Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has described the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Biafran group is behind the vandalisation of oil pipelines in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as false.

Ejimakor also said the president's accusation against Nnamdi Kanu of jumping bail was not true.

He made this known on Friday via his Twitter handle, adding that, contrary to Buhari's call, the global community would never declare IPOB a terrorist group.

Ejimakor said, "RIGHT OF REPLY: In the past few days, the President has made IPOB & Nnamdi Kanu his main business, saying that: #IPOB blows up pipelines: Not true!

“#MNK jumped bail: Not true! Umuahia court settled it. The world should declare IPOB a terror group: It won’t happen! It’s not! British Prime Minister openly querying Buhari on #MNK is a milestone. It’s a plus!

“Buhari’s response to the PM on bail is ultra vires. Buhari doesn’t decide bail; the Court does. Independence of the judiciary has a date with 28th June. Otherwise, it will live in infamy.”

RIGHT OF REPLY:
In the past few days, the President has made IPOB & Nnamdi Kanu his main business, saying that:#IPOB blows up pipelines: Not true!#MNK jumped bail: Not true! Umuahia court settled it.

The world should declare IPOB a terror group: It won’t happen! It’s not!

— aloy ejimakor (@AloyEjimakor) June 24, 2022

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Buhari again called on western allies to designate IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

Buhari had disclosed this in his written responses to questions posed by Bloomberg News.

The President had also accused IPOB of pipeline and infrastructure vandalism.

“Criminality and terrorism in oil-producing regions hamper production, and it would help if our western allies designated IPOB as a terrorist group, given their complicity in damage to pipelines and infrastructure,” he had said.

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Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has formed a herder rights organisation known as the Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) primarily for the protection and defence of the rights of herdsmen.

Gumi said on Friday that the Nigerian government ought to attend to the agitations of the herdsmen in same manner it handled the Niger Delta youths.

Explaining the objectives of the organisation in Kaduna State, Gumi claimed that there had been “unjust persecution and stereotyping of herdsmen in the country.”

Gumi who has been keeping contact with bandits, supporting herders, insisted that the nomadic Fulani had been victims of banditry.

Gumi has been defending Fulani herders activities across the country and has been communicating with bandits, putting pressure on the Nigerian government to pay bandits ransom for the release of kidnapped Nigerians.

He has also been trying to prevail on the government to create a ministry for Fulani herders and bandits.

He said, “Government should focus more attention on these people because they always say that they are aggrieved.

“What I expect from the government is nothing less than what it did when the Niger Delta youths were vandalising the economy.

“These people are also disturbing the Nigerian agriculture which is the backbone of the national economy. I think the government needs to be more proactive; they need attention.

“The least they need is the Ministry of Nomadic Affairs that will look into their affairs.”

He added, “The issue that stands out glaringly is that pastoralists are both victims and villains largely because their voices are muffled by an unimaginable level of illiteracy and lack of know-how.

“Often their rights are trampled upon or denied, leading to in many cases avoidable violence in the Nigerian society. Thus, the necessity to establish a nongovernmental and apolitical organisation dedicated to peace and harmonious coexistence between various groups and ethnicities, especially amongst headers and farmers.” 

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Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.

The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has relocated to Lagos and Abuja as he lobbies to be named the running mate of Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), SaharaReporters has gathered.

Following Tinubu’s victory in the APC presidential primary election, speculations have been rife about who will emerge as the vice-presidential candidate of the party.

Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.

The APC had beaten the Friday, June 17 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates.

Tinubu submitted Kabiru Masari, a former National Welfare Secretary of the APC, as the name of his running mate.

However, there are speculations that Masari’s name was merely submitted to INEC by the APC as a placeholder in order to meet up with the June 17 deadline.

Several APC governors are believed to be in contention for the position, but there has been no official decision yet.

There have been mixed reactions on social media regarding whether Tinubu will pick a northern Muslim as his running mate – since he is expected to pick a running mate from any of the three zones in the North.

Sources say Lalong is buoyed by Nigerians’ rejection of the APC presidential candidate running on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, which may make him select a running mate of Christian faith from the North.

“The governor has relocated to Lagos as we speak; the Plateau Government House has been moved there because all administrative works are being done from Lagos. He is pushing to become the running mate of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu,” an aide to the governor said.

“He has commandeered the state’s resources for his massive campaign to be installed as Tinubu’s running mate. Billions of naira have been expended so far, many months' worth of financial allocation to Plateau State in pursuit of his selfish ambition.

“Do you know how much he spent when he (Lalong) went to Lagos to lobby Tinubu’s close associates to prevail on the APC presidential candidate to name him as his running mate, a permutation that will position him to become the next vice president of Nigeria if Tinubu wins next year’s presidential election?

“He has equally committed a significant amount of money to run propaganda in mainstream and social media to project himself as the inevitable choice as running mate to Tinubu. Recipients of the propaganda funds are already pushing news analyses and opinion articles that extol him as the perfect running mate for the APC candidate.

“One of my friends at the Accountant General’s Office told me how billions are being converted to foreign currency for ease of transportation for onward disbursement to Lalong’s perceived influencers in Lagos. What pained me most was that we, who are his aides, are being owed.

“You know, once they left Jos, it was no longer our concern and we do not know what later happened to the money. But people on his personal team have spoken about the safehouse where the funds were warehoused before he shared the money with the people he intended it for.”

The source further expressed concern over how Lalong was sharing huge amounts of money with non-Plateau people when the state’s citizens are now “within the band of the poorest in Nigeria.”

