Fulani herdsmen : ‘22 killed’ in fresh Benue attack

At least 22 persons have reportedly been killed by suspected herdsmen in Benue.

The attackers were said to have struck a community in Guma around 6am on Wednesday.

Dickson Taki, a member of the house of representatives from Benue state, disclosed this while speaking on the floor of the house.

He said many were injured in the attack which happened barely 24 hours after 19 persons were killed in the state.

Moses Yamu, spokesman of the state police command, was out of reach when this report was filed. He neither responded to calls nor replied the text message sent. - Cable Nigeria

#LazyNigerianYouths gets Wikipedia page

Exactly one week ago when President Muhammadu Buhari spoke at a forum during the Commonwealth summit, he obviously did not anticipate the backlash.

Buhari had said many youth in Nigeria sit down and do nothing, yet expect to get everything free because their country is an oil producing nation.

He had been asked why he did not sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in Rwanda last month but his response was not only off-target, it hit the “uneducated” Nigerian youth below the belt.

TheCable had reported the story and within the twinkle of an eye, there was a massive backlash on social media — and the hashtag #LazyNigerianYouth started trending.

The hashtag has recorded hundreds of thousands of tweets and millions of expressions in less than a week.

The youth seized the opportunity to showcase to the world the ingenuity of their trade and expertise as Nigerians.

Comedians, musicians, and artists were not left behind. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the musical prophet, was brought back to life to join on this trend.

The Page

The latest is the creation of a Wikipedia page tagged: “Lazy Nigerian Youths”.  Wikipedia described it as a social media outrage by Nigerian youth.

“The Lazy Nigerian Youths (Also known as “#LazyNigerianYouth” or simply “#LazyYouth”) is a social media revolt by Nigerian youths against their President, Muhammadu Buhari,” read the information on the page.

“While speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster in April Buhari said a lot of Nigerian youths have not been to school and they want everything free because the country is an oil-producing state. [1] But the Nigerian youths will not have any of it as they soon took to social media to protest against the comment of the number one citizen of the country.

“After a report of the event by TheCable Staff Writer, Mayowa Tijani[3], who happened to be the only Nigerian journalist allowed to attend the business forum, the Nigerian social media space went angry at the comment with millions of Nigerian youths tweeting about their ventures and how they work hard to make a living in a country that has done little to help her citizens survive.”

Wikipedia said the controversy had been recieved in different ways, with some using it as a business opportunity.

It also referenced a story TheCable did on Mayow Tijani, the reporter, who filed the report. - Cable Nigeria

Windrush scandal : Boris Johnson challenges Theresa May to introduce migrant amnesty

Boris Johnson has challenged Theresa May in Cabinet to introduce an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the wake of the Windrush scandal.

The Foreign Secretary told Cabinet that there needs to be a "broader" amnesty for those from Commonwealth nations and elsewhere, provided they are "squeaky clean" and do not have criminal records.

It comes amid a growing debate in Government over the treatment of migrants in the wake of the Windrush immigration scandal, with Mr Johnson among several Cabinet ministers urging a more liberal approach.

Earlier this week the Government announced an effective amnesty for Windrush migrants who arrived in Britain 1971 after it emerged that they were being threatened with deportation.

Mr Johnson argued that this now needs to be extended to all illegal immigrants who have lived in the UK for more than a decade and not committed crimes, including those from Commonwealth nations such as India, Pakistan, Kenya and Ghana.

It is understood the approach could lead to between 500,000 and 700,000 migrants being given the right to stay permanently in the UK.

A Cabinet source said that Theresa May responded by highlighting previous calls by Mr Johnson for amnesties of illegal immigrants during the EU referendum campaign and when he was Mayor of London.  Mr Johnson and Mrs May have repeatedly clashed over the issue in the past. 

As Mayor of London, Mr Johnson argued that an amnesty was the "humane" thing to do and would increase the amount of tax that the Government collects because people would move away from the black economy.

Mrs May, however, said as Home Secretary that the approach would send the "wrong message", adding that people feel illegal immigration is "very clearly wrong".

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, will today face questions over the status of other Commonwealth migrants when she appears before the Home Affairs select committee.

She is expected to reiterate her desire to put things right and apologise again for the mistakes which led some Windrush migrants to receive deportation letters. 

