The Nigerian Army has revealed that it will partner with its counterpart in the Niger Republic to track fleeing bandits and rescue their victims.
The Army high command has also said that troops of 17 Brigade, in conjunction with the police, averted a planned attack by bandits on Magama Central Mosque in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State where people had gone to observe the late-night Ramadan prayers.
It said the situation was under control as reinforcements had arrived the area.
The bandits had on Monday abducted 45 worshippers, but the police said 35 of the victims were recovered while 10 were still with the bandits.
This was contained in a statement signed by army spokesman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima, said the army was collaborating with Niger Republic military to track the kidnappers, with a view to rescuing the victims.
It said the bandits were forced to withdraw following the superior firepower from a combined team comprising troops and police personnel, who were tactically deployed in the town following earlier intelligence received on the planned attack.
“On getting the information, the combined team mounted a pursuit on the bandits, forcing them to abandon most of the hostages while fleeing with an unknown number. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families while further efforts are ongoing to rescue the others in collaboration with neighbouring military establishments, including those of Niger Republic,” the army said.
The Former Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, has revealed how he was confirmed as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya in Nigeria by Sheikh Mahy Ibrahim Nyass when he paid him a visit in Senegal on Monday.
There are counter claims trailing the status of the Khalifa of the Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria, the legality of the appointment of the former Kano emir, and whether the protégés of other senior clerics of the sect would pay allegiance to Malam Sanusi even if he had received his letter of endorsement from Kaulaha.
Two prominent clerics- Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh- are seen as the torchbearers of the Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria.
Former Emir Sanusi had in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC, on Tuesday, said a delegation of prominent scholars was sent to Nigeria by Khalifa Sheikh Mahy Nyass to consult Nigerian clerics on their preferred choice to lead the sect in the country.
He said that 98 per cent of the clerics selected him as their choice.
His words; “As people already know, this was my grandfather’s position… The late Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi I and all my life, I have no ambition than to inherit him. I inherited him and became the Emir of Kano and today, Almighty Allah has made it possible for me and I inherited him as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya.
“I have nothing to say but to thank Almighty Allah and seek for his guidance to help me discharge my responsibility,” he said.
However, while followers of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi said they were not aware of the latest endorsement of Sanusi from Senegal and were not consulted before the decision was taken, there was no information from the side of Sheikh Sheriff Saleh on how they view the appointment.
Tijjaniyya sect has millions of followers in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Ghana, and some parts of Sudan.
Its leaders are highly revered and they also exude influence in terms of religious, cultural and social decisions.
I’ve no rift with Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
While reacting to a question on whether Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi is aware and agreed with his confirmation as Khalifa, Malam Sanusi said he has no problem with the Sheikh and that he is his grandfather.
“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi has never said anything bad about me other than love and support. He is my father and close friend to my grandfather Emir Muhammad Sanusi I.
“What happened was that Khalifa Sheikh Mahy Nyass sent his brother Sheikh Quraish to Nigeria and he went round and consulted many clerics and Muqaddims. He went to southern Nigeria part of the country and sought for their opinions and they agreed.
“Even though they (Nyass family) used to just select the person they want, but the grand Khalifah requested that clerics should be contacted in Nigeria and they went round all parts of the country and I was recommended,” he said.
Malam Sanusi said he will now face his work as Khalifa of Tijjaniyya to bring about development and unity among Muslims.
“The first victory is how 98 per cent of our people unite and decided to select one person as a leader. Once people trust your leadership then there is unity. We will now come and see how we can figure out the challenges that the Tijjaniyya is facing and how we can address them.
“We will also look at the challenges facing entire Muslims particularly in Northern Nigeria. Tijjaniyya followers are Muslims and indigenes of Nigeria. There are problems in education, family crisis, children, Tsangaya and Zawiyyas; these are some of the issues we will look and come up with a system that will show we are in the 21st century,” he said.
The deadly COVID-19 strain, which is currently ravaging India, has been found in Nigeria, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control raises alarm.
The strain was detected by the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases in the Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State nearly three weeks ago and has been communicated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government on Monday restricted gatherings at worship centres and banned nightclubs following reports that the devastating COVID-19 strain in South Africa had spread to 23 other countries.
The detection of the Indian strain in Nigeria contributed to the fresh regulations issued by the Federal Government.
The detection had been listed on GISAID, a global science initiative that provided open access to genomic data of influenza viruses.
