Army commander, 20 soldiers killed in Boko Haram ambush

An army commander and at least 20 soldiers have been killed in an ambush by Boko Haram insurgents in Yobe state. 

The troops were ambushed on their way from Borogozo in Yobe where the headquarters of the army’s 29 task force brigade to Benisheikh in Yobe, where they have a forward operating base (FOB). 

A military source in sector 2 headquarters of operation Lafiya Dole told TheCable that the incident happened around 6pm on Wednesday. 

“They were on their way to Benisheikh when they ran into the enemy. The commander of that brigade, a colonel, and about 20 soldiers were killed,” he said. 

A reinforcement was reportedly sent to the town and it was confirmed that the brigade commander had been killed.

Among the bodies reportedly identified were that of a captain and four soldiers. Their bodies have since been moved to the 7 division hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

Sources said one of the soldiers who escaped the ambush has returned to the base in Benisheikh.

In June, at least 28 soldiers were reportedly killed while the insurgents ransacked a military base in Gajiram, Nganzai local government area of Borno.

Musa Sagir, army spokesman, had not responded to a text message sent by TheCable as of the time this report was filed.

- THECABLE

PL : What Zaha told Crystal Palace about Arsenal move after returning from 2019 AFCON

Wilfried Zaha has told Crystal Palace he wants to leave the club amid interest from Arsenal, Sky Sports reports.

The 26-year-old forward made his feelings clear after returning to Palace, following his participation in Ivory Coast’s African Cup of Nations campaign.

Zaha scored twice, as the Ivorians went all the way to the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Tunisia.

The Eagles rejected a bid of £40m for Zaha from Arsenal earlier this month, but the Gunners are expected to raise their offer in the coming days.

However, if the Selhurt Park club prove tough to negotiate with, Unai Emery is believed to considering Gremio’s Everton Soares and Zaha’s compatriot Nicolas Pepe as options.

- DAILY POST

Many escape death as hotel building collapses in Ebonyi

Guests occupying the Metro View Hotel in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state, escaped death as a wing of the hotel collapsed on Wednesday.

The hotel is located at Presco junction close to Presco campus of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.

No life was reportedly lost in the incident.

The Abakaliki capital territory development authority sealed off the entrance of the hotel on Thursday morning.

Ejem Okoro, special assistant on capital territory to David Umahi, governor of the state, said the hotel was locked to ensure proper probe of the incident.

Autsine Orji, a member of the hotel management who spoke to journalists on behalf of the company, said the hotel management had noticed a crack on some of the pillars holding the building.

He said the management immediately commenced renovation of the building, adding that it was in the process of the renovation that the building collapsed.

Orji said those who lodged in the hotel were outside the building for a seminar when the incident occurred.

- THECABLE

Police arrest three cultists for allegedly kidnapping, raping teenagers in Anambra

Three suspected cultists have been arrested for allegedly abducting and raping two teenage girls in Awada, a suburb of Onitsha, Anambra state.

The suspects: Andrew Ejike (20), Chidiebere Edwin (19) and Chisom Christian (17), were said to have raped the victims after subjecting them to initiation rituals.

DAILY POST gathered that the victims were later set free but not without a warning not to reveal their ordeal to anyone.

The police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident, saying the suspects were arrested by Surveillance Patrol team attached to Awada Division.

He said they would be charged to court after investigation was concluded.

He said, “The suspects abducted two young girls aged 15 and 17 years and forced them to undergo some initiation rituals and allegedly gang-raped them before letting them go.

“All of them have confessed to their membership of a cult group known as the ‘SAITARIS’.”

The police PRO also confirmed the arrest of another suspected cultist for allegedly attacking three persons with machete in order to initiate them into his cult group.

He said the suspect, Onyeka Iloka had lured the victims into the bush where they were beaten.

He said, “Police detectives attached to Ozubulu division arrested one Onyeka Iloka alias “Campus Executioner”, aged 25 years of Eziora in Ozubulu.