“Isn’t it funny that a governor who can’t pay his aides is plunging the state into misery by gifting out the funds that would have paid off substantial parts of the salaries and pensions being owed to workers and retirees?” the source added.

Another source privy to information in Tinubu’s political circle confirmed that Lalong has been speaking to people who are believed to have the candidate’s ears in the hope that they would help market him as a suitable running mate.

He however said he was not aware those contacted by the governor were paid but confirmed that those he spoke to have pitched his name to the APC presidential candidate as a potential running mate.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has affirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the winner of the Yobe North senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
Machina polled 289 votes out of 300 delegates, a certified true copy of INEC’s report from May 28, 2022, election revealed, confirming the politician’s public claim that he won the primary and legally emerged candidate.

The document was certified by the electoral office on June 23, 2022.
This comes amid threats by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, who warned of severe sanctions if Machina refused to relinquish his ticket to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Adamu claimed that the party is supreme and that it reserves the right to decide who gets its ticket in any election.
He said, “There's nothing in the law stopping the Senate President from contesting for another nomination just because he lost a presidential bid.”
Adamu had listed Lawan as the candidate of the APC for the Yobe North senatorial election slated for February 2023, claiming that a primary had secretly held in which Lawan purportedly emerged the winner.
SaharaReporters has consistently reported the impasse with updates including how Machina claimed his life was under threat for refusing to step down for Lawan after the Senate President failed to clinch the APC presidential ticket.
This was disclosed by Machina’s campaign organisation in a statement obtained on Friday.
According to the campaign organisation, some hoodlums are after the life of Machina.
It, therefore, urged security agencies to take necessary measures to protect the Yobe APC senatorial candidate.
The statement had read, “Information at the disposal of Bashir Machina Campaign Organisation is that there is a security threat to the senatorial candidate of APC for Yobe North, Hon. Bashir Sheriff Machina, especially in relation to his refusal to relinquish his legally acquired ticket.
“Credible sources confirmed that some people want him arrested or at worst eliminated. They have resorted to employing diabolical means over unlawful means, in pressurising him to step down.
“We use this opportunity to notify the security agencies of this threat or likely breach of security around our senatorial candidate, we believe the security agencies will rise up to the occasion and take the threat seriously.
"As Campaign Organisation, we warned that the people behind his ordeal in the last four days should be held responsible if any mishap happens to him. By this notice, we are putting everybody on red alert.”
Lawan had instead of contesting for the Yobe North Senatorial ticket challenged for the presidential ticket of the party but lost to a former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu.

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Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have complained about the delay in the implementation of the 20 per cent upward review of police salaries as approved by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
In December 2021, the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, had said the Nigerian Government had approved an increase in salaries for personnel of the Nigeria Police Force which will take effect from January 2022.

The improved welfare package was one of the issues raised during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
However, the failure to implement the review resulted in agitations in March 2022 as a section of the police declared their intention to embark on strike.
Reacting, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Baba Usman, cautioned the officers to desist from going ahead with the strike or be ready to face the consequences.
SaharaReporters reported how some officers were dismissed in connection with the planned strike action.
Meanwhile, in a recent development, police officers have lamented the delay in the implementation of the reviewed welfare packages, noting that it is six months late.
An officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told SaharaReporters that the police’s failure to keep their promises was affecting the morale of officers who already expected an increase since the police authorities promised it would take effect from March following the planned strike.
He noted that since January, he has been receiving his usual salary adding that the kits the government promised had not been distributed.
He said, “The police announced salary increment since last year and it was supposed to take effect from January this year, we were glad that finally, our service to our nation has paid off. We looked forward to this but up till now, it has not been implemented. This is June, six months behind schedule.
“Recall that sometime in March, police officers threatened to embark on strike if this review was not implemented. The authorities quickly appealed, saying they would implement the new salary structure in March but that was just a lie. There's no hope that they will actually implement the new welfare package for us.”
Another officer told SaharaReporters that the planned strike action which was stopped and the failure of the police authorities to implement the reviewed salary structure shows that even police officers are victims of a failed system that cannot allow people to speak out against what is unfavourable to them.
“The whole issue is very discouraging and disturbing. They announced by themselves that they will start the implementation in January; no one forced them to speak on it. They did the announcement willingly and now, what has come out of it.
“Some officers wanted to protest against this in March, they dismissed them from the service. We cannot even express ourselves freely, it's that bad. We are in June, the middle of the year, yet we haven't seen the promised implementation and they're not saying anything. What we want to know is, when in particular do they want to implement the reviewed salary structure?"
 

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Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai.

A senior civil servant with the Nigerian government, Dr. Mohammed Umar has been identified as the bail surety of Kabiru Sallau, a military contractor fronting for former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

 

SaharaReporters had reported how officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) invaded a property owned by Buratai, recovering cash, vehicles and wrist watches worth billions of Naira.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai.

Sources said the ICPC was tipped off about the cash haul by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) during a probe of Sallau.

 

Subsequently, the NFIU transferred the matter to the anti-graft agency, which deployed its operatives to invade the property in Wuse 2 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, last Thursday.

 

SaharaReporters gathered that the huge cash was part of the billions of naira earmarked for the purchase of arms and ammunition by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

 

An ICPC official confirmed that Kabiru was granted bail on Thursday after Umar, a senior civil servant with the Ministry of Power came to stand as his surety.

 

“A senior civil servant came to take his bail, his name is Dr. Mohammed Umar. We got the original intelligence from the NFIU.

 

“Pressure still mounting on ICPC to claim only N30m was found as cash in the house,” the official said.

