Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 5th March 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 05/03/21
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Zamfara Residents Vow To Kill Any Visiting Government Official, Security Operative After Killing Of Teenager By Nigerian Soldiers
Some residents of Jangebe, the Zamfara community where some secondary schoolgirls were abducted last week have vowed to kill any government official or security operative who visited the community over the killing of a teenager by Nigerian soldiers during a protest on Wednesday.
Some youths in the community were said to have staged a protest when Zamfara government officials came to the town to reunite the abducted schoolgirls with their parents.
Suspected bandits had attacked Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, on February 26 and kidnapped 279 schoolgirls. The girls were later released after spending a few days in captivity.
After the students regained freedom, the government took them for counselling and rehabilitation.
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Zamfara Govt Imposes Curfew On Jangebe Community, Closes Markets
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On Wednesday, they were brought back to the community to reunite with their family members.
Pandemonium however broke out after anxious parents disrupted the speech of Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, and forcefully took their daughters away.
The schoolgirls, who arrived at the school in the evening, were seated in the examination hall and were being addressed by the Speaker when the visibly disturbed parents broke into the hall and started hurling insults at the dignitaries that were meant to address the parents and the schoolgirls.
The programme was disrupted and after sensing trouble, the Speaker and commissioners attending the event quickly left.
Shots were fired by men of the Nigerian army to disperse the crowd that was waiting outside the school.
The youths also began to throw stones at the security operatives.
There has been tension in Jangebe since the abduction of the girls, with the youths stopping security operatives and government officials from entering the main town.
A teenager was however killed in the clash between the security operatives and youths in the community.
“We are going to kill any government official or security operative that visit our village again over the life of the boy that was shot dead by soldiers during yesterday’s protest,” a villager told SaharaReporters.
Another resident accused security operatives of opening fire on innocent people.
He said Jangebe youths had a meeting and vowed to attack any government official and security operative seen in the community.
He berated the state government for declaring a curfew in the town.
The Zamfara state government on Thursday had however imposed an indefinite curfew on the community.
Commissioner for Information, Sulaiman Anka, in a statement said the government imposed the curfew to prevent further breach of peace.
“Similarly, there is strong discovered evidence of market activities in the town that aid and abet bandits’ activities in the town and neighbouring communities.“Consequently, all market activities in the town are hereby suspended until further notice,” the statement read.
“The state government is poised to ensure safety of lives and properties of its citizens at all cost.
“With this announcement, the Zamfara State Police Command is hereby enjoined to ensure total enforcement.”
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Drug Barons Funding Terrorists, Bandits, Says Senate President
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has alleged that drug barons in the country supply terrorist groups like Boko Haram as well as bandits and kidnappers with arms and ammunition to undertake criminal activities in Nigeria.
Lawan stated this when the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Marwa, paid a visit to his office on Thursday at the National Assembly, Abuja.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan
He said drug traffickers have made Nigeria a major transit route for plying the illicit trade, which he said was responsible for the rise in criminality in the country.
According to him, the proceeds of such activities fund terrorism and banditry in the country.
Lawan said, “The National Assembly members are almost on a daily interaction with our constituents and we know the very debilitating impact of drug abuse in our various communities.
“You have rightly said almost every community in this country suffers from drug addiction. So, we are very mindful of what is happening.
“I believe that this agency needs restructuring. Now that you have taken over, we should go the whole haul to restructure the agency, not piece meal touches, because we need to get it right.
“My personal opinion is that NDLEA should be in the league of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, ICPC, and therefore, the kind of support that those two agencies I mentioned receive, you should receive something like that, in addition to many other things that you should be supported with.
“So, the National Assembly will definitely work with you, we will partner with you, and will ensure that we do our best to give you the kind of support that will enable you properly to discharge your mandate.
“Having said this, let me say that Nigeria as a country is in one way or the other a transit route for drugs.
“Drug peddlers pass their drugs through Nigeria – cannabis, heroin and possibly even cocaine.
“We believe that this has to stop, because the proceeds of such activities fund terrorism, they fund banditry, you wonder how the bandits have RPGs and these massive arms that they have.
“Definitely, these are some acquisition provided by some barons, not the bandits themselves.
“So, we need to ensure that this transit role that Nigerians plays is addressed properly. And here we have to approach this through multi-sectoral efforts – the Customs, Immigration Service, our Security Agencies, and in fact, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and our seaports.
“Of course, this is not going to be easy, but we have to be steadfast and we should do whatever is possible without the limited resources we have to make you better.”
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E2%80%99s Court Dismisses Interim Forfeiture Order Against Saraki’s Property, Dismisses EFCC’s Application
Bukola Saraki.
Justice Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday, dismissed its order of interim forfeiture made against the property of the immediate past Senate President, Olubukola Saraki.