“Suspect allegedly lured one Chidera Agina and two others of the same address into the bush, beat them with machete in order to initiate them into his cult group ‘Vickings confraternity’.

“Suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime and is assisting the Police with useful information that could help arrest his accomplices in order to bring them to justice.”

- DAILY POST

My wife denied me sex for 16 years – Cleric tells court

An Islamic cleric Ganiyu Salami, on Thursday, approached an Igando Customary Court in Lagos, to end his 40-year-old marriage to his wife, Halimatu, for allegedly denying him sex and threatening his life.

Salami told the court that his wife and mother of his eight children had denied him his matrimonial rights by failing in her conjugal duties.

“My wife who sleeps, eats my food and drinks my water has been starving me of sex for 16 years now.

“She will not even allow me to neither touch her nor make love to her.”

The petitioner said that his wife fought him frequently over little issues.

“My marriage to Halimatu has been turbulent and fraught with fights and quarrels; I do not have peace of mind.”

The 59-year-old man also accused his wife of threatening to kill him.

“Another cleric who lives with me told me that my wife was after my life, that she gave him charms to put in my food.

“There was a day she wanted to stab me with a broken bottle but for the quick intervention of my friend who entered at that time and collected the bottle from her.”

The embittered petitioner further alleged that his wife turned their children against him, that she once ordered their firstborn to beat him up.

“My son beat me up mercilessly and tore my clothes to pieces with my wife’s consent,’’ he said.

Salami claimed that Halimatu gave out their daughters in marriage without his knowledge and consent, and that he had never met any of his sons-in-law.

He said that his wife was after the property he inherited from his late father.

“My father’s property belongs to me alone, my wife and children cannot inherit my father’s property but can only inherit my own property.

“My wife is fighting to take over my father’s property from me, claiming it belongs to her and the children.

“I later bought a land in her name so that she and the children can have that as their inheritance, but she went to the landowners begging them to sell the land and give her the money.”

He begged the court to terminate the marriage so that he can have peace, live long and enjoy life.

The respondent, however, admitted denying her husband sex.

“I was ill at a time and when I recovered from my illness, my husband refused to sleep with me, claiming I am a mad woman.

“He went and married another woman without my knowledge and when he later wanted to sleep with me, I refused.”

The 52-year-old trader denied ordering their son to beat her husband.

“My husband and our son had a misunderstanding and our son beat him up, I never ordered him to do so,” she said.

She also denied giving anyone charm to kill her husband and also said she never attempted to stab him with a bottle.

Halimatu rejected claims that she tried to sell the land her husband bought for her.

She consented to the dissolution of their marriage saying she was no longer interested.

The president of the court, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, urged the couple to maintain peace.

Koledoye adjourned the case until Aug. 20, for judgment, NAN reports.

- DAILY POST

Gunmen kill two soldiers, abduct expatriate in Akwa Ibom

Unidentified gunmen had on Wednesday killed two soldiers and kidnapped an expatriate at a road construction site in Ukanafun council area of Akwa Ibom State.

It was gathered that the two soldiers were shot dead while escorting an expatriate engineer in a routine inspection of a road project along Idim Okpok mini bridge in Inen Ekeffe the boundary village between Oruk Anam and Ukanafun local government area of the state.

An eyewitness, Friday Idiok, told newsmen that the gunmen whisked the expatriate engineer away immediately the two soldiers were shot dead on the spot and residents ran away for fear of arrest by security operatives.

“There were sporadic shootings here and before you know what was happening, two soldiers were dead. The gunmen also escaped with the soldiers’ guns and took the expatriate to their hideout. Everybody here is in panic, we don’t know what the government would do in this matter,” he said.

Also reacting on the incident, the clan head of Inen, His Royal Highness, Obong Johnson Johnny Obosi said the incident was worrisome and called the government to action.

According to him, “We were at a burial of one of our brothers, late Mr. Udoimoh and about to be entertained, we heard gunshots. The next report was that two soldiers attached to expatriates working on the road construction project that links my community with Ukanafun have been killed and the expatriate kidnapped.

