Sahara Reporters Latest News Sunday 14th July 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 14/07/19
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target=_blank>Lekki Concession Company Uses Police In Illegally Arresting, Detaining 55 Employees
Mr M. M. Hassan, General Manager of Lekki Concession Company (LCC), and the Nigeria Police Force have illegally arrested and detained about 55 members of the firm.
According to information reaching SaharaReporters, Hassan and one Olumide Oni, Head of Operations of LCC connived with the police to arrest not less than 55 of the firm’s workers.
The management said it detected some fraud in the daily collection of toll by the arrested staff.
Barrister Eleto Yakubu, who is standing as legal representation for some of the accused, said some of the employees were invited for a meeting on Thursday and were rounded up by the police.
He said, “The 30 people arrested were invited for a meeting by the management on Thursday and before they knew it, they were rounded up and taken to Panti, Yaba, by the police.
“They were not taken to court and they were not released. Today again, they arrested about 20 of their staff together with the 35 in custody.”
Barrister Yakubu urged the police and the Lagos State government to desist from unconstitutionally using state machinery against the people.
He condemned the deceptive method used in arresting the staff while investigation has yet to be concluded.
“We condemn the detention of the affected staff as it is unconstitutional and an outright infringement on the rights of the staffs including pregnant women.
“We, therefore, call on the governor of Lagos State and the commissioner of police Lagos to order the DCP Panti to immediately release the affected staff while the investigation continues,” Barrister Yakubu said.
When contacted via telephone, the GM of LCC refused to comment on the arrest and abruptly ended the call.
He refused to answer subsequent calls.
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target=_blank>Again, Court Grants Dasuki Bail Despite Buhari’s Repeated Disobedience
The Court of Appeal has again granted bail to Sambo Dasuki. a former National Security Adviser (NSA), and order the Nigerian Government to pay him N5 million for violating his freedom of movement.
The fresh order came in a ruling delivered by the court of appeal on July 13. According to Premium Times, Ahmed Raji’s chambers, those representing Dasuki, confirmed the new bail.
“Yes, it’s true. You know he had been granted bail several times by high courts and the bail conditions were excessive. Yet even after meeting the conditions, he was not released on bail,” said the lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, who had filed the application.
Adedipe explained that “the previous bail of N100 million cash was paid but the government did not release Dasuki.
He added that by the latest court order, “the N100 million noted by the court would be a bond, not a cash sum like the previous one”.
According to the ‘enrolled order’ which was seen by this newspaper, Dasuki and his lawyers approached the appellate court on June 13.
Dasuki has been held by security operatives since December 2015 when he was arrested on allegations he diverted $2.1 billion from funds meant for the war against terrorism.
Several court orders for the release of the former NSA had been flouted by the Nigerian government.
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target=_blank>19 People Involved In Auto Crash Along Abeokuta-Ibadan Road
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Five persons have been reported dead and 14 others injured in an accident involving two vehicles at Odeda town, along Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway.
Clement Oladele, the Sector Commandant of the Ogun Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to the commandant, the accident happened at about 9.20 p.m. on Friday.
Oladele explained that a MADZA bus with registration number MUS 367 XU conveying passengers from Ibadan to Abeokuta lost control due to dangerous driving and had a collision with a truck.
He added that the truck with no registration number crushed the passengers inside the commuter bus and trapped them inside the bus.
The sector commandant said that 19 persons were involved in the accident that resulted to the death of five persons died, while 14 others sustained various degrees of injury.
“The corpses of the victims had been deposited at the morgue of the General Hospital, Ijaye, Ogun, while the survivors were also receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun.” he said.
Oladele said that the obstruction had been cleared off the expressway to prevent further disaster.
The FRSC boss, however, commiserated with the families of the victims and cautioned drivers to resist driving dangerously to avoid unnecessary road traffic crashes.
He also implored passengers and the general public that noticed vehicles driving recklessly should contact the Corps through the FRSC toll free number 122.
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target=_blank>Killing Of Fasoranti’s Daughter: Police Lied About Identity Of Attackers, Says Fasoranti
Undie Adie, Commissioner of Police in Ondo State on Saturday said all efforts were ongoing to apprehend the bandits that shot and killed Mrs. Olufunke Olakunrin, the daughter of Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere.
