Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 11th June 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 11/06/21
Read also
Unknown Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Officer
File photo used to illustrate story.
Unknown gunmen have attacked Ojoto Police Station in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the gunmen in three Toyota Sienna vehicles struck on Thursday and killed one police inspector.
File photo used to illustrate story.
The incident is the latest in what appears to be a growing trend of attacks on police stations and security personnel in the South-East region of the country.
The governors in the region recently announced the establishment of a joint security outfit, codenamed ‘Ebube Agu’ to battle rising insecurity.
CRIME
Police
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%94-us Nigerian Government’s Twitter Ban Sends Poor Message To Citizens, Investors, Businesses — US Embassy
The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria has condemned the recent suspension of the microblogging platform, Twitter.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Public Affairs Section of the Embassy.
The mission noted that the ban on Twitter undermines the ability of Nigerians to exercise a fundamental human right as allowed by the constitution.
It also stated that the ban presents a poor image of the country to citizens, investors and businesses.
It read, “Nigeria’s constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Government’s recent #Twitterban undermines Nigerians’ ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses.
“Banning social media and curbing every citizen’s ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms. As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity. #KeepitOn.”
Last Friday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed announced an indefinite suspension of Twitter after the platform deleted a tweet by the President which violated its rules.
Internet
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99s-son-law-prince-edward-defects-apc-cross-river Ex-Nigerian President Jonathan’s Son-In-Law, Prince Edward Defects To APC In Cross River
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s son-in-law, Prince Godswill Edward, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Edward popularly called Prince 7 decamped to the ruling party together with a multitude of his supporters at Usumutong/Abeugo council ward in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River state on Wednesday, June 9
The Director General of the Conference of APC Support Groups, Comrade Obidike Chukwuebuka, who was present at the defection ceremony congratulated Prince Edward on his decision to abandon PDP.
Obidike described his move as a victory for the All Progressives Party (APC) in the South-South part of Nigeria and a plausible confirmation of President Buhari’s unflinching leadership style.
“Our president has yet again been vindicated by the crucial entry of key political figureheads in Cross River state that our president has the popular support and hearts of the Nigerian people, especially those of the South South.” Obidike said.
On May 20, the governor, Ben Ayade, also dumped the PDP for the APC.
Ayade announced his decision at the Executive Council chambers of the Governor’s Office in Calabar.
The governor had earlier met with some APC chieftains, brewing suspicions of a likely defection.
It was learnt that APC National Caretaker, Governor Mai Mala Buni; Governors Kayode Fayemi and Hope Uzodinma of Ekiti and Imo states respectively as well as the Minister for State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, were among those said to be present.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%94aac-party It’s Embarrassing Buhari Addresses Nigerians Like He Has A Grudge Against Them—AAC Party
The African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that youths are the cause of the aggravating security crises in the country.
The party also berated the Nigerian leader for remaining adamant on hunting down Igbo youths calling for Biafra nation.
In a statement titled: ‘AriseTV interview: President Buhari adamant on his genocidal stance on IPOB, threat to EndSARS Protesters shameful’, made available to SaharaReporters, AAC lamented how Buhari shifted the blame of insecurity and economic woes on Nigerian youths for protesting during #EndSARS.
The party said Buhari acts as if he has grudge with Nigerians.
“The African Action Congress (AAC) expresses dissatisfaction over the recorded interview with President Buhari, which was aired by Arise TV on Thursday, 10th June 2021.
“It is first of all embarrassing that the President poses as someone ‘keeping malice’ with Nigerians- choosing when and how convenient to speak, even when the whole country is on fire,” the statement partly read.
The party went further to rebuke the former military Head of State for blatantly displaying traits of his military regime, laden with oppressive and autocratic decrees. It, therefore, reiterated that Nigerians should rise to defend their rights.
“Another shock is how, instead of reeling out his ‘achievements’ over the last 6 years, the President sounded like an opposition leader. But for a closer look and the distinction of voice, one would have thought it was a member of the civil society or the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) being interviewed. The President in his usual style blamed everyone but himself.
“May we remind the President that the youths he blamed for insecurity that has reached the highest crescendo, are not the ones who are constitutionally in charge of the military and the police.
“Talking about infrastructure, may we also remind the President that the youths are not the ones who took loans to the tune of trillions of naira with the promise that infrastructure would be fixed. The statements of the President confirmed the suspicion in many quarters that he is not conscious of the happenings in his immediate environment and his administration, except what he is told.
“Away from the hypocritical guilt-tripping of President Buhari, monitoring this recorded interview, we realised that the old General has not reneged on his jackboot absolutist style. Despite popular calls by well-meaning and peace-loving Nigerians all over the world for civil engagement with the legitimate concerns of different sections of the population, he prefers the use of brute force.
