News

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The police in Ogun State have arrested a 25-year-old man, Ebenezer Adeshina, for raping and intimidating a 16-year-old Facebook friend.

Adeshina allegedly invited the victim to his house, where he had intoxicated and raped her.

After having raped the girl, Adeshina also took the victim’s nude pictures and started threatening to make them public if the girl refused to give him the sum of N50,000.

The girl confided in the police that she met the guy on Facebook last year, and since then, they have been chatting with each other. 

She said because her phone got spoilt, the suspect called her with a promise to give her N30,000 for the phone’s repair.

However, no sooner had the girl arrived at his house than the suspect offered her a drugged drink which she took and became unconscious, after which the rape followed. 

The police spokesman in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said Monday that the suspect was arrested following a report by the victim at Owode Egbado Division.

The statement read in part: “After having sex with her in the state of unconsciousness, the suspect took her nude pictures and started threatening to upload them on social media if she didn’t pay him the sum of N50,000.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has reportedly joined the race for the 2023 presidential election. 

A Coalition of Northern Groups picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination form for the former president on Monday, May 9, 2022, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. 

Recall that some youths stormed Jonathan’s house a few weeks ago urging him to vie for the office of the presidency, which he reportedly declined. 

However, as at the time of fielding this report, Jonathan is yet to publicly defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. 

Also, whether Jonathan will accept the nomination form to contest on the platform of APC, which defeated him in 2015, is still uncertain.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Asefon Sunday Dayo, says the association will block all airport roads in the country, as a result of the government’s inability to end the lingering ASUU strike.

Asefon made this known in a press release on Facebook on Monday, May 9, 2022.

This is coming after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU ) extended their ongoing strike to 12 weeks. ASUU has been on strike since February and cited negligence on the part of the government as the reason for the extension of the strike.

According to the NANS President, the extension of the strike is a total declaration of war by the Federal Government against the university students in Nigeria.

“Having exhausted all windows of constructive engagement with the government, I, on behalf of the national leadership of NANS, therefore, declare National Action from tomorrow 10th.

The National Actions is tagged “Operation Test Run”. Operation Test Run shall be held in all the 36 states of the Federation. Federal Roads across the 36 States shall be occupied for a minimum of 3hrs. The Operation shall be a precursor to a total shutdown that will be decided during our Senate meeting/pre-convention on Saturday 14th May 2022. Our decision from the pre-convention shall be binding. The action shall be total as the extension of the ASUU strike is a direct declaration of war by the Federal Government against university students in Nigeria.” He wrote.

He added that the association will subsequently block airport roads across the country and disrupt party primaries amongst other things.

“Our proposal to our congress on the 14th shall be total blockage of the airport roads across the country and total disruption of political party primaries, blockage of the national assembly until they are committed to passing legislation banning public office holders from sending their children to university [sic] abroad.” He stated.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The families of the abducted Abuja-Kaduna train victims threatened that the train service must not resume unless all the abducted passengers are rescued.

Speaking through their spokesperson, Dr Abdulfatai Jimoh, the victims’ families said adequate security measures must be put in place to guarantee the safety of prospective passengers.

The Daily Reality reported how bandits attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train, killed eight persons, and abducted many passengers last month.

The bandits in a video threatened to kill all the victims if the federal government refused to negotiate with them.

However, reports disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the NRC to set up a situation room for the coordination of the rescue mission for the passengers.

But the families lamented that “Still, one week after this presidential directive was issued, the NRC has never contacted the relatives of the kidnapped victims nor established any situation room.

“This display of gross incompetence and insensitivity should lead to appropriate punishment,” they said.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A well-known social media activist and lawyer, Abdu Bulama Bukarti, lambasted the Buhari administration over the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

This came as ASUU extended its ongoing strike by three months due to the government’s poor handling of the issue. Also, Bukarti’s remarks surprised some as he had been publicly criticising ASUU on its resolve to strike.

ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had announced Sunday at the end of the Union’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was held in Abuja, that the strike had been extended by three months.

Bukarti, known for his stern opposition against frequent strikes by ASUU, said that Nigeria has failed to mitigate the menacing issue of strike by ASUU because it does not affect them (the elite) or their beloved children.

In a Facebook post, Bukarti lamented that the government “never hesitate to move on putting the strike by the Airline operators to an end because it has [a] direct effect on them and their children. But since [the] ASUU strike has no direct or indirect effect on them and their children, they failed to solve the problem.”

The Daily Reality reported that ASUU suspended its nine-month-long strike in 2020 after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government. Still, a year after, the government is yet to fulfil its promises to the union.

The ASUU strike has been described as one of the most lingering issues paralysing Nigerian universities, leading to the delay in students’ graduation, deterioration of the educational system and promulgation of serious social vices across the country.

Not only that, many people argue that the strike has destroyed the future of many promising youths, including both university students and their lecturers.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Oby Ezekwesili, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, has called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to resign and stop embarrassing the country.

Mrs Ezekwesili’s remark came after reports that Mr Emefiele had acquired the All Progressives Congress presidential nomination and expression of interest form for N100 million on Friday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

“I just read your waffling neither-here-nor-there tweet reacting to news of your payment of N100M for the APC Nomination form for 2023 Presidential election,” Mrs Ezekwesili tweeted.

