Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Sunday 10th April 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 10/04/22
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I Have A Vision For Nigeria, Pastor Tunde Bakare Says, May Join 2023 Presidential Race
Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Citadel Global Community Church may soon declare his intention to run for the 2023 presidency.
Bakare said he had the vision for a new Nigeria and he was the best suitable candidate to address the problems confronting Nigeria.
The pastor and former vice presidential candidate disclosed this on Saturday at the virtual meeting unveiling Project 16 to Nigerians in Diaspora.
Bakare urged Nigerians to consider the capacity of candidates before electing a leader in 2023.
The cleric warned that ahead of the 2023 general elections, the South was being set against the North, while Christians were set against Muslims.
He, however, said he remains the rallying point to restore order in the country.
He said, “The PTB brand is a rallying point for all Nigerians. I have a vision of a new Nigeria and I will play a leading role as we approach the Nigeria of our dreams.”
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Russia Loses Ninth Senior Military Commander, Bespalov, In Ukraine Invasion
Top Russian military officer, Colonel Alexander Bespalov, a tank commander has been killed in Ukraine, the ninth senior officer to be lost in the battle.
He was given a funeral back in Russia but many soldiers corpses had been left to rot on the battlefield, to the despair of their mourning relatives.
Ukraine claimed 19,000 Russian invaders have died, but Russia only admitted “significant losses of troops”, without disclosing a tally.
Bespalov’s death comes after Ukraine announced it had “eliminated” Colonel Denis Kurilo, commander of the 200th motorised rifle brigade, in fierce fighting outside the country’s second city Kharkiv.
Bespalov was commander of the 59th Tank Guards Tank Regiment, Russia’s 74.RU news website reports.
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Anti-graft Agency, EFCC, Challenges Court Order Permitting Ex-governor Obiano To Travel Abroad
Governor Willie Obiano
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has kicked against an interim ex parte order by the Awka Division of the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa granting a former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, leave to travel to the United States of America.
The court had granted him the order to attend to his medical appointment, on the grounds of denial of fair hearing.
Governor Willie Obiano
Obiano is being investigated by the EFCC for alleged corruption and money laundering during his tenure as Anambra State governor from 2014 to 2022.
He was arrested on March 17, 2022, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos State as he attempted to leave the country, hours after handing over to his successor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.
He had earlier been watch-listed by the commission.
A statement on Saturday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, accused Obiano of attempting to arm-twist the anti-graft commission with the ex parte order.
It stated, “Available court documents indicate that Obiano had on March 11, 2022, ahead of his handover on March 17 filed a motion ex parte dated March 10, 2022, before Justice Nganjiwa praying among others, for an interim injunction stopping the EFCC from arresting or preventing him from travelling out of the country for his medical treatment.
‘’While the court in one breath ordered the applicant to put the commission on notice on why interim preservatory order should not be granted, it went ahead to make an order that the commission should not obstruct, impede or prevent the applicant from travelling abroad to keep his medical appointment and adjourned till March 23.
‘’On March 31, the commission was served an originating motion on notice for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental rights. Curiously, the motion was filed on March 11, 2022, the same date as the motion for ex parte order.
‘’This was followed by another motion on notice on April 4, putting the commission on notice to release Obiano’s passport to enable him to travel abroad for his medicals with hearing fixed for April 6, and instructions that proceedings shall be conducted virtually via Zoom.’’
Ahead of the hearing, the EFCC said it petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court asking Nganjiwa to recuse himself from the fundamental rights action on the grounds that he was a party in the commission’s appeal at the Supreme Court in the corruption case, H. A. Nganjiwa vs FRN.
‘’But when the case was called, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba held the brief of his brother judge, who is bereaved. The case was subsequently adjourned, with instruction that counsel will be notified of the adjourned date,’’ the commission explained.
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Terrorists Kill Two, Burn Several Houses, Church In Fresh Attacks On Kaduna
File photo used to illustrate story.
Bandits have attacked Adei Village of Kutura station in Tantatu Ward under Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing two indigenes of the community and burning down houses.
One of the male victims had his head and hands chopped off after he was killed by the bandits during the attack.
