Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Wednesday 28th July 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 28/07/21
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How Informant For Bandits Burnt To Death To Escape Justice In Zamfara
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A suspected bandits’ informant identified as Musa Na’umma has set himself ablaze in Zamfara State.
It was gathered that Na’umma burnt himself while trying to escape detention after he was arrested by soldiers in Dansadau town of Maru Local Government Area of the State.
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A source said soldiers onboard about 11 military vehicles stormed the community with a list of about 30 suspected informants, Daily Trust reports.
The source said, “When they came, they began moving from house to house with the list.
“They arrested some suspects, including one woman. One Musa Na’umma was among those arrested.
“When Na’umma was nabbed, he was taken to an army formation in the community and was locked inside a room. However, when a soldier entered the room, the suspect quickly grabbed the soldier’s rifle and struggled with him in an attempt to seize it.
“The suspected informant then fired shot(s) at a jerry can containing petrol and it quickly burst into flames. The soldier then swiftly jumped out of the room leaving the suspect in the raging flames.”
Senator Saidu Dansadau, who represented Zamfara Central between 1999 and 2007, corroborated the information from the source.
Residents also confirmed that there have been suspicion on how some residents have been having deals with bandits through trading.
The suspected informants are being accused of becoming agents for bandits, selling rustled cows, stolen phones and motorbikes for them.
The residents have, in recent times, become more watchful, scrutinising the suspects’ activities.
“During the recent nocturnal raid on the community, the voices of some of the informants were heard and identified, pinpointing residential houses for the selected targets of the assailants.”
“I can tell you that about a dozen of youths mostly native inhabitants of Dansadau have drifted to banditry largely through financial inducements from these criminals. They are there with bandits in various camps inside forest,” he added.
The residents of the community had recently drawn the ire of the armed gang for blocking most of the channels they use to get food, especially bread and soft drinks.
The bandits had stepped up assault on the community in retaliation.
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E2%80%94lawyer How Yoruba Nation Agitator, Sunday Igboho Defended Himself In Benin Republic Court—Lawyer
Ibrahim Salami, counsel for Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, says the Yoruba Nation agitator denied claims by the Nigerian government that he was involved in trafficking in arms or inciting violence.
Salami made this known in an interview on Tuesday, stating that Igboho told the judge that he was put on a watchlist by the Nigerian government for fighting against killer herdsmen.
The Yoruba agitator had appeared in court last Thursday and Monday after he was arrested alongside his wife, Ropo, on Monday, July 19, 2021, at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin on their way to Germany.
When questioned by the judge, the lawyer said, “Igboho explained that what was said about him are false.
“He explained that he did not do anything illegal in Nigeria. He clarified that Nigeria has never charged him to a court or jailed him for any offence, he was never arrested for any offence or invited to police station.
“Igboho said he never had any criminal record in Nigeria. He told the judge that the Nigerian government was after him because he was defending the Yoruba race against killer Fulani herdsmen. He said that he ran away from Nigeria because the government was after his life.
“He was asked when he got to Benin, how he got in and how long. Igboho replied that he left Nigeria on Sunday, got to Benin on Monday and attempted to leave Monday night for Germany before he was arrested.
“The judge asked him where he stayed, who drove him and how he escaped security checks. He replied.
“What is surprising is that the judge said he was not arrested because he committed an offence. He said he breached Benin (Republic) rules and he should be investigated.”
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BREAKING: Lagos Police Release Detained 47 Yoruba Nation Agitators, Keep One In Custody
Forty-seven out of the 48 protesters arrested and detained by the Nigeria Police Force for holding Yoruba Nation Rally in Lagos on July 3, 2021 have been released.
The police in Lagos, which had warned the agitators against holding any rally in the state, clamped down on them and arrested some of them.
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A 14-year-old girl, Jumoke Oyeleke, was also allegedly killed a stray bullet from a police gun.
However, on Tuesday, 47 out of the 48 agitators arrested by the police released after meeting their bail conditions, Punch reports.
A Magistrates’ Court in Yaba, Lagos State had on July 19 granted bail to all the agitators, except one of them, Tajudeen Bakare, who was accused of killing the minor.
A motion for their bail application was filed by human rights lawyers led by Olasupo Ojo and Oladapo Kayode.
The court had ruled that one of their sureties must be a family member and the other a community leader or clergy with proof of tax payment.
