President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has expressed dismay at the news that an American, Willy Joseph Cancel was killed while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, had earlier offered condolences to Cancel's family while officially confirming his death.

Jen Psaki further cautioned Americans against travelling to Ukraine for any reason.
CNN reports that the American was killed Monday while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. The 22-year-old was said to be working with a private military contracting company prior to his death.
Rebecca Cabrera, Cancel’s mother, told CNN that he was sent to Ukraine by the company and that he was being paid while he was fighting there.
And reacting to the death of the former US Marine, President Biden, said, “It is very sad. He left a little baby behind,” he told reporters at the White House while hosting a meeting.
Cancel’s mother added that when Russia invaded Ukraine, the company was searching for contractors to help Ukraine, and Cancel agreed to go.

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Some Muslims in Sokoto State observed Eid prayers on Sunday in defiance of the directive of Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, who declared Monday as Eid-ul-Fitr. 
On Saturday, the Sultan, who is the head of all Muslims in Nigeria, announced that the new moon of Shawwal, 1443AH, had not been sighted. 

The Muslims, majority of whom are followers of Sheikh Musa Lukwa, observed the Eid around 8am on Sunday.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Sheikh Lukwa said they had received credible reports on the sighting of the new moon in some parts of Nigeria and beyond.
According to him, the moon was sighted in five states of Niger Republic, adding, “I saw the video clip of their President declaring Sunday as Sallah day.
“And the moon was sighted in Afghanistan, Mali and many African countries and they observe their Eid today.
“Even in Sokoto, the new crescent was sighted in a community called Fakku in Kebbe local government area by eight persons, including the Chief Imam of the community. And 50 persons confirmed sighting of the new moon at Wauru village in Gada local government area of the state.”
 

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said it uncovered travellers’ cheques in different foreign currencies with a total value of N1,157,670,469 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos State.
The agency also arrested a suspect, Oguma Richard Uchenna, who was attempting to export the cheques, which were neatly concealed inside four bound hardcover books disguised as academic project literature, to the United Kingdom.

The financial instruments suspected to be counterfeits were discovered on Wednesday, April 27 at the NAHCO export shed of the Lagos airport during cargo examination of some consignments meant for exportation to the UK on a cargo flight.
According to a release from the agency obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, operatives of NDLEA at the airport foiled “an attempt by drug traffickers to smuggle into Nigeria 10.89 kilogrammes of cocaine through a Qatar Airways flight. The illicit drug was hidden in seven children's duvets packed in an unaccompanied bag from Brazil.”
“Meanwhile, raid operations in Kaduna, Ondo and Akwa Ibom states have led to the seizure of about 2,000 kg of Tramadol, Codeine, Cannabis and Heroin. In Ondo state, 401kg of cannabis was recovered and two suspects: Julius Dapo, 56 and Emeka Ikebuaku, 32, were arrested at Ipele forest in the Owo area on Sunday 24th April.
“On the same day, a transborder drug trafficker, Chigbo Chinonye, 42, was arrested with amphetamine weighing 2.5kg and heroin weighing 0.5kg during a stop-and-search operation conducted along Oron- Ibaka Road on his way to Cameroon.
“He concealed the drugs using false bottom packaging. In Kaduna, a total of 47 cartons of suspected fake Tramadol, comprising 2,350,000 tablets, weighing 1222kg were seized in Zaria on Monday 25th April while a dealer, Chinedu Asogwa was arrested the following day, 26th April along Abuja-Kaduna expressway, with 2919 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, measuring 291.9 litres and a gross weight of 396kg.
“While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna Commands of the Agency for the seizures and arrests in the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their compatriots across the country to remain steadfast and vigilant in their areas of responsibility,” the statement by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, said.
 

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Chief Raphael Uwazuruike

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, the founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, has downplayed the call for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.
Uwazuruike said he doesn’t believe in the idea of Igbo Presidency, stressing that such should be discarded.

Chief Raphael Uwazuruike Vanguard Newspaper
He asserted this while hosting Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and a Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Owerri, Imo State on Saturday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The MASSOB founder said the race for who becomes Nigeria’s next president should be thrown open.
Uwazuruike urged Nigerians to shun zoning because it has no place in the country’s constitution.
According to Uwazuruike, zoning leads to sectionalism of some regions of the country.
He said: “I don’t believe in the idea of zoning system or Igbo president because zoning means sectionalism.
“If we want to talk about Nigeria, we must throw the presidential contest open but if you throw it open, it must be for the youths not elders, because the elders have failed us.”

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A reporter with PRNigeria, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, has missed the opportunity to participate in this year's edition of the Mandela Washington Fellow in the United States of America after approval of his travel expenses by the US Government.
The reason given for this was that officials of both; the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, and the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, could not fix a 'simple' problem with his passport, for about three months now.

