Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Saturday 25th June 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 25/06/22
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2023: Lawan, Ex-Minister Akpabio, Governor Umahi Missing As Electoral Body, INEC Releases List Of Senatorial Candidates
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not recognise Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the former Niger Delta Minister, Godswill Akpabio, and the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.
This was disclosed via the comprehensive list released on Friday by the electoral body.
It was gathered that Lawan, Umahi and Akpabio were missing from the list.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission affirmed Bashir Sheriff Machina as the winner of the Yobe North senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
Machina polled 289 votes out of 300 delegates, a certified true copy of INEC’s report from May 28, 2022, election revealed, confirming the politician’s public.
The document was certified by the electoral office on June 23, 2022.
This comes amid threats by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, who warned of severe sanctions if Machina refused to relinquish his ticket to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
Adamu claimed that the party is supreme and that it reserves the right to decide who gets its ticket in any election.
He said, “There’s nothing in the law stopping the Senate President from contesting for another nomination just because he lost a presidential bid.”
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Terrorists Bomb Kogi State Police Station, Kill Senior Officer
File photo used to illustrate story.
Terrorists on Friday morning bombed a police station at Eika-Ohizenyi, in the Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
A police inspector identified as Jubril was killed during the attack, according to a report by People’s Gazette.
File photo used to illustrate story.
The terrorists reportedly stormed the police post at about 2:15am, shooting sporadically before detonating the bomb.
A resident in the area, Abubakar Momoh, said, “The gunmen spent more than two hours inside the station operating freely without any interference from the security agencies.”
He added that the bullets from the sporadic gunshots shattered the windows of a mosque and a Catholic Church near the police station, during the attack.
He hinted that the corpse of the slain policeman had been deposited at the morgue of Obangede General hospital, a town close to the area.
The Kogi State Police Spokesman, William Ovye-Aya, who confirmed the attack via a statement, stated that the police inspector killed in the attack exchanged fire with the assailants.
“And before the Area Commander and a detachment of military could reinforce to the scene of the incident, the attackers had already fled,” Ovye-Aya added.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Egbuka, has visited the scene for assessment and equally ordered an investigation into the attack.
“The CP also ordered the deployment of additional operational assets consisting of Operatives of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Quick Response Unit, State Intelligence Bureau in synergy with other security agencies to restore normalcy in the area,” he said.
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Nigerian Police Arrest Four Over Killing Of Retired Police Officer, Two Others In Delta
File Photo
At least four suspected internet fraudsters popularly known as Yahoo boys have been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force over the death of a retired Police Deputy Superintendent and three others in Sapele, Delta State.
Some gunmen had on Tuesday night at about 7:30pm allegedly shot three persons dead including a 64 years old retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, David Amenkhienan, along Ufuoma Atose street, off Shell road in Sapele, Delta State.
File Photo
The gunmen numbering about four were said to have shot dead two other people.
One of the deceased popularly referred to as “chairman” was said to be celebrating the acquisition of a new car with his friends along Shell Road when the gunmen suddenly emerged from the bush and started chasing them before finally shooting them dead in front of the retired police officer’s compound.
Edafe Bright, the Delta State Police Command’s spokesman, noted that the people connected to the incident had been arrested.
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E2%80%99s-statement-nnamdi-kanu-false-prejudicial-he-should-appear-court President Buhari’s Statement On Nnamdi Kanu False, Prejudicial, He Should Appear In Court For Contempt – IPOB Leader’s Lawyer, Ejiofor
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has condemned the statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that Kanu would not be granted a court bail, describing it as “false and prejudicial statement.”
SaharaReporters had reported that Buhari had while responding to a question on the continued detention of Kanu during a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in Kigali, Rwanda, said that Kanu jumped bail the last time he (Kanu) was admitted to bail in Nigeria, and asked whether anyone knew whether he (Kanu) would jump bail again.
But Ejiofor, in a statement titled, “Rejoinder on the extrajudicial comments by Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (GCFRN)”, said Buhari should be made to appear in court to answer for his contemptuous statement.
Ejiofor said, “Every reasonable and fair minded person who knows the event that transpired at Afarukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, between the 10th and 14th of September, 2017, must be alarmed that the President of Nigeria can afford to make this type of statement. With profound respect, the statement is careless, mischievous, utterly false in character and in content, pedestrian, and confirms once again, the entrenched hatred, odium, and contempt this infinitely divisive and partisan President has for people of the Igbo race.
