National

By Muhammad Aminu

Bandit-terrorists killed an assistant commissioner of police, Aminu Umar, in a gun duel in Zakka Forest of Safana local government of Katsina State on Tuesday afternoon.

The terrorist-bandits numbering over 300 hundred ambushed the ACP alongside his Officer while on operation at the said forest.

Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, disclosed this in a statement to journalists in Katsina.

ACP Aminu Umar who was the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dutsinma Area Command, was overpowered by the heavily armed terrorists.

“Today 06/07/2022 at about 1130hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over three hundred (300), on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsinma and team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana LGA of Katsina state. Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during a cross-exchange of gunfire, the statement said.

CP Idrisu Dauda sympathised with the families of the deceased over the tragic loss.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, psc +, fdc, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, expresses his deep sympathy to the family of the deceased and pray to almighty Allah to repose their souls in Jannatul Firdausi.

He reaffirms the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state until it is completely rooted out.

By Muhammad Aminu

The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano Hon. Shehu Wada Sagagi has called on the National Chairman of PDP Dr. Iorchia Ayu to quit his position in the interest of the party.

Hon. Sagagi made the call today during a press briefing in Kano.

Hon. Sagagi said for peace, unity and giving a sense of belonging to PDP members from the southern part of the country, the national chairman should pave way for a southerner to replace him.

“In the interest of unity and success of our party, I would like to call on the national chairman of our party Dr. Iorchia Ayu to please honour his promise that he earlier did, that in case a Northerner emerged as a flagbearer of the party, he promised to resign.

“So I will like him to toe the path of honour so that unity returns to the party, so that Atiku Abubakar will be successful in the 2023 election because the Southerners in our party need to be given sense of belonging,” he said.

The PDP Chairman further said: “A situation where the national Chairman is from the North, Chairman of Board of Trustees is from the North, the Chairman PDP Governors Forum is from the North and the presidential candidate is also from the North, I think there is no sense of fairness.”

Hon. Sagagi emphasised that unity and success of the party should be the priority while the Chairman should consider his resignation as a necessary sacrifice for the PDP.

“I call on Dr. Ayu, as a statesman, to honour his promise and consider it as a sacrifice he should make for the party to move forward. And So, his resignation will go a long way in forging unity in the party so that at least a southerner should emerge as a National Chairman of the party for unity to prevail and peace will return to the party.

“And we promise to be law-abiding members of the party and we will heavily campaign for our presidential candidate Alh Atiku Abubakar to win the forthcoming 2023 general election,” he added.

The Chairman further dispelled the rumour that they are hobnobbing with other political parties and candidates other than PDP.

He added: “On behalf of the Kano State Executive Committee (SEC), I dispel the rumour that we have any association with any political party or candidate. Our party still remains people’s Democratic Party PDP and we are committed to its success at all levels.

“We call on the party SEC in the State and our governorship candidate to engage in aggressive Party membership drive in all the wards and 44 local governments in the Kano State for the success of the party in 2023.”

Hon. Sagagi also appealed to aggrieved members of the party to sheath their swords and join hands with them for the success of the PDP.

“We would like to use this medium to call on all aggrieved members of the party to sheath their sword to come and let’s join hands to work together as a party so that victory is ours in 2023.”

He commended SEC and party members in the State on the successful primaries. He congratulate all candidates who emerged successful after the primaries at the state and national levels.

“I congratulate the national leadership of the PDP for the successful national convention. I applauded the Election committee together with all our party men and women in Kano State for their dedication and commitment.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigerian Police Force, NPF, have rescued scores of children from an underground church apartment in the Valentino Area of Ondo town. 

According to a Twitter user with the username DejiAdesogan, among other multiple sources, a pastor and some church members have been arrested in connection with the incident. 

“DISTURBING NEWS: Scores of kidnapped children were allegedly found and rescued from an underground apartment of a church in the Valentino Area of Ondo town, Ondo State, on Friday evening. A pastor and church members already arrested in connection with the case.” DejiAdesogan tweeted 

The Twitter user also accompanied his claim of the rescue with a video and picture of the scenario.

He also berated religious leaders who perpetuate criminal activities in the name of religion.