Lawal, Head of Investigation and Special Projects at PRNigeria, was billed to travel for the fellowship programme in May (this month), and quickly set out to fix some 'issues' with his passport in February 2022.
But an unnecessary delay in fixing the issue with the PRNigeria journalist's passport, for over two months and still counting, forced the American Embassy to permanently revoke the fellowship offer they gave him even after providing other travelling facilities.
Lawal said the “carelessness” displayed by the officials of NIMC, and NIS had not only “traumatised” him, but also put paid to his trip to the US, for the fellowship.
In a post on his Facebook account, titled: “Workers Day: How NIMC, Immigration Officials Sabotaged my Mandela Washington Fellowship Offer for the United States,” Lawal, also the author of 101 Fake News on EndSARS, said: "The two government agencies 'refusal' to issue my International Passport on time, was the last straw that put paid to my anticipated dream trip to the United States, where I was supposed to take residence for 6-weeks of the Fellowship."
The post, titled, "How NIMC, Immigration Sabotaged my Mandela Washington Fellowship Offer," reads partly: "Both Washington and the United States Embassy in Nigeria exhibited a great degree of consideration and empathy by severally extending the deadline for submission of my passport for Visa issuance and always called me up from time to time to get appraised.
"But repeatedly I missed the deadlines because of the two Nigerian public service entities, eventually leading to the revocation of my offer for the Fellowship.
"In fact, after receiving the notification of the award from the US Embassy, I got admission for the programme at the Rutgers University, New Jersey… and subsequently received a flight ticket for the pre-departure orientation and other documents on the project.
"Though I had received an Award of Excellence from the National Association of Information and Media Studies Students as well as the Campus Journalism Award in 2020, I also won a fellowship with International Centre for Journalist African Academy for Open Source Investigation before I capped it with the Overall West African Fact-Checker on Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking Research Fellowship.
"Therefore, the offer by the government of the United States of America would have been the icing on the cake that will further expose me to the global scale of accomplishment.
"Surprising I initiated the process of renewing my passport in February 2022 when I was shortlisted for the Fellowship interview.
"First NIS official said that my NIN data did not tally with my NIS data and I have to apply for re-ordering and harmonisation which was eventually approved after over two months of foot-dragging.
"They later claimed that the approval had to be implemented by their ICT 'Technical Partners' which I came to understand was run by foreigners - IRIS Smart Technologies.
"The foreigners operating the IRIS system practically run the show in the production of passports for NIS HQ. In fact, NIS staff fidget even at the mere mention of their name. These guys fear IRIS like kilode.
"To cut long story short, IRIS kept my file for two weeks and returned it without implementing, querying that the available documents did not match with my NIN data! Surprised, some helpful immigration officials discreetly verified my NIN data from the NIS database and confirmed it was correct.
"By the time the file was returned to IRIS with a printout of the evidence, they said the NIMC server was down. This went on for weeks without even a ray of hope for a positive outcome.
"Eventually, a very top female Immigration officer who got wind of my predicament waded in and intervened and ordered for my file and boom! They claimed they couldn’t find my file: that it was MISSING.
"How can my file just disappear out of the blues? It's not only funny, it's pathetic and this makes me feel sorry for such kind of woes many Nigerians have to go through.
"I wouldn't deny that the female ACG and the public relations unit of the NIS did their best to intervene, but time was limited, and so, a simple issue that would take only a maximum of 1 hour cumulatively to correct, took ages and led to the loss/revocation of a golden opportunity.

"This is a manifestation of the rot, ineptitude, negligence, inefficiency and total disregard for the value inherent in our country's public service. It is a flagrant violation and abuse of not only my human rights but my right and privilege as a citizen of the country I have laboured tirelessly to serve with all my might.
"This is a fellowship that is highly competitive with participants from over 49 African countries taking part. It is extremely painful that after excelling in my media and Journalism career, at the verge of my international glory, my own country just fails me... I feel so bad and betrayed by workers in these public institutions. As I am traumatized and betrayed by public service workers, how can I wish anyone Happy Workers Day in?” he said.

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A civic organisation, the Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has applauded the United States Embassy’s interest to monitor the governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states.
The Political and Economic Chief of the US Embassy in Nigeria, Brandon Hudspeth, had led a delegation to the Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, in his office in Osogbo, where he (Hudspeth) affirmed that he was hopeful of seeing a credible poll with a pledge to work with the state governments to ensure free, fair and credible outcome from the exercise. 