“For the President to make this kind of false and prejudicial statement about a week to the delivery of a reserved Ruling on a critical application to set aside the Order revoking the bail of ONYENDU Mazi Nnamdi KANU, brought on his behalf and pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja, speaks volume.
“What really was the raison d’ etre for the statement? Is it a veiled warning to the court? Does it preempt an already settled position? Will the outcome of this crucial application be merely a fait accompli? Is the statement a prognosis of what would transpire in court on the 28th of June, 2022? Is there a nexus between this statement and the ultimate decision that would eventuate on the application?”
It added, “The Ruling of the 28th of June, 2022, will confirm whether or not these musings are justified. May I now take the liberty of putting events in their right perspective.
“On the 26th of April, 2017, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was admitted to bail by the Federal High Court and during the pendency of this charge, and while preparation was ongoing for Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appearance in Court on 17th October 2017, for the commencement of full trial in his case, the Nigerian Security Agents led by the Nigerian Military, brutally invaded Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s home between 10th to 14th September, 2017, in a desperate attempt to assasinate him, and in the process over 28 innocent and unarmed civilians were gruesomely murdered by the invading troops. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu narrowly escaped death during that period by mere act of providence.
“Thankfully, the judgement of the Umuahia High Court found the Federal Government of Nigeria guilty of grave violation of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s fundamental rights following the bloody invasion of his home at Afaraukwu, Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia state, as well as the genocidal massacre of innocent and unarmed civilians therein. The judgement still subsists till date and has never been set aside. Sadly, the Federal Government ably led by President Buhari is yet to comply with the Orders issued by the Learned Trial Court in the judgement under reference.
“The discerning minds closely monitoring the ongoing persecution of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in a Nigerian Court, may have on several occasions, listened to the President consistently maintaining a neutral stand, and that he would allow the judicial process and law run its course.
“The pronouncement of the President of the FRN, recorded in his various public outings, prominent among them was his recent statement during the Presidential state visit to Ebonyi state, where he reaffirmed his stand that the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) ably led by himself, will not interfere in the judicial proceedings in Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case.
“Ostensibly, the aforesaid declaration automatically put to a halt, the efforts of the Igbo Elders and Elites, who were hitherto, gunning for a political solution.”
The statement continued, “The world will recall that on the 18th December 2015, during President Buhari’s maiden media address, he boldly boasted to the world that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu being a British citizen, and consequently holding dual citizenship, should not be granted bail by the Nigeria Court.
“Unfortunately, this pronouncement negatively impacted the direction of the case then. However, His Lordship, Honourable Justice Binta Nyako, after careful review of the facts placed before the court, and consequently considering the Application presented for the bail of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on its merit, proceeded to grant him bail.
“While we are now preparing for another Court outing on the 28th day of June, 2022, where a crucial Ruling, which will hugely impact on the freedom of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be delivered, President Buhari has made another contemptuous statement, apparently usurping the judicial powers of the Federal High Court by making extra-judical pronouncement capable of preempting the Ruling of the Court, come 28th June, 2022, and consequently, prejudicing the entire proceedings.
“It is our apt observation that President Buhari, with greatest respect to his office, stands in grave contempt of the Court Proceedings by this singular declaration, and should be made to appear in Court to answer to this contemptuous statement.
“We wish to use this medium to urge the Foreign Governments and International Communities to pay more attention to the antics of the Buhari led FGN, who have sworn to violate the principles of separation of powers by intimidating the Judge seized of this case into doing their bidding.
“Nevertheless, we wish to urge His Lordship, Honourable Justice Nyako, to remain firm in the discharge of his judicial functions/oaths, and uphold justice in this case without bowing to pressure.
“We expect nothing less than justice, come 28th June, 2022.”
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Biafran Group, MASSOB Accuses Traditional Rulers Of Being Responsible For Killings In South-East
A pro-Biafran group known as the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has accused traditional rulers in the South-East region of Nigeria for the indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping and killings in the region.
The National Director of Information of the group, Sunday Okereafor, who made the accusation during an interview with The Punch on Friday alleged that the traditional rulers collected money from Fulani herdsmen and allowed them to operate in the region without restriction.
The MASSOB spokesperson said, “They (monarchs) brought Fulani herdsmen to our land. The Fulani herdsmen gave them money to come into our land and they are all over in our bushes.