A notification dated April 25, 2021, sent by Professor Christian Hapi of the ACEGID to the NCDC read in part, “We have found five sequences of the India B.1.617 in the country, specifically in Edo and Osun states.”
However, we learnt that subsequent observations showed that so far, the strain had not shown the same kind of viciousness displayed in India where 400,000 persons were infected daily and 157 died per hour.
Speaking with Newsfocusng, Hapi said the information was sent to the NCDC two weeks ago.
Strain detected in Nigeria same with India’s, but different in characteristics – Professor
Hapi, however, clarified that strain in India has two more mutations than the one identified in Nigeria which makes the one in India more aggressive.
“What we have is the B1.617 from India. That is the variant they had but that variant has now evolved beyond the mutation that we identified.
“The one India evolved by two mutations. It is the same strain with India but their own now has a couple of mutations. So, it is the same as what we detected but also different in characteristics.”
Virologist and Chairman, Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, told one of our correspondents that he was also aware of the detection of the Indian strain.
Tomori said it was important for the government to announce the detection of the Indian strain.
He further said there was a need to increase testing, adding that many states were no longer conducting test for COVID-19.
“The Indian strain is not as fierce in Nigeria yet but we are not doing enough testing,” Tomori said.
When asked what the government should do next, Tomori said he was satisfied with the decision of the Federal Government to step up enforcement.
“They have already done what needs to be done by issuing travel guidelines on passengers from India, Brazil and Turkey plus the curfew and others announced yesterday (Monday). Perhaps, there should be an announcement that the Indian strain is already in Nigeria,” Tomori added.
The Federal Government on Tuesday revealed that Hadiza Bala-Usman remain suspended from office as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority until the outcome of the investigation being done by the panel that was established to probe her activities.
Recall that on Monday the Federal Government inaugurated the panel of enquiry on the management of the NPA and ordered the panel to investigate policies of Bala-Usman, who was suspended last week for allegedly failing to make required remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
This came as the Federal Ministry of Transportation faulted a media report that linked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to two Chinese firms that submitted bids to manage some port channels which was allegedly against due process.
The report had stated that Amaechi requested that two of the Chinese companies should be selected to manage Bonny and Warri channels and that the request was rejected by the NPA because it violated due process.
While reacting to the development, the Permanent Secretary, FMoT, Magdalene Ajani, in a detailed article she personally signed, said the minister had inaugurated an administrative panel to investigate certain alleged infractions within the NPA from 2016 till date.
“This panel was constituted pursuant to the approval and directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, who also approved the suspension of Ms Bala-Usman pending the outcome of the panel’s assignment,” she said.
Ajani said the panel had since commenced its assignment in the light of the position and consistent with the admonition of the minister at the inauguration.
Speaking on the allegations against the minister as regards the management of Bonny and Warri channels by Chinese firms, she said channel management contracts had been routinely awarded over the years by the NPA at a cost of between N50bn and N60bn on an annual basis.
Ajani noted that while this had been on, the minister had adopted a firm position that the NPA should undertake the job of channel management on an in-house basis through the acquisition of the necessary machinery and professional capacity.
This, according to him , was due to the humongous annual sums paid out to dredging contractors by the authority.
The permanent secretary said, “Indeed, following the expiration of the channel management contracts for the Lagos, Bonny and Port Harcourt channels in 2020 and the initiation of the contractual process for the renewal of the said contracts early in 2021, the minister on January 22, 2021, while responding to a request for the NPA to provide requisite details related to the proposed transactions directed in the following words:
She stated that pursuant to the above directive, the ministry’s Maritime Services Department vide a letter No. T0160/S.30/T4E/T2/61 dated February 2, 2021, to the Managing Director, NPA titled ‘Request for Information on the Expired Channel Management and Managing Agents Contracts’.
Ajani added, “The letter, inter alia, requested the NPA to provide the following information for the ministry’s records and further necessary action:
“The current status of the managing agent contract and the measures put in place to cover the vacuum created as a result of expiration of the contract to prevent revenue loss to the government;
“The current status of the Lagos and Bonny/Port Harcourt channel management companies and the measures put in place to cover the gap created by the expired contracts to ensure the channels are maintained for safe navigation and efficient service delivery;
“The volume dredged annually from the channels and the depths achieved from inception management contracts to date and the amount expended;
“The number of wrecks removed annually by the channel management companies from inception of the contracts and amount spent; and the total number of buoys replaced or maintained during the life span of the contract and the amount spent.”
She said the letter also conveyed the directives on the need for the authority to procure its equipment for the service and cease from awarding any such contract.
