by Precious Nwakodo, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone D which comprises of South-South and South-East states at a press briefing held in Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, on Monday.

According to Nwakodo, the planned strike was hinged on the yet-to-be-met demands among which are; the non-release of the N15billion Revitalisation Fund approved over a year for the sector to address infrastructural deficit as contained in the 2014 Needs Assessment Report.
“Following the discouraging response of the government to the one month notice of ultimatum which ended five days ago, May 4 the NEC of the union will be meeting in two days’ time in Abuja to review the situation and take a decision on the planned strike,” Nwakodo said.
Nwakodo explained that the Federal and state governments had failed to commence payment of 10 months arrears of the new minimum wage after three years of signing the bill into law, stressing that many states of the federation were yet to implement the new minimum wage in the various institutions.
He decried the manner in which the management of the Polytechnics and Ministry of Education had continued to take actions that were clearly in contrast with the provisions of the law.
He called on Federal and state governments to act to the yearnings of the academic staff to avoid a strike in the interest of the students and parents, just as he appealed to members of the chapter to support the decision of the national body on the planned strike, adding that the planned strike was a collective decision and for the best interest of members and the polytechnic sector.
The Chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter, Lawani Jimoh, at the congress had earlier assured that the Auchi chapter would comply with the strike.
“For us at Auchi Polytechnic, our members are committed to the strike as long as the directive is from the national body,” Jimoh said.

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The Personal Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, has taken to his Twitter handle to announce that former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
His comment trails a report that northern socio-cultural groups had purchased the APC’s N100million Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for Jonathan to contest for the 2023 presidency.

Ahmad, in a tweet, said, “So Goodluck Jonathan has dumped the opposition PDP and now a member of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)."
https://twitter.com/BashirAhmaad/status/1523748261848248320?t=0oQdGSuOq2-nEjXkE2W58w&s=19
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the coalition of groups, said to also be of Fulani extraction, picked the forms from the party’s organising secretary at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, on Monday evening.
There have been speculations that Jonathan was preparing to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and seek the presidential ticket of the party.
However, some Nigerians, including human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, argued that his candidature would breach the constitution.
Falana had based his position on Section 137 (3) of the Constitution, which provides as follows: “A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as president shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term."
Meanwhile, there had been a report earlier this month that some political hawks in the APC including President Buhari, are planning to woo Goodluck Jonathan to the party and get him fielded as the party’s 2023 presidential standard-bearer.
However, a senior presidential aide debunked it claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari only has great respect for Jonathan, particularly with the way he handled the outcome of the 2015 presidential election by graciously accepting defeat and congratulating him (Buhari) despite pressures from some of his loyalists to do otherwise, Buhari does not want him to succeed him in 2023.
“It is pure mischief for anyone to say President Buhari is the one behind the move by some politicians to draft the former president into the party and make him contest the 2023 presidential election..."
The former President, it was gathered, had severed his ties with his party, the PDP since 2019.
He never supported the PDP governorship candidate in the Bayelsa governorship election while his mother and his kinsmen also celebrated the victory of the APC in the election.

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Goodluck Jonathan

The Coalition of Northern Groups, a pressure group of over 40 pro-North groups, has denied purchasing the All Progressives Congress’ presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
There have been reports that a Coalition of Northern groups on Monday procured the forms for the former President.

Goodluck Jonathan Getty Images
Although Jonathan wasn’t a member of the APC, speculations had intensified in recent weeks that he was set to switch from the Peoples Democratic Party to contest for President in 2023.
Jonathan was Nigeria’s president between 2011 and 2015 on the platform of the PDP. He was Acting President before then following the death of President Umaru Yar'Adua. 
He lost power to the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, who ran on the ticket of the APC in 2015.
Reacting, spokesperson for the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman said the group has never been involved in partisanship let alone pick a particular candidate and purchase forms for him. 
Suleiman urged new coalitions to devise a means of identification to differentiate them from the CNG.
The statement read, “The attention of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has been drawn to a piece of deliberately confusing report that has been trending since early evening of Monday,  May 9th.
We are particularly worried that the report which purportedly suggests that CNG has purchased the presidential nomination forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan was broadcast by such reputable outlets as the Channels Television. 
“We are therefore compelled to make the following clarifications for the benefit of the media and the general public. We have since advanced from being addressed as an obscure Coalition and assumed the status of a proper name having made a mark as the strongest voice in Northern Nigeria.
“For a very long time, CNG has come to be properly addressed as 'The Coalition of Northern Groups' and no longer 'A Coalition of Northern Groups' as featured in the trending report. We are aware of the recent proliferation of coalitions across the North and in Nigeria as a whole (mostly out of mischief), but we make bold to say categorically that the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has never since its inception been involved in partisanship not to mention picking a particular candidate and purchasing forms for him. 
“For the avoidance of doubt, the CNG is still committed to the search for a competent, credible Nigerian leader with the capacity to justly and fairly take all of us through and out of our current limitations. We advise the newborn coalitions to device a means of identification quite apart from the CNG and appreciate the concerns of our followers and supporters who have been calling us for clarification.” 
 

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