“I schooled in the North. Before a Fulani man will come into your community, they must first see the monarch. After seeing the monarch, they will start operating in your bushes.
“Formerly, they paid the monarchs N100,000. Now it is N500,000. You can imagine yourself, how can a monarch leave his community, his town for the city? Tell me what he will do there. The monarchs left our community down to the city. Now the Fulani herdsmen are approaching, kidnapping our bishops and our pastors and taking people hostage.”
According to Okereafor, the killings in the region would no longer be tolerated as no one group has a monopoly on violence.
He therefore warned the perpetrators, especially the Fulani herdsmen to desist from such wicked acts forthwith or be ready to leave the Southeast completely.
He said that “It is becoming unbearable. We are now calling the Muslims in the South-East to stop kidnapping and stop killing our people.
“It is not only them who knows how to kidnap and kill in the church. If these killings and kidnappings continue, their mosques will be attacked. They should stop insulting our clerics.
“Can we insult the Imam in Owerri, in Port Harcourt, Aba or Umuahia? It is not possible. But they (herdsmen) are here insulting our clerics and pilgrims and taking them hostage.
“So, we are telling the youths in the South-East to rise up now and search all the bushes in the South-East and chase them out of our land. So, the monarchs should be held responsible because they know how the Fulani come into our land. Formally, the Fulani don’t stay in the bush. They patrol in the land and after that they return to where they come from. But this time around, they are living in our bushes.
“Every day by 2am you will see them patrolling our villages. They know all the corners and link roads of our villages. So any further attack or kidnap in our communities, our churches and clerics, we will know how to deal with them.
“They should not push us to the wall. We allowed them on our land because we are not violent. But they should not push us to the wall.”
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Pope Francis Condemns Social Media Attack On Enugu Bishop By Alleged Supporters Of Father Mbaka
The head of the Catholic Church worldwide, Pope Francis, has condemned the social media attack on the bishop of Enugu Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga by followers of controversial priest and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, (AMEN) Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka.
SaharaReporters had reported that following Mbaka’s vituperation against the person of presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, that he was “stingy man,” Bishop Onaga had imposed pastoral injunction on the ministry.
It had been reported that barely 24 hours after Mbaka’s followers thronged to the adoration ground and protested against the pastoral injunction, calling the bishop unpredictable names.
One of the protesters, who identified himself as Elijah in a viral video openly threatened to kill the bishop anywhere he found him (bishop).
But Pope Francis who spoke Thursday, through his representative in Nigeria, Papal Nuncio, Antonio Guido Filipazzi, during the installation of Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji as the new metropolitan Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province in Owerri, the Imo State capital, condemned the protest at the adoration ground.
He described the online video of the death threat on Bishop Onaga, as unacceptable, while condemning what he called growing divisive tendencies and other forms of trouble fomented by members of the church.
Filipazzi, who stated this in a homily at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, said, “I must warn the people of God against disobedience to the church’s constituted authorities. You must not take the laws into their hands as followers of Jesus Christ.
“This brings to mind the protest that took place at the Adoration Ministry Enugu. I was surprised to see an online video where a protester threatened to kill Bishop Callistus Onaga, Bishop of Enugu. This is unacceptable in the church of God.
“The people of God must be mindful of the abuse of the social media to cause the church scandals. You must bear in mind that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic and not a place where people take laws into their hands.”
He urged the Catholic faithful to be conscious of their relationship with their bishop and respect the laws of the church, and urged the Catholic clergy to always proclaim the undiluted gospel and stand by the doctrine of the church.
The Papal Nuncio, who decried the violence and killings in the land, used the occasion to pray for peace to return to Nigeria.
The new Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, called on those fueling insecurity in Imo State and other parts of the Southeast to cease fire.
Ugorji said that peace was the only way the region could develop.
He said, “Peace comes when people are free from oppression, unemployment, exploitation and injustice. The church will continue to partner with government in making the society better.
“Peace is the bedrock of development. There is no sustainable development without peace, peace takes roots when people are free from hunger poverty, unemployment, suppression and exploitation, we have to work together to save our people from the prevailing scourge of violence and insecurity that have brought unimaginable grief ,trauma and fear to our fellow citizen in the state.”
