Following the declaration of one Olafisoye Akinmoyede, one of the alleged killers of a lawmaker that represented Lagelu/ Akinyele federal constituency in Oyo State between 2015 and 2019, Temitope Olatoye popularly called Sugar, a group under the umbrella of Lagelu Legacy Youth Movement has kicked against the move.

The group challenged the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to present a credible candidate with a good antecedent for 2023 elections.

SaharaReporters reports that Olafisoye is a former local government chairman in the Lagelu local government area of the state and a former lawmaker representing the council in the state House of Assembly.

He was allegedly involved in the killing of Temitope Sugar.

Olafisoye was arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of Olatoye Sugar in 2019 but discharged and acquitted by the Oyo State High Court for lack of merit in the suit.

The chairman of group, Dauda Adebakin, gave the warning about fielding Olafisoye in a statement in Ibadan, on Wednesday. 

The statement reads, “Our group, Legacy Youth Movement, is a non-political group, but part of our aims and objectives is to advocate for good governance and a change of leadership that will enhance the quality of life of Oyo State residents.

"We need to articulate our thought and minds to ensure that only credible and qualified candidates are elected into political offices comes 2023.

"Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to present House of representatives member, representing Lagelu, Akinyele federal constituency, Hon. George Oluokun, where he said he has no intention to contest in 2023 election to return as lawmaker to the green chamber in Abuja, this gave people of Lagelu, Akinyele federal constituency a big relief as we were given a life line and opportunity to shuffle for a credible lawmaker who will perform to expectation and redeem the lost glory of the constituency.

“But in dismay we heard that Olafisoye Akinmoyede has expressed willingness to take up a challenge for the vacant seat. At this juncture, if APC dares the needed peace of Lagelu, Akinyele and makes Akinmoyede smell the party ticket, then it will appear to the people of Oyo State connected to history that Oyo APC is connected to criminality, in which the good people of Lagelu Akinyele federal constituency would vehemently reject at the poll.”

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Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State

A report by Economic Confidential has revealed how the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, awarded a road contract in 2019 to a non-existent construction company.

According to the report, a total of N110million was approved for the construction of the Ado Bayero Road, which is currently in a state of disrepair.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State

The Ado Bayero Road Network project at Dorayi Babba in the Gwale local government area of the state was first awarded in 2019 by the State Executive Council chaired by Governor Ganduje and a total sum of N110million had been approved for it across the 2019, 2020 and 2021 budgets.

Based on the measurement of a certified surveyor and testimonies by residents of the community, the abandoned project is just a 1-kilometre road.

Meanwhile, the construction company to which the contract is awarded, STONEGATE QUARIES LIMITED is “unlicensed, unregistered and untraceable.”

Efforts to get details of the company from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), showed that it did not have a legal presence as it was not registered.

Also, keyword search of the company's name and status on popular search engine, Google brought no results.

However, an official status report generated on 31st of March, 2022 from the CAC revealed the existence of another construction company similar to the one in question, but with different names and addresses.

The construction company to which the Kano State Government awarded the road contract to is “STONEGATE QUARIES LTD” situated at 1011 Domkat Bali LN. Mabushi District, Abuja while the company found on the CAC website with a similar but different detail is an inactive company named “STONEGATE ENGINEERING AND QUARIES LTD” situated at No. 5, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, FCT.

In spite of the approval of N110million since 2019, community residents have spent more than N14million on the repair of the road to ease their movements.

It was learnt that the area had potholes, sinkholes, uneven surfaces and the shredded condition of the road as well as the lack of a drainage system. Residents also complained that the road has been in that condition for the past 14 years.

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Simon Harry, the statistician-general of the federation, is dead

He died on Wednesday morning in Abuja.

Harry was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2021 to replace Yemi Kale as the statistician-general of the federation to head the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The rumour of his death went around at the weekend, but was debunked by the NBS.

Sunday Ichedi, head of communication and public relations department, confirmed to TheCable in a telephone conversation that the NBS chief died on Wednesday morning.

Harry joined the erstwhile Federal Office of Statistics as statistician 11 in 1992 and rose to the position of director of statistics in 2019.