File photo used to illustrate story.
The attack is yet to be confirmed by the police or Kaduna State Government but a former chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area told Channels Television that the bandits first attacked some of the adjoining communities on Tuesday, burning down houses and shooting sporadically within the community.
He said that the bandits later returned in Adei community also under Kutura Station on Friday afternoon and carried similar attack, and in the process shot two persons to death.
According to Channels Television, over 30 houses and a church of the Evangelical Church Winning All were set ablaze during the attack, with residents fleeing the community.
Also, the whereabouts of Head of Kutura community, Joseph Ayuba, is yet unknown as residents feared that he might have been taking away by the bandits during the operation.
Kajuru Local Government Area located in the Central Senatorial Zone of Kaduna State has been facing security issues ranging from banditry to communal clashes between the Fulanis and Adara natives.
Hundreds of people have been killed and several others injured or kidnapped.
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2023: Pius Anyim, Peter Obi, Other South-East Presidential Aspirants Unite To Get PDP Ticket
Presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party from the South-East region of Nigeria have demanded that the party’s presidential ticket for 2023 should be zoned to their area.
They made the request after their meeting in Abuja on Saturday, PUNCH reports.
The aspirants, who attended the meeting include Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Mr Peter Obi, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa and Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze.
Anyim, who read the decisions of the four aspirants, said, “We have agreed to work together as a team and that we will work together to ensure that a South Easterner emerges as PDP flag bearer.”
Other decisions by the presidential aspirants, according to Senator Anyim, are, “We intend to consult with other zones on this issue and it is based on fairness and equity.
“In doing so, it is important to note that we have always supported other zones and we now expect them to reciprocate.
“It is to our knowledge that more aspirants may have obtained forms under PDP and we hope they will join us later.”
Responding to questions from reporters on whether they were working towards presenting a consensus candidate from among them, Anyim said, “When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We will work together in the interest of the Party, in the interest of the nation and in the interest of the South East.”
When asked if the South-East PDP governors were in support of the meeting, the former President of the Senate said the aspirants were not in the position to speak for the governors.
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Major Reorganisation Hits Nigerian Ports Authority, 20 Senior Officials Affected
No fewer than 20 senior officials were affected by a reorganisation at Nigerian Ports Authority.
The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, NPA, Mr Ibrahim Nasiru, made this known in a statement on Saturday.
Nasiru said the changes were in furtherance to NPA’s goal to reposition the country’s port system as the preferred cargo destination in Africa.
According to him, Mrs Madubuike Ugo, General Manager of Monitoring and Regulatory Services is now the General Manager, Public-Private Partnerships.
“Mrs Williams Idowu, General Manager, Public Private Partnerships, takes over as General Manager, Monitoring and Regulatory Services.
“Mr Ajibola Olagoke, General Manager, Administration, is now General Manager, Superannuation; Mrs Moltok Adar, General Manager, Servicom, moves to Administration, while Mr Musa Yaro, General Manager, Procurement, now heads the Servicom Unit.
“Mrs Anthonia Ohagwa, General Manager, ICT, moves to Tariff and Billing, while Mr Anthony Edosomwan now heads the ICT Department,” part of the statement read.
He said that Mr Mohammed Shehu, General Manager, Tariff and Billing, is now the General Manager, Procurement, while Khadijat Sheidu-Shabi had been re-designated General Manager, Managing Director’s Office/TA Administration.
Nasiru also said that Abubakar Umar, Assistant General Manager, Audit (Policy and Compliance), currently heads Finance and Investment Department.
He stated that Mr Felix Bassey, Assistant General Manager, HR Operations, would now be reporting to the General Manager, Administration, as Assistant General Manager, Administration.
“Mrs Dairo Olufunke, Assistant General Manager, Performance Management, is now Assistant General Manager, HR Operations.
“Mr Allen Bankole, Assistant General Manager, Electrical and Corrosion, is now to act as General Manager Engineering.
“Zhimwan Audu, Assistant General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications (C&SC), reports to General Manager, PPP, as Assistant General Manager, PPP (New Business).
“Alhassan Ismaila Abubakar, Assistant General Manager Operations – TA to MD (Admin), moves to the Abuja Liaison Office as Assistant General Manager.
