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Sexual Assault: 1200 Sign Petition Against Release Of Baba Ijesha

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About 1,200 Nigerians have signed a petition making rounds on social media to for the release of popular Yoruba actor, Olarewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha for allegedly defiling a minor.

However, the target is for the Signees is to reach 1,500.

Recall that the actor was arrested last week, after he was reported by the teenager’s foster mother a comedienne, Princess that he molested the girl when she was seven years old.

When the actor was apprehended last Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said there was substantial evidence against the actor as he was caught in the act on Closed Circuit Television.

The PPRO further stated that “Based on preliminary findings, the suspect started sexually assaulting the victim since she was seven years old. The suspect confessed to the crime and was also captured by a CCTV camera in the house of the complainant.”

However, in a twist of events, a senior police officer told our correspondent that the actor may be released on Friday. The source said due to the ongoing strike by members of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, courts had ceased sitting and the suspect could not be detained indefinitely without trial.

The source also said investigation into the recent allegation against Omiyinka revealed that he did not defile the victim, saying, when she was questioned, the victim confirmed the same.

The petition, which is drafted by the Aunt Landa’s Bethel Foundation, on behalf of the teenager’s foster mother, Princess, has urged 1,500 Nigerians to sign against the release of the Yoruba actor, Baba Ijesha.

Dr Yolanda George-David, who signed the petition, said it is embarrassing to know the Nigeria Police Force is trying to grant the actor bail.

“We seek full justice for the young child. It is embarrassing to know Nigeria Police Force is trying to grant Olanrewaju James Omiyinka bail today at Panti Police station, Lagos state, Nigeria.

“I want to remind the Nigeria Police Force that Section 218 of the Criminal Code Act provides that any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of thirteen is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life with or without caning. This law should be excise and thorough investigation is required with evidence already been submitted by the child guidance,” she wrote.

Narrating the incident that transpired between Baba Ijesha and her foster daughter, Princess said people, who were compassionate about her childlessness, entrusted the victim and five other children to her care, adding that after Omiyinka allegedly defiled the minor, she started behaving strangely.

She stated, “The child started failing in school, I paid for private lessons and when I told my family, they told me we should pray, maybe it is spiritual. But I kept on saying that something is wrong, this child has changed.

“My friend talked to the child again to know what was going on, she told us what happened, I was shocked… I called the CCTV company to set a camera, we asked everybody to go out and stay in a neighbour’s house, she (the victim) was afraid, we said she should calm down…

He came in and saw that there was nobody at home and I told him I want to see dstv people off and I will stay long…I dropped my phone, went out and locked the door. Two seconds later, he stood up, begin to check my whole house to be sure that none of the children were inside sleeping.

“I can’t begin to relay the things that he did, I was shaking because we were monitoring it on the phone. Police came immediately and picked him up, I asked him, Lanre, what is my offense? You know I didn’t give birth and the children were in my care so I won’t be thinking and you did something like this to me? He said it is the devil…”

Emefiele Sacks All First Bank Directors, Reinstates Adeduntan

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has sacked all the Directors of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited and First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc.

Their sack was announced by the CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele on Thursday at a press conference over the purported ouster of the Bank’s Managing Director, Mr Adesola Adeduntan and appointment of Mr. Gbenga Shobo by the board on Wednesday.

While addressing journalists, the CBN Governor said the decision was taken to safeguard the financial system, following the crisis that greeted the purported changes at FBN.

Adeduntan, who was earlier sacked by the board, was however, reinstated by the apex bank.

Boko Haram: Shekau Appoints New ‘War Commander, Kills Predecessor, Two Others

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The Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, has appointed Abu Muhammad as the new Amirul Jaysh “Commander of War, for the faction he is leading after killing the former Commander, Abu Fatimah.

Our correspondent gathered that Shekau personally shot and killed Abu Fatimah, last week, for allegedly betraying their terrorists’ sect.

A source disclosed that two other senior Commanders were also eliminated by the Shekau.

Following an internal dispute, Shekau killed Abu Fatima, one other Commander and Amirul Fi’ya, who is a son to a renowned Bama businessman, Alhaji Modu Katakauma,” the source revealed .

