Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 30th March 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 30/03/21
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NDLEA Arrests Man With N2 Billion Illicit Drugs At Lagos Airport
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Sunday arrested a man with illicit drugs worth over N2 billion at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Monday.
According to the statement, the suspect had in his possession, 7.1 kilogram of Methamphetamine carefully concealed in food spices and packed in a Swiss polo suitcase.
The illicit substance was said to be bound for Spain with a street value of over N2 billion.
The statement quoted the Commander, NDLEA MMIA’s Special command, Ahmadu Garba, as saying that one of the suspects was arrested on Sunday.
Garba said the suspect was arrested during the outward clearance of passengers on Air Marroc.
“Unarguably, the closure of borders occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for the surge in the price of these drugs.
“For instance, the price of meth in Australia had increased from $200 to $600 per gramme due to supply cut, hence the desperation by the traffickers and barons alike,’’ Garba said.
Also, Garba said the Command equally intercepted a suspect at Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) export shed of the airport with 800 grammes of Cannabis Sativa.
According to him, the operatives also seized 19.950 kg of green leaves suspected to be khat, noting that the cannabis, cleverly concealed in foodstuff, was bound for Dubai, UAE.
In a follow-up operation, he said another suspect was arrested in connection with the seized 800 grammes of cannabis.
He said investigations were ongoing with a view to establishing more leads and getting the owner of the khat leaves arrested.
The statement also quoted the Chair, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, as commending men and officers of the command for the arrests and seizures.
Marwa reiterated the agency’s commitment to launching offensive action against the activities of drug barons and traffickers wherever they are across Nigeria.
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BREAKING: Buhari To Visit United Kingdom For Medical Check-up
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday leave Nigeria for the United Kingdom in what the Presidency described as “routine medical leave.”
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President is expected back in the country in the second week of April 2021.
The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari proceeds to London, the United Kingdom, Tuesday, March 30, 2021, for a routine medical check-up.
“The President meets with Security Chiefs first in the morning, after which he embarks on the journey.
“He is due back in the country during the second week of April 2021.”
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Ondo Governor, Akeredolu Appoints Six Special Assistants On Photography
The Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has approved the appointments of six special assistants on photography.
The governor through a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olabode on March 3, approved the appointments of four special assistants on photography.
Also, on March 29, 2021, the governor approved yet another two special assistants on photography.
The action of the governor has been condemned by many and discribed as misplaced priority as medical workers in Ondo State have since January embarked on an indefinite strike over the payment of 50 percent of their November 2020 salary arrears.
Workers in Ondo State have been owed salary arrears of four to five months. Some workers in state-owned tertiary institutions have not received salary in the last six months.
The special assistants on photography are: Nguher Zaki – Special Assistant (Photography);?Mr. Micheal Attah – Special Assistant (Photography); ?Mr. Saidu Abdulrahman Kemi – Special Assistant (Photography); Abayomi Samson Adefolalu – Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography); Olawale Abolade-Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography); and Mr Olugbenga Asade.
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Constituency Project: Nigerian Senator ‘Spends’ N50million To Fence Police Station
A Senator from Taraba State, Emmanuel Bwacha, has claimed he spent N50 million on the perimeter fencing of a police station in the Takum Local Government Area of the state.
According to documents released by Tracka and BudgIT, Bwacha claimed the fencing of the police station was executed through direct labour, at the cost of N50 million.
Many residents of the area however said the cost of the project was grossly inflated.
Some members of his constituency, under the umbrella of Interested Residents of Southern Taraba, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe several zonal intervention projects under the senator between 2017 and 2020.
The group said several funds for constituency projects in the districts were embezzled by Bwacha and the executing contractors whom are the lawmaker’s cronies.
They said some of the projects were also criminally diverted and not executed for the people of the constituency whom the intervention project was meant to benefit.
“From the available records obtained from Tracka and BudgIT, both organisations who are in charge of monitoring and documenting projects funded by the federal and state governments, it is glaring that some projects running to several billions of naira said to have been executed and delivered in Southern Taraba Senatorial District are not true,” Muhammad Bala Idris, chairman of the group said in a 15-page petition to the EFCC.
“They are diverted, abandoned at certain percentages of work or not executed at all (in many instances), despite being paid for.
“These were done in connivance with Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, who has the statutory responsibility of monitoring and implementations of these zonal intervention projects, thus short-changing the people these projects were intended to benefit.
“It was shocking to discover that since 2017 till 2020, many of the zonal intervention projects approved and funded for Taraba South Senatorial District were diverted and converted into private properties.
“We want the EFCC to investigate other intervention projects not executed like, the procurement of pick-up vans for security patrol which about N100 million was budgeted and released for in 2019.
