Leave Southwest or face OPC – Gani Adams warns criminal Fulani herdsmen

 

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has warned criminal herdsmen in the Southwest to leave immediately.

He said failure to adhere to the warning would mean such elements were ready to face the wrath of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

Adam’s reaction followed the breach of Professor Wole Soyinka’s Ijegba residence by herders.

In a statement by his spokesman on Thursday, the Yoruba leader said the encroachment was a threat to the privacy of the Nobel laureate.

Adams said reports available to him from Southwest states showed that criminal herdsmen have migrated from Ibarapa in Oyo State to Yewa in Ogun State.

The Aare said this had increased the spate of insecurity, stressing that the activities of criminal Fulani herdsmen had become unbearable.

Adams wondered why President Muhammadu Buhari has been complacent about the security situation in the Southwest.

“We thank God that the recent encroachment on Prof’s residence failed. The fundamental problem in this country is that we have a President that seems to be complacent on serious issues.

“It is in our own interest to continue to raise our voices against the unprecedented threats to the southwest region.”

The Aare advised Southwest governors to boost the recruitment of OPC, Vigilante and Hunters in Amotekun to further strengthen the security outfit.

Adams appealed to the Lagos State Government to inaugurate Amotekun as soon as possible, adding that delay was dangerous.

- DAILY POST

EFCC burst syndicate in Lagos for $257,822 credit card fraud

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has smashed a credit card fraud syndicate.

The suspects are Daniel C. Stephen, Nestor Ezeani, Sonny Okwaraji, Sylvester E. Otuwa and Jeff Ogbonnaya.

They allegedly masterminded the theft of $257,822.16 from a new generation bank, a statement by EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren said.

In a petition, the bank said it received a mail from VISA International on suspected 60 credit card transactions.

Operatives moved in and arrested the five suspects at 7th Avenue in FESTAC, Lagos.

They were caught with several credit cards which they use in loading money before transfer to other banks.

Uwujaren said some of the suspects already made useful statements.

Investigations continue and all will be charged to court upon conclusion.

- DAILY POST

Instagram blocks Robert F. Kennedy Jr

 

Instagram blocked Robert F. Kennedy Jr from the social media network for spreading misinformation about Covid-19 and vaccines, the company confirmed Thursday.

“We removed this account for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” a spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, told AFP.

The nephew of assassinated US president John F Kennedy nonetheless remained active on Facebook, where he had made similar posts promoting debunked claims about the harm done by vaccines.

“We don’t automatically disable accounts across our apps, because the accounts may post about different things on our different services,” the spokesperson said.

The environmental activist and son of former US attorney general Robert F Kennedy have repeated a false claim that the recent death of baseball legend Hank Aaron was linked to the Covid-19 vaccine.

He had previously posted misinformation about the flu vaccine.

Kennedy frequently has gotten involved in controversial issues and personalities, speaking last summer to a massive demonstration in Berlin of coronavirus deniers organised by the far right, and joining forces with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to provide heating oil to poor Americans.

Facebook also removed several other accounts from the two sites for spreading vaccine disinformation.

NAN

Bitcoin hits all-time high after Mastercard adoption

 Bitcoin has jumped to a record high after Mastercard and Bank of New York Mellon moved to make it easier for customers to use cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin, the largest digital asset, rose as much as 7.4 per cent to $48,364, surpassing the all-time high reached on Monday, after Tesla announced it would hold $1.5 billion of the cryptos on its balance sheet.

Bank of New York Mellon Corp., an American investment banking services holding company, on Thursday, said it will hold, transfer and issue Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for institutional customers.

Also in a blog post by Raj Dhamodharan, Mastercard’s executive vice president for digital assets, blockchain products and partnerships, the company said it is preparing for the future of crypto and payments.

“Whatever your opinions on cryptocurrencies — from a dyed-in-wool fanatic to utter skeptic — the fact remains that these digital assets are becoming a more important part of the payments world,” the blog post read.

“This is a big change that will require a lot of work. We will be very thoughtful about which assets we support based on our principles for digital currencies, which focus on consumer protection and compliance.

The Central Bank of Nigeria recently directed banks and other financial institution to close accounts of persons or entities involved in cryptocurrency transactions.

The CBN argues that cryptocurrencies pose the risk of loss of investments, money laundering, terrorism financing, illicit fund flows and other criminal activities.

Source: Bloomberg

Fulani herdsmen: Buhari is not in charge of Nigeria – Soyinka

 

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has insisted President Muhammadu Buhari is not in charge of the country.

Soyinka stated this while speaking on Arise TV on Thursday.

According to him, if Buhari is in charge, the insecurity in Nigeria would not have degenerated to what it is now.