“Mr Richard Terfa, Assistant General Manager PPP – TA to MD (Engineering), is now Assistant General Manager, Facility Management,” Nasiru stated.
He said that Pella Naphtali Nafarda, Assistant General Manager, Audit (Finance and Investments), was moved to Superannuation Department to head the investment portfolio.
He said that Mr Abdul Sani, Assistant General Manager, Engineering, is now Assistant General Manager, Electrical and Corrosion.
Nasiru said that Okeke Angela Uche, Assistant General Manager, Investment, would report to the General Manager, Audit, as Assistant General Manager, Audit (Policy and Compliance).
“Dantiye Zainab Magaji, Assistant General Manager, Administration, reports to the General Manager, HR, as Assistant General Manager, Performance Management.
“Faturoti Adebanjo, Principal Manager, Hydrography, reports to General Manager, Engineering, to understudy the Assistant General Manager, Hydrography,” he said.
He added that two Technical Assistants had also been appointed.
“They are Abubakar Daniya, Senior Manager Accounts, now Executive/Personal Assistant to the Managing Director, and Mr Sadiq Abubakar Lamuwa, Senior Manager, Civil Engineering, now Technical Assistant (Engineering), to the Managing Director,” he said.
Nasiru said that all appointments were with immediate effect.
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Ex-Nigerian Information Minister, Nweke, Joins Enugu Governorship Race
A former Minister of Information and Communication, Mr Frank Nweke Jnr., on Saturday declared his interest to contest the governorship seat of Enugu State on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in 2023.
In an official event to declare his interest to take over from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in 2023, Nweke said his interest in the governorship seat was for service.
Nweke in his declarative statement said if he became governor, his administration would transform Enugu State into a foreign industrial hub.
He said he was pained that Enugu State that was the capital of the former old Eastern Region had no viable company that could engage youths of the state in productive ventures when there were numerous moribund industries built by Michael Okpara across the state.
He said, “The purpose is to formally declare my intention and seek your support to run for the office of governor of Enugu State in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
“In the best of times, the position of governor of a state comes with enormous responsibility for the security, welfare and wellbeing of citizens.
“This burden of responsibility and service has been heightened by the current state of the polity characterized by severe threats – collapse of basic social services, especially in health and education, unprecedented levels of insecurity, youth restiveness, hunger, endemic poverty, high inflation, high unemployment, injustice, shrinking civic space, weakened institutions, and an overall pervasive sense of hopelessness across the entire country.
“Our dear Enugu State is unfortunately not spared or immune from these multi-dimensional crises. With its high youth population, Enugu is rather at risk of becoming an epicenter of the gathering storm. We see fast diminishing opportunities for good education in public schools – the quality of education we received from public schools, which made people of my generation what we are today.
“We face urban fragility in our towns and cities, as systems are overwhelmed by the demand for jobs, social goods and services as well as living fundamentals such as affordable housing, transportation, an intractable water crisis, poor electricity supply, and low Internet broadband access.
“An attendant surge in crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, rape and domestic violence, substance abuse, cults and gang-related violence are direct consequences of the high levels of unemployment, hopelessness and general break down of law and order.
“In its 2021 Fiscal Performance Ranking, BudgiTNG placed Enugu State at 14th among states that rank lower on Index B and have comparatively less revenue left to invest in capital infrastructure for citizens and thus face a greater risk of resorting to more borrowing or risk of under-investing in capital infrastructure for citizens.
“Our dear state is dependent on FAAC allocations to provide almost 70 per cent of its revenue and spends almost 60 per cent of its revenue on recurrent costs. In addition, it has the debt ceiling (caused by poor internal revenue generating capacity), which restricts further borrowing from the capital market with its total debt at more than 50 per cent of the previous year’s revenue.
“In 2020, approximately 52.91 per cent of our labour force could not contribute adequately to the state’s internal revenue pool through payment of income taxes as they were either unemployed or underemployed. This is no surprise since the National Bureau of Statistics data also shows a poverty rate of 58.13 per cent, meaning more than half of our people are living below the threshold of income of $1 (N480) a day.