He added that soldiers from Ibagwa barracks arrived in their ambulance and carried the corpse of the dead soldiers to the mortuary.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, Odiko Macdon has confirmed the incident and promised to arrest those involved in the crime.

In a text message, Macdon said the police got the report and have made moves to arrest all the culprits.

“We have received information about the unfortunate dastardly incident at the road project in Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe leading to Ukanafun. We are working with our sister agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute those involved.”

- DAILY POST

HIV prevalence in prisons higher than general population – UNODC

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said that HIV prevalence among people in prisons is higher than general population.

Mr Oliver Stolpe, UNODC Representative, Nigeria said this in his address on the dissemination meeting by UNODC to commemorate Nelson Mandela’s Day in Abuja on Thursday.

Nelson Mandela Day is a day to commemorate the rules of Mandela that stipulates that prisoners should enjoy the same standards for health care that are available in the community.

It further specifies that healthcare services should be organised in close relationship to general public health administration for continuity of treatment and care including HIV, tuberculosis and infections diseases.

Stolpe said that the record was from a study conducted earlier in 2019 by UNODC in partnership with National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Nigerian Prisons and Heartland Alliance.

“The study concluded that HIV prevalence among people in prisons was 2.8 per cent which is double rate within the general population of 1.4 per cent,” he said.

The UNODC official explained that the study also identified a range of factors which significantly increased the risk of transmission of HIV among prisoners.

He however, said that the dissemination was in commemoration of Nelson Mandela’s Day being July 18 of every year which stipulated rights of prisoners to adequate health care.

Stolpe noted that “Rule 24 of United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of prisoners otherwise known as Nelson Mandela Rules sees health care for prisoners as “State responsibility.”

According to him, unreliable HIV testing at admission, insufficient access to retroviral treatment, high risk sexual behavior are responsible for the prevalence.

Stolpe who lauded the progress so far made in reducing national HIV prevalence, identified injection of drugs by inmates as a major cause of prevalence.

He said that reducing HIV/AIDS prevalence among prisoners was not only an issue of compliance with international standards but also essential to contain the epidemic among general population.

Also speaking, Dr Erasmus Morah, Country Director, United Nations Agency on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said keeping communities at the centre of HIV response, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized such as people in prisons was surest way for Nigeria to end the AIDS epidemic.

Moran who underscored the importance of the study by UNODC, said that key population and their partners account for 54 per cent of new HIV infections globally.

Dr Gambo Aliyu, Director General, National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA) promised to continue to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria including among the key population which includes prisons and IDPS.

The Controller General of Nigerian Prisons, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed thanked UNODC and its partners for showing care for inmates.

The Controller, who was represented by Husaina Kore, Deputy Controller of Prisons, said that a data for HIV prevalence in prisons was last conducted in the year 2000, thanking UNODC for conducting a fresh study.

- PM NEWS

DSS cries out: Criminals cloning government websites

The  Department of State Services (DSS) has  drawn attention to the  activities of some “unscrupulous elements” cloning the websites of some government agencies and using same to defraud unsuspecting public.

In a statement today, Peter Afunanya, the PRO of the secret agency said the crooks the official identities/paraphernalia of certain Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been deceptively deployed by these criminals to short change vulnerable persons.

Afunanya said the  DSS is  working with the affected  agencies to identify and apprehend the suspects.

“Notably, the Nigeria Social Investment Trust Fund (NSITF) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have so far suffered the tricks of these fraudsters who use decoys to manipulate their victims.

“This, in the case of NSITF, has resulted in loss of varying sums of money by those promised huge returns on Federal Government’s investments and other poverty alleviation initiatives which ended up as fraudulent Ponzi schemes or money doubling ventures.

“On the other hand, some persons have also engaged in the illegal sale of NYSC kits and accoutrements to prospective Corps members. They also advertise the issuance of medical clearance certificates as well as redeployment of corps members to preferred States for primary assignment on medical, security, marital grounds or other reasons”.