Ajani argued that it was instructive to note that despite the fact that the letter was duly received by the NPA on the same February 2, 2021, the authority had not deemed it necessary till date to respond to the ministerial directives contained in it.
The New Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa, on Tuesday said the commission has recovered a whopping sum of $153 million from former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, who has been staying in Britain since leaving office in 2015.
Beyond the amount recovered from the former minister, no fewer than 80 choice property valued at $80 million have also been seized from her and handed over to the federal government.
Bawa, who disclosed this, also served a notice that he was ready to relinquish his position if anyone brought pressure on him to do what was not legal in the discharge of his duties.
But he was quick to add that bringing the former minister to justice was still far from reality, given the fact that she was out of Nigeria’s jurisdiction and the challenges associated with bringing her home to face justice.
He said; “There are several cases surrounding Diezani’s case. I was part of that investigation, and we have done quite a lot. In one of the cases, we recovered $153 million; we have secured the final forfeiture of over 80 property in Nigeria valued at about $80 million. We have done quite a bit on that.
“The other cases as it relates to the $115 million INEC bribery, is also ongoing across the federation. We are looking forward to the time we will, maybe, have her in the country, and, of course, review things and see what will happen going forward. The case has certainly not been abandoned.’’
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday approved new security measures for the Southeast and South-South regions of the country.
This was one of the outcomes of the series of security meetings held in the last eleven days and concluded on Tuesday in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, made this discloser to State House Correspondents after the meeting.
He, however, declined to give details.
The president also approved a memo presented by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), on the control of drugs, which he said are enablers of Insecurity, but did not also elaborate.
The NSA said the meeting stressed the need to address the security challenges in the country particularly those that have arisen in the last few months.
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury‘s epic all-British undisputed fight has finally been confirmed by promoter Eddie Hearn who says it will take place in Saudi Arabia on either August 7 or 14.
Boxing fans have been early awaiting news over the highly-anticipated showdown between the pair, which will determine the best fighter on the planet, but talks have dragged on for months – with both teams growing frustrated over the slow nature of negotiations.
But Hearn, who has been leading the discussions for some time and has assured that the fight will go ahead for many weeks, has revealed a date for the clash and said it would be held in Saudi Arabia – where Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.
‘August 7/August 14,’ Hearn told Sky Sports News when asked about a date for the fight. ‘I think it’s a very bad secret that the fight’s happening in Saudi Arabia.
‘I don’t mind giving you that information, Bob Arum’s already done it.’
Hearn hailed the ‘fantastic’ organisers in the Middle East and backed them to put on a top event after the successful bout between Joshua and Ruiz Jr nearly two years ago, and insists both sides are ‘ready to go’.
‘It’s the same people we did the deal with for Andy Ruiz – that event was spectacular.
‘As partners they were fantastic as well, so we’re very comfortable.
‘Anthony is comfortable, he knows those people, they delivered on every one of their promises last time. We’re ready to go.’
It won’t be the first time Fury has fought in Saudi Arabia – having made a surprise appearance in the WWE – beating Braun Strowman in the country in October 2019.
There had been huge question marks over the fight as the weeks dragged on without any official announcement – with Fury and his promoters Arum and Frank Warren all pouring doubt over whether it would take place.
This week Warren said Fury was unhappy with his contract and would not be signing it in its current state, while Arum last month declared the bout ‘dead in the water’ while Hearn frantically attempted to sign off a site deal.
And Joshua himself waded into the back-and-forth words as he said he wanted ‘less talk, more action from Fury’, after the Gypsy King’s tirade about the Watford-born fighter on social media – describing himself as a ‘ ‘spartan’, while calling Joshua a ‘big bum dosser’.
Fury claimed he would quit on his stool if Joshua made it past three rounds with him in their fight, prompting stern words from the four-belt world champion.
‘Spartan,’ he wrote on Twitter as he addressed Fury. ‘I’m tired. My fans are tired. Your fans are tired. We’re all tired of the talk. Less talk. More action!’
Previously Warren had admitted there were a few ‘humps’ to sort out before the deal could be properly thrashed out, telling SecondsOut: ‘You can only sign a contract when all the parties agree on it,’ the promoter said.
‘And we’ve got a contract at the moment that all the parties don’t agree on. We’ve got a contract at the moment that Tyson Fury will not sign.
‘One of the things in that contract that will enable us to get over the hump is the guarantees. If the guarantees are there, then it’s not a problem.