“Much to our chagrin is the fact that the threat of the President, is against all forms of critical views. IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) and other secessionist groups, as well as young people whom he called ‘EndSARS protesters’, are portrayed as insurrectionists seeking to remove him from power.
“The retired General said point-blank that he is ‘coming for them’. We maintain that these statements are far from anything presidential or democratic. We describe them as genocidal threats and condemn these vehemently.
“The AAC uses this medium to remind Nigerians that there is no later time to fight for liberation as it is crystal clear that only the unity of the oppressed across all regions can free the people from the ruling class that Buhari represents,” the statement added.
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Saharareporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Suspected Herdsmen Kidnap 15 Bus Passengers In Imo
File photo used to illustrate story
There is apprehension in Eke-Onuimo, in the Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo state following the abduction of 15 passengers along Enugu-Port Harcourt Road by suspected herdsmen.
The passengers were travelling on two separate buses when the herdsmen stopped them along the Arondizuogu-Okigwe stretch of the road, Daily Trust reports.
File photo used to illustrate story
According to an eyewitness, the kidnappers marched all the passengers of one bus into the Bush.
It was learnt that some passengers on the second bus managed to escape but the whereabouts of the passengers were still unknown as of the time of filing this report.
The police have yet to comment on the incident and the spokesperson for the state command, SP Bala Elkana, could not be reached calls to his mobile line were not answered.
Insecurity
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%94-ondo With Unpaid Salaries, Governor Akeredolu’s Proposed N2billion Governor’s Lodge, Wasteful — Ondo PDP
Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has condemned the move by the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu to build another Governor’s Lodge.
The opposition party alleged that it was aware that the sum of N2 billion had been earmarked for the new governor’s lodge, describing it as not only wasteful but also ridiculous.
Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
Last Friday, Akeredolu laid the foundation of a new Governor’s Lodge at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure.
He had explained that the one built by his predecessor, Olusegun Mimiko has several defects which pose a huge threat to human lives.
He also noted that the building appears to be weak and may collapse anytime.
But, while speaking with journalists in Akure on Thursday, the State PDP Chairman, Fatai Adams said the construction of a new lodge was a waste of the state’s resources.
He also explained that the fund earmarked for the lodge should have been used to build meaningful infrastructure for the benefit of the people and not a few in government.
According to him, the government of Akeredolu has lost direction if it’s proposing a new governor’s lodge while it has a backlog of unpaid salaries of workers and also owes health workers in the state.
Adams also lamented the mass resignation of over 100 medical doctors in the state due to the inability of the government to pay their salaries and allowances.
He said, “While the present administration of Akeredolu has a backlog of unpaid salaries of workers, it is proposing to build a N2 billion Governor’s Lodge in Akure.
“This is not only ridiculous but the surest evidence that the governor has completely lost direction. Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Akeredolu’s predecessor built a befitting Governor’s Lodge in 2013, a few years before Akeredolu assumed the reins of government.
“To spend N2 billion of taxpayers’ money on another Governor’s Lodge at this time is the height of callousness and wasteful.
“The N2 billion can be used in building infrastructures like roads, schools, and reconstruction of the dilapidated hospitals in the state.
“For instance, the money for the construction of this new governor’s lodge can also be used in repairing school buses that had been off the road for a while now.”
In its reaction, the state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the criticism by the PDP did not come as a surprise.
He accused the previous PDP-led government in the state of leaving for his administration seven months of unpaid salaries.
The statement titled ‘New Governor’s Lodge & PDP’s Rough Path,’ said, “Among others, the position of the opposition party had thrived at an inclement path of a fruitless incitement as it incredulously, suggested that Ondo State does not need a befitting Governor’s Lodge.
“It is a conceded fact that an opposition party is at liberty to criticise any Government including of course, the indiscretional display of ignorance on issues of governance.
The misplaced allusion to the Governor’s Lodge as well as the weak nexus between same and the issue of salaries betrays an unpardonable amnesia on the part of a politcal party. It becomes immeasurably uncanny if such party had left the stage with the most uncharitable legacy of ‘unpaid seven months salaries’.
“Perhaps, PDP deserves to know that the envisioned Governor’s Lodge is among the plethora of iconic projects targeted with the yet-to-be-fully accessed BOND. Suggesting therefore, that Government should ‘shelve’ the project for salaries clearly shows a gross lack of knowledge of how Bonds work. They are, as Special Purpose means of funding developmental initiatives, inconvertible to cash, hence undrawable by anyone.
