Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 28th January 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 28/01/20
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UPDATE: How Kobe Bryant, Daughter Was Killed In Helicopter Crash
Retired United States basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning.
He was traveling with at least three other persons in his private helicopter when it went down.
A fire broke out. Emergency personnel responded but nobody on board survived.
His wife, Vanessa, was not among those on board.
Eyewitnesses said they heard the helicopter’s engine sputtering before it went down.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Kobe has famously used the helicopter to travel for years — dating back to when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kobe has recently spotted out at NBA games with his daughter Gianna — a rising star basketball player herself, according to TMZ Sports.
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BREAKING: Basketball Star, Kobe Bryant, Killed In Helicopter Crash
Kobe Bryant, United States basketball star, has died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning. The 41-year-old star died while traveling with four other people in his private helicopter when it crashed, killing everyone on board.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Bryant is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and their four daughters – Gianna, Natalia and Bianca and newborn, Capri.
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EFCC In Secret Moves To Arraign Shehu Sani In Court On Monday
SaharaReporters has gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has perfected plans to arraign Senator Shehu Sani before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday over allegations of extorting money from owner of ASD Motors, Sani Dauda. A source in the know of things told our correspondent that the commission had filed charges against the lawmaker at Court 5 bordering on misrepresentation and obtaining money by false pretence.
It was gathered that the commission deliberately abandoned the charges it filed at the FCT High Court with a view to frustrating the application for rights enforcement filed by Sani so as to further detain him.
The detention order earlier obtained against the senator by the anti-graft agency will expire on Monday.
After first obtaining a 14-day order to keep Sani, the EFCC secured an order to further keep him for extra five days while investigation into the matter continued.
The court had slated Sani’s rights enforcement application for Tuesday for hearing.
SaharaReporters also gathered that the legal team of the senator had not been served with any charge and proof of evidence till this moment.
The senator had on January 16 filed the enforcement of his fundamental rights over his continued detention by the commission, which he described as illegal and a breach of section 35 (5) of the constitution.
SaharaReporters had reported that the EFCC was planning to arraign Sani before the expiration of the additional five days extension it obtained to further keep him.
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Buhari Shades TY Danjuma, Opens Up On Relationship With Vice, Osinbajo
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the opinion of General T.Y. Danjuma (retd) was not more important than that of millions of Nigerians, who voted for his re-election in 2019.
Buhari made the comment while speaking with The Interview on Saturday.
Asked if he was concerned about the vote of low confidence expressed by Danjuma during a recent book launch in Ibadan, Oyo State, Buhari said, “And what is the vote of confidence of Nigerians in me as expressed in the polls last year? That is what matters more, not the opinion of one man.”
Danjuma had said if he says what he knew about the happenings in government, Nigerians would lose sleep.
The comment was viewed in some quarters as an expression of lack of confidence in Buhari’s government, and a blow from a man widely believed to be a close ally of Nigeria’s President.
Buhari however, said his re-election was a vindication of voters’ confidence in him and his government’s policies.
Shedding light into his relationship with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said things were “perfect” between them.
He said, “Perfect. Or has he complained to you?”
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Explosion Rocks Borno Mosque, Boy Killed, Several Injured
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An improvised explosive device has gone off at a mosque in Gwoza, Borno State, killing a 12-year-old boy and leaving several others injured.
A resident of the area, who identified himself only as Musa, told SaharaReporters that two suicide bombers strapped with IED forced their ways into the mosque during afternoon prayer before the explosion occurred.
He said, “The bombing happened around Guduf Nagadiyo at Bulabaulin in Gwoza. A 12-year-old boy was killed, while others sustained injuries.”
Musa added that soldiers from 192 battalion of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the spot to forestall against any further attack.
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Nigerian Government At War With Free Speech By Obinna Ezechukwu
Ayoola Babalola
Ayoola Babalola
The shocking arrest and detention of Ayoola Babalola in Ibara Prison over his publications on a campus newspaper in which he is the editor, is only a testament to the obvious and audible fact that the Nigerian Government has declared war against freedom of expression and thought in Nigeria despite the fact that the constitution already empowers every citizen to express themselves freely.
With these kind of outcome, one need not ask to know that Nigeria do not have a government. We have people empowered to protect and safeguard Nigerians and the law but they go ultra vire that purpose and repress the voice of Nigerians.
Ayoola Babalola’s article only asked about the petition given to EFCC, if they would investigate Bola Tinubu for money laundering. Tinubu’s house is not a bank, so why will he use two bullion vans to bring money home days to an election? It is embarrassing at a time that one of their spokespersons tried to cover it up by claiming that the bullion van may be carrying papers, and then we ask, when did we start using bullion vans to carry papers, and if the papers were classified as security sensitive.
None the less, the same Tinubu came out openly to tell Nigerians to mind their business, that it is his money and not theirs. On this note, Ayoola Babalola asked if the EFCC will do their job and investigate the incident.