Hudspeth further said the team would visit security officials, civil societies and other stakeholders before the poll to ensure all critical stakeholders are on the same page ahead of the elections. 
Hudspeth had said, “The reason why we are here is because of the forthcoming election in Osun State in 2022. We hope that the election will be free and credible because there are expectations within and outside this country over the forthcoming elections in these states. Our expectation is that the elections should be fair and credible. We are partners with Nigeria to ensure free and credible elections. 
“We are meeting with you as the first citizen of the state and our officials will also meet security officials, civil societies and other stakeholders. We will be in the state for the next couple of months. We are ready to work with you for a free and credible election in 2022 in this state,” he said. 
While commending the US Embassy delegation, the Chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju, urged other foreign governments through their embassies in Nigeria to follow suit by deploying every necessary resource and mechanism that would guarantee peaceful and credible polls in Ekiti and Osun states. 
“We appreciate the US Embassy's interest in the Ekiti and Osun states' gubernatorial and by extension elections in different states of the Federation. We encourage other foreign embassies to emulate the US embassy in this regard, all we need is all hands to be on deck to see those elections free from bloodshed, assault and other forms of abuses.”
The US government was further implored to note those behind political offences during the elections for appropriate visa bands and other punitive measures permissible within the US legal and diplomatic system. 
Suraju challenged political stakeholders across the board to play by the rules and respect the laws guiding the electoral process, saying elections would come and go but the memories people create would remain. 
Thus, it's ideal for everyone no matter the interest involved, to respect the sanctity of life and the sacrosanctity of the supreme laws of electioneering, he noted. 
“Everyone, irrespective of diverse interests, must as a matter of duty play by the rules. We must not bend the law to please anyone. For the electorate, they must stand tall and oppose anyone who wants to buy over their conscience. The past mistakes that ushered in incompetent leaders across the board today are enough lessons to trigger eligible voters to make wiser choices and decisions, it's high time people went for the ultimate (good governance that engenders Socio-economic and Political growth, development and sustenance) and do away with the mundane immediate gratifications which politicians and their agents dangle before citizens during elections,” he implored. 


 

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An Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged Muslims in the country to get ready to cast their votes in the coming 2023 general elections.
MURIC stated this in its Sallah message issued on Sunday, 1st May, and obtained by SaharaReporters.

The group spoke through its head in Sokoto State, Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu.
The statement reads, “Nigerian Muslims will join billions of their brethren in celebrating the end of the 1443 (2022) Ramadan season on Monday, 2nd May, 2022. We felicitate with President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu also paid homage to the leader of all Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto.”  
He said, “We also congratulate the leader of all Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on the occasion of this year’s Id al-Fitr.
“MURIC reminds Nigerian Muslims of their civic responsibility of participating in all aspects of political activities in the country particularly as we prepare for the 2023 general elections. We lay emphasis on the need for every Muslim to collect his or her voter card in order to be eligible for voting. No amount of sacrifice is too much for this important civic duty.
“Muslims must not shun politics if they want to be liberated from the current spate of stigmatisation, marginalisation and impoverishment. We warn that Muslims who fail to obtain their voters’ cards have voted for bad rulers and Muslim haters whose main preoccupation is to persecute and oppress Muslims.
“Apart from obtaining their voter cards, Muslims must ensure that they participate in all political activities which will take place between now and the election period, including waiting patiently to cast their votes on election day.”
Barrister Muhammad Mansur Aliyu also had a word for South-West Muslims.
“Our brothers in the South who are facing persecution on a daily basis must allow their number to count by ensuring that they obtain their voter cards. Muslims constitute the majority in a place like the South West but unfortunately, they are still facing oppression today because they have not been leveraging on their majority status.
“The opportunity has now come. Go all out and get your voter card. Your voter card is your weapon of liberation. A majority population that fails to vote is, technically speaking, a minority. We, therefore, urge you to spare no efforts in getting your voter cards in readiness for the 2023 general elections. 
“We are looking forward to an election that will reveal the true picture in the region. A majority of people that have been turned into a minority due to their apathy for politics must wake up from their deep slumber. We must stop the stereotyping, the segregation, the religious apartheid and the hijab paranoia.
“We must stop the practice of denying jobs to qualified Muslims and their political marginalisation. The time to do it is now. Political power will change the narrative and the popular vote is the only legitimate tool for obtaining political power in a true democracy. Your vote shall make you free.” 

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Senate President Ahmad Lawan

Nigerian Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Saturday called for a speedy and amicable resolution to the ongoing strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

He made the call in a statement celebrating Nigerian workers on the occasion of this year’s May Day.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan

The statement was signed by his spokesperson, Ola Awoniyi.

“Nigerian workers deserve our appreciations and respects for their contributions to the development of our country,” Lawan said. 

“I also salute them for their patriotic cooperation with the government and and other institutions in the collective efforts to address societal challenges.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that Labour creates wealth for the nation, the more reason that the welfare of the Nigerian workers should always be accorded priority.

“As Parliament, the National Assembly will continue to partner with the Organised Labour in addressing issues that affect workers and the generality of the Nigerian people.

“Despite the prevailing challenges, the relationship between Labour and the Government should be cooperative in the overall interest of the country.