The Home Office is working to find out if anyone has been forcibly removed from the UK over the scandal by going back through its records which span decades.

It comes amid mounting Cabinet tensions over the Prime Minister's plans for a customs partnership with the EU.  Mrs May was yesterday accused of "burying her head in the sand" after it emerged that the Brexit ‘war cabinet’ will not discuss the customs deal when it meets today.

The issue is instead expected to be debated next week.  Senior Eurosceptics including Mr Johnson, David Davis, Liam Fox and Michael Gove have raised concerns that a customs partnership is "unworkable" and will ultimately lead to a climbdown on Brexit. 

Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of a group of around 60 Eurosceptic Tory MPs, yesterday said that the plans are "cretinous" and represent a "betrayal" of good sense as he suggested the Prime Minister lacks "enthusiasm" for Brexit. The Prime Minister has suggested two options for a future trading relationship with the EU.

The first, a “customs partnership”, would see Britain collect duties for Brussels for goods arriving in the UK but intended for EU markets.

Eurosceptic MPs favour a second “highly streamlined” arrangement, which would use technology to minimise but not eliminate checks on imports.

Asked by The  Telegraph at a House of Commons event if the partnership were acceptable, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “No, no - it is completely cretinous. It is a silly idea. It wouldn’t work, it is impractical, it is bureaucratic, it would mean we are effectively in the single market. It is a betrayal of good sense.

“I can’t understand why the government is faffing around with a system that nobody has looked at to see if it actually work.”

Mr Rees-Mogg also questioned Mrs May’s commitment to Brexit, saying: “The Prime Minister is a very enigmatic figure – she is carrying out the will of the British people but it is hard to read what level of enthusiasm she has for it.”

There were suggestions yesterday that even Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary and head of civil service, thinks a customs partnership is "unworkable".

Mr Rees-Mogg also condemned that peers for amending legislation to take Britain out of the EU, saying “their lordships are playing with fire and it would be a shame to burn down the historic house”. More defeats are expected in the House of Lords today [weds] which to rein in the Government‘s law-making powers and how it creates criminal powers. - The Telegraph

UK winner stakes claim for £121m EuroMillions jackpot

A claim has been staked for the £121.3 million EuroMillions jackpot won by a UK ticket-holder in Tuesday’s draw, Camelot has said.

The National Lottery operator said there will be no information on whether it is an individual or syndicate winner, or where the ticket was purchased, unless the ticket-holder decides to go public.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at The National Lottery, said: “What a win. This ticket-holder has flown into third place on the National Lottery Rich List and can now afford to fly away anywhere they like.

“We will now look to support the winner as they take the first steps to enjoy this incredible win.”

The winning main numbers were 20, 23, 28, 30 and 44, and the lucky stars were 03 and 07.

In July 2011, Colin and Chris Weir became Europe’s biggest lottery winners when they scooped more than £161 million. They made a £1 million donation to the SNP shortly after winning.

Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Suffolk, took home more than £148 million in August 2012. - PA 

Man sentenced to death for armed robbery

An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a man, Kingsley Okorowande, to death by hanging after being found guilty of armed robbery.

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye in a judgment on Wednesday held that the prosecution has proved the case against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge held that the offence committed by the convict was contrary to Section 1(2)(a) of Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014.

According to the charge sheet, the incident occurred on or about the 6th day of November, 2013 at Ori Apata Natha area of Basiri, Ado-Ekiti.

Okorowande robbed one Mrs. Medinat Babatunde of her laptops, handsets, jewelry, wristwatches and the sum of N210,000.00 while armed with
offensive weapons such as guns and cutlasses.

The convict was first arraigned on 21st February, 2017, when the charge was read to him, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Six suspects were initially arraigned for the offence but four of them, Eze Stephen, Toyin Faturoti, Ojo Gboyega and Alomaja Sunkanmi
escaped during the Ado-Ekiti prison jailbreak.

The fifth accused person, Sulaimon Sunday, who was on bail, jumped bail. The charges were later split to give room for the speedy trial of the convict.

Prosecution counsel, Mr. Ayodeji Jayeoba, called four witnesses including two police officers and the complainant.

Defence counsel, Mr. Lekan Olatawura, did not call any witness in defence of the convict.

Exhibits tendered include statement of the accused, a hammer, a saw blade, a live cartridge, cut-to-size pistol, among others.