Before his appointment as the statistician-general of the federation, Harry was the director of corporate planning and technical coordination, department of the NBS — with almost three decades of statistical experience.

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A student of Ibadan City Polytechnic, Ogundipe Daniel Gbenga, has allegedly been languishing in a police cell for over three days on the orders of the management of the school over his Facebook posts.

SaharaReporters learnt that Ogundipe was taken to Monatan (Alabebe) police station by the School's public relations officer, where his phone was seized from him, after which he was locked up.

Human rights and pro-democracy group, Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), Oyo State chapter in a statement demanded the immediate release of the student. 

The statement read, “TIB was informed about the frivolous case between Ogundipe Daniel Gbenga, a student of Ibadan City Polytechnic for publicly calling out the school authority on social media.

“We were told the school PRO dubiously drove him down to the station, after his meeting with panellists and he was detained.

“TIB sees the unwarranted detention of Ogundipe Daniel Gbenga, the student of Ibadan City Polytechnic by police officers at Monatan (Alabebe) police station for two days without making contact with any of his relatives, as an act of illegality and it's uncalled for.

“If the school management could go to that length to quench a student's voice, imagine what would happen if that set of managers eventually gets to be in charge of public offices. That vicious act revealed how bad our educational system is and widely exposed the kind of knowledge the school authorities are dishing out to students. 

“TIB promised this won't go unchallenged, because we believe this kind of situation tends to limit the students' ability to ask questions and it creates unnecessary fear in the vibrant students within the campus."

“We also urge the Ibadan City Polytechnic management to carefully look into the matter and do the needful. As far as we're concerned, Ogundipe Taiwo Gbenga acted within his right which shouldn't be denied,” it added. 

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Olusegun Obasanjo

The Nigerian government has again made fresh submissions before the London Commercial Court, where Nigeria is suing JP Morgan Chase Bank and established that former Attorney-General, Mohammed Bello Adoke, was complicit in the controversial sale of the OPL 245 oil bloc licence to Shell and Eni, despite the firm having no formal connection to the deal.

In its final written submission to the court, the Nigerian government referenced an interview granted by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, where he emphatically denied knowledge of the much touted 2006 deal referenced by Adoke in supporting the out-of-court settlement between Malabu and Federal Government.

Olusegun Obasanjo

In 2006, Malabu lost a case instituted by the company to have the OPL245 license withdrawn by the government return to it.

That was all the country needed to take full control of the license after the earlier revocation via executive fiat.

This revocation and court decision by the Federal High Court was the position throughout the period ex-President, Umar Yar'adua, was in office but suddenly changed after Jonathan assumed office and Adoke appointed as Justice Minister.

The ministry under Adoke entered into a settlement agreement to return a licence lost through the court to Malabu, even without an appeal challenging the High Court decision delivered against Malabu. Adoke claims, albeit falsely, that Obasanjo sanctioned the out of court settlement.

According to the Nigerian government in its submission, “79. Third, JPM argues that it is a “fair inference” that the 2006 Settlement must have been considered and approved by the then-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, who is not accused in these proceedings of any wrongdoing. However, Mr Obasanjo himself has emphatically denied this. In a 2017 interview with the Nigerian Newspaper Premium Times, Mr Obasanjo said that he knew nothing about this deal and was not part of it; and would not have done so, because, he “could not have approved a deal with Dan Etete. What Etete did is the height of corruption. He appropriated the asset to himself illegally, illegitimately and immorally”. That is the approach that Mr Ojo (and Mr Adoke) should have taken to dealing with Etete – but of course, they did not."

Obasanjo had granted an interview to deny the claims of his approval of an out-of-court settlement or have knowledge of it.

In the interview with Premium Times in 2017, the former President warned Adoke to cease further mention of his name in the controversial $1.1 billion Malabu Oil deal.

Obasanjo said he considered the controversial award of OPL 245 oil field licence as the “height of corruption,” and, as such, could not have participated in negotiations that led to it.

“I don’t support that kind of conduct,” he was quoted as saying.

His rebuttal came a day after Adoke distributed excerpts of a petition he sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, alleging victimisation and persecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Adoke had told his successor to call the anti-graft agency to order because he was not the only official who acted on behalf of Nigeria in brokering the Malabu Oil deal with international oil majors that included Shell and Eni.