“Rather than abandon the welfare of workers for months without remorse under any guise, the Ondo State Government led by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN shall, at all times, evolve ingenious means to address the issue of salaries in the face of excruciating global economic challenges.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%94source Security Alert: Fulani Herdsmen In Large Numbers Enter Ondo Town, Armed With AK-47s—Source
Armed Fulani herdsmen
Over two truckloads of Fulani herdsmen armed with AK-47s have arrived in Igoba Community in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
A source, who spoke with SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, said the two truckloads of herdsmen entered the town in the wee hours of Thursday.
He also alleged that they were all armed with AK-47 rifles, arriving at the remote part of the town which is basically surrounded by bushes.
He said, “This morning around 3 am, two trailers filled with a troop of Fulani men armed with AK-47s entered the town.
“The Fulani herdsmen have captured Igoba, in Akure North, they plan to attack, they came in their numbers. That place is not that developed, it’s basically surrounded by bush. The Fulani herdsmen have even become indigenes at Igoba, they live there, speak Yoruba fluently, they are the ones providing accommodation to the ones who just arrived.
“Aside from that, early this morning, in another part of Akure, at Oja Oba market, the Fulani herdsmen attacked some women. The Fulani herdsmen were in Army uniforms but they are not soldiers, they struck some with knives, they injured people but they didn’t stay for long, they did what they wanted to do and left.
“Please, we want the government to come to our aid, the security agencies should also rise to their duties. People should not die for nothing.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported how residents of Adeoye, Akinrimisi and Ajaye in Ondo Town, Ondo State expressed fear as they had observed Fulani herdsmen in their numbers invading their areas with weapons and setting up hideouts for an imminent attack.SaharaReporters learnt that the Fulani herdsmen attacked one of the areas on Monday night up till Tuesday morning, in a “test-run” as residents lamented that the police and the soldiers deployed in their area only extort money from motorists and turn their backs on the attackers.
Insecurity
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK
Disable advertisements
:
Buhari Admits Sending Back Two South-West Governors Who Reported Herdsmen Killings In Their States
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he turned back two South-West governors who came to report to him in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, how rampaging herdsmen attacked farmers in their states.
Buhari in an interview on Arise Television, said he simply asked the governors to go back and sort out their own problems since they were elected government officials too.
The president, who did not mention the names of the governors, noted that he sent them back to go and do their jobs.
When asked about his stance on regional security outfits and whether he would formalise state police in Nigeria, Buhari said, “I have seen or I have been reading it in the newspapers. Most of us who are old enough know the local police and so on. The traditional rulers were very effective in their communities. I will give you an example of recent.
“Two governors from the south-west came to tell me that the cattle rearers in some of the forests there have killed the farmers while the cattle were eating up their crops. But I told them, you campaigned to be elected and you were elected. So, I said go back and sort yourselves. This is because there has been a system as all of us could recall, even in local governments when there were security in each local government.
“It consists of the traditional rulers who have been there for years. So they knew all the crooks in their localities. Then the police, and those who come, whether they were cattle rearers and traders. They meet either monthly or quarterly. So I told those governors to go back and go to the old system so that they will have intelligence; they will know what is going on.
“They can’t just win an election and sit tight and think somebody will do their jobs for them. I just sent them back.”
Some of these comments by Buhari have been described by Nigerians on social media as “arrogant and insensitive” as Nigerians are lambasting the number one citizen for not showing seriousness and empathy with the violent attacks going on across the states.
Also, since Saturday’s attack on Igangan, an agrarian community in Oyo State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, where no fewer than 15 persons were killed, the President has not made any statement about it or offered his condolences.
Insecurity
Insurgency
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK
Disable advertisements
:
Obasanjo, Pastor RUGA Osinbajo: Cowards And Liars! By Bayo Oluwasanmi
As humans, we have and feel fear. Courage with which we respond to fears separates us from the proverbial men from the boys, and women from the girls. Courageous leaders face what needs to be faced and what needs to be done. Cowardly leaders make excuses, hide their heads in the sand. They generally take the easy way out. All actions have consequences. So does lack of action.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Pastor RUGA Osinbajo were missing in action when Fulani herdsmen terrorists killed and still killing Yorubas in their own state and on their own land. Any time the two men open their mouths, they ooze out bagful of lies. The recent statements by former Obasanjo and Pastor RUGA Osinbajo on the agitators for Oduduwa Nation and Biafra Republic portray them as cowards and liars. Obasanjo declares that “Citizens of Oduduwa Republic or any other republic from Nigeria will be diminished compared to citizens of Nigeria.” Nigerians are seen as 419s all over the world and they are avoided as dissident streams.