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E2%80%99s-victory-2023-elections Enugu Community Invokes Deities For Peter Obi’s Victory In 2023 Elections
Residents of Obeleagu Umana in the Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State have invoked their deities to rise up against any force or power that would hinder the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, from emerging as the winner of the 2023 general elections.
This is coming a few days after an Enugu Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Fr. Ejike Mbaka, came under fire for declaring that the former Governor of Anambra State could not be Nigerian president because he was “stingy man that cannot give people his money.”
Mbaka had also said that “If Igbos want a representative, it is not someone like Peter Obi,” because he is “cursed.”
But in a 5 minutes, 29 seconds video seen by SaharaReporters, the chief priest of Alusi Obeleagu Umana, Dr. Eze Fellow with four other elders of the community invoked the deities to go after anything that would stop Obi from winning the election.
Fellow who spoke mainly in Igbo language said he did not know Obi in person but what he was doing was a directive from the spirit of his gods, and therefore prayed to the deities to take over the federal government for the victory of Obi.
He said, “I, Dr. Eze Fellow 1 of Obeleagu and my cabinet members have gathered together today, the great Eke day to declare that it shall be well with all the Igbos.
“Our declaration today is for Peter Obi. We declare that Peter Obi will be our leader. He will be the president because Igbos do not love themselves.
“Our prayers today is that Igbos and the deities of Obeleagu should rise up, as we are in Ezeagu land today to declare that Peter Obi will embark on this journey and no power of man or woman will stop him. All the evil and wicked men will fail.
“I, Dr. Eze Fellow 1 of Obeleagu and the elders are in the land of Ezeagu today to declare that our prayers must work. We invite all the deities in our land to rise up in battle and bring back our rights.
“We do not know who Peter Obi is but what we are doing today is a spiritual thing. It is what my spirit told me to do that I am doing. The spirit of our deities, we call on you to rise up and go to the federal and get our rights. As we call on you physically is the way we call on you in the spirit.”
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E2%80%99t-jump-bail-buhari-cannot-speak-otherwise-%E2%80%93-ipob Court Already Ruled That Nnamdi Kanu Didn’t Jump Bail; Buhari Cannot Speak Otherwise – IPOB Leader’s Lawyer, Ejimakor
Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has described the statement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Biafran group is behind the vandalisation of oil pipelines in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as false.
Ejimakor also said the president’s accusation against Nnamdi Kanu of jumping bail was not true.
He made this known on Friday via his Twitter handle, adding that, contrary to Buhari’s call, the global community would never declare IPOB a terrorist group.
Ejimakor said, “RIGHT OF REPLY: In the past few days, the President has made IPOB & Nnamdi Kanu his main business, saying that: #IPOB blows up pipelines: Not true!
“#MNK jumped bail: Not true! Umuahia court settled it. The world should declare IPOB a terror group: It won’t happen! It’s not! British Prime Minister openly querying Buhari on #MNK is a milestone. It’s a plus!
“Buhari’s response to the PM on bail is ultra vires. Buhari doesn’t decide bail; the Court does. Independence of the judiciary has a date with 28th June. Otherwise, it will live in infamy.”RIGHT OF REPLY:In the past few days, the President has made IPOB & Nnamdi Kanu his main business, saying that:#IPOB blows up pipelines: Not true!#MNK jumped bail: Not true! Umuahia court settled it.The world should declare IPOB a terror group: It wonâ??t happen! Itâ??s not!— aloy ejimakor (@AloyEjimakor) June 24, 2022
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Buhari again called on western allies to designate IPOB as a terrorist organisation.
Buhari had disclosed this in his written responses to questions posed by Bloomberg News.
The President had also accused IPOB of pipeline and infrastructure vandalism.
“Criminality and terrorism in oil-producing regions hamper production, and it would help if our western allies designated IPOB as a terrorist group, given their complicity in damage to pipelines and infrastructure,” he had said.
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E2%80%99s-agitations-same-way-it-did-niger-delta-youths- Nigerian Government Must Attend To Herdsmen’s Agitations In Same Way It Did To Niger Delta Youths – Islamic Scholar, Gumi
Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has formed a herder rights organisation known as the Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) primarily for the protection and defence of the rights of herdsmen.
Gumi said on Friday that the Nigerian government ought to attend to the agitations of the herdsmen in same manner it handled the Niger Delta youths.
Explaining the objectives of the organisation in Kaduna State, Gumi claimed that there had been “unjust persecution and stereotyping of herdsmen in the country.”