 

In March 2021, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno revealed that funds running into billions of naira meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition under the past service chiefs were unaccounted for.

 

His revelation came a few months after President Buhari replaced Buratai and other service chiefs.

 

Others were former Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonishakin; Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Sadique and Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas.

 

According to Monguno, neither the money nor the arms were on the ground upon the resumption of the new service chiefs.

 

“Now that he (President Buhari) has brought new people (service chiefs), hopefully, they will devise some ways… I’m not saying the former service chiefs diverted the money, but the money is missing. We don’t know how, and nobody knows for now,” he had said.

 

“The President will surely probe this matter. As we speak, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum too is also wondering where all the money went. I can assure you the President takes issues of this nature seriously.

 

“The fact is that preliminary investigation showed the funds are missing and the equipment is nowhere to be found.

 

“When the new service chiefs assumed office, they also said they did see anything on the ground.”

  

Sahara Reporters had in a series of publications in 2016 exposed how Buratai procured expensive assets in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, between 2013 and 2015, from proceeds of crime.

 

He and his two wives in 2013 paid the sum of 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/$419,000) for the first property, Project TFG Marina Hotel Unit 2711. 

 

Sale documents indicated that the first property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013.

 

Eleven days after he was appointed by President Buhari, the retired Army General made arrangements for the purchase of a second property from the same company in Dubai. 

 

Between July 24 and August 17, 2015, he paid a total sum of N42.2 million into TFG Sigma 111’s account in Nigeria (Skye Bank 1770380452). 

 

Evidence exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that Buratai made N10 million payments on July 24 and August 7 respectively.

 

Three days later, another N10 million was paid into the real estate firm’s account. The phone number on the Skye Bank teller is 08033349740. SaharaReporters’ investigations showed that it belonged to a Nigerian Army Major, Emmanuel G. Adegbola of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (N/10808). 

 

On August 17, 2015, the Chief of Army Staff paid the sum of N3,270,000 into the account.

 

Buratai, who owned up to purchasing the two properties in Dubai, however, claimed that he amassed his wealth through “personal savings” and not ill-gotten gains.

 

He added he made a lot of money from his snake farm along Keffi-Abuja Highway in Nasarawa, just 50 kilometres from the nation’s capital.

 

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Nigeria Police have confirmed the abduction of at least 22 farmers by gunmen suspected to be bandits at Rafin-Daji community, Gurdi ward in the Abaji Area Council of Abuja.

It was learnt that two tractors were burnt during the attack on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.

The spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, ASP Oduniyi Omotayo confirmed to SaharaReporters that the incident occurred on Wednesday, noting that a combined team of police officers from various tactical and intelligence units of the Command, Destiny Hunters, vigilantes, and local hunters had stormed the forest.

He said, "The incident happened in Rafin Daji, a boundary community between Niger and the FCT. The farmers were on their farmland working when gunmen outnumbered and kidnapped them.”

"Upon receipt of this information, a combined team of police officers from various Tactical and intelligence units of the Command, Destiny Hunters, Vigilantes, and Local hunters stormed the forest, combing it aggressively even as I speak for the rescue of the victims and to bring perpetrators to book. Monitoring and surveillance of the community also continue," he added.

Engr. Ibrahim A. Barde, whose 13 family members were among those taken away by the gunmen said the farmers were working on their farms when they were abducted by gunmen.

Barde told Daily Trust that the farmers were working as a group on a large expanse of land, using tractors before the gunmen swooped on them and took them away.

He gave the names of the kidnapped members of his family as Ismaila A. Barde, Mustapha A. Barde, Nasiru A. Barde, Abdulkarim A. Barde, Sanusi A. Barde, Usman, Usman D. Barde, Nura D. Barde, Abdullahi T. Barde, Babawo T. Barde, Farida Ayuba, Hauwa Ayuba and Husai Abdullahi.

Barde said the community was confused and in great agony over the abduction of the 22 farmers.

He added that the abductors had not contacted the family members of the abductees to demand ransom.

The district head of Gurdi Chiefdom, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, noted that his people were under siege as bandits usually invade his chiefdom through Niger state.

"I have reported the latest kidnap incident to the police and also the authorities of Abaji area council," he said.

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The Programme Manager, Homegrown School Feeding Scheme, Anambra State, Mrs Eriken Uzoamaka, says the death of 10 cooks of the scheme hampered the running of the programme in the state.

 

The PUNCH reported that Uzoamaka gave the hint in an interview with journalists in Awka, the state capital at an ongoing two-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice.

Although she didn't mention the cause or nature of their deaths, she simply said that primary school pupils could no longer benefit from the programme because the 10 dead cooks have yet to be replaced.

 

She said, “All the government-owned primary schools in the state should be benefiting from this programme, but due to challenges in the programme, some schools are not benefiting.

 

“Since the inception of the programme in 2016, about 10 cooks have died and it is affecting the programme in some schools.

 

“It is only the national body that can recruit and replace them. We have no right to replace them but we have written to inform the national body and they have yet to be replaced.

 

"Each cook caters for about 150 pupils and they are being paid at the national level. So, if you do the calculation, about 1,500 pupils are not benefiting.”

 

Uzoamaka said the high cost of food items in the country was also affecting the quality of the food prepared by the cooks.

 

“It is affecting the programme and the quality of food given to the children.

 

“The cooks are really complaining and the high cost of food items is making it difficult for them to give us an adequate meal per child.

 

“This development has made the Federal Government agree to increase the meal price from N70 to N100, but it is yet to be implemented,” she said.