He specifically mentioned Obasanjo’s name, alongside his two successors and their appointees.

“I believe it is your responsibility to explain to the public who are being sold a fiction that the transaction started from President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR under whose administration the Terms of Settlement were brokered with Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, as the then Attorney General who executed the Terms of Settlement before the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR who approved the final implementation of the Terms of Settlement and my humble self who executed the resolution agreements,” Adoke had said in the petition dated March 6.

“This is more so as the settlement and its implementation were situated in the Federal Ministry of Justice.”

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sacked Tochukwu Okorie as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State.

Justice A. Abubakar on Wednesday handed over the leadership of the party to Joseph Onu Silas.

Following the outcome of the PDP Chairmanship election that brought in Okorie, Silas, who emerged second, sought redress in court, Politics Nigeria reports.

It was learnt that the court granted all the four reliefs prayed by the plaintiff.

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The Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Wednesday, in Abuja, affirmed the six years imprisonment imposed on former Federal Director of Pensions (FDP), John Yusuf, who was accused of stealing N32.8billion police pension money.

He was also asked to refund N22.9billion.

The N22.9billion huge sum was part of the police pension fund he admitted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory FCT to have been misappropriated.

Justice Tijjani Abubakar, in a judgment in an appeal filed by Yusuf, upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which in 2018 sent him to six years imprisonment, in addition to the refund of the huge sum.

The apex court held that Yusuf and others engaging in fraudulent practices must be told through court judgments that it was no longer business as usual.

Justice Abubakar said that the appeal of the former federal pension director seeking to set aside the six years jail term against him was frivolous, vexatious and devoid of merit.

He further held that victims of the convicted director deserved restitution which could only be achieved through justice.

Yusuf had dragged the Nigerian government before the apex court seeking to overturn the six years imprisonment slammed on him by the Court of Appeal.

The former pensions director, who is serving the six years jail term at the Kuje prison, also asked the Supreme Court to set aside the whopping sum of N22.9 billion naira he was ordered to refund the government by the Court of Appeal in a 2018 judgment.

He was sent to prison in 2018 by the Court of Appeal in Abuja upon being found guilty of defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N22.9 billion naira through Police Pensions.

In his appeal lodged with the Supreme Court, he prayed the apex court to set aside his conviction and the order that he should refund N22.9billion.

His main grouse is that the Court of Appeal did not serve justice in its judgment.

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Former Nigerian football player, Emmanuel Emenike, says he is in pain as he shares a video of himself in a hospital bed.

In the video posted on his verified Instagram page in the early hours of Wednesday, the footballer complained about “too much” pain.

In the short and muted clip, the hunky striker laid on a hospital bed with a cannula embedded into the back of his palm while he was being administered intravenous fluids by a medic.

Emenike, however, didn’t state the nature of his illness, but according to him, his heart could not carry it anymore.

“God is good, the pain is too much for me, and my heart cannot carry it anymore,” he captioned the video.

Hours later, Emenike took down the post from his page.

Before it was deleted, the post had garnered several well-wishes from former Super Eagles teammates like Ogenyi Onazi, Vincent Enyeama and Nwankwo Kanu, alongside many star entertainers.

Emenike made his international debut in a friendly against Sierra Leone in Lagos in February 2011. He would get his first goal for Nigeria in a 4-1 mauling of a second-string Argentina side in Abuja later that year.

He was the top scorer at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa, helping Nigeria lift its much-awaited third continental trophy.

He made 37 appearances for the Super Eagles and scored nine goals before retiring from the national team in 2015.

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Terrorists, on Tuesday evening, abducted a woman identified as Malama Badiyya Shamsu and her three children from the Jabiri Quarters, Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to reports, the gunmen invaded the home of one Malam Shamsudeen Muhammad Kalgo at about around 1am and whisked away the woman and their children, Almustapha Shamsu, 12, Zainab, 9, and Halima Siyama Shamsu, 6.

The whereabouts of the victims remains unknown as the terrorists had yet to contact the family or make demands for ransom payment.

Katsina has been in the grip of terrorists, locally known as bandits since the coming of the Muhammadu Buhari and despite being his home state.