Afunnaya enjoined the public and prospective corps members to be wary and note these fraudulent developments.

- PM NEWS

Economic growth: U.S., Nigeria sign Declaration of Partnership

The U.S. and Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday signed a Declaration of Partnership to inaugurate a five-year Feed the Future Nigeria Country Plan aimed at ensuring food security.

Feed the Future is a U.S. government initiative coordinated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The initiative seeks to sustainably reduce global poverty, malnutrition, and hunger.

According to Mr Colin Dreizin, Director, USAID Economic Growth and Environment, the Plan serves as a blueprint for inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led economic growth and strengthening resilience among people and the system.

Dreizin added that the Plan would seek to improve household nutrition especially for women and children in eleven states where the programme would be implemented.

The states include Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Yobe.

He explained that Feed the Future Country Plan will address food security challenges in Nigeria and stimulate the country’s economy through broad-based partnership with stakeholders from government and private sector.

He listed other partners to include universities, research institutes, international organisations, local and international NGOs, civil society, the media, and donors.

Dreizin disclosed that since inception, the initiative had strengthened efforts at ensuring food security for millions by working to address the root causes of poverty and hunger.

He, however, said that in spite of the progress recorded, significant work still needed to be done.

“Food security is a priority for the U.S. government and feed the future is our commitment to help the most vulnerable.

“According to the UN last year, 113 million people across 53 countries faced food security crisis level of acute food insecurity or worse.

“Food security is linked with crisis and natural disaster and the message of feed the future focuses on resilience.

“The strategy describes it as strengthening the resilience of communities to shocks that can lead to famine and political unrest.

“USAID considers this a critical priority and supporting every country’s journey to self reliance.

“We want to draw from the breadth and depth of experience, including the NGOs, donors, the UN, and private sector to define what is needed to better achieve outcomes for the communities we serve.

“The launch of the country plan is an important milestone in the relationship between our two countries and this plan integrates Nigeria as part of the global food security strategy,” Dreizin said.

U.S. charge d’affaires, Kathleen FitzGibbon speaking, said that the declaration of the new partnership would help Nigeria embrace agriculture as a driver of its economy.

FlitzGibbon said that the Plan would also help improve resilience, nutritional status and health of Nigerians in rural communities in the eleven states.

“The U.S. government has invested 165 million dollars in agriculture in the past four years.

“This new country plan anticipates continuing our investments in Nigeria over the next five years.

“The Country Plan combines new and existing projects and will connect farmers with suppliers, improve agriculture extension services and inputs, and stimulate market growth.

“The private sector is critical to this effort with roles and with responsibilities and incentives that are clear and transparent.

“They will become the main drivers of economic development to achieve long-lasting success in making agriculture a robust contributor to Nigeria’s prosperity and Nigeria’s health,” FlitzGibbon said.

She added that the approach adopted by USAID in the plan would help build on lessons learned from previous successful interventions such as the Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihoods activity, which ended in 2018 after five years of implementation.

Some governors and their representatives from the benefiting states present at the inauguration applauded the initiative and pledged their total commitment to the implementation of the Plan.

Following the inauguration of the Plan, an exhibition was staged by 45 private sector vendors in agro-processing, agro-technology, nutrition services, and agricultural consulting.

- PM NEWS

Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi retires from international football

After leading Nigeria to third place at African Cup of Nations in Egypt, Super Eagles’ captain Mikel John Obi has announced his retirement from international football.

“At the age of 32 it’s time for me to retire from the National team and let the youth take over, who’ve done an amazing job securing a bronze medal at AFCON 2019,” Mikel said on Thursday.

Mikel, in an Instagram post, made the much-awaited announcement.

Head coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, had earlier hinted that John Obi Mikel’s time with the national team is over.

Speaking after the 1-0 win over Tunisia in the Africa Cup of Nations third-place playoff, Rohr admitted he was already looking for replacements for the midfielder.

“We have to salute Mikel’s great career, he didn’t play in the qualifiers but it was good for the team that he is here.