“This project was partially implemented as most of the vehicles were diverted and given to traditional rulers. Currently no security agency in the Southern Zone has received any vehicle for security patrol from the agency or contractor saddled with the responsibility of implementing this project.
“Also the contract inflation of constituency projects by Senator Bwacha and his cronies, prominent among them is the fencing of Takum Divisional Police Headquarters, through direct labour said to have cost N50 million; we believe this should be thoroughly investigated.
“We also want your agency to investigate financial breakdown of the multi-million naira projects that were captured in years 2017 and 2018 budget for Biotech Resources Center at Tunari and who are the contractors? Over these years, there are multiple provisions labelled as empowerment programmes, which do not have a direct impact on the citizens and by their very nature are also highly prone to fraud as the disbursement is at the discretion of the officials.
“A typical example is where empowerment and peace sensitisation programmes for unidentified women gulped a whopping sum of over N100 million only. In this instance, despite the allocation of fund, the programme never held ‘due to security reasons’.
“While many of these deliberate acts of fleecing public funds continue in the name of constituency projects from 2017 to 2020, we have attached to this petition, a list of Zonal Intervention Projects under Senator Emmanuel Bwacha with their status of projects as obtained from Tracka/BudgIT to aid your investigation.”
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Nigerian Protesters Arrested In India Over Killing Of Countryman Granted Bail
Some Nigerians held by the police in India for protesting the death of their countryman, have been granted a bail bond of 25, 000 Rupees (N131, 000).
The Nigerians were arrested on Sunday in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar while protesting brutality by the Indian police on 43-year-old Nigerian, Leohand Lyeanyi.
A source who spoke with SaharaReporters said a Delhi Court granted the bail on Monday.
“The judge has granted all those arrested yesterday by the police during the protest, a bail bond of 25k rupees just now in the Delhi court. It would have been better if they are all free on a lesser amount than paying 25k rupees. So sad by this government. That’s 131, 000 in naira.”
The deceased, who was reportedly assaulted by a cop, gave up the ghost at DDU hospital on Sunday.
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Nigerians Attack Embassy Officials In India For Supporting Police Killing Of Countryman
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Despite police denial of the allegation, the agitated African nationals created ruckus following the death of Lyeanyi, Outlook India reports.
They broke glasses at Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) hospital. Initially, they were around 20 to 30, but their numbers increased to 100.
The mob also attacked the local people and police personnel, they said. The nationals also attacked officials of the High Commission of Nigeria who had come to meet them, police said.
The Nigerian protestors, however, claimed that Lyeanyi died after being lathi-charged by the police.
Denying the charges, the police maintained that the victim was not hit by them and his medico-legal case (MLC) report showed no external injury on the body.
A senior police officer said they received information about Lyeanyi’s death at around 3.30 am on Sunday from the DDU hospital.
He said the post-mortem report of the victim was being awaited. Police also said they had found CCTV footage wherein the victim could be seen stepping out of an auto-rickshaw and sitting near a shop. He then collapsed, hitting his head on the ground.
There was nobody around him, they said. Two cases have been registered against the violent mob, police said, adding that a probe was ongoing in the matter.
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BREAKING: Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman, Justice Umar Publicly Assaults, Brutalises Security Guard At Abuja Plaza
Umar Danladi, Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has been caught on camera physically assaulting a security guard at Banex plaza in Wuse, Abuja.
In the video exclusive obtained by SaharaReporters, Umar was seen speaking angrily, scolding and shouting at the yet-to-be identified man.
The CCT chairman also launched a barrage of attacks on the young man and violently kicked him before he was restrained by the crowd, including police officers attached to him.
He was then forced into his vehicle by the police officers.
Information made available from an eyewitness and the brutalised security guard was to that all the assaulted young man did was to ask Umar to park his car very well at the plaza, only for the CCT chairman to slap him, pull him down and inflict injuries on him.
“The CCT chairman was on the verge of further hitting the young security guard with a dangerous object taken from his car, when passersby and tenants at Banex plaza, intervened and stopped him from further assaulting and violently attacking the young security guard,” the eyewitness said.
The action however didn’t go well with people who felt Umar cheated the security guard.
They suddenly became aggressive and started stoning the vehicles in the CCT chairman’s convoy, smashing their windscreens and windows.
Consequently, the legal services of Abuja-based legal practitioner, Ihensekhien Samuel Jnr, was sought.
He swiftly intervened and made legal representation at the Maitama Police Station under the Federal Capital Territory Police Command where Umar had gone to lodge a false complaint against the security guard.
The Divisional Police Officer at Maitama where the complaint was lodged, on seeing the video recordings of the atrocious and violent attack by Umar on the young security guard, swiftly ordered the prompt release of the young security guard on bail.