While addressing journalists at Pa Fasoranti’s residence in Akure, Mr. Adie stated that those who killed Mrs. Olakunrin shot dead at Ore expressway on her way back to Lagos were bandits and not herdsmen.
He said: “All we know is that these are bandits that came to the road and started firing sporadically at motorists that were driving on the highway.
“That is what it is, there is no person that can say specifically that they were herdsmen. What we know is that they are bandits and we are going after them.”
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Buhari Directs Security Operatives To Nab Killers Of Funke, Afenifere Leader’s Daughter
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He further explained that they had reinforced security in the area and combed the bushes, but their efforts had not yielded any result.
“Immediately the incident was ongoing, patrol teams were alerted and moved immediately to the scene. In fact, that enabled us to rescue some of the persons that were attacked within the shooting area.
“More steps are being taken. We are meeting with the locals. I don’t think it will be appropriate for me to reveal all the other measures we have put in place to make sure we rid that area completely of any form of violent criminality,” he added.VIDEO: Ondo State @PoliceNG Commissioner, Fasoranti’s Son Disagree Over Murder Of Afenifere Chieftain’s Daughter pic.twitter.com/G9g1gvsl1J— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 13, 2019
However, Mr. Kehinde Fasoranti, younger brother of the deceased who spoke on behalf of the Fasoranti’s family accused the police chief of lying regarding the identity of the attackers.
Kehinde told journalists that he visited the police station in Ore town shortly after the incident and was told by officers on duty that those who operated and shot Mrs. Olakunrin were Fulani herdsmen.
“We need to get the story straight. The way they operated, according to what the police said in Ore, is the way Fulani herdsmen operate.
“Six people were in front shooting at them. The driver put the car in reverse but unknown to him, some men were in the bush and started shooting from the side and at the back.
“The story that these are just bandits is a lie. If you want records, request the report I made at the Ore police station. They categorically said the attackers were Fulani herdsmen.
“It’s about time we stood up and fight back. Nobody is protecting us. Eventually, they will come inside the house and kidnap people.
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Obasanjo: We Must Put An End To Killings, Banditry By Fulani Herdsmen
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“Enough is enough. We can’t continue like this. I want the police to retract what they said. They (attackers) are Fulani herdsmen,” he reiterated.
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target=_blank>Nigerian Army Declares Five Soldiers Wanted For Robbing VIP At Gunpoint
Five soldiers have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Army for robbing a very important person (VIP) at gunpoint.
In an occurrence report obtained by SaharaReporters, the soldiers are Cpl Gabriel Oluwaniyi, Cpl Mohammed Aminu, LCpl Commander Haruna, LCpl Oluji Joshua, and LCpl Hayatudeen.
According to the report, the soldiers who are now on the run are members of operation Harbin Kunama III Sokoto who were detailed on escort duty from Sokoto to Kaduna at about 3pm on Friday.
“The VIP was in a white Hilux while they where in a Buffalo gun-truck. The soldiers conived and rubbed the VIP at gun point. They however abandoned the gun truck at the airstrip in Jaji. They have since scattered in different directions including Jos, Suleja etc as indicated in last geo-location tracking,” the report stated.
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target=_blank>I Know Politicians Suddenly Became Billionaires With Money Meant To Build Roads, Says Amaechi
Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, has said he knows Nigerian politicians who have enriched themselves with public funds known for provion of amenities.
He made the revelation while speaking at the fifth edition of a symposium for young and emerging leaders held in Lagos on Friday.
He said, “I know politicians who have suddenly become billionaires, and this is the money that should have been used to build roads and provide amenities that could have been used to improve the lives of citizens.
“Our politicians have to be clear about how they intend to lift people out of poverty.”
In January, Amaechi had said the only way for the country to make progress is for “everybody to be killed.”
In the leaked audio, he said, “This country can never change, I swear. The only way this country can change is in a situation where everybody is killed,” Amaechi had said.
“This country is going nowhere. When Magnus (Abe) was secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), I told him that this country is hopeless and helpless and he told me, ‘Oga, stop it’. This cannot be coming from a governor.
“But two months in Abuja, Magnus came to meet me and said, I agree with you; this country is hopeless and helpless. All they do in Abuja is to share money.”