NDLEA Arrest Two Traffickers With N264m Worth Of Cocaine, 157.5kg Skunk In FCT, Kogi

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) in Abuja have arrested a trans-border trafficker, Emeka Okoro and another drug dealer, Ibrahim Bello in Abuja with cocaine weighing 1.1kilogramme, which has a street value of N264million.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi in statement made available to newsmen, stated that while Okoro was intercepted with 900grammes of cocaine in a commercial bus along Abuja-Gwagwalada road on Monday 26th April, 2021 based on intelligence, while Bello was nabbed with 200grammes of the illicit drug in Zuba area of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), same day through a controlled delivery operation.

According to the Commander, FCT Command of the Agency, Mohammed Malami Sokoto, Okoro was an intending traveller to Libya through Kano and Agadez in Niger Republic, with wraps of cocaine weighing 900 grammes while the other seizure of 200 grammes was equally made following intelligence on the 26th April, 2021.

“The wraps of cocaine were not to be swallowed as it has always been the case, but to be concealed in Jerry cans of palm oil and transported through the border in Kano to Agadez and Libya. The suspect, Emeka Okoro revealed that this has been the trend in the past months”, the FCT Commander of NDLEA disclosed.

In another development , the Kogi state Command of the Agency has intercepted and seized 157.5kilogrammes of skunk concealed in false panels in a Peugeot J5 bus with registration number Lagos AGL 641 XW while a 43-year-old suspect, Christian Godwin was arrested.

According to the Commander, Kogi state Command of the Agency, Adewunmi Alfred, the suspect and his consignment were intercepted at a patrol point in Lokoja, the state capital. “The skunk was sourced from Ikire in Osun state and heading to Masaka in Nasarawa state before our men arrested the suspect, seized the illicit drug and the vehicle used to convey it on Monday 26th April, 2021”, Alfred added.

In his reaction, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended officers and men of the FCT and Kogi state Commands of the Agency for their vigilance and commitment to the task of ridding the country of illicit drugs.

Saying, “These seizures and arrests in FCT and Kogi point to the fact that we’ll continue to disrupt and dismantle the drug supply networks of these unconscionable elements and deny them the benefit of their illegal trade”.

Niger State Communities Set To Pay Taxes , VATs To Bandits

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…Negotiate With Bandits For Ceasefire

Following the incessant attack on communities ravaged by bandits in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, the communities have negotiated with terrorists for a ceasefire

The agreement entered into by the the communities was to pay taxes and vats to the terrorists who have been attacking their villages.

Meanwhile, our correspondent has not been able to verify the information making rounds about payment of tax and VAT to terrorists in the affected communities.

However, a sources from the local government hinted that , the people started the negotiation with the terrorists, who have been attacking them, so as to have peace in the area.

A police source, who does not want his name on print said they got information that the terrorists asked villagers to pay tax to them.

Co-convener, Concerned Shiroro Youths, Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, said all communities and villages in Gurmana and Manta districts of Shiroro local government have negotiated with the bandits.

“Virtually all communities and villages in Gurmana and Manta districts of Shiroro local government, Niger State have negotiated with terrorists for a ceasefire after reaching an agreement to certain amount of money among other conditions including purchasing of Honda Motorcycles for them.

“Also, some communities and villages in Bassa/Kukoki Ward have followed suit by agreeing to pay certain amount of money among others while the terrorists suspend their nefarious activities,” he said.

Newsfocusng learnt that some villages pay as much as N2million in addition to other demands of the group.

Some residents of the area, who lamented their plight in the hands of the terrorists, said they prefer paying their revenue to them if they would let them have peace rather than pay to a government that does not care about their security and welfare.

Niger State police command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for confirmation as of the time of filing this report and his mobile telephone was switched off.

Hoodlums Attacks Checkpoint In A’Ibom , Shot Dead Two Policemen

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Gunmen have again killed two Policemen manning a checkpoint at Urua Inyang, headquarters of Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.