Reacting to the above, counsel for the assaulted security guard, Ihensekhien Samuel, said steps would be taken to promptly sue and prosecute Mr Danladi Umar.
He said, “This is a breach of extant provisions of judicial code of any arbiter, and the height of impunity of any kind.”
He assured that the young security guard would get justice.
Known to have turned the CCT as the available forum for manipulation and settling political scores, Umar is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for corruption.
Court filings seen by SaharaReporters indicated that Umar collected N10 million from Rasheed Taiwo, a former Customs official who was facing false asset declaration charges before the CCT sometime in 2012.
The prosecution also accused Umar of receiving N1.8 million of the N10 million bribe sum through one of his personal assistants, Gambo Abdullahi.
The two counts of fraud contravened Section 12(1) (a) and (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2003. The offences he was charged with attract up to seven years in prison.
In 2019, Walter Onnoghen, suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), described Umar as a “tainted arbiter” who is being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged bribery.
Onnoghen, who was then being prosecuted by the Nigerian government on alleged false assets declaration, asked the CCT Chairman to withdraw from presiding over his trial on the grounds of “real likelihood of bias”.
He described him as the “prosecutor, judge and jury who has constructively convicted” him without either hearing from the defendant or his being formally arraigned before him.
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E2%80%94 I’ve Appealed To Sheikh Gumi To Help Secure Release Of Kidnapped Students, Redeemed Church Members — Shehu Sani
Shehu Sani
Former Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, said he had appealed to Sheikh Ahmad Gumi to help secure the release of students and missionaries kidnapped by bandits in Kaduna.
Sani, who disclosed this on his Twitter handle on Monday, said he made the appeal when he visited the home of the Islamic cleric.
Shehu Sani
His tweet read, “Earlier today in Kaduna, I visited the home of Sheikh Dr Ahmad Gumi where I appealed to him to help to secure the release of the 39 Afaka students and members of the RCCG (Redeemed Christian Church of God) and their Pastor who are still in the hands of bandits.”
On Friday, eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God were kidnapped by bandits around 7 pm on Friday along Kachia Road.
The Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna Province of the RCCG, Alao Joseph, said the abductors established contact with the leadership of the church, demanding N50 million ransom.
Alao explained that the bandits whisked away the church members and abandoned the bus they were travelling in.
“The church has contacted security agencies over the incident with the hope that they will help in securing the immediate rescue of the members,” he had said.
The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, told journalists that the police were working closely with the leadership of the RCCG in Kaduna to ascertain the actual number of those abducted, with a view to rescuing them alive.
Last Wednesday, Gumi, at a virtual event organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies on insecurity in Nigeria, reiterated his stance on amnesty for bandits.
He said bandits should be given amnesty so they can lay down their arms.
The cleric said he was not justifying banditry, but that the herders felt ignored, which resulted in an ethnic war between them and villagers.
He said: “If they are not shown that they’ll be safe when reintegrated into society, they will not give up their arms.
“Looking at their educational status, they don’t have any official or unofficial education.
“How can a nation which is serious about security leave a chunk of its society so uneducated; leave it to arms and drugs?
“I don’t think that society is serious. How can we disperse them, rehabilitate them? They are holding arms to protect themselves.
“If you don’t show them they’re safe in the larger society, there’s no way they can leave their weapon. And that’s why we asked for amnesty for them just like we had in the Niger Delta.
“I’m not justifying their kidnapping; what they do is a crime. But their kidnapping is to get more money to buy more weapons so that they can protect themselves.”
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E2%80%98bush-animals%E2%80%99%E2%80%94-ohanaeze-youths BREAKING: Vacate South-East Within 48 Hours or be treated like ‘Bush Animals’— Ohanaeze Youths Warn Fulani With AK-47s
The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has given a 48-hour ultimatum to every Fulani with AK-47 in any part of the South-East or be treated like “bush amimals”.
The ultimatum is coming on the heels of the revelation that over 332 Fulani camps across South East are occupied with AK-47 carrying Fulani militia.
According to Vanguard, a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Celestine Okoye, had in a media interview, said that “there are 332 Fulani herdsmen settlers heavily armed with AK47 rifles across the five states of the South East zone waiting to unleash terror on Ndigbo.”
National President of Ohanaeze Youths Council, Igboayaka. O Igboayaka, who said the revelation had corroborated an earlier similar report by a civil society organisation, said Igbo youths would not sit idly to watch terrorists circle and invade Igbo land.
He therefore, warned “all Fulani herdsmen with AK47 rifles to immediately vacate their hidden locations in Igbo land within 48 hours or risk being treated like bush animals wherever they are sighted with weapons.”
