News

By Uzair Adam Imam 

A wrestler who murdered his wife for requesting a divorce letter has been sentenced to death by Adamawa State High Court.

The man, identified as Thank-You Grim, was said to be a renowned wrestler from the Silli community in Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa state.

The Chief Judge, Justice Nathan Musa, while delivering the judgment on Tuesday, said the prosecution had convinced the court that the man had committed the offence and the court, therefore, sentenced him to death by hanging. 

Narrating the incident, some residents told journalists that Grim had thrown his wife, Kwalla, on the ground before using a pestle to hit her in the head, which led to her death.

It was gathered that the couple had lived separately since January 2018 following irreconcilable differences.

However, when the deceased fell in love with another man and wanted to remarry, she asked Grim for a divorce letter, a development that frustrated him. 

The resident disclosed that instead of granting her request, the wrestler lured the deceased to come over to collect the letter. 

At she arrived, the man started pleading with her to return to him, a proposal she outright rejected.

That was said to be the start of their argument, resulting in him hitting her with a pestle, leading to her death.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged media houses in the country to stop promoting corrupt citizens. 

EFCC stated that the media sometimes portrayed the approach of the commission in fighting cybercrime as draconian.

Abdurasheed Bawa, the chairman of the anti-graft agency, disclosed this Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of a workshop on financial crime reporting organised for the journalists covering its activities.

Bawa stated that the reportage was perhaps borne out of a poor understanding of the anti-graft agency’s modus operandi.

He added, “I want to use this opportunity to further urge media practitioners to put the interest of our country at heart, particularly as it relates to a conscientious effort not to celebrate the corrupt in our midst.

“I urge you to expose them on the pages of your newspapers, screens of television or on your various online platforms.

“The war against corruption is a worthy fight for the soul of Nigeria and for the future generation; it should not be left to the EFCC alone,” he said.

The workshop was said to be one of the interventions by the commission to improve the capacity of the media to deliver on its constitutional mandate.

By MMuhammad Sabiu

The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) meeting on Tuesday came to an end once more without a resolution.This indicates that the six-month-old lecturers’ strike at public universities will continue.

The Professor Nimi Briggs Committee and the striking academics met on Tuesday at the National University Commission in Abuja in the hope of breaking the deadlock.

Members of the Briggs renegotiation committee did not present any new offers to the table, according to a top member of ASUU who requested anonymity.

Instead, the committee begged the professors to cease their strike, the ASUU source claimed, assuring them that their issues would be addressed in the 2023 budget.

The discussion, which began at noon, reportedly lasted for about three hours without producing a resolution.

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

The lead negotiator with the abductors of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers, Malam Tukur Mamu, has confirmed that the remaining 27 victims of the train attack are still in captivity.

Mamu confirmed this in a press release he personally signed in Kaduna on Tuesday. He said “this is to confirm without doubt that the remaining 27 passengers of the train attack are still being held by their abductors, nearly 5 months after the unfortunate and preventable incidence”.

“Though I have disengaged myself from negotiating, anxious family members, pressmen and concerned Nigerians have been calling to confirm the veracity of the news while many others justifiably have been celebrating and even congratulating relatives of the innocent victims” he said.

“While it is a news we are all praying earnestly to hear, it is highly irresponsible for peddlers of FAKE NEWS to circulate sensitive contents that are not only unverifiable, untrue but news items that will certainly trigger anxiety and concerned amongst the family members of those that remained in captivity and millions of their well wishers across the globe”.

“The condition of the remaining victims is still very bad, many of them are sick, the raining season is affecting them so much. I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts in securing their release immediately as the situation remains highly unpredictable while the families of those that are still in the bush are incapacitated in whatever way to negotiate the safe release of their loved ones”.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Scotland has passed a law pronouncing period products free for all its citizens. The landmark legislation is the first of its kind in the world. 

The Members of Scottish Parliament, MSPs, have unanimously approved the Bill in November 2020 to combat period poverty

According to a report by BBC, local authorities now have a legal duty to provide free items such as tampons and sanitary pads to “anyone who needs them”.

 The bill, now known as the Period Products Act, was introduced by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has advocated to end period poverty since 2016. 

Lennon said: “Local authorities and partner organisations have worked hard to make the legal right to access free period products a reality.

“This is another big milestone for period dignity campaigners and grassroots movements which shows the difference that progressive and bold political choices can make.

“As the cost-of-living crisis takes hold, the Period Products Act is a beacon of hope which shows what can be achieved when politicians come together for the good of the people we serve.”