Soyinka, whose compound was invaded by Fulani herdsmen this week, said: “Buhari does not appreciate the situation, he doesn’t understand, I see no evidence that he understands how grave the situation is.

“I have said it again and again. I don’t believe he is in charge because it is not possible in my view for a head of state, a commander-in-chief of the armed forces to say he is presiding over a nation and things get to this level.

“Something is critically wrong within the leadership of this nation and that is where we civilians must come in, we must pick up the slack for our own situation, for our own salvation.

“What happened to me in this incident is typical of what happens to millions in this country and we cannot just sit still and say we are relying on central help when obviously it is not coming.”

- DAILY POST

Jakande never lived in govt house, not covetous – Afenifere

 

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday mourned death of former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, saying he never lived in a government house nor drove a government car.

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said Jakande served Lagos without greed and covetousness.

“Afenifere deeply mourns the death of the first executive governor of Lagos state Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande at the age of 91.

“Alhaji Jakande was the last of the LOOBO Governors who faithfully implemented the UPN (United Party of Nigeria) five cardinal programmes.

“His implementation of the free education programme, especially the phasing out of the shift programme in Lagos schools was swift and revolutionary,” Afenifere said.

The statement added that: “He served Lagos without greed and covetousness. He never lived in a government house or drive a government car throughout his service to the state.

“Jakande developed the Lekki area and never took a plot for himself. His life was all about service. We pray that God will send more of his type our way.”

Jakande, popularly called Baba Kekere, reportedly died on Thursday at the age of 91

- PM NEWS

NCC: 187,171 mobile subscribers ported in 2020

 

A total of 187,171 mobile subscribers switched their network service providers in 2020.

This is according to the 2020 subscribers statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This change was facilitated through the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme.

Launched in 2013, the MNP allows subscribers to migrate from one network to another while retaining their original phone numbers, irrespective of the network the subscriber chooses to migrate to in search of quality service.

For 2020, 9mobile received the higest number of users through the MNP by gaining 74,134 telephone users.

This is followed by Airtel, which added 67,927 subscribers. MTN gained 37,027 customers from others networks to its network, while Globacom recorded 3,870 additional customers.

In terms of subscribers that exited their networks for another, Airtel lost 67,596 customers, followed by Globacom 55,322; MTN 35,881 subscribers; while 9mobile lost 28,372 customers.

In 2019, the telecommunication operators gained a total of 139,022 customers.

In a document released on Monday and titled “Nigeria Mobile Number Portability: Business rules and port order processes”, NCC said mobile operators will henceforth pay a porting transaction fee of N450 on each subscriber than they receive from another network.

“The porting transaction fee charged by the NPC Administrator for each successful port shall be N450 and may at the NCC’s sole discretion be varied from time to time, after consultation with the industry,” the document reads.

“The NPC Administrator shall not charge a fee for processing emergency repatriation porting transactions.''

- THECABLE

#EndSARS: CBN didn’t freeze accounts of activists during military regime, says Falana

 Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says it is on record that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) did not file any application to freeze the accounts of activists and citizens even during the military regime.

Falana’s position is coming after a federal high court in Abuja ordered the apex bank to unfreeze the bank accounts of 20 #EndSARS protests.

The apex bank had approached a court to seek an order to freeze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS protesters for 90 days, in the wake of protests against police brutality that took place in October 2020.

The order, which was granted on November 4, 2020, expired on Tuesday.

Ahmed Mohammed, a federal high court judge, on Wednesday ordered the unfreezing of the accounts after CBN’s counsel and the legal representative of the protesters agreed to end the case.

Falana, in a statement on Wednesday, said even though passports of activists were seized at the airports and other atrocities  committed during military, the apex bank, which he said was maned by professional did not freeze bank accounts of activities.

“In desperation the military dictators  charged us with sundry criminal offences including treasonable felony for having the temerity  to challenge their corrupt practices and human rights abuse. But the courts ensured that we were admitted to bail in liberal terms,” he said.

“Our passports were impounded at the airports and confiscated by the National Security Organisation (now State Security Service) to prevent us from travelling abroad to expose the atrocities of the dictators. But the passports were released to us on the orders of our courts. 

“It is on record that the Central Bank of Nigeria which was then manned by professional bankers never filed any ex parte application to freeze our accounts.”

Falana urged the courts to reject “frivolous application” filed by the CBN to freeze the bank accounts of activists and other citizens, adding that is gross infringement of the fundamental right to fair hearing and property.

“Let the CBN stop freezing the Bank Accounts of activists because it constitutes a gross infringement of the fundamental right to fair hearing and property,” he said.

“If the CBN does not desist from the illegal practice our courts should turn down frivolous applications for freezing the bank accounts of activists and other citizens.”

