Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 24th August 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 24/08/21
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Christ Embassy Pastor, Members Fined $35,000 For Holding Service In Australia Amid COVID-19 Restrictions
A Christ Embassy Pastor in Sydney, Australia, Marvin Osaghae, has been fined alongside with 30 of his church members.
They were fined the sum of $35,000 for holding a church service which was against Covid-19 restrictions.
Australian police officers were reportedly called by neighbours who were tired of the service in Chris Oyakhilome’s Christ Embassy Church in Sydney as members gathered for service during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Thirty attendees were arrested and eventually fined $1,000 each while the church was fined a sum of $5,000 and the police shut the church when they arrived.
Pastor Marvin Osaghae was also seen in the footage of his sermon online, asking followers to pray for the New South Wales (NSW) government.
He said: “We pray for NSW government, we declare that the wisdom of God is granted.
“We declare that lockdowns are over in the cities of NSW, in the name of Jesus.”
The incident has left New South Wales Police Minister David Elliott stunned, reports the Associated Press Australia.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian called the gathering a blatant contradiction of rules that keep people out of hospital.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said he hoped followers would reflect on the risk they’d exposed themselves and their children to.
“I would hope that that would be the last time that we see this kind of activity from this group of people.”
This isn’t the first time Christ Embassy will be fined internationally for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules.
In April this year, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s TV channel, LoveWorld, was fined £125,000 for breaching the UK’s broadcasting code by spreading misinformation about COVID-19.
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Court Restrains Uche Secondus From Parading Self As PDP National Chairman
A High Court in Rivers State has issued an interim order restraining the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, from parading himself as the party’s national chairman.
The development comes amid calls for his resignation some members of his party.
A caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party at the House of Representatives had asked Secondus, to “honourably” resign from his position over poor leadership of the party.
Also, at the PDP National Secretariat, some party members also held placards calling for Secondus’ resignation.
SaharaReporters had last week reported that Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP advised Secondus to stop disturbing elder statesmen in the country for help in his bid to perpetuate himself in office.
George had been reacting to the closed-door meeting between Secondus and former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Speaking in an interview, George said Secondus mismanaged the privilege given to him to manage the affairs of the PDP but he was running helter-skelter when the party members said they had had enough of him.
“Why is he running around now? When he was given the mantle of office and you were supposed to remain just, fair and equitable, did he do that? Let him stop disturbing the old men; allow them to rest. Like I have always said, the PDP is not a personal property of anyone.
“Are you going to repair all the damages he created by his inactivity or lack of respect for the ground norms and the constitution of our party? I don’t hate him but he mismanaged the opportunity given to him to manage the affairs of the party. He went outside the constitution and threw it down the drain.
“APC also went through their own crisis during the tail-end of Oshiomhole but President Buhari had to take a decisive action, otherwise, that party would have gone down today. So, if the members of the PDP are saying we are tired of the methodology of Secondus, so be it.
“I have an example of his complete mismanagement. I think he should have done all these things long before now. Yes, we know the elders are experienced and we shouldn’t ignore their words. But they gave you an opportunity for almost four years and you bungled It,” George had said.
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E2%80%99m-receiving-death-threats-ipob-members-%E2%80%93-nnamdi-kanu%E2%80%99s-lawyer-cries-out I’m Receiving Death Threats From IPOB Members – Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Cries Out
Aloy Ejimakor, who is one of the counsels to the leader of the indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has stated that he is receiving death threats “from people I’ve been defending for years.”
In a tweet on his verified Twitter handle on Monday, Ejimakor linked the threat of murder from IPOB members to the controversial suspension of the sit-at-home directive by the IPOB leadership.
He clarified that Kanu, in the detention of the Department of State Services, Abuja, did not pass the sit-at-home order that was started about three weeks ago through him (Ejimakor).
He noted that the message “was already delivered by others days before I visited him on 9th August.”
“I can no longer keep quiet because I’m receiving DEATH THREATS from people I’ve been defending for years. Hear this: Onyendu DID NOT pass the SIT AT HOME message through me. The message was already delivered by others days before I visited him on 9th August. Check social media,” Ejimakor wrote.
SaharaReporters had earlier today reported that residents of the South-East region observed the sit-at-home order again on Monday as they shunned businesses and commercial activities, despite the suspension of the directive by IPOB.
