Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 10th September 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 10/09/20
Read also
NDLEA Intercepts 1000kg Of Cannabis, Parades Six Drug Barons In Adamawa
One thousand kilograms of cannabis sativa have been intercepted and six suspected illicit drug barons paraded in Adamawa State.
The Adamawa State Command of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Wednesday in Yola, the state capital, paraded the suspects and displayed the seized illicit substance.
Commander of the agency, Idris Bello, who paraded the suspects, said the seizures were made in Mubi, Numan, and other parts of the state.
He said, “Six people are in our custody on allegation of dealing in illicit drugs and related offences.
“One particular suspected cannabis dealer in Mubi is at large though, but we are on his trail.”
The commander lauded Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s role in the sustained war against hard drugs.
He noted that the governor’s support to NDLEA had been instrumental to the agency’s success.
Fielding questions from journalists, Bashar Umar, one of the arrested dealers of cannabis sativa, said that he regretted his actions.
He disclosed that he gets his supplies from Ondo and Edo states and distributes same to middlemen for sale to consumers.
Drugs
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
30,000 Policemen, 17,000 Ad Hoc Staff To Be Deployed For Ondo Governorship Election
File Photo
At least 30,000 policemen would be deployed to provide security for the governorship election in Ondo State.
Commissioner of Police in Ondo, Mr Bolaji Salami, said the officers would be drafted to the 18 local government areas of the state to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
He said, “We have already started the preparations for the election and we have trained our men to ensure a violence-free election on October 10.
File Photo
Business Day
“We are taking directive from the Force (Police) headquarters and 30,000 policemen would be providing security for the Ondo governorship. They would be deployed to all polling units in all 18 local government areas.”
He also added that the command would soon begin a show of force together with other security agencies in the state to send a signal to anyone planning to cause violence in the election.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has said it would deploy over 17,000 ad hoc staff for the Ondo governorship election.
The commission also explained that 15,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps would assist as polling officers from that figure.
Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voters Education, made the disclosure during a workshop for journalists in the state ahead of the election.
Okoye said the ad hoc staff would include civil servants and senior lecturers from tertiary institutions, who would serve as collation and presiding officers for the election.
Speaking on the controversial Z-Pad technology, which was recently used during the Nasarawa Central state constituency election, Okoye said the commission had been able to rectify some of the challenges with the innovation.
He said, “In the Nasarawa election, the commission introduced Z-Pad as secondary verification solution to the smart card reader. If the smart card reader is unable to identify your fingerprints, the Z-Pad will identify you and capture your facials and then you can vote.
“Some of these problems we have noticed in the Z-Pad, we need to rectify them before we introduce them in big elections.
“But for the purpose of uploading Form EC8A from the polling units to a dedicated portal, we are going to continue with the Z-Pad.
“I want to assure and reassure you that this commission is committed to the conduct of credible election both in Edo and Ondo states and in all the 14 by-elections we are going to conduct.”
Elections
Police
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Ghanaian Pastor Shoots Wife Dead In United States
A Ghanaian pastor, Sylvester Ofori, has been arrested for shooting his wife dead in the United States of America.
Ofori killed his wife, who was identified as Barbara Tommey, outside the Navy Federal Credit Union branch where she worked.
Orlando Police Department Chief said she was shot and killed as she arrived for work on Tuesday morning.
Ofori shot Tommey multiple times and immediately fled the scene.
He was later arrested by detectives of the Orlando Police Department.
Police said a warrant was served at the suspect’s apartment and Ofori taken into custody.
“You can tell that she’s trying to get inside (the credit union). Unfortunately, he killed her,” Police Chief Orlando Rolon said.
“You can tell she was surprised by what was happening.”
An eyewitness, who only provided her first name as Lisa, spoke with local media, saying Ofori was walking behind her before he brought out his gun and shot her.
“The guy was walking behind her. The next thing I knew, he raised his hand with the gun in it and he shot her.
“I started running and as I’m running, I hear three or four more shots.
“I’m shaken up right now, I’m still shaken up,” she said. The police added that the shooting was captured on surveillance video, adding that Ofori will face a charge of first degree murder with a firearm.
CRIME
United States of America
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Septuagenarian Alleges Plan By Ekiti State University Registrar, Siblings To Forcefully Take Over Land
A 73-year-old man, Sola Martins Ojo, has accused the Registrar of Ekiti State University, Akinwumi Olusola Arogundade, and his family members of planning to take over his three plots of land at lle-Ileri Adehun Area of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Ojo, who claimed he bought the land about 40 years ago, said he became a target of harassment, intimidation and victimisation by Arogundade and his siblings following the death of most the senior member of the family in 2014.
