Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Saturday 19th September 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 19/09/20
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Concerned Nigerians Group Condemn Harassment Of Wike, Other PDP Leaders Ahead Of Governorship Election In Edo
The Concerned Nigerians group has frowned against the harassment of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and other Peoples Democratic Party leaders in Benin, Edo State, ahead of the governorship election in the state.
Armed security personnel had laid siege to the hotel where Wike and other PDP stalwarts are lodged in a move designed to curb their movement within Edo especially as Saturday’s election was set to be held.
The development attracted criticisms from Nigerians, who described it as a ploy by the All Progressives Congress-controlled Federal Government to rig the poll in favour of the party and its candidate during the exercise.
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Policemen Lay Siege To Rivers Governor, Wike’s Hotel In Benin, PDP Raises Alarm
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In a statement Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Convener of the group, said, “We condemn in its entirety the siege by soldiers and police officers at the hotel of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and other PDP leaders in Benin ahead of the gubernatorial elections tomorrow.
“It’s instructive to note that there are currently six APC governors in Edo State and the entire National Working Committee of the party is there with their National Chairman. What the Inspector-General of Police and other security heads are doing by harassing Wike and other key opposition leaders tonight in Benin is election interference. The international community should take note. Governor Wike has every reason to be in Edo State for the election because he is the DG of the PDP campaign. He may even serve as a polling unit, ward, LGA or state agent for his party tomorrow.
“To give undue advantage to the APC and begin clampdown on the PDP is rigging and stands condemned. The security agencies should be neutral to ensure free, fair and credible polls tomorrow. President Buhari must decide if he wants this democracy to continue or he wants to declare full military rule. He should put an end to fraudulent elections.”
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PDP Reps Caucus Condemns Siege on Governors By Security Agents
The Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives has condemned the clampdown on its governors by security agents in Benin, Edo State, on the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
Leader of the caucus, Kingsley Chinda (PDP Rivers), in a statement described as unacceptable the activities of security agencies whose duty is to ensure the safety of lives and property rather than causing chaos in the state.
Chinda said, “The caucus find the current siege on governors by men of the Nigeria Police Force and other security officials as disturbing and unacceptable ahead of the election.
“As a democratic society, Nigerians should be given the right to free movement, association and above all right to vote leaders of their chioces to govern the affairs of the state in the interest of the people.
“However, security agencies have abandoned thier core duties to laying siege on governors who are out to perform thier legitimate duties in Edo State.
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Policemen Lay Siege To Rivers Governor, Wike’s Hotel In Benin, PDP Raises Alarm
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“The caucus wishes to draw the attention of Mr President to immediately wade into the matter and allow the people of Edo State vote leaders of thier choices.
“We also want to use this medium to draw the attention of the nation and international community of the security siege on PDP governors in Benin City.
“The party expresses shock that security agents were detailed to lay siege to the lodge of our governors to harass and intimidate them whereas APC governors including the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodimma, as well as the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, are left free in the comfort of the residence of the sacked National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, in GRA, Benin City.
“Our caucus considers this siege on persons that enjoy immunity as unconstitutional, provocative and completely unacceptable as there cannot be two sets of laws for the citizens of our nation. In as much as the APC governors are given the liberty to stay in Benin, our governors must not be harassed or stampeded to leave the state.
“At any rate, we are confident that our governors will not allow themselves to be stampeded.”
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Stop Disrespecting Nigeria, Government Tells United States, UK Over Visa Restrictions On Election Riggers
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Nigerian Government has asked the United States of America and United Kingdom to stop disrespecting the country and its citizens.
The government was reacting to the statements issued by the US and UK on the governorship elections holding in Edo and Ondo states on September 19 and October 10 respectively.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to a statement by Ferdinand Nwonye, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed concern over the visa restrictions imposed by the US on unnamed politicians for alleged involvement in electoral violence during the Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship polls.
The statement reads, “It would be considered disrespectful of the sovereignty of Nigeria for any outside authority to sit in judgment over the conduct of our citizens and apply punitive measures such as visa restriction unilaterally.
“The Federal Government and especially the President, are committed to providing all necessary logistic, financial, and security support to the electoral process.
“While we appreciate the support and encouragement of our international partners such as the European Union, we urge our equally valued partners such as the UK and US to cooperate with our relevant agencies by providing them whatever concrete evidence of observed misconduct to allow our laws and regulations to take their cours.”