The court had on October 21, 2019, while granting an ex parte application brought before it by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and argued by its counsel, Nnemeka Omewa, ordered the interim forfeiture of the two properties located on 17 and 17a, McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, which were said to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.
Bukola Saraki.
The court commenced hearing on the motion for final forfeiture of the said properties on February 6, 2020
But on Thursday, the court held that the essence of an interim order of forfeiture is to preserve the property from being dissipated by the suspect, that the burden is on the applicant, (EFCC), to satisfy the court that the property was acquired with proceeds of an unlawful or illegal activity under the corruption laws.
The court, however, found that the applicant, in its affidavit in support of its motion for final forfeiture, stated that the properties sought to be forfeited were purchased with a personal loan Saraki obtained from Guaranty Trust Bank. In agreement with a submission by the respondent’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, the court stated that the burden of proof for final forfeiture is on the preponderance of evidence and that the applicant had failed to show that the money used to purchase the property was from the Kwara State Government House account.
The court was not satisfied that the respondent had paid off the loan used to purchase the property. According to the ruling, the evidence of the transactions presented by the applicant was in respect of transactions made after Saraki had purchased the property and the proceeds used for the purchase were legal.
In the final analysis, the court held that the applicant failed to prove its entitlement to the relief of final forfeiture of the respondent’s properties, hence dismissed the application and vacated the interim forfeiture order.
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E2%80%94-chris-okotie PFN Is A Clannish Religious Enterprise— Chris Okotie
The Shepherd Superintendent of the Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie, has described the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria as a parochial religious group.
Okotie said this while reacting to the election of the PFN in which Bishop Wale Oke of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries emerged as the newly elected President.
Okotie, an ex-Presidential candidate, in his message said this at the PFN National Secretariat in Lagos on Tuesday.
The message was made public by his media adviser, Ladi Ayodeji.
Okotie lamented that the Christian body has departed from its core values and is now a shadow of its former self.
He said, “PFN has become a clannish religious enterprise. It is akin to an amorphous political entity with a Christian silhouette.
“Leadership in the church of God is by divine appointment and not the whims and caprices of a disjointed assemblage of Episcopalian pacifists.”
Okotie has, for years been a critic of the activities of the emerging presidents of the PFN over alleged compromise and unethical behaviour associated with betrayal of the Christian cause, especially in their dealings with the political leadership of the country.
The reverend has always distanced himself from the activities of the Christian body, citing credibility issues.
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Court Remands Seven Yoruba Men Over Shasha Market Mayhem, Killings
Seven Yoruba men were on Thursday remanded at Abolongo correctional facility in Oyo for alleged arson and murder during the Shasha market mayhem.
The suspects are Tajudeen Oladunni, 50; Saburi Lawal, 37; Ojo Joshua, 25; Adekunle Olanrewaju, 38; Olagunju James, 24; Rasaq Yahya, 32 and Olaide Olawuyi, 20 with six counts bordering on conspiracy, arson and murder.
The Iyaganu Magistrate, I. O. Osho, who did not take the plea of the suspects for want in jurisdiction ordered the police to return the case file to the Office of the Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
Ms Osho adjourned the matter until May 11, for mention.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Foluke Oladosu, told the court that the suspects conspired with others, at large, to commit the offence.
Ms Oladosu said, on February 12, at about 10 am, at Shasha market, Ibadan, the suspects caused the death of Adeola Shakirudeen, when they beat him up.
The police also alleged that the suspects caused the death of 31 others.
The prosecution also alleged that the suspects burnt two houses belonging to Adelabu Ibrahim and caused damage worth N50 million.
The police also alleged that the suspects also burnt down a house belonging to Osuolale Akindele and destroyed property worth N20 million.
The offence, the police said, contravened the provisions of sections 6, and 316 and punishable under sections 443 and 319 and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.
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E2%80%99s JUST IN: One Feared Dead, Many Journalists Injured In Accident Involving Gombe Governor, Yahaya’s Convoy
Several journalists attached to the convoy of Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, sustained injuries in an accident on Thursday on their way to Gombe from Bauchi State.
Yahaya was in Bauchi on Wednesday for the 4th North-East Governors’ Forum meeting which held in Bauchi State.
The driver of the crashed vehicle reportedly died in the accident.
The meeting was also attended by the Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, while the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, and his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, were represented by their deputies, Idi Gubana and Haruna Manu respectively.
The details of the crash are still sketchy as of the time of filing this report but the crash happened close to the boundary between Gombe and Bauchi.
The Director-General of Media and Information, Gombe State, Samaila Uba Misilli, was said to be in the vehicle with other journalists who accompanied the governor to Bauchi for the meeting when the incident happened.