 

The programme manager, however, disclosed that the programme has increased the enrollment of children in schools.

 

The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSF) was started by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and it is projected to provide 1.14 million jobs across the country, through the engagement of cooks and others.

 

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The Kwara State Police Command has said it detained a man identified as Jimoh AbdulFatai and four of his other friends for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, Ayomide Afolayan, over claims that she cheated on him.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by SP Okasanmi Ajayi, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command on Thursday.

Okasanmi said that the suspects pleaded guilty to the allegation and had been detained pending the period of their trial.

 

SaharaReporters gathered that Ayomide, a student of the Bartholomew College of Health, Kwara State, was said to have been invited to Fatai’s residence.

According to a viral video clip seen by SaharaReporters, when Ayomide arrived at the house, she met Fatai and his four friends, who started interrogating her.

 

 

The friends were said to have accused the lady of cheating on Fatai despite what he had done for her. Then, they grabbed her hands and legs and flogged her.

After the assault, Ayomide reportedly took to her WhatsApp status to share her ordeal and a video of the incident, which was made by the abusers.

 

The police statement reads: "The Kwara State Police Command wishes to inform the general public of her swift action in response to a viral video that trended on many social media platforms, blogs and on virtually every lip yesterday, showing a young lady by the name Ayomide Afolayan, other details withheld, was seen being horrendously, heartlessly and indecently assaulted by her supposed boyfriend named Jimoh Abdulfatai of Shao in Moro Local government area of Kwara State.

“Her hands and legs were tightly held by four other friends of the first suspect named, Olamide Babatunde, Afeez Ayomide, Agboola Abdulsamad and Yakubu Mustapha for severe effect.

"The Police in Shao got wind of this highly despicable incident which prompted a swoop on the scene; the suspects were rounded up, the victim liberated and was taken to hospital for treatment.

"The Commissioner of Police, Cp Tuesday Assayomo psc (+), directed immediate transfer of the matter to the Command's CID for discreet and timely investigation.

"The suspects confessed to the crime, and the reason adduced for their senseless action was a mere suspicion of infidelity on the part of the lady which the lady vehemently denied. In spite of the denial, the boyfriend forcefully retrieved the lady's telephone handset and handed

 

over the phone to one of his friends to start videoing the actions and eventual posting on social media.

"Investigation done with, suspects were charged to court and were remanded in custody pending the hearing and actual trial of the matter.

"This will serve as a deterrent to other people having such criminal and appalling tendency in their minds.

"The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State wishes to use this opportunity to advise parents on the need to be parents in the real sense of it; parents should monitor their children, know the kind of friends they keep so as to avert this type of ugly incident.”

 

 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

The authorities of the Nigerian Army have confirmed that troops killed six terrorists and arrested a Boko Haram logistics supplier and a gun dealer who collaborates with the insurgents.

The spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Major General Bernard Onyeuko, in a statement said that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji received distress calls of terrorists’ activities in Rafin Dankura in the Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State where they kidnapped some members of the community.

File photo used to illustrate story.

The troops responding to the call engaged in a gun battle with the terrorists, during which six abducted victims were rescued and two terrorists were killed.

General Onyeuk stated that in the process, the troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, 1x36 hand grenades, 2X cell phones and the sum of N211,915.00.

The Army spokesperson said on Tuesday, in another response to a distress call on terrorist activities at Maigora in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina state, the troops killed two terrorists during a gun battle.

Also, Onyeuko disclosed that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke on Monday arrested a notorious gun runner identified as Ardo Manu Andulrahaman Maranewo who had been on the wanted list.

Maranewo was said to specialise in selling and leasing arms to bandits and kidnappers in Taraba State.

In another development, troops of 151 Battalion of Operation Hadin Kai in conjunction with the CJTF on clearance patrol on Monday encountered terrorists along the Bama-Pulka Road, during which two of the terrorists were killed while two locally-made guns and ammunition were recovered.

Onyeuke also stated that troops at the Tashangoto area on Monday arrested a Boko Haram terrorist identified as Mallam Modu Rija, and recovered one AK-47 rifle, 1×36 hand grenade and 26 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from him.

While on Tuesday, troops arrested a Boko Haram member identified as Mallam Abacha Usman at Benishek and a logistics supplier for terrorists, Mallam Ibrahim Gira along the Dambua-Biu Road in Borno State.

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the closure of Marqott Nigeria Limited, an alleged accomplice in the $9.6bn Gas Supply and Processing Agreement between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Process and Industrial Development Limited, P&ID Limited over money laundering.

In a ruling on Thursday, Judge Donatus Okorowo convicted Marqott Nigeria Limited after finding it guilty of all four counts preferred against it.

He also ordered that the company be wound up and its entire assets forfeited to the Nigerian government.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) first arraigned Marqott on Monday, February 7, 2022, for being an accomplice in the $9.6bn gas supply and processing agreement between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and P&ID. Marqott had however pleaded not guilty.

The EFCC charges had read, “That you, Marqott Nigeria Limited, being a designated Non-financial Institution; and Giovanni Beccarelli, Valentina Fantoli, and Dimitri Duca, being directors of and signatories to the bank account of Marqott Nigeria Limited, sometime in September 2014, in Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, failed to comply with the requirements of submitting to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, a declaration of activities of Marqott Nigeria Limited contrary to Section 16(1) (f) read together with Section 5(1)(a)(ii) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.

