FUTURE LEADERS !! ‘Yahoo boys’ arrested with charms in Ilorin

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, arraigned two suspected Internet fraudsters, otherwise known as Yahoo at a Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

They were caught with charms during the arrest.

The suspects, Johnson Okuselu and Akande Saheed, were arraigned on two separate charges before Justice Sikiru Oyinloye.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Johnson Opeyemi Okuselu (a.k.a Blessed Saviour) sometime in April 2019, or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attempted to commit an offence by pretending to be one Blessed Saviour, representing yourself to be a white woman who is capable of providing job in the United States of America to one Omni Guzman as contained in your email conversation done through your Gmail account, contrary to Section 95 and 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 322 of the same law.”

They both pleaded “guilty” to the charges.

Counsel for the EFCC, A.A. Adebayo, told the Court that the defendants had entered into a plea bargain agreement with the commission.

He, thus, asked the court to give a date for the prosecution to call its star witness in order to review the facts of the case.

Justice Oyinloye, thereafter, adjourned the case to June 8, 2019 for reviewing of facts, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.

- DAILY POST

YAHOO KINGDOM !! Zamfara SSG’s brother arrested with ‘N60m cash’ in car boot

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested one Murtala Muhammad said to be the younger brother of Abdullahi Shinkafi, secretary to the Zamfara state government, with N60 million in the boot of his car.

In a statement, the commission said its Sokoto zonal command arrested Muhammad following intelligence report.

The anti-graft agency disclosed that he was nabbed at 45 Igala housing estate, off byepass road, Gusau, Zamfara state by operatives of the commission.

“Items recovered from him at the point of arrest include one Black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep with registration number DKA 67 PX Kaduna loaded with 4 bags of ‘Ghana Must Go’ containing one thousand Naira notes of fifteen million naira each, totaling to sixty million naira,” the statement read.

“One single barrel gun, one locally made revolver pistol, 25 rounds of cartridges and 12 rounds of 12.9mm live ammunition.

‘He will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.”

Below are some of the pictures released by the agency:

- THECABLE

BOURDILLON TRAINEE !! FIRS budgets N160m for uniforms of 850 drivers

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has budgeted N160 million for sewing of uniforms for its drivers.

The service also budgeted N825 million for refreshment and N250 million for security vote.

While defending the budget before a joint committee of the national assembly on Monday, Babatunde Fowler, chairman of the agency,  said the N160 million was earmarked to sew the uniforms of the 850 drivers in the service.

It means the FIRS will be spending about N188,000 to sew each driver’s uniform.

Fowler said this is part of the efforts to make them fit properly into the structure.

The committee had said the cost was outrageous but the FIRS chairman justified it, saying security vote, for instance, was meant to attend to some “security issues.”

“The achievement of 2019 budget will be driven by increase oil and non-oil revenue tax collection,” he said.

“The service in realisation of this responsibility and challenges of doing manual collection will continue to implement automated tax collection for the critical sectors of the economy notably telecommunications, airlines and financial institutions.

“The deployment of these platforms is at no cost to the service and the consultants will only be rewarded on increased revenue generation.

“There will be increased enforcement activities nationwide to bring more tax payers into the tax net and increase compliance level.”

- THE CABLE

Messi stops Barcelona board from sacking Valverde

Ernesto Valverde is set to stay on as Barcelona manager, after Lionel Messi intervened, Marca reports.

Valverde was on the verge of getting sacked, following Barca’s Copa del Rey final defeat to Valencia.

The Catalans lifted the LaLiga trophy, but the board are believed to have their doubts over the former Athletic Bilbao coach, especially after the Champions League capitulation against Liverpool.

But it is understood that after days of deliberation, the Barcelona board have decided to keep faith with Valverde for the start of next season.

It is reported several key figures in the Barca dressing room expressed their wish for Valverde to stay on, led by skipper Messi.

The Argentine has remained supportive of his manager, despite his public dismay at the Champions League semi-final exit.

Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba and Ivan Rakitic were all believed to have backed the decision for Valverde to keep his job.

- DAILY POST

Nigerians divided now – US

The U. S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, has called on Nigerians to live in peace and unity irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation.

He said unlike before, there is religious tolerance in the country.

The Ambassador stated this on Tuesday evening in Abuja at the breaking of fast (Iftar) and feeding of indigent Muslims by Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, NAN reports.

“We need to underscore the importance of the need for unity and good relationship between people of different faith in Nigeria, because it’s actually a strength.

“In the past in Nigeria we had people of about 500 languages, different faiths living together in peace. This is far from the senseless violence, blasphemy and deaths now.

“There is need to go back to those days when you celebrate both Sallah and Christmas, Easter and Ramadan together and above all share the language of God that says love and care,” Symington said.

The envoy also urged Nigerians and religious leaders not to shield those who hide under religion to perpetuate violence and kill innocent people.

- DAILY POST

2023 Igbo Presidency: ‘Shut up, I’m more relevant in national politics than you’ – Amaechi fires back at Peter Obi

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has again lashed out at the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi, for saying that he (Amaechi) is not politically relevant to discuss whether Igbos should have the Presidency in 2023 or not. 

Amaechi, who spoke on the sidelines, at an Interactive forum of Maritime Stakeholders in Lagos, said the former Anambra State Governor does not have the credibility to speak on the matter because he could not win the presidential election.

Amaechi also said right from when he became Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly till date his name has been in the front burner of national politics far more than Peter Obi.

Amaechi said that for the Igbos to get the Presidency in 2023, they must be part of “National Politics”.

According to Amaechi, “Peter Obi said I’m not an Igbo man and that I don’t have the locus to discuss whether Igbo Presidency will be or not in 2023. That comment is a very sad and cheap one from him.

“But the truth is that Peter Obi too does not have the locus to speak about Igbo Presidency because he and his party couldn’t win the presidential election.

“Aside from that, it’s most unfortunate that Peter Obi, a man I defeated to become the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF), when we were both governors, can wake up today to say I am not relevant in the polity to talk about national issues when journalists ask me questions about it.

“I think what is important, which I have said to the Igbos severally is that they need to be part of national politics. If they are not part of National Politics they cannot be President.

“National Politics means that an Ikwerre man must have his interest covered by the Igbos If they want to be President. The Yoruba man must have the Igbos cover their interests, the Hausa, Fulani people must also be confident that their interests are covered by the Igbos.

“I support Igbo Presidency. I believe that it’s the Igbo turn to produce the next President of Nigeria because they have not been there before. The country will be unfair to the Igbos if they say it’s not their turn. But it can’t be your turn and you don’t want to fight for it. You want us to wake you up from sleep and say come and take, it is your turn? It doesn’t work like that and it will not work that way. So, Peter Obi should close his mouth. He lost an election which I won and that’s why President Buhari, not Atiku will be sworn-in tomorrow as President,” he explained.

- DAILY POST

CSOs task incoming administrations on security

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Enugu State has urged incoming administrations in the country to make security of life and property their priority as they take over in May 29.

The CSOs made the call in Enugu on Tuesday during a peaceful procession to mark the National Day of Mourning and Remembrance set aside to honour victims of violent killings across the country.

The coalition comprising South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), Carmelite Prisoners Interest Organisation (CAPIO) and Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiative (DEDASRI) carried out the procession in the state.

The team called on the three tiers of government to put an end to the various killings across the country as they commence a new dispensation.

Speaking at the end of the procession, the Executive Director, SSDO, Mrs. Nkechi Igwe said that the nation was in mourning as a result of the killings in the country.

Igwe called on the incoming government to make the country a safe place for all by making security as their first point agenda.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of the CAPIO, Rev Fr. Ambrose Ekeroku, also decried the spate of incessant killings in the nation and called for immediate action of the government to forestall it.

Ekeroku explained that the National Day of Mourning was a citizens-led initiative to express solidarity and demand accountability for the security and welfare of all Nigerians.