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E2%80%99s How Presidency Cabal Caged Osinbajo, Tunde Fowler Through EFCC Probes, Plans To Bury Tinubu’s 2023 Ambition
A Presidency cabal has succeeded in caging Vice President Yemi Osinbajo through the probe of a former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Tunde Fowler – both of whom are godsons to former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.
SaharaReporters gathered that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) is central to the caging of the Vice President, Osinbajo; the former FIRS chairman’s probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes and Commission, and the investigation recently initiated against Tinubu.
Malami, it was learnt, is eyeing the 2023 presidency.
SaharaReporters learnt that the probe of Tinubu is to force the APC leader to abandon his 2023 presidential ambition for the “candidate anointed” by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Fowler’s probe began in November 2020, when he was arrested by the EFCC over alleged massive fraud in the FIRS.
Top sources in the presidency revealed that the cabal would intensify the probe of Tinubu to force him to abandon the presidential race before the end of 2021.
SaharaReporters had reported on March 1 that Malami’s bid for the Presidency would rely heavily on funds from the EFCC under the new chairmanship, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who was positioned to “deal with” political enemies ahead of 2023.
Sources however said revelations made by Fowler during his interrogation, which linked Tinubu to alleged fraudulent activities and Alpha Beta Consulting, gave the people after him the kind of information they needed to perfect their plans.
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EFCC Deepens Tinubu Probe, Demands Asset Declaration Form From CCB
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Alpha Beta Consulting was awarded a contract by the Tinubu-led government after a recommendation by a committee comprising Prof Osinbajo, while he was the attorney-general of Lagos State; Mr Wale Edun, the then state commissioner for finance; and a former commissioner for economic planning and budget, Yemi Cardoso.
The firm was subsequently given exclusive rights to collect taxes on behalf of Lagos State and was believed to receive about 10 percent commission from the revenue it collected for the state.
“Tinubu’s case came from revelations from Fowler. Fowler was originally arrested over an attempt by the cabal to cage Osinbajo completely. There were allegations that Osinbajo did some deals with Fowler. Fowler started revealing how money was being shipped to Tinubu and Alpha Beta.
“While shaking up Fowler, he confessed that he took from the Federal Inland Revenue Service N12 billion for himself,” a top source privy to the investigation told SaharaReporters.
A petition submitted to the EFCC in July 2018 by Dapo Apara, the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Beta, had alleged that Alpha Beta owed the Nigerian government N100 billion in unpaid taxes spanning over 10 years.
He alleged that the firm was being protected by powerful politicians and that it laundered funds through another firm, Ocean Trust Limited.
The petition by Apara’s lawyer, Adetunji Adegboyega, read in part, “Over the years, the company (Alpha Beta) has been protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable.”
Alpha Beta is allegedly owned by Tinubu.
The source said, “Of course, Apara’s petition also sealed Tinubu’s fate. They want Tinubu to abandon the presidency before the end of 2021.
“Malami’s house in Gwarimpa has become a Mecca for politicians. They want to get Tinubu out of the way.”
The EFCC was reported earlier this week to have written to the Code of Conduct Bureau requesting copies of Tinubu’s Asset Declaration form.
A copy of the request letter had revealed that the investigation into Tinubu began last year after the removal of erstwhile Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.The letter marked CR/3000/EFCC/LS/Vol4/322, dated November 6, 2020, had been signed by the then Lagos zonal head, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who is now the Chairman of the EFCC.
“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish the commission with the outstanding requested information of Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu. This request is made pursuant to Section 38(1) and (2) of the EFCC Act 2004,” the letter partly read.
SaharaReporters had on February 24 reported that Tinubu indeed has court cases around massive frauds hanging on his neck.
One of them was uncovered in 2018 when Alpa Beta was caught at the centre of N100 billion fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering, based on the petition written by Apara.
Also according to Apara’s petition to the EFCC, Alpha Beta “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for a massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.”
In the petition, sent on his behalf by Adetunji Adegboyega ESG, his solicitors, Apara had said, “Over the years the company is being protected and shielded by some powerful politicians and people in the society which made them to always boast of being untouchable, but our client, feeling the need not to keep quiet again and strengthened by his belief in the fact that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on fighting corruption, which has been the bane of our country, is of the firm belief that it’s time to expose and open the can of worms called Alphabeta Consulting.”
Alpha Beta first became known when it was appointed as a consultant to the Lagos State Government, arguably its first client, under the tenure of Babatunde Fowler as the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.
The company had got the appointment when Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State. The speculation, which has yet to be dissipated since then, is that Tinubu completely owns or is a major shareholder in the company.
In the same vein, the state has also never denied claims that the company takes about 10 percent of the internally generated revenue of Lagos, estimated in 2016 to be about N40 billion every month.