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target=_blank>African Action Congress Slams Justice Inyang Ekwo Over Bogus, Sponsored Verdict
The African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned a judgment of the Federal High Court by Justice Inyang Ekwo upholding the suspension if its National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore.
Expelled Secretary of the party, Leonard Ezenwa, had staged a suspension on national television.
But the result of the suspension was discarded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which said in a public memo that the only chairman it recognized was Sowore.
The statement read: “The AAC in a statement on Saturday said, “Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, 12th May, 2019 delivered a strange, shocking verdict in the sponsored suit brought by one Leonard Nzenwa in his desperate and dubious bid to hijack the African Action Congress (AAC) for the insatiable and pecuniary gains of Governor Nyesom Wike.
“Justice Ekwo refused to consider the legal defense of Mr. Omoyele Sowore and Dr. Malcolm Fabiyi, ruling that the suit was ‘uncontested’ on the bogus ground that the 65-page counter affidavit with its 12 exhibits – deposed to on their behalf by Dr. Adeoye, the Deputy National Secretary of the African Action Congress – would not be countenanced by the court because Mr. Sowore and Dr. Malcolm, whose names were personally mentioned in the suit, could not depose to their counter affidavit themselves.
“He also went on to discountenance the case put forward by the National Legal Adviser of the AAC, Mr. Inibehe Effiong, whose submissions he said he said cannot be considered no matter how brilliant it was.
“This judgment is a clear miscarriage of justice and runs counter to long established principles of law on affidavit evidence. Dr. Adeoye, who deposed to the counter affidavit had personal knowledge of the facts he swore to, and stated the source, time, date and circumstances of facts as required by the Evidence Act.
“Also, all legal scholars who have heard of this sham judgment, unanimously maintain that in proceedings by affidavit evidence, a litigant is not required to personally depose to the affidavit, as the principle of “hearsay evidence” does not apply to ‘affidavit evidence’.
“It is therefore most shocking that Ekwo ignored the facts of the case and the merits of the defense, which exposed the fraudulent claims and forged documents of the Plaintiff; on the ground that only Mr. Sowore and Dr. Fabiyi should have deposed to the affidavit.
“Justice Ekwo received the International Passport of Sowore as evidentiary proof that he had travelled out of Nigeria on the 12th day of May, 2019 (two days before the case was filed by Leonard Nzenwa). How can the same Ekwo, who made an ex-parte order reducing the time within which Mr. Sowore and Dr. Malcolm were to respond to a mere 14 days, ignore this, and now predicate his ruling on a legally-vacuous assertion that Sowore should have personally deposed to the counter affidavit?
“This is the same Judge who had earlier granted an interim injunction in this same case that did not meet any of the stipulations in the Law for such a relief! But, is it really a shock in this Nigeria we are trying to take back from unscrupulous elements?
“It was interesting to observe that Mr. Nzenwa was escorted to the court today by security men and associates of Governor Nyesom Wike and members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.
“Unknown to us, while our lawyer was resisting the legal shenanigans of Leonard and his sponsors at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the same Leonard had surreptitiously procured judgment from the High Court of the FCT in Apo, in a suit filed by an unknown ‘Hon. Abugu Bako’.
“Without hearing Sowore, Justice Binta Muhammed of the FCT High Court ruled on the 19th May, 2019 that Sowore was validly “suspended” as the National Chairman of the AAC. Interestingly, in a manner that can only be described as legally irregular, despite dismissing the case brought by this ‘Hon. Abugu Bako’ purportedly challenging the ‘suspension’ of Sowore, Justice Binta Muhammed granted the very same reliefs Justice Ekwo granted on Friday. This is despite the fact that Mr. Nzenwa DID NOT FILE A COUNTER CLAIM to the suit in the FCT High Court.
“Interestingly, the so-called ‘Hon. Abugu Bako’ did not join Sowore as a Defendant in the suit, which was filed secretly at the FCT High Court in Apo on the 13th of May, 2019 (a day before Nzenwa filed a different suit at the Federal High Court).