“That you, Marqott Nigeria Limited, being a designated Non-financial Institution; and Giovanni Beccarelli, Valentina Fantoli, and Dimitri Duca, being directors of and signatories to the bank account of Marqott Nigeria Limited, sometime in September 2014, in Abuja, within the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, failed to develop programs to combat money laundering and other illegal acts, to wit: failure to designate at management level a compliance officer within any strata of Marqott Nigeria Limited, contrary to Section 16(1)(f) read together with Section 9(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16 (2)(b) of the same Act.”

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Suspected terrorists have reportedly killed two policemen, a university lecturer and two other people during an attack on two local government areas of Benue State.

The two policemen were killed in Yelewata of Guma LGA, a border town between Benue and Nasarawa states, while the three others were gunned down at Jootar in Ukum LGA, a border community between Benue and Taraba states, Daily Trust reports.

A resident on Friday confirmed that the policemen were shot and killed while their guns were taken away by the terrorists at about 10 pm on Thursday.

Another source disclosed that Jootar killings involved three friends identified as Fred Akaayar, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at the Federal University, Wukari in Taraba State; Aondo Ayange Apever and Shiaondo Kachina.

The source said the three friends were unwinding at a relaxation centre in Jootar when the gunmen who rode on a motorcycle shot at them around 7 pm on Thursday.

According to the source, the shooting forced other people at the centre to scamper to safety.

The spokesperson for Benue police command, SP Catherine Anene, said she was only aware of the killing of the two policemen and not the three friends.

“I received information about two policemen killed in an operation but I am yet to receive details please," she said. 

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The Programme Manager, Homegrown School Feeding Scheme, Anambra State, Mrs Eriken Uzoamaka, says the death of 10 cooks of the scheme hampered the running of the programme in the state.

 

The PUNCH reported that Uzoamaka gave the hint in an interview with journalists in Awka, the state capital at an ongoing two-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice.

Although she didn't mention the cause or nature of their deaths, she simply said that primary school pupils could no longer benefit from the programme because the 10 dead cooks have yet to be replaced.

 

She said, “All the government-owned primary schools in the state should be benefiting from this programme, but due to challenges in the programme, some schools are not benefiting.

 

“Since the inception of the programme in 2016, about 10 cooks have died and it is affecting the programme in some schools.

 

“It is only the national body that can recruit and replace them. We have no right to replace them but we have written to inform the national body and they have yet to be replaced.

 

"Each cook caters for about 150 pupils and they are being paid at the national level. So, if you do the calculation, about 1,500 pupils are not benefiting.”

 

Uzoamaka said the high cost of food items in the country was also affecting the quality of the food prepared by the cooks.

 

“It is affecting the programme and the quality of food given to the children.

 

“The cooks are really complaining and the high cost of food items is making it difficult for them to give us an adequate meal per child.

 

“This development has made the Federal Government agree to increase the meal price from N70 to N100, but it is yet to be implemented,” she said.

 

The programme manager, however, disclosed that the programme has increased the enrollment of children in schools.

 

The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSF) was started by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and it is projected to provide 1.14 million jobs across the country, through the engagement of cooks and others.

 

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the recovery of cash, vehicles and other items worth billions of Naira from a military contractor fronting for former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai in Abuja.

 

Buratai, a retired Lieutenant General was the COAS between 2015 and 2021.

Azuka Ogugua, the spokesperson for the commission, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Friday.

 

Ogagua identified the suspect as the Managing Director of K Salam Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kabiru Sallau.

 

SaharaReporters had reported how ICPC officials last Thursday invaded a property in Abuja, recovering cash, vehicles and wrist watches worth billions of naira from a man who said they belonged to Buratai.

 

Sources said the anti-graft agency was tipped off about the cash haul by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) during a probe of Kabiru.

 

Subsequently, the NFIU transferred the matter to ICPC, which deployed its operatives to invade the property in Wuse 2 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

 

SaharaReporters gathered that the huge cash was part of the billions of naira earmarked for the purchase of arms and ammunition by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

“Last week Thursday, ICPC officials stormed a house in Wuse area of Abuja, beside National Open University and arrested a man, Kabiru Salisu (Sallau) after they saw N850 million cash in the house,” a source had told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

 

“He claimed the money belonged to Tukur Buratai who was in Cotonou at that time.

 

“Officials of the ICPC took him to an office where another N1 billion in cash was also discovered. Also, bulletproof cars, BMW, G-Wagon worth N450m were recovered.”

Reacting in a statement on Friday, Ogugua said acting on intelligence, the commission raided the residence in Wuse 2, Abuja, where the expensive items were found.

 

The statement read, “The Commission wishes to state that ICPC operatives raided a property in Wuse 2 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday, 16th June, 2022 between 5:00pm and 12:00am in suspicion of money laundering.

 

“Facts available for the time being indicates that the property is owned by owner of K Salam Construction Company, a military contractor.

 

“The Commission recovered money and other items from the property viz. N175,706,500; $220,965; G-Wagon; 2022 editions of BMW and Mercedes Benz cars; customized mobile phones; several designer wrist watches, including three Rolexes, and some property documents.

 

“The Commission arrested the Managing Director of K Salam Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kabiru Sallau and investigation is ongoing. The Commission is yet to conclude its investigation and prefers not to preempt its outcome and also avoid the frenzy of a media trial.”

 

A source had earlier said the commission was under pressure to reduce the amount found in the ex-army chief’s house to as low as N30 million.

 

In March 2021, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno revealed that funds running into billions of naira meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition under the past service chiefs were unaccounted for.

 

His revelation came a few months after President Buhari replaced Buratai and other service chiefs.