“These statistics not only show that our dear state has not been able to attract growth and employment generating investments, it also means that our state in its present condition is not positioned to attract such investments.
“Regrettably, government has not been able to sustain the many industries – Ada Rice; Cashew Processing Industry, Oghe; Sunrise Flour Mills; Aluminium Industry, Ohebedim; Niger Steel, Emene; Vegetable Oil Processing Industry, Nachi; Presidential Hotel, Enugu; Piggery Farm, Okutu; all of which were established by successive administrations from the Michael Okpara era to date.
“As daunting as these challenges are, I believe that they are surmountable. I have the firm conviction that with a clear vision, disciplined and transparent leadership, a solid and competent team, in partnership with the hard-working citizens of Enugu, our dear Enugu State will be returned to the path of progress, and even surpass its previous achievements consistent with its pre-eminent position as the capital of the former eastern region of Nigeria, and home to all Ndigbo and Nigerians.
“I am determined to wean Enugu state of the current toga of being a lethargic civil service state, characterised by inertia in its administrative workings, low wages and lack of enabling environment for workers, students and entrepreneurs.”
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Nigerian Humanists Association Demands Freedom For President, Bala, Jailed 24 Years For Blasphemy
The Nigerian Humanists Association, Calabar, Cross River State, has rejected the judgment of the Kano State High Court on Mubarak Bala, its president, and demanded that the man be set free and reunited with his family.
SaharaReporters had on April 5 reported that the Kano State High Court sitting in Audu Bako sentenced Bala to 24 years imprisonment for blasphemy.
Bala had pleaded guilty to committing blasphemy against Allah (SWT) and Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
He had made the headlines in 2020 when he was arrested at his residence in Kaduna over blasphemy and incitement.
The convict, who had been in a correctional facility for almost two years, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday when he was brought before the court on 18 counts.
In a statement on Saturday by the Calabar Humanists Association, the group said the judgment must be immediately reversed.
It said, “We the members of Calabar Humanists Association unanimously reject the judgement of the Kano State High Court as it amounts to a miscarriage of justice. We demand that the President of Humanists Association of Nigeria be set free and reunited with his family.
“Mr Mubarak Bala has languished under illegal detention for two years despite court orders for his immediate release. During this period, the Islamic community, which apparently controls the government and social structures of the state have made significant threat and intimidation to compel him to admit guilt when it is apparent to all that he is innocent.
“Mr Bala is a chemical engineer, husband and father, and whose travails began in 2014 when he announced on his Facebook page that he is no longer a Muslim, but an atheist. He should not have done that? He should have respected the sensitive nature of his community? Apparently, this public declaration saved him from being tried in a Sharia court. It also saved him from living a life of pretence as every Muslim is expected to observe the compulsory daily rituals that define Islam.
“He was no longer obliged to pray five times daily and to fast during Ramadan. But the religious community wouldn’t have it. His immediate family were the first to strike. He was accused of being insane and forcefully admitted into a mental institution for 18 days. During this period he was given medications to ‘correct’ his alleged mental defects until the atheist community in Nigeria was able to secure his release. From then onwards, he became a marked man. He received death threats regularly from members of his former faith. Before his deconversion, he was a pious Muslim who attended the Saudi funded Islamic Foundation, Aliyu Bin Abi Talib primary school. He was trained in the Wahhabi Islamic thought, with a jihad ideology and later attended an all-Muslim private science secondary school, Hassan I. Gwarzo, in Kano State, where Islamic (Qur’anic) study is given a very high priority.
“Mr Bala was arrested again in April 2020 for making posts on Facebook against Islam. Despite court orders to release him on bail, the police authorities ensured that he was kept behind bars for two years in Kano. On April 5th 2022, against the advice of his lawyers, he pleaded guilty to the charges of making inciting statements on his Facebook page and the judge immediately passed a 24 years sentence. It is worthy to note that these posts were not taken down by Facebook for breach of community standards or hate speech, nor was the claim proven in court. Mr Bala pleaded guilty because he might have suffered a mental meltdown and wanted to end the charade by giving in to the pressure from the kangaroo court.