‘That’s where it is. I’m not going down the road of where the fight’s going to take place, who those negotiations are with because it’s all moot at the moment.
‘Until we agree the terms, until Tyson Fury – which is who we’re with – until he’s happy with the terms it won’t get signed. And he’s not happy at the moment.’
But through all the uncertainty, Hearn has always been adamant that the fight would go head this summer and that it had been agreed by both parties.
Earlier this month he hit back at Arum’s ‘dead in the water’ jibe and insisted the bout was ‘on’ and ‘happening’.
‘This fight is on, this fight is happening. As I told everyone last week, back and forwards with the drafts.
‘I saw Bob Arum’s comments, “The fight is dead”. I don’t know where that came from.
‘We know what we’re doing and that’s now been acknowledged by the other side, which is nice.’
It was rumoured that there would be an official announcement after Canelo Alvarez’ win over Billy Joe Saunders in Dallas on Saturday night, but Hearn said they weren’t quite in the right position – admitting lawyers were still thrashing out the terms.
‘Fury is on board, AJ is on board, they’ve all signed the site agreement, but it’s a lot of money,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately I can’t just tell the lawyers to hurry up.
‘But that fight is done, and you’ll get an announcement very soon.’
A Pastor with the Deeper Life Bible Church at Irese town, Akure South local government simply identified as Ogedengbe has been abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
The incident happened on Monday evening at the church premises.
A member of the church who confirmed his abduction to Newsfocusng said the abductors came in a black Corolla car.“He was kidnapped inside the church. They came with a black Corolla sport car. They took only him away,”
However, Ondo Police spokesman, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, confirmed the abduction and said investigation has commenced.
Pastor Ogedengbe is a retired director in the state Ministry of Education.
Troops of 8 Division, Nigerian Army operating in Zamfara and adjoining states revealed that they made tremendous progress in the ongoing fight against banditry and other violent crimes in the North-west.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said they successfully cleared many bandits’ camps in Jaya, Kadaya, and Bayan Ruwa amongst several others and successfully neutralised 48 bandits.
They added that the bandits’ leader in the area Jummo sustained a gunshot wound on his leg while the troops rescued 18 kidnap victims from the bandits’ enclave.
However, eight AK-47 rifles and one G3 rifle, as well as one PKT and a machine gun were recovered from the bandits.
The division had earlier launched Operation Tsare Mutane following the directives of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru for the division to stabilise the area in order to facilitate the return of socio-economic activities.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Division, Maj. Gen. Usman Yusuf launched the first phase of Operation Tsare Mutane which lasted from March 23 to April 2, 2021 in Maradun LGA of Zamfara State.
In continuation with the second phase of Operation Tsare Mutane, troops sacked several other bandits’ camps around Gabiya, Bozaya, and Mereri and the adjoining forests in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State from 19 April to 3 May 2021.
The statement further stated that; “The areas which were heavily infested by bandits were successfully cleared by the highly spirited troops.
“Key bandits’ leaders including Yellow Mai-Bille, Sani Meli, Dan-Katsina, and Sama’ila Bakajin Bari were neutralised in the process while the main leader Nasanda narrowly escaped with fatal injuries.
“Equally neutralised in the operation was one Isan Heshi who is a close ally of a notorious bandit called Nagala. Isan Heshi was the second in command to Heshi before he joined Nagala following Heshi’s death in an earlier operation,” the statement read in part.
Items recovered in the second phase of Operation Tsare Mutane include 4,600 rounds of ammunition, two AK-103 rifles, eight AK-47 magazines, 1,628 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, fifty-four rounds of PKM as well as one motorcycle and five Techno mobile phones.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with Nigeria’s Security Chiefs at the State House in Abuja.
The meeting came 24 hours after armed robbers attempted to attack the residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, on Monday night.
The Presidency announced the meeting via its Twitter handle but did not give details of its agenda.
However, the meeting is expected to review the current security situation in the country.
Before the meeting, there had been previous security meetings on Friday, April 30, and Monday, May 4 respectively.
The meeting, which started at about 10 am, held at the Conference Hall of the Office of the First Lady.
“Security Meeting ongoing, at the State House. President @MBuhari presiding, Vice President, SGF, NSA, Ministers, Service Chiefs, IGP, Intelligence Chiefs in attendance. #AsoVillaToday #SecuringNigeria,” the presidency tweeted.
Among others at the meeting are the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; and the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno.
Also in attendance is the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Minister of Defense, Major-General Bashir Salihi Magashi (Retd.) and Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