He said they were at his house on June 6, 2020 with armed thugs and destroyed his property.
The septuagenarian alleged that his wife and daughter were physically assaulted.
He said, “I purchased the land about 40 years ago. In 2009, this group invaded my premises with men of the state police headquarters and accused me of occupying the land illegally.
“A lawyer among them destroyed some of my survey pillars while a woman beat up my 16-year-old daughter for daring to ask questions.
“I led them to the High Chief who sold the land to me. He confirmed the sale of the property, the receipt and affidavits. Even with this, I was detained at the police station for many hours.
“At the death of this Chief in 2014, the most senior member of the family replaced him. Then, l became a target of harassment, intimidation and victimisation by the siblings.
“The lawyer, who is the Registrar of Ekiti State University, Olusola Arogundade, used the institution’s staff to spray off my crops to expand his plantain and palm tree plantations.
“On August 13, 2019, a senior immigration officer among them invaded my premises with security men armed with guns and tear gas. While one stood behind me pointing his gun at my head, others stood around threatening members of my family.
“The immigration officer threatened to return with greater force soon if I failed to surrender a part of the land.
“They were around again on June 6 with thugs armed with cutlasses. They destroyed my crops, yams, cassava and plantain. They pushed me down. That lawyer beat up my 19-year-old daughter while a state civil service director among them beat up my son to the point of exhaustion.
“My wife was also beaten until she collapsed and was rushed to the teaching hospital.”
Ojo begged Governor Kayode Fayemi and the state Commissioner of Police to rescue him from the Arogundade family.
Human Rights
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
13-year-old Boy Sentenced To 10-year Imprisonment For Blasphemy Appeals Judgment
Farouq Omar, a 13-year-old boy sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for blasphemy, has appealed the judgment that convicted him at the Kano State High Court.
Omar was convicted on August 10 by Aliyu Kanu, the same judge, who sentenced a musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, to death for blaspheming Prophet Mohammed.
Baba-Jibo Ibrahim, spokesperson for Kano Region Justice Ministry, said the teenager was sentenced to 10 years in prison for making derogatory statements towards Allah.
The development has stirred an outcry among many Nigerians.
In a suit filed at the Kano State High Court on Monday, Kola Alapini, Omar’s counsel, on behalf of the Foundation for Religious Freedom, asked the court to set the judgment aside.
The respondents in the appeal included the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General of the state.
According to a copy of the court document seen by SaharaReporters, the teenager pleaded that the court should set aside the judgment because the law used to convict him was unconstitutional and conflicts with the Nigerian constitution, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He added that the Sharia law is only applicable and permissible in Islamic theocracies or countries whose constitution allows for such laws and not in Nigeria — a secular state with constitutional democracy.
“The offence of blasphemy is no longer a cognisable offence in Nigerian by virtue of Section 10 standing alone or in conjunction with Sections 38 and 39 of the constitution respectively. A capital offence seeking to terminate human life must comply strictly and especially with the right to life provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Kano State government lacks the constitutional authority to adopt legislative mechanism to exclusively compensate Muslims for its lack of performance in providing good order and security by enacting unconstitutional laws that curtail the right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and blasphemy laws essentially censored religious opinions, critical expression of human conscience and thoughts and significantly,” he said.
The FRF in a statement condemned the earlier judgment.
“On Monday, 7th September, 2020 we on behalf of the Foundation for Religious Freedom successfully filed an appeal with number K/40CA/2020 on behalf of Omar Farouq at the Kano State High Court.
“Omar Farouq is a 13-year-old boy (a minor in the eyes of the law) sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with menial labour for blasphemy. In the same Sharia court in Filin Hockey, Kano, by the same judge that sentenced Yahaya Sharif-Aminu. Both boys were convicted the same day.
“This is a violation of the African Charter of the rights and welfare of a vhild. A violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Kano State Government will have their day in court,” the group said.
Human Rights
Legal
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99ll-fight-you-if-you-come-ekiti-fayose-warns-oyo-governor-makinde PDP Crisis: I’ll Fight You If You Come To Ekiti, Fayose Warns Oyo Governor, Makinde
Ayodele Fayose
Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, has warned Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, against tampering with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti.
Fayose said he was ready to fight anyone, who wants to take over the structure of the party in the state from him.
He disclosed this on Wednesday when he led national delegates of the PDP including the chairmen of the party in Osun, Ekiti, Lagos to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Ayodele Fayose
He said, “There has been a reasonable cold war of who and who becomes the executive of the zone. Governor Makinde has demanded that the zonal executive be sacked and a caretaker be fostered on the zone which the party did.
