Insecurity: Nigeria 50 years backward, El-Rufai reaping from evil plotted against Rivers – Wike

 

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has insisted that the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari has dragged Nigeria 50 years backwards amid the state of security challenges in the country.

The Governor also alleged that the governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, was reaping from the evil he plotted against Rivers in the past.

Wike, in a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his media aide, stated this on Friday when Obiageli Ejezie, the Vice President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, led other leaders of the association to the Government House, Port Harcourt, to confer on him the 2019-20 Good Governance Award for his exceptional achievements in project execution in Rivers State.

He said, “There can’t be good governance without security and this is based on the rule of law. All of us are living witnesses that in 2015, it was alleged that the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan could not perform.

“So, Nigeria needed a change. What has happened to the change? They have taken Nigeria back by 50 years.

“Now, you wake up every morning, students are being kidnapped in so-and-so state university; people have been killed in so-and-so state. It has become the norm.

“Just wake up in the morning and the first thing you will see on the front page of the dailies is ‘10 people have been kidnapped in Niger State; 20 have been killed in Zamfara State, five have been killed in Imo’ and this happens virtually every day. So, where are we heading to?

“Now, in order to cause crises in our state, they brought the CP they wanted. At the end of the day, God did not allow them to have their way. But see what is happening in his state now. When you are plotting evil against somebody, evil will visit you. And that is the problem Governor el-Rufai is facing today in Kaduna State.’’

Recall that the nose-diving security situation in Nigeria is increasingly put President Buhari under pressure as prominent Nigerians, among whom are governors, former political office holders, clerics and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, have started to speak out in condemnation of his alleged inaction.

The past three weeks have particularly been traumatic for the country, with killings, abductions and attacks on communities and security agencies, especially as the killing of police officers continues unabated.

Within the period, bandits operating in Kaduna State invaded a private institution in the State, Greenfield University in Chikun Local Government Area, abducted more than 20 students and killed a staff member during the attack. In a gruesome move, the bandits, who asked for N800 million ransom, have killed five of the students to show that they meant business.

- DAILY POST

NDLEA arrests ‘drug trafficker’ who excreted 59 wraps of cocaine

 

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested one Okoguale Douglas, for allegedly trafficking 78.2 grammes of cocaine from Nigeria to Italy.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman, disclosed this on Friday.

Douglas, who hails from Esan north LGA in Edo state, but also claimed to reside in Italy, was said to have been arrested at the NDLEA screening point at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport in Abuja.

He reportedly excreted 59 wraps of cocaine after he was placed under observation.

Babafemi said the suspect claimed to have arrived the country through Libya for his father’s burial, and was promised some money on successful delivery of the drugs to Italy.

“Under investigation, he claimed he has been residing in Italy since 2011, after entering the country via Libya with one of his uncles. He said he works as a restaurant attendant in Italy where he earns 900 Euros per month and also works as a painter on his free day and gets about 400 Euros upon completion of any work,” the statement read.

“He also confessed he was promised 2000 Euros if he successfully delivers the drugs to Italy.”

According to the spokesperson, Buba Marwa, the NDLEA chairman, commended the officers of the agency for the arrest.

- THECABLE

Jagaban: Fela’s family hints at lawsuit against APC

 

The relative of the Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti has condemned the use of the music legend’s name/image on clothes bearing ‘Jagaban’.

Jagaban is one of the nicknames of a prominent politician and former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu.

The traditional title was conferred on the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader by the Emir of Borgu in Niger State, Haliru Dantoro Kitoro.

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, campaign materials bearing the Tinubu or Jagaban or Asiwaju (Tinubu’s traditional title in Lagos) have appeared in circulation.

In a statement, Fela’s son, Femi said he saw the tweet by the APC and confirmed Fela’s name on the T-shirts bearing ‘Jagaban’ was never authorized.

Femi declared that the family owns the trademark and the use of it constitutes an infringement and disregard of their legal rights.

The Afrobeat star warned the party to desist from using Fela’s image, adding that the family does not align with any political party in Nigeria or beyond.

“We are carefully assessing the situation and failure to comply with this demand will leave us with no other option but to explore any legal options that are available to us”, he added.

- DAILY POST

Two smugglers dead, 10 Customs, soldiers, others injured in Ogun gun-battle

 

Smugglers have engaged Customs officers and soldiers in a gun-battle in Ogun State, leading to the death of two smugglers.

Four customs officers, one soldier and five civilians were shot and injured during the gun-battle.

A statement issued by the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, and signed by its spokesman, SC Hammed Bukoye Oloyede , said the Ogun I Command Customs and military personnel were on patrol to Oja-Odan, Yewa North of Ogun State when the shooting occurred.

He said “At about 20:00 of 6th of May, based on credible intelligence, the patrol team intercepted about 320 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each out of the large number stockpiled in a building around the said Oja-Odan area.

“During evacuation of the said rice, some die-hard smugglers aided by unscrupulous elements and hoodlums in their numbers and armed with sophisticated weapons shot and attacked the patrol team.