“Now we have to look at others, but we don’t have many midfielders in top clubs.

“We have Semi Ajayi, Iwobi, Etebo, Ndidi. But we have to work hard to find a replacement,” the German said.

Mikel Obi, who struggled with injuries all through the AFCON, only featured in two matches.

Mikel, who signed a two-year deal with a Turkish sports club, Trabzonspor, with the option of an additional 12 months this summer will earn over €150,000 a week, €1.5m (N607m) per season.

The former Chelsea and Middlesbrough will be the highest-earning Nigerian player in Turkey based on basic salary.

- PM NEWS

EFCC goes after ex-Kwara State officials, seizes passports over N22b Paris Cash

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC discloses that the commission has seized the passports of 34 top officials who served under former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over a N22 billion London-Paris Club refund.

The commission further revealed that ten of the officials have been on the watch-list to prevent them from fleeing the country.

The N22billion covers the N21billion drawn from the refund and the N1billion allegedly intercepted by the EFCC during the February/March elections. There are four cases on alleged mismanagement of billions of naira by some ex-office holders in the state.

According to the Nation Online, a top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “There are monumental cases of fraud already uncovered in Kwara State during the tenure of the ex-governor. We may need to call for reinforcement to be able to conduct the different dimensions of the ongoing probe. So far, we have seized the international passports of 34 former commissioners and top government functionaries during the administration of ex-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

“Out of the 34, about 10 former officers have been watch-listed to prevent them from escaping abroad. And if they travel out, we can effect their arrest in any jurisdiction. The list of the short-listed suspects has been sent to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to prevent them from acquiring new passports.”

In a statement yesterday, EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity Tony Orilade said the agency’s Ilorin Zonal Office “has submitted the particulars of individuals on its watch-list and under investigations in the state to the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Kwara State Command. It said the Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu made this known through the Ilorin Zonal Head of the Commission Isyaku Sharu during a visit by the Comptroller of Immigration Service, Kwara State Command Edith Onyemenam.

The statement quoted Magu as saying those whose passports were seized had been trying to procure police reports to deceive the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to issue them new passports. Magu said:

“The need to familiarise the NIS with the particulars of such personalities under EFCC’s investigation became necessary following intelligence at the disposal of the commission that some highly-placed individuals undergoing corruption probe and on the commission’s watch-list in the state have procured forged police reports with which they plan to apply for new international passports to escape from the country.

“Information at the disposal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ilorin reveals that these highly placed individuals are planning to use forged police reports to re-apply for new international passports to flee the country in other to escape prosecution and justice. The commission urges you to use your good office to place these individuals under strict surveillance.”

- PM NEWS

US to establish West African Trade Hub in Nigeria

Representatives of the US government say plans are underway to establish the West African Trade Hub (WATH) in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.

This is in a bid to support the bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United States.

Grace Adeyemo, director of the Nigeria-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), said this at a conference for Prosper Africa, an initiative of the US government targeted at “creating an enabling environment for foreign and direct investment” in African countries.

Adeyemo expressed optimism about the economic prospects of the President Donald Trump-backed trade initiative, which, according to her, prompted the decision to move the trade hub into Nigeria.

She, however, noted that Nigerian entrepreneurs who seek access to opportunities that would accrue from the initiative through the hub would need to meet the regulatory standards required to break into the US/global market.

According to her, the NACC would also offer advice to prospective exporters who would like to take advantage of the tariff-free market on the US-Nigeria bilateral trade agreement.

“US representatives have told us that the West African Trade hub would now move into Nigeria to be situated in Abuja and Lagos. This is so that we can address our challenges and have the hub serve as an overseer reciprocatory for all we’re going to be doing in the US,” she said.

“It will be launched anytime soon. It has always been in Ghana. US government is willing to support a partnership between US investors and Africa. Nigeria can latch onto that but we need to get it right first. We need to try to grow our businesses and add value to them.”

WHAT IS THE WEST AFRICA TRADE AND INVESTMENT HUB?