SaharaReporters had on April 8 reported that terrorists also kidnapped an unspecified number of residents in Danjanku village, Musawa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

According to residents who escaped the incident, the bandits stormed the community and operated for many hours.

In their account, they claimed the bandits arrived in the village on motorcycles and started shooting indiscriminately. They abducted some locals and escaped with them into the forest.

Barely a week ago, five persons were killed by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Yantumaki, Danmusa Local Government Area of the state.

Danmusa, which is on the boundary of Rugu Forest, is one of the main hideouts for gunmen commonly referred to as bandits.

Over 700 people have been reportedly killed by the gunmen in Jibia, Kankara, Dutsinma, Musawa, Danmusa and Safana local government areas of the state in the last five months.

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Omoyele Sowore during #EndSARS protest in Abuja.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upturned the ruling of the Federal High Court confining human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since August 2019.

A three-man panel led by Justice Tsammani made the judgement on Wednesday.

Omoyele Sowore during #EndSARS protest in Abuja.

Operatives of the Department of State Services had arrested Sowore in the early hours of August 3, 2019 for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The activist was kept in unlawful detention from that period until December 5, 2019 when he was finally released on bail despite two court orders earlier sanctioning his freedom.

In a twist of event, DSS operatives invaded the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 6, 2019 to rearrest him without any court order.

He remained in unlawful detention until 18 days later when he was released by the secret police for the second time.

The trial judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, had granted Sowore N100million bail with two sureties who must be residents of Abuja and have landed properties within the Federal Capital Territory.

The judge also ordered that one of the sureties must deposit N30million with the court pending the determination of the case.

Sowore was also restricted to the Federal Capital Territory pending the determination of the case.

The activist however, approached the Appeal Court over the stringent bail conditions especially his restriction to Abuja.

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The Take-It-Back movement has warned that it will embark on protests in Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over the Delta State Commissioner of Police’s perversion of justice and intimidation of its state coordinator, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, who reported cases of child trafficking to the police which were now being turned against him.

The national leadership of Take-It-Back in a release on Wednesday obtained by SaharaReporters noted that it would do everything within the law “to resist this act of abuse of office by the Commissioner of Police, Ari Mohammed Ali, who wants to turn the accuser to the accused.”

The statement was signed by Enefaa Georgewill, the National Organising Secretary, Take It Back Movement, Nigeria.

SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported that the Delta police command, Asaba, vowed to bring to justice, Aghogho, over what it called “numerous criminal cases against him with a view to escaping justice.”

The command also said it warned the activist against what it termed “dragging the good name of the command to the mud and making unguarded utterances that are capable of bringing the name of the CP into disrepute.”

The Take-It-Back Movement, Delta state chapter, had in a letter addressed to the State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Asaba and copied to the Executive Secretary of the Commission and the Inspector-General of Police, called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the state commissioner of police, Ari Mohammed Ali, over his alleged involvement in child trafficking, banditry and terrorism acts allegedly committed against children in the state.

On Wednesday, in a further reaction, the Take-It-Back national leadership said, “The National leadership of the Take It Back Movement, Nigeria agrees with the Delta chapter of our organisation that the Delta State Commissioner of Police has violated express provisions of the Child Rights Act, over his inability to produce records and whereabouts of exploited children transferred from police stations within and around Delta State, especially within the period he resumed office as Commissioner of Police in the State.

“The national leadership of TIB insists there is a clear demarcation in the definition between ‘The Nigeria Police Force’ and the ‘Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs’ as stated in our laws. “We therefore see as diversionary the attempt by the Delta State Commissioner of Police of misleading and misdirecting himself in dealing with children in the state outside the provisions of the law.

“May we remind the CP and the general public that, there was a press statement dated 11/4/2022 credited to one DSP Bright Edafe, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command citing some provisions of the law which do not connect the Nigeria Police Force with the Delta State Government.