“In the spirit of May Day, I appeal for a speedy and amicable resolution of the ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) to ensure that our universities reopen for learning and research.

“We should always be mindful that no society can make meaningful progress without industrial peace and harmony.

“Once again, I say congratulations to all Nigerian workers and wish them a happy May Day.”

ASUU embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14.

On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government meet all of its demands.

The academics are seeking improved welfare, revitalisation of public universities and academic autonomy among other demands.

One bone of contention for the academics is the non-payment of university revitalisation funds, which amounts to about N1.1 trillion.

But the Nigerian Government has said it doesn’t have the money to pay such an amount, citing low oil prices during the current administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

The agreement was reportedly struck in 2009.

Another is the issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The academics have proposed an alternative payroll system, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

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Senate

As the clock ticks towards the 2023 elections, some governors who are completing their second terms next year have commenced moves to switch to the federal parliament, a place tagged as a retirement home for state chief executives, according to a Daily Trust report. 

Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, it has been a common practice among governors to retire to the National Assembly as senators after serving out their second term.

Senate

Former governors who are now serving as senators are Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Theodore Orji (Abia Central), Gabriel Suswan (Benue North East), Kashim Shettima (Borno Central), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East).

Others are Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Rochas Okorocha (Imo North), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central), Ibrahim Gaya (Kano South), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi South), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa North), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe East) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa Central).

On the other hand, many lawmakers had also switched from the legislature to the executive as governors.

Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (Bauchi), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina) and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) are former federal lawmakers currently serving as governors.

Currently, some serving senators are at loggerheads with their state governors, who are planning to return to the Red Chamber in 2023. Many of them currently represent the senatorial districts of their governors.

Recently, at a valedictory session to mark the exit of three members of the upper chamber, some lawmakers expressed concern that the “rate of turnover” in the Senate was becoming worrisome as many of them may not return.

Here are some governors who are scheming to replace their senators in 2023.

Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau)

Lalong is the first among the second term governors to pick expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Plateau South senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The senatorial seat is currently occupied by Nora Ladi Daduut, who was elected to the Red Chamber after the death of Ignatius Longjan.

Serving commissioners from Plateau State raised N60 million to purchase the forms for Lalong, according to Yakubu Datti, the chairman of the Commissioners Forum of Plateau State.

He said the commissioners took the decision to honour their principal based on his numerous achievements and contributions to the state, and that the Senate position would enable the entire country to benefit from his leadership potential.

Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa)

As Governor Badaru rounds off his second and final term in office come May 29, 2023, his next political move has become the subject of discourse in the state’s political circle.

While the governor had kept the issue close to his chest, some of his loyalists had linked him to a possible race to the Senate.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the governor’s decision to move to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly was taken during a high-level meeting which took place last week Friday shortly before the governor travelled to Saudi Arabia on a lesser hajj.

Should the governor decide to run for Senate, he would have to contend with the incumbent senator representing Jigawa North West, Abdullahi Danladi Sankara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Information.

Samuel Ortom (Benue)

Ortom, in early March, declared his interest to contest the Benue North-West senatorial seat currently occupied by Senator Emmanuel Orker Jev.

Ortom said he made the move after a series of consultations with his kinsmen, telling them that he had finally been convinced that God had confirmed to him to contest the election.

A few weeks after his declaration, elders from the Masev, Ihyarev and Nongov Development Association (MINDA) in Benue State presented the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) expression of interest and nomination forms for the Senate race to the governor.

Political watchers in the state had predicted that Senator Orker Jev and the governor would soon fall apart over the latter’s move to replace the lawmaker in the Red Chamber.

But Jev said those speculating frosty relationship between him and his governor over the senatorial seat would be ‘terribly’ disappointed.

David Umahi (Ebonyi)

There were reports weeks ago that Umahi had dropped his presidential ambition to contest the Ebonyi South senatorial seat in the 2023 general elections. But the governor dismissed claims through the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Uchenna Orji. In a statement, he described the claims as falsehoods peddled by political charlatans.

After declaring his presidential bid, Umahi has been battling to save his governorship seat after a court order sacked him and his deputy from office over their defection from the PDP to the APC.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja held that their defection was unconstitutional and that they not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that guaranteed their re-election.

However, a Court of Appeal in Enugu upheld Umahi’s position as governor, stating that his defection was constitutional, though immoral.

Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta)

Okowa, who vacated the Delta North senatorial seat after one tenure in 2015 to become governor, is yet to publicly declare his intention to return to the Red Chamber after completing his second term in 2023, but feelers from the state indicate that the governor is planning to switch over to the parliament.

The reported move had set Okowa against his successor, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who is serving his second tenure and would want to continue in 2023. Determined to retain his Senate seat, Nwaoboshi, after falling apart with his governor, dumped the PDP for the APC.