- THECABLE

Late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti nominated for 2021 Rock, Roll Hall of fame

 

Late musician and pioneer of the Afrobeat music genre, Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been nominated for the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Nigerian multi-instrumentalist was announced as one of the nominees in a statement released on Wednesday by the Chairman of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, John Skyles.

“This remarkable development reflects the diversity and depth of the artists and music the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates.

“These Nominees have equally printed an indelible impact on the sonic landscape of the world and influenced countless artists that have followed them,” Skyles said.

The Nigerian icon was nominated alongside other veteran artists such as Mary J. Blige, Kate Bush, Devo, The Go-Go’s, Jay-Z, Chaka Khan, Carole King,and Dionne Warwick.

Fela will always be remembered for boldly voicing his opinions on matters that affected the nation through his music.

He is also been referred to as one of Africa’s most “challenging and charismatic music performers.”

- DAILY POST

Husband impersonates wife during teacher’s recruitment exam

 The operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), on Wednesday, apprehended a man in Osun State for impersonating his wife at the ongoing teacher’s recruitment exercise in the state.

The imposter was arrested at the College of Education, Ilesa CBT center.

He was caught after his passport photograph was said not to have a match with the photo records of applicants stored on the database of the Ministry of Education.

A statement issued by the Information Officer at the Ministry of Education, Roseline Olawuni, stated that the husband was apprehended with the help of operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps.

Condemning the act, the Commissioner for Education in the state, Hon. Folorunsho Oladoyin described the act as shameful and embarrassing that a prospective teacher could be found committing such heinous crimes.

He said, “It is shameful that somebody who wants to teach students academically and morally could be involved in fraudulent malpractice, what example is such a person going to set for the students, the commissioner queried. This is rather unfortunate”

“I am using this opportunity to warn our young people to desist from cutting corners, they should know that integrity pays and it’s the only way to success”.

The suspect has however been handed over to the law enforcement agents for further investigation and prosecution.

- PM NEWS

IGP to arraign Ohakim over ‘threat to circulate nude photos’ of a lady

 

The office of the inspector-general of police (IGP) will on February 15 arraign Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo state, over alleged harassment of one Chinyere Amuchinwa.

The former governor is to be arraigned alongside one Chinedu Okpareke before Taiwo Taiwo, federal high court judge, on a five-count charge bordering on cybercrime.

Okpareke was earlier arrested and detained in connection with the alleged offences but was released upon fulfilment of his bail conditions.

According to the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/287/2020, the accused persons were said to have threatened to release a nude photograph of Amuchienwa, if she fails to drop the charges of attempted kidnap against them.

In the charge dated November 25, 2020 and signed by M.O. Omosun, a lawyer, the police alleged that Ohakim and Okpareke “knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication through a computer system or network to harass and bully Amuchienwa”.

According to the police, the offence is punishable under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

Some of the charges reads: ”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Dr Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on the 13th day of August 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves by knowingly and intentionally send messages by means of computer system or network in a grossly offensive, pornographic, nude of an indecent obscene and menacing character of one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015

”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Dr Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on the 13th day of August 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves to cause annoyance and criminal intimidation to one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

”That you Chinendu Okpareke ‘m’ 49, and Dr Ikedi Ohakim ‘m’ and others now at large on the 13th day of August 2020 within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves by knowingly and intentionally called and threatened one Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ that if she does not drop the first information charge of attempted kidnap against by it and others at large, the nude pictures of the said  Chinyere Amuchienwa ‘f’ will be posted to CNN and all over the world and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.”

Ohakim is also standing trial before a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama on a three-count charge bordering on criminal defamation against Amuchienwa.

- THECABLE

Proscribe Miyetti Allah or we unleash terror on killer herdsmen – NANS tells Buhari

 The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South West Zone has called on President Mohammadu Buhari to declare the Miyetti Allah Castle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) as a terrorist group, threatening to unleash terror on killer Fulani herdsmen in the region.

The association said this was as a result of the alleged killings, kidnapping, raping and maiming of residents of the South West region by suspected killer-Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement jointly signed by the Chairmen of NANS in Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States on Wednesday, the students umbrella body in Nigeria warned some Northern leaders and governors to call killer herdsmen to order or face the wrath of students in the South West region.

The student body lamented the rising insecurity in the South West region, following the persistent attacks by herdsmen on Yoruba land, calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to be more proactive in curbing same.

“President Mohammadu Buhari should immediately proscribe the Miyetti Allah Castle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) for shielding killer-Fulani herdsmen and promoting the wanton killings and destruction of property in the South West region.

The association said it has video evidence of Fulani herdsmen killing and maiming in the South West, adding tha,t “we will no longer condone such dastardly acts on our people.