“Seems you did not read what the APC Spokesperson said to @Bloomberg. Resign. Stop embarrassing the country. Stop.”

Mr Emefiele, according to the former minister, has turned over the leadership of the apex bank to the president since assuming office.

She went on to say that the bank’s “ill-advised monetary actions” during the last seven years were “political.”

She added that Mr Emefiele’s CBN’s bad monetary policies after Buhari took office in 2015 were proof that the bank had turned over its independence to the president.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s Green Chamber, the House of Representatives, has called for an emergency session scheduled to hold on Monday. 

The clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, in a statement on Saturday, April 6, 2022, announced that the emergency session would hold on Monday. However, the clerk did not state any specific reason for the emergency but said in the terse notice that critical issues of national importance would be discussed. 

“This is to inform all Hon. Members, staff, media and the general public that the House hereby recalls all Hon. Members for an emergency plenary session against Monday, 9th May, 2022, at 2:00 pm. It is particularly intended to discuss critical issues of national importance. The House regrets any inconvenience this short notice would have caused,” The notice reads.

It is unusual for the House to sit for plenary on Mondays. Usually, they sit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

However, the House members have been reportedly neglecting plenary sessions. It is believed that the incoming political parties’ primaries are the reason.

Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Operatives of the Port Harcourt’s Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, have commenced an investigation of 13 suspected oil thieves handed over to it by the Nigerian Navy.

The suspects were handed over Wednesday, May 4, 2022, by the Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS Pathfinder, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licences.

The suspects are Goodnews Wilfred, Gabriel Awadis, Monday Anja, Sylvanus Benson, Timothy Rufus, Appolos Awajis, Tombari Lede, Ebirene Ebirene, Friday Aaron, Ataije Ebirene, Ibrahiim Attah, Shuaibu Magaji and Odeon Emmanuel.

Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Nine members of the Kano State House of Assembly elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform have defected to the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP).

The spokesperson of the Assembly, Uba Abdullahi, announced this in a statement he issued on Friday. He said the members had sent a letter to the Speaker of the House notifying the House of their defection.

He said some of the members cited a leadership tussle in the PDP at state and national levels for their action.

The affected members include:

 Isyaku Ali Danja (Gezawa Constituency), 

Umar Musa Gama (Nassarawa Constituency),

Aminu Sa’adu Ungogo (Ungogo Constituency),

Lawan Hussain Chediyar ‘Yan Gurasa (Dala Constituency)

Tukur Muhammad (Fagge Constituency).

Mu’azzam El-Yakub (Dawakin Kudu Constituency)

Garba Shehu Fammar (Kibiya Constituency)

Abubakar Uba Galadima (Bebeji Constituency)

Mudassir Ibrahim Zawaciki (Kumbotso Constituency).

Earlier on April 29, the House announced the defection of a member representing Kano Municipal, Salisu Gwangwazo, from the PDP to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), also citing an internal crisis in the main opposition party

However, the latest defections are widely seen to be connected to the movement of a former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the PDP to the NNPP.

Mr Kwankwaso moved to the NNPP earlier this year and is expected to run for president on the party’s ticket.

Kwankwaso’s defection has triggered the mass defection of his followers from the PDP to the NNPP. Some of them have taken party positions ahead of the party’s primaries.

By Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

The Chief of Army Staff(COAS),  Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, has commissioned two official residences for Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) of  Headquarters 8 Division and Division Garrison, both in Giginya Barracks, Sokoto. 

The COAS commissioned the projects Thursday, 5 May 2022, as part of his operational tour of the 8 Division, Nigerian Army. Speaking during the event, Gen Yahaya maintained that RSMs constitute a vital link between officers and soldiers, stressing that they are the custodians of discipline and regimentation in the NA, without which command and control would have been cumbersome.  Therefore, he charged the RSMs to redouble their effort in entrenching discipline and regimentation among personnel. 

General Yahaya noted that bequeathing a befitting infrastructure to troops is a gesture that will boost their morale and encourage them to do their best while discharging their responsibilities. He reiterated his resolve to continue a deliberate policy, to improve the standard of infrastructure in all NA barracks.

The COAS also commissioned other projects, including remodelled 8 Division Garrison RSM’s office and road, Fire Fighting Truck and a Fuel Dump, among others. The projects were named after some Master Warrant Officers who had distinguished themselves in service.

While addressing officers of the Division, the Army Chief charged them to escalate operations against banditry and other criminalities in the North-West zone. 

Gen Yahaya urged them to be vigilant at all times to respond to distress calls effectively. He emphasized that troops must cooperate with other security agencies and stakeholders in their area of responsibility, noting that security is the collective business of all. 

The COAS later inspected ongoing projects in Giginya barracks, including the new Headquarters 8 Division Office  Complex and industrial waterworks.

It will be recalled that the COAS, on Saturday, 30 April 2022, commenced an operational tour of Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai, from where he proceeded to 8 Division and Operation Hadarin Daji in the North West.

Accompanying the COAS during the operational tour are the Chief of Operations (Army) Maj Gen Olufemi Akinjobi, the Coordinator Nigerian Army Special Projects Maj Gen Philip Eromosele, the General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Maj Gen Uwem Bassey, Provost Marshal Army Maj Gen Robert Aiyenigba and the Chief of Military Intelligence, Maj Gen Ibrahim Salihu.