“Intriguingly, Leonard Nzenwa was represented by the same lawyer (one Emeka Ozoani Esq.) in both cases, seeking the same injunctive reliefs, in two courts in Abuja, within one day of each other. Intriguingly also, relying on the legal manipulations from these two cases, Leonard Nzenwa rushed to the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Rivers State to frustrate the petition filed by the AAC gubernatorial candidate in River State, installing a PDP lawyer to represent the AAC, to give Governor Nyesom Wike what he wanted – a desperate win at the election tribunal.
“Notably also, in the case at the FCT High Court, the supporting affidavit was not personally deposed to by this ‘Hon. Abugu Bako’, but by one Miss Chioma Mbonu, a Litigation Secretary in the law firm of one Elochukwu Nweke Esq., who claimed to be counsel to the said claimant.
“So, while Justice Binta Muhammed relied on the affidavit of a staff of a law firm to provide what Governor Wike wanted – for Mr. Nzenwa to act as Chairman of the AAC to torpedo its case at the tribunal; Justice Inyang Ekwo on his part rejected a counter affidavit sworn to by the Deputy National Secretary of the AAC, to also provide what Governor Wike wanted – for Mr. Nzenwa to act as Chairman of the AAC to torpedo its case at the tribunal.
“Is this not a mockery of the Nigerian judicial system? The totality of these abnormalities is that the AAC will be appealing the questionable judicial processes. We hope for a judiciary whose members (legal counsel and justices alike), will not be working in tandem with corrupt politicians, and specifically in this case, with the PDP in Rivers State.
“Finally, we must urge the leadership of the Nigerian Judiciary to salvage the judiciary from political interference and corruption. Transparency International recently ranked the Nigerian Judiciary as the third most corrupt institution in the country, and one of the worst worldwide. This shameful and tragic perception against the Nigerian Judiciary will continue to thrive except Judges and Lawyers in Nigeria rise above political romance and corruption.
“We urge members of the AAC in Nigeria not to be deterred by these temporary setbacks. It is a pyrrhic victory for dubious and fraudulent elements. We have already begun the process of appealing against the two procured judgements.”
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E2%80%99s-daughter-and-omnipresence-bandits-nigerian-roads-fredrick target=_blank>The Killing Of Afenifere Leader’s Daughter And The Omnipresence Of Bandits On Nigerian Roads By Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
On Wednesday, June 12, Adenipekun Ademiju, a staff member of Atakumosa west local government area of Osun state embarked on a journey – of no return. It was a quotidian day like any other, and there was nothing betokening tragedy. He boarded a bus from Osun town heading for Ibadan. On the expressway around Ikire community, a group of bandits emerged from the stout bushes and pumped a volley of bullets into the bus. Ademiju was unlucky.
On Friday, 58-year-old Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Reuben Fasoranti, a leader of Afenifere, was killed in a similar manner. She was coming from Akure and heading for Ore Junction when some bandits emerged from the cover of vegetation and pummelled her vehicle with bullets.
Also, three days ago, there was a video in circulation showing the scene of a “sibling” crime on Ore road – cars riddled with bullets from bandits and commuters in a state of higgledy-piggledy. And a day before that, there was another incident. As a matter of fact, travelling on this road may now be the quickest exit out of the world of the living.
But this tragedy is not discriminate or selective. It is omnipresent. According to a report by the Vanguard entitled, ‘Kidnapping, banditry, killings: 133 highways of terror’, major roads in the six geopolitical zones in the country are swamped with the violent crimes of kidnapping, banditry and killing. Specifically, 133 highways were reported as routes of death.
In the south-south, “28 major theatres of operation” were listed; in the north-west, 20 “dangerous roads” were reported; in the north-central, 33 “volatile roads” were listed; in the southeast, 11 flashpoints were outlined, and in the southwest, 41 “roads of terror” were reported.
The report deduced the reason for the ubiquity of these bandits in these words: “Specifics show that there is little or no presence of security agents in places where crimes like kidnapping and banditry occur. Oftentimes, security personnel arrive at such places after suspected criminals must have concluded their operations.”
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How Herdsmen Shot, Killed Afenifere’s Chieftain, Fasoranti’s Daughter -Brother
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We have a large swathe of unsecured spaces, and we have a diminutive number of security personnel to secure these spaces. Intelligence gathering is scarcely a yielding routine because of the disconnection between the police and the locals, who would rather want to secure themselves by forming vigilantes. This is the problem, and this is one strong point for the establishment of state police.