WATH is a one-stop shop organization backed and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to increase the value and volume of West Africa’s exports by addressing challenges in intra-regional and export-oriented products.

Apart from synergizing with local regulatory agencies and policymakers to influence the business environment and attract investors, it is also targeted at promoting the two-way trade between Africa and the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

AGOA is a US policy that accords duty-free treatments to virtually all products that are exported to the US by beneficiary sub-Sahara African countries. Acclaimed as the cornerstone of US trade policy with Africa, it is aimed at facilitating the export of over 6,000 goods with no tariff.

WHAT IS THE PROSPER AFRICA INITIATIVE?

Prosper Africa, a trade initiative launched by the Trump’s administration, is one aimed at synchronizing the efforts of the US government agencies to facilitate more deals between the US and African businesses and address trade/investment barriers.

Earl Gast, executive vice president of programs at Creative Associates International, said the end-result of the initiative would create more jobs for Nigerians. He said it would significantly grow the economies of both countries and improve the export capacity of Nigerian businesses.

“With Africa’s prosperity should come the US’ prosperity. We’re looking at how we can marry up the private sectors of both countries and, in the context of Nigeria, partner with the US capital; knowhow; and exports,” he said.

“Economies would grow, jobs would be created through private sector development. Nigeria would export into the region, through AGOA strategy, and to the US. We’re also looking at US exports that might help grow companies in Nigeria so that they can take advantage of the US market.”

On her part, Florie Liser, CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), said the initiative would support US firms that intend on investing in Africa and develop the value of Nigerian products to enable the private sector benefit substantially from the value chain.

“Now Prosper Africa is focused on incentivizing and facilitating US investments into Africa in key sectors, whatever they may be. Agro-business is one of them. But there are others: health, ICT, infrastructure and places where the US government can bring value in terms of products and services,” she said.

“The reason that Africa accounts for only 3 percent of world trade today, notwithstanding that they have so many resources they sell the world, is because they are always on the lowest end of every value chain. You ship raw products while somebody else processes it into something that has more value.

“As long as that stays that way, Africa wouldn’t be able to benefit much from global trade. Why shouldn’t Africa ship its value-added products instead of raw products? The focus of the initiative is going to be on the investment into productive capacity that adds value.”

- THECABLE

Bernard Arnault, Louis Vuitton boss, overtakes Bill Gates on billionaire index

For the second time in seven years, Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, has moved a spot lower on the Bloomberg Billionaires’ Index.

Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH (Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton), now occupies the second position after his net worth increased to $108 billion ahead of Gates’ $107 billion.

This is the first time that Bill Gates would fall out of the top two since the index was created

Arnault, who is France’s richest man, has added $39 billion to his net worth since June 2018, the biggest leap by an individual among the 500 people on Bloomberg’s ranking.

He holds the controlling share in LVMH through a family company and a 97% stake in Christian Dior.

Apart from the brands that form its acronym, LVMH controls brands like Givenchy, Dom Pérignon (a champagne brand) and Sephora (beauty retailer).

According to Bloomberg, Bill Gates would still be the world’s richest man if not for his philanthropy.

He is reported to have donated $35 billion through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to various causes.

During a visit to Nigeria, the billionaire said the foundation has donated $1.6 billion to humanitarian causes in Africa’s largest economy.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, is still the world’s richest man with a net worth of $125 billion, even after reaching a divorce settlement with his wife, MacKenzie Bezos.

The $38 billion divorce settlement made her the world’s fourth-richest woman.

-THECABLE

Leave Northern Nigeria now – Biafra group warns South-east, South-south

The Biafra Nations Youth League, BNYL, has called on the people of the South-east and South-south to immediately
 leave the North, following calls by Northern Elders Forum, NEF, and Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG for Fulani people to leave the South.

In a statement signed and issued to DAILY POST by the Chief Press Secretary of BNYL, Comrade Kufre Obot, the group appealed to the people of South-east and South-south to return home or risk being killed after the 30th July ultimantum by CNG.