Pastor RUGA said: “For the purveyors of breaking up into small components, into small countries, perhaps they should be reminded that we would not have been able to accept Governor Ganduje’s offer to come to Kano at short notice since we would have needed visas to come to Kano.” What’s wrong in obtaining visa to travel to Kano? Don’t we get visas to visit Ghana, Benin and other neighboring countries? The two reasons by the two men why Yorubas should remain in the slaughtering field call Nigeria, are not only foolish, idiotic, senseless, and untrue, but self-serving, myopic, selfish, and wicked.
Obasanjo and Pastor RUGA frequently take the easy way out. In 1979 when Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Shehu Shagari contested for president, Obasanjo was the military head of state. His statement about the two candidates proved that he, Obasanjo, had already declared the winner of the 1979 election before elections took place. He told Nigerians that “The best candidate may not necessarily win the election.” All Nigerians at that time knew Awolowo was the best candidate. But, Obasanjo had to rig the election in favor of his Fulani slave masters. When Fulanis were looking for gazing fields for their cows, Pastor RUGA was ready to give away his ancestral land to Fulanis through RUGA and Cow Colonies programs of Buhari’s regime.
This time around, both men will fail woefully concerning the break up of Nigeria and the eventual creation of Oduduwa Nation and Biafra Republic. Reason is they refused to look reality in the face and accept it so that they can make the tough decisions that need to be made. Because they are cowards and liars, they wave aside decisions that have a direct impact on the lives of Yorubas. Leadership is leading with both head and gut. Sadly, Obasanjo and Pastor RUGA Osinbajo have neither.
bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Bayo Oluwasanmi
Disable advertisements
:
Continue Tweeting…The Implications, By Usman Okai Austin
Usman Okai Austin
‘When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes a duty ‘
~ Thomas Jefferson.
Everyone knows the times we are in. If the times are hard, they are very hard in Nigeria. The future of Nigeria is bleak, with the unfolding tendencies, idiosyncrasies and sadism. The ban on twitter, a major social medium of expression, has jolted many people. It has suddenly caused a spark in the brains of many analysts regarding what plans the government of the day has for the country and the people.
Usman Okai Austin
Nigeria’s foremost opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen to defy the ban on twitter by the Federal Government of Nigeria headed by Muhammadu Buhari. Ot will be recalled that in the first week of June, Mr Buhari’s tweet was deleted for contravention of Twitter’s community policy.
In a fit of anger, Mr Buhari through his minister of communication, Lai Mohammed, declared the activities of the microblogging giant indefinitely suspended. As ridiculous as it may sound, it is bewildering to imagine that a single man would jeopardize the happiness of over 40 million subscribers because he thinks his ego was bruised.
The House of Representatives met, obviously prompted by the outcry by well meaning people, to resolve the issues. But the decision of the house, which has shown that it is an avowed appendage and an errand institution of the executive, didn’t go down well with the PDP caucus. According to them, you cannot form committee and subject issues of urgent need to unnecessary redtapism.
Since there has been no reasonable explanation as to why the FG banned Twitter, PDP encourages people to continue tweeting because no law has been broken. It is obvious that the APC government is trying to be power drunk. Twitter did not block Buhari. Even if they did, rules are rules. Twitter is not Africa where rules are bent for some persons.
The APC government must understand that many people make their livelihood from Twitter. So far, money has been lost, businesses have suffered and incomes have shrunk further. This is tragic, coming from a country that wears the unenviable badge of the world’s poverty capital.
Second of all, a country where there is so much need for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), has no business flexing muscles with tech a tech company that has indirectly provided employment where the government has massively and woefully failed.
The recent arbitrary ban on Twitter has accentuated the belief that the present day Nigeria is tending towards a dictatorship, where government policies are the same as the whims and captives of the dictator. This would in no way harm investment decisions by foreign investors. Already, our neighbour, Ghana, is the darling of investments heading for Africa. We are further worsening the situation with our unpredictability in terms of policy.
Also when compared to the huge insecurity problem and the government’s ostrich behaviour towards tackling the problem, there would be no gain saying that Nigeria is witnessing the worst of times.
The people of Nigeria have been made to feel like a conquered people in their own country. With the rise in prices of all commodities, the punitive taxes and the shrinking incomes, there is palpable anger on the streets. It is not even made better by the robberies, deaths and more deaths that happen everyday.
It is to this end that the PDP House caucus is saying enough is enough! And most Nigerians understandably agree with them. The government needs to stop listening to praise singers and insulating itself with the cheers of self serving sycophants who like Minimus , in Orwell’s Animal Farm keep chanting Buhari is always right.
There is anger in the streets. There is anger!
Usman Okai Austin CNA Writes from Abuja
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Usman Okai Austin CNA
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
