Buhari govt emotionally attached to Fulani herdsmen – Ondo govt fires back at presidency

 

The Ondo State Government has declared that the presidency is emotionally attached to Fulani herdsmen.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo was reacting to the statement by the Presidency against the directive of the State government banning the operation of unregistered Fulani herdsmen in its forest.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had condemned the directive by the Ondo State government.

However, Ojogo insisted that Shehu’s comment was inimical to the existence of Nigeria.

Ojogo, in a statement, said Shehu had stated “unambiguously, the position of the Federal Government.

“The Ondo State Government did not ask Fulani to leave the state.

“The governor said herdsmen who are unregistered should leave our forests.

“The statement from Garba Shehu is brazen display of emotional attachments and it’s very inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

“We need clearly defined actions on the part of the Federal Government to decimate the erroneous impression that the inspiration of these criminal elements masquerading as herdsmen is that of power.

“Our unity is threatened, no doubt.

“It (statement) states in a breath that the governor fights crime with passion while it is prevaricating on the atrocities.

“The question is, are the herdsmen who are perpetrating murder, kidnapping and robbery more important than government and even the Federal Government in this case?

“Ethnic nationality and activism on the part of anyone hiding under the Presidency or federal government is an ill wind.”

- DAILY POST

EFCC witness: How ex-air chiefs diverted N3bn from NIMASA

 

Okechukwu Akubue, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has narrated to a federal high court in Ikoyi, Lagos, how top air force officials under Adesola Amosu, a former chief of air staff, allegedly conspired to divert N3 billion for their personal use.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was said to have deposited the money to the special emergency operations account of the Nigeria air force (NAF) domiciled in Zenith Bank.

The EFCC is prosecuting Amosu, alongside Jacobs Adigun, a former NAF chief of accounts and budget, and Owodunni Olugbenga, a former air commodore, on an amended 13-count charge for their alleged roles in the diverting N21 billion belonging to the NAF.

Testifying as a prosecution witness, Akubue said NIMASA had on August 28, 2014, credit NAF’s Zenith bank account with N1billion.

He said according to a memorandum of understanding between the two bodies the money “was disbursed to support the NAF in protecting Nigeria’s waterways.”

Narrating how the money was further disbursed to personal accounts, Akubue  said: “We found a debit of N4, 801,549 on behalf of Hebron Housing and Property, a company linked to the second defendant (Adigun) by way of ownership.”

“The Ecobank account in which the money was credited is also owned by the second defendant and the fund was not utilised for NAF but for the benefits of the defendants,” he said.

The witness further said N228 million was debited from NAF account in favour of Rite Options Oil and Gas, a firm owned by one Adedeji Adelakun on September 2, 2014, and another N336 million to the same company on the same day.

Another N165,790,000 was paid to Juda Oil Limited on September 4, 2014, with an additional N170,210,000 on the same day.

Akubue said upon interrogation, Adelakun “admitted that he was not into oil and gas business, but that he was a bureau de change dealer.”

“Adelakun further confessed that the money in question was not utilised for the services of NAF, but that he converted same to United States dollar and gave to Olufunke Osisanmi, a staff of Zenith Bank on the instruction of the defendant,” he said.

According to the witness, Mohammed Sani, the purported owner of Juda Oil Limited, also admitted that “he did not provide any service for the NAF, but that he rather changed the money to United States dollar and gave same to NAF officers nominated by the defendant.”

Akubue added that NAF also got another N1billion from NIMASA on September 15, 2014.

He said upon payment, several debit transactions were carried out by NAF including N258,693,520.78 on September 16, 2014, in favour of Delfina Oil and Gas. The company also received N243,919,114.64 in on September 17, 2014.

McAllam Oil and Gas, another company listed in the bank statement, received N261,416,480.92  on September 16, 2014. The company also got another N235,970,883.66. and

Akubue said investigations revealed that the two companies were owned and controlled by the second defendant, and “they had no contractual agreements with the NAF”.

On September 23, 2014, NIMASA also made another lodgment of N1billion into NAF account.

“Following the lodgment, N146, 298,479.31 was debited in favour of Lebol Oil and Gas, which on the same day, also got N153, 701,520.69,” Akubue said.

Akubue said the company, which he said was owned by one Adamu Musa, a BDC operator, also got N162, 715,233.52 and N161, 284,766.48 all on September 25, 2014.

“Under interrogation, Musa confessed that the company had no contractual agreements with the NAF and that the funds were changed to United States Dollar and given to agents nominated by the defendant,” he said.

The case has been adjourned to April 12, 15 and 20, 2021.

- THECABLE

Child abuse: Teenage girl jumps down from two-storey building

 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abia State has rescued a 13-year-old Uduak Willy, a house help, who jumped down from a two-storey building to evade punishment for alleged pilfering.

The State Commandant of the corps, Mr Vincent Ogu, said this on Tuesday in his office in Umuahia, while briefing newsmen about the incident, which happened on January 8, at No. 204 Niger Stone on Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway (near Ariaria Market, Aba), where Willy lived with a businessman, Emeka Igwe and his wife, Aniekan.

Ogu said the girl took the desperate action after she was accused of stealing N500 from the house and allegedly subjected to serious beating by Igwe and his wife.

The commandant said that Igwe, along with his mother-in-law, 50-year-old Christiana Godwin, were “arrested for their alleged involvement in child-trafficking, child-labour, domestic violence and attempted murder.”

He said that the command was alerted about the ugly incident by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Teenage Matters, Mrs Chinemenma Umesaka.

He expressed satisfaction that Igwe was eventually lured out from his hiding and arrested by the Aba Divisional Officer, SP Uche Uduma, to face justice for his action.