BNYL claimed that it was because of its threats to retaliate any unfortunate incident against people of the old Eastern region that prompted the call for Fulani to leave the south by the northern elders and CNG.

“We met at a closed door today after reading the statement from northern elders and their CNGs, we resolve to equally call on the Igbo, Efik-Ibibio, Ejagham, Ogoni, Uhrobo, Ijaw and other tribes from the South south to return home before the 30th ultimatum only if their life is more precious to them than their Business, they should return and at least observe if the ultimatum is a joke or not before concluding,” the statement added.

BNYL however vowed not to tolerate the killing of any Easterner in the North even as it stated that the call for Fulani to leave the south was a signal.

“It is a signal and we are ready to face it in whatever ways they want,” the group said.

- DAILY POST 

CCB to verify Gov. Makinde’s source of wealth

An anti-corruption agency under the Presidency, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), has said it will verify the N48 billion worth of assets declared by the newly inaugurated Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

The Director, Oyo state office of CCB, Mr. Moses Atolagbe, disclosed this to reporters in Ibadan on Wednesday.

He stated that the verification will commence as soon as relevant directives were given from the CCB headquarters

Atolagbe also said assets of the officials of the last administration in the state would be verified.

He added that there were a few people in the last administration of the state who were yet to comply with asset declaration.

He said: “We have a few people that have not complied with the position of the law.

“They are very few in number; some of them are out of the country and others are based it on health ground.

“They have got in touch with the bureau and one of them showed up on Monday.

“We will just give them a little ample opportunity when they don’t comply they would be prosecuted.

“We have done that before, a former commissioner Oyo State in time past had been prosecuted for failure to comply.”

- DAILY POST

Ruga settlement: Do your worst, IPOB tells Arewa Youth

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a note of warning to anyone who wants to take over their ancestral lands for Ruga Settlement.

Reacting to the 30-days ultimatum issued by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to governors opposing Ruga settlement, the IPOB challenged the group (ACF) to “do their worst”. 

In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, the group said cattle business remains personal and they won’t condone any attempt to enforce the release of lands for Ruga settlements. 

The statements read in part: “IPOB is a peaceful movement and must remain so but cannot allow anybody to trample on us by forcing our people to release their ancestral land to them.” 

“We are aware that cattle business remains personal business in Nigeria and cannot change today.

“The community’s ancestral lands are gifts from the God, handed over to us to dwell, on which must not be taken over under any guise by the government or Fulani.

“We challenge Fulani Islamist terrorists including their Arewa youths to do their worst after the expiration of the so-called 30 days ultimatum as was widely reported in every national and international media.

“We are anxiously and eagerly waiting for them in whatever shape they may want it.”

The group advised the federal government and “those behind the plan to retrace their steps before it turned uncontrollable and claim more innocent lives”.

Earlier, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, had asked its people to be ready to defend themselves against “northern war mongers”.

- PM NEWS

Ogun Police nab 3 for killing aged couple

Three men have been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly killing an aged couple, James Olaosebikan, 72, and his wife, Esther, 68, at their Sagamu home on June 30th.

According to the spokesperson of the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who paraded the suspects, Ibrahim Uthman, Aba Abdulkareem and Abdulhamid Ibrahim, said the men had gone into the house to rob.

However, the couple recognized them and in order to cover up their crime, the suspects hacked the aged couple to death, and the incident was immediately reported to the police by the couple’s son, Joseph Olaosebikan.

“Upon the report, the Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, ordered the DPO of Sagamu Division, SP Okiki Agunbiade, to fish out the killers within the shortest possible time. The DPO and his men embarked on technical and forensic investigation of the case and their efforts yielded a positive result with the arrest of three members of the gang.

They confessed being members of a robbery gang and that one of their colleagues, now at large, invited them for the purpose of robbing an old couple and a nearby shop. But on getting to the house, they discovered that the couple recognised one of them, hence they killed them,” Oyeyemi said.

The police spokesperson added that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Bashir Makama, has ordered the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) to take over the case for proper investigation.

- PM NEWS