 

Others were former Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonishakin; Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Sadique and Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ibas.

 

According to Monguno, neither the money nor the arms were on the ground upon the resumption of the new service chiefs.

 

“Now that he (President Buhari) has brought new people (service chiefs), hopefully, they will devise some ways… I’m not saying the former service chiefs diverted the money, but the money is missing. We don’t know how, and nobody knows for now,” he had said.

 

“The President will surely probe this matter. As we speak, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum too is also wondering where all the money went. I can assure you the President takes issues of this nature seriously.

 

“The fact is that preliminary investigation showed the funds are missing and the equipment is nowhere to be found.

 

“When the new service chiefs assumed office, they also said they did see anything on the ground.”

 

Sahara Reporters had in a series of publications in 2016 exposed how Buratai procured expensive assets in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, between 2013 and 2015, from proceeds of crime.

 

He and his two wives in 2013 paid the sum of 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/$419,000) for the first property, Project TFG Marina Hotel Unit 2711. 

 

Sale documents indicated that the first property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013.

 

Eleven days after he was appointed by President Buhari, the retired Army General made arrangements for the purchase of a second property from the same company in Dubai. 

 

Between July 24 and August 17, 2015, he paid a total sum of N42.2 million into TFG Sigma 111’s account in Nigeria (Skye Bank 1770380452). 

 

Evidence exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters revealed that Buratai made N10 million payments on July 24 and August 7 respectively.

 

Three days later, another N10 million was paid into the real estate firm’s account. The phone number on the Skye Bank teller is 08033349740. Saharareporters investigations showed that it belonged to a Nigerian Army Major, Emmanuel G. Adegbola of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (N/10808). 

 

On August 17, 2015, the Chief of Army Staff paid the sum of N3,270,000 into the account.

 

Buratai, who owned up to purchasing the two properties in Dubai, however, claimed that he amassed his wealth through “personal savings” and not ill-gotten gains.

 

He added he made a lot of money from his snake farm along Keffi-Abuja Highway in Nasarawa, just 50 kilometres from the nation’s capital.

 

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Hoodlums reportedly injured three people at the Independent National Electoral Commission Permanent Voter Cards designated collection centres in some communities in Ilesa West local government area of Osun State.

 

The hoodlums who were said to have invaded the collection centres with dangerous weapons on Thursday also disrupted the exercise.

The development according to The PUNCH, created panic in Igbogi, Isokun, Ibala, and all neighbourhoods within Ilesa metropolis, forcing people to stay indoors while the hoodlums roamed the streets.

 

It reported that hoodlums intended to scare people away from centres where PVCs were being collected.

 

Those people injured during the incident were believed to have been wounded when rival groups of hoodlums involved in the disruption clashed.

 

Speaking on the incident, the Public Relations Officer of Civil Defence Corps, Osun state Command, Olabisi Atanda, said normalcy had been restored.

 

She said, “They (the hoodlums) ransacked (PVC collection centres) in Ilesa West and Ilesa West Central. They were in Ward 1, 3, 6 and 7.

 

“The hoodlums didn’t let people obtain Permanent Voter Cards, but the police and the Civil Defence Corps operatives are on top of the situation.

 

“I am not aware there was an attack on the PDP Secretariat in Ilesa West Local Government. No arrest yet but we are on the hunt for the hoodlums. Three people were injured but no death was recorded.”

 

However, Osun State INEC Public Relations, Seun Osimosu, while reacting to the incident described it as unfortunate.

 

He, however, said PVC collection was not suspended in the affected areas, but noted that workers were withdrawn from the affected areas for safety concerns.

 

She added that the Commission would meet security agents in Ilesa West to address the situation.

 

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A Nigerian law firm, Malcolm Omirhobo & Co., has written a Freedom of Information (FOI) request letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, demanding full details of transactions of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 2019 till date.

The firm requested, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2011, that the Chief Justice provide the receipts, financial statement of account and expenditures of the apex court since the time he assumed office as the head of the Judiciary. 

The letter is titled, "Re: Application brought pursuant to the freedom of information act, 2011 for the certified true copies of certain public documents.”

It reads, "We are a firm of Attorneys and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, who are passionate about good governance and proper administration at all levels and most particularly within the judicature.

"On the strength of the relevant sections of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, we humbly request for the Certified True Copies of the following information as they relate to public documents within your custody:

"(1) Proof of receipt of the total funds disbursed to your Lordship from the National Judicial Council as the head of the Supreme court of Nigeria from your Assuming office in 2019 to date.

"(2) The Financial Statement of Accounts of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from the 1st day of January 2019 to date.

"(3) Proof of the total expenditure of the Supreme Court for the period of 1st January 2019 to date including a List of capital projects of the Supreme Court of Nigeria within this period,

 

"(4) Payment vouchers for each project mentioned above as well as the contract agreement.

"(5) The total amount realized from Internally Generated Revenue within the period under request and proof of expenditure; Salary payment voucher of justices of the Supreme Court and non-judicial staff; and Salary payment voucher and other emoluments of the justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and non-judicial staff.

"We urge you, sir, to furnish us with Certified True Copies of the aforesaid documents in the alternative direct any designated official or appropriate authority at the Supreme Court of Nigeria to supply us with same.

"Take notice that in the event of any delay or refusal to disclose the information within 7 days from the day of receipt of this request, we shall be compelled to take lawful and necessary steps to compel you to disclose the information in accordance with Section 20 and other provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

"We undertake to bear the financial cost of making the requested information available to us in line with Section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

 “In anticipation of your kind and positive response to this request, please accept the assurances of our esteemed regards.”