Ogu said that the command later took the victim to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where she underwent a series of tests, including chest X-Ray, Abdomen Ultrasound and C.T Scan for the head, to ascertain if she suffered any internal injuries.

Narrating her ordeal to newsmen, the victim, who said that she came to live with Igwe’s family in November, denied stealing the money.

She also denied being pushed down by Igwe as alleged in the social media, saying that she took to her heels from the house and jumped down from the building to escape further beating.

Igwe and his wife confessed to beating her as a measure to make her admit stealing the money but denied pushing her down from the building.

He also denied going into hiding, saying that he took the girl to a clinic for treatment immediately after the incident.

The commandant, however, said the circumstances surrounding the process of her coming to Abia suggested “she might have been a victim of child trafficking.”

He added that the matter would be handed over to the appropriate agency for diligent prosecution at the end of the investigations, NAN reports.

- DAILY POST

Nnamdi Kanu warns Nigerians against Tinubu’s presidential ambition

 Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday, said Nigerians should reject the presidential ambition of Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Kanu warned that Nigeria will be doomed if Tinubu is allowed to sail through with his presidential ambition.

The IPOB leader issued the warning in a statement he signed personally.

In the statement, the separatist leader also insisted on referendum.

“If AMOTEKUN fails to drive away this Fulani army of darkness from Yoruba forests, as #ESN is now gallantly doing in the East, the whole of Yoruba land or what is left of it after the loss of Illorin to the caliphate will be lost to the Fulani conquistadors forever.

“Remember how they took Illorin from you. Don’t allow history to repeat itself.

“Reject Tinubu presidential ambitions or else you are doomed. Insist on #REFERENDUM,” the statement read.

- PM NEWS

‘SARS killed my husband over N200 airtime’ — Widow recounts ordeal with police

 

 

Adebimpe Sobowale, a widow, has alleged that her husband was killed over N200 worth of airtime while in police custody.

The widow narrated her experience in detention when she appeared before the state judicial panel of enquiry sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun state, on Tuesday.

She said operatives of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS), a disbanded unit of the Nigeria Police Force, tortured and detained her for four days despite being pregnant.

Sobowale said the SARS operatives arrested her on February 8, 2020, on the allegation that she belonged to a group of gangsters as her SIM card was used to fraudulently obtain an airtime worth of N200.

The widow said she was later released four days after her arrest, while her husband was arrested and subsequently killed in detention.

“They (police) asked me to write whatever they dictated to me as a statement. They said I belonged to a gang of fraudsters and claimed that my SIM card was used to collect N200 recharge (card),” she narrated.

“They said they tracked it at Zain (now Airtel) office and it brought my picture. I told them I don’t know what they were talking about and I refused to implicate myself in the statement.

“They arrested my husband on February 10 and released me the next day. Some days later, I was informed that my husband had died in detention.”

On the identity of the officers involved, Sobowale said, “they were three SARS operatives but I can only identify two by face and one of them is called Inspector Apiah Moses”.

She said the death of her husband has made things difficult for the family.

Ojo Friday, Sobowale’s witness, also testified before the panel, saying he was the one who secured the victim’s bail.

The case was adjourned till February 4 for further proceedings.

 - THECABLE

Arsenal offer Emile Smit three times his salary

 

Arsenal are set to reward Emile Smith Rowe with a bumper new deal as he emerges the club’s latest star, according to SportsMail.

Smith Rowe has played a key role in the Gunners’ revival in recent weeks and is now firmly part of Mikel Arteta’s first-team plans.

The 20-year-old will enter the final two years of his current contract in the summer.

Arsenal want to remove any uncertainty around his future, by agreeing fresh terms before the start of next season.

Smith Rowe earns around £15,000 a week, but he can expect a significant pay rise.

Fellow academy graduate Bukayo Saka committed his future to the club earlier this season, putting pen to paper on a new deal worth close to £40,000 a week, and Smith Rowe can expect a similar salary.

There is confidence at the Emirates, that he will commit his long-term future to the club, as he looks to cement his position as their chief creative midfielder.

- PM NEWS

Fulani herdsmen: Garba Shehu’s statement threatens national unity – Ondo govt

 

The government of Ondo State on Wednesday described the statement issued by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media, Garba Shehu on the herdsmen situation in Ondo State as dangerous for national unity.

It would be recalled that the State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu issued a 7-day ultimatum to herdsmen to vacate forest reserves in the State.

But the Presidency in a statement signed by Garba Shehu challenged the directive by the government.

Reacting to Mr Shehu’s statement on Sunrisedaily on Channels TV, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo expressed doubt if President Muhamadu Buhari indeed approved that statement.

“One thing is certain, President Muhammad Buhari, by his antecedent, nationalistic posture and the patriotism he is known for, may not have ordered that statement.

“Because it would have been a dangerous one for the unity of this country.

“If true, it would mean certain officials in the Presidency are actually out to create a problem for President Buhari. We must appreciate the effort of this President in his fight against insecurity across the country.

“If indeed he (Shehu) issued the statement, then Garba Shehu owes this nation a great deal of explanation to let people know why he must take up the fight of people masquerading as herdsmen to commit a crime.”

The Commissioner added that the ultimatum was not for law-abiding herdsmen to vacate the State, rather the forest reserves which he described as “monuments and treasure of the people of the southwest.”

He revealed that kidnapped victims are taken to those forest reserves by kidnappers. He disclosed further that criminals are mingling with herdsmen in the forest.

“Some of these criminal elements have gone to mingle with the Fulani herdsmen who have occupied portions of these forest reserves as settlements.

“In any case, kidnap victims are taken into deep into forest reserves. And security agencies have enough evidence that these victims are taken there. So the government is trying to clear the mess by way of regulating the activities of herdsmen.”

- DAILY POST