However, in some areas of the region, people went about their daily business.
IPOB had maintained that the Ghost Monday would no longer hold every Monday based on the directive from its leader, who said it should be observed only on the day he appears in court.
However, despite the declaration of the group that the weekly lockdown on Mondays has been suspended, some people in the region have continued to stay indoors on Mondays since the directive was first announced.
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E2%80%98sexual-content%E2%80%99-social-media Islamic Police, Hisbah Arraigns Kannywood Actress For Uploading ‘Sexual Content’ On Social Media
The Kano State Hisbah Board has docked a Kannywood actress and social media blogger, Sadiya Haruna, for “uploading sexual contents on her social media handles.”
According to Daily Trust, the actress, Haruna, a resident of Kabuga Quarters was initially arrested on Friday by the Head of Surveillance Department of Kano State Hisbah Board, Malam Aliyu Usman.
She was then detained in the custody of the Islamic police until early Monday when she was brought before the Sharia court sitting in Sharada area of the state.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed against her, she was alleged to have consistently posted indecent videos in which she was dancing seductively and making sexual comments on her social media handles and YouTube channel.
The accused person pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of obscenity and indecent act, which contradicts section 355 of Penal Code Law 2000.
The presiding judge, Justice Ali Jibril Danzaki thereafter convicted her and ordered that her to be attending a Darul Hadith Islamiyya session at Tudun Yola Quarters for a period of six months as the sentencing for her offence.
He also said that her Islamiyya attendance would be monitored by the school head teacher and the Hisbah command.
Hisbah has been knocked by Nigerians for operating double standards in the country and particularly in northern Nigeria, sparing the children of the high and mighty and going after commoners in the north.
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Ban On Open Grazing Stays, South-West Governors Dare Buhari
The South-West Governors; forum has insisted that its ban on open grazing in the region stays despite the President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of a recommendation asking for about 368 grazing routes to be recovered.
The South-West forum chairman and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, stated that the ban would be turned into law and would be fully enforced soon.
According to Vanguard, he stated these in his office in Akure during a courtesy visit by the new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Ene Okon.
Akeredolu further noted that the law put an end to the clashes between farmers and herders in the South-West region of the country.
He pointed out that “Amotekun is not established to compete but to work and complement the existing security agencies. Amotekun is established by law. Let us all work together. It is clear that the essence of the creation of Amotekun is community policing.
“And since the number of police is being depleted daily and the level of crime is increasing, it will be difficult to spread out with your limited number.
“Since the police cannot be everywhere, Amotekun is here for collaboration.”
The new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Ene Okon, had initially commended the governor for his doggedness during the creation of the State Security Network codenamed “Amotekun.”
Okon said the governor has laid a solid foundation for community policing with the creation of the security outfit.
He also praised the governor for the relative peace in the Sunshine state, adding that it is no mean feat to maintain peace and order.
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E2%80%93-buharimustgo How Dunamis Church Pastor Brutalised Us, Tied Our Clothes Like Robbers – #BuhariMustGo Protesters
Two of the five #BuhariMustGo campaigners arrested at the Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja during the church’s Sunday service on July 4 have given further accounts of torture and humiliation to which they were subjected in the custody of the Department of State Services.
Manasseh Paul and Chinonso Ahmadu said they were made to sleep in a cell with a pit toilet and treated more like animals than humans that they were.
SaharaReporters had in a series of reports stated how the church’s security guards arrested the youths and handed them over to the DSS.
It had been reported further that the activists were subjected to degrading treatments by the service and not allowed access to their lawyers and families
In a video shared by Punch, Chinonso Ahmadu started, “I and my friends went to Dunamis church for thanksgiving and inscribed on our shirt was our prayer request and we later went for the altar call and they entertained us as first-timers.
“We were going home when the church security operatives attacked us and brutalised us. They beat my blind friend who went to church with us; they dragged him on the floor.
“After that, they took us to their security post where we were tortured, our phones were taken away from us, they forced us to give them our passwords and they checked our phones. A pastor in the church came and started hitting us. I tried to block his punches; he threatened to double the torture.
“There was a woman there with tribal marks, she was the one begging the pastor on our behalf. They asked us several questions which we answered. We asked them what our offence was, none of them answered.