Earlier this month, the Delta governor had said his next political move would soon be made public after consultation with stakeholders.

Reacting to speculations that Okowa had procured the PDP nomination and expression of interest forms for senatorial election, the state Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said it was within his boss’ constitutional right to return to the Red Chamber.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)

The coast has been cleared for Governor Ugwuanyi to move to the legislature in 2023 as the lawmaker representing his Enugu North senatorial district in the Red Chamber, Chukwuka Utazi, announced that he would not run for the senatorial seat.

Utazi, while addressing the delegates of the PDP from the senatorial district, said he decided not to contest to pave the way for the smooth emergence of Ugwuanyi as Enugu North senator in the 10th National Assembly.

“We will follow our brother and leader. We are going to be behind you, and pray that God would guide you to take this decision,” Utazi assured the governor, amid jubilation.

Darius Dickson Ishaku (Taraba)

Governor Ishaku has also commenced scheming to replace the senator representing his Taraba South senatorial district, Emmanuel Bwacha.

The frosty relationship between them forced Bwacha out of the PDP. The lawmaker said he left the party to escape the “apparent persecution” by his governor, whom he accused of being against his political progress.

“I have not made a public declaration about becoming a governor but there have been innuendos and insinuations. People have also been putting pressure on me to run for governor. And I overheard someone say that the only condition for me to sit with him (Ishaku) is if I would drop my gubernatorial ambition,” the lawmaker had said on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme.

Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto)

Tambuwal is a frontline presidential aspirant of the PDP. However, there are speculations in the state that his plan B is to contest the Sokoto South senatorial election if he loses the party’s presidential primary.

There are insinuations that the governor had asked one of his commissioners, Aminu Bala Bodinga, to buy the PDP form for the Sokoto South senatorial zone.

According to political watchers in the state, the governor took the decision because it would be easier for him to ‘retrieve’ the ticket from Bodinga than from Senator Ibrahim Danbaba, who is currently representing the senatorial district in the red chamber.

Danbaba, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, announced his defection to the APC on Wednesday, and many in the state linked his move to the governor’s purported political calculation.

Pundits said that even if Tambuwal got the PDP ticket for the Senate, it would not be an easy sail for him because the zone is a stronghold of the APC.

In 2019, the Sokoto South senatorial election was won by the APC candidate, Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal, but the seat was given to the PDP candidate by the court on technical grounds.

Also, all the members of the House of Representatives from Sokoto South are members of the APC except for Balarabe Kakale, who is representing Bodinga, Dange-Shuni, and Tureta federal constituency. He also got the seat through the court.

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Ibrahim Kashim, the Secretary to the Bauchi State Government has “secretly resigned” and been cleared by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to contest for the number one seat in the state.

A source privy to the “secret resignation” told WikkiTimes that the SSG “clandestinely submitted his resignation to Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed” in what looks like a secret pact between the duo.

“The resignation of Barrister Kashim was on the instruction of Governor Mohammed to help him reserve Bauchi 2023 PDP governorship ticket having set his eyes to vie for the Presidency.

“The reason for Kashim’s selection to get the nomination forms was to enable the governor to reclaim the ticket with ease if he eventually did not succeed in winning the PDP primaries,” a source familiar with the arrangement said. 

Governor Mohammed in January this year said he would aspire to be Nigeria’s President and still retain the governorship ticket.

Mohammed said the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, had taught him a political lesson on how he could vie for the presidency and return to claim his governorship ticket if he failed in his presidential bid.

“Bauchi can be better if I am at the centre. But certainly, we have to manage the two together. I told my brother and colleague that you should not be happy to send me forth so that you can take over the governorship; I am going to do the two together as Matawallen Sokoto. 

“I am going to test it and I am not going to give somebody who will not give me back when I come back,” Mohammed was quoted as saying.

Addressing a public gathering on January 28 at the Old Banquet Hall of the Bauchi State Government House, Bala Mohammed said he would give the governorship ticket to a close trusted aide so he could easily get it back if he failed to win the 2023 presidential ticket.

“One of my brothers, a formidable and astute politician, Matawalle Sokoto (Aminu Tambuwal) did it before, so we are going to also test it,” he said when referring to the strategy he had in mind to reserve the 2023 PDP governorship ticket for himself. 

In 2019, Tambuwal handed the governorship ticket to his deputy, but Mohammed opted to use his SSG whom he appointed about ten months ago. 

The SSG, who was recently screened by the party in the state, is being addressed as a former SSG during official functions at the Government House.
But his resignation has not been made public, ostensibly because of the “secret pact” he has with Mohammed.

However, despite being addressed as a former SSG, he still attends official functions of the Bauchi State Government. 

Kashim did not answer repeated calls and text messages sent to his mobile phone.

The former SSG did not also reply to a WhatsApp message sent to his mobile line.