“The said DSP Bright Edafe mentioned in the said press statement that the police transferred the children to the state government. We dare say he turned a blind eye to the clear provision of the Act empowering the Nigeria Police Force to hand over children to the Delta State Government vide the express provision of Section 44 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows:

"Where the specialised children police in a state have reasonable cause to believe that a child is otherwise likely to suffer significant harm, a specialised police officer may take the child into police protection by-(a) removing the child to an Emergency Protection Centre or any other approved suitable accommodation and keeping the child there or(b) taking such steps as are reasonable to prevent the child from being removed from any hospital, or other place, in which the child is then being accommodated.(2) As soon as is reasonable practicable after taking a child into Police protection, the Police Officer concerned shall-(a) inform the State Government within whose area the child was taken of the steps that have been, and are to be taken with respect to the child under this section and the reasons for taking those steps(b) give details of the case to the appropriate authority within whose area the child is ordinarily resident, that is, the appropriate authority of the place in which the child is being accommodated.(4) A Police officer designated under subsection (3) (c) of this section shall, on completing an enquiry under that subsection, release the child from Police protection unless he considers that there is still reasonable cause for believing that the child is likely to suffer significant harm if released.(5) No child may be kept in Police protection for more than seventy-two hours.(6) While a child is being kept in Police protection, two designated officer may apply on behalf of the appropriate authority for an emergency protection order to be made under section 42 of this Act with respect to the child.(7) An application may be made under subsection (6) of this section whether or not the appropriate authority knows of it or agrees to its being made.

“The essence of the above law or the intendment of the draftman, is to make sure there is adequate records of these children and for it to be practically impossible for any third party to steal these children without trace. The very action or failure of the Delta CP is the main issue the law is intended to cure, as there were complaints by citizens that children have been missing through official lacunas like this.

“The police boycotted the aforesaid provisions of the law and created the same lacuna that had made the police to fail to show records of these children under the watch of the Commissioner of Police. This is why the Delta branch of our organisation reasonably suspects the CP may have a hand in the trafficking of children in their custody which has led to the disappeance of thousands of children and even when the Inspector-General of Police directed the CP via a letter dated 14/10/2021, referenced CB: 7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.557/184, to deal with the content of the aforesaid Petition titled “Re: in the case of the alleged abduction and trafficking of over ten thousand children through the Delta State Police Command” the said CP refused to carry out the said order to date.

“On the issue of numerous criminal cases as alleged by DSP Bright Edafe against Delta State Coordinator of Take It Back Movement, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho for exposing this inhuman conduct of the police, we are challenging the Delta State Commissioner of Police to outline these cases which have not been brought to the knowledge of Comrade Aghogho, as we have done the needful by making a formal report of alleged frame up to the National Human Commission Asaba to investigate the unprofessional conduct of the CP.

“Finally, the national leadership of the Take It Back Movement will not fold its hand and watch the Commissioner of Police, Delta State to intimidate, harass and frame up the Delta State branch Chairman of our organisation. We will do everything within the law, including protest in Abuja and Delta State to resist this act of abuse of office by the Commissioner of Police who wants to turn the accuser to the accused.”

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File photo used to illustrate story.

A young man identified as Isaac Chukwu AKA Ochudo has been reportedly killed by unknown men just few days to his wedding in Ebonyi State.

Family and friends who took to social media to mourn him after his demise, noted that Ochudo was about to close from his shop when the gunmen attacked and killed him at the spot.

File photo used to illustrate story.

It was learnt that the deceased had already concluded arrangements for the wedding before the incident happened.

A brother to the deceased said Ochudo who is from Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State was killed by suspected assassins.

“He owned two shops, one in the street where he sold provisions and the next one at the international market, Abakaliki. He was assassinated in one of his shops at night after he had closed at night. He and his wife had locked their shop only for him to enter inside his car, and some unidentified men on the bike rushed towards him and shot him twice,” the brother noted.

 

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Former president of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Sepp Blatter, and ex-UEFA President, Michel Platini, will face Swiss corruption charges in June 2022 over a $2million (£1.4 Million) payment made to the latter by the world governing body of football.

Blatter and Platini have repeatedly denied Involvement in the incident, for which the Swiss prosecutors charge them in November.

The case is about Platini’s written request to FIFA in January 2011 to be paid a backdated additional salary for working as a presidential adviser in Blatter’s first term, from 1998 to 2002.