”They called the DSS and tied our clothes together as if we stole from the church. We were confused because of the way we were arrested, we don’t even understand it. By evening, the DSS took us to the New Echo cell.
“I never regretted taking any action, I am still going to take more action. As I speak to you, everyone in the DSS facility is now relating to the BuhariMustGo campaign. I went for a medical check-up after I was released. I had a broken tooth and a broken jaw. I had a lot of injuries. I had bruises on my back as a result of the torture I received while in custody.”
Also, Manasseh Paul said, “I was arrested in Dunamis church; we were first dehumanised by the church security officials before they handed us over to the DSS. On getting to the DSS facility, that was when I discovered that a lot of Nigerians had been jailed, suffering for what they know nothing about.
“We were stripped naked; they remove our trousers, left with boxers and a shirt. They took us to a basement; we were made to lie on the floor, the place was stuffy and smelling. From there, they transferred us to the New Echo cell. There were a lot of mosquitoes there. We slept on the floor all through.
“There was a pit toilet in the cell where we were kept in. We slept there on the other side of the cell. The smell that comes out of there is very irritating. The next day, we were taken to their administrative block where we were tortured.
“We were being forced to say who gave us the shirt but I told them that I printed the shirt by myself. We refused to sign any document and refused to write a statement until we saw our lawyer. For seven days, we didn’t eat, we were not taken care of; there was no blanket to cover ourselves with.
“After these seven days, we were still tortured, we were asked who sent us and we told them we did this out of our conviction as Nigerians. After the ill-treatment, we were taken away from that cell to another cell just because we were communicating with our senior comrade, Nnamdi Kanu.
”On the 19th day, they took us to a magistrate court, the court was deserted. That day, the judge was angry with the prosecuting counsel and told them to grant us access to our lawyer.”
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E2%80%93-inspector-general-police-tells Deal Decisively With IPOB Members; They Are Proscribed – Inspector-General Of Police Tells Personnel
Inspector-General of Police (IGP)
The Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, has urged the personnel of the Delta State Police Command to deal decisively with any member of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Usman handed down the charge on Monday in Asaba, Delta State, while on a one-day working visit to the command.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP)
He said policemen who would work in Delta could police any part of the country.
“If you are able to work in Delta, you can work in any part of Nigeria. That’s why we are creating more areas command, divisions to bring police nearer to the people,” he said.
“You are trying your best but your best is not good enough. Anything that happens in Anambra State will affect Delta State especially the Asaba.
“That is why you must prepare to deal with any criminal, especially IPOB group. There are spills over agitation or demonstration from Onitsha to Asaba.
“Brace up to IPOB challenge because it is a proscribed organisation and treat them as such. It is unfortunate that #EndSARS started from Delta State.”
Commending officers and men of the command for their successes, Usman, who was the Commissioner of Police in the state between 2014 and 2016, urged them to improve on their crime fighting efforts.
He noted that the state government, local governments, corporate entities and individuals have supported the command enormously with provision of logistics, insisting that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
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Gloria Okolie: Release Suspected Female IPOB Member, Amnesty International Tells Police
A global human rights’ group, Amnesty International, has called on the Nigerian Police Force to release Gloria Okolie from their detention.
Gloria was accused of being a member of the Eastern Security Network controlled by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra.
She was later arrested in connection to the attacks on security formations and critical national infrastructures in the South East which saw the death of many security operatives.
The police had described the 21-year-old woman as an intermediate person who receives cash, drugs and weapons on behalf of IPOB and ESN.
They had said she also helped in delivering same to their commanders in their various camps adding that she actively aided multiple acts of murder, arson and malicious damage through her criminal activities, to both private and public property by the ESN.
But Gloria had continued to witness ill treatments in detention while the police extorted her family members on false promises to secure her release.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by AI on Monday, the rights’ group expressed its dissatisfaction over the prolonged detention of the young woman.
It added that Gloria should be released or charged with a recognisable offence.
The statement reads, “The Nigerian police must release Gloria Okolie. The 21-year-old student has been in detention since June 17, 2021, for alleged involvement with a suspected ESN/IPOB member.
“Her lawyer told Amnesty International that she was arrested by the IRT unit of the Nigerian Police in Imo State and taken to Abuja where she remains in detention without access to her family members and lawyer in violation of her human rights.
“Her lawyer also alleges that Gloria has been subjected to ill-treatment while in detention. The police also continued to extorting her family on false promises to release her.