“But, since the caretaker committee came into being, he has not allowed them to function because he produced the chairman.
“Beyond that, the fact that there is a sitting governor does not say I should go to another man’s state. Nobody should come to my state; if you come to my state, I will face you squarely.
“I will continue to respect him because he is my brother, I love him so much and I was part of his emergence.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
EXPOSED: Real Reason Military Killed Benue Militant, Gana
Terwase Akwaza
SaharaRepoters has uncovered the real reason Nigerian military killed a wanted militant in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza widely known as Gana, on Tuesday.
Said to be the most wanted criminal in the state, Gana was eliminated to prevent him from implicating top politicians sponsoring his activities.
A former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, is said to be one of Gana’s main sponsors, military sources confided in SaharaReporters.
Terwase Akwaza
The sources also disclosed that the late militant was also close to some top military officers in the country and was therefore killed to conceal these facts.
Recall that Suswam was arrested in 2017 by the Department of State Services for illegal possession of firearms following a raid on his Abuja residence.
The DSS claimed a pistol with two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him.
See Also
CRIME
Nigerian Army Kills Benue Most Wanted Criminal, Gana
0 Comments
10 Hours Ago
Other items recovered from his residence, according to the DSS, include a Mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds respectively; 42 extra rounds of ammunition in a pack; one AK-47; 21 Certificates of Occupancy and one offer of statutory right of occupancy; 23 luxury watches; and 45 keys to various cars.
He was subsequently arrested in June 2018 over security issues in Benue State.
SaharaReporters gathered that Suswam was released after he struck a deal with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress following the defection of Governor Samuel Ortom to the Peoples Democratic Party.
He became a senator in 2019 and was a top member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters, which investigated DSS invasion of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The report of the committee, which reportedly indicted the Director General of the DSS, Yusuph Magaji Bichi, was never released to the public.
The late Gana, who had a N50m bounty on his head by the state and federal governments, had been on the wanted list for close to four years over his alleged criminal activities.
In 2015, Governor Ortom granted amnesty to over 500 criminals and the late militia leader was among those, who took advantage of it to surrender over 700 arms to the government.
However, he was said to have reneged on his promise to repent and returned to his hideout in the Sankera axis of the state alongside his followers and gang members.
This was shortly after being fingered in the murder of an aide of the governor on Special Security, Deneen Igbana, in 2016 in Makurdi.
He was said to be heading to Makurdi on Tuesday to surrender under a new amnesty arrangement by the state government when he was killed by the military.
Governor Ortom has since tackled the Nigerian Army for killing Gana.
He stated that the military was carried along in the amnesty programme for militias in the state.
He said, “We were waiting for the repentant militias when I received a call that Gana and others have been arrested close to Yandev Roundabout in Gboko by soldiers.
“Many of the repentant militias had weapons in which they were bringing to surrender to us.
“The process of the amnesty programme was known to the security operatives, so I don’t know why they have to be arrested.”
Commander, 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, Nasarawa State, Major General Moundhey Ali, said that Gana was killed following exchange of gunfire with the army.
Ali said about 40 members of Gana’s gang were captured in the process.
CRIME
Military
Politics
Scandal
Exclusive
News
AddThis
:
Featured Image
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Election: Thugs Invade Market In Edo, Chase Away Traders Supporting APC
L-R: Godwin Obaseki of Peoples Democratic Party; Osagie Ize-Iyamu of All Progressives Congress.
The popular Oliha Market in Benin City, Edo State, was thrown into confusion on Wednesday as thugs invaded the market and chased away both traders and customers.
The thugs are alleged to be loyal to the state government and Peoples Democratic Party.
They are said to have barred anyone from selling goods in the market, according to some traders, who spoke with SaharaReporters.
L-R: Godwin Obaseki of Peoples Democratic Party, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of All Progressives Congress.
The people claimed the thugs were infuriated because a trader in the market was seen with Adams Oshiomhole of the All Progressives Congress.
“I was asked to send a woman away from the market because she was seen with Oshiomhole during campaign.
“They then said I should mobilise traders to follow Obaseki to PDP and vote for him but I told them that everybody had the choice to vote for whoever they want.
“Suddenly today, over 10 PDP thugs in the area came into the market and started shooting sporadically.
“Everybody had to run for their lives. As it is now, nobody has been able to return to the market,” Chief Sunny Erahengbo, Chief Security Officer of the market, narrated to SaharaReporters.
He added that the thugs were escorted by some police operatives.