“As a community for atheists, it is sad to announce that a large number of atheists and humanists living in northern Nigeria (officially regarded as religious minorities) constantly face human rights violations. Despite their using anonymous identities online, we keep seeing fanatics making death threats.
“Mr Bala is a good man who tried to do something about the rise in fanatical adherents to the Islamic faith with literal and destructive interpretations of a 9th-century religious text. But it is apparent that he cannot fight alone. He needs everyone with empathy and conscience to join this fight for a better world. We can begin by being united in the demand for his freedom.”
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Windstorm Destroys 100 Houses, Injures Residents, Renders Others Homeless In Niger State
Many houses including a hospital and worship centre were destroyed by a windstorm and downpour in Kuta, headquarters of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was gathered that the windstorm that blew on Friday night brought down some buildings and injured at least five occupants.
A resident of Kuta, Ismail G. Mohammed Kuta, told Daily Trust that, “More than 100 households were destroyed by the windstorm, including a mosque, hospital. Five people were injured and are currently in a hospital receiving treatment.”
He said the situation in Kuta now following the destruction caused by the windstorm needs serious government intervention.
Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, Co-Convener of Concern Shiroro Youths, said “The level of damage is really devastating and beyond quantification. Many households have been rendered homeless.”
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No Past, Present Governor, Minister Deserves To Be Nigerian President Going By Their Failures –APC Aspirant
State governors, past and present as well as ministers eyeing to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 have been asked to shelve their ambitions having failed in their present responsibilities and disappointed Nigerians.
An All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, stated this, noting that all serving state governors and ministers aspiring for the presidency failed the electorates they were elected to serve.
Isah, who is an activist and entertainer, expressed that instead of aspiring for the presidency, “they should rather bury their heads in shame for their poor performance in positions they occupy or have occupied”.
According to him, it is disgusting that governors of states ravaged by insecurity were interested in the presidency while other governors who plundered their state resources, especially security votes, also declared presidential interests.
The former National Vice President of Actors Guild of Nigeria disclosed that in Europe and the United States of America as well as some parts of Asia, no leader who had performed lowly were encouraged to vie for offices or return to the ones they were currently holding whenever they performed woefully.
He bemoaned the situation whereby leaders who could not pass integrity test if conducted on them were either elected or reelected to office.
Isah said, “The situation we contend with is that none of the elected governors or appointees can scale through a properly conducted integrity test. The best we can have is a few of them scoring less than forty percent and in this case, forty out of a hundred percent is not a pass mark.”
The APC presidential aspirant also said it is equally shameful that some African nations seen as poor were actually doing better than Nigeria.
He said he was shocked and surprised when he visited some of these countries as far back as 10 years ago to behold the level of growth and stability they had attained.
He hinted that he discovered they were actually the giants since they were better and more developed with organised systems and institutions than the supposed giant, Nigeria.
Isah, who is popularly known as Hotman in the entertainment circle, explained that these nations are better organised and disappointingly even more civilised than our nation.
He listed some of these countries to include Angola, Namibia, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya among others.
He blamed the country’s past and present leaders for the setback for failing to engender growth by building institutions, regretting that “what occupies their minds and psyche is how to plunder our budgetary allocations.
“It is so bad such that budget delivery in Nigeria is like a ritual that must be observed or performed yearly, but which are never commensurate with actual growth. All we hear annually are high figures being pronounced which never translate to tangible development.
“What will be the difference between my leadership and that of these primitive leaders? First and foremost is to assemble a team of like minded, conscientious and committed professionals that knows how to manage men and resources, those that are passionate in harnessing our God’s given gifts for the greater good of all Nigerians.
“The issue here is moral justification, maturity, democratic rights and the fear of God. It is not about the constitution either. It’s like the educational system. If a child fails the primary school, you don’t upgrade such child to secondary level. If he or she fails the secondary, they will have to drop out and not be promoted to the university. This is how it is.
“These governors have siphoned the funds meant for security in their various states. So they can’t be allowed to contest the presidency. If they cannot stop insecurity in their states, how can they now be able to stop it at federal level. If they can’t grant basic education in their states, how can they do it at the federal level? This is the morals of this argument,” he argued.
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