Sahara Reporters Latest News Tuesday 20th August 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Tuesday 20th August 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 20/08/19

target=_blank>Nigerian Arrested For Cocaine Peddling In India

A Nigerian national was arrested on Saturday in Palghar with 32 grams of cocaine, a senior police official said.
Palghar police spokesperson, Hemant Katkar, said the Nigerian known as Laysan Emanuel, 57, was arrested from Tulinj when a police patrol party found him moving suspiciously in the area.
Katkar said, “We recovered 32 grams of cocaine from him. He has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.”
Another 31-year-old Nigerian was arrested in Delhi recently for allegedly peddling drugs after around 35 grams of cocaine was seized from him, according to a report by India Today.

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target=_blank>Borno Governor Places Curse On Persons Depriving IDPs Food

Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, on Monday had a curse placed on anyone in the habit of diverting food items meant for internally displaced persons in the state.
The incident took place while the governor was coordinating and supervising the distribution of food items to nearly 200,0000 ?IDPs in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno.
While the governor watched, an official, who had been assigned the task, raised a copy of the Qur’an and asked the wrath of God to come upon anyone fraudulently diverting food and other relief items meant for the welfare of displaced persons.
A curse was also placed on IDPs in the habit of collecting multiple rations of food to sell in markets, thereby depriving other displaced persons food to eat.
As soon as the official holding the Quaran and placing the curse began the act, dozens of adults disappeared from the long queues, raising suspicion that they could have been involved in the fraudulent practice.
The official said, “Listen to me very attentively, Governor Zulum has asked me to announce to you that from himself as governor down to humanitarian and government officials, in fact anybody at all that diverts food meant for IDPs, the curse of God through the instrumentality of the Qur’an will come upon them.
“May the wrath of God come upon anyone who has collected allocation ticket but came here to collect what is meant for others.
“You all know that food is distributed to households and everyone in the camps are part of a household.
“If you know you are not the head of a household or that you have already collected your portion, better leave the queue or incur the wrath of the Qur’an.”
Diversion of food items meant for displaced persons is a common practice among officials saddled with the welfare of such persons in many parts of the country especially in the North-East region where violent attacks by terrorist group – Boko Haram – hale eft many families homeless.

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E2%80%99ve-forgiven-my-attackers-%E2%80%94ekweremadu target=_blank>I’ve Forgiven My Attackers —Ekweremadu

Immediate-past Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that he holds no grudge against his attackers in Germany on Saturday because he had forgiven them for their ‘sins’.
The lawmaker, who returned to Nigeria on Monday, was assaulted by alleged members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Nuremburg, Germany at an event to mark the 2019 New Yam Festival.
Ekweremadu, who spoke with journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, described his attackers as being under the influence of hard drugs and alcohol.
He said, “I had a feeling that they (his attackers) were under the influence of alcohol and drugs. They did not represent the feelings of our people. I have forgiven them and have moved on.
“The government of Germany is free to do whatever they want to do about their case.
“The organisers of the event in Germany asked me to come to the venue because the place was already full of guests including the Mayor of the town and the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany and I had to rush there.
“When I got there, the Ambassador was not there yet but a lot of people had already assembled.
“I was excited and I alighted from my car to go and say hello to those standing in front of the hall.
“A group of young people with IPOB emblem and shirts were also standing there. One of them then accosted me and said that we didn’t do much when the Federal Government declared Operation Python Dance in the South-East.
“They asked me to address them on the issue right there but I told them that it was part of the issues I would address when I wanted to speak during the programme but they said no.
“They became agitated and started attacking me immediately.”

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E2%80%99s-detention-only-favours-corrupt-nigerians-politicians-%E2%80%93csnac target=_blank>Sowore’s Detention Only Favours Corrupt Nigerians, Politicians –CSNAC

The Civil Society Network Against Corruption has said the continuous detention of activist, Omoyele Sowore favours, by the Department of State Services, only favours corrupt elements in the country especially politicians.
Sowore was on August 3, 2019 arrested in Lagos by the DSS for calling on Nigerians to pour out onto the streets and protest against bad leadership in the country.
In a statement by its Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, CSNAC said Sowore, who is known for exposing corruption in government through his online news medium, Sahara Reporters, had been a thorn in the flesh of many politicians now happy about his continued detention.
Suraju said, “More than many media organisations, Sahara Reportershave exposed corruption in both private and public sector.
“The group had made landmark revelations including the electoral fraud in Ekiti (2014), the fraud involving former Senate President, Olusola Saraki, the Haliburton scandal and many others that would have been swept under the carpet.
“Keeping Mr Sowore in detention for 45 days in an attempt to kill a fly with a sledge hammer.
“Many corrupt Nigerians whose heinous crimes have been exposed are excited to see the continuous detention of Sowore, who also publishes Africa’s foremost online media outfit, Sahara Reporters.”
The CSNAC chairman also described the continuous detention of Sowore as one of the worst forms of attack on free speech and citizenship campaign against corruption in Nigeria.
He added, “With the 45-day detention of Sowore, the FG had demonstrated a penchant for deliberate persecution.
“Equating the scheduled protest of RevolutionNowwith treason, undermines the entire fabric of the country’s democratic history.
“The detention of Sowore is not only an attack on free speech, it also represents a low water level mark in the fight against corruption by the civil society.”
The group also condemned the armed security invasion of the venue of a symposium organised by Coalition for Revolution in Lagos on Monday, calling for the release of all members of the African Action Congress and RevolutionNowmovement still held by security agencies.