The names of the released agitators include Olasunkanmi Tanimola; Kabiru Lawanson; Chinemerem Emmanuel; Rasaki Musibau; Lukman Olalade; Olasanmi Oladipupo; Bashiru Shittu; Taofeek Abdusalam; Olamilekan Abata; Abdullahi Sikiru; Tosin Adeleye; Babatunde Lawal, Abiodun Taiwo, Adagunodo Babatunde, and Oluwafemi Adeleye.
Others include Oloye Taiwo, Saheed Kareem, Adebayo Waheed, Akinbode Sunday, Lawal Akeem, Samuel Ire, and Ogundile Dare.
Communications Manager for the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, confirmed their release.
“This is to inform the general public that 47 out of the 48 protesters arrested by the Nigerian Police during the Yoruba Nation Rally held July 3rd, 2021 have been released from detention after meeting their bail conditions,” Adeleye said.
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E2%80%99s-lawyer-states-next-step-being-pursued-ipob-leaders-case Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer States Next Step Being Pursued In IPOB Leader’s Case
Nnamdi Kanu
The legal team representing the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has disclosed that Kanu’s release from detention will now be pursued as its next step.
A member of Kanu’s legal team, Aloy Ejimakor revealed this on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, while also citing the reason given by the Department of State Services (DSS) for not bringing Kanu to court.
Nnamdi Kanu
“To the multitudes asking me the way forward after the hearing yesterday, below is the answer:
“The very next step is to pursue the release of His Excellency from detention through the coordinated steps of the Legal Team in Nigeria & UK. We intend to succeed, sooner than later,” he tweeted.
Kanu, who is currently being held in the custody of the DSS, is facing charges bordering on treasonable felony, terrorism, among others.
Kanu was to appear at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
This, however, didn’t happen as the DSS failed to provide him in court, citing logistics difficulties for their failure to bring him to court, according to Aloy Ejimakor.
“The DSS didn’t bring Kanu to court. They gave no valid reason for Kanu not being in court except to say that they had logistics difficulties but the Judge disagreed and told them that ‘trial can never commence without defendant being present,’” he noted.
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Nigerian Army Bars Borno Soldiers From Travelling Over Widespread Kidnapping On Damaturu-Maiduguri Road
The Nigerian Army has barred soldiers from travelling on the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road in Borno State over the continued rise in the abduction of its men in the area.
A source in the army shared a letter containing the directive with SaharaReporters on Tuesday.
According to the letter, approval of passes for soldiers would be put on hold till August 21.
“In view of the series or abduction of military personnel, I am directed to convey the suspension of passes till August 21,” the letter read.
“I’m to add that commands should ensure their respective GI cells coordinate the movement of those on pass, either they go through the welfare flight or escorted from to Damaturu. Consequently, I am directed to respectively convey that no officers/soldiers are permitted to use public transport.”
Reacting to the directive, the source who is a soldier, said it is unfortunate that he and his colleagues working hard to protect the country are at the mercy of gunmen due to a lack of appropriate measures to ensure their safety.
He wondered why politicians, who he said, have nothing to offer the country, would have private jets and bulletproof cars, while soldiers are exposed to danger.
He also decried the continued neglect of soldiers in the country, adding that the country has nothing good in stock for its citizens.
“There is heavy tension in Maiduguri generally as the military no longer has access to use the road linking Maiduguri to Damaturu. There has been the abduction of soldiers In civil vehicles since the past four days now,” he told SaharaReporters.
“Even today, they abducted six people on that road, including two soldiers from 5 brigade, Damasak. That’s an issue. The country is going somehow, everybody is annoyed. If the politician that has nothing to offer this country can own a private jet, soldiers that have suffered for many years, are only given the opportunity to go and see their families once a year.
“In spite of that, when you get to Maiduguri, on your way to your destination, that’s where you’ll be abducted. The military does not have any good plan for us.
“Even to provide a plane for us twice in a week to convey soldiers to their various destinations becomes another difficult thing. I don’t know, is it wrong for someone to serve his country by being a soldier? So, when you become a soldier, you have rendered yourself to poverty and wretchedness.
“The politician will own private jets, bulletproof cars but those fighting a war to defend the country can’t get such. In our camp, we don’t even have a bulletproof car. This nation means no good for anybody. We should all know that now.”