 

The Justices of the Supreme Court had accused the Chief Justice, Muhammad of corruption.
Trouble In Judiciary 

SaharaReporters earlier reported how the Justices via a letter to Tanko complained that poor welfare had hindered their job.

They were also said to have accused him of diverting their housing, vehicles and electricity allowances into his personal pocket and pursuing his children’s political ambitions.

 

SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that two sons of the Chief Justice of Nigeria emerged as the Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates of the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party respectively in Bauchi State.

 

 

While Siraj Ibrahim Tanko emerged as the APC candidate for Bauchi North, his brother, Sani won the ticket of the PDP to represent Shira/Giade federal constituency in Bauchi State at the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

 

 

“The Justices reiterated the fact that they are serving this country diligently and to the best of their ability and as such deserves the best compared to how they are being treated by the present CJN,” a top judicial officer had told SaharaReporters.

 

 

“The Justices reminded the CJN of the facts that they resolve disputes between the Executive and the Legislature including all manner of disagreements, between governments and individuals and how it would be a tragedy if the Nigerian public were to know that they are unable to resolve their own problems internally without going public due to neglect and lack of taking to corrections by the CJN.

 

 

“The Justices demanded that the CJN act before it is too late as all efforts in the past to resolve their complaints have yielded no result. The Justices recall that the CJN reluctantly called a Justices’ meeting on the 23rd day of March 2022 after several persistent requests to hold the meeting.

 

 

“The Justices recalled that at their meeting of the 23rd day of March 2022 they tabled and discussed their demands on: Justices accommodation, vehicles, electricity tariff, supply of diesel, internet services to justices’ residences and chambers, epileptic electricity supply to the court.

“They also raised the issue of the failure of the Honourable Chief Justice to carry the Justices along in managing the affairs of the Court as well as the deteriorating condition of services generally. They frowned on how the CJN reneged on the agreement that the welfare committee be constituted to compile and forward their demands which were submitted to the CJN for his review.

 

 

“The welfare Committee submitted their request for diesel allowance, because of the epileptic electricity supply, the astronomical hike in the price of diesel and the fact that Justices require electricity to work at home. The Committee also requested the restoration of their monthly Internet allowance, because they require uninterrupted Internet service in order to have access to materials online to write their judgments but the CJN ignored these demands since 24th March 2022.

 

 

“The worse part of the CJN corruption is the fact that some Justices sworn in since the 6th day of November 2020 were yet to be accommodated by the Court as they lived in their rented apartments with the attendant risks attached to the same. With regard to Justice’s vehicles, several justices are due for vehicle replacement, while the new Justices have not received their full complement of vehicles to date. Moreover, some of the vehicles supplied to the Justices are either refurbished or substandard.”

 

 

 

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At least four people have been reportedly killed in a Russian military cargo plane that crashed in the city of Ryazan southeast of Moscow on Friday (June 24), killing four people and injuring five others.

 

It was learnt that the plane, II-76 military cargo aircraft crashed and caught fire while trying to make a landing in the Russian city.

The aircraft was said to be on a training flight without cargo when the crew decided to land due to an engine malfunction, and it was partially destroyed when it hit the ground, the defence ministry said in a statement quoted by local news agencies.

 

"According to preliminary information, four people died as a result of a plane crash in the area of the Mikhailovsky highway in the city of Ryazan," the regional government's crisis unit said in a statement, as quoted by the TASS state news agency.

 

The defence ministry said the injured crew members were taken to hospital.

 

The plane crashed into a field close to residential buildings near a highway, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, TASS reported.

 

A witness quoted by the Ria Novosti agency said the crash took place at around 4 am local time.

 

No details were given about where the plane was headed when it crashed in Ryazan, around 200 kilometres southeast of the Russian capital.

 

Several military planes have crashed this month near Russia's border with Ukraine, where Moscow has been engaged in fierce fighting since invading in late February. The army has cited potential technical problems for the previous crashes.

 

Ukrainian forces recently shot down a Russian Su-25 FROGFOOT plane and the pilot was subsequently captured. According to British intelligence the pilot has confessed to being a former Russian air force Major, who had taken employment as a Wagner military contractor and had flown several missions during the conflict.

 

Fighting in the east has intensified with Lysychansk’s governor saying Friday that Ukrainian troops repelled a Russian attack on the southern outskirts of Lysychansk, the last fully Ukrainian-controlled city in the region of Luhansk.

 

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Yahaya Sharif Aminu

An appeal court in Kano State has delayed judgement in the trial of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a musician who was sentenced to death by hanging in 2020 after being convicted of blasphemy.

 

The death sentence was passed on Sharif-Aminu by a Sharia court, which was overturned by a high court. It, however, denied the musician bail and ordered his re-trial before another Shari’a court judge due to irregularities in the original trial.

Yahaya Sharif Aminu

The musician further approached the appeal court to overturn an order for his retrial for blasphemy. His lawyer argued that he ought to be released from detention.

 

During the court proceeding on Thursday, counsel for the state, Mohammed Sani Ahmed, argued that the high court was right in its ruling and prayed the court to dismiss the singer’s appeal.

 

However, Sharif-Aminu's counsel, Kola Alapinni, prayed the appellate court to void the high court’s ruling and order the release of the musician.

 

After hearing arguments from both parties in the case, the court ruled that it will reserve its judgement. However, it is uncertain when the case will come up.