Justice Ogunmoye ruled: “From the evidence before me, the prosecutor definitely had an upper hand in proclamation of his gospel before me that he had succeeded in convincing me.

“The prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant, In all, the sole issue for determination is resolved in
favour of the prosecution. The defendant is guilty as charged for armed robbery.

“The mandatory sentence in a case of the defendant convicted for armed robbery is death penalty.”

“The defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your soul.” - Daily Post

Abattoir republic !!! 11 killed as Hausa, Benue residents clash in Makurdi

The Benue State government has confirmed eleven people killed in a fresh crisis that rocked the state capital, Makurdi.

Rilwanu Adamu, the adviser to the Benue governor Samuel Ortom on Islamic affairs, said the attack happened in the state capital, Makurdi, and that it was targeted at ethnic Hausa traders.

“We lost 11 of our people…. We have five people also hospitalised in Makurdi,” he said, warning that the death toll could yet rise.

Two mosques were razed to the ground and traders’ goods ransacked, said Adamu.

The latest deaths came in the wake of an attack on a church in the Mbalom community south of Makurdi on Tuesday, which left 16 worshippers and two Roman Catholic priests dead.

Riots broke out in Makurdi on Wednesday following the deaths, forcing police to fire teargas to disperse the crowd.

Adamu said in addition to Makurdi, a number of other people lost their lives elsewhere in the state. - Daily Post

Terrorism : Fulani herdsmen kill seven in fresh Nasarawa attack

Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday killed seven people at Ihuman village in Awe local government area of Nasarawa State.

The gunmen attacked the community at about 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday and shot sporadically at the helpless villagers who had sneaked to the village to pick some food stuff following recent attack on same place by herdsmen.

The victims, who had been taking refuge at Kange, Awe local government area, had gone to carry some food items in their homes when the attackers emerged from a nearby bush and opened fire on them.

A resident of the area, Mr. Philip Dodo, who narrowly escaped from the attack, told journalists that three of his relatives were still missing since the incident.

The President of Tiv Youth Organization in Nasarawa State, Peter Ahemba, confirmed the incident.

He said it was unfortunate that a particular ethnic nationality could be targeted for extermination, adding the matter had been reported to appropriate authorities for necessary action. - The Nation

Jungle republic !!! Lawmakers want Buhari impeached for spending $496m on jets without approval

Some members of the house of representatives have called for President Muhammadu Buhari’s impeachment for approving the withdrawal of sum of $496 million without their nod.

This follows a letter which Buhari wrote to the house on Tuesday, defending his approval of the money used for the procurement of 12 Super Tucano aircraft from the US.

The money was said to have been withdrawn from the excess crude account (ECA).

In a letter written to the national assembly, Buhari said he had anticipated the lawmakers would approve the withdrawal.

Reading the contents of the letter during plenary on Monday, Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house, quoted Buhari as saying: “In the expectation that the national assembly would have no objection to the purchase of this highly specialized aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of US$496,374,470.00.”

He said the letter was sent to the leadership of the national assembly on April 13 and was received by his (speaker’s) office on April 17.

The development angered the lawmakers who accused the president of “overriding” their powers.

Their deliberation on the matter followed a constitutional point of order raised by Kingsley Chinda, from Rivers state.

Citing sections 80 and 81 of 1999 constitution, Chinda said the Nigerian law does not recognise anticipatory approval.

He condemned the approval, wondering what would happen if the lawmakers failed to give the nod.

“There is nowhere in our law that talked about anticipatory approval. We cannot sit down and allow this to take place. It is an impeachable offence. There is no infraction that is worse than this. Let us not continue to sleep. I propose that we commence the impeachment of Mr President,” he said.

Some other lawmakers who also contributed to the motion supported the impeachment move, accusing the president of seeking their approval through the backdoor.

Sunday Karimi from Kogi said the lawmakers should write the president and inform him he has breached the constitution and “he should be prepared to face the consequences”.

“This is the time to tell the president that we were elected to serve the people,” he added.

However, Emmanuel Orker-Jev, chairman of the house committee on rules and businesses, said going by the house rules, Buhari’s letter ought to be slated for second reading before the house could debate it.

Thereafter, Dogara said the matter would be slated for second reading on a date during which “we can decide on what to do”. - Cable Nigeria

Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill two priests, 14 worshippers at mass

it was another bloody day in Benue State yesterday.

Gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, killed two Catholic priests and 14 others in two attacks.

In the first attack, they invaded St Ignatius Quasi Parish, Ukpor Mbalon, Gwer Local Government Area, at dawn during a mass, shooting dead the priests and 11 parishioners.

They killed three other people later.

Police Commisioner Fatai Owoseni said the gunmen “attacked worshippers around 5 a.m. during morning Mass”. “Other victims were killed during a burial ceremony later in the day.”

He described the attacks as “unfortunate” and vowed to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Owoseni said that preliminary investigation revealed that the herdsmen had stayed around the area for sometime before carrying out the attacks. The commissioner said more policemen had been deployed in the area to forestall further attacks.

The attackers sacked the village, setting ablaze 35 houses.

The Catholic Diocese of Makurdi gave the names of its slain priests as Rev. Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha of St Ignatius Quasi Parish, Ukpor.

A statement by its Director of Communications, Rev. Fr. Moses Iorapuu, said that the attacks were perpetrated by herdsmen who stormed Mbalom and killed the two priests during the morning mass.

The diocese expressed regrets at what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the security agencies in containing the killings.

It said the herdsmen burnt down houses, destroyed crops and killed people.

The church urged the authorities to stop the killings in the Benue valley.

Iorapuu said the Diocese had been providing food and relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) since the beginning of the violence in the state and wondered why it could be a target of attacks.

“The attacks on the priests are attacks on everything that we ever stood for and believed in,” he added.

Rev. Fr. Mbachie and Igyor who were at the Benue State Police Command headquarters after conveying the priests’ bodies to the mortuary, said the attackers escaped unchallenged and there was no security man to confront them. Worshippers fled the scene for their dear lives.

It was learnt that when youthsin Makurdi, the state capital, saw the body of one of the slain priests being brought to St Theresa’s Hospital Mortuary without its head, they got angry and took to the streets in protest.

The protest forced traders to shut down the popular Wurukum market. Banks and other business premises were hurriedly shut. Parents withdrew their children from schools.

The popular Katsina Ala Street, Igyor Chia Ayu Road and Makurdi – Gboko was deserted as residents trekked many kilometres to their destinations.

Fr. Iyorapuu wondered why despite the heavy presence of the Police ,the Navy, Army and Air Force in Makurdi and Benue State, the killings had continued unabated  sine the beginning of the year.

Governor Samuel Ortom has cut short his vacation in China. He is on his way back home.

There were killings also last week in Logo, Guma, Makurdi and Naka by suspected Fulani militia.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Terver Akase said the governor would return to Makurdi “any moment from now because of the security challenge.

Former Governor George Akume condemned the killings. In a statement, the senator said:  ”Today, April 24, 2018, I received the tragic news of the brutal killing of two Reverend Fathers, Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, VC, Mr. John Ibor – Catechist and over 17 lay faithful of St. Ignatius Quasi Parish, Ukpo, Mbalom in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State. The victims were in the Church for the morning mass when they were attacked and killed by rampaging herdsmen.

“This treacherous and inhuman action is unprecedented, unprovoked and highly condemnable in any civilised society. However, we seek solace in the fact that they died in the Lord and shall live with the Lord. May their blood usher in a new era of peace, love, tranquillity and progress in Benue State.

“On behalf of my family and the good people of the Benue North-West Senatorial District, I wish to express my sincere condolences to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi and families of the victims of the latest acts of banditry and brazen criminality in our society. I also sympathize with those who have suffered varying degrees of injury as a result of the mayhem and pray for their quick recovery.

“I also use this opportunity to call on Federal Government to urgently help bring a decisive end to the cycle of violence, destruction and killings in Benue State by ensuring that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.

“Let me urge our people to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to constituted authorities, be law abiding and avoid taking the law into their hands. Security is our collective responsibility and the people are hereby called upon to support the government and work hand in hand with the security agencies to make it an attainable reality.

“May the souls of the faithful departed through the Mercy God rest in peace.” - The Nation

It’s April 24 — but n’assembly hasn’t passed 2018 budget as promised

Lawmakers in both chambers of the national assembly failed to pass the 2018 appropriation bill on Tuesday as promised.

In March, the leadership of the national assembly said the appropriation bill would be passed on April 24.