The armed hoodlums, according to a member of the community stormed the checkpoint with several motorcycles and shot the two officers dead, while others fled, leaving the hoodlums to seize their riffles and set patrol the van ablaze.

Confirming the attack, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon in a release made available to Newsfocusng in Uyo on Wednesday said “On 27/4/2021, at about 7:00pm, some armed men on Motorcycles, heading towards Ika Divisional Headquarters vicinity, armed with AK-47 and other dangerous weapons with the intent to attack the Division and set it ablaze  met stiff resistance as the Divisional Police Officer and other Officers on ground fought gallantly and repelled the attackers who took to their heels with possible bullet wounds.

The statement read in bits; “Unfortunately, before heading towards the Station to attack it, they ambushed and killed a Woman Police Corporal, one Esther Akpan who had just closed from duty and was on her way home in company of a Police Special Constabulary, one Isonuyo Effiong Paul and burnt the Volvo vehicle attached to the Division.

“The Commissioner of Police, who was at the Division for an on-the-spot assessment, condoled with the families of slained female Officer and the Special Constabulary.

“He commended the gallantry exhibited by the DPO and his Men and was also very appreciative of the role played by the Youths of IKA, while urging them to continue partnering the Police in crime fighting. He has however, launch a discreet investigation with the aim of bringing perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice”. 

This killing brought to five the number of Policemen killed in the line of duty in Akwa Ibom by unknown gunmen, while four others were declared missing in the recent times.

Two Inspectors were set ablaze and a leader of the Quick Response Squad (QRS), a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), was also shot dead while leading the squad to confront armed hoodlums in their base in Ikot Akpan in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

Again, I Herdsmen Hack Man, Wife To Death In Benue

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Herdsmen have attacked and killed a man and his wife at Udei branch in Mbabai council ward of Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state.

The man, Igba Faga and his wife our correspondent gathered were hacked to death on their way home from their farm on Tuesday evening.

Recall that the State Governor Samuel Ortom on Tuesday said over 70 persons have lost their lives to herdsmen attacks in the last couple of weeks.

All the deaths were recorded in three Local Government Area (LGAs) of the state; Guma, Makurdi and Gwer-West LGAs.

While confirming the attack to newsmen on Wednesday, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Samuel Ortom, Paul Hembah said the herdsmen had laid ambush on the man and hacked him to death on his way home.

He further explained that the couple who were on their motorcycle, enroute for home had died on the spot and their remains have been evacuated by their family member for onward burial.

Hembah who describe the attack as one attack too many, lamented that the incident took place less than 24 hours after herdsmen attacked the Internally Displaced Persons camp on Tuesday, where seven persons were killed.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sewuese Anene could not be reached for comments as at the time of filling this report

House Uncovers Budget Fraud in NUC

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The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee, which is investigating capital projects executed and funds repeated every year in the Appropriation Act by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) since 2015, yesterday uncovered a three-year duplication of annual budget figures by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, berated MDAs for failing to turn up for the probe.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Abubakar Makki Yalleman, said the agency duplicated its annual capital budgets from 2017 to 2020.

He, however, urged MDAs to provide accurate information which is supported with facts to assist the committee in the discharge of its task.

Yalleman also appealed to those yet to make submission to the ad-hoc committee do so urgently as they would not accept any excuses on plea of ignorance.

Speaking further on the absence of MDAs at the probe, he said he expected permanent secretaries of government agencies and their directors of procurement not to have turned down their invitation to the inquest.

Yalleman, however, assured them that their absence, notwithstanding, the committee will be thorough and conclusive in its task to get erring agencies to account to the people.

The Director of Finance and Administration of NUC, Sam Onazi, in his presentation, could not offer satisfactory explanation to the lawmakers, as the bulky documents he tendered did not detail the award of contracts from 2017 to date.

The panel, therefore, issued him a seven-day ultimatum to go through its records and resubmit a detailed report to the committee, before the conclusion of its assignment.

The House Speaker, Gbajabiamila, while declaring the hearing open, frowned at the absence of key government agencies at the hearing.

Gbajabiamila, who was represented at the hearing by the House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, warned the agencies concerned to be prepared to open their accounts for scrutiny and accountability or be sanctioned.