Babalola published other articles about how Muhammadu Buhari do not believe in Nigeria, which is evident in the way the old man prefers to go outside the country to treat himself. The same old man tells Nigerians to patronise domestic goods and services. Is there any further meaning to hypocrisy than this?
Babalola also published an article asking the University of Lagos to apologise to student activist, Femi Adeyeye, after he was suspended by the school for writing an article exposing many dirty dealings about the school management and lecturers. Years after he was expelled, many of the things he revealed in the article were found to be true. At such point, it is only honourable for a supposedly intellectual institution to apologise and recall the student but they have proved unapologetic and unrepentant in their action.
He further published an article about human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, and his unjust treatment by the Nigerian Government. After all this, he was called by the school management of Gateway Polytechnic, who told him that they don’t like his attack on the All Progressives Congress because the school was loyal to the party.
On January 23, Babalola was reportedly beaten by some sponsored student cultists and arrested by the SSS, which showed a collaboration between the security agency and the attackers. He was charged to court where he was denied his representative and then remanded in prison.
These are tough times in Nigeria for every patriotic and innocent citizens. The case of Agba Jalingo and Joseph Odok also victims of repression still lingers only because they dared to expose corruption in governance and speak truth to power.
As it stands, Nigeria do not have a responsible government, what the country have are bunch of lawless power-drunk politicians, who pounce on any patriotic citizen calling them to order.
Like Omoyele Sowore said in 2000, “We will no longer live in fear”.
We are sending this strong message to the Nigerian Government, “not the walls of prison, nor the sod of cemetery shall isolate us from the path of justice, truth and humanism”.
If the Nigerian Government think by putting an innocent Ayoola Babalola in prison will silence us, on this we say, kolewerk.
Obinna Ezechukwu is the Media and Publicity Coordinator of Take It Back Campus Wing
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JAMB Halts UniAbuja Admission Process Over Irregularities
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has halted the ongoing admission of students at the University of Abuja due to irregularities.
In its latest investigation on the admission process of the university, JAMB found out that the new management under Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, had altered the situation.
Checks by Economic Confidential indicated that upon resumption of office few months ago, the new VC jettisoned the committee of the university and allegedly contracted the process out, which is alien to the institution.
The VC recently addressed a press conference to announce that the process was suspended by the university management for irregularities when in fact it was an instruction from JAMB.
The development caught the attention of JAMB, who in turn informed the university to halt the 2019/2020 admission process which did not meet up with its guidelines of uploading all admissions on the Central Admission Processing System.
Further investigations revealed that university regulations on admission provided that admissions of students should be handled by the committee on admission headed by a chairman.
Further checks also showed that admission acceptance fee of newly admitted students, which was N4,500 before was now N30, 000.
The institution, which never charged fees for the collection of original certificates after graduation now charged N30, 000 per person for such.
The university management under the new leadership also allegedly reversed the existing Senate decision on examination results.
The rule was that results from departments were brought to the Senate through the Senate Business Committee within six weeks after semester examinations.
The current rule, which has not been ratified by the Senate, orders lecturers to turn in results 10 days at the end of each semester examinations – an order academic staff have said won’t be complied with.
The Office of the VC is said to have also taken over the issuance of coupons for the about 6000 bed spaces in student hostels.
The student affairs office responsible for the issuance of coupons for students’ accommodation had been side-lined.
Efforts to contact the Vice Chancellor through phone calls and text messages failed but the university’s spokesperson, Habib Yakoob, said that the allegations were unfounded, adding that those making the claims had things to hide.
He said, “I am not aware of any memo from JAMB suspending our admission process because of irregularities, but I can assure you that those who volunteered information to you are afraid of the new order because they are unarguably beneficiaries of the old order.”
Head, Media and Information of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the development, stating that the organisation had the mandate to correct any lapses detected in any admission process of any university.
He said, “This is a directive from the Minister of Education that any irregularity on admission process must be reversed and that the University of Abuja is not an exception.”
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Rights Group Demands Justice For Slain Journalist, To File Petition Against Police
A coalition of civil society organisations and human rights activists will on Monday hold a press conference and submit a petition against the killing of a journalist, Alex Ogbu.
The journalist was killed by the police during a peaceful protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria last Tuesday in Abuja.
The petition will be formally presented to Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The rights group expressed worry at the rate at, which government was becoming intolerant by shrinking the media and civic space and criminalising opposing views.
A statement by the coalition jointly signed by leaders of the group said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime cannot continue to detain dissidents and activists illegally for speaking against his government.
The group noted that Publisher of CrossRiverWatch, Agba Jalingo, was still being detained in Calabar prison for allegedly criticising Governor Ben Ayade.
The statement added that the group would also be demanding from the government to release and drop all charges against all political prisoners across the country including Jalingo, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare.
The coalition includes Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Coalition for Revolution, United Action for Democracy, Take It Back Movement, and Coalition for Real Change.
Others are Coalition for Revolution, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association, Nigeria Humanitarian Action, and Generation for Change Africa Initiatives.