Blatter allegedly authorised FIFA to make the payment within weeks at that time he was preparing for his re-election campaign against Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam and Platini’s influence on the European Vote was a key factor.

Prosecutors alleged that Blatter improperly arranged the payment to Platini, who captained France to victory in the 1984 European Championship, in 2011 for consulting work. Blatter and Platini said the payment was for backdated salary.

Both are suspected of fraud and other charges amid what became part of the biggest corruption scandal to shake FIFA.

The case from September 2015 ousted Blatter ahead of schedule as FIFA president and ended then-UEFA president Platini’s campaign to succeed his former mentor.

Blatter, who led FIFA for 17 years, resigned in 2015, followed by Platini in 2016. Both were handed six-year bans for ethics violations.

The trial before the Swiss Federal Criminal Court is due to start on June 8 and last until June 22, the court said on its website.

The office of Blatter’s attorney declined to comment. At the time of his indictment, Blatter said, “I look forward to the trial before the Federal Criminal Court with optimism and I hope that this story will come to an end and that all the facts will be dealt with properly.”

Platini’s Swiss lawyer was not immediately available for comment. In the past he has said his client was innocent and the case should have been dropped long ago.

The court said Blatter and Platini are accused of having unlawfully obtained, to the detriment of FIFA, the payment of 2 million Swiss francs (£16.5m) and social security contributions worth around 229,000 francs for Platini.

“Among other things, Michel Francois Platini had submitted to FIFA in 2011 a presumably fictitious invoice for an (allegedly) still existing claim for his consulting activities for FIFA in the years 1998 to 2002,” it said.

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Peter, the husband of Osinachi Nwachukwu, the deceased gospel musician has been alleged to have previously married a woman and kept the relationship secret before meeting the gospel singer.

According to Vanguard, Peter who allegedly beat his wife to death was believed to have wedded another woman with whom he shares a romantic relationship in a church but hid the union from Osinachi and her family.

The hidden relationship was however exposed when one of the children of the deceased found an old photo album hidden in his father’s room.

The child, whose name is withheld for apparent reasons, said their mother had suspicions that their father was having a secret affair, but could not lay her hands on any concrete evidence.

A family source said, “We never knew Nwachukwu was previously married to another woman. If ever we knew about it prior to now, we may not have allowed Osinachi to marry him. Osinachi must have been through a lot of pain which she, unfortunately, kept away from us.”

SaharaReporters had reported that Osinachi’s death was announced on Friday night.

Some reports had said the singer died in the hospital after suffering from domestic violence from her husband.

Osinachi’s sister, who is the first daughter of the family and was identified as Ms Favor Made, confirmed the reports on Sunday, saying that Osinachi died as a result of a cluster of blood in the chest.

She said the late suffered from a blood clot after the kicking she received from her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.

Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination would be carried out to ascertain the cause of Osinachi’s death on Wednesday at the National HospitalPeter, the husband of Osinachi Nwachukwu, the deceased gospel musician has been alleged to have previously married a woman and kept the relationship secret before meeting the gospel singer.

According to Vanguard, Peter who allegedly beat his wife to death was believed to have wedded another woman with whom he shares a romantic relationship in a church but hid the union from Osinachi and her family.

The hidden relationship was however exposed when one of the children of the deceased found an old photo album hidden in his father’s room.

The child, whose name is withheld for apparent reasons, said their mother had suspicions that their father was having a secret affair, but could not lay her hands on any concrete evidence.

A family source said, “We never knew Nwachukwu was previously married to another woman. If ever we knew about it prior to now, we may not have allowed Osinachi to marry him. Osinachi must have been through a lot of pain which she, unfortunately, kept away from us.”

SaharaReporters had reported that Osinachi’s death was announced on Friday night.

Some reports had said the singer died in the hospital after suffering from domestic violence from her husband.

Osinachi’s sister, who is the first daughter of the family and was identified as Ms Favor Made, confirmed the reports on Sunday, saying that Osinachi died as a result of a cluster of blood in the chest.

She said the late suffered from a blood clot after the kicking she received from her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.

Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination would be carried out to ascertain the cause of Osinachi’s death on Wednesday at the National Hospital, Abuja.

, Abuja.