 

One of Sharif-Aminu's lawyers, Ebuka Ikeorah told BBC that the legal team believes the musician would be released by the court.

 

“Aminu was sentenced to death by the Sharia Court and we took the matter to the high court which vacated the order.

 

“The high court ordered a retrial in the same Sharia court but before another judge, this is what we are fighting against.

 

“What this reserved judgement means is that the court would call us to deliver its verdict on the matter,” he said.

 

The court is expected to deliver its judgement on the matter within the next 90 days.

 

Sharif-Aminu, who belongs to the Tijaniyya order, a popular Sufi Islamic order across North and West Africa was accused of one count of insulting the religious creed, contrary to Section 382 (6) of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law of 2000, for a series of audio messages circulated via WhatsApp.

 

His messages allegedly praised an imam from the Tijaniya Muslim brotherhood (Ibrahim Niasse) and elevated him above the Prophet Muhammed.

 

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Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has stressed the need for the party to put in more efforts toward winning the 2023 presidential election.

 

He spoke on Thursday while briefing journalists at his office in Ikoyi, Lagos, after obtaining his Permanent Voter Card (PVC) following a change of voting centre.

Reflecting on last weekend’s governorship election in Ekiti State, George said the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the poll is an eye-opener for the PDP ahead of the Osun governorship election.

 

The PDP chieftain said the opposition party must address a series of complaints and internal bickering, saying, “The party (PDP) needs to move out before the campaign for 2023 General Elections, there are a lot of complaints. We must be deceiving ourselves to say all is well.

 

“I want to appeal to managers of the party, and all the stakeholders to move out and reconcile all our people, the Ekiti election is an eye-opener. They should resolve all issues and calm the frayed nerves.

 

“On Ekiti, I have weighed all options and as a political leader, I have concluded that it is time for the managers of our party to call a serious meeting of PDP South-West.

 

“Whether it was done mistakenly, we should go into our chamber and do a serious talk. We should go into the innermost chamber and discuss the serious issue.

 

“We cannot allow a joker in power to manage the affairs of the country."

 

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi says he never claimed Anambra state’s investment in SABMiller was now worth $100m.

 

Obi disclosed this in a letter signed by his media aide, Valentine Obienyem to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Thursday.

The former governor had claimed in an interview with Arise TV in 2018 that he invested over $20 million in International Breweries on behalf of Anambra state, and that the investment was worth almost $100 million at the time.

 

In the viral interview, Obi had said, “Tomorrow, they are commissioning a facility in Sagamu, International Breweries, the biggest brewery in Africa. Anambra state is the single highest shareholder in that facility, I invested in it – over 20-something-million dollars. It is worth almost $100 m today, that’s what governments should do.”

 

The claim was however debunked by Governor Soludo.

 

Last Monday, the governor debunked reports that a ‘$20 million investment’ made by Obi was now worth $100 million.

 

A Facebook user had also credited a statement to Soludo alleging that the $20 million which Obi allegedly invested on behalf of the state in the company is now worth $100 million.

 

“Mr Peter Obi’s $20 million investment in Anambra worth $100 million today - Charles Chukwuma Soludo,” the Facebook user had said.

 

Reacting to the claim on his verified Facebook page, Soludo said, “Where did you read or hear me make such false statement? This fake news has been roundly debunked by my team.

 

“We can carry on with campaigning for our preferred candidates without consciously misleading the reading public. The report is fake and never emanated from me. Thank you.”

 

International Breweries (IB) Plc is a subsidiary of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) — a multinational drink and brewing giant based in Leuven, Belgium. SABMiller, a South African multinational brewing and beverage company was acquired by AB InBev in October 2016.

AB InBev merged its Nigerian operations under a single corporate entity in 2017.

In a letter to the governor, Obi said he had nothing to do with the exaggeration of the state’s investment in the company despite the viral Arise TV interview.

 

He blamed some of his supporters “not under his control but eager to throw in anything that glorified their hero — Obi.”

 

Obi said Soludo’s emergence as governor gave Anambra people hope that the state would rise again, pledging to offer the governor all the support he needed to succeed.

 

The letter read, “When the news of the multiplication of Obi’s investment in SABMiller was published, I knew it did not come from you. I personally made it clear that it was not circulated by Obi’s Media, but probably by one of the youths, not under our control, but eager to throw in anything that glorified their hero–Obi.

 

“Do not judge Obi’s supporters based on these people’s cathartic reactions. It was saddening when one of the people you later appointed an aide, in a bashful, pugilistic manner, said I was the one that published it. When your media aide rebutted it, I said he did what he was supposed to do.

 

“My argument was simple: Even if the news was true, it is wrong to put into your mouth what you did not say. I read the recent rebuttal by your Commissioner on the subject, what do I say about it? I only want to assure you that Obi’s camp is supporting you. We want you to succeed and cannot be part of any plot against you.

 

“Some people are angry because we have chosen to identify with you; it is about time they realised that our only interest is recovering the eight years of retrogression.

 

“Anybody supporting Obi that fights you is on his own. I say this with all sincerity, especially knowing the brief I personally received from Mr. Peter Obi on this. Obi is ready to offer any support that will redeem our state and set it on the path of progress again.

 

“The way things are, anybody fighting you at the January of your tenure is simply being inconsiderate and insensitive. Please always sieve everyday reactions by people from the reaction from Mr. Obi’s official camp. As for Soludo’s supporters, take us as friends. We are one with you in the belief that Prof. Soludo should succeed for the good of our state.”

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=1258&v=tfxiZBzfoyU&feature=youtu.be

 

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