Gumi who has been keeping contact with bandits, supporting herders, insisted that the nomadic Fulani had been victims of banditry.
Gumi has been defending Fulani herders activities across the country and has been communicating with bandits, putting pressure on the Nigerian government to pay bandits ransom for the release of kidnapped Nigerians.
He has also been trying to prevail on the government to create a ministry for Fulani herders and bandits.
He said, “Government should focus more attention on these people because they always say that they are aggrieved.
“What I expect from the government is nothing less than what it did when the Niger Delta youths were vandalising the economy.
“These people are also disturbing the Nigerian agriculture which is the backbone of the national economy. I think the government needs to be more proactive; they need attention.
“The least they need is the Ministry of Nomadic Affairs that will look into their affairs.”
He added, “The issue that stands out glaringly is that pastoralists are both victims and villains largely because their voices are muffled by an unimaginable level of illiteracy and lack of know-how.
“Often their rights are trampled upon or denied, leading to in many cases avoidable violence in the Nigerian society. Thus, the necessity to establish a nongovernmental and apolitical organisation dedicated to peace and harmonious coexistence between various groups and ethnicities, especially amongst headers and farmers.”
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How Governor Lalong Abandoned Plateau For Lagos, Desperately Lobbying, Squandering State Resources To Become Tinubu’s Running Mate – Sources
Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.
The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has relocated to Lagos and Abuja as he lobbies to be named the running mate of Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), SaharaReporters has gathered.
Following Tinubu’s victory in the APC presidential primary election, speculations have been rife about who will emerge as the vice-presidential candidate of the party.
Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.
The APC had beaten the Friday, June 17 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to political parties to submit the names of presidential candidates and their running mates.
Tinubu submitted Kabiru Masari, a former National Welfare Secretary of the APC, as the name of his running mate.
However, there are speculations that Masari’s name was merely submitted to INEC by the APC as a placeholder in order to meet up with the June 17 deadline.
Several APC governors are believed to be in contention for the position, but there has been no official decision yet.
There have been mixed reactions on social media regarding whether Tinubu will pick a northern Muslim as his running mate – since he is expected to pick a running mate from any of the three zones in the North.
Sources say Lalong is buoyed by Nigerians’ rejection of the APC presidential candidate running on a Muslim-Muslim ticket, which may make him select a running mate of Christian faith from the North.
“The governor has relocated to Lagos as we speak; the Plateau Government House has been moved there because all administrative works are being done from Lagos. He is pushing to become the running mate of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu,” an aide to the governor said.
“He has commandeered the state’s resources for his massive campaign to be installed as Tinubu’s running mate. Billions of naira have been expended so far, many months’ worth of financial allocation to Plateau State in pursuit of his selfish ambition.
“Do you know how much he spent when he (Lalong) went to Lagos to lobby Tinubu’s close associates to prevail on the APC presidential candidate to name him as his running mate, a permutation that will position him to become the next vice president of Nigeria if Tinubu wins next year’s presidential election?
“He has equally committed a significant amount of money to run propaganda in mainstream and social media to project himself as the inevitable choice as running mate to Tinubu. Recipients of the propaganda funds are already pushing news analyses and opinion articles that extol him as the perfect running mate for the APC candidate.
“One of my friends at the Accountant General’s Office told me how billions are being converted to foreign currency for ease of transportation for onward disbursement to Lalong’s perceived influencers in Lagos. What pained me most was that we, who are his aides, are being owed.
“You know, once they left Jos, it was no longer our concern and we do not know what later happened to the money. But people on his personal team have spoken about the safehouse where the funds were warehoused before he shared the money with the people he intended it for.”
The source further expressed concern over how Lalong was sharing huge amounts of money with non-Plateau people when the state’s citizens are now “within the band of the poorest in Nigeria.”
“Isn’t it funny that a governor who can’t pay his aides is plunging the state into misery by gifting out the funds that would have paid off substantial parts of the salaries and pensions being owed to workers and retirees?” the source added.
Another source privy to information in Tinubu’s political circle confirmed that Lalong has been speaking to people who are believed to have the candidate’s ears in the hope that they would help market him as a suitable running mate.
He however said he was not aware those contacted by the governor were paid but confirmed that those he spoke to have pitched his name to the APC presidential candidate as a potential running mate.
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