“We are calling on police authorities to immediately release her or charge her with a recognisable offence. The police authorities must investigate her prolonged detention and alleged ill-treatment and ensure that officers found culpable are punished according to law.
“Amnesty International has in the past documented several cases of ill-treatment including sexual abuse of women in police detention.”
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E2%80%99-crisis-worsens-party-drags-seven-rauf-aregbesola%E2%80%99s-allies Osun All Progressives Congress’ Crisis Worsens As Party Drags Seven Rauf Aregbesola’s Allies To Court
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola
The incumbent caretaker secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Rasaq Salinsile, has been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for conspiracy and assault.
He was arraigned on Monday alongside six others including the chairman of the Osun Progressives, Lowo Adebiyi, Kazeem Salami, a former Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, Biyi Odunlade, Gbenga Akano, Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola
Daily Post
The defendants, arraigned before Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara, pleaded not guilty and were admitted to bail.
SaharaReporters had reported on August 14 that there was pandemonium at the Osun State secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, as party members and hoodlums loyal to Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, clashed at a meeting.
The meeting was the sitting of the Ward Congress Appeal Committee in Osogbo, the state capital.
Gunshots were heard leading to tension after members stormed the venue to submit petitions on the said date.
According to reports, supporters of the governor and the minister clashed during the exercise, leaving one member, identified as Muyideen Ajetunmobi, with head injuries.
However, heavily armed security operatives were forced to intervene as they rescued some members of the Appeal Committee from the building.
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E2%80%94-former-employees-lament Union Homes Owing Us Terminal Benefits After Seven Years — Former Employees Lament
Some former employees of the defunct Union Homes, Savings and Loans, a subsidiary of Union Bank Plc, have cried out over the refusal of the company to pay their terminal benefits for over seven years now.
One of the affected persons told SaharaReporters that as of 2012, 2013 and 2014, over 500 staff members of Union Homes were retrenched without being paid any terminal benefits.
He said there had been several consultations and meetings over the payment plan but none of that had yielded positive results.
According to him, no less than 37 affected persons have died due to the inability to raise funds for healthcare as he called on Union Bank to ensure a speedy look into the plights of affected persons.
He said, “From 2012 to 2014, the Union homes, savings and loans, a former subsidiary of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc retrenched a lot of staff members. Union Bank appointed management were sent to Union homes Plc to carry out massive retrenchment of staff, they retrenched 500 staff without paying us our terminal benefits.
”Union Bank stated it in the transaction implementation agreement, TIA, they prepared and endorsed that they will pay retrenched staff. Later, they sold Union homes PLC to Aso savings and loans PLC without us.
“We got the national leadership of the Trade Union Congress to intervene, they wrote letters to Union Bank to pay us or they will picket them, Union Bank PLC called for meetings which they agreed to pay us, they drafted a memorandum of agreement of the parties to sign, we all signed but Union homes Plc did not sign.
“The Union Homes claimed there were some people that are not supposed to be on the list, we reconciled the names; they removed 65 people out of 500. Some of them did not spend up to five years before they were laid off. We contested the issue of the five years also.”
Another former worker stated that they had written to the Central Bank of Nigeria’ Govenor, Godwin Emefiele, and also to President Muhammadu Buhari for their interventions.
“At first we contested the issue of five years but they brought up one policy guidelines that our directors wrote while we were at Union Homes without our notice. That anyone who is not up to five years is not entitled to entitlement payment.
”Later, Union Bank said whatever they are going to pay us will be additional liability on Union homes Plc. Union Bank claimed Union Homes is owing them N1.5 billion that they will use our entitlement to settle the debt.
”Union Bank said they got a court judgement asking them to use our terminal benefits to the settle the debt Union homes Plc is owing without trial. Union Bank did a memorandum of Understanding in April this year to that effect, we signed, TUC signed but Union Homes did not sign.
“Union Homes went to the court of Appeal that, no, you can’t use staff money to settle indebtedness.
“Union Homes said the letter written to them is that the debt will expire 2024 and that staff money cannot be used for it. There are interests. As we speak now, we have lost 37 of our former colleagues who died of sickness and were unable to get money for treatment. One of them died in July 25.
“We have written to the Central Bank Governor; we have written to the President to intervene,” he said.
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