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BREAKING: Oshiomhole, Kano, Kogi Governors On US Visa Ban List, El-Rufai’s Sanction Extended
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SaharaReporters recall that both US and the UK had vowed to sanction anyone, who perpetrated violence during the Edo and Ondo elections including imposing visa restrictions and blocking them from accessing their assets and prosecuting them under international law.
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EXCLUSIVE: Top INEC Officials, Security Agents On US Visa Ban List, Governor Akeredolu Placed On Watch List
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Ex-United States Soldier Kidnapped In Ekiti Regains Freedom
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A retired United States of America army officer, Jide Ijadare, who was abducted in Ekiti State three days ago, has been freed by his abductors.
Ijadare was abducted on Tuesday when some gunmen invaded his palm oil factory along Ijan Ekiti-Ise/Ekiti Road at Ijan in the Gbonyin Council area of Ekiti State.
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The gunmen reportedly killed one person before taking the retired army officer and one other person away.
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One Killed As Gunmen Abduct Former US Army Personnel In Ekiti State
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A family source told journalists that Ijadare regained his freedom after paying the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
The same source had on Wednesday revealed that the abductors called few hours after the kidnap and demanded N20m ransom.
“My brother was released this afternoon around 4:15pm and he has reunited with the family,” the source said.
Police spokesperson in Ekiti, Sunday Abutu, confirmed that the victims had been freed.
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E2%80%99s-hotel-benin-pdp-raises-alarm Policemen Lay Siege To Rivers Governor, Wike’s Hotel In Benin, PDP Raises Alarm
Rivers Governor Wike
The Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State has alleged that the hotel where state governor, Nyesom Wike, was lodging in Benin, Edo State, is under siege by over 300 policemen.
Chairman of the party, Akawor Desmond, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Desmond said the PDP will hold the Inspector-General of Police responsible if anything happened to the governor.
Rivers Governor Wike
“The attention of the entire people of Rivers State has been drawn to the siege laid at the hotel where the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, is lodging while on official assignment in Benin, Edo State.
“Recall that Governor Wike was appointed Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Edo governorship election; this is same position Governor Ganduje of Kano State occupies for his party, the APC.
“Ganduje and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State are all in Benin carrying out their assignment for the APC without any molestation or intimidation. In breach of the pledge they made, security agencies have decided to harass and intimidate Governor Wike who has not done any wrong.
“May I on behalf of the entire Rivers people warn that we shall hold the IGP responsible for anything that happens to our governor,” he said.
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Your Political Lives In Danger If APC Wins, Wike Tells PDP Leaders Ahead Of Edo Governorship Election
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Another UNILAG Council Member Resigns As Crisis Rocking Institution Persists
UNILAG
A member of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, Mr Bayo Adaralegbe, has resigned his appointment, joining the council Chairman and Pro-Chancellor of the institution, Dr Wale Babalakin, who earlier quit his position, franktalknow.com reports.
Adaralegbe tendered his resignation letter to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Friday, saying his continued stay as member of the council will dishonour his late father, Prof Adeniji Adaralegbe’s memory.
UNILAG
He said, “Aside a Samsung telephone set, an Ipad device and the sum as sitting allowance per meeting, I did not in any way benefit materially, directly or through third parties from University of Lagos, certainly a rarity by today’s Nigerian standard (unless of course one wants to add the admission of a few candidates that I requested from the university management). Our council took its work very seriously. We served very selflessly, very diligently and worked extremely hard to manage the scarce resources of the university and improve its standing.
“Dr Babalakin provided very strong moral leadership as Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Council. He kept scrupulously to the promise he made at our maiden council meeting not to bid for or be awarded contracts from the university. He actually did more. By December 2019 he had poured approximately N100m of his own personal resources on different endeavours in the university. At the time this situation arose, he was in the process of transferring to the university (at no cost to it) 40 hectares of land he owned in Ogudu, Lagos to address its staff housing problems. Those of us Federal Government appointees followed his strong moral leadership.
“Recent developments have, unfortunately, made my continued stay on the Governing Council of the University of Lagos very untenable. I experienced first-hand, the Vice Chancellor of a university falsifying interview results for the position of Director of Works. Prof Toyin Ogundipe threatened to beat me up during an interview session for the position of Director of Works because I resisted his attempt to falsify interview results. It was also in University of Lagos that I experienced a Vice Chancellor attempting to appoint a professor in respect of a discipline that the university did not have a department, did not admit undergraduate or postgraduate students, and through a one page Memorandum to the Pro-Chancellor that touted the candidate as an ‘agent of change.’