 

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Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said peace talks with Kyiv had reached a dead end, as Moscow’s forces on Tuesday bombarded Ukrainian military positions and residential areas in the country’s east and unleashed new rocket attacks.

The Russian leader claimed that Kyiv had deviated from agreements struck in Istanbul.

In his first extended comments on the war since last month, Putin on Tuesday, speaking publicly about Russia’s military activity after a prolonged silence on the issue, said that without an agreement acceptable to the Kremlin, Russian forces would continue their offensive.

“We reached a certain level of agreements in Istanbul, which stated that security guarantees for Ukraine would not spread to Crimea, Sevastopol and Donbas.

“We acted to create conditions to continue talks,” he added. “Instead, we faced the provocation in Bucha and, what’s most important; the Ukrainian side deviated from the Istanbul agreements.

“The security demands are one thing, and issues of regulating relations on Crimea, Sevastopol and Donbas are taken outside of those agreements. So we are back to the dead-end situation.”

“Ukraine’s 'inconsistency' on critical issues made it difficult to achieve a final agreement, and until we see that, the operation will continue to its complete end,” he claimed.

Putin called a civilian massacre in Bucha, a town near Kyiv, a “provocation” against Moscow. He said allegations that people died at the hands of Russian soldiers were “fake news” from the US.

Ukraine meanwhile has said Russia was responsible.

The Russian president added that his military operation in Ukraine was going according to plan.

“I often hear questions whether it is possible to move any faster. It is possible. It depends on the intensity of military action, and the intensity of military action is unfortunately one way or another linked with losses,” Putin said at a media conference with his Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, according to Interfax.

“Our task is to achieve the set goals while minimising losses. And we will move rhythmically, calmly, according to plan, which was initially proposed by the general staff,” the Russian president said.

The activity in Ukraine “was only aimed at immobilising forces, attacking and destroying military infrastructure”, he added.

The latest figures from the UN Human Rights office show more than 1,800 civilians have been killed and almost 2,500 injured since the conflict began in February, Financial Times reports.

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Many students have been abducted by terrorists in Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area of (LGA), Zamfara State.

SaharaReporters confirmed from multiple sources that the terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, raided Tsafe town on Tuesday night and abducted a lot of students of the College of Health Technology, including females living off-campus.

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"The victims were mostly female students," one of the sources noted.

Recall that some days ago, bandits invaded Tsafe and killed three persons, including the son of Mamman Tsafe, the Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs in Zamfara and a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).

Kidnappings for ransom have escalated in northern Nigeria, where hundreds of have been taken. Zamfara, which is one of the most affected states, has witnessed a string of kidnappings and mindless killings since the coming of the present regime.

This is despite tough talks from the president, Muhammadu Buhari.

Efforts to get comments about this latest terror attack from the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, Muhammed Shehu, were unsuccessful as of press time.

 

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the senate has wished Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo good luck in his quest to lead Nigeria.

Osinbajo formally joined the 2023 presidential race on Monday.

On Tuesday, he hosted the legislators to Iftar dinner at his official residence at Aguda House within the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting held behind closed doors but the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan who led the APC senators to the Villa told reporters what transpired.

“We had Iftar dinner with His Excellency, the Vice President and thereafter we had brief interaction on our Government and of course on the Vice President’s declaration to run for the presidency of our great country, the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Lawan said.

When pressed further, Lawan said: “naturally, the Vice President told us that he has expressed his interest and that he wanted to consult with the Senate APC caucus.

“He wanted us to hear from his mouth and we did and he was seeking our support in whatever way we can at the appropriate time and we wish the Vice President good luck in this endeavour.

“But let me assure everyone that the Senate APC caucus and indeed the National Assembly caucus of the APC will continue to work very hard for our great party, the APC, to continue to provide services to Nigerians and also work hard to ensure that by 2023, the next administration is an APC administration at the center and majority of the States in our country, by the Grace of God will be APC.”

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Gunmen, believed to be terrorists, have attacked a Mosque at Maisamari town in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, killing Alhaji Abdulkadir Maisamari, a district head.

According to witnesses, Maisamari was killed during Ishai prayers on Monday night.

The gunmen reportedly opened fire immediately they stormed the mosque.