Kashim and the eldest son of former Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu had indicated interest to contest the 2023 governorship election.

Speaking with SaharaReporters, a lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, opined that the governor had not committed a constitutional breach, as it had to do with party matters.

“You recall that Rochas Okorocha also did the same when he came for the presidential primaries in Lagos State. Also, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto did the same in 2019, and now it is Governor Bala’s turn. There is no constitutional breach; it is only a party matter. And if their party allows it, fine. What the constitution requires is Section 84 (12) that political appointees resign and in that, they have not offended,” he said.

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to prevent a recent attack on a Kaduna-bound train by terrorists and protect its victims. 

SERAP lamented Buhari government's “failure to protect the rights to life, security, and dignity of the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, and the failure to secure the safe release of those held captive by the terrorists”. 

Terrorists had on March 28 attacked the AK9 Abuja–Kaduna train, killing at least nine people, wounding several others, and abducting an unknown number of passengers. The victims have remained with the terrorists for over a month, despite repeated appeals for the government to free them from captivity.

The suit followed reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) failed to approve funds for surveillance equipment that could have helped to prevent the train attack.

In the suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/20/22 filed last week before the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP is seeking “a declaration that the train attack, abductions and killings of passengers by terrorists amount to a failure by the government to protect Nigerians, and to prevent these grave human rights violations.”

SERAP is also seeking “an order directing the Buhari government to protect, promote, and fulfil the human rights of Nigerians, including travellers across the country, by ensuring adequate security and taking measures to prevent attacks.”

The group also wants “an order directing the Buhari government to urgently find and identify all the passengers, victims and their families, and to pay adequate monetary compensation of N50 million to each of the passengers and victims and their families.”

In the suit filed together with an application for expedited hearing, SERAP is arguing that, “The Buhari government has a legal duty to protect individuals from real and immediate risks to their lives and security caused by actions of third-parties such as terrorists.”

 
According to the group, a "fundamental notion of contemporary human rights law is that victims of violations such as the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack enjoy an independent right to effective remedies. Rights without remedies are ineffectual, rendering illusory the government’s duty to protect such rights.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “The Buhari government is under a legal obligation to protect the life of every citizen in the country.

“Remedies logically should be proportionate to the gravity of the harm or violations caused by the government and its agents or by terrorists or unknown perpetrators.

“Human life has a special value and dignity which requires legal protection. It is the principle of international law, and even a general conception of law, that any breach of an engagement involves an obligation to make reparation.

“The officials of the Buhari government have publicly stated that they knew or had information that an attack on the train was imminent but the government failed and/or neglected to take measures to prevent the train attack.

“The government will still be held accountable for failing or neglecting to guarantee and protect human rights regardless of whether such violations are directly or indirectly attributable to the government or its officials.

“The Buhari government has an obligation to promote and protect the rights to life, security and dignity. This obligation means that the government must create an enabling environment that facilitates the enjoyment of these rights by the people.

“The failure of the Buhari government to protect and guarantee the rights to life, security, liberty and dignity of the passengers and victims of the train attack violates the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.

 

“The Buhari government and the Nigeria Railway Corporation had ignored several warnings in the past to take preventive measures to provide adequate security for the train services, and to suspend late rail services to prevent attack by terrorists and to ensure the security and safety of passengers.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application for expedited hearing, and the substantive suit.

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Amid threats by terrorists to attack important places, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has assured the Muslim faithful and other residents in the territory of safety during the Sallah celebration.

In a statement by the spokesperson for the command, DSP Josephine Adeh, the Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday, said robust security architecture had already been deployed for the celebration, noting that the operation was designed to ensure watertight security at all places of worship and their environs.

File photo used to illustrate story.

The statement reads, “The Command wishes to emphatically enjoin members of the public to go about their lawful businesses without the fear of harassment or molestation of any kind from any quarters in this period and beyond.

“In addition to the above, the CP, while highlighting the importance of the holy month of Ramadan, called on the faithful to take advantage of the blessings and the values attached to the season in seeking peace, adherence to the laws of the land, and above all, love for fellow humans.”

The Command further urged the people of the FCT not to relent in cooperating with the police and to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrence in the city through the emergency lines.

Last Tuesday, the Department of State Services, DSS, alerted Nigerians to the plan by terrorists to bomb public places in the country.

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Seventy-five inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ibara Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Old Abeokuta, Ogun State, have become church ministers after bagging Diploma certificates in Theology.

It was gathered that the inmates had undergone a six-month training at the seminary, geared towards reforming and rehabilitating them.

The programme had the combined efforts of other ministers of God who repeatedly visited the facility to teach the graduating students.

At the graduation ceremony held on the premises of the custodial centre, the National Director of the project, Dr Olamide Emmanuel, said the event was an effort to reform and rehabilitate criminal minds, Daily Post reports.