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Abducted University Of Maiduguri Female Student Still In Boko Haram Captivity
A 100-level student of Zoology of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Lillian Daniel Gyang, who was abducted alongside others two weeks ago, is still in the custody of Boko Haram terrorists, Intelligence sources have confirmed.
PRNigeria gathered that efforts are being made by relevant agencies and stakeholders towards the safe release of the captives.
Gyang, 20, hails from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
She was abducted on January 9, 2020, on her way to Maiduguri alongside Mr Ropvil Dalep, a Biology student at UNIMAID, who was later killed in a video released by Boko Haram.
Both undergraduates were returning to the university after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
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Amotekun: Matters Arising By Ozodinukwe Okenwa
SOC Okenwa
SOC Okenwa
Sustained controversy has trailed the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, code-named Operation Amotekun by some South-Western states. Amotekun is grabbing national news headlines because it is novel, daring and decisive a strategy towards dealing with the ubiquitous insecurity across the federation for which the incompetent Nigerian federal police force are demonstratively incapable of solving or resolving.
Amotekun may be seen in some quarters as state police dressed or disguised as vigilante or para-military security outfit but the determination of the originators and proponents of the idea behind it all in the face of criticisms or condemnations from certain quarters up north remains commendable.
The formation of Amotekun is an internal security masterstroke destined to send a deafening defense message across. The process of de-marketing of the regional security outfit aimed at addressing the daunting security challenges in the South-West in particular is unfortunate. Yet nothing less should have been expected in an atmosphere of ‘born-to-rule’ mentality!
Expectedly the Federal Government through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, had declared the security outfit an illegality, saying his office was not consulted before its formation. And the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, speaking from Sokoto, backed the position of the AGF. For him: “If Operation Amotekun differs from the support being rendered by state governments to the Federal Government on security matters, then it is unconstitutional.”
The former radical Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, added his disagreeing voice to the Amotekun national controversy. In an exclusive interview he granted the ‘Sunday-Sun’ newspaper penultimate weekend he had argued strongly against the security outfit warning Nigerians surprisingly to be wary of the intentions behind the establishment.
Declaring the project a “distrustful one”, he said “it was a ploy to secure Yoruba-land and a prelude to the declaration of Oduduwa Republic”. Strong words but strong reactions had followed almost immediately. From the Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka to Gani Adams, Femi Falana to Olisa Agbakoba the reactions in support of Amotekun were as hard as they could come.
The old Musa was spot on when he acknowledged that the Buhari presidency’s incompetence had led to the formation of Amotekun. But he goofed when he called for its resistance on the ground that it would definitely lead to the declaration of the Oduduwa Republic. What oracle did Musa consult before coming to such conclusion?
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association otherwise known as Fulani herdsmen terrorists had added their antagonistic voice to the raging national debate over Amotekun. The National Secretary of the group, Saleh Alhassan, had last Tuesday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme Sunrise Daily, described Amotekun as a “monster and threat to democracy”. “We are afraid because if they don’t tame this monster at the early stage, it is going to be a serious disaster for the country” he had reasoned alarmingly.
Few weeks ago Ooni of Ife Ob Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Prof Wole Soyinka, had met and asked Nigerians to rise up and defend their ancestral lands since the Muhammadu Buhari-led government was idling in protecting the lives of citizens.
The point to be made here is that the Nigerian state has since collapsed! And we are just deceiving ourselves that things are still working. Nothing is working anymore anywhere! When the ill-equipped and ill-trained federal police force are not up to their duties and when the Buhari-led federal government has manifestly failed to secure lives and properties across the board then Amotekun is called for.
The Federal Government, boxed to the corner, had recently, albeit belatedly, accepted the Amotekun security outfit. The Governors of the Yoruba-speaking states had met with the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja where the government pronounced its volte face on the issue.
For us Amotekun is a welcome development in a nation without security. The primary objective of any government is to protect lives and properties of the citizenry. And since the Buhari-led administration has failed to secure lives and properties of Nigerians then more Amotekuns should be encouraged to follow suit!
Amotekun is, therefore, here to stay and the Governors of the South-west states deserve commendation for the revolutionary initiative. Let other geo-political regions or zones – South-East, Niger Delta, Middle Belt – create their own Amotekuns. The nay-sayers must give us a break and let them be.
As Igboland, besieged militarily with scores of checkpoints from Enugu to Umuahia, recently marked fifty years of Biafra, a muted jubilee from all indications, the Amotekun phenomenon has paid an indirect posthumous tribute to the late Ikemba-Nnewi, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who had seen prophetically and radically pointed out the dysfunctional ingredients of the Nigerian federalism as presently constituted and practised.
As it was then, decades ago, so it is now if not worse!
The day Nigeria would break up would definitely mark a befitting milestone in Ojukwism. In the event of disintegration happening in this generation then Ojukwu’s leadership vision and sagacity would have triumphed at long last!
SOC Okenwa
soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr
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