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E2%80%99s- Presidential Villa Staff Forced To Take Oath Of Secrecy After SaharaReporters Exposed Buhari’s ‘Secret’ Visit To UK
Staff members at the State House in Abuja have taken an oath of secrecy and warned that disclosing confidential information without authorisation will attract penalties under public service rules.
This comes a few days after SaharaReporters exclusively reported how President Muhammadu Buhari secretly planned to visit the United Kingdom to avoid rampage or any “embarrassing protest” against him.
“President Buhari is leaving for the UK tomorrow or Saturday for a 4-day programme. The secret trip has not been announced yet to avoid rampage against him in London. Recall how his last trip attracted protests in London,” a presidential source had told SaharaReporters last Friday.
Days after the report, the presidency announced the Nigeria’s President would be traveling to London to participate in the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025.
According to Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, the summit will “provide a platform for partners to chart a way forward towards transforming education systems in partner countries, through exchange of best practices”.
Adesina said the summit will be co-hosted by Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.
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EXCLUSIVE: Buhari To ‘Secretly’ Visit United Kingdom
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He added that the President will also spend some days for an earlier scheduled medical follow-up.
“After the Summit, the President will spend a few days for an earlier scheduled medical check-up. He is due back by second week of August, 2021,” Adesina said.
Embarrassed by the report, Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar on Tuesday warned that disclosing confidential information by Aso Villa staff without authorisation will attract penalties under public service rules.
According to a statement signed by the Assistant Director Information, State House, Patience Tilley-Gyado, Umar disclosed this at the administration of Oath of Secrecy and Declaration of Secrecy to 42 staff of the State House, administered by Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court.
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BREAKING: Buhari Presidency Orders State House Workers To Take Oath of Secrecy, Threatens Stiff Penalties
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Tilley-Gyadi said the Permanent Secretary explained that the oaths were administered to staff members who handle classified documents.
‘‘We discovered that due to deployment of officers and retirement a number of our staff need to be placed under the radar so that they will be aware that their jobs, the kind of documents or information they are handling from day to day and beyond, are so important and must be safeguarded.
‘‘That’s the reason we decided to do the needful by administering the Oath of Secrecy, highlighting the importance of letting them know what information they are managing and the consequences of the breach of such information,’’ Umar was quoted as saying.
Recall that the late former President, Umar Yar’Adua also forced State House staff members to swear to an oath of secrecy after SaharaReporters reported that the number one citizen was critically ill.
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Nigeria’s Anti-graft Agency Freezes Oyo Assembly’s Account Over Alleged N1.3 Billion Fraud
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The Economic Financial and Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday froze the account of the Oyo State House of Assembly over alleged embezzlement of N1.3 billion by the Assembly members.
SaharaReporters had on July 7 reported that the EFCC invited the Speaker of the House of Assembly and other principal members of the House over some alleged fraudulent activities perpetrated in the purchase of refurbished vehicles for lawmakers.
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But a credible source in the government told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the EFCC has frozen the bank account of the House of Assembly, as the anti-graft agency continues with its investigation.
Some of the official cars bought from the questionable fund, according to the petition to EFCC, were said to have developed mechanical faults less than six months after they were delivered to the legislators.
However, in a reaction to the allegations, the House posited that it followed due process and had nothing to hide regarding the contract.
The Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, in one of his reactions to the allegation, said the House would continue to support the EFCC and all government institutions to deepen transparency, accountability, and democracy.
An unconfirmed source at the Assembly said the EFCC is widening its net to include constituency allocation funds, running costs, and others.
The source further noted that it was in a move to widen its scope that the anti-graft agency froze the Assembly’s account to prevent access to it, thereby denying the lawmakers access to funds for their monthly running cost.
The source also said the EFCC picked up some top officials of the House on Monday, July 26 in the early hours of the day and grilled them for several hours.
Some of these developments appear to have angered some lawmakers, who against their tradition to postpone plenary sitting in the Speaker’s absence, were said to have perfected plans to go ahead with Tuesday’s plenary should Ogundoyin be absent.
Ogundoyin, who had jetted out to the United States of America before the Eid-el-Kabir holiday, surprisingly returned to the country before plenary and was able to preside over legislative affairs.