“The allegedly kidnapped scores of children rescued from an underground of a church in Ondo town is a clear proof that some Clerics hide under the religion to perpetrate evil. Inhumane, Wickedness & Condemnable,” He tweeted. 

At the time of writing this report, the NPF have yet to comment on the development.

By Aisar Fagge

African countries have received over 90 million donations of doses of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure Africans are adequately vaccinated, but inadequate information and lack of transparency and accountability caused a serious problem.

The Vaccine and Essential Drugs Associate of Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), Khadija Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed this in a webinar organised by AHBN on Thursday, June 30, 2022, to acquaint Media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with necessary information on procurement, delivery and distribution of the vaccine in Africa.

Mrs Bobboyi noted that developed countries, multilateral organisations and corporations have supported Africa at different phases in terms of the supply of the vaccine that ravaged the world.

She revealed that COVAX and African Vaccines Acquisition Trust, alongside other partners, have made vaccines available to African countries.

She stated: “Africa is getting free donations of vaccines and support from the international community; availability of multiple sources of COVID-19 vaccine and at a subsidised rate.

“African Union and Partners have established AVAT to augment donations from the international donor community.”

“African Civil Society Organizations and the populace hardly know or understand the procurement and delivery mechanisms. There is a paucity of information, weak transparent processes which make it difficult to hold governments and their donors to account.”

The AHBN officer, however, decried that there is an uneven distribution of the vaccines among African countries while many donors donate near-expired vaccines with short notice that African countries may not be prepared for its safe keeping.

“Multiple mechanisms may pose a problem because some countries may receive more and others less without proper analysis of which country is in more need of the vaccines. The majority of the donations to date have been ad hoc, provided with little notice and short shelf lives and become expired,” she added.

She described the webinar as “an attempt to begin to change the narrative and empower African Civil Society Organizations, media and the populace with information and promote greater and meaningful participation in the affairs of Africa and COVID-19.”

She finally called on the donors and partners to key in countries’ priorities in their donations, saying, “donations from COVAX and AVAT to African countries must be made in a way that allows countries to effectively mobilise domestic resources in support of rollout vaccination and enables long-term planning to increase coverage rates.”

The convener of the webinar, Dr Aminu Magashi, who is the founder of several NGOs such as AHBN, CHR, and YOSPIS, assured that this kind of webinar would continuously be organised regularly to sensitise media practitioners and Civil Society Organizations on their roles in holding governments accountable on the procurement, delivery and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

The participants of the webinar who came from different countries were drawn from media organisations, CSOs and the general public, who were educated on the processes of vaccine acquisition and distribution.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

Two (2) inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) studying with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Corrections’ Special Study Centre in Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kaduna, have graduated with degree certificates.

In a congratulatory message to the graduands, the Assistant Controller General of Corrections, Umar Audu, on behalf of the Controller General of Corrections, congratulated the graduands and charged them to see the educational advancement as a stepping stone to a brighter future.

He urged them to shun anti-social behaviours capable of tainting the new course of positive life they have chosen for themselves and be good ambassadors of both the NCoS and NOUN.

The graduands, Umolu Emmanuel Onyebuchi, who studied BSc Communication Technology and Alexander Okpe, who studied BA Christian Theology, thanked the management of NCoS and NOUN for their support and encouragement.

Since the inception of the collaboration between the NCoS and NOUN, numerous inmates have graduated in different fields of study such as Conflict and Peace Resolution, Political Science, Communication Technology, Sociology, Guidance and Counselling, among others.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Ansaru terrorist group reportedly took over communities in the eastern part of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State and banned political activities.

The Daily Reality gathered that this was not the first time the terrorists conquered the area, recruited young residents and married up their young girls.

According Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives’ Union (BEPU), who spoke through its chairman, Ishaq Kasai, the terrorists have camps in seven political wards in the eastern part of the Local government area.

He added, “In fact, the group continue to gain acceptance from many members of the communities, particularly in Old Kuyello and Damari of Kazage Ward. Even this week, two members of the group were engaged to wed two girls and will be tying the nuptial knots by the coming Saturday.