“I consider my continued stay on the Governing Council of University of Lagos a serious dishonour and desecration of my late father’s memory, Prof Adeniji Adaralegbe.”
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Wale Babalakin Resigns As UNILAG Pro-Chancellor
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Government had earlier removed Ogundipe and Babalakin from their respective positions to allow for a thorough investigation into the crisis rocking the university including allegations of financial misappropriation against the VC.
Though a visitation panel set up has submitted its report, the crisis in UNILAG appears far from being over.
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Your Political Lives In Danger If APC Wins, Wike Tells PDP Leaders Ahead Of Edo Governorship Election
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the outcome of the September 19 governorship election in Edo would provide hope for the general elections of 2023.
Wike advised President Muhammadu Buhari to use the election as a model for a refined electoral process.
Speaking during a meeting organised for leaders and elected representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benin, capital of Edo, Wike described the poll as a fight for the destiny of the Niger Delta region.
He asked the party to mobilise the people of Edo for election with the aim of liberating the state from godfatherism.
He charged them to monitor the distribution of electoral materials and be vigilant to protect their votes.
He said, “The electoral battle may not be easy. But God is with us. With the people also on the ground, we will win.
“Let me tell you, God forbid that APC wins; if they do, all of you would have failed because your political life will be in jeopardy.
“They will come with federal might, but do not fear because we have the electorate on our side. They did the same in Rivers State; the people resisted them by protecting their votes.”
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Edo 2020: You’re Not A Democrat, Angry Nigerians Tell Tinubu Over Attack On Obaseki
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BREAKING: DSS Invites Journalist, Masara Kim, Over Report Revealing Plans By Herdsmen To Attack Farming Communities In Plateau State
Masara Kim
The Department of State Services has invited a journalist in Plateau State, Masara Kim, for questioning over a report exposing potential attacks in some farming communities by herdsmen.
Kim is expected to appear at the DSS office in Jos on Monday, September 21.
His invitation comes amidst a crackdown on free speech by the secret police under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Masara Kim
Kim on Friday published a story on his website reporting the killing of a mobile police officer and a civilian in Malul, Daffo Village under Bokkos Local Government Area.
The policeman, who was on special duty and one Sati Bulus, were ambushed on a motorbike around 8:30pm on Thursday.
As part of his story, Kim exposed meetings held by Fulani groups in the state to purchase weapons and resume hostilities on farming villages, information he attributed to trusted sources.
The report said, “A meeting of Fulani herdsmen leaders held on Monday in Fass, a native community in Barkin Ladi LGA displaced and renamed Tafawa by herdsmen, allegedly resolved to resume hostilities in Daffo and three other Plateau communities before December 2020.
“Sources say N1.3m was raised through freewill donations at the meeting, with additional levies placed on each herder family for the purchase of arms.
“The meeting reportedly followed a similar meeting in Jos Central Mosque on August 16, 2020 where over N2m was raised for arms but the contacts sent for the purchases in Niger Republic never returned. It is not clear if they were arrested or they simply absconded.
“Nigerian officials however recently announced the arrest of two people with arms and ammunitions heading to Jos, but yet confirmed if they were the herders’ errant men.
“The mission was assigned while a followup meeting held in Bida, Niger State where more strategies for the annexing of native communities in Central Nigeria were discussed, it was gathered.
“During the latest meeting in Fass village, sources confirm the reward of six herders last year arrested over various attacks but given first-class treatment in custody. The reward was however for their courage in not disclosing their networks, it was learnt. If true, violent crimes involving herdsmen are likely to persist in view of the growing impunity, rewards and luxuries given arrested suspects. More people would want to participate in crimes for the rewards involved, the tourism experience of having to lodge in exotic facilities as reported by the released suspects, or the dare to test the security might which appears to be increasingly weakening against herders.”
The DSS recently extended three similar invitations to Obadiah Mailafia, former Central Bank deputy governor, over comments he made about the alleged sponsors of insecurity in the country.
He has since cried out that his life was in danger.