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How Driver Killed Female Politician In Her Bathroom In Ibadan, Ran Away With Valuable Items
A female politician and landlady, Mrs Bolaji Agunbiade, has been allegedly killed inside her bathroom in Ibadan, Oyo State, by her driver, Dare Rotimi.
SaharaReporters learnt that the suspect, who hails from Ile Oluji in Ondo State, committed the act around midnight on Sunday.
It was also learnt that the slain woman was a politician at Ile Oluji, but was based in the Ologun-Eru area of Ibadan.
According to the source, the deceased politician had lived in her house in Ibadan for over three years before she was murdered.
“There was an incident that happened to a politician in Ibadan three days ago. The woman was a native of Ile Oluji in Ondo State. We got a report that her driver killed her. She was a politician in Ile Oluji town,” the source narrated.
The daughter of the deceased, Olasedidun Elizabeth Agunbiade, who confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters, said Dare used to work for her grandmother but stopped in 2018.
She said later in 2019, he worked for her aunt in Abuja and fled after stealing her N250,000, laptop, and phones.
Elizabeth, the first child of the late Mrs Agunbiade, said Dare later showed up in Ibadan in 2020 to beg her mother for forgiveness, noting that the suspect helped with the construction of their house and had spent almost 3 months there.
“He showed up in 2020 in Ibadan to beg my mum for forgiveness. He told my mum to help him beg her sister (my aunt) for forgiveness, which my mum did.
“It was the time my mum was building her house in Ibadan, Dare helped in building the house. After spending almost 3 months with my mum, Dare ran away again with my brother’s iPad and other belongings in the house.”
Elizabeth said she warned her mother not to accept his apology and let him go when Dare returned in March 2021. She said that her mum disagreed, saying she would not send Dare away if he were her son.
“Dare came again in March to seek forgiveness. I was around at the time, I was angry and I warned my mother not to accept his apology this time and let him go. But my mum refused, saying would she send him away if Dare was her son. So I left Ibadan in anger and returned to Ondo State where I stay.
“My aunt went to see my mum in Ibadan, and my mum told Dare to leave the house because she knew that her sister could not stand him.
“Dare came back on Sunday (July 25) with a friend around 7 pm after my aunt had left. My daughter who was staying with my mum opened the door for them, and my mum welcomed them. She gave them a foam to sleep on.
“In the morning, my daughter discovered that my mum had not come to wake her up, as usual, so she went to check on her by peeping through the window because her door was still locked, but she was not in bed. She also discovered that our television was missing and the gate was open.
“She then raised an alarm, the neighbours came and forced the door open. My mother was found dead in the bathroom. Her hands were tied and her mouth was covered.
“We later discovered that Dare went away with our two flat-screen televisions, money, and other valuable items,” she said.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported at Eleyele Police Station, while the remains of the deceased have been taken to University College Hospital, both in Ibadan, for autopsy.
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Nigerian Shiites Express Confidence Their Detained Leader, El-Zakzaky Will Regain Freedom On Wednesday
A member of the Resource Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Mohammed Ibrahim has said the members of the group are certain that justice will be served and that their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky will be freed from prison.
The next court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28 at the Kaduna State High Court.
Ibrahim said members of the group are patiently waiting for the court to establish a ”no-case submission” regarding the charges levelled against their leader, who has allegedly been tortured and assaulted since 2015.
He noted that the Kaduna state government had made contradictory claims at various points in the case, which he said was proof that El-Zakzaky was innocent.
He called on all Nigerians and every kind-hearted individual in the world to patiently and keenly watch as events unfold.
A statement Ibrahim sent to SaharaReporters read, “The Islamic Movement in Nigeria is patiently waiting for the establishment of ‘No case submission’ on the flimsy charges filed against Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife by the Kaduna State government come July 28, 2021.
“You may recall the 12 December 2015 Zaria Massacre which was carried out by the Nigerian Army under the pretext of blocking the road to the then Chief of Army Staff (Tukur Buratai). That was the claim and propaganda used to deceive the majority gullible Nigerian public (sic).
“However, immediately after the court verdict passed by Hon. Justice Kolawole in Abuja, the Kaduna State Government through its Attorney and Commissioner for Justice, filed charges against Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife which among others include abetment to culpable homicide.
“This is contradictory and antithetical to their earlier claims and propaganda that Army Chief’s road was blocked by IMN members.