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will resume talks today, over their protracted strike, with representatives of the Federal Government.

The meeting, according to the organization’s president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, is meant to discuss on one of the seven topics that ASUU is protesting about and “That’s the issue of renegotiation,” Osodeke said.

The chairman stated this in a Channels Television’s Politics Today yesterday Monday.

It is about “the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement. It’s not just about wages. It has to do with the system. The structure, the autonomy and other issues and how to fund universities.

“The government has reduced it to just salaries alone. But if they had looked at the whole agreement and implemented it, we would not be talking about funding.” Osodeke added

It can be recalled that on February 14, ASUU shut down public universities citing as their reason the Federal Government inability to respect prior agreements that both sides had made in their previous face-offs.

The issues of contention include funding for the revitalization of public institutions, earned academic allowances, the University Transparency Accountability Solution, promotion backlogs, among other grievances.

By Uzair Adam Imam

No fewer than 350 houses and food items were destroyed by the flood at three communities in the Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The incident that occurred over the weekend rendered many people homeless and washed away food items.

Abubakar Ghani, the spokesman for the state emergency management agency, confirmed the development Monday.

Ghani stated that the villages affected include Shiyar Ajiya, Makers and Runji, but said no life was lost during the disaster.

The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Tambuwal symphatized with the people of the area.

He also assured them that the state government would provide relief materials to them as soon as possible.

The Daily Reality recalls heavy downpour has wreaked havoc in Jigawa communities, leading to the destruction of many houses, shops and prosperities worth millions of naira in the areas.

The Daily Reality reported that the communities affected included; Hadejia, Kafin Hausa, Kiri-Kasamma and some parts of Garun-Gabas, Tandanu and Bulangu of Jigawa state respectively.

Professionals have argued that there would be more flood in Nigeria in the next two months because of the climate change.

The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof Mansur Bako Matazu, has warned Nigerians to brace up for more rains in the next two months.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has suspended its General Secretary, Joyce Oduah, over what it called “gross misconduct”.

This is coming after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the association held on Monday, August 15, 2022.

The NEC meeting was presided by the 1st Vice President of the association, Mr John Aikpokpo-Martins, after the president , Mr Olumide AKpata, had voluntarily withdrawn from the meeting.

The major allegation levelled against Mrs Oduah was her solitary withdrawal of notices for the amendment of the NBA constitution, an action which has thrown the members of the association into pandemonium.

Troubles started for Mrs Oduah on Friday when the NBA President, Mr AKpata, issued a disclaimer annulling the withdrawal of the notices for the NBA constitution amendment .

By Uzair Adam Imam

One of the released victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, Hassan Aliyu, said the bandits used to preach them and encourage them to pray.

Aliyu disclosed that, while in captivity, they didn’t have problem with prayer as bandits allowed and encouraged them to pray. The man disclosed this to Daily Trust in an interview, adding that “there was no problem about prayers; we were never harassed in any way.”

He added, “It was just the feeling that you were not free because wherever you wanted to go you must take permission. Whatever you want to do you must ask for permission. The only time you don’t ask for permission is when you want to interact among yourselves.”

Aliyu further recounted how the bandits used Qur’an to preach to them, adding that the incident was quite interesting as the bandits gave room for interaction and questions.

He added, “I recall a particular issue where somebody said there was a verse in the Qur’an that, ‘You should call people to religion with wisdom.’ And asked why they were doing what they were doing.

“The preacher replied that there were nowhere two verses collided in the Qur’an. That before anyone is labelled an infidel, such a person must have been taught about Islam first.

“We disagreed. It was quite interesting. They would come in the night or during the day and we would interact. They would ask questions or you ask them questions and they would answer happily,” he stated.

The Daily Reality recalls that on March 28, a Kaduna-bound train was stormed by gunmen. The attack led to the death of several persons while many were injured and others abducted.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has reappointed his former media aide, Bashir Ahmad, as Special Assistant on Digital Communications.

Bashir Ahmad took to his verified Facebook account on Sunday August 14 , 2022, to announce his reappointment. He thanked the president for another chance to serve in his administration

He said: “Alhamdulillah! This is an honor. Thank you Baba Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for finding me worthy again and again, this time as your Special Assistant on Digital Communications. I will continue being a good ambassador of your administration, Baba.”

Bashir Ahmad had complied with Buhari’s directive to ministers and aides contesting elections to resign in June. He then contested the APC primary election to represent Gaya Federal Constituency and lost the election.