“They shot sporadically at officers. Unfortunately, four Customs operatives, one soldier and five civilians assisting in evacuation sustained gunshot injuries.”

Oloyede said they were immediately rushed to the hospital for proper medical attention and that they were currently responding to treatment.

He further said the patrol team repressed the attack by gunning down two of the hoodlums and left many others with gunshot injuries.

“The patrol team succeeded in evacuating the aforementioned items, arrested one suspect, Mr Taiye Kujo and six motorcycles used by the suspected smugglers, and conveyed all to the Customs House at Idiroko.”

“Investigation is ongoing to fish out more perpetrators of this barbaric act. In this regard, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Peter Kolo assured the general public that the renewed hostilities by armed smugglers will not deter our officers and men from discharging their statutory responsibilities,” he said.

Oloyede said Kolo appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to warn their subjects to desist from smuggling activities and attack on security operative as anyone caught would be made to face the wrath of the law.

- PM NEWS

Catholic bishops: Nigeria will become ungovernable if FG continues to ignore advice

 

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) says Nigeria will “become ungovernable” if the federal government continues to ignore criticisms and recommendations.

The clergies also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address the country on his effort in tackling insecurity.

They made the demand in a statement issued on Friday and signed by Augustine Akubeze, president of CBCN.

The bishops said Nigerians want to “directly hear” from Buhari — and not presidential spokespersons.

The Catholic leaders urged the president convene a national conference geared towards implementing restructuring and devolution of power.

“In Nigeria, the Catholic Church wants the Federal Government to call for a meeting of all stakeholders to have a sincere discussion on the way forward,” the statement read.

“Such discussions must seek how to implement the much talked about restructuring and devolution of power down to the local government level.

“No government leader should watch the breakdown of law and order in Nigeria. It is our collective obligation to make Nigeria successful.

“Presidents of countries grant interviews to the media who are the watchdogs of democracy. But in Nigeria, we hardly hear directly from our President.

“Most of the time, we hear from ‘the Presidency.’ Nigerians did not elect presidential media spokespersons. Nigerians do want to hear directly from their President and hear words that are matched with actions.

“To every religious leader, let us not use inflammatory words that distort the real message we are sending to this government.”

The bishops said Nigeria stands on a precipice, adding that the government should accept constructive criticism and suggestions on how to move the country forward.

“We must be united in the fight for our common destiny as a people. It must be clearly stated to the Federal Government that if they continue to ignore the constructive criticisms and recommendations of Nigerians from every sector, the country will collapse and become ungovernable,” they said.

“We are speedily getting there. Police stations are being burnt, our gallant military men and women are being killed, barracks are attacked, IDP camps are attacked, farmlands are invaded, youth unemployment is at its highest, private sectors are not giving enabling environment to thrive, and appointments to offices are not reflective of our diversities; the complaints are almost endless — could the sounds signalling a collapsing nation be louder than this?”

“Every reasonable Nigerian is sick to the stomach to read or hear of a governor running from insurgents who want to kill him in the state where he is constitutionally the chief security officer.

“Nigerians are tired of hearing of bandits taking youths in the university and executing some of them, while others are kept to be used to bargain for ransom.

“The insecurity is leading to a daily loss of lives and properties in every part of the country. These facts are indisputable.”

The bishops also bemoaned the spate of abduction of students by bandits.

- THECABLE

Again, gunmen attack police formations in Rivers, behead officer

 

Unknown gunmen have attacked the Rumuji police station in Emohua local government area of Rivers State.

DAILY POST learnt that they beheaded one officer during the attack.

The gunmen also attacked and killed one police personnel at a checkpoint point at Ogbakiri junction in the same local government.

The attackers also destroyed the checkpoint of the recently relaunched C4i police formation located at the Emohua axis of the East west road in Port Harcourt.

These attacks were carried out around 10pm on Friday, when the curfew declared by the Rivers state government had taken effect.

A source, who confirmed the incident, said the gunmen started shooting from Aluu in Ikwerre local government area of the State before proceeding to their targets.

The Rivers State police command was yet to make any comment on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

Rivers State had in recent times witnessed series of attacks on security formations in the State, leading to the declaration of the night curfew from 10pm to 6am daily.

- DAILY POST

Sheikh Gumi a pure evil, janjaweed terrorist – Fani-Kayode

 

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi as “a pure evil, a janjaweed terrorist”.

Fani-Kayode made the remark on his Twitter page while insisting that Gumi is a terrorist.

The chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party warned against trusting the Islamic scholar.

“Sheik Ahmad Gumi is the physical manifestation and living personification of unadulterated and pure evil.

“He speaks peace but war is in his heart.

“Behind his seemingly gentle visage and soft words lies a hungry and insatiable wolf that thirsts for blood.

“He is the quintessential Janjaweed terrorist: a man with no morals and no scruples.

“He reminds me of the Pied Piper of Hamlin that led the children away. Those who trust him do so at their own peril,” he said.

Many Civil groups and Nigerians have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest Gumi over his interaction with bandits.

- PM NEWS