“Thus, while testifying before Justice Gwada of Kaduna State High Court, a police officer and witness brought by complainant confirmed to the court that the said Seargent Dankaduna was apparently killed by a friendly bullet fired by one solider during their attack at Gyallesu Zaria in December 2015.
“Therefore, it will interest you to note that all the charges levelled against Sheikh El-Zakzaky were the same charges filed against the over 200 IMN members prosecuted by the Kaduna State government before the state high courts, which eventually discharged and acquitted all the Defendants.
“Hence our case today is a call and reminder to the general public and particularly the people of conscience in the world of humanity, equity, and natural justice that we have preserved and endured enough over the incarceration of our leader.
“We have tolerated enough but we are grateful to Almighty Allah for giving us the strength, morale, and courage to withstand the prosecution and all sorts of oppressive and repressive powers exerted upon us by this government as He spares all our lives to witness the end of this case.
“Nigerian citizens and the people of conscience all over the world are keenly and patiently watching the trend of events as they unfold regarding this case. We are very much confident that the court will be left with no option but to do justice, paving the way for yet another victory for us and humanity in general.”
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Winners Chapel Pastors’ Sack: Neither For Nor Against, By Sesugh Akume
Sesugh Akume
Whereas others are for or against the sacked pastors of Living Faith Church; for or against the church and its presiding bishop, Dr David Oyedepo, I’m for neither.
First, for the pastors I’m sure they weren’t recruited from the streets and deployed to the churches, they must’ve been members of the church a while and ought to have been immersed in its culture. They ought to have known about meeting and exceeding expectations. For instance, if the church itself grew by 10,000 additional branches last year alone with its COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions notwithstanding, one would expect them to know that nothing less is to be expected of any one of them, and not only them but everyone else in the system.
Sesugh Akume
Second, I want to believe they went through different levels of pastoral training before being ordained and commissioned, and at the point of employment they knew what they were signing up for.
Every staff and/or member of the church must’ve heard of the critical ministry handbook The Mandate: Operational Manual Living Faith Church Worldwide Winners Chapel written by the founding/presiding bishop himself, the most critical resource material of the commission next to the Bible. I expect all staff to have read it to know what is expected of them.
Third is, thousands of pastors were employed last year alone, why then would anybody be among 40 of those found to be unfruitful? I’d do my best never to be among the least 40 of even 100, not even of 1,000. We’re talking 10,000 here!
I’ve seen the Sahara Reporters’ news report of one of the laid off staff blowing the whistle about how his (now former) colleagues doctor figures, report fund collections that are not true with the active connivance of others in the system, and make up for the falsified records from their salaries. He went ahead and said many of them don’t have meeting halls, no congregations, etc but create the illusion with the false filings, a practice characterised as ‘wisdom’ or ‘applying wisdom’ which he couldn’t do.
First, I personally don’t appreciate people who care about a system so much after leaving or on their way out. This, he could’ve said when inside to save the system. Second, why would anybody draw a salary for doing nothing? What are they being paid for? Third, there are many who report accurate figures and are visibly growing or is everybody reporting growth falsifying figures? The gentleman should take several seats!
On the other hand, I’m not pleased either with the manner in which the pastors were sacked. I know church is business but if it’s done in the name of Christianity, my opinion is that the motivation for all in Christianity is love. Meaning whatever is done ought to be in love, sacking unproductive workers inclusive.
Many claim Jesus said any tree that bears no fruit will be yanked off. But these aren’t trees are they? They are human beings. Those who say these things forget the part where an unfruitful tree was to be uprooted but the master asked it to be manured again for another season to see whether it would be fruitful or not before deciding.
I’ve seen no record of the underperforming pastors being interacted with to find out what the issues might be, and seeking to help them fulfill their commission, failure of which they were relieved of their duties. In my opinion, it’s the humane way to go about it.From the letter seen in the public domain, the sack was ‘with immediate effect’ as they were required to vacate their living quarters same day! I think people should be given notice to quit and not hounded out of their residences same day, even if they are bachelors and live alone. They didn’t kill anybody or commit any crime, they simply didn’t meet the ‘church growth index’.
I think relieving people of their duties can be made painless, after all they are leaving. I think business should be done some humanity and consideration.Sesugh Akume, a public policy analyst, wrote from Abuja. He is reached via sesugh.akume@gmail.com, and tweets @sesugh_akume.
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