According to him; “I am concerned by the low turnout of relevant government officials to engage the legislature on this very critical assignment. I would have expected to come across on the floor of this public hearing, a minimum of permanent secretaries and perhaps all the public procurement directors in various agencies and ministries of the government.

‘’But from what I am seeing, except if you (committee) had some problems in terms of communications, I want to believe that there is a kind of laxity from those agencies to really formally engage this Assembly on this very important critical assignment. It is on this note, the I would like to urge the chairman, and also direct on behalf of the leadership of the House of Representatives that you have every mandate of this institution and you have all the instrumentalities of the legislature available to you to enforce on any agency that takes this assignment with laxity or takes it for granted.”

FG To Create 800, 000 Jobs With Digital Switch Over

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The Federal government on Tuesday hinted that the Digital Switch Over (DSO) being put in place, when rolled out by ending of April, is capable of creating nothing less than 800,000 thousand jobs.

The Minister of Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known in Abuja at an interactive session with Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation with the 13 Member Ministerial Task Force on DSO project, however kept mum on how much government has spent on the project.

Explaining how the project would create the job opportunities for Nigerians, the Minister said that the manufacturing of Set Top Boxes or decoders alone was capable of creating 50,000 jobs, while television production could create 200,000 jobs.

According to him; “Film Production can generate 350 to 400,000 jobs, distribution, which entails supplying the market with Set Top Boxes,TVs and Dongles for the internet, will require at least 100,000 wholesalers. Advertising can create a further 50,000 jobs.”

On how the DSO will commence, Mohammed said, “we are kickstarting the new roll out in Lagos state on April 29, while Kano on June 3, and Rivers on July 8.

“We will then follow up with Yobe s on July 15 and Gombe on Aug 12. To date, we have rolled out the DSO in five states and Abuja.”

He said the DSO had gone live in the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kaduna Enugu and Osun states.

He said the ministry considers the DSO as one of its priority projects, given its potential to create jobs, bring governance closer to the people through better access to information, provide quality programming to Nigeria’s estimated 24 million television households, with high fidelity pictures and sound.

“Without mincing words, let me say straight away that for us, the DSO is about stimulating local content and empowering platform owners,” he said.

He disclosed that the ministry had taken some steps to create the enabling environment for the DSO to succeed, for local content to thrive, for indigenous producers to be more engaged and for the local advertising market to grow.

He also revealed that the federal government had carried out an unprecedented reform of the broadcasting industry, given the nexus between the reforms and success of the DSO.

According to him; “The amendments were necessitated by the need to boost the local content in Nigeria, curb anti competitive and monopolistic tendencies and boost advertising revenues.”

“We have amended the code to curb monopoly and exclusivity of programme content in order to create room for the local industry to grow.

“For example, the pay television sector of the broadcast Industry had been controlled by foreign interests, while indigenous efforts to compete have been frustrated or weakened by the established control of the big monopolies.

“It will interest you to know that to date, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has licensed over 30 Nigerian pay tv companies, but only 1, is currently struggling to break through, this is not acceptable,” the Minister said.

Insecurity: Buhari, APC Ignored Our Advice On Seeking Help From Experts Says PDP

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have refused to seek help of experts, especially from other political parties, in spite of the mounting insecurity challenges in Nigeria.

The PDP’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said despite its recommendations that the President Buhari and the APC  should seek help wherever it may find, in order to bring the nation out of the crisis they have plunged it to, they have remained adamant and  even ignored offer for assistance.

  
He further stated that, much could have been achieved if the ruling party had swallowed its pride and seek help from experts and other political parties on the myriads of challenges confronting the nation.

He said “ The APC as the ruling party has never expressed unwillingness to bring the knowledge of experts who are in other political parties to join them in finding solution to the crisis which they have sunk the nation”. 

“In spite of recommendations in the past to the party and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to seek help, they have consistently refused”.

“So, given the crisis they have plunged the nation, it is their responsibility to find help wherever they can find it in order to salvage our nation today. Our position in the PDP is that they should urgently seek for help before things gets worse than it is right now”