“The Ansaru (grooms) laid down some rules to the in-laws for the wedding. They ruled that, after the wedding, they would take the brides to the forests and live there with them and do not want the brides to go along with any furniture except plates (coolers) and mattresses because anything other than that is not in tandem with their beliefs and convictions.

“A disturbing scenario is where the group banned all political activities in many communities such as Damari of Kazage Ward. Politicians from these communities have to go far away secretly to the neighbouring communities before they hold political meetings.

“For instance, this week, an Okada rider who lives in Unguwar Makera of Kazage Ward was seen with a sticker of one of the candidates vying for the Kaduna State House of Assembly, and he was thoroughly beaten by the Ansaru.

“People in these communities are now disenchanted and frustrated about participating in political activities.

“We don’t know how the coming Elections will take place in those areas because even the last Local Government Election did not hold in the Area due to the escalating insecurity, which made the election results be declared inconclusive, and a Sole Administrator was appointed overseeing the affairs the Local Government up till now.

“In short, the Ansaru are now in charge of many of the communities in the area, and the group is expanding its occupation. They now call the shot and determine what is to be done in the villages they are dominating,”‘ he said.

No intervention from the government

Kasai decried that there has been no government or military intervention in these communities long since the attack.

He lamented, “our communities are being attacked, people kidnapped and killed daily without a response, acknowledgement or report from Government.

“We call on the Government to please organise a coordinated security operation both aerial and ground to the hideouts of these criminals in our forests in order to flush them and stop daily killings of our people by the unchallenged terrorist groups surrounding our communities,” he said.

However, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Mohammed Jalige, stated that he needed to study the statement before comments.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Reports reaching The Daily Reality have indicated Justice Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, has resigned.

According to sources, Justice Muhammad announced his resignation on Sunday night and gave his reason as being ill.

Arrangements are reportedly being made to appoint Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the next-highest ranking justice on the Supreme Court, as interim Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Sources disclosed that there would soon be a formal statement about the resignation.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Contrary to rumours claiming that the exam had been postponed to a later date, the National Examination Council has declared that the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination would begin on Monday, June 27, 2022, for school-based applicants.

Azeez Sani, the council’s head of information and public relations, revealed this information in a statement to journalists in Minna on Saturday.

Sani urged interested parties to reject rumours that the examination would be delayed.

“State Ministries of Education, Principals, Commandants and all stakeholders are enjoined to disregard any speculation on the alleged postponement of the examination,” Sani said, adding that “the Council has put all necessary measures in place to ensure a seamless conduct of the 2022 Senior School Certificate Examination.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, said his choice of Atiku as a running mate during the 1999 general election was a mistake. 

Obasanjo disclosed this on Saturday, June 25, while addressing students in Abeokuta at a leadership and entrepreneurship mentoring session. 

The former president admitted to having made many mistakes in his life. He also disclosed that one of such mistakes was his choice of running mate in the 1999 presidential election.

“I don’t say I don’t make mistakes – I made many of them,” Obasanjo said.

“But one thing that has happened to me is that God has never disappointed me. And that is very important.

“For instance, one of the mistakes I made was picking a number two when I was going to become President.

“But because it is a genuine mistake, God saved me out of it.”

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, contested alongside Obasanjo in the said election.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Tension rocks the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party’s presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, allegedly obtained no primary and secondary school certificates. 

However, Tinubu insisted that he had two degrees from two American universities. Yet, he stated that the certificates were stolen by unknown soldiers during the military junta of the 1990s.

The Daily Reality gathered that the information was in an affidavit submitted by Tinubu to the INEC office as part of his eligibility filings for the 2023 presidential elections.

The documents released Friday by the electoral body showed that Tinubu completely left the columns for his primary and secondary schools unmarked.

Additionally, the latest claims by Tinubu in his submission to INEC reportedly contradicted the previous submissions of 1999 and 2003 when contested as a governorship candidate in Lagos state.

It was gathered that Tinubu allegedly claimed in 1999 and 2003 that he attended primary and secondary schools.

He indicated that he attended St. Paul Children’s Home School, Ibadan, between 1958 and 1964 and secondary school at the Government College, Ibadan, between 1965 and 1968.