Although I had argued against the establishment of state police; it is becoming ludicrous to hold this view, considering the seeming intractable security challenge. Our security agencies are overstretched, kidnappings, banditry, and killings are unabating; there is a cumulus of fear hanging in the air, and some Nigerians are resorting to self-help.
Policing must be local because crimes have residency. But I maintain that even with this arrangement, the control of the local force must not be exclusively in the hands of governors.
In addition, our police are obviously not very effective, but it will be uncharitable to put all the blame for the unchecked reign of terror on a force of which rank and file are unmotivated, badly trained and ill-equipped. The tardiness of the government in the face of this affliction cannot be discounted. When it appears the authorities are now awake and ready to do their job, after a reckonable name becomes a victim of bandits, they slither into somnambulism as soon as the outrage tapers off.
The current insecurity is depressing, but we must not for any reason make it about an ethnic group. Crime has no ethnic face. Individuals commit crime, not the ethnic group. And the motivations for crime do not come from the ethos of any group, but from personal greed and intent.
I say again, state/community policing, without exclusive governorship control, could be the answer to this malaise.
@FredrickNwabufo
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Dear IGP Adamu, Begging Bandits Is Not A Security Strategy by Fredrick Nwabufo
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target=_blank>BREAKING: Gunmen kill Uncle Of Infamous Senator Abbo, Abduct Nursing Stepmother
An uncle to Elisha Abbo, the senator recently seen in a video assaulting a woman, has been killed by gunmen.
Senator Abbo’s nursing stepmother was also abducted during an attack in his home state of Adamawa on Saturday.
Police and locals said the attack occurred in Muchalla ward in Mubi North Local Government of Adamawa State.
According to Premium Times (PT), the lawmaker’s stepmother gave birth about 11 days ago, family and friends said.
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UPDATED: Senator Abbo Takes Selfies As Police Arraign Him For Assaulting Woman In S** Toy Shop
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According to reports, the incident happened around 1 p.m.
One witness who spoke with PT said the gunmen on arriving at the area, “went straight to senator Ishaku Abbo’s family house and abducted the senator’s nursing stepmother who delivered about 11 days ago.”
“As they made their way with the victim, Abbo’s uncle came out of his room and on sighting the gunmen, raised alarm.
“Immediately, the gunmen opened fire on him leading to his death and they went away with the victim unchallenged. Right now, the village is in mourning,” the witness said.
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Herdsmen Attack: South-west Governors, Ex-governor Mimiko, Political Chieftains Visit Fasoranti Over Daughter’s Killing
Governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) have commiserated with the Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti Over the death of his daughter, Mrs. Funke Olakunrin.
Among the South-west chieftains who visited the patriarch were former Governor Olusegun Mimiko; Eddy Olafeso, Southwest Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party; the Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbi Ogunlade Aladelusi; Chief Korede Duyile, Chairman of the Afenifere in Ondo state; Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, Secretary of the Afenifere; former Ondo state Speaker, Mr. Bakkita Bello; among other Afenifere chieftans.
Fayemi said, “I know Mrs. Olakunrin very well. As a matter of fact, she was with me three days ago before heading back to Lagos.
“So, it is a personal lose and tragic situation for us and we all own a duty to tackle this issue head-long in order to rescue our people from this situation.” VIDEO: ‘It’s Personal, It’s Tragic’ – Gov. @kFayemi Reacts To Killing Of Fasoranti’s Daughter By Herdsmen pic.twitter.com/d9mrcIKxy9— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 13, 2019
In addition, Mimiko said, “This is despicably disturbing and this another very challenging situation in our country. We must collectively rise to this challenge.
“I have no doubt in my mind that incidents like this would tax the very fabric of our nation and would also require very profound political will.
“We must leverage on technology and we must definately get to the root of this matter in the interest of our nation and in the interest of the economy.”
Addressing journalists after paying the visit, Akeredolu said the killiing of Fasoranti’s daughter was a great loss to the state.
“All of us are worried and there are some measures that have to taken. We must take whatever steps we want take to tackle this issue of insecurity in order not to allow this to happen again.
“It is a personal lose to all of us. For now, it is like we are mourning a relative that has just passed on,” Akeredolu said.
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