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I Hope This Will Be The Last Time, Mailafia Says After Third Invitation By DSS
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Yiaga Africa Deploys Parallel Vote Tabulation To Monitor, Expose Manipulation Of Election Results In Edo
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The Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement Africa has deployed Parallel Vote Tabulation methodology to monitor the credibility of election result during the Edo State governorship election.
The PVT is an advanced election observation methodology that employs well-established statistical principles and sophisticated information technology in providing timely and accurate information on the conduct of accreditation, voting, and counting, and it independently verifies the official governorship results as announced by the INEC.
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YIAGA noted that the deployment of PVT will ensure that results announced at the polling booth are not tampered with at the collation centres.
The group noted that the mechanism has been tested and proven in over 50 countries including Nigeria — most recently by YIAGA Africa in the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections where it detected fraud and manipulation of results collation and declined to verify the official results declared by INEC.
The group also vowed to expose any form of electoral malpractice and result manipulation during the September 19 election.
In a statement by the Chair of YIAGA Africa election observation mission for Edo State, Dr Aisha Abdullahi; and the YIAGA Africa Executive Director, Samson Itodo; the organisation stated that it would deploy 500 stationary observers to a representative statistical sample of 250 polling units and 25 mobile observers in all 18 LGAs as well as 18 collation centre observers to each of the LGA collation centres.
“The observers will observe the conduct of the process and provide systematic, accurate, and timely information on the election day process. Specifically, YIAGA Africa will provide accurate information on the quality of the election day process and ascertain if the official results announced by INEC reflects the total votes cast.
“Since PVT is based on official results from a representative random sample of polling units, YIAGA Africa will estimate the state-wide results for the governorship election within a narrow range based on well-established statistical principles.
“If INEC’s official results fall within YIAGA Africa’s estimated range, then the public, political parties, and candidates should have confidence that the official results reflect the ballots cast at polling units; however, if the announced results have been manipulated and do not match the polling units’ results, YIAGA Africa will expose it,” the group said.
In assessing whether the 2020 Edo governorship election satisfies the electoral integrity test, YIAGA Africa said it will consider a range of issues such as shortcomings in the pre-election period, the quality of election day processes, and the scale and scope of critical incidents.
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Autopsy Report Of Rivers Auto Repairer, Chima Ikwunado, Tortured To Death By Police Released
The autopsy report of late Rivers State mechanic, Chima Ikwunado, has been released.
Ikwunado and his apprentices, Victor Ogbonna, Osaze Friday, Ifeanyi Osuji and Ifeanyi Onyekwere were arrested on December 19, 2019 for driving against traffic and tortured at Mile 1 Police Station by one SP Benson Adetuyi.
At the point of arrest, the policemen took N93,000 found on Ikwunado and remanded him on allegations of car theft.
In detention, he alongside others were tortured in the most brutal manner in spite a confirmation by owner of the vehicle that the car was not stolen and that Ikwunado was his mechanic only taking the car for a test-run after routine repair.
The late mechanic, who could not bear the pain inflicted on him by the police in detention, died on December 29, 2019, after which his counterparts were charged to court and remanded in January 2020 but were released days later following the directive of the state’s Department of Public Prosecutions.
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How Nigerian Police Tortured, Killed Rivers Auto Repairer, Chima Ikwunado, After Extorting Him, Illegally Detained Four Others
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A family of the deceased told SaharaReporters that the Rivers State Police Command on Friday released the autopsy report to them and it confirmed he died of torture.
“There are also multiple discrete superficial burn injuries located mostly on the back, 1.2 -1.5 cm in diameter, circular to oval shaped, involving over two third of the area of the back, with crusted edges and necrotic floor. There are multiple septic foci identified on the body (1). Right knee joint, extending into the right ankle joint (2) Left ankle (with open wound) (3) Right shoulder area, extending to the upper half of the arm.
“The internal examination shows generalised and severe organ palor, and extensive haeemorrhage into soft tissues underlying the injuries seen on the skin.
“There is cerebral edema with moderate grooving of the cerebella tonsils. Causes of deaths in my opinion; haemorrhagic shock secondary to multiple severe soft tissue trauma with extensive haemorrhage (into the soft tissue),” the report signed by Dr Musa Itopa Stephen and Dr Cornell Chukwuegbo, read.
DOCUMENTS: Autopsy Report of Rivers Auto Repairer, Chima Ikwunado, Tortured to Death by Police Released by Sahara Reporters on Scribd
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