The resolve for the day of mourning was reached at a meeting of more than a hundred civil society actors a year ago in Abuja, to undertake a National Day of Mourning as a symbolic action to register citizens’ dissatisfaction with the state of security. 

The march kicked off at the Enugu Mall through the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Enugu and terminated at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS).

- PM NEWS

Barcelona legend Hernández now manager of Qatar club side Al Sadd

Barcelona legend, Xavier Hernández has been appointed as the new manager of Qatari side Al Sadd.

The 39-year old who made 86 appearances as a player for the Qatar Stars League club since 2015, announced his retirement from football earlier this month.

Hernández penned a two-year deal to take over as manager, and the deal will see him become the boss of his former La Liga rival Gabi, who moved to the Middle East from Atletico Madrid last summer.

Al Sadd confirmed Xavi will take charge of the pre-season training camp in Girona from July 14-29.

Hernández, who is still Barcelona’s all-time record appearance-holder across all competitions with 769 is also one of the world’s best midfielders.

He won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns at the Spanish giants before leaving for the Middle East in 2015.

At the international level, Xavi was also key to Spain’s World Cup triumph in 2010 and won the European Championships in both 2008 and 2012.

PM NEWS

Buhari has N30m, 5 homes, 270 heads of cattle: ‘Not much asset change since 2015’

President Muhammadu Buhari has in compliance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, submitted his assets declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), with no significant changes in assets as declared in 2015, when he said he had N30m, five homes  and 270 heads of cattle.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, said the president has submitted his forms in compliance with the  law that asset declaration must precede his oath-taking slated for Wednesday.

According to Garba, the forms, as signed by the President and sworn to before a Judge of the Abuja High Court, showed no significant changes in assets as declared in 2015 by him.

“There are no new houses, no new bank accounts at home and abroad and there are no new shares acquired”, he said.

The implication is that the President’s assets have not significantly changed than he declared in 2015.

In 2015, Buhari declared that he had  N30 million to his name.

He also had only one bank account, with the Union Bank, five homes, and two mud houses in Daura He declared two undeveloped plots of land, one in Kano and the other in Port Harcourt.

He also declared having farms, an orchard and a ranch.

The total number of his holdings in the farm include 270 heads of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number of economic trees”.

He declared ownership of a number of cars, two of which he bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as former Head of State. The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his jeep was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July 2014.

President Buhari “had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank, which ran into crisis  and has now been salvaged as  Polaris Bank.

President Buhari’s new asset  forms were submitted to the Chairman of the CCB, Prof. Mohammed Isa, on behalf of the president by Sarki Abba, Senior Special Assistant, Household and Domestic Affairs.

“The Chairman of the CCB commended the Pesident for leading by example by declaring his assets in accordance with the law.”

- PM NEWS

TRAGEDY !! Gunmen kill family of 6 in Plateau

Gunmen have shot dead six members of a family at Dangwal Village, Ganawuri District of Riyom Local Government of Plateau State.

According to an eyewitness, the six persons belonged to Lo-Gwong Du family comprising of the grandfather, grandmother, two children, their mother and father.

The State Police Command confirmed the killing, saying that the victims had been given mass burial due to the demand of the community.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Plateau Police Command, DSP Terna Tyopev, said on Tuesday at about 0600hrs, one Dalyop Boyi, the Youth Leader of Nakai Danwal Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State reported to the Plateau State Police Command that at about 1900hrs, unknown gunmen attacked the house of Gyang Dachung of Nakai Danwal Village, resulting in the death of six people.

According to him, the Command mobilised to the village, with the the photographs of the corpses taken and released to the relatives on demand and were buried according to their traditional rites.

He said the Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Operations, Plateau State Command, Jos visited the scene and that police patrol of the area was being intensified in order to discourage any reprisal.

Tyopev said the Command was soliciting for credible information to track and arrest the perpetrator(s) to face Justice.

 - PM NEWS