OYC accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies of maintaining criminal silence over the disturbing revelation, saying they should be held accountable for any security breach or genocidal attack in Igbo land.
According to OYC, Igbo people will be left with no option but to resort to self defence which may eventually lead to fragmentation of the country.
Igboayaka in a press statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Chukwuemeka Chimerue, said any tribe plotting to attack Ndigbo now might need to prepare well.
He said, “President Buhari and his security agencies who are aiding and abetting the crimes of criminal Fulani herdsmen should understand that they have done everything necessary to ensure Nigeria’s disintegration.”
The statement continued: “This revelation is in line with a recent research made by International Society For Civil Liberties & The Rule Of Law(Intersociety), one of the leading civil society groups in Nigeria wherein they published that 433 locations in Igbo land are domiciled by these dreaded Fulani herdsmen waiting to attack the entire old Eastern region.
“Buhari and his kinsmen have divided Nigeria, leading the country into anarchy, tribal hate and crisis.”
He therefore urged the President and his kinsmen to have a rethink “on their covert Fulanisation agenda and ethnic cleansing of other nationalities in Nigeria”, adding that “the Fulani who are not more than seven million in population and cannot successfully conquer over eighty million Igbo”.
He said, “The 1967-1970 genocide against Ndigbo where all tribes in the West, Middle-West and Hausa tribe fought against Ndigbo would not repeat again.
“Fulanis should get ready to contend with the forces of all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria if they go ahead to embark on this impending attack against Ndigbo.”
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Nigerians React As Tinubu Hails Kano Governor, Ganduje For ‘Fighting’ Corruption
Many Nigerians on Twitter have lambasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Bola Tinubu, for lauding Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state for strengthening anti-corruption institutions.
Tinubu had on Sunday, while inaugurating the restructured office of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, hailed Ganduje for his efforts in fighting corruption in the state despite the governor being caught in a video collecting bribe years ago.
“This is a welcome development indeed and we salute the governor for this encouraging effort.
“In ensuring Nigeria becomes a member of a committed international community that frees us from the burden of corruption this and similar edifices could play an important role in that.
“To a lot of us looking forward to a prosperous, corruption-free Nigeria and Africa, today is dedicated to that objective,” the APC leader said.
Taking to social media, some Nigerians mocked both Tinubu and Ganduje, describing both as ‘corrupt leaders’.
Twitter user, @songyoh1 wrote, “It’s huge comedy. Nothing but a sense of entitlement to take a turn. Someone that says paying compensation to herders and farmers will end the conflict & violence of herdsmen many of whom are foreign bandits with local collaborators.”
Another user, @Osimvictor1, said, “He is a leader by example, I’m sure Gandollars won’t need babriga bank again to stuff his dollars. He will soon get bullion vans, that will be carrying the loots around.”
@pdauda tweeted, “Nigeria reads like a satirical play on days like this. Tinubu, who has a burgeoning file at the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) is lauding Ganduje, who gave an award-winning performance in a bribe video, for fighting corruption. One more person and you have the cast of ‘Three Thieves’ right there.”
Reacting, @Amakagenesis said, “This same Tinubu whose corruption case file went missing some weeks back and Mallam Gandollar both fighting corruption??? Wahala be like Buhari hearing problem.”
@TheDonTheDon77 wrote, “Hahaha is the same Ganduje we saw on video accepting bribe? Then lied it’s his twin brother lol. Or Tinubu, that happens to be the most corrupt Nigerian politician that country has even witnessed. Are these two now the ‘Messiahs’ that’ll eradicate corruption in Nigeria?”
“Someone that has an asset declaration case to settle is inaugurating a state anti-graft commission. Caveat: don’t fall for this!” @FS_Yusuf_ said.
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E2%80%94-buhari I Fought Civil War To Keep Nigeria United — Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has said he participated in the country’s civil war to preserve the unity of Nigeria.
Buhari said this while delivering his speech at the 12th Bola Tinubu Colloquium to celebrate the 69th birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Progress, Bola Tinubu.
The president urged the populace to embrace peace and unity, adding that the theme of the event – Our Common Bond, Our Common Wealth – indicated that “Nigerians are better today, and even strong.”
Buhari, whose government has been criticised for ethnic bigotry, human rights violations and nepotism, among others, advised Nigerians to always pursue peace and unity in the country.
“I can also relate personally to ideas of one Nigeria. I fought for the unity of Nigeria during the Civil War from 1967 to 1970. We must count our blessings in Nigeria. We must keep the faith of a great Nigeria. I think the advice of the colloquium is clear. It is to see that justice and harmony reign in Nigeria,” Buhari said.
While extolling Tinubu, he described him as “a strong advocate of cohesion and unity” in the country.
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