“We combined efforts with some men of God to work at the custodial centre here. We have about 75 of them who have distinguished themselves to serve God. Some of them have been released and they have started work outside. The programme is in three stages and it’s already a year today.

“We discovered that many leave this place destitutely with nothing to fall back on. They are castigated outside, they are stigmatised. But, through the help of Ministers of God, we built their psyche so that they will know this is not the end of life, better things are there for them outside,” he said.

Dr Emmanuel disclosed that the third stage of the programme would produce graduates with bachelor’s degrees in Theology, saying, “We have those who are qualified for that already.”

The Deputy Controller of Corrections, Oshin Bamidele, who is in charge of the Ibara Maximum Security Custodial Centre, held that the duty of correctional officers is to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate.

“As correctional officers, our mandate is to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate back into the society. We achieve this through educational programmes and religious activities. These are 75 inmates who have gone through a theological school known as a seminary. We have seen very radical changes in them,” Oshin said, appreciating the NCoS Controller General, Haliru Nababa for allowing them to impact the lives of the inmates.

Speaking with newsmen, the Social Welfare Officer of the centre, AbdulAkeem Awesu, said, “Today we are graduating 75 of our Christian inmates who have distinguished themselves in the school of seminary. This programme is under religious education for the inmates. They will be awarded a diploma.”

According to him, the training was not just to train pastors, but for moral modification, spiritual attention and protection

“This goes beyond being a pastor. It has to do with moral modification, spiritual attention and protection, as well as inculcating discipline and the word of God into them. Being a pastor is a thing of choice, but they have undergone the process of reformation and rehabilitation. My advice for them is to keep it up,” Awesu said.

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The Jigawa State Hisbah Command says it has deployed 1,223 of its personnel to impose a ban on dance parties, gala and other alleged social vices, especially during the Eid-El-Fitr celebration.

The state commandant, Ibrahim Dahiru, stated this in a release issued to newsmen in Dutse, the state capital.

He said the personnel were deployed to mosques and other public places where the Sallah celebration would take place across the state for the maintenance of law and order.

Dahiru added that the command had also banned the sale and use of firecrackers during the period.

He noted that during the period, Hisbah guards would patrol areas to ensure the arrest of those who engaged in immoral activities.

The state commandant, therefore, advised parents to monitor the movements of their wards, especially during the Sallah festivities.  

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Goodluck Jonathan

Some youths in Kano State have held a protest and given a seven-day ultimatum to former President Goodluck Jonathan to declare interest in the 2023 Presidency, Daily Trust reports.

The youths, in their hundreds, thronged the Kano State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Saturday, after staging a rally around some strategic places in the city.

Goodluck Jonathan Getty Images

They wielded banners, posters, and placards with different inscriptions showing their support for the former president.

Some of the banners and placards had inscriptions such as “Jonathan Don’t Abandon Us”, “Come To The Rescue Of Our Country”, “Jonathan, You Must Run”, and so on.

SaharaReporters had in several reports exposed how a cabal in the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been pushing for Jonathan to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, but later became disappointed when Jonathan failed to meet some of the conditions they had given to him. 

Speaking at the NUJ secretariat, the Coordinator of Jonathan Support Organisation, Mubashir Tafida, said Nigeria is in a sorry state and only a man like Jonathan could fix the problems.

Tafida added that if the former president did not declare his intention to run, two million youths would storm his office and force him to contest.

“Economic instability in Nigeria is taking its toll. That needs a man like Jonathan to be fixed. When he was president, there was no hunger and poverty. Our destiny lies in his hands. He is our father, and as children, we appeal to him to contest for election in order to save us from the present hardship in Nigeria.

“So, we give him a seven-day ultimatum to declare for the presidency or we will throng his office with 2 million youths to force him to declare. Our destiny lies in his decision to run.”

The Coordinator also stated that they did not care if Jonathan chose to contest on the platform of any political party as long he ran for President. 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

No fewer than five passengers, including a vigilante, were killed along the Sabon Gari-Kampani Road in the Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The victims were killed by suspected terrorists, locally dubbed bandits, operating in the area, according to Daily Trust.

File photo used to illustrate story.

According to Abdullahi Usman, a resident of Wase town, the vigilante and one other person were ambushed, while the remaining three were killed during a stop-and-search operation by the bandits.

Usman added that more than 20 passengers were kidnapped in the incident.

He said, “The vigilante and one other person were on a motorcycle from Sabon- Gari to Kampani when the bandits attacked them. They killed them and went away with the motorcycle. 

“Later, when the villagers were returning after market hours, they were stopped and kidnapped. Three of them were killed.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, said he had not been informed about the incident, but promised to get back. 

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Benue state map

Two personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and two other villagers have been killed in separate attacks in Benue State by terrorists. 