Residents were said to have confronted the gunmen, forcing them to flee into a mountain close to the town.

A resident, Musa Sale, told Daily Trust that some courageous persons confronted the gunmen who forcefully fled.

He said nobody was abducted, and the District head had been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.

The Maisamari incident brings to three the mosques that have been attacked in Taraba state in recent weeks.

Spokesperson of Taraba Police Command, DSP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident but did not give details.

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There are indications that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, may cripple the economy for three days in solidarity with the striking four university-based unions.

The indication emerged on Tuesday after the NLC met with the four university unions at the Labour House, Abuja over the failure of the federal government to address the concerns raised by the unions, Vanguard reports.

The leadership of the NLC had explained that the meeting was scheduled to know the level of engagement between the unions and the federal government.

The General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Emma Ugbaja, said the meeting was aimed at seeing a way to resolve the face-off between the aggrieved unions and government in the interest of all stakeholders.

Comrade Ugbaja said that it was proper to hear from the unions first before taking any position, adding that the interest of labour was to ensure that the matter was sorted out.

Recall that public universities in the country have been closed down as a result of the strike embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied Educational Institutions, NAAT, and the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT.

The four unions affiliated with the NLC shut down universities over unresolved issues including difficulties with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS resulting to shortfalls in their salaries, non-payment of the minimum wage arrears, revatisatipn funds, payment of academic allowances and nonreview of the 2009 Agreement with the government.

After ASUU commenced strike in February, .SSANU and NASU through its Joint Action Committee, JAC, in March, also embarked on a two-week warning strike following the alleged government failure to address the concerns they raised which includes the nonpayment of minimum wage arrears after many promises made to them by the government.

NAAT also declared its warning strike in early March to press home its demands.

Sources at the meeting said it was resolved that the NLC would call a Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting to take a position in solidarity with the university based unions.

One of the sources said, “The NLC said it will take the matter to the CWC. One of the suggestions to make government take action was a three day strike which will lead to shutting down the economy in solidarity with the unions.”

Asked when the CWC meeting will be held, the source said no date has been fixed.

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Mr Donald Ojogo, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, on Tuesday resigned from office.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu earlier in the day gave political appointees in his cabinet who have the ambition to contest in the 2023 general elections to tender their resignation within 48 hours.

Ojogo’s resignation came a few hours after the directive.
A letter addressed to the state governor by Ojogo reads, “I write to inform you of my resignation from the Cabinet of Ondo State Government as Commissioner with effect from Thursday, 14 April 2022.
“As already observed in the public domain, I had, after due consultations, indicated interest to run for the position of House of Representatives to represent the good people of my Federal Constituency (Ilaje/Ese-Odo) on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
“Mr Governor Sir, working under you over those years has been excitingly wonderful just as the experience, knowledge and indeed, morals garnered along this path have combined to mould an enthralling peep into life as a whole. Your inspiring courage is legendary; but your compass on fairness, sincerity of purpose and honesty are uncommon attributes of a politician.
“These are enduring virtues available for whoever had a working encounter with you to deploy as beaconed in the journey of life. Above all, I am more than excited and pleased to be counted among your varied degrees of Multi-level team of subordinates, associates, and acquaintances who contributed their modest quota while you piloted the affairs of the sunshine state. 
“We shall all live to witness posterity’s positive side that you led us to provide good governance aside from re-defining Ondo’s infrastructural gap. As I take my leave to soldier on, please accept as always, Mr Governor, not just the assurances of my highest regards. The journey of political bonding has just commenced.”
Akeredolu’s directive was contained in a memo signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu.
The memo dated Monday 11, 2022 reads in parts: “As you are aware, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari has signed the amended Electoral bill Into Law and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released guidelines on the conduct of the impending general elections thereby signalling the commencement of intense political activities both at the Federal and State levels:
“Consequently and in line with the provision of section 84 (12) of the electoral act, 2022, political and public office holders desirous of participating in the political process either as a contestant for elective positions or as delegates should resign their appointments on or before Thursday, 14th April 2022.
“This is for your information and strict compliance, please.”
A good number of serving commissioners and aides of the governor had indicated an interest in elective positions ranging from occupying seats in the state House of Assembly to the Senate.

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