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, had announced the decision during plenary on that day.

He had said both the senate and house had agreed that the budget would be presented on April 19 and passed on April 24.

However, no issue regarding the budget was brought up in both the senate and the house of representatives on Tuesday.

Prior to the announcement, President Muhammadu Buhari had given ministries, department and agencies a deadline to submit details of their budget estimate to the national assembly.

There had been complaints from the lawmakers that the MDAs were frustrating their efforts to pass the pass the budget in time.

The budget is estimated at N8.6 trillion. - Cable Nigeria

SERAP to court: order Saraki, other senators to refund N13.5m monthly allowance

A RIGHTS group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to order Senate President Bukola Saraki and other senators to refund the N13.5 million monthly allowance being received by them with interest.

The organisation prayed the court to stop the lawmakers from receiving such allowance henceforth.

It made the request in a suit filed on Monday before the court by a legal counsel Ms Bamisope Adeyanju.

The defendants in the suit are the Senate President and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN).

SERAP urged the court to declare “that the N13.5 million allotted to each senator per month as running cost aside their salaries and allowances is in breach of the provisions of section 70 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders Act”.

The group urged the court to declare the money as “illegal, unconstitutional and unjustified having regards to section 70 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders Act 2008 and the Appropriations Act”.

SERAP is also seeking an order of the court “directing the defendants to stop allotting N13.5 million to each senator per month as running cost, the said sum being illegal and unconstitutional”.

The group is also seeking:

“An order compelling the second defendant to call for immediate investigation by the appropriate federal agency on the use to which the said sum was put to by the first defendant and his colleagues; and

“An order directing the defendants to make public the findings of the investigation by publishing same in at least two national dailies and other orders as the may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this suit.”

SERAP claimed to have learnt of this illegal act through Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central, who revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly aside their salaries and allowances.

“The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the constitutional body responsible for fixing public officials’ salaries and allowances, has declared the said sum of N13.5 million running cost of the Senate President and other senators as illegal.” - The Nation

Shocking !!! I had sex with 18 men in one month because my husband does not last in bed - 42-year-old housewife

A 42-year-old housewife, Mrs Ifeyinwa Lofe had in the early hours of Monday burst into confession at Umuagu Asaba shrine, saying she had sexual intercourse with 18 men under one month, and in her matrimonial home.

Her sudden outburst which attracted crowd of persons to the scene left the elders of the Asaba community in shock, especially as the housewife was well known within the area to be hardworking and unsuspecting petty trader.

It was gathered that the housewife, a native of Ashama community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State had been married to her kinsman in the past six years with two children. But this was not to be following her detectable beauty which often attracts men to her shop where she sells biscuit and others.

Sources said the woman’s husband had severally warned her against unsuspecting men intruders who hide under the guise of patronize her, including threatening to expose any illicit affairs with her via fetish charms.

Investigation revealed that rather than heeding to the threats handed down to her by her husband, the housewife calls it a bluff with haughty manners and allegedly invited her sexual patrons to her matrimonial bed whenever her husband resumes duty as security officer at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba during night fall.

Those in the know said that one of her patrons Francis Chukwuemeka before his sudden death, was one of the children of a prominent newspapers distribution, and a retired banker who also is a well know elder of Umuagu community.

While the struggle for the housewife lasts, the young man who was buried at the weekend in the early hours, was said to have allegedly hoodwinked the housewife with huge sums of money.

At the shrine, the housewife in an open confession said: I have had sex with 18 men in Asaba, and they gave me N1.5 million all together. I got so much in love with them because they hit me very hard sexually, please forgive me, my husband does not last in bed, and I needed it most for my upkeep hence I agreed for the men”.

Meanwhile, the husband Fredrick Lofe in a swift reaction told Daily POST, “I promised to kill all the 18 men because I warned my wife to stay away from the act when I got wind of it. I consulted a charm specialist who will kill all of them if they refused to own up”, three of the men sleeping with my wife have died and many will die unless they confess to their sins.”

An elder in the area, Ogbueshi Anthony Molokwu said, “the three persons died of swollen penis because they refused to confess their sins,” adding that anyone who commits a taboo will pay dearly for it.

As at the time of this report, elders of the community have banished the 15 other men until they confess to their sin while palpable fear of the unknown has taken over the community. - Daily Post