Witnesses said that the security personnel were killed while on duty on Friday at a waterside vicinity in Wadata axis of Makurdi Local Government Area while the villagers were hacked to death in Logo LGA of the state.

Benue state map

A resident told Daily Trust that the NSCDC personnel encountered some armed invaders, who opened fire on them.

The other two deceased, according to a community leader, who pleaded anonymity, were attacked on Thursday evening at Tse Tume in Turan council ward of Logo while they were working on their farm.

The community leader gave their names as Terkende Injarwua and Mfaiga Ukor, adding that their corpses had been recovered and buried on Friday.

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A 102-year-old presidential aspirant, Chief (Mrs) Josephine Ezeanyaeche, has called on anti-graft agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission to arrest and prosecute any politician or group buying N100million nomination form of any political party.

Ezeanyaeche said if the anti-graft agencies were truly independent and alive to their responsibilities, they should not be reminded that no politician would cough up the amount of money without stealing public funds.

According to PUNCH, the centenarian stated this on Saturday when she presented the nomination form of her party, African Action Congress, to her people in Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

She also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and every other relevant agency to create laws to peg the amount spent on nomination forms and electioneering as part of measures to reduce corruption.

She lamented that current politicians had run the country aground and as one of the founding members of Nigeria, she cannot continue to keep quiet while the country degenerates further.

She said her joining the 2023 presidential race was to bring a disruptive change as the youth of the country have failed to take up the challenge.

She noted that many aspirants from the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are running to the AAC, her party, because of the exorbitant price of their nomination form.

Despite this, she said she was still optimistic about making an appreciable impact in the party’s primaries taking place on June 30.

Ezeanyaeche, who is also the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Voice of the Senior Citizens of Nigeria, pointed out that the huge price some parties place on nomination forms is a means of eliminating good people from participating in politics, as by so doing, throwing up “potential criminals with the tendency to go into offices to steal.”

She said, “I have come to tell my people that I have picked the nomination form of my party, AAC. Although, the party has been flooded by aspirants who ran away from the APC and PDP because of the huge price of their nomination forms.

“But despite this, I am very optimistic that I will make an appreciable impact because the 2023 general elections will bring disruptive change in this country. So, the youth must come out of hiding on social media and take their destinies from the politicians.

“I have never seen a thing like this all over the world that politicians will pay such amount on the nomination form. It shows they are a group of potential criminals with the intention to go and steal because the remuneration of the office they are paying such amount for cannot recoup the money back to them in the four years without them stealing.”

The 102-year-old politician added that an enabling environment should be created for the youth to conveniently come on board in the polity.

“It is also surprising that our anti-graft agencies are watching as politicians will be paying as much as N100million buying nomination forms. This is a deliberate means of excluding the youths. Since 1999, we have never heard of such a thing like this, but Nigerians should be wiser.

“Our votes must count in the 2023 elections, although you can’t have a totally free and fair election anywhere in the world, but Nigerians must demand that their votes count in the next election,” she added. 

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The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Monday as the first day of Shawwal.

The Sultan made the declaration after no positive sighting claims were received from members of the National Moonsighting Committee and other Emirates.

“The Sultanate Council Sokoto, has declared Monday 2/5/2022 as the first day of Shuwal 1443 AH,” the Secretary of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), Mallam Yahaya Muhammad Boyi," said in a terse statement on Saturday night.

Muslims in the country would now celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri on Monday being the first day of Shawwal.

Director of Administration of the NSCIA, Arc. Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, had on Friday in a statement urged Muslims across the country to look for the new moon of Shawwal on Saturday.

Daily Trust reports that this year’s Ramadan also continues on Sunday in Saudi Arabia and some other countries across the world.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court as saying the Shawwal crescent was not sighted on Saturday and thus Ramadan continued on Sunday.

The oil-rich kingdom also announced on Saturday that Muslims in the country will celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri on Monday.

The UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain among others also said that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be on Monday, May 2.

The sighting of the crescent moon on Saturday would have marked the end of Ramadan and the start of the next month of Shawwal on Sunday.

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Map of Rivers State

Abraham Yorka, a pastor, has been shot dead in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
It was learnt that some gunmen invaded Yorka’s community, Oloko, and killed him.

Map of Rivers State
A member of the community, who identified himself as Monday Piit, told reporters that the men of Oloko went to eat after working on a community farmland when they heard the shouts of women and children.
Piit disclosed that the gunmen burnt down houses, shot at people and also burnt their victim’s motorcycle. 
He stated that it was later that the Oloko community discovered it was a local Vigilante group from a neigbouring community in Oyigbo Local Government Area that were behind the incident.
He said some of the persons, who escaped from the assailants, disclosed their identities.
Piit also alleged that some of the natives of Oloko community were still missing.
Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Grace Koko, was not available for comments as of press time.

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