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target=_blank>Dasukigate: CACOL Hails Arraignment Of Oshodin For N22.9bn Fraud

Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd)

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The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership has hailed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for arraigning Mrs Isabella Oshodin over money laundering to the tune of N22.9bn.
Oshodin was said to have received the money from the Office of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).
CACOL in a statement by its Media and Publications Officer, Toyin Odofin, on Monday, described the move by the anti-graft agency as “heart-lifting”.
Odofin said, “It is heart-lifting that after many years that Nigerian dignitaries involved in the fraudulent distribution of money meant to purchase security equipment for the country are now being arraigned.
“But unless emphasis shifts from severity of punishment to certainty of detention in criminal offences, the fight against corruption would remain mere hallucination.”
CACOL stated that while capital punishment should not be employed, offenders must not go unpunished irrespective of political standings and economic status.

target=_blank>Ekweremadu: Nigerian Government Vows To Punish Attackers

The Embassy of Nigeria, Berlin, Germany, has said it would swiftly identify and punish members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra believed to have attacked former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Nuremberg, Germany, on Saturday.
In a statement on Monday, the embassy said the organisers had reportedly requested for police protection but were told that the threat level was minimal and did not require the stationing of any personnel at the venue before the incident.
The embassy added that it would move against the IPOB and its members to deter any reoccurrence of such incidence.
The statement reads, “The Embassy has requested a thorough investigation of this attack with a view to identifying the perpetrators and bringing them swiftly to justice in accordance with German laws.

target=_blank>Dasukigate: EFCC Arraigns Isabella Oshodin Over N22.9bn Fraud

Isabella Oshodin

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned Isabella Oshodin and Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd on a 25-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N22.9bn.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday.
Oshodin was alleged to have on 16 occasions received the sums of N500,000,000; N750,000,000; N125,000,000; N350,000,000; N170,000,000; N85,000,000; N60,000,000; N50,000,000 and others which totalled N2,366,000,000 from the Office of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Investigations further revealed that the defendant on eight occasions received from Dasuki’s office sums totalling $57,217,301.15 into the Escrow accounts of Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd.
Count two of the charges reads: “That you, Mrs Isabela Mimie Oshodin, Bob Oshodin Organisation Ltd and Mr Robert (Bob) Oshodin (still at large) on or about June 22, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court directly transferred the sum of $7,712,598 to one Portfolio Escrow Company with account number 3102004330 domiciled in California Republic Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known to be proceed of an unlawful act of Sambo Dasuki, the then National Security Adviser to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Provision) Act, 2011as amended in 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In view of her plea, the prosecuting counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib, prayed the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.
The trial judge, thereafter, adjourned to August 21, 2019 and ordered the defendant to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the ruling on the bail application

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target=_blank>Ekweremadu: Shehu Sani Warns Public Officials Against Travelling Abroad

Outspoken ex-lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has taken to Twitterto warn Nigerian public officials not to travel abroad or honour invitations from Nigerians living in the Diaspora so as to avoid being physically assaulted.
He gave the advice following an attack on former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in Germany on Saturday by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
Speaking via his handle official handle, @ShehuSani, the Kaduna State-born politician said, “In view of the mob action against Ekweremadu, a dangerous precedent has been set, it’s for everyone in the position of power to take caution; maintain a low profile while abroad and avoid invitation to swim in seemingly calm crocodile pools.
“My advice to public office holders: whenever you are invited abroad, take the following steps; call Abike Dabiri to verify, call Farooq Kperogi to attest, call the embassy to vet, send your protocol staff to cross-check; If no green light, just chill at home.”

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target=_blank>Presidency Warns Of Looming Fiscal Crisis

The Presidency has warned that Nigeria may soon face fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to stop the negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax revenue.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, made the disclosure in a statement on Monday.
The Presidency said this in explanation for the reported investigation of Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler.
It was reported that Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari, queried Fowler over why government revenue has been low compared to what it was before now.
The statement reads, “Following reports making the rounds in some media outlets, it is necessary to state categorically that the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is not under any investigation.
“The letter from the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, on which the purported rumour of an investigation is based, merely raises concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue collection in recent times.
“Taking a cue from today’s presentation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Retreat for Ministers-Designate, Federal Permanent Secretaries and top government functionaries, projected revenue of government falls behind recurrent expenditure even without having factored in capital expenditure.
“Consequently, it would appear that the country might be heading for a fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to halt the negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax revenue.”
Meanwhile, Fowler, while responding to the query issued to him by Kyari, said that the fall in revenue was caused by the recession the country experienced not too long ago.
He said, “The Nigerian economy also went into recession in the second quarter of 2016 which slowed down general economic activities.
“Tax revenue collection (CIT and VAT) being a function of economic activities were negatively affected but actual collection of the above two taxes were still higher in 2016 to 2018 than in 2012 to 2014.”

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After Ekweremadu Attack, Orji Kalu Cancels Trip To Spain

Former governor of Abia State and sitting senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, has cancelled his trip to Spain after members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in Germany attacked former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Saturday.
Kalu however, said his decision to ditch the trip was not to avoid assault from members of IPOB.
In statement on Monday, Kalu explained that he has been in his country home, Igbere, interacting with members of his constituency since the National Assembly went on recess.
The lawmaker said he had held several meetings with the people of Abia North at his residence in Igbere.
The statement reads, “I have been in my country home interacting with people from my constituency and settling disputes.
“The news that I suspended my planned medical trip abroad is not true.
“I was invited by an Igbo group in Spain to attend their function, I could not go because of the interaction with my constituents.”

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