“If the activities of these marauding Falani herdsmen in Yoruba land is not checked by the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, we will unleash terror on Fulani herdsmen who are killing our people on a daily basis.

“We are declaring total war on the killer-herdsmen in the South West region. We can no longer fold our arms and watch these criminal elements continue to kill our people.

“We will no longer do nothing while these strangers destroy Yoruba land. We will fight them with everything we have,” the statement read.

The students leaders called on all the Governors of the South West States to rise up to the challenge of tackling the rampaging Fulani herdsmen head on.

According to them, students are being exposed to attacks by the marauding herdsmen, who they said have turned campuses to grazing fields at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

They noted that, “many parts of the South West region, notably, Igangan in Oyo State, Imeko, Eggua and Iselu in Ogun State, Ilesha-Akure express road, Ife-Osun express road, Eti Ooni river and Esa Oke-Ekiti express road have been turned into war zones, where people are being kidnapped, raped and slaughtered following persistent attacks by marauding Fulani herdsmen.

“Of note is the recent Igagan incident, where Fulani herdsmen have dominated the community, perpetrating their heinous acts.

“We want to sound a note of warning to these killer herdsmen to desist from their persistent attacks on Yoruba land as nobody has a monopoly of violence. We are ready to match these attackers of Yoruba race with the same violence that have subjected us to.

“However, we want to enjoin our brothers and sisters to continue to maintain peace and calmness. We are for a united Nigeria and we continue to demonstrate the ‘Omoluabi’ and leadership traits we are known for in the South West,” it was said.

While re-emphasizing that the South West is the most peace-loving zone in Nigeria, NANS said it would not hesitate to kick against all forms of threats against the peace of the region, saying, “we may have to resort to the part of violence if the need be.”

The students called on the Federal Government to urgently do the needful in order to “curb issues that can lead to tribal war and disintegration.”

DAILY POST reports that the statement was jointly signed by Kehinde Damilola Simeon, Ogun NANS Chairman; Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, Ondo NANS Chairman; Opakunle Mayowa, Oyo NANS Chairman and Agbogunleri Micheal, Osun NANS Chairman.

- DAILY POST

Lagos 2nd Republic governor Lateef Jakande is dead

 

Second Republic governor of Lagos state, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande is dead. He was 91.

Jakande, a former newspaper editor and publisher was governor between 1979 and 1983.

He died at about 8am today, of old age.

Burial arrangements are being discussed by the family, his son Deji, a former member of the House of Representatives told P.M.News.

Jakande as governor of Lagos, laid the development foundation of the state.

He expanded educational facilities, built more schools and capped them all by establishing the Lagos State University, LASU.

He built hospitals in all local governments in the state.

He also expanded a yet to be matched record in building affordable housing for the people.

Jakande built estates in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry and offered 30 year mortgage for apartments sold for between N6,000 and N8,000.

Jakande also was the governor who opened up many parts of the state, to link them all to form the megapolis that Lagos is known for today.

It was his government that also opened up the Lekki-Epe corridor in his first term, between 1979 and 1983. Hitherto, Epe residents used to go via Ijebu-Ode or Ikorodu to reach Ikeja, the capital.

However, his dream project to give Lagos, what would have been the first metro rail in Africa, was upended by the then military regime of Muhammadu Buhari.

The groundbreaking had been done for the rail line from Ogba to Yaba, passing through Ikorodu Road, work had started and Lagos had paid $80million, its share of the $800million project, when the military overthrew the civilian administration and cancelled the whole project.

In later years, Jakande ran for the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party, during the Babangida administration. But he didn’t succeed as the whole exercise was cancelled by the junta.

Later, Moshood Abiola emerged the presidential candidate of the party. But his election was similarly annulled, leading to protests and the formation of National Democratic Congress, NADECO.

Jakande played a prominent part, until he agreed to serve as works minister in the Abacha administration in 1993/94.

He incurred the wrath of his people when he did not quit the administration in the spirit of the June 12 struggle.

Jakande made equally great marks as a newspaper man.

He started his career with the Daily Service after leaving school in 1949. Then in 1953, he joined the Nigerian Tribune.

In 1956 he was appointed editor-in-chief of the Tribune by Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

His editorials were factual and forthright, and were treated by the colonial powers with respect.

After leaving the Tribune in 1975, Jakande established John West Publications and began to publish The Lagos News.

He served as the first President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and was the mastermind of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.

The man popularly called LKJ, was born in the Epetedo area of Lagos Island on 29 July 1929, to parents from Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

He had his primary education both in Lagos and Bunham Memorial Methodist School in Port Harcourt (1934–43).

He studied briefly at King’s College, Lagos in 1943, and then enrolled at Ilesha Grammar School in 1945, to complete his secondary education.

- PM NEWS