He urged the state police command to ensure the safety of residents in the community.
“The Commissioner of Police should please do the needful and secure our lives and our traders.
“The police should take action before things turn around and people are being killed,” Erahengbo added.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Rights Group Slams Buhari Over Comments Justifying Petrol Price Increase, Vows To Occupy NERC Headquarters
A coalition of civil society groups, Nigerians Against Bad Policies, has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for saying Nigerians should brace up for more petrol price increase as the price of crude oil in the international market recovers.
He also justified the latest increase in electricity tariff, which has left Nigerians worried.
The group described the statement as insensitive and unjustifiable, adding that it was nothing but a support for the fraudulent contraption of privatisation.
At a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja jointly addressed by Dimeji Macaulay of Movement for Socialist Alternative, Kathy Gerald of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, and Botti Isaac of Social Action, the coalition condemned the statement in its entirety, describing it as ridiculous.
The group called on Nigerians to rise up and fight for their rights.
They also vowed to occupy the headquarters of National Electricity Regulatory Commission to drive home their demand for the reversal of the new tariff.
See Also
Politics
President Buhari Blames COVID-19 For Increase In Petrol Pump Price, Electricity Tariff
0 Comments
2 Days Ago
Macaulay said, “This period requires citizens to be ready to ensure they are not short-changed by corrupt and cruel government.
“While hinging the recent thoughtless increment in price of petroleum on the gradual recovery of oil prices internationally, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that there will be further increment in the price of petroleum.
“We consider this statement unfortunate and unjustifiable for any reason. It is nothing short of support for the fraudulent contraption of privatisation.”
He said to change the present reality in the oil sector and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the benefits of oil production, the sector must be nationalised and placed under the control and management of working people.
“This will mean building of new refineries and revamping the old ones to make satisfactory production for Nigerians and put an end not just to the corrupt practice of subsidy payment but also the reign of oil cartels and marketers who continue to feed fat on the oil sector.
“We have started our rejection of anti-people policies by picketing the NLC secretariat on Monday. Just as we have made known, we are determined to continue this protests until the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government reverses the increment in the price of petrol and electricity tariff.
“We call on Nigerians to join us in resisting these outrageous policies aimed at making life miserable for the working masses of Nigeria. It is only by fighting against such bad policies that we can get freedom.
“Furthermore, we wish to register our displeasure with the docility of the leadership of the NLC and TUC, who have not been able to go beyond mere condemnation of these anti-people policies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.”
The activists called on labour leaders to mobilise Nigerian workers for protest and strike against the injustice by the government.
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Court Orders Service Of ‘Hearing Notice’ On INEC For Excluding AAC From Edo Governorship Election
A federal high court sitting in Abuja has ordered a service of hearing notice on the Independent National Electoral Commission over the exclusion of the African Action Congress and its candidate, Edith Isokpan, from the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
The vacation judge, Justice A.R Muhammed, gave the order on Wednesday following a letter addressed to the court by lawyer to commission seeking for the adjournment of the matter because he was indisposed.
The judge granted the application for the adjournment by the defendant and ordered the court registrar to issue and serve a hearing notice on the commission in the suit.
Meanwhile, in his own submission, counsel to the applicant, Barr. O.A Otamere, had opposed the application for adjournment by the defendant considering the urgency of the matter.
He argued that the election had been slated for September 19, 2020 and there was need for accelerated hearing.
Otamere said, “Today, counsel to the defendant wrote a letter and applied for adjournment. We opposed the application considering the urgency of the matter but the court in its wisdom granted the application for adjournment for the fact that this matter was adjourned for mention.
“Considering that the election is holding on September 19, we have drawn the attention of his Lordship to that. However, by the relevant rules of court and practice direction, the court has 180 days to hear and determine pre-election matter and the court is working within that timeframe irrespective of the date the election has been so fixed.”
The judge therefore adjourned the matter to 15th September 2020 for hearing.
The Edo State Chairman of the party, Lawal Afeez, called on supporters of the AAC to remain calm, saying that justice can only be delayed but not denied.
He said, “To me, I see this as a delay tactics but we will continue to assure our supporters all over the world to remain calm as justice will be done.
“It can only be delayed but can never be denied. We are winning this election by the grace of God.”
Recall that INEC excluded AAC from political parties to contest the election in Edo even after the party had successfully conducted its primary election and produced Isokpan as its candidate.
The primary election, which was peaceful and orderly, was witnessed by INEC officials.
However, while releasing the list of parties approved to contest the election, INEC omitted AAC from the log without any concrete explanation.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