The court process was still on when on October 27, 2020, hoodlums burnt relevant documents during the riotous violence that followed the peaceful #EndSARS protest in the state.
The court papers donating charges brought against Tinubu, his tax consultancy firm, Alpha Beta Consulting, by the former MD of the firm, Apara, were burnt according to claims by Tade Ipadeola, Apara’s lawyer.
“Everything in Igbosere High Court got burnt, including the registrar’s copy of our application. In fact, the whole building was burnt to ashes. So, we will have to file again. The registry has been moved to Ikeja.
“We may have to file the case afresh at the Ikeja High Court but we have not yet been instructed to do so,” he had said on October 27, 2020.
Apara had claimed in the documents that Tinubu, suspiciously diverted N22,360,000,000 and $4,396,063 from the firm’s account to that of Vintage Press Ltd, publisher of The Nation Newspaper.
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Police Recover Torso Of A Woman In Bayelsa
Men of the Bayelsa State Police Command have recovered a mutilated female body at School to Land Project, Edepie community, a suburb of Yenagoa local council area of Bayelsa State.
A statement by SP Asinim Butswat, the state Police Public Relations Officer, said the torso was found with vital organs harvested.
“The unidentified female corpse was found on 4th March 2021 at about 0830 hours. Preliminary investigation reveals that vital organs such as eyes, ears, nose, and tongue were removed, allegedly for ritual purposes.
“The corpse has been removed and deposited at the Federal Medical Centre’s mortuary for autopsy.”
Meanwhile, the state police commissioner, Mike Okoli, has ordered detectives to find the culprits.
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Benue Imposes Curfew On Three Local Government Areas, Puts N5million Bounty On Suswam’s Killers
Governor Samuel Ortom
Following the gruesome assassination of Chief Tekura Suswam, elder brother of former Governor Gabriel Suswam, the Benue State Government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on three local government areas of the state as part of measures to curb criminal activities in the vicinity.
The affected areas are Logo, Ukum, and Katsina-Ala LGAs where security agencies have in recent times beamed their searchlight in a bid to curb the menace of banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery, among other security challenges.
Governor Samuel Ortom
The governor explained further that the curfew would run between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am, adding that the state government has placed N5 million bounty on whoever has useful information that will lead to the arrest of the killers of Chief Suswam.
Ortom also said the council had resolved to ban the use of old model Toyota Corolla, popularly used in the area for criminality just as it sustained the ban on the use of motorcycles of all kinds pending further review of the security situation.
He said security agencies in the state have also been mandated by the council to impound all vehicles that fall within the category of the ban while commercial motorists must update their papers and ensure they are not fake.
The governor emphasised that the decision to include Logo Local Government Area in the ban followed heinous attacks on residents, the recent being the killing of Chief Suswam and his aide on Tuesday night.
“Council declares total war on criminal elements, bandits, and all forms of criminality in the state.
“This decision is coming when President Muhammadu Buhari has also declared war on anyone carrying AK47,” he said.
Ortom, however, informed that the council resolved to sensitise all schools in the state, including those in the three local government areas which make up Sankara, on the need to be security conscious in the face of general insecurity in the country.
“We will set up a committee to monitor the sensitisation while security will be mounted on strategic places.“We will profile all schools in the state so they can recommend to us the best approach to employ in securing the educational sector,” he added.
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Yahoo Boy Convicted, Nine Other Fraudsters Arrested in Ibadan
File photo used to illustrate story.
Justice Mohammed Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced one Wusu Taiwo Opeyemi to five months imprisonment for criminal impersonation. The offence contravenes section 22(2) (b)(I) and punishable under section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The 22-year-old undergraduate, who was arrested on October 14, 2020, was prosecuted on one amended count by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office, for fraudulently impersonating one Jenny Smith, an American lady.
File photo used to illustrate story.
The defendant pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge when it was read to him.
Given his plea, the prosecution counsel, Mabas Mabur, prayed the court to convict him.
Justice Abubakar consequently convicted and sentenced him to five months in prison. He also ordered Wusu to restitute the sum of $500 (five hundred dollars or about N200, 000) to his victim, and forfeit his Samsung Galaxy S8 mobile phone to the Nigerian government.
In a related development, the Ibadan zonal office of the EFCC on Thursday arrested nine suspected internet fraudsters.
The suspects were picked up at Anjogolo Estate, Oluyole Bashorun, and Airport Road, all in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, following a series of intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.
The suspects are: Uthman Dolapo, Amoo Riliwan Babatunde, Olatayo Ojeyina, Oris Kehinde, Cyril Stephen, Odusanya Olusoji, Audu Olusegun, Adigun Martin, and Folarin Ikeoluwa.
At the point of their arrest, 5 cars, laptops, phones, and some incriminating documents were recovered from them.
They are currently undergoing interrogation and would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.
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